Transformation mum is ready to help others
AMUM who transformed her life is now aiming to help others do the same through a new fitness course.
Four years ago Hayley Ellison, 38, had never set foot in a gym and had always felt overweight and unfit.
Now she is three stone lighter and enjoying a career as a fitness instructor and personal trainer with Life Leisure.
From January, she will be leading a new course called Weight Loss Warriors at Life Leisure Cheadle, to help other people transform their health.
Hayley’s journey began after she tragically lost both her parents to cancer within a very short space of time.
Realising that her inactive lifestyle and yo-yo dieting could be increasing her own risk of developing the disease, Hayley decided she needed to make a change.
She approached her GP who referred her to the Physical Activity Referral in Stockport (PARiS) scheme, which is delivered by Life Leisure and helps people with chronic health conditions or weight management issues to become more active.
Hayley said: “Initially I was filled with dread at the idea of going to a gym. I imagined it would be full of super fit people posing on the treadmills. Just the thought of it made me feel incredibly self-conscious.
“As soon as I’d actually seen the gym and got my head around the programme I felt so much better. It was all about building up my activity levels slowly. It wasn’t nearly as intimidating as I’d imagined it to be and there were actually lots of people like me there.”
Hayley soon began losing weight and gained a passion for fitness.
By December 2015, Hayley had completed a Level 2 Gym Instructor course and a Level 3 Personal Trainer course and she started working part-time at Life Leisure.
Earlier this year she left her former office job to focus full time on her fitness career.
Hayley added: “I’m really excited to be one of the course leaders because it’s giving me the chance to help other people like me. I’m still on my own weight loss journey, and I hope that by sharing my experiences with those on the course, I’ll be able to inspire them to start their own journey towards a happier, healthier lifestyle.”
The course is aimed at people with at least three stone to lose. For more details on this course and others see lifeleisure.net.