STEEL PT
PERSONAL TRAINING BASED IN COLCHESTER
Whatever your personal goals and current fitness level, it's not as difficult as you might believe to achieve long-term health benefits and boost your confidence. As a fully qualified fitness coach I can help you by creating a realistic programme that will enable you to see lasting results from effective and enjoyable tailored weight-based and cardio training.
I loved sport when I was growing up, especially athletics. I belonged to a club and trained 3-4 times a week. The 200 metre sprint and long jump were ‘my thing’.
Training was becoming more intense and most of my weekends were taken up competing. Being a typical teenager my friends were everything and I ended up stopping when I turned 16.
In my 20’s I dipped in and out of exercise. Although I enjoyed it I never stuck at it apart from the brief 6 month build up to my wedding day!
I had a gym membership where I worked in Canary Wharf but only used it about once a month.
I was then blessed to have 3 pregnancies in under 3 years. I gained more weight with each pregnancy. I had no idea how much I weighed as I didn’t want to know. My wardrobe had turned from heels, suits and ‘going out’ clothes to ‘comfort’ clothes.
My confidence and mental health needing addressing. Even though I was running around after 3 boys my diet was full of fatty, sugary snacks. Every night I was exhausted. I didn’t want to be the unhappy Mum who couldn’t keep up and play with her boys so I decided it was time to do something about it.
I joined a gym within walking distance to my house and dabbled around with treadmills and cross trainers. I wasn’t sure what I was doing but it was making me sweat so I took that as a good thing. I had a very supportive and encouraging husband, Ben who had seen my confidence slipping away. He worked away so it wasn’t always easy to find the time or motivation, I just squeezed a session in whenever I could.
After a few months I became more confident and I started attending classes. Initially my co-ordination was shocking, I was the girl at the back of the room wanting to be invisible. I was out of my comfort zone, but after a few weeks I felt fitter and stronger and thankfully more co-ordinated.
I ditched the sugary snacks and made healthier food choices. I ended up being brave enough to step on the scales. I could see the weight going down and my clothes getting looser, it was working! In 5 months I’d gone from a size 16 to a size 12. It was then I decided to invest in some Personal Training sessions. I wanted to continue my fitness journey by becoming stronger and more knowledgeable.
Having a PT was invaluable as it taught me how to use weights with good technique and control. Us females tend to shy away from weight training as we feel intimidated or think it may make us look ‘bulky’. Nothing could be further from the truth! I started growing muscle and could see definition and shape to my legs, waist and arms and I was so much stronger. I now had the confidence to walk into the weights area of a gym amongst a crowd of people and know what I was doing. It felt good!
For a number of years I continued to do a mix of cardio and weight based training. I then decided to take the plunge and qualify as a personal trainer myself.
Exercise had such a positive impact on my body and my mental well being, it will now always remain a constant in my life.
I’m hugely passionate about my career as a personal trainer and want to help people feel happy, confident and have a healthier body and mindset too.
My Qualifications
Certified Level 3 Personal Trainer, Certified Pre and Post Natal Coach, CAWS Graduate Rebuild️™ Coach for Covid-19, Mental Health First Aider, Group Exercise Fitness Instructor
Mental Health & Wellbeing
I'm a trained Mental Health First Aider. (MHFA).
Mental health, just like our physical health, needs looking after. One in four of us will experience a mental health issue in any given year. The economic cost of mental health is estimated at £74 to £99 billion a year, this cost is rising steeply and the human cost is incalculable.
Lockdown has exacerbated the number of people who are struggling with their mental health. It can show itself in many forms such as; depression, anxiety, self-harming and eating disorders. As a community, it is vital mental health is accepted as a normal part of life and that everyone has the skills to look after their own and other people's wellbeing.
I'm trained to recognise mental ill health and help people find the support they need.
Caring for yourself is not indulgence, it is self-preservation.
