What is the one thing you’re most excited about, being on Team Fitness Gurls Australia?
I love writing, so I’m really excited to have a platform to share my passion and knowledge of fitness through articles and features for the magazine with other girls (and guys)!
How did you get started in fitness?
I’ve been into sport my whole life, particularly cross country /long distance running, though after high school there became less of that and more partying and drinking my way around the world. That, in combination with a lack of knowledge when it came to nutrition, led me return home from Europe (in 2008) nearly 10kg heavier (not muscle haha), and a sequence of unhealthy, desperate attempts to get rid of it. Around that time I thankfully met my husband Mark, who had been in the industry for around 15 years by then, working with elite sportspeople, celebrities and in some of the top gyms around the world. He took me under his wing and educated me on fitness and nutrition. How the body can completely change with different types of training, food, etc just completely amazed me (even still to this day), so I began to study it, and I guess I’m still studying it! You can never stop learning in this industry! I was so passionate about this new way of healthy living and wanted to help other clueless people like my former self, so Mark helped me make it my career. Today we own together the biggest and most exclusive gym in Surfers Paradise, WickedBodz Fitness Centre.
How do you stay motivated in your career?
I go traveling every 3 months to get away from it all. Haha, just kidding, but I guess it does help me to stay fresh and up to date with what’s going on around the world. I always train at other gyms and studios when traveling because you can always learn something from someone else and it’s good to meet other like-minded people.
How do I stay motivated though?
Motivation is about having goals, but not just any goals, goals that really mean something to you for reasons that really resonate in you. (I talk a lot about this in BodyBAM – my online fitness program due for release soon). Whether it’s with my fitness, the gym, boxing, BodyBAM, modeling, or anything I do in life, every daily decision is part of the plan to reach my goals. I stick to the plan, because my goals are really important to me. Seeing the results of my hard work keeps my motivated.
Sometimes progress can be slow, especially if you’re relying on other people for things and so it does get hard. But this is when you just have to just every now and again take a step back and look at how far you’ve come, remind yourself of the plan and why, and its easy to push on.
Check out Fitness Gurls Athlete Hope Beel’s New Booty Workout
You’re a world traveler, what’s your favourite place you’ve visited this year?
So far this year I’ve been to Rio De Janeiro, Bali, Japan, LA, Vegas, and am actually just on my way back from Hawaii right now. I absolutely LOVE all of those places for different reasons; the food in Japan is hard to beat, Vegas is always so much fun, and Hawaii has everything to ensure a great holiday (weather, food, hiking, surfing, beaches)… But I’d have to say Rio takes the cake for me. It was my first time, I went during and after Carnival and stayed with a friend and her family who grew up there, so it was just an amazing experience. The Brazilian culture is just so much fun, the people I met were so friendly and welcoming even though I spoke no Portuguese, the landscape is breathtakingly beautiful and like something I had never seen before, and even though I didn’t really love the food (this is usually a determining factor on whether I like a place or not haha), it’s actually on the top of my list of places to get back to next year… along with the rest of South America!
What was your biggest challenge in your fitness journey?
Every time I jump in the ring and I’ve got some girl staring me down and wanting to punch my head off? Haha, but to be honest I cant really think of too many… if I face an obstacle, I just work out how to fix it and go do it. Breaking my toe in training a few years ago when I was doing Muay Thai, and ongoing knee issues have slowed me down at times, but it also helped my to learn a lot about the body, different training and recovery techniques/methods, that I’ve used to help help clients and in my career. So as long as I stick to the regime and don’t do anything stupid, I am virtually pain-free now, and like I said, if something pops up, I just work out how to fix it and what I was doing wrong to prevent it for next time.
We’re going to be doing a ton of featured and articles with you, what are some of the things you want to cover?
Training techniques and diet to achieve different body compositions is a big thing I get asked about all the time; whether about mine or others’, and there are so many topics and factors to discuss within this! Motivation is another topic I have been studying a fair bit lately! And just anything and everything else anyone wants to know about; nutrition, injuries, gym clothing, supplements, career advice… I’m all about sharing the love. ;)
What’s your favourite music to work out to?
It depends what kind of training I’m doing… When I run, I prefer to run in silence. When I box, I need something with a bit of a beat to help me move, and with weights and plyo training I love a bit of house music and party anthems.
What’s your favourite cheat meal?
Chocolate. And Ice-cream. And Indian food. And carrot cake. Oh, and cheesecake. Oh and cant forget Nutella, but I try not to buy it because then it’s sitting in the house.
How does your typical week in the gym look?
It all depends on what I’m training for at the time. As a general rule I try to do 2 weights/plyo sessions, 2 boxing sessions, 2 runs, a remedial massage and a relaxing yoga session each week with lots of stretching in between sessions. But when I’m in fight mode (I’m taking a break at the moment), it becomes more boxing and if I’m screwed for time, then less weights and running.
Which female fit celebrity’s physique do you admire the most and why?
I admire all fit women, everyone has their own preference on what they want to look like and who am I to say whether they are right or wrong? The effort that goes into pursuing any fit physique is deserving of respect. For myself personally I prefer a softer, leaner, only “lightly” muscular look, because it’s more versatile with my modelling work, and it’s where I feel my best and most energetic. Also being lighter, I am often like a head taller than everyone in my weight category for boxing, which can be a big advantage at times. So I have to say Izabel Goulart… because she is a goddess, haha!
What does your supplement schedule look like?
I actually don’t really take any regular supplements. I’ll have the odd protein shake once in a blue moon, but that’s more to do with feeling like a chocolate milkshake than actually being part of my “schedule”. I drink a lot of Japanese tea though… Does that count?
What’s next for you?
This year I’ve been spending every spare moment working on BodyBAM, my online fitness program. I’m aiming to launch it in September, which I’m so excited about! Once that’s up and running, I want to start doing a lot more blogging. Since I launched my blog (avrilmathie.com) back in 2012 I have had an incredible response, even though I have been very inconsistent with posting as life has got in the way. I regularly receive very positive feedback from girls all around the world who have been inspired by my posts, and that’s what keeps me motivated! My goal at the moment is one a month, but I would like to get to the stage where I can do 1-2 per week. I also plan to jump back in the ring again, hopefully a couple of times before then end of the year!
Height: 170cm / 5’7″
Weight: 59kg / 129 lbs
Born in: Sydney, Australia
Resides: Gold Coast, Australia
Website: www.avrilmathie.com
Twitter: @avrilmathie
Instagram: @avrilmathie
