Ten years ago, I was an emergency nurse running on adrenaline, caffeine and broken sleep. Shift work, late nights, relentless stress. It felt like all I did was work… and recover from work. My world was hospital lights and alarm sounds.
I loved caring for people but I was running myself into the ground.
Then came the knee injury.
Surgery. Rehab. Weakness I wasn’t used to feeling. I hit a physical low..... and mentally, I wasn’t far behind. I remember thinking: If I don’t take control of this now, I’ll keep living in survival mode.
So I started doing something that felt almost impossible at the time.
I set my alarm earlier.
I trained before work.
Those early mornings became my turning point. On the days I trained, my mind felt clearer. My stress felt manageable. I walked into a chaotic emergency department already feeling like I’d achieved something.
Over time, that feeling became addictive, not in a superficial way, but in a grounding, empowering one. It wasn’t about aesthetics. It was about capability.
I was hooked.
When I fell pregnant with my first baby, I knew I didn’t want to lose that feeling. I wanted to stay strong....physically and mentally, throughout pregnancy. I was fortunate to have a straight forward experience and lifted weights, did cardio and trained right up until the day before I went into labour.
Six weeks later, I was ready to move again.
My little boy and I became regulars at the 9:15am class. Some days, that was my only adult interaction. Some days, it was the only thing I did just for myself.
It wasn’t just a workout, it was a lifeline.
Experiencing firsthand how powerful movement could be through pregnancy and postpartum lit something in me. I didn’t just want to train, I wanted to help other women feel this way too.
So I started studying to become a fitness instructor and personal trainer.
Was it easy? Absolutely not.
Studying with a baby. Returning to nursing. Navigating the constant unpredictability of motherhood. But the more plates I juggled, the more certain I became that this was the path I was meant to take.
Eighteen months later, I was pregnant with baby number two. I was determined to keep moving throughout this pregnancy, just as I had with the first. Again, I was lucky, training right up until two days before I delivered.
Even heavily pregnant, with a toddler in tow, I was committed to finishing my Certificate III in Fitness before life shifted once more. Somehow, at the eleventh hour, I achieved it... something I couldn’t have done without the support of my passionate gym family and my incredible husband.
After the birth of my little girl, I was back moving at six weeks postpartum. But this time, the “bounce back” was harder.
My body was tired.
Sleep was broken.
Two kids is a whole different ball game.
There were days I felt stretched in every direction.
But that challenge lit a fire in me.
Not to shrink myself.
Not to “snap back.”
But to feel strong in my skin again.
I set small, achievable goals. I lifted heavier. I pushed reps. I focused on performance, not perfection.
Then I did something that scared me. I asked for a coaching role at the very gym that had rebuilt me. Walking into that space, not just as a member, but as a coach changed everything. It gave me purpose beyond my own goals. It gave me responsibility to show up. It pushed me to truly embody what I teach: consistency, resilience and strength through seasons of chaos.
With the support of an incredible nutrition coach and a whole lot of grit, I am now fitter and stronger than I’ve ever been.
Not despite motherhood.
But because of it.
Being a mum hasn’t taken away from my strength.
It’s deepened it.
My biggest hope is that my children grow up seeing their mum invest in herself. That they learn early that health isn’t about punishment or pressure, it’s about respect. That strength is something you build, patiently and consistently.
And that women don’t have to choose:
-between ambition and motherhood
-between softness and strength
-between caring for others and caring for themselves
My Personal Training qualification is now underway and this is just the beginning.
If my journey has taught me anything, it’s this:
You are allowed to take up space.
You are allowed to feel powerful.
You are allowed to prioritise your health.
And when you do, you don’t just change your body.
You change your life.
Watch this space.
Resilient, Strong & Unstoppable: Liz’s Journey Through Motherhood and Movement
Ten years ago, I was an emergency nurse running on adrenaline, caffeine and broken sleep. Shift work, late nights, relentless stress. It felt like all I did was work… and recover from work. My world was hospital lights and alarm sounds.
I loved caring for people but I was running myself into the ground.
Then came the knee injury.
Surgery. Rehab. Weakness I wasn’t used to feeling. I hit a physical low..... and mentally, I wasn’t far behind. I remember thinking: If I don’t take control of this now, I’ll keep living in survival mode.
So I started doing something that felt almost impossible at the time.
I set my alarm earlier.
I trained before work.
Those early mornings became my turning point. On the days I trained, my mind felt clearer. My stress felt manageable. I walked into a chaotic emergency department already feeling like I’d achieved something.
Over time, that feeling became addictive, not in a superficial way, but in a grounding, empowering one. It wasn’t about aesthetics. It was about capability.
I was hooked.
When I fell pregnant with my first baby, I knew I didn’t want to lose that feeling. I wanted to stay strong....physically and mentally, throughout pregnancy. I was fortunate to have a straight forward experience and lifted weights, did cardio and trained right up until the day before I went into labour.
Six weeks later, I was ready to move again.
My little boy and I became regulars at the 9:15am class. Some days, that was my only adult interaction. Some days, it was the only thing I did just for myself.
It wasn’t just a workout, it was a lifeline.
Experiencing firsthand how powerful movement could be through pregnancy and postpartum lit something in me. I didn’t just want to train, I wanted to help other women feel this way too.
So I started studying to become a fitness instructor and personal trainer.
Was it easy? Absolutely not.
Studying with a baby. Returning to nursing. Navigating the constant unpredictability of motherhood. But the more plates I juggled, the more certain I became that this was the path I was meant to take.
Eighteen months later, I was pregnant with baby number two. I was determined to keep moving throughout this pregnancy, just as I had with the first. Again, I was lucky, training right up until two days before I delivered.
Even heavily pregnant, with a toddler in tow, I was committed to finishing my Certificate III in Fitness before life shifted once more. Somehow, at the eleventh hour, I achieved it... something I couldn’t have done without the support of my passionate gym family and my incredible husband.
After the birth of my little girl, I was back moving at six weeks postpartum. But this time, the “bounce back” was harder.
My body was tired.
Sleep was broken.
Two kids is a whole different ball game.
There were days I felt stretched in every direction.
But that challenge lit a fire in me.
Not to shrink myself.
Not to “snap back.”
But to feel strong in my skin again.
I set small, achievable goals. I lifted heavier. I pushed reps. I focused on performance, not perfection.
Then I did something that scared me. I asked for a coaching role at the very gym that had rebuilt me. Walking into that space, not just as a member, but as a coach changed everything. It gave me purpose beyond my own goals. It gave me responsibility to show up. It pushed me to truly embody what I teach: consistency, resilience and strength through seasons of chaos.
With the support of an incredible nutrition coach and a whole lot of grit, I am now fitter and stronger than I’ve ever been.
Not despite motherhood.
But because of it.
Being a mum hasn’t taken away from my strength.
It’s deepened it.
My biggest hope is that my children grow up seeing their mum invest in herself. That they learn early that health isn’t about punishment or pressure, it’s about respect. That strength is something you build, patiently and consistently.
And that women don’t have to choose:
-between ambition and motherhood
-between softness and strength
-between caring for others and caring for themselves
My Personal Training qualification is now underway and this is just the beginning.
If my journey has taught me anything, it’s this:
You are allowed to take up space.
You are allowed to feel powerful.
You are allowed to prioritise your health.
And when you do, you don’t just change your body.
You change your life.
Watch this space.