Maz’s story

In March 2005, whilst working as a chalet host in the French Alps I broke my left leg very badly.  I would like to say it was a spectacular fall whilst attempting to ski a very difficult black run but the truth of the matter is that I was skiing on a very easy blue and fell awkwardly.  After a week in a French hospital I returned home with more baggage than I bargained for in the form of a metal plate and ten screws in my left leg!

The next year was very difficult as I went through various stages of rehabilitation.  Being inactive and comfort eating are not an ideal combination and I gained a considerable amount of weight which made me eat which meant I gained even more weight which made me eat.  Some of you reading this article will relate to this problem.  It becomes a vicious cycle and so many of us are prone to using food and drink as an emotional crutch.  I knew I was doing it but felt I was helpless to do anything about it.

By the end of 2006 I had gained a significant amount of weight and I was still walking with a limp.  I was going to the gym and swimming but not as often as I should and I lacked motivation and direction.  I was also having problems with an inflamed tendon in my right heel – a condition known as plantar fasciitis.  (If anyone reading this article suffers from this insidious complaint then please contact me, and I can give you information on what I did to get rid of this condition)
Although there had been times in my life when I carried too much weight I had always been reasonably fit and active and I wanted to get back to being fit but in order to do that I knew I had to make some changes.

The turning point came one evening in June 2007.  I was suffering from post holiday depression having recently returned from a great touring holiday in America with three of my girlfriends.  I am sure you know that feeling of trying to return back to normality after a brilliant holiday which on this particular occasion I had spent a long time planning.

For some unfathomable reason, that night, instead of reaching for a large gin and tonic to drown my sorrows, I went on line in search of a personal trainer.  I didn’t realise it at the time but I know now this was a life changing moment.  I could so easily have gone for the G & T option but instead, completely on impulse, I e-mailed Gareth.  (We often joke now about how it was I chose him instead of the G & T) 

Gareth contacted me the following day and we arranged our first meeting at my home.  I remember that first consultation so well.  It was a Saturday and I woke up that morning feeling a mixture of emotions.   I was very apprehensive.  Having done my best to avoid cameras, mirrors and scales for the past few months I had now put myself in a position that meant I was going to have to confess my weight to a complete stranger and even worse allow him to take measurements, but another part of me felt that this was going to be a positive step forward.

Now I guess we all have this stereotypical image in mind as to what a personal trainer should be like.  I was sort of expecting, and perhaps a part of me was hoping for, a sergeant major pull yourself together type of approach but Gareth was nothing like this. What I got was a trainer with a balanced approach who I realised very quickly was extremely knowledgeable and clearly passionate about his work. Gareth spent almost three hours on that initial consultation.  We talked for a long time about my exercise history, my injury, my weight and current lifestyle and my future goals.  He made me realise that protecting my injured leg had thrown my whole body off balance which was why I was picking up injuries as soon as I tried to return to a normal exercise regime.
I did have to succumb to the tape measure but I gritted my teeth and quietly died inside several times over whilst Gareth took my measurements.
By the end of the consultation Gareth had made me feel that I could succeed and that failure was not an option.  What helped also was that from day one we got on really well and I quickly felt at ease and knew that we could work together.

I decided to work with Gareth twice a week and very quickly I started to feel we were making progress.  In our early sessions he focussed on my weak leg and related problems.  He incorporated lots of variety into our sessions and no two workouts were ever the same.   In addition I did extra workouts and classes at my gym and built up to five or six training sessions a week.  I also continued swimming.  Gareth would often contact me after training sessions to ask how I was doing. I gave my one hundred per cent commitment to his exercise plan and at the same time I focussed on my eating habits and followed a healthy diet.   All my friends and work colleagues knew what I was doing and gave me their support and encouragement.  As the results started to show their positive comments gave me extra motivation.

As a result of one decision I made on that fateful evening back in June 2007 I am now a totally different person.  I am very fit and strong having lost more than five stone.   But perhaps something even more amazing is that I am now working as a fully qualified trainer alongside Gareth (to whom I am eternally grateful) and helping people achieve their health and fitness goals.

Gaz’s Story

When I started working with Maz, she made it clear from the first e-mail, that she had made a tough decision – choosing between contacting me or pouring a large G & T!   She made her goals very transparent, which meant that she had a desire to achieve them.

At our first meeting, I arrived at Maz’s house and we chatted for a few hours, about her background, what she needed, my background, and how we would work. It was clear from that first appointment that we this was going to be an exciting working relationship.

The first major obstacle I had to tackle was Maz’s lack of confidence, due to her leg. When we have an injury, we naturally protect it, but that usually means that we avoid using it. So in the first sessions we kept everything simple, but I always ensured we did some work on her leg, while at the same time reassuring her that she was  always in control, and did not have do anything beyond her limits or comfort.
We also kept to some familiar exercises, things that Maz had done before and enjoyed. As she progressed and got fitter, I would introduce new things, or build upon what we had already done.

As time has moved on, there have been many milestones in Maz’s development. But for me, there have been 3 major achievements which have all stood out as inspirational not only to people who have known her for years, but myself:

• The first one was when we went for a jog outdoors, as 8 months previous, she could barely walk properly
• The second was the very successful reverse operation , to remove the metalwork initially used to repair her damaged leg.  Due to her level of fitness Maz recovered very quickly and was back in the gym within a week  This made all our work worthwhile.
• The third was Maz looking to pursue a career in Personal Training. At this point, she had shown just how much commitment she had.

In my opinion Maz is a normal woman who went above and beyond her own goals.  Maz’s personal experiences, professional background, and her passion in health and fitness, has made her one of the most unique and exciting fitness professionals in the fitness industry.