I am not a gym bunny. I don’t lift weights.
Actually, I have barely moved in five years after a cycling accident with a bus left me with a very bad back.
I work fairly long hours as a Finance Manager at Ultimate Performance, then any spare time is spent running round after two small children and a dog, like an absolute lunatic.
Sleep, food and time to spend on myself are a distant memory. I don’t get time to train. I don’t really get time to sleep. Sadly the kids keep me up most of the night, so if I get three hours sleep a night that’s a good night.
So when I got the chance to do a 12-week body transformation at UP my first thought was ‘HOW ON EARTH AM I GOING TO FIT THIS IN?’ But my next thought was ‘this actually sounds appealing’ especially after being a pregnant baby-feeding machine for the past few years.
This sounded like the chance to finally get some ‘me time’ at last. I want the ‘Mum Tum’ gone, I want more energy to play with the kids but I also want to do something for myself for a change.
So here I am, ready to put myself 12 weeks of eating clean and training hard…while balancing a high-pressure job and family life. Did I mention I haven’t trained in five years and that I’d never done a diet in my life?
Food for me revolves around grabbing whatever is quickest. I prep and cook for the kids but then I don’t bother with myself. So if I come in at 7pm at night I will just grab a load of pasta or a bowl of cereal – just whatever’s quickest while stopping the children from fighting and cleaning up.
Once upon a time I was in good shape too. Before the kids came along, I would run about four miles a day and then cycle 10 miles a day five days a week, to and from work. Then I’d take the dog for a stroll every night.
Right now though, I’m not very fit at all. I’ve done nothing for four or five years now. I’m not very strong and I’m quite flabby around the middle. It’s something I’ve always wanted to get sorted, but life just takes over.
This is why I see this 12-week transformation as the chance to get fit again, get my body back and prove to myself that I can do it.
The reason for wanting to start this is, I think after four years of just having babies and feeding babies, I think it’s time to do something for myself. I would like to start feeling good again. At the moment I just feel middle-aged and tired.
So looking at UP I think they can definitely help with that. I’m actually really looking forward to getting started. I’ve never lifted weights before, I don’t know where to start and find the idea of weight training with a group of muscle men a tad intimidating.
But I’m sure it will be a success. It sounds quite simple really – I just do as they tell me and it will work…and I trust them. I’m hoping it will help me have more energy and proper quality time with the kids.
I hope it will help me be more productive at work and even help me sleep at night. I’m looking to learn a lot about nutrition out of this. Not just for myself but for my children; I’m really keen on them having a good diet. Not so much myself. I think it will be really beneficial if we can get organised and do proper family meals for all of us. Not just trying to force the kids to eat good stuff. We’d love to join in as well.
I’m keen to push myself and see what I can do – not just food-wise – but actually in the gym. I want to see how far I can get; see if I can get rid of my body fat and this lard around the middle and get some abs. It would be amazing.
