23W Spotlight: Katie Dunlop

By Ange

Meet Katie! 

Katie joined 23W in January this year looking to find increased support to reach her weight loss and performance goals. After moving to Melbourne a few month earlier, she was ready to jump into our female-only community and meet other like minded women.

With a love of hockey, our specific goals was to help Katie return back to the game stronger than ever, while developing a leaner, more athletic physique and decrease pain associated from dodgy left knee.

Katie’s was a silent achiever over the course of the challenge! Katie’s was able to build 1.5kg of muscle mass and lose 5kg of body fat. Katie was shocked to see she had done so well as the her net scale weight was a difference of 3.5kg … which in itself highlighted the importance of not always trusting standard bathroom scales as the the only benchmark of success. Let’s get to know Katie!

1.     What was your goal over the 8 week challenge?

My main goals were:

1) Lose 3-5 kg

2) Attend at least 3 gym classes per week + hockey training

3) stay positive

2.     How did you go achieving this? Highlight your results

Before the challenge, I usually had a pretty decent diet, but with the stress of moving and living in a new city, I resorted to bad food choices. On the challenge, I made really conscious food choices and ate when I felt I needed to. I didn’t count my macros to a tee (sorry Ange) but I always had this in mind and ate the foods I still enjoyed (just with a lot more protein and less processed food). Prepping my food was a massive help and found this really worked for breakfast and lunch for me. I would try and have different dinners through the week and at least 1-2 vegetarian meals with lots of variety in the veggies. I make an excellent vegetarian chilli and it’s amazing to freeze and reheat. I also moved regularly and most weeks did 3 gym classes. If I couldn’t go to the gym, I made sure I went for a walk or did something for at least 30mins.

3.     What are you most proud of?

I was actually really shocked when Ange told me I had come second overall. I haven’t noticed enormous changes in my body but do have more energy, feel stronger and my clothes fit a bit more comfortably. I am really proud to have gained 1.5kg of muscle and achieved the 5kg of fat loss. Still have another 3kg to go and I will be really happy to maintain that.

4.     What process did you use to get results?

All mind over matter for me. Some days/weeks were really tough but just finding ways to push through, keep everything in perspective and find my own balance and what works for me.  I tried really hard to stick to getting to the gym 3 times a week/moving regularly and this worked for me.

5.     What did your typical day of eating look like?

Breakfast – porridge or overnight oats with berries or a smoothie with protein powder

 Snack – apple or Chobani yoghurt with a coffee

Protein (usually chicken or turkey) with salad or leftovers from dinner the previous night

Snack– nuts or crackers with some cheese or hommus

Dinner – Varied but I loved stir fried Asian chicken with kale, carrot, cabbage and snow peas.

6.     What do you enjoy most about training with 23W?

The workouts are always different and challenging. I love love love boxing and the mixture of cardio and weight training. The buzz and environment of the gym is great as well

7.     What advice would you give other women looking to transform their bodies?

Do what works for you and be patient. For me it was a change in my lifestyle and if you make it a chore, you won’t enjoy it as much. I have learnt to love exercise again and even the sore muscles the next day.

8.     What is your biggest health & fitness tip (what works for you)?

Give yourself variety in the exercise you do. I have really valued the strength and conditioning combination with cardio and hockey training. I get bored easily, so love doing a few different types of exercise and working different parts of my body.

Would you like to see more 23W success stories? Head to our transformations page for more. 

Our founder

Ange Drake is an personal trainer, women’s empowerment coach and fitness blogger in the northern suburbs of Melbourne. She is the director of one of the few womens’ only strength training gyms in Melbourne, 23W. Ange helps women to learn how to use strength based training, nutritional strategies and a positive mindset to transform their bodies, relationship with food and mind.

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