As a Dad of three small boys, my energy levels and fitness are both important for various reasons. The desire to stay healthy, to be around for as long as possible and see my children grow, set an example, and just keep up with them are just some of the reasons to really make more of an effort to look after myself, and improve my fitness.
Since becoming a Dad for the first time in 2013, maintaining fitness levels in the way used to has become a distant memory.
Let me give you some background here....growing up I was never in to sports. Yes I liked running and swimming but that was about it. The idea of working out just left me cold and as I got older I became even less active. Work took over my life. From leaving school in 1989 (Yes folks, I'm that old!) to taking a new job on in 2002, the only reason I would ever run would be to catch a bus and I'd only set foot in a gym to use the sauna or steam room.
I hated the whole 'fitness' and exercise ethos. If anyone asked I would say 'I don't have time' or 'It's for vain people trying to be something they're not'. If pressed further, however, the real answer would have been that truthfully... I really did not like my body and never had. And the idea of standing in a gym for all to see filled me with dread.
I had always been the skinny side of slim since being a kid. Whilst some of my coworkers had stated they would love to be as slim... I hated it. I was self conscious and I feared ridicule. My ribs were clearly visible, my arms thin and my neck skinny. I worried that I'd look out of place in a gym.
Skip forward a few years. I'm in my early 30's and suddenly, I'm a little heavier. Office work and too much rich food had added inches to my waist and face, and lack of exercise also meant I had less energy, less motivation and I increasingly kept writing off doing something about it.
This was all to change however when I started my new job as a Postman. I had actually initially been anxious that I'd not have it in me to walk a full round,carrying heavy bags of mail, but I thought I would try this new career path and see where it got me.
Within two months I had dropped two waist sizes. I had lost 2+ stone in excess fluid and fat.
My calf muscles had grown so much that even putting regular cut jeans on became a real struggle. I had a flat stomach, zero muffin top, and biceps. I was no longer ashamed to go on a beach with my top off. All these previously almost unused attributes amazed me and I liked having them. I was more energised, more confident and I started to actually like my body. Ok so I didn't have a perfect 6 pack but it was the fittest I had ever been and certainly the best shape I'd ever been in and I liked it.
Well when I finally left Royal Mail I found I had developed a taste for fitness.
A new job behind a desk however soon started to take it's toll. Weight started to pile back on, energy levels dropped and I started to feel that mistaken sense of embarrassment creep back in.
It was not until the arrival of our first baby that I realised how unfit I truly was. I hated it. I started to feel I would be letting my son down were I unable to play with him as he got older.
It was around this time that an alternative to the gym was suggested to me...something to help me get the results I wanted without the need to go it alone and face the fear of being out of place or getting it all wrong....a personal trainer.
A friend of mine had completed his degree in Sports Fitness and had decided to set up his own business. He need clients and for mates rates I decided to go along with it.
I won't lie...it was hard work at times...but every ache, every breathless pull up when I thought 'I've had enough' was worth it. When I thought I couldn't go on, the encouragement the trainer gave me spurred me on further. When shown the physical difference from starting to only 6 weeks later I was amazed and felt invigorated.
I'm now more energised than ever before and enjoy looking after my body. Fitting exercise in when you have a family and a busy working life is not always easy, but having a Personal Trainer allows you to truly make the most of the time you CAN put in.
One such group of Personal Trainers is Rightpathfitness.co.uk.
Right Path are a new focused small group of personal trainers who are dedicated to helping people achieve their personal fitness levels.
Right Path Fitness Personal Training in East London allow their clients to fit exercise into their lives. Be it for personal goals or just to feel better about themselves, their approach is as refreshing as it is encouraging.
Utilising in-depth knowledge of practices and approaches to fitness, their personal trainers will liaise with clients to come up with a fitness program that's fit for you. Add to this the option of one hour blocks or Pay as You Go sessions- this could be the start of a change that will not only make you feel better about yourself but can also increase your quality of life.
Rightpath Fitness also offer the following services
1) Bespoke personal training classes in private studios in East and West London including 6 and 12 week transformation packages to really help you see a visible difference in your body and health in a concentrated time frame.
2) Daily fitness classes for people who prefer to train in a group environment (this can be ideal for those who, like me, feel a sense of awkwardness in a one on one environment and can also be great for motivation too)
3) Classes including; Boxing, HIIT, Fat Blast and Circuit Training
4) 24/7 Support via an online trainer to provide instruction and support when needed
Right Path Fitness is managed by former British and English national champion athlete Keith McNiven. With several years of experience, and a proven track record of getting clients quick and healthy results Keith is dedicated to them also benefiting from long term results.
Free consultations and trial sessions are available for those who wish to meet the team or are curious about how a fitness programme would work for them.
So what have you got to lose?!
For anyone wishing to get fit, lose weight or increase their energy levels and confidence, a personal trainer is a real alternative to the more traditional methods and why not learn from the best?
I only wish I was close enough to undertake Keith's training myself, for those of you that are - go for it. What is they say? In a year's time you'll be so glad that you started today!
If you enjoy my blog, please consider following me on Bloglovin'
