I always thought there was nothing better than achieving a goal you’ve worked really hard for. Turns out, I was wrong. There is something better. Watching a client and friend achieve something she genuinely thought was impossible 12 months earlier. That second hand joy? It’s hard to beat. Twelve months ago, I was in a car with the Managing Director of an international charity. One of the ways her organisation raises money is by offering marathon entries to runners who commit

Birthdays, Menopause, and the Gift of Simplicity It’s my birthday week. I’m going to confess: I love my birthday. The actual day of calls, texts, and those big disarming smiles aimed at me like a beam of light. It’s the one day of the year when the outpouring of love warms me from the inside like a hot chocolate by the bonfire on a cold winter’s night while camping. (Full disclosure: I don’t actually like camping myself. Give me an indoor toilet and a doona any day, but you g

Every personal trainer seems to have a reputation. Apparently mine is that if I’m sitting at your dinner table, you’re not allowed to order the pasta. I only discovered this the other night while hiking through the Dolomites with a group of wonderful women who also happen to be my clients. After an incredible day in the mountains, we were sitting around the dinner table, menus in hand, when I overheard them whispering. “If Nat wasn’t here, I’d definitely order the pasta…” ”…b

As I write this, I’m sitting in an airport somewhere between Melbourne and Italy. It sounds terribly glamorous, doesn’t it? “In transit.” Reality check: I’m eight hours into a layover, surrounded by charging cables, rolling suitcases and people sleeping in positions that defy human anatomy. I’m used to moving. Running a gym means I spend most of my day on my feet, demonstrating exercises, walking around the studio and chatting to clients. Sitting still for eight hours feels c

It’s that time of year when our Wonder Women start disappearing to warmer climates. Thailand. Italy. Croatian cruises. Family holidays. Solo adventures. Anywhere that isn’t Melbourne in winter. And, without fail, I start getting the same request. “Can you write me a workout to do while I’m away?” Absolutely. The eternal optimist in me lovingly writes strength sessions, imagining them being completed on a hotel balcony overlooking the Mediterranean or on a quiet beach at sun

Don’t tell anyone, but one of the quiet perks of specialising in strength and mobility for menopausal women is this: I get to train athletes. My clients laugh when I tell them I coach them the same way elite sporting strength and conditioning coaches train their teams. But I’m not joking. Elite coaches might be preparing athletes for a 45-minute game played on a field with rules, referees and clearly marked boundaries. I’m preparing my athletes for life. And life, as we’ve al

A new client said something to me recently that made me smile. At the end of her first session she said, “I hope I can’t walk tomorrow.” Not “I hope I get stronger.” Not “I hope my knee feels better.” Not “I hope I can carry my groceries more easily.” She wanted pain. As proof that the workout had worked. I understand where it comes from. Many of us grew up in the era of boot camps, punishment workouts and fitness instructors who seemed personally offended if you could sit do

Board games are having a resurgence. I don’t know about you, but my friends are learning Mahjong and Bridge with greater fervour than Year 12 students in swotvac. Degustation dinners are out. Board games with a side of Prosecco are in. And with this newfound desire for connection comes something else. Competition. I am seeing a side of my friends I never witnessed while we were busy raising children, building careers and navigating adulthood together. They want to win. Not po

A new client said something to me recently that made me smile. At the end of her first session she said, “I hope I can’t walk tomorrow.” Not “I hope I get stronger.” Not “I hope my knee feels better.” Not “I hope I can carry my groceries more easily.” She wanted pain. As proof that the workout had worked. I understand where it comes from. Many of us grew up in the era of boot camps, punishment workouts and fitness instructors who seemed personally offended if you could sit do

“I’ve just been for a walk.” “I ran from the car.” “I’d rather spend my 45 minutes training than warming up.” Sound familiar? At Wonder Woman Fitness, warming up is often the least-loved part of the session. We get it. You’re busy. You want to get to the weights. But a proper warm-up isn’t time wasted—it’s what helps you get the most from the work that follows. Think of it as preparing your body for the task ahead. A leisurely walk might raise your heart rate, but it doesn’t