Inspiring, Passionate, and Resilient. These are the three words Jodie’s friends would use to describe her, and honestly, they couldn’t be more fitting.

A wife and mum of three teenage daughters, Jodie’s past few years have been anything but easy. After a three-year battle to receive a Crohn’s disease diagnosis, she’s now thriving in her early 40s as the strongest, healthiest version of herself.

“I had to hit rock bottom before anyone would listen.”

Jodie’s health story began with iritis (swelling of the optic nerve), which led an ophthalmologist to suspect Crohn’s early on. Despite countless tests and years of debilitating symptoms, doctors kept telling her nothing was wrong. But Jodie knew her body, and something wasn’t right despite what the health professionals told her.

“I couldn’t get out of bed. I couldn’t even hold down water. It felt like I wasn’t being listened to by health professionals, and I lost my trust in them.”

It wasn’t until the inflammation reached its peak that she was finally diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, which is a chronic inflammatory condition of the gastrointestinal tract. With a diagnosis, she could start the road to recovery with the help of medications.

Although she was finally healing, Jodie had a moment many women can relate to. Standing in a change room, she glimpsed herself in the mirror and was unhappy with the person staring back at her. She knew it was time to make some serious changes to her lifestyle, not only so she could be happy with her reflection, but so her health didn’t decline again. When she arrived home, she took one brave step that would be a powerful turning point… she messaged a local gym owner.

“For the first 16 years of my kids’ lives, it was all about them,” she says. “But my eldest had just turned 18, and I think it just came to a point where it was time for things to be about me.”

That message led to her stepping into a gym and beginning a new phase of her life. The gym felt right, it was supportive, non-judgmental, and encouraging. She started moving again. Little by little, she began to take back control of her health. By setting mini goals along the way, working hard, and motivating herself with the memory of her ill health, she is the fittest and strongest she’s ever been. Being strong has given her the courage to participate in CrossFit competitions, has her lifting 115kg, and competing in half marathons. All things she never imagined she’d be able to do.

“I never saw myself as the sporty type. When I was younger, I was a swimmer, not a runner.”

What makes Jodie’s story so powerful is that her transformation wasn’t just physical. She’s had to change her lifestyle, the way she approaches her life, the way she talks to herself, and create a list of non-negotiables for each week.

“My non-negotiables are naps and meal prep on the weekends. A few hours on a weekend can save you lots of time during the week.”

Working with a nutritionist has played a big role in Jodie’s journey, helping her learn how to fuel her body with the right foods. She discovered that wellness isn’t about being perfect, it’s about staying consistent. Her routine now includes early 4:15 am starts and daily movement, whether it’s a run, gym session, or walk. Most importantly, she’s developed a mindset that keeps her motivated while tuning in to what her body truly needs.

“My husband and I doing this together has been good for us as a couple. Being each other’s cheerleader, encouraging each other if one of us doesn’t want to get out of bed in the morning.”

One of the most beautiful parts of Jodie’s journey is how her health transformation brought her even closer to her husband, Dan. They joined the gym together, attend competitions side by side, and cheer each other on. Their daughters are incredibly proud of both of them and have watched firsthand how far Jodie has come since those difficult days of being unwell. They’ve seen the transformation not just in her health, but in her mindset, energy, and confidence. But perhaps Jodie’s most unexpected cheerleader has been herself. After everything she’s been through, she’s learned how to back herself and trust her body. She celebrates her wins, encourages herself through the tough moments, and isn’t afraid to try new things. She’s embracing this chapter with open arms, showing her daughters and herself what’s possible when you choose to believe in yourself.

“I like to succeed within myself, and I’ve always been competitive. I want to do my best and be my best self.”

One of the biggest takeaways from our conversations was how Jodie approaches her big goals in life, no matter if it’s running, lifting weights, or studying. She breaks the big goals down into small, achievable bites and celebrates every step of the way.

“When I’m running, I just say, ‘Get to the tree.’ Then I do it again — ‘Just get to the next one.’ That’s how I approach everything now. One step at a time.”

Though her newfound love for the gym and healthy living has been rewarding, what brings her the most joy right now is watching her girls grow into independent, self-aware young women. She beams with pride when she talks about them embracing life and giving things a go, whether it be in sport, the community, music, school, or work.

“We’ve always encouraged them to just give things a go, not to be amazing at everything, just to try their best.”

Raising teenagers hasn’t been without challenges, especially through the emotional waves of adolescence. But Jodie believes laying the groundwork early by teaching respect, kindness, and resilience has been a big help through their teenage years.

“I always remind them, you never know what someone’s going through. Just because someone looks okay, doesn’t mean they’re not struggling.”

From re-educating herself about food and training to shifting her mindset and rebuilding her health, Jodie’s last 12 months have been transformational. The biggest test of her resilience was in October last year, when she had her appendix removed just days after finishing a CrossFit competition. The recovery was slow, but by setting mini goals, she rebuilt her strength and is now back to her previous training schedule.

Jodie is now working towards completing her Certificate III and IV in Fitness, while also training for events that challenge her boundaries and test her limits. Through all of this, Jodie has learned to focus on what matters today. Not next week. Not next month. Just today. The voice in her head that used to say you can’t has been replaced by one that says we’ve got this. And every day, she proves it.

Jodie’s story shows us that transformation is possible at any stage of your life, and that by being your own cheerleader and breaking big goals into small bite-sized pieces, you can achieve anything you put your mind to.