Anneliese is reaching for the stars

ANNELIESE Neumann welcomed the new year by celebrating her 44th birthday on New Year's Eve, and she's the fittest she's ever been.

It's easy to see that she's perhaps the happiest she's ever been as well. Her smile is radiant, as the new and improved Anneliese has made some massive changes to her lifestyle in a relatively short time.

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Just over two years ago this vibrant fitness buff, who has Down syndrome, weighed 68kg, and soon after she decided to get fit and change her diet simply because she wanted "to keep healthy".

Today, she trains every weekday and lives an active and social lifestyle.

According to her carer and cousin Michael Klink, she's now on a low carb diet and has lost 18kg.

"I guess the biggest accomplishment Anneliese has made is the way she walks up and down stairs," he said.

"When she started she would walk up and down side ways, one step at a time.

"Now she walks up and down (in the typical way).

"Her normal, day-to-day life is a little better."

It's easy to see how happy Anneliese is, and she said she always "feels great".

"I'm 50.5kg now," Anneliese said.

"I have no bread.

"I've changed the way I eat.

"I'm looking after my weight."

Anneliese said she trained with personal trainer Pam Woods at AnyTime Fitness Pialba each Monday morning, did tabata class on Tuesdays, gym with Endeavour on Wednesdays and Fridays and assault classes each Thursday.

In addition to that, Michael said, she does sit-ups and 20 minutes on a spin bike at home each day.

Her favourite is tabata training, a high-intensity workout protocol with fitness and weight-loss benefits. It's a mix between CrossFit and circuit training, but in a shorter time. She said she liked it for its social aspect.

"I like getting to know people," she said.

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Anneliese loves being out and about. She's at the gym regularly, but volunteers at the Botanic Gardens each Wednesday and attends a cooking class each Friday.

On January 2, she set her goals for this year.

Michael said this year she wanted to learn to swim properly, learn to ride a push bike and wanted to get a job.

Before moving to Hervey Bay, Anneliese worked at Woolworths for nearly two decades.

If you have a potential job opportunity for Anneliese, please email emily.black@frasercoastchronicle.com.au.