BBR Success Story!

This success story is something special. Everyone comes to BBR with their own unique back story and set of challenges, but one lady who has inspired us in so many ways is the incredible Anne Paul. Anne joined us while being treated for cancer, searching for a way to strengthen her body and immune system to better fight off cancer cells so she can live a long life with her beautiful family. She’s smashed through challenges, achieving incredible body composition results and now Anne has a message for anyone facing their own health challenges. Enjoy Anne’s story, we absolutely loved it!

BBR: Please tell us about your health and fitness history prior to BBR...  

AP: I have always had a keen interested in health and fitness. I’ve been a member of various gyms over the years, done stints of Pilates, joined park PT groups, trained for fun runs, and always done lots of walking. However, maintaining my fitness became significantly more challenging when I was diagnosed with metastatic colon cancer 8 years ago at the age of 34, while also having a newborn baby and a 16-month-old toddler. Surgeries, chemo, and various other treatments took priority, along with parenting! Since then, I have mostly been in a pattern of doing pre and post-surgery rehabilitation, Pilates, and walking, depending on where I am in my surgery/treatment cycle. 


BBR: Who or what prompted you to sign up to BBR and why was it the right time for you to join?  

AP: I had been doing my own strength training in a community gym but wasn’t getting the results I wanted and I was getting bored of my program. I wanted variation in programming but didn’t want to do the thinking part myself! So I started looking around for strength based classes that would give me this, and BBR came up in my search.  


BBR: How hard was it in the early days? What challenged you the most?

AP: Super hard!! I was on chemotherapy when I first started, I nearly fainted during the first session! The muscle soreness that followed the first couple of weeks of sessions was intense but that eased up soon enough. 


BBR: Were there any changes you made that were enjoyable or easy straight away?

AP: My cardiovascular fitness increased very quickly with regular sessions. 


BBR: How long did it take for you to feel changes?  

AP: Within a few weeks.


BBR: Did the usual BBR nutrition plan fit in well with your treatment in terms of high protein, if yes how do you think it helped you feel better? Or did you have to tweak it a bit with any nausea or requiring more or less calories? 

AP: BBR's high protein nutrition plans aren't a problem for me while on treatment. Luckily I'm not experiencing nausea with my current chemotherapy. During the challenges I have occasionally needed to add some extra calories if my energy is particularly low. However, the high protein plans were exactly what I was looking for to help lose some weight and visceral fat that I had gained around my waist as a result of going into premature surgical menopause (thanks cancer!). These nutrition plans were a game changer in that respect and have definitely helped me shed visceral fat around my waist. 

BBR: Are there any recovery or selfcare practices you take on to help with the sore muscles, as I imagine reducing stress on your body is also an important part of treatment?

AP: My recovery practices involve lots of walking to loosen up any tight muscles, regular infrared saunas (this really helps manage my lower back pain) and lots of sleep. This past year I have become pretty military about my evening routine, ensuring I get everything done early so that I can get to bed early, and protect my sleep at all costs! Getting my husband and kids onboard with my fitness mission and the schedule, time, and nutrition changes required, has made it much easier to maintain. 

BBR: Please tell us about the changes you've experienced over your time with BBR - weight loss, muscle gain, training gains, mindset shifts and lifestyle…  

AP: I’ve been going to BBR for just under 12 months and I am feeling so much healthier, stronger and happier as a result. Despite living with cancer and being in and out of chemotherapy, I have managed to consistently attend 4-5 sessions per week. My strength, fitness and body composition have hugely improved. l have lost 7kg, dropped a clothing size and increased my lean tissue. I was experiencing chronic lower back pain prior to joining BBR and this form of exercise is the best strategy I’ve tried for combatting the problem. My back pain has eased significantly and no longer wakes me up at night.

An added bonus of joining BBR has been the increase in my nutrition literacy through completing two challenges and following the food plans. This knowledge has helped me to refine my nutrition and develop better habits around preparing meals in advance, which is a game changer.

While any of these achievements would be a win on their own, the biggest benefit and my main driver for increasing my fitness is to improve my body’s immunity. Ultimately the fitter and stronger I am, the stronger my immune system is for fighting off cancer cells and living a long and fulfilling life with cancer.

BBR: Do you have any upcoming goals you're working on for 2025 and beyond? 

To keep building my strength and increase my lean tissue.

BBR: And finally, what would you say to someone with cancer or a chronic illness who might have some hesitation about how strength training would work for them?

AP: Start slowly with light weights. Consistent regular sessions (as little as 2 sessions per week) really helps me with managing my fatigue. Once I was feeling more energetic, I was able to increase to 4-5 sessions per week to see gains in my strength and fitness. My oncologist was very encouraging of this and has always encouraged me to get as fit as possible.

I would encourage anyone with a chronic illness or health challenges who wants to feel happier, stronger, and more energised to take charge of their own health. Make small changes to start with and see how it makes you feel. You may be surprised how far you can push your body and the physical and mental benefits that come with it. 

Fast five faves

BBR: Fave exercise or session at BBR? 

AP: Upper body

BBR: Least fave? 

AP: Ab rollouts and HIIT!

BBR: Fave BBR plan meal? 

AP: Steak, broccoli and avocado

BBR: Fave café and your order there? 

AP: Anything from Some-day in Floreat

BBR: Fave holiday destination? 

AP: Rottnest