About Kat
Hi. I’m Kat, and I’m the face behind Woman Incredible. That’s me with my gorgeous bubba – taken in December 2010 and one of my favourite shots. If you stick around here long enough then I guess you’re going to naturally get a pretty good idea of who I am, but I’ll give you the lowdown now anyway – and you can decide whether you want to stick around!
personal trainer turned health coach
I’ve worked for myself as a Personal Trainer in Melbourne, Australia for the past 11 years. I started at 19 years old – at that time (in Australia at least) Personal Training was a brand new industry and trainers were considered a luxury or ‘only for celebrities’. These days practically everyone I meet either has a trainer or has worked with one at some point – and they’ve quickly learned that hitting the gym a couple of times a week is not actually enough to transform their body.
your body fascinates me
It took me about 5 or 6 years working in the industry before I really learned that exercise is not the be-all end-all, and that ‘revelation’ is a big reason behind why I gradually moved away from full-time training and more into the field of nutrition. That, plus the fact that I just find human physiology fascinating.
I love the idea that our bodies are powerful enough to overrule even the strictest eating and exercise regime if stress is an issue, for example (and that once you understand this, you can overcome it). I love working with people to see just how dramatically they can change their bodies simply by managing insulin and blood sugar through smarter food choices. To me, food, hormones, and lifestyle are the IT when it comes to creating the body and life of your dreams.
I’ve studied nutrition in various forms over the years, but eventually found my place in becoming a long-term student of the Poliquin Strength Institute in Rhode Island. Through Charles Poliquin and his dedicated work to educate others on hormones and nutrition I’ve become a Level 2 Biosignature Practitioner, and I continue to update this certification annually.
If there’s one thing to be sure about when it comes to the human body and what really works to get results – it’s that you can never afford to stop learning! I’m also certified as a Poliquin Level 2 Strength & Conditioning Coach (PICP2). PICP is arguably the highest certification that a personal trainer can seek, and numbers of those who seek this certification, along with the Biosignature certification, are growing rapidly. So rapidly, in fact, that Charles’ courses have been known to book out within a matter of hours whenever he releases new dates!
the secret life of kat
I do, of course, have a life beyond my business, my writing, and my education. Hopefully you’ll get to know a little about that side of me as you wander around this blog and interact with me through the comments and the membership forums. The truth is that the ‘real’ me is very much intertwined with the online me, so what you see is what you get. I do walk my own talk, so if you want to know what I do when it comes to nutrition, exercise, and staying in shape, then all you need to do is sign up by email or RSS (it’s free and you’ll get a free copy of my book “How to be That Girl”), and stay tuned.
You may even like to consider becoming a member – for a ridiculously low monthly investment you’ll not only gain a ‘no-holds-barred’ insight into precisely what I eat, which supplements I take, and how I exercise, but access to the Woman Incredible forums, a monthly nutrition guide and worksheet, a monthly exercise program, special edition nutrition audios and expert interviews, and basically just a step-by-step guide to creating the body of your dreams.
coffee, me, and the nevada desert
- I’m 31 years old (writing this in December 2010, Christmas Eve as a matter of fact)
- My hair is not naturally as blonde as what it appears to be – although it was when I was born. And super curly – I’m hoping my daughter’s curls last longer than mine did.
- I eloped in Las Vegas in September 2010 – actually, it was an hour outside of Vegas; in the Nevada desert. A beautiful place called ‘The Valley of Fire’
- I (well, we) have a beautiful baby daughter, currently 13 months old
My weakness is good coffee. Saying I love coffee is the understatement of the century. I’ve been fortunate enough to travel to some amazing places, some of which I could really see myself living in – except for the coffee. Melbourne really does make the best in the world, and I honestly don’t think I could bear to leave for any decent period of time – although I do have to say that my new Nespresso machine is pretty damn good for at home! But actually, the coffee thing is not just about the caffeine fix. I love sitting in a cafe for the whole experience – and I find it’s where I’m my most creative. No distractions. This is my absolute favourite coffee house, and it’s where I do most of my writing. It’s where I am now (and going into minor panic because they’re about to close over Christmas for a week yet I will still be working – what to do, what to do?!)
Hmmm, what else?
- I have 3 younger siblings, 2 brothers and a sister, and my parents are still happily married. I guess you could say I grew up in an idyllic household, and I still feel very blessed by that. When I was 14 we moved to Germany for 2 years for my father’s work. I hated it at first, but grew to love it (how can you not love being at a school that has it’s student camp in Holland one year, and Italy the next? Where the teachers take you out to a Beer Garden as part of the activity schedule?), and in some ways I still miss Germany more than I think I ever missed Australia. I went back a few years ago to attend a friends wedding in Munich, and I really do think I could live there. Especially now that I have said Nespresso machine I guess! I just have to fight it out with my husband, who is determined to uproot us to California or Milan. Yep, my fantasy life is a tough one!
- I really do love working out and eating well – although it hasn’t always been that way. I’ve conditioned myself to live this way over the years and now I’d never go back. But that doesn’t mean it’s not tough at times (believe me, I didn’t always look this way, and it does NOT come easy) although it certainly doesn’t mean I don’t cave and scarf down plate-loads of gluten-free pizza or blocks of chocolate on occasion.
- I’m not naturally sporty or athletic. In fact, people I went to school with are shocked when they find out what I do and how I look. I was the class nerd, the heads-down A-student who was always chosen last for sports. My dream was to study law. After planning this for my entire adolescence, I went to one class at Uni and decided it wasn’t for me. I high-tailed it over to Europe for a few months, chunked up, came back and hit the gym, got a little bit obsessive about it, did a short course as a Gym Instructor and – here I am. Weird how things can turn out.
- I’ve been married previously, and the breakdown of that marriage is a big part of why I do what I do now. It made me realize that life is NOW and there’s no point waiting till you’re ready or able to live your dreams. I should never have married at the time I did – I wasn’t clear on who I was or what I really wanted out of life and it created a very unfair situation. I feel extremely lucky that I’ve since been able to slowly but surely create the life I truly DO want to live.
- A big part of that is, obviously, defined by health and fitness, but it’s also about being a communicator. There is nothing that brings me alive more than writing, presenting, or basically just any form of inspirational communication. I truly feel that this is what I was born to do – and I have a lot of intentions yet to be fulfilled in this area. I don’t necessarily believe we were all born to do just one thing, but I do believe we all have natural talents and callings and if we ignore them we feel increasingly frustrated. A big part of why I created Woman Incredible was not just to educate driven women on creating the body of their dreams, but also because I’ve seen time and time again that when someone takes control of the way they look and feel, they feel empowered to take control of other areas of their life and really start living life on their terms. My ‘thing’ is empowering driven women.
- If any or all of that last paragraph resonates; if it sounds like the you you’d love to be, then stick around. I think you’ll fit in just nicely, and I look forward to meeting you around the blog.
Life is Now. Press Play.
Kat
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Hiya Kat!
WOW!!! What an awesome and INCREDIBLE website you got here! I can totally hear your sincerity and how genuine of a person you are! I learned of your website via a FB person, Anita Duwel (of Quebec, Canada). I think the name alone intrigued me so I came along to your site and subscribed!
So awesome about your fitness endeavors! You sure put your heart and soul into your work which is obvious. I sure love Charles Poliquin and used to train with Charles Staley (via web) who “introduced” me to Mr. Poliquin and his principles.” I totally agree with all you say on Health and Fitness…gals like us just don’t “work out” we TRAIN as well as eat well and take our bodies to the next level; training and healthy nutrition is NOT optional it is mandatory! It’s our whole life! LOL….and hopefully we inspire others to do so as well! I must say, I have been a “chunky girl all my life (fat n fit) and still have body fat to lose but working towards a great hot muscular body! I have good muscles, just too much insulation….I know what I need to do though! hahah! I plan to do a Figure Competition in Las Vegas in Nov (I’m working with Cathy Savage Fitness).
I just love life! My life!! Tons of good people in it! Plus, I am so fortunate too! I work for a big oil company, and have a 2 week on 2 week off schedule and get to travel! I also live a simple life and live in a small cabin in Interior Alaska when not in the oil fields! I still train when at work!
GREAT “meeting” you, Kat, and hope to run into you somewhere in the world! XOXOX
Kind regards,
Dina Fine
Fairbanks, Alaska USA
I am SOOO happy I’ve found you. What a wonderful site you have that’s serves as a great resource. Thanks for all of your hard work on this valuable blog. Keep up the great work.
Thankyou! I will try
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