I started training with Paul 10 years ago at a time when I was dealing with the aftermath of post natal depression, chronic fatigue and horrific hip pain.
I hated training, like really hated it. I have always had weight issues and never been sporty but I knew to keep my mental health on track and try and get my weight under control I had to do it. I’m sure Paul hated those sessions as much as I did, I used to moan so much!
Around the time Core Results came into being I was dealing with masses of stress and a huge adrenal crash that caused my fatigue to be intensified, my hormones to go crazy and had meant I had stacked on weight despite being a nutritionist and VERY careful with my food.
There were days I would come into the gym and the thought of doing a step up would make me cry because I was so tired and broken.
I hit 92kg in May 2015 and knew I had to do something drastic so using my network of nutritional experts I started intermittent fasting and low carb eating which stabilised my hormones and gave me some energy back so I could finally get back to training.
I lost an initial 2 stone working out 3 x week and being really strict with my diet but I had so many physical limitations due to my horrific back pain. I was finally diagnosed with a degenerative hip condition and had hip surgery in 2016.
Kept working on my diet once my body had healed but the surgery was so big it took me a year to get off crutches. The core team were great during my rehabilitation and kept tweaking my workouts to support where I was in my process. It always felt like 2 steps forward and 2 steps back but having my workouts as a priority in my week meant I kept working towards my goal.
I finally lost the last stone and once my hip was better I was able to do things in the gym I could have never done before.
Last year I took up pole dancing and snowboarding and finally the gym had a purpose other than just “working out” I discovered that all the hard work I had put in means I can now have hobbies I absolutely love and have become totally passionate about.
My hip isn’t great, I still have days I can’t walk and other day’s I’m brilliant and there are times my energy is rubbish. Being able to move my sessions to fit in with my body is really important to me and knowing the team are experienced and can tweak my programme according to my needs is just awesome.
Exercise has become a huge part of my life, from someone who hated it I now do between 7 & 10 hours a week between pole, swimming, snowboarding, SPT sessions and other classes and I notice the difference when I don’t do it emotionally, physically and in my energy. Some day’s it is still REALLY hard but other days I leave the gym so full of joy.
Emily really helped me at the beginning of the year. I became terrified of carbs and needed some help and support to get them back in my diet and stop weighing myself so obsessively. My diet is now much more balanced and more enjoyable and I feel really in control knowing I have all the tools I need to manage everything moving forward and now in my 40’s even with my fatigue and pain I have a body that I not only really like and a body that means I can wear a Princess Leia Costume in public, I have a body that is strong and works despite it’s limitations and for that I am truly grateful for the help and encouragement and professionalism of the team at Core.
