Elaine Zhang Personal Training - Women's Fitness Specialist

Seriously if there's hope for me, there's hope for anyone 😂 I used to hate PE/sport and would physically dread it in primary school.

I've never been sporty nor athletically talented and am too socially anxious to enjoy any kind of team/partner activity. When I was younger I tried tennis, touch footy, netball and cheerleading, and hated all of them. Not one for bouldering either lol.

Then once I got a full-time job, I joined the gym because that's how I thought I'd lose weight. Made no progress, then started F45, which led me to bodybuilding, which led me to powerlifting (my one true love 🥺) - because I realised I love feeling strong.

On a whim I decided to try boxing and pilates and am really enjoying them too. Sometimes you just have to take the plunge and try something, accept you'll feel like a fool when you start, and then make a judgement.
So don't write off weights or cardio when you haven't even given it a go!

There's some kind of movement for everyone. Choose movement not to punish yourself or because you need to lose weight, or because it's trendy - choose movement because you actually have fun doing it.

Shoutout to Jase for dealing with my lack of coordination 😆

💗 ALPHA NOVICE COMP RECAP 💗
Unbelievably proud of these two girls and how they smashed it at their first ever powerlifting comp.

Sarah (75/42.5/110) had a near-perfect run, just missing her last squat due to some unfortunate hip flexor/glute issues in the lead up to the comp. She's battled work stress, so many bouts of sickness, moving house among other things but still shows up in the gym and hits numbers she wouldn't have dreamed of last December. She has a crazy potential for strength and this is just the beginning - hasn't even been a year yet!

Jodie (92.5/52.5/120) is the hardest worker in the room, no question. The commitment and effort she brings to her training is on another level. A year ago she wasn't able to squat to depth...now look at her! A perfect 9/9 run with more in the tank.

So many people think that because Jodie is in her 40s, she shouldn't lift heavy or often and think she's super fragile, bless them 😂 She's a walking advertisement of all the benefits of strength training.

Women don't need to be scared away from lifting heavy... They should be encouraged.

The first but definitely not the last for these two amazing women 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

5ish out from states and hitting some rep PRs 🌞 Nice to be squatting triple digits again after coming back from overseas!

D: 135x4
S: 110x4
B: no PRs here but I think I'm finally feeling leg drive so that's a big win for me

5ish out from states and hitting some rep PRs 🌞 Nice to be squatting triple digits again after coming back from overseas! D: 135x4 S: 110x4 B: no PRs here but I think I'm finally feeling leg drive so that's a big win for me

🍕 the pizza that powers my life 🍕

447 cal | P:39! C:30 F:15

Cutting out carbs = denying yourself happiness. By making smart choices and "flexible dieting" you can still eat meals that both hit the spot and also align with your goals.

So although the amount of cheese admittedly looks pretty sad, it's still enough for me to enjoy without going overboard. Veggies however you can generally go HAM on and add a big heap without stressing too much about measuring.

No joke, I have eaten this most days since January LOL except when the bases are sold out at Woolies 🥲 It keeps me full and tastes amazing so a necessity for when I'm trying to lose weight!

You can mix up the toppings as you like - eg using YOUR favourite veggies and a lean source of protein like 5 star beef mince/prawns 🥰

PS: Not wedded to this Liddell's cheese at all, I just like to cycle through the non dairy options.

Progress photos > scale weight any day!

We see ourselves so often in the mirror that it becomes hard to see changes from one day to another. That's why I encourage my clients to take photos so we can see objectively whether anything's changed.

This is from end of my half-prep (thanks covid) in mid August 2021 to now. I was in a frankly out of control surplus for 4 months to the end of the year as a response to extreme dieting and although I put on considerable body fat, I'm grateful that it still allowed me to get thiccer/more jacked 😂 and experience life without restriction.

Something has taught me is that training to chase strength goals is the best way to actually change your physique. I couldn't agree more.

Ever since I've taken up powerlifting/building-style training, the differences are unreal - mentally and physically. I'd guess it's because the intensity at which I train is the highest it's ever been, and I'm more motivated than ever to push hard.

That's why I feel like I've grown the most muscle I ever have...even while in a deficit this year!

I'm about 7kg up from end of prep and if that was the only way I measured my success, I'd be devastated.

But I have strength goals and physique goals (aka finally grow a phat a$$) that are way more fulfilling and meaningful to me. I hope you do too 🙏🏻

And I will die on this hill 😂

Don't get me wrong, cardio is great for overall health. If you actually enjoy doing it, absolutely do it. Just don't RELY on it for fat loss.

When I first started training in high school/uni, I literally only did cardio and classes and I can tell you straight out - I looked exactly the freaking same for years, and eventually got heavier.

I started eating out more and drinking more alcohol and hoping that 'sweating it out' would offset it. Spoiler: it did not.

Would you believe me if I told you that when I finally was able to 'transform my physique', I was doing minimal cardio - literally just walks in lockdown?

Nutrition was the key 🔑 Instead of thinking about, "how am I going to burn this off later", I educated myself on flexible dieting and it became "how do I make smart food choices to achieve my goals (while also not over-restricting).

Not to be cliche but the main thing to learn? Energy balance. Calories in vs calories out.

Swipe ⬅️ to see my mini cut since January (including a couple of weeks at maintenance). 4kg down as of today and absolutely no cardio, just a consistent calorie deficit.

I might spice it up and add some in in the final weeks but not much. Even when I was prepping for bodybuilding (a sport literally based on getting unsustainably lean) we would add in cardio progressively over time, ending up with 3 X 30 min sessions after starting with 1.

✨There is absolutely no need to smash yourself for hours on end on the cardio machines. ✨

Not sure where to start? Slide in my DMs 📩

⏳ how to ACTUALLY build an hourglass figure... ⏳

Genetically I don't have a small waist. Even at my leanest my waist wouldn't fit into a size 6. It took me a long damn time to accept this but there are things about your body you just can't change. Unless I break my ribs somehow 😂

Weight training was a massive game changer because it let me shape my body the way that I wanted.

By building up my shoulders, back and legs, it's helped to create an illusion of a smaller waist - no bone breaking necessary.

If you're looking to create shape, don't look to cardio and HIIT and all that to do that for you.

Pick up the weights and eat your protein 😉 and I promise you'll love the results!

Need some help getting started? I'm your girl - shoot me a DM and let's get you strong and confident af 📩

PS dress sizes are silly and my bust/waist/hips are all different sizes anyway 🤪

Client testimonial from the amazing .mrs.s ! 🙏🏻🤍💜

Bec is an absolute dream of a client who takes on board everything I give her. She's not afraid of hard work and you'll find her in the gym most mornings at 5am!

Her consistency and compliance is incredible and nothing derails her - as soon as any holiday/trip is over she goes straight back into her fitness routine.

Well done Bec, it's an absolute pleasure training you and you should be so proud of the progress you've made in strength and technique - because I am! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼🥳💪🏻

✨ Now offering online coaching/gym programming! ✨

Are you a member of the gym but struggle with consistency and not seeing results? Or not sure what to do once you're in there?

If you'd like some support reaching your strength, fitness and/or physique goals, I can help with:

✅ Tailored programming delivered via a convenient app
✅ Programs updated every 4 weeks
✅ Accountability through weekly check-ins
✅ Reviewing your technique
✅ Access to an exclusive client Facebook group with educational resources
✅ Optional nutrition support

All for a price point that's more affordable than face-to-face PT!

If you're interested, please feel free to shoot me a DM with any questions 🥰

🥔 Don't gnocchit til you try it! Easy shred friendly recipe 😋
Cals: 489
P: 38g(!)
C: 54g
F: 11g

Brown mince and cook the gnocchi at the same time. Add in the gnocchi to the pan once done along with sauce and spinache. Stir on medium heat til warmed through and top with a bit of parmesan.

I was getting into a rut with my meals and this just saved me! So delicious 😋

1.5 more months of conservative cutting before my shoot and then looking forward to chilling, maintaining and eating 😁