This is the recent article I was asked to write for my trainer at West Wickham Health and Fitness, for those of you who have been following my progress

My Fat loss Journey with Chris Tuck at WWHF

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Last June while looking through the New Addington businesses group on Facebook I spotted an advert for WWH&F Fat Busters Bootcamp.
I clicked on the link to Chris Tuck’s web site and started to read.

That’s when I decided to send Chris a message asking her to get in touch as I needed to turn a corner and start heading back in the right direction to a healthier fitter me. I had spent the last ten years loosing confidence, gaining weight and becoming more and more unhappy with myself. The 46 steps up from my front door to the car each morning was leaving me out of breath and I knew my fitness level was poor to say the least. It was time to do something about it and Chris was ready to take on the challenge of getting me there. I say challenge for a number of reasons.

Firstly, I have never ever enjoyed any form of exercise and the thought of committing to regular classes, would be hard and never be enjoyable I thought. I was right, well at least for the first few months, they were the hardest, but inch loss results soon started to encourage me and I knew that I was now on the right track again.

Secondly I had become so insecure and out of confidence that just the thought of showing up with a group of strangers scared me more than I wanted to admit. My emotional response to change was often overwhelming and fear of anything new would often reduce me to tears. Chris took the time to listen to me and show me around the club in private and challenged me to turn up the next day.

The healthy ‘clean eating’ diet that accompanied the classes was perfect for me as I have allergies to milk, wheat and gluten. Something that I needed to be more disciplined with as over time I had become lazy and as my 17 year old son would ask me ‘Why are you self harming?’ if he caught me eating the things I shouldn’t be. He was quite right! and deep down, the truth hurt.

It was time to stop thinking about it and start living it, making changes to get back on track, combining the correct diet for me with regular exercise classes and start battling against the unsightly bulges.

The first week was tough and I didn’t think I was going to be able to do the second, many of the exercises just felt too hard for me, my body not wanting to cooperate but my mind telling me not to quit. Daily emails from Chris helped keep me going. Little by little this started to improve and I had a real sense of achievement when I did my first full press up having never done one before in my entire life. At home, in private, I would do another one just to make sure I could still do it, the next day I added a second and a few days later another, soon I found I could do a few!

Another break though point after a couple of months was when clothes which had been tight and uncomfortable started to feel loose, this gave me a real boost as my long term aim was to feel comfortable with my body shape for a planned trip to Australia at the end of the year.

I started to enjoy choosing my food for the week and including a big variety of vegetables and fresh fish. With more time on my hands having recently reduced my working hours I was finding cooking more enjoyable. Again Chris was there and gave detailed recipes to help with this.

I have to give a mention to the Facebook group which, to start with, I thought wouldn’t be helpful, but it has helped me to become more aware of others and the struggles that each one of us face on a daily basis. Knowing that at anytime I could throw a question out to others was reassuring and that my contribution to it was also being appreciated has also helped boost my confidence. Hearing how others were getting on, sharing tips, articles, recipe ideas and photos of meals have all proved helpful over the months.

As I sit writing this on the long flight home from my end of year trip to Australia, I can simply say that it would not have been anywhere near as enjoyable if I hadn’t improved on my fitness level and body shape before I came. I was able to keep up with the teenagers when out and about on trips, I was less scared of a camera being pointed at me and happy about being in the many photographs which were taken over the three weeks. For the first time in my life, (now well into my forties) I wore a bikini, something I thought I would never do.

I didn’t reach my ultimate target before the trip but was well on my way and am determined to continue once back in January. If you are thinking about starting a programme with Chris I am happy to say you won’t regret it and you may even get to meet me at one of her classes.
It just takes one step in the right direction, followed by another and another!

The result 25lbs lighter, 28 inches smaller over all, fitter, stronger, greater range of movement and happier with determination not to let it all go back on.

The only thing that is stopping you from getting started is you, make the decision to change, then enjoy the results that will follow. God bless you and the choices you make in 2013!

Helen Flynn

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