“I’ve got more of a proactive mindset. Before I fell into a cycle of feeling bad, but now it doesn’t affect me. It’s given me the capacity to see things differently and fight for what I want.”
Natalie said she was living in a ‘horrible’ mental state.
She felt low and lonely after emigrating from Australia to the UK, and would turn to alcohol for comfort.
The 32-year-old suffered constant pain in her back, neck, and shoulders, and was on a cocktail of strong medication to ease her symptoms.
Over a 10-year period, she’d tried sports, running, gym memberships, and diet changes to get in shape.
But she was at a point where she’d accepted that she couldn’t do anything about her weight.
With Ultimate Performance, Natalie found a supportive community and a trainer who was invested in helping her change her life.
Despite so many failed fitness attempts, she lost 29lb in total to transform her body.
But more importantly, she became so much stronger psychologically. Even losing her job during the process which might have sent her into a downward spiral in the past, couldn’t derail her.
Her pain has eased, and she’s got a figure she absolutely loves.
Read about her journey, from start to finish, here…
What motivated you to sign up and start your fitness journey with Ultimate Performance?
I wanted to get in shape, but I was in a horrible mental state. I’ve moved to the UK, I didn’t really know too many people. I was sleeping in all the time. I was drinking quite a lot. I had a lot to deal with moving over here and my health wasn’t great.
I had an operation before I came over. I’m on lots of medications for all sorts of different things. I didn’t know if I’d be able to change my body or mindset. It was a spiralling pattern and I needed something to get me out of it.
I knew that I wasn’t how I was in my twenties, I knew I could be better, so I wasn’t happy. I wanted to do something that would make me feel good about myself. I like dressing up, I like going out, so when I looked in the mirror, I knew that I needed to do something about it.
I didn’t have any routine, but I met somebody, a friend, and she suggested U.P. She had joined and the results were amazing, so I thought I’d love to get into shape.
In your thirties, you start to accept that’s what you look like, but I wanted to do something about it. I needed to do something on a regular basis, so I showed up and got started.
What were your training habits like before coming to U.P.?
I tried to train on my own at the gym, but it wasn’t motivating. You can cancel at the last minute or put it off. Then you never go.
I tried running, I tried weights, I played sport, but nothing helped, and my body didn’t change. Before I started at U.P. I didn’t know anything about nutrition or all the other things that were setting me back.
How has training with U.P. aided your recovery from a psychological standpoint?
My journey has been interesting. My trainer had to listen to me complain when I came in, but from a body perspective, I’m much happier. I like going to the shops and getting clothes, but mentally I can handle things now.
I lost my job and usually I would fall in a heap or go to the local pub. Instead, it motivated me and gave me something to aim for.
Although I’m happy with my body, the main thing was the mental aspect, being able to keep going instead of slipping back into that spiral.
If something bad happens, I now ask myself ‘what can I do?’ I look at ways to fix it and how I can execute it. I’ve got more of a proactive mindset. Before, I fell into a cycle of feeling bad, but now it doesn’t affect me.
It’s given me the capacity to see things differently and fight for what I want.
I used to have a sore lower back, a sore shoulder and neck, and I used to have to get massages every week, otherwise I would get migraines. Ever since I started building my strength at U.P., it’s helped. I don’t get that pain anymore.
I’m a lot more confident because I like my body shape, I’m confident going into meetings at work and I feel good about myself. It’s made a huge difference physically and mentally.
When was the last time you were this weight or you felt like this?
I would’ve been 21, which was more than a decade ago. I wasn’t as muscular. This is the most muscular I’ve ever been. When I was 16, I was doing competitive sport, but I’ve never been like this before.
And how did you find the atmosphere at U.P.?
I’ve loved everyone here, both the trainers and the clients. I’m a social person and say ‘hello’ to everyone. I’ve made some great friends here so it’s nice to be able to talk to people about what you’re going through.
It’s great to be able to share this experience with other people. Everyone understands what you’re trying to achieve.
How would you summarise the whole experience with U.P.?
It’s the best therapy I’ve ever had in my life. It’s great. To have someone on your side, trying to keep you accountable all the time and trying to help you reach your goal, is really motivating. Somebody else is invested as well.
My trainer would always ask how I’m feeling, am I hitting my steps target, they’d ask about my diet, how I’m managing it. Without that I wouldn’t have gone as far as I did. I had a lot of fun.
I would look forward to coming in to do my session and have my protein shake. It has been great.
What would you say to people who think that it’s not possible to achieve results in a short timeframe?
Look at my pictures and you’ll understand. A lot of people, like me, accept their weight and think that they can’t do anything about it, but you can. If you get the right trainer, everything is logical.
You can’t deny that it’s basic math or the type of training that gets you to where you want to go. Dream big and see what happens.
I never lost weight in over a decade anywhere else. You become close with your trainer because you see them three times a week, you discuss what’s going on, so it’s incredibly important to have that relationship as well.
A tailored fitness program helped Natalie beat her stress and fight off frustrating aches and pains. Build the foundations for a healthy, active future with U.P. today.
- 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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