“I was in agony for the best part of 10 years. I’m now no longer on medication, my scoliosis is gone and I can swing my shoulder around to play golf.”
IT consultant Toby was given an ultimatum by his doctor – lose weight now or face undergoing risky spinal surgery.
Old rugby injuries and a succession of surgeries on his back and shoulders left him in debilitating pain with bulging discs and scoliosis.
Weighing 160kg (353lbs) at his heaviest, Toby’s weight was placing needless stress on his back. But he knew he couldn’t risk having surgery as a long-term carer for his wife and father to a little girl.
So he set out on a weight loss program to give him a ‘natural fix’ that would change his life forever.
Losing a jaw-dropping 42kg (92lbs) with Ultimate Performance has left him healthy, medication-free and no longer needing surgery on his back. He can stand up straight without pain, meaning he can run around with his daughter and play golf again.
Why did you decide to start your own training plan with Ultimate Performance?
My body was a mess.
I’d had around six or seven procedures on my back and shoulders from various rugby injuries down the years.
Now, I was basically in the last-chance saloon. I was told I’d need surgery to fix my back, or I could try and fix it naturally.
So I was motivated to start a U.P. plan to try and find a natural fix, because I didn’t fancy being laid around for around a year after major surgery.
So, I set out to fix my back through physio and hard work in the gym.
What did your lifestyle look like before you began working with your trainer, Toby?
I was in agony for the best part of 10 years. Life had been ugly at the time.
A lot of family members were ill, and I didn’t take enough time to look after myself.
Before that, I used to be pretty active. I played rugby at a reasonable level, played indoor hockey and football and would go to the gym.
But one day in 2008, I broke my leg while playing rugby. I then rushed back into playing and wrecked my shoulder and back a few months later.
How much were your back and shoulder issues affecting you day to day?
I ended up having a shoulder decompression, and had scoliosis and kyphosis, where you get the postural rounding of the shoulders and the cracked vertebrae.
So, as you can imagine, that was the end of me playing rugby.
The broken leg was the worst at the time because I went from doing a lot of sports to basically doing nothing.
I’d be walking on the street and my leg would give way
How has your transformation improved the quality of your life?
The main thing is being pain-free now.
I can actually stand up straight. I don’t need back surgery, which is great and I’ve got a lot more energy. I can also sleep properly without any medication.
Before, exercise was just a matter of inconvenience and I was barely moving. All I was doing was driving people to their hospital appointments or medical appointments.
Just over a year later, I’m not on medication, my scoliosis is gone and I can swing my shoulder around to play golf.
Before I lost weight, I probably came across as a little bit moody or grumpy. I’m now back to being happy. I can run around with the little one and I started playing football on a Tuesday night.
I probably appear more confident.
What impact has the transformation had on your confidence?
I’m no way near as miserable as I was. I probably used to look like a shadow in the corner of the room.
But now I feel like I’ve got more of a presence and I’m much happier about myself.
One thing I’ll always remember was when my little daughter was able to put her arms around my waist and give me a hug. She said, “daddy, look, I can give you a proper cuddle.”
That gave me a real warm feeling inside!
When she saw my final photos, she turned around and said, “daddy, you’re my superhero.’ And again, that was amazing to hear.
Finally, would you recommend Ultimate Performance to other people?
Would I recommend U.P. to others? Absolutely.
The one thing that separates U.P. from the other places I’ve tried, is the fact that the trainers are invested in your progress.
They’re all supportive and I often spoke to my trainer out of hours.
At Christmas, I had an accident getting out of bed and slipped a disc in my back. My trainer was brilliant around that time and modified the training so I could stay on track.
I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend U.P. and I owe a lot to my trainer.
- We show you the best, we don't show you the worst.
- We show you people who follow the plans, not those who are all talk.
- We show you those who inspire even us with their commitment to their results.
- You cannot get results exactly like these. You are unique and that means you can only get your own best possible results.
- Your results are a function of time spent following the plan; your genetic response to the right exercise and diet program; how hard you train; how consistently you come to the gym; how disciplined you are with your diet; & your starting point.
- Oftentimes the lower your starting point (poor fitness, terrible body composition) the better your results.
- We cannot do the work for you and the results you see here are a testament to the work ethic of our clients.
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Our reputation is that we are the best trainers in the world for helping you to unlock your potential, & we can lead you to the door, give you the key, even turn the handle and push the door open, but we cannot walk through it for you.
In the end the result is down to you.
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