HOW I GET FIT DONE
How one reader boosted her fitness and her career
My twenties were spent working hard at my job in the city – and partying even harder. I’d bingedrink two or three times a week and my weight steadily rose to a point where, at age 27, I topped out at 15st 10lbs. I wasn’t just overweight; the drinking was wrecking my confidence and hangovers left me with constant anxiety. I joined WW (formerly Weight Watchers) and started running but, although this helped me shift over a stone, I’d go out partying to celebrate and it would kick-start another toxic cycle. I was 33 when I realised things had to change – I no longer felt proud of who I was. I made the decision to quit drinking alcohol and started working with a PT, Harry Thomas at No1 Fitness, adopting an all-or-nothing mentality. During our hour-long sessions, I wore a heart-rate monitor to make sure I was really working. We’d do weights or cardio two or three times a week, and I’d top up with training for the marathon I was working towards at the time, totalling five workouts a week. As I wanted to lose weight, I stayed in a calorie deficit, although Harry made sure I was getting enough protein with a focus on fresh, nutritious food. Every Monday morning, he would send me my progress photo from the previous Friday’s session, which put the wind in my sails for the week ahead. With Harry’s help, I lost 3st in six months, but by then I knew I wanted to be faster, stronger and fitter, so I joined UN1T – a training and conditioning studio in London with a focus on team mentality. The
community is amazing – everyone’s there to build each other up – and my confidence has grown in abundance. Even my work has improved, because I’m so much more energetic and enthusiastic, and I recently got a massive new job offer. I work out hard, doing three weights sessions, two cardio and one ‘Trooper’ class at UN1T every week. Sometimes, I’ll add a yoga session, plus a long Sunday run; I’m currently training for the Tokyo Marathon. It will be the last of the six World Marathon Majors for me (I’ve already competed in Boston, London, Berlin, New York and Chicago), then I’m on to the Athens Marathon in November. I’m still teetotal and don’t miss drinking at all, although I do consume 2,200 calories a day now – I need it. Before, I’d never have dreamed of going paragliding, rafting, surfing or even to a spa with my best friends. The old me would have been far too self-conscious, thinking about how unhappy I was about a roll here, a dimple there. But now I couldn’t care less if someone thinks I need to trim a few pounds off my waist. I work hard, I eat right and I’m proud of who I am.
GO-TO SNACK
Heck Chicken Italia sausages
FITNESS INDULGENCE
Lululemon kit – it makes me feel great. And Nike Air Max trainers
PERSONAL BEST
Completing the Berlin Marathon in 3 hrs 41 mins