Truckload of fitness

A Katanning woman has proved that you can do anything you set your mind to, making her debut as a natural bodybuilding finalist while working as a truck driver.

Julie Gooch, 45, placed third in the bikini division of the I Compete Natural WA State championships in Perth on Saturday, September 17.

While Ms Gooch has led a healthy lifestyle since she was 15, she has dedicated the past four months to strict training and diet as she worked towards her first bodybuilding competition, even working out while on the road.

“Obviously with any job, you have to give and take and Barrie, my boss, was really good at letting me stop and go to the gym,” she said.

“But some places we drive to there are no gyms, but there’s lots of heavy stuff in the truck, so I’ll find a way to train anyway.”

Ms Gooch believes her physique is based on a good diet and, while physical exercise is important, says you cannot out-train a bad diet.

“It really is about food. If you eat really well, you will discover that you can eat lots — if that’s your thing — and still maintain a healthy weight,” she said.

“The energy and vitality you get from eating really well is amazing.”

ICN is a model bodybuilding competition series, which condemns the use of performance-enhancing drugs.

The State titles was its biggest contest yet, with more than 600 entrants.

Next month, Ms Gooch will compete in the ICN national championships in Melbourne, and her goal is to prove anyone can live a healthy lifestyle, regardless of occupation.

“There is the perception that truck drivers are unhealthy, and, yes, some are, but not all of us, so it would be good to try to change that,” she said.

“I know truck drivers who are very fit, and a lot of them are very well educated, but choose to drive a truck because it’s a lot of fun most of the time.”

Ms Gooch’s husband, Phillip Rae, said she was a role model, but she was also prepared to put in the hard work.

“It takes a lot of discipline — she worked really hard to achieve what she wanted to achieve but, having said that, she proved that it wasn’t impossible,” Mr Rae said.

Ms Gooch wants to get the message out there that if she can, you can too.

“If I can drive a truck and

be away from home for weeks at a time, working a minimum of 12 hours a day, and still find time to eat well and exercise, than anyone can do it,” she said.