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Depressed & overweight, find out how Laura lost 22kg.

by | clients, Exercise, nutrition, Personal Training

Laura

Laura Fitton was depressed and overweight. Now she is slim, happy and healthy.

Tell us a bit about yourself?  
I am a mother of two who works full time as a Team Leader within the financial services industry. My job can be highly stressful and my working hours change regularly. I am very busy between work and kids. For most of my children’s life I have been a single mother until I met my partner one and a half years ago.

Prior to children I was a fitness instructor. I would teach up to 30 classes a week and train on top of this for triathlons. Fitness was my life.

Then came the marriage, children, depression, and divorce followed closely by steady weight gain. Becoming a single mother of two at the age of 24 meant that my healthy lifestyle slowly went to the way side.

What made you snap?  What made you decide it was time to lose weight?
I lost.  Once I got an office job my weight sky rocketed and before I knew it I had gained a total of 22 kgs.  I was not training regularly and quick and convenient food became the norm. I was not seeing improvement in my personal stress or depression even though I was treating these with medication. I was getting sick on a regular basis. I went on a holiday and when I saw the photos of myself I was shocked. I hadn’t  realised just how big I was. I realised this was impacting on my health and the health of my children.

At what point did you realise you needed to start personal training to help you lose weight?
I tried to do it on my own. I joined a gym and started to attend classes on the odd occasion. I was unable to make the changes needed to have an impact on my weight and health. I was unaccountable for my diet or exercises regime. I knew I needed to find a skilled trainer who would not just take my money but make me accountable for the choices I was making every day. I wanted direction and a clear plan with regular feedback to keep me on track. That’s when I found Nicki. She was open and honest with me from the get go and even had the tough conversations with me when I was not committing myself to my goals.

What were your biggest barriers?
Fear that I would fail. I knew that if I committed it would mean that I could fail. I also knew that it wasn’t going to be easy and this scared me. Losing 22 kg seemed like a far away dream that was not achievable.

What were your greatest successes?
When I became accountable to my trainer I also learned to become accountable to myself. I would challenge myself when I wanted to make a poor food or exercise choices. I also felt the effects of regular exercise and healthy eating on my mental health. Successfully coming of my medication was a massive achievement for me.

LauraBA
  Laura after 8 weeks of training.

What would you tell anyone that was thinking of starting an exercise/lifestyle/food transformation
Just do it. It will be hard, but once you feel the benefits you will realise that it is always worth it. The more you train the more energy you get. The healthier your eat the better you feel and the easier it is to make better food choices in the future.

What has helped you get through times when it gets tough or when you just want to give up?  (if you have wanted to give up?)
When I take a step backwards I start to feel the effects on my mood and general wellbeing. I feel lethargic, tired and agitated. My kids see this. I don’t want to be unhappy or a grumpy mum who is not there for her kids. This spurs me to get back in the game and keep going.

 

I know of so many people that can relate to Laura’s story, they feel overwhelmed, depressed and don’t know where or how to start.  If this is how you feel, I hope this story has inspired you to take action.  It might not be easy at the start but gradually over time it will become a lifestyle that you don’t even have to think about anymore.  You will feel fit, healthy and happy.

Laura had/has very little time to workout and would make the most of any opportunity, even doing sprints, push ups, sit ups at the park in front of other parents whilst her kids played.

Take action now to create a better life for yourself and if you need guidance then please feel free to get in touch with me.

If you do feel depressed and need support, please contact beyond blue

#fitnessfaster @fitness_faster #weightloss #exercise #diet #healthylifestyle #nutrition #personaltraining #personaltrainer #depression #fatloss

 

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