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Between her role as trainer on TBL, her 12 Week Body Transformation program and the release of her new Delicious and Nutritious meals, Michelle Bridges is one of the most well known (and busiest) women in Australia.
Known for her ‘tough love’ approach, Michelle is a force to be reckoned with, which is why I have to admit I was nervous about interviewing her. But nothing could have prepared me for the truth bomb that is Michelle Bridges…
Ruby Thomas: “Before you got into fitness and created your 12-week program, did you succumb to any fad diets?”
Michelle Bridges: “I know that’s where everyone loves to hang their hats on, ‘Oh I can get the weight off in five minutes’, ‘Three days until my bikini body.’ But we all intrinsically know that doesn’t work.
“It’s not sustainable, it’s not realistic. Now, obviously I very much promote cooking from scratch. However, that being said, I’m a realist. There are days where it just doesn’t work – the wheels fall off, you get busy, you get called late back to work, you have to go and take the kids to sport, you find it’s Thursday and there’s no food left in the fridge. And that’s called life. So this is where Delicious Nutritious really steps up and comes to the fore, with regards to understanding and appreciating that not every day you can cook from scratch.
"Most people are trying to eat healthily, and so on those days when it would be very easy to use takeaway, or go out for a quick bite, you have your plan B of Delicious Nutritious, which is a whole balanced meal. It’s got three serves of vegetables, healthy grains and protein - RSPCA-approved chicken and beef with no added hormones. It can fill the gap of what would be, otherwise, a potential disaster of going out for takeaway and eating more than you wanted and probably spending more than you wanted."
R: "That’s definitely something I can relate to. I am relatively overweight, and, I often come home and just get takeaway because it’s easy. That said, I’m about to try your food, which I’m really excited about. I just wondered what do you think would be the best tip for someone like me who needs to lose weight?"
M: "The question that I would say to you is, what is your ‘why?’ Why do you want to lose weight? What is it about losing weight that is going to make your life better? And I don’t want to hear, ‘Oh because I want to get into my new dress for the weekend’, that’s too airy-fairy. I want to get into the guts of it. I want to know, emotionally, what is it that’s been eating at you."
R: "I’ve recently being diagnosed as having insulin resistance (pre-diabetes), so that’s been a big push to make a change."
M: "Now we have something here that is life-altering and really matters. Because the reason I want to know your ‘why,’ is because, if it’s real, and it means something to you, and it’s pretty emotive, that’s going to be the thing to get your butt out of bed at five o’clock in the morning. Do you know what I mean? That’s a much deeper reason to get this thing done, than, ‘Oh I just want to have a better set of abs’, or ‘Yeah, I really want to look cute in my new dress.’"
R: "I often think to myself, ‘I’ve been so good I deserve this slice of pizza.’ In your opinion, what is the best way to handle those sorts of cravings?"