Anita Albrecht - Anita: 'Before & After'

A few shots of the old and the new me! Click each to view......

THE PERSONAL TRAINING BUG? THE DESIRE TO WANT TO HELP OTHERS REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL? THE BEFORE AND AFTERS? WHERE DID IT ALL START? READ ON TO FIND OUT!!!!!

I had always been a sporty kid and young adult and have always been madly interested in bodybuilding. As a kid I was doing gymnastics, football, ballet, modern dancing, cricket........you name it, I was into everything! I even competed in bodybuilding once when I was 20, but got quite sick afterwards due to the extreme dieting which I didn't do safely enough. To be honest, I had always fancied the thought of being a Personal Trainer but felt like the academic route was the 'sensible' thing to do. So, I went to University and after graduation worked full time in a range of jobs, and slowly over time, the priority of sport and health took second place to studying and getting my career on track. The weight went up and down over the years and then eventually, it just kept going up.

Then in September 2003, I had a devastating discovery in my personal life and my marriage that shook me up beyond belief and would change me and my life forever. I hit rock bottom with my health and happiness and decided to do something about it rather than wallow in my setback. At the time I felt as though life wasn't worth living - I felt lethargic, was suffering terribly with IBS and depression and HATED looking at myself in the mirror. I was sitting at around 131 lbs but knew in the back of my mind that I had been my heaviest ever at a hefty 141 lbs just 2 years prior, and that nightmare was creeping up on me once again! And at just 4 feet 11 and a half inches tall, that weight had only one way to go - sideways!

I wanted my confidence back, to feel better about myself and to become who I had always wanted to be. I had heard about the Body-for-LIFE Challenge and decided that it was a positive way to begin rebuilding myself, my body and my confidence. So, I took the bull by the horns and signed up for the Challenge - little did I know it was going to change my life in more ways than I imagined. Not only did I physically change for the better but I became the healthiest, happiest and fittest I have been in years and was recognised kindly for my efforts by being awarded the 2004 UK Body for Life Runner Up/Finalist for my age category. Woo-hoo!

The program taught me how to set goals both in and out of the gym, work towards them and achieve each and every one of them! It also opened up my eyes to a whole world of possiblilites including a new career which I had always dreamed about and am now currently pursuing..........Personal Training and a renewed career in writing, Acting and Presenting. It was about taking all possibilities and my own personal dreams and making them REAL and making them HAPPEN. To sum it up, it was an incredible journey and one that I am still living years after I started - it's an experience I would recommend to anyone............The photos below clearly depict the road of self doubt and lack of confidence to a road abundant in confidence, health and happiness: