A PE teacher who has a better body in her 40s than she did in her 20s has revealed the five things that will make a difference to your health instantaneously.
Belinda Norton, from the Gold Coast, has been athletic her entire life but it was only after she discovered weight lifting that she managed to sculpt a body that women half her age would be proud of.
Writing on her Facebook page, Belinda, 42, said the first of the five things you should do is move – and as often as possible.
Belinda Norton, 42, has been athletic her entire life, but it was only when she discovered weight lifting that she managed to sculpt a body that women half her age would be proud of
Belinda (pictured) revealed the five things everyone should do to improve their general health today – the most important of which she said is moving your body daily, whatever you choose
‘Move your body in a variety of ways daily: walk, run, fast, slow, stretch, squat, lunge, stairs, swim, paddle (daily),’ Belinda wrote.
Alongside moving, the PE teacher said hydration is key.
‘When you are hungry, drink water first; before and after you eat, drink water,’ she said.
The third thing on Belinda’s list is counting.
She said you need to be ‘honest with yourself’ when you’re training so that you make sure you’re doing the necessary 10-12 reps each time.
‘Number four is massage,’ Belinda said.
‘Stretch, roll, massage your own thighs, stimulate your blood flow.’
Lastly, she said it’s about having a ‘positive’ attitude – both in your mind and your soul.
‘Every negative thought or energy you think or say will return,’ she said’
‘Say wonderful things about yourself and others all day. If someone p**ses you off, think compassionately for them.
Elsewhere, Belinda (pictured) said you need to prioritise both hydration and massage after exercise, which helps to stimulate the blood flow
Speaking previously to FEMAIL, Belinda said she barely recognised her body after piling on 20 kilograms throughout two pregnancies, before she overhauled her diet and exercise regime and got in shape (pictured in her 20s and her 40s)
Speaking previously to FEMAIL, Belinda said she barely recognised her body after piling on 20 kilograms throughout two pregnancies, before she overhauled her diet and exercise regime and got in shape.
While the mum said she was guilty of ‘making excuses’ around food and exercise when she first became a mother, she also said a comment from her then-husband prompted her to get her body back on track.
When he showed her a photo of a toned woman, she said she wished she could look like that and he told her no matter what she did, she never could look like that.
‘That was the sentence that lit a fire in my belly,’ Belinda told FEMAIL.
‘Doubters have always spurred me on.’
And so, the full-time physical education teacher used her knowledge of sports and nutrition to develop a way of eating and exercising that fit into her schedule as a busy mum.
‘The steps I followed were pretty straightforward,’ the author of Fit Mama said.
‘Step 1: I set a food regime. Step 2: I corrected my fitness. Step 3: I was consistent and goal-focused. And Step 4: I included personal rewards, such as a facial or a massage – not chocolate.’
To get into shape, Belinda (pictured) got on top of her food regime, set herself a goal and stayed consistent throughout with her training
Belinda (pictured out running) said that ‘being truthful’ with herself was hard at first, but gradually over the course of a year, her body started changing shape
Belinda said that ‘being truthful’ with herself was hard at first, but gradually over the course of a year, her body started changing shape.
‘Within 20 weeks of eating healthily and exercising three or four times a week, people noticed differences in my skin, energy and mood,’ she said.
‘Then, the body changes came too.’
She slowly and steadily moved from 80 kilos to her current weight of 62 kilos.
The 42-year-old said food is the key to being in good shape in your 30s and 40s.
‘Focus on how often you eat, how much you eat and then simplify the eating and preparation process,’ she said.
‘Processed meats should never pass your lips as they are poison to the body.
‘While they are marketed as high in protein and healthy, I totally disagree and have seen dramatic health changes in myself and other women who avoid them altogether.’
Instead, Belinda focuses on nourishing her body with plenty of lean protein and green leafy vegetables.
‘I live entirely on oats, blueberries, almond milk, coffee, bananas, chicken, salmon, salad, broccoli, eggs, spinach, beetroot, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, quinoa and peanut butter,’ she said.