Personal training gave Austin fitness, strength and confidence at 45.
I’ve lost weight, I’m more mobile and I’m definitely more confident about myself. I can’t believe the changes that I’ve seen in such a short period of time.
Austin couldn’t recall a time he’d been so unfit in his entire life.
Now 45, he was struggling to move freely and felt desperately short of confidence.
It wasn’t motivation stopping him from making lifestyle changes, it was a painful knee injury he suffered in lockdown.
He did all the exercise he could and tried his best to eat well. But the reality was Austin wasn’t making any progress to lose the weight he’d gained over the past few years.
Following a 26-week training program with Ultimate Performance, he now has near-perfect mobility in his knee again and felt ‘magical’ in front of the cameras on his photoshoot day.
Read Austin’s inspiring story for yourself here.
What was it that motivated you to start your own U.P. personal training plan?
What motivated me most was getting back to full fitness.
I’d been thinking about joining U.P. for a long time – the big thing for me was taking a leap and signing up.
I had a knee injury during lockdown and knew I wasn’t optimising my potential. I knew I could be so much fitter than I was, but my injury was holding me back.
I’d seen U.P. results and was confident that you could help me make big changes.
What did your lifestyle look like before you started your training plan?
I assumed my diet was good and I thought I was getting a healthy amount of exercise. But I soon realised I wasn’t doing the right things.
I was eating the wrong things at the wrong times, I never tracked my food, and my calories were all over the place.
I now feel I’ve got a lot more of an understanding of food and stick to my meal plan, which I know will help me get the results I want.
What improvements have you made to your health and fitness after working with your trainer?
Aside from the obvious physical changes I’ve made to my body, I’ve noticed that my mobility has improved massively. I can do exercises now that I really struggled with before.
I also feel like my stamina has improved and I’ve got a lot more clarity in my mind.
I’ve lost weight, I’m more mobile and I’m definitely more confident about myself.
How much did you enjoy training at U.P.?
It was the step into the unknown and trepidation which played on my mind at the start. A little part of me wondered if I’d be good enough or if people would judge me in the gym.
But it was the exact reverse of that. I felt very accepted and relaxed about every session, and there weren’t any occasions when I didn’t want to come in and train.
I felt encouraged by all the trainers, not just my own, and everyone wanted me to succeed.
It was easy to get up every morning and train. My plan was simple to follow and thoroughly enjoyable.
How rewarding was it to see the results you’d achieved in your photo shoot?
The photoshoot was mentioned to me about a month before I finished my transformation, and it gave me that little bit of extra motivation.
I’ll be honest, I was always thinking about if I’d look good enough on the day. But when it came around, I felt fantastic about myself and received all the encouragement in the world.
It was a special day – I felt like I was going to a wedding. You know that happy buzz you get when you go to a wedding? It was very similar to that.
It was a magical day that I’ll remember for a long time.
How are you feeling about yourself now that you’re an astonishing 24kg lighter?
I’ve noticed that I’m standing a lot taller now. My family and friends have all noticed it too, which is very satisfying to hear.
People have said to me that I’ve got a little bit of a glow which they’ve never seen before.
I’m so much happier and have a much more positive outlook towards everything I do.
How would you compare yourself now to when you first walked through the doors at U.P.?
I love looking at the first photo we took together, because I can’t believe the changes that I’ve seen in such a short period of time.
People might think it’s been gruelling, and blood, sweat and tears. But honestly, it’s been a really enjoyable process and everything has been mapped out for me.
I feel extremely happy and proud of myself.
