At 41 years old, mother-of-two Belinda Norton flaunts an age-defying physique most women half her age would aspire to.
But the full time physical education teacher from the Gold Coast in Queensland didn’t achieve her fitness dreams overnight and has spent the past decade overhauling her health.
‘It’s me the 31-year-old working mum and I was killing myself from the inside out,’ she said of the ‘before’ picture she shared.
‘It’s me the 31-year-old working mum and I was killing myself from the inside out,’ she said, referring to the image on the left
Ms Norton said she took medications for her back, knee, indigestion, asthma, skin, eyes and drank caffeinated drinks to keep her energy levels high
‘I was placing an absurd amount of medications into my body. My body was not functioning so I was counteracting that by taking medications all day to feel ‘ok’, to feel capable, to feel like I could get up for work, look after my kids and keep going.’
Ms Norton said she took medications for her back, knee, indigestion, asthma, skin, eyes and drank caffeinated drinks to keep her energy levels high.
‘My moods were up and down (mostly down) and I was putting on a brave pretend happy face,’ she admitted.
Not content with the way her life was going, Ms Norton completely altered her approach to wellness (previous image she shared of herself aged 29 (left) and 41 (right))
Ultimately she said there are ‘no silly products’ to buy but ‘genuine real food’ made in your home surrounded by family and ‘home fitness’ that your children can be inspired by
Not content with the way her life was going, Ms Norton completely altered her approach to wellness – and her body changed alongside it.
‘I stopped making lame excuses to myself and I looked closely at fighting to gain my zest for life,’ she said.
‘So I got healthy with high quality food fuel and fitness targeting my mobility and it took about one year from this day to get this new improved body.
‘Many positive results were seen and I felt it in my body in only 15 weeks. As the 41-year-old of today I have maintained this food and fitness regime to be a better mum, a better teacher, a better friend and partner.’
Ultimately she said there are ‘no silly products’ to buy but ‘genuine real food’ made in your home surrounded by family and ‘home fitness’ that your children can be inspired by.
Speaking to FEMAIL previously, Ms Norton said growing up she would compete in elite triathlons, run 20km on weekends and go for 120km bike rides on a Sunday morning
After giving birth to her children she started to look further into what exercise would benefit her as a mother and found that as a woman, over-doing cardio wasn’t going to ‘create a great body shape’
Speaking to FEMAIL previously, Ms Norton said growing up she would compete in elite triathlons, run 20km on weekends and go for 120km bike rides on a Sunday morning.
After giving birth to her children she started to look further into what exercise would benefit her as a mother and found that as a woman, over-doing cardio wasn’t going to ‘create a great body shape’.
‘Instead, it was all about light cardio training, repetitive weight training in targeted areas and speed training as well as a balanced diet,’ she said.
‘Women also need to do cardio in the morning, not at night, for our optimal well being and body shape.’
‘Instead, it was all about light cardio training, repetitive weight training in targeted areas and speed training as well as a balanced diet,’ she said
Ms Norton has been following her own tailored program for five years and says ‘this is the best body I’ve ever had’
Ms Norton cut down her cardio to 1.5 hours a day and says the secret is working out with the family – both for wellness and fitness.
‘All you need to do is go walking every morning as a family and let the kids be involved in the fitness too,’ she said.
Ms Norton has been following her own tailored program for five years and says ‘this is the best body I’ve ever had’.
In terms of the food on her plate, the 41-year-old avoids dairy, sugar and red meat, instead opting for chicken, fish and legumes for protein.
Ms Norton shares her tips, programs and tricks on her website and Instagram and recently penned the book Because I was a Bad Wife – A Memoir by Belinda Norton.