Dad-of-five Richard saved himself from an ‘early death’.

I can confidently say Ultimate Performance saved my life.

Pre-diabetic, weighing almost 100kg and suffering from dangerously high blood pressure.

54-year-old company managing director Richard came to Ultimate Performance with his health hanging by a thread.

The dad-of-five drank a litre of brandy every week and was piling on weight. It all culminated in him having a heart attack in June 2021 – the wake-up call he needed to get his own personal trainer.

Richard now believes he has the body of a 25-year-old. He lost 18kg training with U.P. and is in the perfect position to retire with his health under complete control.

This is Richard’s story…

What was your motivation to partner with U.P.?

The motivation to come to U.P. was really simple. When you have a heart attack and you’re pre-diabetic, you’ll likely have another heart attack within five to eight years, which meant the quality of my retirement life was hindered.

So, I knew I needed to change that and get healthy for retirement. I’ve got five kids and three grandkids, so I wanted a good quality of life.

What did your lifestyle look like before you started your personal training plan?

In 2018, I was working in the garden, and I fell 30ft. I damaged all the nerves and muscles in my back and had to learn to walk again, which took three years.

I then ended up with a slipped disc, a wobbly knee and no muscle in my back. As I was recovering, I had a heart attack in June 2021, so I had to wait another six months until the stent grafted onto my body.

By the time December came around, I was 15 stone, pre-diabetic, had high blood pressure and a slipped disc. I was in a very bad way when I joined U.P.

How much has your body changed, Richard?

I’ve achieved my goal of looking like Mark Wahlberg! Obviously, he’s a lot better looking than me, but I just wanted to look healthy, which I have more than achieved.

I went to my daughter’s Christening the other day in a suit and I looked fantastic. They had to cut my suit down and re-tailor it because I’d lost so much weight. I haven’t been 12 stone since I was a kid.

I didn’t realise how many calories I ate at the wrong time. Plus, because I have a stressful job, so I was drinking a litre of brandy a week. When you first took the pictures, I was inflamed, I couldn’t wear my wedding ring and I was pink.

I’m now a normal colour and can wear my wedding ring that I haven’t worn for six years.

The other side of the coin is I’ve stopped working as hard. I take time for myself now. I finish early three times a week and go to the gym or for a walk, which has given me an excellent work-life balance.

You mentioned your wedding ring now fits you. How important has that been to you and your wife?

She always knew I loved her! But I just thought it was another old age ailment that I was having swelling of the joints. I thought it was something else that was breaking down with me being in my fifties.

I went to the doctor three times and he looked at me puzzled – he never once said I had inflammation. My trainer at U.P. has helped me reduce the inflammation and my hands feel fine now. I used to have trouble holding a pen, so it’s a huge difference.

How has your transformation benefitted your everyday life?

Before working with my trainer, I never thought about getting stronger, but my disc is pulled in now because all the muscles around the lower part of my back have become stronger. Plus, the muscles around my knees mean I can walk now.

I can run on a treadmill for an hour and walk off it without being completely out of breath. I am actually asthmatic, but I don’t use my inhaler anymore. My blood pressure and resting heart rate are just below average.

I went back to my doctor and asked him, “is this a problem?” He said “no, you’re just incredibly fit now, Rich.” Tha

Have your friends and family been impressed with the changes that you’ve made?

The reaction has been quite funny because I’m a middle-aged man. I’m supposed to have a pot belly and go out eating lots of food. But I’ve ended up with a beach body, which I never came to do, I just wanted to be healthy and safe.

My wife has joined the gym, my son has joined the gym and I’ve got three friends that are now watching what they eat. They’re all losing weight and talking about getting fit and healthy. A lot of people that I know have started to change because of me, which is quite funny.

How does your previous training compare to what you’ve undergone at U.P.?

U.P. is educational. I’d done Ultra White Collar Boxing training and attended boxercise classes, but you were basically taught to cheat a bad diet. I’d still drink my brandy, have a curry on a Saturday, have my movie nights, and then train like a psychopath through the week. And it was just a yo-yo way of living.

At U.P., I know that I can eat sensibly through the week and if I want to be sociable on a Saturday and a Sunday I can – but not go crazy. That’s the big difference. It’s educational. U.P. aren’t trying to make me look good, they’re trying to make my brain work a lot better. No one else has done that before with me.

Finally, do you think it’s fair to say training with U.P. has saved your life?

I was heading to an early death. But I am quite a determined person and I was able to bring myself back with the help of U.P. I can honestly say U.P. has stopped me from dying. It’s allowed me another 25 years of health.

I’ve started adding to my bucket list now. I’m taking my motorcycle licence test in six weeks and we’re planning to go to Las Vegas in the next 12 months. That’s all because U.P. has fixed me.

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