The AMF Stories are the brand new way for you to read about other people who have made a lifestyle change and now feel fitter, happier and healthier than ever before.
Gemma's Story
So about 4 years ago I was at my heaviest weight and biggest dress size ever. It wasn’t just those things that bothered me though, it was my general health….I was on and off smoking……couldn’t even run for a bus without feeling like I was going to keel over….shift work at my job mean't I wasn’t eating my last meal in the day until about 11pm and it definitely wasn’t the healthiest meal either……..it just got to a point where I felt like it was too late to do anything about it and I got really depressed about everything.
All of this wasn’t helped by the fact that I was in a long term relationship that was border line abusive…..my ex would get drunk, hurl abuse at me and often referred to my weight when he’d had a few. I started comfort eating big time……large packet of chicken and thyme flavoured crisps and a giant bar of dairy milk caramel were my favourite things…….I now cringe at the thought of stuffing my face on the sofa wallowing in self- pity and crumbs!
I eventually decided that I had had enough. I bought a Davina McCall exercise DVD and downloaded a Tesco diet plan……this lasted all of about two months before the exercise mat I had purchased started gathering dust and the eating went out of the window. My emotions were still controlling my eating….I still had the bellend in tow and the shift work was getting worse. I didn’t see immediate results so I just gave up.
I had a gym membership for a while but training in a gym was boring and I felt like I was always being judged so that got binned off quite quickly after being purchased.
About a year goes by and my 28th birthday came around, it was the summer and I looked like a beached whale and it all got too much. For me that was the final straw. Then, as luck would have it, my friend Kirsty introduced me to Anna Martin Fitness at that time operating out of Christchurch Hall in Feltham. I’ll never forget showing up to my first boxercise class and feeling like I would be judged for being fat and hideous but everyone was awesome. I got stuck in and felt like everyone was there to help.
Later that year I broke up with my boyfriend and discovered how truly amazing Kirsty is. She supported me through the toughest times and made sure I was okay. At this point I was now living on my own and feeling all emotional, she supported me in going to fitness and encouraged me to try more classes.
Up until this point my attendance at Anna’s classes was sporadic…..Shift work was a pain and my ex wasn’t exactly supportive of me attending. I had started Herbalife (protein shakes one for breakfast one for lunch) and started to lose a little bit of weight which made me happier but this was a short-term fix for my problem. I wasn’t taking control of my fitness or my health. I was using a quick fix that was unmaintainable in the longterm.
Then Anna launched a challenge…..we weighed in, got measured, had photos taken and our aim was to make changes over a 6 week period and hopefully lose body fat and change our body shape.
This in my head was my time to make a change and do this properly……I had taken a huge step by deciding to be on my own after 5 years and now I wanted to do this for myself. I was borderline size 18-20 and at rock bottom, something had to change!
My dad bought me an exercise bike and I joined the Challenge. I made sure I attended classes more regularly and when I got home from work I was on the exercise bike for 1 hour minimum watching Judge Judy or Jeremy Kyle as I cycled…..I planned my meals and controlled my portion sizes…all with the help page’s that Anna set up for the challenge.
It was hard at first but after about two weeks I found I had more energy, my stamina improved and my eating pattern had massively improved.
I didn’t weigh myself at all during this time I just kept going. By the end of the challenge I had lost 8lbs of pure fat! I could not believe it……I had managed to lose 8lbs it had worked! The first thing that had worked for me in over 4 years!! I was so happy I continued with what I was doing….my attendance at classes picked up because I realised that what Anna was telling me was true and it worked……feed your body the right nutrients……do a combination of cardio and resistance training and you will see results BUT it has to be a continuous journey not just a short term thing.
I went from borderline size 18-20 to a size 12-14. I will never forget going shopping for clothes for the first time and grabbing my normal size getting into the changing room and trousers falling to the floor…..I was like hold up have I picked up a size 24 or something and then I realised…no I picked up a size 18 and that just isn’t me anymore I had to get a size 12 😊.
Now that’s all fabulous BUT since then I have had my ups and downs. I kept going from being on the classes hardcore to not attending as much mainly due to work but your weight doesn’t care about work lol.
The main thing that helped me was that my eating habits had changed dramatically. I was eating healthier foods and conscious of what I was putting into my body….I was more aware of what nutrients were in my food and this is all thanks to Anna and the time and effort she puts into people. I mean come on guys how many fitness class instructors do you know that will create pages of nutritional information for you? Set challenges and make sure you understand your body?? And how many classes do you know of where everyone is your friend…you have like 20 plus cheerleaders working alongside you sharing meal ideas and time management tricks….Hatty and her meal prep ideas…..Mummy Martin and her recipes it’s just amazing!
So 4 years on and I am a size 12 bottom and size 14 top…..the bangers just don’t want to go anywhere lol but also my stomach is my problem area BUT in 4 years I have maintained my weight loss I have not completely slipped because I have finally found something that works……I have found an instructor that genuinely cares and has given so much information in a way that I understand and I am now more conscious of the importance of being healthy…..not skinny or dieting forever but being healthy…having a balanced diet and getting the right amount of exercise. Yes I have my binge days but I don’t beat myself up now…we all have bad days where we get stressed and eat crap and that’s okay as long as we have the mental strength to start again with healthy living and now because of the life changes I have made and the support I get from the AMF crew I have that strength.
Mike Read who is also a little bit of a legend said in a seminar that I attended……’You have to want to make a change’ and I now realise how true that statement is. I have been up and down with my attendance at classes due to work and a hip injury but I now realise that I can control some of this and if I want to be my ideal Self I need to maintain my lifestyle properly so this year is all about me getting my lifestyle in check 😊
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So there we have it in a nutshell. My fitness Journey. I have come a long way but it’s a continuous thing and I now realise that and love that fitness is a part of my life.
To anyone that reads this I have just a little bit of advice:
1. You are strong enough to start your fitness journey and it is never too late. If someone had told me 4 years ago that I’d be doing burpees and shoulder pressing up to 20kg’s I’d of asked what planet they were from…..but I’m doing it!
2. Be patient….everything takes time but it will happen.
3. It is okay to have off days we all have them but every day is a new start.
4. No matter how tired you feel or how busy you think you are fitness classes will make you feel better 😊
5. Find something that works for you. Exercise DVD’s and fad diets do not work for me end of and if I hadn’t of joined the AMF crew I would probably still be extremely unhealthy.
Thanks for taking the time to read I hope you found it helpful
xx