Introducing Karina, our 12 // Training Camp Minor Prize Female Winner.
Karina joined UBX Eatons Hill over 2 years ago, and after doing previous Training Camps found that in this challenge she discovered what worked best for her to see sustainable (and impressive!) results.
Alongside her husband, Tim (who also took out the Minor Male Training Camp prize!), Karina makes her training a priority each day. Together, her and Tim juggle family life with their 2 children to ensure one another have an opportunity to train in the morning. As a self-employed mum, working from home, her training is vital to her overall wellbeing.
Karina said, “the flexibility allows Tim and I to ‘tag-team’ with our workout sessions. He can go first thing in the morning, then get back to take care of the kids so I can go, and I’m back in time for him to leave for work and organise school drop off. Then I make sure to walk the dog before starting my work day. And afternoons are pretty jam-packed with the kids and their extra-curricular activities.”
Both coming from a sporting background, Karina has used her workouts as a form of rehab from sporting injuries over the years, and this year was her first year injury-free, motivating her to take on this challenge seriously and smash her goals.
TRAINING
What was your approach to the Training?
“Health and fitness have always been important to Tim and I, in a sport-sense, but now with UBX it’s more about general health and fitness for long-term wellbeing, and being fit and strong.
I first got into UBX for the boxing element, I wanted more than just a gym, and the boxing has a major mental component for me.
I’ve done a lot of training previously rehabbing from injuries, but at UBX Eatons Hill, it has more of a vibe of a team and community rather than a gym.
Our coaches make themselves so available, and give so much guidance, not only with training but also with nutrition.
There’s so much support, it’s all there for you when you need it.
My training is always a non-negotiable, so I make sure to do it first thing in the morning before the day gets in the way. I think it’s a great way to start the day, plus as a parent, I like that the kids know that we go to the gym because it’s like “monkey-see, monkey-do”, encouraging them to be more active. They even come into the gym with me during the holidays. I think it’s so important.
I usually train 4-5 times a week regardless, which I maintained during Training Camp, but also made sure to emphasise general movement like incidental exercise with walking the dog. When you’re moving you just generally feel better, especially working from home independently.”
NUTRITION
What did your daily nutrition look like?
“We eat healthy and well usually, but during the challenge we reduced our alcohol consumption; we’re not massive drinkers but we were still diligent with that.
The biggest change was moderating the amount of snacking. Working from home it’s too easy to snack during the day. But with the help of our coach, we had a better understanding of macros and what we should be putting on our plate daily.
The Training Camp meal plan was also great for encouraging us to incorporate variety, especially in our vegetables for added vitamins and minerals. It was a mix of the Training Camp meal plan and our own thing, and that was a good balance for our family with our routine without eating the same thing everyday.”
MINDSET
What helped you stay consistent throughout the 6 week challenge?
“The biggest motivator and influence behind staying consistent was that Tim and I had each other. We kept each other accountable, especially at this time of year [November-December] when there were a lot of Christmas parties.
I’m already a pretty focused and determined person, and can easily stay committed to my training, but nutrition was the biggest challenge.
This was the first year I haven’t been recovering from an injury so I really wanted to use this opportunity to get stronger.”
How are you feeling post-Training Camp?
“I feel great! It’s so good to feel strong and be able to run around after the kids, lift things and not feel any strain.”
ADVICE
What advice do you have for other members taking on the Training Camp – 6 week challenge?
“Trust the process and ask questions, because the coaches know a lot and are there to help you.
Don’t be overwhelmed – you don’t have to cut out anything if you don’t want to. It’s about making adjustments to find something long-term and maintainable for you.”
Show yourself what your made of – to learn more about the Training Camp and see when our next 6 week challenge starts, head to: thetrainingcamp.com
