Don't Think: Do.
On a warm autumn afternoon on the bustling Mentone high street we sat down outside The Corner Store with Chantal, former corporate lawyer, mother of two and owner of Don't Think: Do.
Don't Think: Do, is a mobile personal training business delivering classes in Metafit, Bootcamp, Circuits, Suspension Training and Boxing that makes exercising easy and fun.
In a highly competitive and challenging fitness industry, most will bail around the 18-month mark, but with almost 2 years under her belt, we were keen to find out what inspires and motivates Chantal.
Behind the Gloves
Chantal, dedicated to improving her own health as well as those of others.
"My previous life was as a corporate lawyer in London - a highly stressful job, long hours with little time for my family or friends and I didn't make time to exercise. I say make time, because I could have fitted it in, but I didn't. I slowly saw my health deteriorate to the extent that I kept putting on weight and by 
the time my first child was born I was 105kg and miserable. I couldn't do anything without feeling exhausted".
Firing up your Metabolism
Deciding when to kick start your business can often tie in with other life changing experiences. For Chantal moving to Melbourne proved to be a life changing decision in more ways than one.
"After my second baby, I was looking for a way to get back into shape. I started running in my own time and watching what I ate. I wanted to find out more about the physiology of exercise and how people can get fit. This gave me the inspiration to train as a Personal Trainer. I completed four courses, Cert III and IV in fitness, Cert IV in massage therapy and in business".
Staying Motivated to Keep Moving
Many of us will relate to the pressures of daily life and simply not making time to exercise. Chantal is a trainer that understands your struggles and develops ways to get you back on track. Making fitness achievable and sustainable is key in her success and those of her clients.
"Clients come to me and say you understand our struggles. You share personal anecdotes, like you've had a big night out yourself, and it's fine and you motivate us to get back on track. I try and change people's associations from I've had a bad day and I'm going to have a packet of nachos and a bottle of wine to, I had a bad day but maybe I'll go for a run and have a glass of wine".
Don't Think, Do !
We are all guilty of a little procrastination and it was this in fact which inspired the name of Chantal's business.
"Everyone kept saying why don't you open a business. My friend Tina said don't think about it, you should just do it. I tried to keep up with this mantra while running but I started making excuses, first I was too tired, it was too cold outside, every other excuse in the world. I'm a bit of procrastinator so I went with every excuse. Then, I thought don't think about it just do it and that's how Don't Think: Do was born"
Hard Work and Endurance
The importance of self-promotion when running a small business is second to none. For Chantal a combination of fun and well planned classes and a strong presence on social media has maintained and built her client base.
"I have a mix of clients that come through referrals, Facebook advertising and I'm listed on various community. I would say 40% of my business comes from Facebook, 40% comes from word of mouth and then the other 20% is through my website. People often say I don't know how I saw you, and it's most likely that they have been flicking through Facebook and seen my ad or post, or they are linked to someone who has liked my page".
Having one of the most beautiful spots on the bay as your office is truly special for Chantal and for many of her clients. The spectacular views and ambience all adds to the fun experience of each training session and keeps clients coming back for more!
"It's so picturesque, people take photos and comment about their awesome training session which has led to new clients coming on board. I even have fans who don't attend my training sessions but follow my Facebook page. There's one lady in particular who sent me a note to say she loves the healthy recipes I regularly post on Facebook and recently did her first 5km run! It gives me a great sense of satisfaction to inspire others, not just clients, to live healthier and happier lives".
Setting the Bar High
Never one to shy away from a challenge, Chantal recently overcame one of her biggest fears of swimming in open water. Not only did she smash this fear out the water (we couldn't resist the pun!) but completed the Noosa Olympic triathlon involving a 1.5km swim, 40km bike ride and 10km run last November.
"I was nervous about attempting an Olympic as my first triathlon , but I did it ! I think I was the fourth to last person out of the ocean in my wave but I was immensely proud of myself for completing that stretch. I was comfortable with the run and bike ride distances, but I couldn't swim two lengths of the pool when I started training!"
Noosa proved to be both a huge personal achievement for Chantal and an inspiration to her Facebook following.
"When I did Noosa, a lady came tottering up to me and said "Hi you're Chantal", I was head to toe in a wetsuit and goggles so I was surprised as even my mother would have trouble recognising me. She said "... you won't know me, but I follow your Facebook page and I knew you were here as you posted pictures". She wished me good luck and said "my only tip is don't go in too quickly for the swim". She came up to me at the finish and said, "I was teetering on whether to do the triathlon again as I hadn't trained properly, but I read your post about how you learnt to swim for this and I thought, stuff it, I'll do it! I may not be an elite athlete but I love the feeling that what I do helps motivate and helps others achieve too".
Fuel Right - Nutrition Goals
For many of us we struggle with the time needed to prepare healthy meals. Nutrition makes the biggest difference in achieving and sustaining weight loss goals.
"Most people that come to me are weight loss clients and of course there are those that come purely for fitness. I'd say 60% come to me because they've seen my personal transformation. I can only train people to a certain extent and the rest of it is up to them, which is I want to partner with nutritionists who I can refer people to so they can get back on track with their diet. For me personally Paleo has worked well. It's about going back to Neanderthal type eating. So, only eating fresh veggies and meat".
Chantal's fitness journey is truly inspiring and proves that "if you really want something you can do anything, we are our own worst critic and our own worst enemy. The Key is to stop the negativity: Don't think: Do!"
Want to Know More?
To find out more about Don't Think: Do, or to chat with Chantal please visit http://www.dontthinkdo.com.au/ or call 0449775240 or email chantal@dontthinkdo.com.au
Find Don't think: Do on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dtdmelbourne/?ref=bookmarks
and Instagram dontthink_do
FOR a FREE Week's pass to Don't Think: Do Classes Quote: OMMDTD
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