Well, I made it!
I survived 12 weeks of the most intense training, the most disciplined diet and some pretty bad mood swings, and Iāve come out the other side with so much more than I ever imagined I would.
For one, Iāve finally got a body Iām pretty proud of! Iām not naturally skinny and I never will be ā my love of food since childhood has meant itās always required a bit of effort to remain in reasonable shape (My passion for healthier recipe creation stemmed from this dilemma ā my love for food along with my desire for a strong physique.)
After five years of eating well and training hard, but never quite achieving the results I craved, Iāve managed to finally transform my body shape in just 12 weeks with UP.
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It turns out the truth behind getting the body you want is to commit yourself to something consistently and dedicate yourself to it 100%.
UP have taught me so much about training, diet and ultimately about myself ā but the biggest lesson I will take away from my transformation is to keep it simple.
Itās not about complicated formulas, crazy workout routines and a cupboard full of supplements; no crazy fad diets or ādetoxesā. Itās about keeping your diet clean and simple, regular and consistent.
Itās about training under the knowledge and supervision of a professional and dedicating your focus to nothing but training when youāre in the gym. Ultimately you must commit yourself to the process ā and trust it.
Trusting the process took me a few weeks to get used to (as youāll have read about if youāve been following my blogs each week) but I can well and truly say I put my trust in the right hands. Iām over the moon with my results.
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Over the course of 12 weeks I went from 19% body fat to 11.5%.
We used weekly measurements to track my progress and the drop in body fat was consistent every week, which ultimately was the best motivation to get me to the end.
I dropped a dress size and now half of my clothes have gone to the charity shop and my new dresses and shirts are so much nicer now I have new muscles and curves to shape them.
I went from 58kg to 53kg ā with the weight slowly and safely coming down without starving myself or sitting in a sauna (Muay Thai fighter remember!)
My fight weight has ranged from 52-56kg and has always been a struggle to reach during a fight camp. Iād often needed a few trips to the sauna and a water cut to get to my fight weight and within a few days, Iād have added the weight straight back on. It was unrealistic and not easy to maintain.
Over the last 12 weeks, Iāve reached my lowest fight weight and maintained it comfortably. No water cuts or starvation required ā thatās for sure.
The biggest transformation that Iāve noticed during this process is my confidence.
How I feel in tight clothes or a sports bra, how I speak to new people and how I feel walking around a gym is so different. The gym is a place that I feel seriously comfortable to be in now.
Being educated about the correct way to train means I can now carry on with my training confidently and correctly, which is something Iām so grateful for.
Iāve learned a lot about how to train, how to eat and how to get seriously lean ā but Iāve also learned a lot about myself.
Iām much stronger than I realised, physically and mentally. This journey has not been smooth sailing – there have been so many ups and downs, but that is all part of the process and part of the reason I am taking so much away from the experience. The highs and the lows each taught me something new about myself, my mental stamina and my strength.
There were weeks when I wanted nothing more than to eat a bar of chocolate or to quite simply quit.
Equally, there were weeks when I couldnāt wait for my training session, to be beasted by my trainer and to eat my meal prep.
Fridays were the day I got my measurements, and watching those numbers drop each week was so exciting and addictive.
Getting through the low times, when my motivation was drained or my energy was low, is what has transformed me for life.
You will never make changes when you are sat in your comfort zone ā itās those times you push yourself (or when someone pushes you) that it really counts.
Being pushed past your comfort zone and realising that the only thing putting limitations on your progress is yourself.
Thatās why UP get such incredible results. The trainers at UP coach you to see past you own personal doubts and limitations and they find out the best way to get the best out of you.
They support you through the highs and the lows, motivate you when you really donāt want to train at all and push you when you would quit if you were by yourself. Thereās no quitting at UP, the trainers here care about you too much ā they want you to succeed.
Whether you have questions about your diet, issues with your sleep or you generally just donāt feel like it ā they will be there for you. Thatās the beauty of personal training.
For me, the food was something I thought I would really struggle with, but it turns out that other than getting some serious cravings and being a little gutted at the thought of missing out on free samples (haha!) I actually felt that I had the food under control. Having somebody to hold you accountable to what you eat is such a simple but effective way to ensure that you stay on track. You donāt ever want to let them down.
I enjoyed my diet so much that Iām happy to carry on with it now that itās all āoverā. I donāt really feel like anything is over though, I feel like itās just beginning.
Iāve had a 12-week head start ā a big push in the right direction and now Iām armed with the knowledge and support to keep progressing thereās really no stopping me.
Iām taking a little pause now, to rest, relax, eat a few treats and enjoy some downtime with friends and family. Then my plan from here is simple:
Train with UP, eat the delicious healthy meals Iāve been eating since the start of the year, and when I feel like a treat or a rest day ā go for it. I’m so happy to have found that balance now.Ā Iām so proud of what Iāve achieved and so thankful to UP for helping me to see what I am capable of.
Thanks to everyone who supported me on my journey and watch this space ā thereās so much more to this journey that is yet to come. I am strong.
I hope this will inspire you to start your own journey too, get in touch today using the form below – there’s no better time to start than right now.