Empowered to lead: How Company Director David took his confidence to new heights
“The last time I was 75kg was when I was a teenager, back in the days when I was playing rugby.”
Company director David had lost control of his health completely.
He’d reached well over 100kg and spent the majority of his time “hungover and over-indulged”.
Drinking and eating out with clients as often as four times a week was the root cause of David’s problems. He didn’t need reminding of that.
But now feeling worse than ever and conscious of his long family history of poor heart health, he knew changes were needed.
Now 26kg down, he feels confident pulling his suit on every morning and is brimming with natural energy.
And that’s not all. Read David’s story in full here.
What was your motivation to start working with U.P.?
My motivation was to get healthy. I’ve lived an unhealthy lifestyle for a while with my job, and I just thought it was time for that to change.
I was also conscious of some heart health problems in my family. So, I needed to give myself the best chance of being healthy.
Coming to U.P. and losing weight was the right thing to do in my eyes.
What did your lifestyle look like before you started your training program?
Very inconsistent. A large part of that was down to my job. There’s an expectation that we need to go out with clients and colleagues, so I found myself going to restaurants often four times a week.
There was also a lot of unhealthy food and alcohol involved, so I knew I needed to make some changes.
I noticed the knock-on effect of going out for all these meals every week. It was disrupting my routine for the week and meant I couldn’t prepare food at home, because I couldn’t find the time to go shopping.
As a result, that unhealthy lifestyle stuck with me even when I was at home.
It’s too easy to order a takeaway or buy something unhealthy from the supermarket rather than focusing on eating better foods.
It impacted my energy and how I felt in the morning after I’d eaten out. I also noticed it made me less likely to be active, go to the gym or go for a walk the next day.
I was really feeling the knock-on effect of the lifestyle I was leading.
How much different do you feel now, David?
There’s a huge difference. Losing weight has given me a lot more energy which you notice.
I feel a lot more comfortable in my skin and far more confident around other people. I’ve also noticed that I can deal with the Dubai heat and humidity much better now that I’ve lost weight.
The last time I was 75kg was when I was a teenager, back in the days when I was playing rugby.
Mentally, the confidence I’ve gained from losing weight has been incredible.
It affects the way you are around other people – it’s easier to be more assertive and focused at work. You know that people aren’t thinking about your weight; their full focus is on you.
There have been noticeable mental benefits, in terms of my confidence both socially and professionally.
Do you believe your transformation has affected your motivation and productivity at work?
Definitely. Spending half of my week feeling unhealthy, hungover or over-indulged impacted my motivation.
Before, when I was over 100kg, I was less confident meeting new people, going for proposals and even wearing my suit.
Since my weight loss, I’m a lot more comfortable. I met a new client yesterday for a proposal, and it felt easier than ever.
I feel like people treat you differently. I don’t know if it’s just a confidence thing, but how I feel now has improved my personal and work life.
What are the most powerful lessons you’ve learned with your personal trainer?
Consistency is the most important thing for me. It’s making sure you track what you’re eating and drinking, but I believe it’s important you don’t overthink it.
I’ve had a lot of fun along the way and learnt that you can have a drink or a brunch in moderation. It’s just about being consistently healthy.
What have your colleagues, friends and family had to say about your transformation?
They can't believe it. Every now and again I see a colleague who I haven't seen for a long time, and they’re shocked.
Everybody keeps saying, "you look like a completely different person," which is strange because I’m obviously the same man. But I’ve heard that a lot.
I've had people in the office who I've never even spoken to from different departments come up to me and say, “what's your secret? How have you done it?"
I think everyone is surprised at how far I’ve come and really happy for me.
I’m flying back to the UK tomorrow night and nobody knows I’ve been training with U.P. So as far as my parents and family are aware, they think I still weigh above 100kg, so I’m looking forward to seeing their reaction!
