A BIT ABOUT ME…
I believe it is always good to know somebody’s back story. Being a personal trainer is about not just about providing a great workout and motivation - it is about trust, communication and experience.
My love for fitness began (way) back in my teenage years, when school was a god-awful place for me.
I didn’t really fit in anywhere socially, so I avoided lonely lunchtimes and bullies by going to all the sports clubs I could to fill time with. Anything to get me out of the playground or lunch hall.
Then I found that I enjoyed sports, I enjoyed belonging to teams of people who chose to be there (not because it was a lesson on their timetable). Like minded people…
I went and did the sports that I thought were ‘cool’. I put myself in very male-dominated environments. I don’t know what a therapist would say about that, but it was where I was more comfortable.
I raced motorbikes - badly. But I did it! For a long time was the only girl racing. I rode mountain bikes - it got me out of the house and gave me time to escape. I took up exercise classes - Classes that were HARD. Made me sweat, challenged my mind as well as my body. It wasn’t until I turned 17 that I ventured into the gym. This was my game changer.
At around the age of 19, I lost a lot of weight. It wasn’t a conscious decision, but looking back, I can see it was an act of desperately trying to control something in my life. I restricted my diet hugely, but my knowledge of nutrition and fuelling myself was limited. So, long story short I ended up weighing less than 6 stone, and I was labelled as anorexic.
Unfortunately no amount of visits to the GP, arguments with my family or sessions with nutritionists changed my thought process, despite me knowing I could not carry on that way. So, I signed up to study Fitness Teaching and Coaching, and Gym Instructing.
My knowledge of training and nutrition grew and after being turned away for a job in a gym because I was so painfully thin, I decided enough was enough. I chose to gain weight my way. In the same way that losing weight quickly isn’t sustainable, gaining healthy weight was not going to happen in a couple of weeks or even months…it took years. Years of learning and of training for strength.
These days, the gym and strength training is an integral part of my life. Truly - the gym helped me recover both mentally and physically. It also helps me deal with the everyday life-stresses that I am sure we all encounter.
Now I am well into my 40’s my number one priority is my beautiful daughter - who has differences that mean I will likely need to support for most of her life. But only time will tell that. We all want to be around for our kids as long as physically possible don’t we?
I choose to use exercise as a form of release for mental tensions, and the physical strength I gain from it is a very welcome benefit… both elements come in oh-so-handy when I'm having to sprint down the beach after my daughter.
Let’s get strong!
