ONE-KIT WORKOUT

One piece of kit, one massive workout

After overcoming an eating disorder, student Nathalie Harris, 20, finally learned to love her body through fitness

Then

Being called fat in the school playground when I was just seven triggered a year-long bout of anorexia. My family helped me overcome the illness, but being encouraged to eat actually sent my weight in the opposite direction. Going into my teens, I existed on a diet of chips, chocolate and crisps, catapulting me to 12st and a size 14 by the time I hit 17. I felt helpless when it came to achieving a weight I was comfortable with. But understanding better than anyone how the wrong weight can jeopardise your health, I knew I had to do something.

How

In 2013, I joined the gym and began cross-training and cycling for up to three hours a day, but the cardio wasn’t having much impact on the scales. So I got a personal trainer who helped me to find balance in my exercise regime. I started doing 30 minutes of HIIT followed by an hour of strength training five times a week. At the same time, I totally changed my diet to include more complex carbohydrates such as porridge, lean protein, including chicken, and fruit and vegetables. The first stone dropped off within six weeks, gradually followed by another over the next four months. Meanwhile, my energy soared.

Now

Almost three years on, the gym has become my second home. I still go five times a week, usually at 7am before uni lectures start. Training regularly means I can be more relaxed in my approach to food. Working out has helped me sleep better, and my body is more defined and toned. Physically I’m so much stronger – I used to deadlift 15kg but now I can do 40kg. I’m the healthiest I’ve ever been and finally I feel I’ve found the balance I struggled to achieve for so long.