Woldsway to Health’s Katherine Felgate is to take on the Miss Galaxy Universe this weekend after seeing the competition in a magazine last year.
It’s a fitness and beauty pageant for real women, mums, gym goers, runners, and just about anyone interested in general fitness and health.
Katherine said: “I saw the pictures of the girls and thought god I couldn’t imagine myself doing that ever! Then I thought why couldn’t I? What makes them any different to me?
“I pondered this for some time and then put it to the back of my mind and thought about my next challenge, running the Hull Half marathon!
“I did this and then decided to carrying on training for a full marathon, however I became injured due to the high impact running can cause and was forced to look and maintain my fitness some other way, so I turned to weight training and absolutely loved it!
“I noticed my body was transforming, I was getting much slimmer and more toned within weeks of training for an hour three times a week. January 2014 and everyone is thinking of new year’s resolutions in the typical way but I prefer to set myself a challenge of the year, something major to me, something that will push me way out of my comfort zone, then I saw Miss Galaxy Universe again in the magazine.
“I thought what the hell I’m going to enter that! So I did.
“At first everyone thought I was mad and said why on earth would you want to do that. I said well I train people every day at the gym, in my boot camp classes and I am always banging on about taking yourself out of your comfort zone to get the results you want.
“I suddenly thought when was the last time I did that, I mean really did that, and I couldn’t remember. If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you. That’s what I often say. Oh my word has this been a challenge.”
But how does Katherine find the time to do all this.
“Well,” she said, “it’s like anything, if you want it bad enough you just do.
“I am a busy working single mum of two beautiful children, John, 8, and Jane, 6. They are my inspiration.
“I want to prove to them you can do anything, go anywhere and become anything you choose if you put the work in. My training program and diet have been tough to follow but well worth it. I run five boot camp classes a week at Woldsway to Health, and have been weight training up to six hours a week, and cycled four hours a time at the weekend with my friends.
“Fitting it all in has been a challenge but I love it. Some mornings I have been in the gym at 7.30am with my children, fitting in a weight session before school and work. John and Jane love coming with me and have been so good. Jane says she wants to be a gym lady like mummy when she is older.
“I have completely changed my eating habits too. Clean eating all the way! For those that don’t know what clean eating is well, its cutting out anything that is processed.
“That means bread, cakes, anything you buy in a box, eating as fresh as possible. It wasn’t easy at first but once I found what I could eat I haven’t really missed the other stuff that much and you can eat so much more. I eat about six times a day, in fact I eat more now I’m slimmer than I did when I was less fit.
“This competition is so much more than just standing on stage in a bikini and heels. As well as all the weight training I have been doing for bikini coaching camps in London too. These have been on a Saturday. I get the train from York at 8am, arrive in London by 10.30am then get the tube to Southgate.
“As soon as you get there all along with other girls its heels and bikinis on and the lesson begins. Hold you head high, tummy pulled in shoulders back and walk like a model.
“It’s so hard. At first I was like a cross between Mr Bean and Bambi, but I think I’m about there now.
“The big day is so close now. I have never been so nervous about anything or so far out of my comfort zone. Someone asked me where the competition is and I said Crawley, near Heathrow, they said that’s a long way to go! I said believe me the drive there is just a tiny part of it.
“I have been to London twice on the train, done a Marine Survival Weekend in Rochdale (a team building Galaxy Girls weekend) and weeks and weeks of training for up to 13 hours a week. The drive is nothing.
“I have made so many friends along the way, though all the girls are lovely and likeminded. It sounds a cliché but it really has been a journey of self-discovery, self-confidence, and personal growth and having the time of my life in the process.
“I am the fittest I’ve been in my whole life, I feel fantastic and I really hope I can inspire other mums and women to get to the gym and transform their lives becoming more healthy, having more energy and more fun than they would ever believe possible.”