Exercise - A new lease of life

In the next of our series of monthly guest bloggers, I introduce to you Claire. Whilst I have only known Claire a short while and never worked with her professionally, I feel Claire's story is worth sharing. Claire is testament to how exercise can help both physically and mentally

Below are Claire's words.

I was always the chubby kid, I never did lose my puppy fat despite how active I was as a child.

Going into my teenage years to early 20's I developed a very unhealthy relationship with food, that unfortunately I still struggle with to this very day and probably always will. For the first time I "lost" weight. I say "lost" as I never did lose it, I never did it the right way. It was just lurking until it had a chance to return with a vengeance.

It wasn't until I turned 30 and I saw a horrible photo of myself that I realised just what damage I was doing to my body and I vowed to change! I started off attending a weight loss group and although slowly, the weight started dropping off, sensibly. That is the key. I never starved, I never binged or purged, I didn't have to count calories, all I had to do was be accountable for what went in my mouth.

Although I have had dalliances with the gym over the years I can truly admit I never used them in the correct way. I thought if I could just say I had went to the gym and turn up then miraculously results would occur. Oh how very wrong! Until January 2016. My weight loss was going slowly but steadily, however, I needed more. I didn't just want to be slimmer, I wanted to be fit and healthy. I wanted to be the Mam that could keep up with her kids and considering one is a hyper 3 year old with never ending energy, I knew this would be no mean feat!

I had always had an interest in health and fitness but could never seem to put my learning into action. I started off slowly, cardio mainly as the idea of the weights section terrified me. I would record my times and distances on the treadmill, the rower, the bike and the cross trainer. Every week I would mix up my routine and aim for further or faster. Seeing the improvements and the way my body shape was changing spurred me on and I really got the bug. I looked forward to going to the gym instead of making excuses.

I eventually had the courage to enter the weights section. Once I had established a decent routine I wondered why I had been so worried. Certainly, there are people there who are very fit and are clearly well established in what they do but at the end of the day I realised, we are all there for the same reason. To be a better version of who we are. A healthier, fitter, stronger version. Now I am a firm believer that strong is the new skinny.

I became aware quite soon after I got started that exercise wasn't just helping me physically, but it was having a positive effect on my mental health. I am sufferer of depression, I have been for over 12 years now and although I have managed to self manage satisfactorily to a level for much of this time, there was nothing that I seemed to be able to relate to. My coping techniques were questionable at best, faking things and avoiding subjects or situations that I knew could have an adverse effect on me. I have a persona I attach to myself and had you met me during this you would not have a clue what internal suffering I was dealing with. I would often have a smile on my face, be the loudest in a group, make a prat of myself and look like I didn't have a care in the world.

Exercise has opened my eyes to how I was acting. I had got to the point where I could nearly believe the fake me was real but once I had started to release my potential, once the endorphins from exercise had started to be a feeling I craved, I knew I had been missing out. I am now the fittest I have ever been in my life, I now have true confidence. It can be from the small things like being able to wear an outfit I never imagined I would be able to, to being able to run 12.5km outside and not giving a dot what people think of me. I lace up my Nikes, stick in my headphones and for however long I am out running for my mind becomes deliciously empty. All I hear is the music, I see the surroundings and feel the steady pace of my feet hitting the floor. It is my way of relaxing, of letting go. The feeling of sweat, the ache in my limbs, the burning in my lungs, all sound negative to people who may not understand but to me, they make me feel alive. They make me thankful for who I am and what I can do.

From this passion I have now decided I am strong and confident enough to go ahead and develop a career. I am currently training to be a Personal Trainer as well as studying towards mental health qualifications. I want to help people change their lives through the power of exercise. It really did give me a new lease of life.