Penny Hill

Barry has been my personal trainer since January 2014 and going to him has been one of the best things I’ve ever done. I’d always done a bit of exercise but never really got to where I wanted to be fitness and weight wise and had really always carried a couple of stones too much since before I even had my three children.

I’d begun some B.Physical classes in 2013, which I was loving, but unfortunately, after a decorating related incident I was out of action for a few months with a ruptured disc in my lower back. During scans for this, some unrelated problems were also discovered which resulted in a hysterectomy op in June 2013. So really the last half of 2013 I was in pretty poor shape, very weak core after the op and rubbish back still, due to no strength. I weighed the most I ever had and was mentally in a bit of a dark place… 45 years old but feeling like an old woman!

Once I got the all clear to get exercising again, I found I’d lost my nerve and felt so weak I didn’t know how to get going.  So I spoke with Barry and between him, me and my physio communicating about the best way forward, I began on the road back to fitness, very carefully and gently at first. It felt great!

I do two sessions a week and lots of walking at home. A session with Barry always leaves me feeling like I’m making progress and achieving things I didn’t think I could. They are never boring; always a good laugh and I always feel completely at ease with Barry, even when he’s using his pincers to measure the ever reducing fat bits! Not only do I feel the happiest and strongest I have for years (so I know it’s working for me) but the evidence is there to see. I’m nearly a stone and a half lighter.

I haven’t used any set eating plan, as I want my lifestyle to stay healthy permanently. Barry gives me great advice on food and nutrition and having done a food diary, he has helped me to tweak a few things, remove some things and add some things. The ‘feel-good factor’ from the sessions stays with me all week anyway and this means I want to make healthy choices with food rather than feeling I have to.

All in all, great sessions, great exercises, great value, great progress, great feeling, great laugh and a great personal trainer, who I hope I can continue to work with for years to come.