Watch the progress of my clients as they take on the challenge of training with me to become who they REALLY are! These bodies are in construction....woo-hoo!
2 July 2008 - A BEAUTIFUL BRIDE TO BE!
Primary school teacher and brilliantly funny Amy Linnecar came to me in January with a goal......to look her best and be in top physical fitness by her 25th birthday on 1 June 2008. As trainer and client, we hit it off straight away and immediately I couldn't wait to help this bubbly lady achieve her goal! So, we sat down together, devised a plan and various 'phases' to get her there and she certainly achieved her goal! Amy is a naturally slim woman with amazing bone structure (I call her Elle Machpherson the 2nd as she has such long legs and lovely broad shoulders!) yet she wanted to make the most of her body by building up her glutes to create a 'peachy' bum (she has always hated her flat bottom - not any more!) sculpt and tone her stomach and arms and generally give her body more overall strength and tone.
Amy squatting her way to a much more 'Peachy Butt'!!!!!
To cut a long story short, she looked amazing on the 1st of June (pics to come) and had a lot to celebrate then but now Amy is taking her physical goals one step further given a massive joy in her life - her significant other Matthew Weil popped THE QUESTION to Amy and they are getting married on the 16th of August!!!!!!!!! How exciting!!!!!! And my god, the ring is to die for and they look SO fab together! It is such brilliant news for this gorgeous teacher with the most amazing pins! So, next plan of attack.
Amy came to me once again armed with a little secret to share. That secret was her sharing with me what she will be wearing on her big day (he he, its a secret!) and once again I have devised and am working with Amy on a devious plan to make her upper body stand out, her arms look gorgeous and a bum that any honeymoon lady would kill for on the beach! Amy is hard out training and eating clean for this massive life changing and superbly romantic event and I will be with her every step of the way and am honoured I will be celebrating with them on the day too. Here are just a few pics of Amy during our rather gruelling sessions:
Hating every minute of my drop sets on leg press - high reps and high energy for this one!
Check out those brilliantly toned 'guns' and beautiful arms!!
Amy is focused, determined and trains extremely hard. And, soon she will be sharing with us all more about her wedding preparations and her training progress but more importantly will be introducing you all to her lovely husband to be on here very soon. Congratulations Amy! The 16th of August 2008 will be a day you will never forget.
1 July 2008
FEATURED CLIENT: BETH REES - FROM QUIET TO CONFIDENT!
Since the 28th of February, 20 year old student Beth Rees has been quietly working away at becoming who she has really wanted to be. She's lost a stone and almost 7% in bodyfat, increased in muscle tone and has lost a total of almost 17 inches everywhere!!! I have such respect for this adorable client of mine who works her absolute heart out with every workout. She was so sweet and quiet when I met her and is just so much more confident now - and yes, she is still so sweet! But most of all she is incredibly determined and never gives up and is a classic example of a young woman who never ever believed that she could lose the weight she has always wanted to lose and become the shape she has always wanted to be and is now achieving her dreams.
Beth was referred to me by my very first client Amy Linnecar (who is getting married in August and will also be featured on here soon!) to discuss what we could do together to help achieve her weight loss and fitness goals.
Beth with her best friend and cousin Abi around Xmas 2007
At first, like most of my clients, Beth was quite overwhelmed. As anyone who knows me well in the gym environment, I am tough, demanding and apparently take no prisoners! I told Beth if I was to take her on as a client that I would expect 100% from her, I told her what she needed to do and that it wouldn't be easy but I told her something she had always wanted to hear - THAT ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE and that yes, she could lose the weight! From the first training session Beth said to me she had never been so sore or so motivated and that she was hooked and for the first time, she believed she had found something that had really given her hope. After an initial full hour of an in-depth talk and consultation, she signed up with me, got her weights and cardio plan up and running, cleaned up her nutrition and has never looked back! I have watched her blossom from a shy student into a woman that is inspiring her friends and family because of her sheer determination to succeed and her amazing changing shape. I love this girl! Beth you are just brilliant and I know you'll never go back.
Just take a look at her pictures below, read her story and see for yourself how any girl-next-door is able to transform herself, inside and out.
Here are some progress pics of Beth - the ones on the left were taken on the 28th of February '08, the ones in the middle were taken on the 31 May '08 and the most recent two comparisons of her side view and rear view were taken on the 1st of July '08.....how much has she changed???!!!!! Her waist has shrunk, her bum has halved and has 'lifted' beyond belief and her body is now shapely and sculpted. Everything is so much smaller, more toned, fitter, healthier and much more svelte! Beth, you look fantastic.
Full name: Bethany Rees
DOB and place of birth: 15/10/1987 –
Occupation: Student
Height: 5ft 2
Goal Weight: I would like to be able to fit into size 10 clothes comfortably and hopefully be around the 9 ½ stone mark.
Where do you train and do you enjoy where you train?
I train at Fitness First in
Tell us a bit about yourself! ie: were you sporty growing up? Have you always been into the gym and a fit and healthy lifestyle?
I have always done sport growing up. At school I played table tennis several times a week as well as netball. I am part of quite an active family and so have always been quite active. I have generally tried to follow a healthy lifestyle but have always struggled with my weight and was always been trying to lose weight.
So, you’ve hired a Personal Trainer and Nutrition Advisor – ME! What was your reason for deciding to hire a trainer?
Firstly, I knew a friend who had been training with Anita and I saw how well she was doing and she recommended Anita. Also, I felt it would be the best way for me to get fit and in shape because nothing else had worked for me and I needed the motivation. Anita is definitely a motivator!
Describe how you felt before you hired a Personal Trainer? How did you see yourself and were you achieving your goals?
Before hiring a personal trainer I was always trying to lose weight but never really believed I would ever lose weight and get in shape. I was a bit of a yo-yo dieter and would lose weight and then put it straight back on. I was never very confident with my body image and always dreaded getting in swimwear in the summer. I never really set myself any goals before seeing Anita so was never aiming for anything.
For you personally, what difference does it make having a trainer and what do you enjoy about having one?
Having a trainer for me has made a HUGE difference. I’m so glad that I decided to hire a personal trainer – it has definitely been worth it! For once I actually believe in myself that I will reach my goals and get in shape. I have seen so many changes in my body already which has never been the case before. I love my sessions with Anita because she is so motivating and even though sometimes I feel like I could die I love the sessions. The exercises which Anita has introduced me too are so varied and ones which I would never have tried on my own because I would have always been worried about making a fool of myself in the gym but now none of that bothers me. The sessions are always fun and there is never a dull moment with Anita. I could go on forever…
So you’ve been training with me for a while now……how long was it before you REALLY started to see and feel physical results?
Surprisingly I started to see and feel physical results really quickly – after the first 2 – 3 weeks I was already noticing changes and after my first month of following Anita’s workouts I was shocked at how many inches I had lost all over my body. Some of my clothes, especially my jeans, started to feel looser. I also began to feel physically fitter and stronger over the first few weeks which gave me much more energy.
Would you say your changes so far have changed other aspects of yourself or how other see you – do they make any comments?
I am definitely feeling much more confident since I have been training with Anita and have got much more energy. I am also less concerned about the my weight on the scales but look more at the inches which I have lost. I used to weigh myself nearly everyday but now I don’t even get on the scales. Lots of my family and friends have commented on my changing shape which is really encouraging. Several of my friends were quite amazed so I think they might consider hiring a personal trainer (I am always singing Anita’s praises).
Who is your inspiration and why?
I have never really had one person who inspires me but have always liked Martine McCutcheon because of her curvaceous figure but I think she always looks fit and healthy at the same time. She looks like a real woman and isn’t one of these stick thin celebrities who look like they eat absolutely nothing.
What are some of the things you do to keep you motivated?
The main thing which keeps me motivated at the moment is picturing myself in a bikini for my summer holiday. I do have the occasional slip up with my food but always remind myself that I have got to get in a bikini in a few weeks. Also, I see Anita for my weigh ins about every 4 weeks which is really good for me because it goes really quickly and I always know that she is going to be measuring me soon so I can’t afford to lapse back into my old habits.
Give me a run down of your daily diet……….both before you began with me and what you eat now!
Before I began with Anita I wouldn’t say that my daily diet was awful but I think the main problem was my portion sizes and the occasional lapse into binge eating on a Sunday evening where I would eat absolute rubbish before trying to ‘start again’ on the Monday morning. Since beginning with Anita my eating has been much more controlled. I have a bowl of porridge every morning which I have grown to love. For lunch I usually have some soup with wholemeal bread, some cold chicken and a bit of salad and for dinner I often have fish or chicken and veg or salad and try to have wholemeal pasta or rice. My meals have become much more balanced and I don’t pick in between meals as much now (apart from the snacks which I’m allowed). I always tell myself ‘fridge pickers wear bigger knickers’.
Do you ever ‘cheat’ on your nutrition plan or find it hard? How do you overcome the temptation to slack off from training and eating according to your plan?
I would be lying if I said I didn’t cheat. One of my biggest temptations is chocolate and so I usually treat myself once a week to something nice. In the past my problem was that as soon as I had eaten one ‘bad’ food I would throw the towel in for the rest of the day and eat absolute rubbish but now I can generally have a treat and restrict myself. To overcome the temptation to slack I just keep reminding myself of my goals. I actually love my workouts now so don’t usually find it to hard to make myself go to the gym.
Have you come across any challenges/pitfalls during your training/new eating regime since you began with me?
The biggest challenge I have come across has been controlling my eating during my exams. I had a period of about 6 weeks during April and May where I was at home revising for my exams and found it quite difficult to stay out of the kitchen as I was so bored with revision. Some days were better than others but generally I managed fairly well but I know I did snack too much. I managed to stay consistent with my training during this period because it was a chance to get away from revision so it was mainly the eating which was a problem.
How often do you train and what do you do during those training sessions?
I usually train 6 times a week. I do 3 cardio sessions – 2 of which are interval training and the other which is usually an hour on the cross trainer. The other 3 sessions are my weights sessions which I enjoy the most because they are full of variation but there are always one or two exercises in them which I dread like lunges or box jumps but I always feel good once I have finished so its worth the pain.
What’s your favourite body part to train and why? Least favourite and why?
I love training my legs and bum because while I always dread the exercises and they kill while I am doing them I love the feeling after knowing that I have absolutely exhausted the muscles and that I am on the way to a smaller and more toned bottom! I think my least favourite part to train is probably my abs because they always come at the end of the workout when I feel like I can’t do anymore and I always dread doing the plank with the swiss ball but again I know it is all worth it in the end.
How does your new eating and training lifestyle affect those around you? Boyfriend, family and friends? How do people voice their opinions on what you do and what kind of feedback have you received so far?
My new eating regime has affected my mum because it has made her think more about what she is eating. My boyfriend, family and friends have all noticed a difference and I have had lots of comments on how much better I look. I think a lot of people have become interested in joining the gym and finding out more about Anita’s methods because if they can work for me they can work for anybody! It is always really encouraging and a boost to my confidence when people notice the changes.
Do you think there is ever a chance you will revert back to old habits now that you have clear cut goals in mind?
I hope not. I think that my mentality and outlook has completely changed and as I said above I now believe in myself and so will no longer think I am destined to be overweight. I feel great and there is no way that I want to go back to what I was like so things can only get better!
How do you feel about the whole world watching you on the internet as you endeavour to continue to transform yourself??!!
Slightly nervous but I think it will another motivation because I know that people will be looking at my pictures.
Anything else you wish to say or share with us that you think people may relate to
All I would say is that if I can lose weight and get fit then anybody can – you just have to believe and do what everybody really knows is the only way to get in shape – EAT RIGHT and EXERCISE!!! (And if you need help see Anita or another personal trainer – because I wouldn’t have been able to do it without her!!!)
The 'old' Beth - on the right in the pink!
..and the 'new and improved' Beth third from the left wearing black...and looking super gorgeous!
FEATURED CLIENT - GILL BURNS - PICTURES AND STORY!
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Now this lady is going to be one to watch on my website over the next few months. Gill has taken on the big challenge to train with me to reach her weight loss goals and is being advised by me with her nutrition as well. In amongst a highly stressful job, being ill and moving house, Gill is still managing to keep her health, weight loss and fitness goals in mind - I tell you, this is one determined lady! In 6 weeks with me, Gill has lost a total of 10 inches, 11lbs, is feeling SO much fitter and healthier and is changing shape FAST! And things are only going to keep improving for this bubbly, determined and incrediibly stylish Irish lady (Gill has the BEST range of bags and shoes I have EVER seen!).........read on to find out more about Gill and to share in her journey!
Full name: Gill Burns
DOB and place of birth: 29/11/1966,
Location: Brentwood,
Occupation: Assistant Director, NHS
Height: 5ft 2”
Weight Now: 222lbs (after losing 11 lbs so far in 6 weeks!)
Goal Weight: Hoping to lose at least another 60 lbs over the next few months....150lb goal weight would be great!
Here are a few progress pics of Gill - the ones on the left were taken on the 25th of February and the ones on the right taken just 6 weeks later on the 8th of April......look at the difference already!
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Where do you train and do you enjoy where you train?
I joined Fitness First Gym in Brentwood,
Tell us a bit about yourself! ie: were you sporty growing up? Have you always been into the gym and a fit and healthy lifestyle?
Growing up I always had some or other sport. I swam for my school and also played hockey until my late 20’s. I have also always enjoyed walking. As you get older, I think it’s more difficult to stay fit for number of reasons, lifestyle, harder to shift weight, time constraints with having a busy career and generally day to day life and all its daily activities.
So, you’ve hired a Personal Trainer and Nutrition Advisor – ME! What was your reason for deciding to hire a trainer?
The decision to hire Anita was primarily influenced by her having done my and Garry’s induction at the gym when we initially joined. I felt that Anita and I “clicked” on a personal level and from the onset found her to be non-judgemental and motivational in manner. This encouraged me to consider buying my initial 10 sessions.
Describe how you felt before you hired a Personal Trainer? How did you see yourself and were you achieving your goals?
I felt generally annoyed with myself for feeling so unfit and slowly and insidiously gaining weight!!! I knew that I was on the road to making changes in respect of my exercising and losing weight but had found this a real struggle over the last few years due to personal circumstances and having stopped smoking approximately one year ago. On reflection, I don’t think that I really realised how much weight I had gained, a few months before joining the gym, I saw some pictures of myself at Christmas and I think I actually didn’t believe that it was me, I really didn’t see myself as I was in the photos.
For you personally, what difference does it make having a trainer and what do you enjoy about having one?
Firstly, I would say that it is the best investment you can make if you want to get fit and lose weight!!! Having a trainer is a great motivator, it helps you to exercise in a completely different way, doing activities in your workout that you would never do by yourself. Even if you feel that you aren’t doing well, a trainer keeps your mind and body on track, even on the days or evenings that don’t feel on top form or are tired after a hard days work. A personal trainer does exactly what it says on the tin, it is a training and weight loss programme personalised for you to help you get the best results!!! I look forward to my training sessions more that I ever thought I would, most of the time I chat and laugh my way through a hard workout. Finally the most important part for me has been having a great relationship with Anita, her support and encouragement have been priceless!!!
So you’ve been training with me for just over 6 weeks now……how long was it before you REALLY started to see and feel physical results? Would you say your changes so far have changed other aspects of yourself or how other see you – do they make any comments?
For the first few weeks, I did not lose any weight and felt completely despondent, however, Anita banned me from the scales, telling me not to focus on my weight. This for me was the best move, I kept away from the scales and kept on training!!! Initially I could barely do five minutes on the cross trainer and five to ten minutes walking on the running machine. Within 6-8 weeks I could do 20 minutes hard walking and over 30 minutes on the cross trainer! Amazing! The changes so far have been definitely more energy, feeling less heavy and bloated. As I am someone who likes to look well with clothes and makeup etc, looking physically better is a big motivator for me. Over the last few weeks a number of people have commented on my changing shape and asked if I had lost weight. I, of course, gave all the credit to Anita!!!
I think Gill deserves to give herself all the credit!!! I am just showing her the way... ;o)
Who is your inspiration and why?
In relation to admiring body shape, I think the person whose body transformation I find fascinating is Madonna. Realistically, I don’t think this is achievable for most of us, but I think its important to see what diet and exercise can do to your body, especially if you can train all day every day and probably have your own chef! I have also found it inspiring talking to other people in the gym and listening to their journeys to weight loss and fitness. I think that this is where, for me, having a female trainer has been inspirational as one of the first things Anita said to me was that she as a woman had “been there” trying to lose weight and get fit.
What are some of the things you do to keep you motivated?
Fear is a great motivator that I will not have lost weight on the next weigh in and Anita will murder me!!! Feeling good after a hard workout, knowing that I have worked out during the week, even when I have really had to push myself to go to the gym, and generally feeling good about yourself when you know that you are taking control of your weight and fitness.
Give me a run down of your daily diet……….both before you began with me and what you eat now!
I think that I generally had a good diet before I started on this journey. The downfall was snacking on non healthy foods such as white breads, biscuits, crisps and the odd junk food and gorgeous but fattening things like nice cheeses and rich sauces on foods. On reflection portion size was an issue too. Now I try to eat what my trainer describes as “clean foods”. Brown rice, wholewheat pasta, fish, chicken, vegetables, fruit, eggs and non fattening snacks. I think I eat more often than I did before and when I got into the swing of it, never feel hungry. Planning is essential.
Do you ever ‘cheat’ on your nutrition plan or find it hard? How do you overcome the temptation to slack off from training and eating according to your plan?
Yes I do cheat occasionally, but I think that I realise that its not every day and if it happens once or twice outside of my free day for eating, then I don’t beat myself up about it, but try to cut down for the remainder of the day or go to the gym. That is why planning is the key, as, for me, the temptations arise when I haven’t got my pre-prepared lunch with me at work or haven’t been shopping for food for the house. No matter what is happening in my life day to day, I haven’t allowed myself to do any less than 3 hours per week in the gym.
How often do you train and what do you do during those training sessions?
I go to the gym 3 to 4 times per week, usually on the way back from work at tea time. I do a routine on the cardio machines, usually 20 minutes on the running machine at a fast walk, although I have been building up to running and can now manage to jog for 6 of my 20 minutes. I then do 10 minutes on the bike, usually some weight training, based on what I have done with Anita that week, then finish off on the cross trainer anything up to 30 minutes. Although I like the machines as I just listen to music or watch the news, I mostly enjoy weight training with Anita. I am always amazed that if feel more worked out and exhausted after a tough personal training session mostly focused around weights.
How does your lifestyle affect those around you? Husband, family and friends? How do people voice their opinions on what you do?
My partner has a similar lifestyle to me, busy career, enjoys socialising and exercising. He has been incredibly supportive about my training. Having recently moved to
Do you think there is ever a chance you will revert back to old habits now that you have this big goal in mind?
I really hope not!!! Without sounding mercenary, I think investing money in your personal training makes you value yourself and adds to the personal investment in yourself. Also, I like to look well and dress well and I just was not happy with how I looked and felt. I try not to focus on reverting back to old ways, if I did, I think it would be a one day blow out, not one year!!!
How do you feel about the whole world watching you as you endeavour to conquer this transformation challenge??!!
Mildly amused, frightened that I will let myself or Anita down but I think that it will be a motivational influence for me. My last set of pictures really made me feel good about what I had achieved in a number of weeks
Anything else you wish to say or share with us?
Watch this space!!! Wish me luck, I know its going to take a while but I just know that Anita will help me keep on track. Thanks Anita, I couldn’t have even started this journey without you.
Love Gill xxx
FROM ANITA - GILL, YOU ARE A PLEASURE TO TRAIN, A BUNDLE OF ENERGY AND I SO LOOK FORWARD TO EVERY STEP OF THIS JOURNEY WITH YOU. KEEP UP THAT INCRDIBLE DETERMINATION. I KNOW ITS BEEN TOUGH AND YOU'VE HAD A LOT ON YOUR PLATE AND I ADMIRE YOUR WILL TO KEEP GOING AND I JUST KNOW YOU WILL REACH YOUR GOAL!!!