Weight training helped Annabel rebuild her health and confidence

Annabel is glowing with health again.

Fitness gave her a focus through the toughest time of her life.

Overcoming the trauma of a serious assault had left her health and well-being “destroyed”.

In the aftermath, the 25-year-old retreated into herself. She stopped socialising, stayed indoors and fell into unhealthy eating patterns.

Annabel says it got to the point where she didn’t recognise herself. Three stone heavier and looking for a real lifestyle change, she began working with Ultimate Performance.

Her transformation was put on pause after she was diagnosed with an aggressive tumour growing on her thyroid.

Six months after major surgery, she came back to finish the journey she started at U.P.

Even learning she has Hashimoto’s Disease – an autoimmune condition affecting her energy levels – couldn’t hold her back from accomplishing life-changing results.

As well as rebuilding her strength and resilience, Annabel believes the program has helped improve her energy levels so she can better manage her symptoms.

“Training at U.P. has helped me lose weight and given me a lot of energy.

“There have definitely been things that have been tricky to navigate, but it’s taught me to be resilient and how to work around certain issues.

“I feel really positive. I think if I’d had the news about my thyroid without having this in my life, it would’ve hit me a lot harder. Training with U.P. has helped me feel active – it’s been brilliant.”

Here, Annabel discusses how she’s now confident lifting weights alone in the gym, the noticeable improvement in her energy levels, and why she was desperate to get back to U.P. after her tumour diagnosis.

What motivated to start training with U.P. initially?

I think the reason I put on so much weight so quickly was because something very nasty happened to me. I was violently sexually assaulted. It destroyed me. I thought I handled it quite well at the time, but I found that my coping mechanism was staying indoors, eating and watching TV. I found myself not going out and stopped socialising.

On my way to work, I’d pick up an enormous breakfast and eat a lot at lunch. I was in a horrific cycle of binge eating to make myself feel better. I put on three stone and didn’t even recognise myself in the end. So, the main reason for me joining U.P. was to start feeling stronger and safer again, and find a way to make healthy, sustainable changes to my life.

Tell us about how your health has affected your transformation?

This was actually my second time training with U.P. First time around, I found out that I had a large aggressive tumour growing on my thyroid. After lots of scans, it was decided that it had to be removed. When I found out about that, strangely, my main concern was losing my progress in the gym.

I wanted to come back straight away after my surgery. I had my last session before my surgery in the middle of July, then my next session back was in the middle of March. I’ve also just found out I’ve got Hashimoto’s disease, which is a thyroid issue that leaves you short of energy.

But training at U.P. has helped me lose weight and given me a lot of energy. There have definitely been things that have been tricky to navigate, but it’s taught me to be resilient and how to work around certain issues.

What did you want to achieve from your transformation?

I wanted to get a lot stronger and become lean. I set myself a target of looking like someone I’d never looked like before, because I’d always been fit and active, but I’d never had any definition.

I was a little bit sceptical at the start looking at all the inspirational before and after photos on the wall, but I remember sitting in my consultation and saying to myself ‘I want to get lean, and I want to get abs’. My trainer nodded and said, ‘that’s doable’.

What was it like training with U.P.?

Brilliant. I was really scared about the training because I didn’t know my glute from my hamstring. I didn’t know anything about the gym, and I thought my trainer would have zero patience with me.

I was also expecting everyone else would be hitting their targets in the gym and I’d be the odd one out. But it was the complete opposite, everything was explained to me crystal clear, and my trainer made sure all my reps were perfect. Everyone at U.P. is so friendly and knows your name. It’s a great community.

What are the most important lessons you’ve learnt at U.P.?

I did not understand macros at all, I didn’t know what they were. That’s completely changed now. My technique in the gym has also come on so much.

I didn’t come to the gym before, but I’m now able to go by myself and know what I’m doing. I’m aware of what weight I should be using and how to set each exercise up correctly.

I’ve also noticed I’m much more resilient and my attitude has improved. I think this is the first goal I’ve ever set for myself in my life that I’ve achieved.

What improvement have you seen in your figure working with your trainer?

I mean the biggest one is the physical transformation, it’s just absolutely crazy. I honestly cannot believe the photos of me at my photo shoot.

I feel really positive. I think if I’d had the news about my thyroid without having this in my life, it would’ve hit me a lot harder. Training with U.P. has helped me feel active – it’s been brilliant.

Annabel is proof that a body transformation can help give you a fresh start and transform the way you live your life. Rebuild your confidence today by teaming up with one of our industry-leading personal trainers. Get started now.

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