Nicola Doherty: “I realised I could work out at home”
The journey: Nicola lost nearly 3 stone in just over 10 months
What didn’t work? “After having my boys I told myself “I couldn’t get to the gym and I’d have to wait until the boys were at school”. I was a stay at home mum and running my own business from home in the evenings. When I look back, what I was eating was so far down on the list of my priorities. If I was trying to be “good” I would eat a simple salad which would get boring and wouldn’t fill me up! With the gym being out of reach and my lack of knowledge of how to properly fuel my body, my weight gain got out of control.”
What was the turning point? “I saw info on Joe’s app on his Instagram and realised I could do all the workouts at home and create my own meal plan. My boys were 2 and 4 when I started. It seemed achievable and I loved my son being able to see mummy exercise. I feel a sense of achievement after a workout and feel more energised for the day. If I don’t workout now, I really feel the difference, which is what keeps me going. My workouts are that little space in the day I reserve for myself! My mindset has changed and I’m focused on being strong, not skinny. The food is healthy and nutritious, I eat more than before as I regularly used to skip meals. It really has been a lifestyle change.”
Nicola’s advice: “Stay committed, it doesn’t happen overnight, but it will be so worth it. Eat healthy but make sure your meals are full of flavour so you don’t get bored! And meal prep so you are always prepared. On the days you feel like giving up, get up and workout, push through it and when you come out the other side you’ll feel so much better for it.”
Melanie Hill: “I started fuelling my body properly”
The journey: Mel lost 4 stone in 1 year
What didn’t work? “I went travelling for 2 years and when I came back, I saw that my mum had lost weight cutting back on saturated fats. I tried it too, but it was slow-going and took a long time to work. Previously, I’d tried to lose weight in my 20s just by exercising and cutting out fun things. It didn’t work and I didn’t lose much. I also tried the 5:2 diet – but not for very long as I didn’t get on well with it. I always thought that to lose weight you had to cut out the fun, eat less, and exercise more.”
Amy Nuttall: “I stopped looking for quick fixes”
The journey: Amy lost 8 stone in 4 years
What didn’t work? “I was looking for quick fixes. It’d work initially, then I’d be fed up. I didn’t eat enough food that I could maintain. I wasn’t doing any form of exercise. I’d do shakes and snack bars. But I’d pile it back on as soon as I started eating normally.”
What was the turning point? “I was walking my son to school and my coat exploded. I sat on the step to call my friend and accidentally hit Instagram. Joe’s advert came up and I signed up. The length of workouts were easy to fit in. The food is normal and doesn’t feel difficult to create or unusual. The whole plan was a friendly plan and I knew straight away it was something I’d be able to do. It was hard for the first month, but I could see things changing. Within the first 4 weeks, I felt so much better. I didn’t feel tired anymore. It became a habit and part of my daily life. I didn’t have to go out to the gym, I could do it in my own home and go at my own pace.”
Craig Melhuish: “I started exercising for my mental health”
The journey: Craig lost 2 stone in 1 year
What didn’t work? “I had never been consistent in my training before. I’ve tried different approaches to exercise and eating well but never maintained them with any consistency.”
What was the turning point? “Weight loss as a metric can be misleading. It used to affect me mentally when I saw my weight fluctuate, even by a few pounds. Now, the benefits to my mental health have become my priority. The physical benefits are a bonus, but some days I honestly don’t know how I would cope with life’s stresses without having exercise in my toolbox. So, what clicked for me was the strength and fitness of both my body and mind. Now it’s determination that takes over, along with the inspiration I get from seeing friends in the BC community sharing their sweaty smiles and successes, and overcoming failures and obstacles. They still come back and press play every day. That’s my click moment in the mornings and what gets me out of bed every day.”