Hello, and Welcome to New Leaf Fitness and Wellbeing!

I'm Gillian, Women's Health Fitness Specialist, Personal Trainer, Corrective Exercise Specialist, mum of grownup twins, mad gardener, animal lover, lifelong active person.

My specialist knowledge and skillset enables me to properly help women get stronger, move better, feel confident and do amazing things like:

• Keeping moving and comfortable throughout pregnancy and preparing for labour and childbirth.

• Properly healing core and pelvic floor after childbirth, no matter how many weeks, months or years ago that may have been.

• Making a safe, full return to exercise following the birth of children, whether to fit into pre-baby clothes, to be able to run and play with children, for fun, fitness, health, or all of these.

• Discovering effective fitness and wellbeing strategies during peri-post menopause, to ensure this phase of life becomes a positive, powerful, and life-affirming experience.

• “Core strengthening”.

• Learning how to protect the pelvic floor in preparation for or following gynaecological surgery, so that the likelihood of needing a repeat surgery is reduced (which is, unfortunately, very common).

• Building muscle and bone density.

• Simply moving the way you like to move, to keep you feeling fantastic and confident in your body!

My passion to serve women in achieving these milestones comes directly from wanting to offer others the resources and knowledge that I needed but never had.

A short time following the birth of my boys, I was given the “all clear” by my doctor. However, in hindsight, I sure could have used some guidance, support and help.

I had chronic back pain for many months. My pelvic floor didn't feel “right”. But no doctor at any point in the years to come said that anything was not as it should be. So I thought it was how I was supposed to feel after having a baby.

I started doing a lot of walking with the pram to save my mental health (twins!). Over time this got me back into good shape (it was really a lot of walking!), my back pain decreased, and I continued to be oblivious of my pelvic floor issues. Everything was seemingly fine with my postnatal body

...until...

I started having hormone fluctuations in my mid-30s. At this point I actually didn't yet know that I was in peri menopause because I still had regular periods and no obvious symptoms like hot flushes. It is very sneaky that way. I started having incontinence issues, and very easily injured my shoulders, knees and hips. My mental health deteriorated, anxiety skyrocketed, and I had horrible brain fog. Despite seeking help on multiple occasions, no medical professional ever offered advice or help for any of my issues. I wasn't told about pelvic physiotherapy, menopause hormone therapy, or specialist fitness trainers who could help me. I really thought that my life as a vital person was over.

A couple of years later I switched careers, leaving science to become a Personal Trainer. I completed additional qualifications for EXERCISE DURING PREGNANCY, POST NATAL EXERCISE, EXERCISE FOR PERI-POST MENOPAUSE, EXERCISE FOR WOMEN WHO HAVE HAD A HYSTERECTOMY, and SPECIALIST CORE AND PELVIC FLOOR TRAINING. 

It was during these specialist qualifications that I was introduced for the first time to the importance of the breath and deep core in ensuring strength of movement and function in the rest of the body. At first I was sceptical. Having a science background, scepticism is my base-line state. Surely, I thought, I know how to breath. Surely automatic functions of the body like that of the breath and deep core can't be lost. But my mind was soon changed.

Applying the strategies I learned to my movements in fitness and daily life not only improved the strength of my body and improved my pelvic floor issues- It completely improved my lifelong lower back instability and pain.

In 2017 I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and had surgery to remove my thyroid, followed by radioactive treatment. It was a tough experience to go through, but it gave me exactly that: experience. I was able to apply to myself all that I had learned in my specialist fitness education, including SPECIALISED TRAINING FOR WOMEN WITH BREAST CANCER. Even though my operation was smaller than that which many breast cancer patients would experience, I still felt pulled down by my healing surgical site, like I couldn't stand up in good posture properly, and I had a deep tiredness. In addition to appropriate exercises and muscle releases, I used scar massage, relaxation techniques, and ate as healthful as possible.

I became a CORRECTIVE EXERCISE SPECIALIST in 2021. Applying the knowledge and specialist exercises and techniques learned, I corrected many of my muscle compensations and imbalances which has allowed me to develop better and stronger movement, ease painful tension, and feel more relaxed and comfortable in my body. It has been a life-changing experience, and I'm so pleased to be able to help my clients like never before possible.

EMPOWER YOURSELF by gaining true strength starting at your deep core and connecting to the rest of your body. Discover a path to moving strongly and with ease throughout your day, in any activity, and for the rest of your life.

Questions? Maybe you'll find an answer in the FAQs.

If this resonates with you, get in touch. Send a message or give me a call on 0422 975 784.

I hope you join me in the studio.

Warmly,

Gillian Powell

Personal Trainer, Corrective Exercise Specialist, Founder of New Leaf Fitness and Wellbeing