It’s hard to believe that one woman now training six days a week for a marathon once weighed 108kg and was not in good shape. After four 12WBT Rounds over 12 months, Munuela has lost over 40kg and is a totally changed woman. Despite the fact that she was overweight, it wasn’t body image that made her want to shake up her diet and lifestyle.
“At no point did I feel people were looking at me or judging me. It was just how I felt – I didn’t feel good anymore. Everything was difficult, everything was hard.”
Now, though, Munuela is vibrant, active and ran her first full marathon in April. Talk about a life turned on its head!
Munuela’s Turning Point
The turning point came when Munuela was going in for surgery on her hands after suffering carpal tunnel syndrome. “In the surgery there was a big sign that said, ‘If you are over 100kg please warn the staff,’” she recalls. Weighing 108kg, she knew there were health risks.
After her surgery, Munuela struggled to move around and realised the extra weight was holding back her mobility. “All of a sudden I went, ‘Man, this isn’t right. I shouldn’t feel like this. I shouldn’t feel awkward. I’ve got to do something.’ And that was it,” she recalls.
Munuela before starting 12WBT
From Zero Exercise to Marathon Runner
Munuela was a self-confessed non-runner. “My parents put me in Little Athletics when I was a kid, and I used to hide behind the toilet block so I wouldn’t have to take part in the runs.”
When she started in the Beginner program, she struggled to complete one kilometre in 10 minutes. Now she’s clocking in at less than five minutes.
The 12WBT Exercise Plans have proven to Munuela that there are no limits. “It shows that if you set your mind on something, if you want to reach a goal, if you want to achieve something badly enough, you will find a way to achieve it,” she says. “It may take you a long time to get there, or it could happen really quickly, but at the end of the day, if you want it badly enough you will make it happen.”
Key to Munuela’s success was knowing where she wanted to work out and what would fit into her lifestyle. “I knew I wasn’t a gym person – I didn’t want to go to a gym,” she says. So the option to train outdoors or at home was a blessing. And a big factor that set 12WBT apart from the many programs Munuela had tried in the past was the Mindset lessons: “12WBT is the whole package. Once your mind is on a path, what can stop the mind?”
Support From the 12WBT Team of Experts
Both the Forums and the 12WBT Support Crew were a big part of Munuela’s success. Learning from other people’s mistakes and knowing she wasn’t alone gave her a huge sense of support. “Sometimes I would read a post and think, ‘OK, well that’s alright, they’ve done that. You’ve done it, just move on.” It also allowed her to help others.
When she started the Learn To Run program, having access to 12WBT running experts Ben and Greta and the awesome Support Crew was a game-changer. “The support in all the running programs is second to none. It’s a really big part of the program, and mentally and confidence-wise I think the Support Crew is amazing.”
Mindset Lessons: Her Key to Success
Watching the Mindset Videos was when most of Munuela’s big “Aha!” moments took place – especially when she heard Mish’s JFDI message (Just Frickin’ Do It!). “Some days I’d wake and go, ‘It’s a bit wet…’ and then I’d go, ‘Hang on, you’re thinking. Don’t think – get up!’”
And once Munuela had taken control of her mindset, the physical part fell into place. “I think we tell ourselves before we actually do it, ‘Oh, it’s going to be hard. I’m going to miss out on this. I’m not going to be able to do this. I can’t do that,’ but it’s actually not true,” she explains. “Everything I’ve been able to do over the past 12 months has just fitted in. I can go out. I can entertain. It works! It’s not that hard once you get your brain into gear. You just frickin’ do it, don’t you? JFDI!”
Stats
First Name: Munuela
Weight Loss: 40kg
Time Taken to Lose Weight: 4 Rounds
Join 12WBT and you could be running a marathon just like Munuela! The June Round starts TODAY! Sign up now and join your teammates as they leave the starting line.
I love this story – what an inspiration! Thanks for sharing 🙂