Maxwell - Get the Body You Want

First published 2012
by Lesley Maxwell
www.ouifitness.com.au

Text copyright Lesley Maxwell

Text assistance by Paul Mitchell www.paul-mitchell.com.au

Cover, text design and layout by Elzette Bester Design by LZ www.designbylz.com

Typesetting by Mike Kuszla J&M Typesetting

Front cover, exercise, some food photography by Andrew K

Competition photography by Michael Tabban

Some food and book images by iStockPhoto

All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

Every care has been taken in researching and compiling the dietary and exercise information in this book. It is, however, not intended to replace or supersede medical advice. The author and publisher shall not be held responsible for any action or claim howsoever resulting from the use of this book or any information contained in it. Readers must obtain their own professional medical advice before relying upon or otherwise making use of the dietary or exercise information in this book.

About Lesley Maxwell

Lesley Maxwell took up the sport of body sculpting in 2005 and has won more than 20 titles, including the world championship in 2009 as a 53-year-old, defeating women half her age.

A Melbourne-based personal trainer and mother of three, she wants to inspire you to realize that age is no barrier to having a great body and getting the most out of life.

I dedicate this book to my wonderful children Vanessa, Anthony and Damian who are my tower of strength, and to my sister Sandra who prompted me to write this book.

I have the body I want. But I know that not everyone wants a body like mine. You want the body you want. And this book will help you get it.

The fact that youre reading this means you want to change. Youve realized you want to improve the body you have, and you are ready to do something about it.

Depending on where I am in my competition cycle, I keep within about four kilos of my competitive weight. (I am so in tune with my body, I can change it any time I want through diet and exercise). You dont have to get as lean as me or carry that much muscle! But you can change your body shape to look more how you want to look. If you make the right exercise and clean eating (a term youll read a lot in this book) part of your routine like brushing your teeth then you will see results.

This is not a quick fix, crash diet and exercise book. I am going to introduce you to a lifestyle that I hope will stay with you for as long as you live, work, play and dance on this planet.

If you do a little and do it often, youll get the results you want and keep them. Thats so much better than thrashing your body for three months, losing some weight and then putting it (plus a bit more) back on again. Then you find yourself unhappier than when you started. Learning how to eat properly and train effectively will empower you to achieve your ideal body and, most importantly, maintain it.

Getting the body you want doesnt have to mean joining a gym or hiring a personal trainer, although you might find you want to do that to help you get started, or to keep you motivated down the track. You can start by performing simple bodyweight exercises and later you can buy a couple of dumbbells and do all the workouts Ill show you in your own lounge room.

Im sure you are aware that what you eat plays a huge role in how you look and feel. Ive put in some of my favourite meals and recipes, which are tasty and quick to prepare. And choosing healthier food doesnt have to be expensive.

Im now in my 50s and people sometimes ask me if I feel like giving up strength training. The truth is I feel fantastic. What these people dont realize is they are actually asking me when am I going to give up feeling great. The answer? Never.

A lot of women create excuses and reasons in their minds for the way they are, and up to a point these reasons are justified. They have a family, hold down a job, and feel theyre too busy for exercise. But if you can look at different ways to just squeeze strength training into your routine and couple it with clean eating the benefits will amaze you. Youll get so much more out of everything else in your life.

Theres no doubt its dificult to find time to exercise when we have kids, especially when theyre little. But you can switch the TV off or exercise during the ad breaks, and you can put the baby in the pusher and go for a walk. You can do squats, even at the clothesline and do walking lunges all the way back into the house! You can buy and cook healthy food and, if you do eat takeaway occasionally, there are healthy options. Look for opportunities to exercise; you will be surprised how many chances there are.

Think now of the way you want your body to look. Picture it and know that you can change. And the only way to change is to get into action. Get your body moving!

Dont forget, getting the body you want is not just about how you look. Its how youll feel as you start to enjoy life more all the way through because you are becoming stronger and more energetic. You wont just be alive, youll really be living.

Lesleys Better Body Hint 1

Take the T out of Cant: YouCan!

We can all come up with lots of excuses for why we cant exercise and eat properly: I cant because Ive got kids, or I cant because I work; cant because Im too old, I cant because ..

.. and the list goes on. Some people really believe that there is no time, that they cant do it. But the truth is that it doesnt actually take that much time out of your day; its just about changing things around a little in your approach to exercise and what you eat. An easy way to help you overcome this is to take the t out of cant. And then you can!

Lesleys Better Body Hint 3

Commitment-Phobic?

We hear a lot about this idea when it comes to relationships, dont we? Well, its the same with your body. If you are commitment-phobic when it comes to clean eating and exercise then you will have a poor relationship with your body. You might dislike yourself for not fitting into the clothes you want to wear. Or be upset over a failed attempt at getting into shape and not sure what to try next.

I have found what motivates many women is to aim for something theyre looking forward to, like a wedding or other special occasion, which finally pushes them to make a commitment to change and improve their bodies. Once they have reached their body shape target, it will be easier to maintain, as they havent done it through fad dieting, but by enjoying a new healthy, wonderful lifestyle

Or we may just want to feel great, and look good for ourselves and our partners; or be an inspiration to our kids. I think its our responsibility to be healthy for