Lifting the Weight of Loss: From Grief to Growth

Almost everyone has experienced the loss of a loved one in their life and I am no

stranger to grief. By 25 I have had 3 big losses within a 9-year period and have

experienced being first on the scene at a fatal RTC – which has affected me more

than I care to admit. Over this period of time, I went from doing absolutely no

physical activity to training 5 days a week. While grief never gets easier, I have

noticed how much training throughout these periods has helped me cope with it. I

use the gym as an outlet for all emotions whether I’m happy, angry, or sad. Training

alone with headphones on I can block out everything else and just do what I need to

do, to be able to get through the day: a moment of peace amongst the chaos. Use

the gym as a place to heal your body and your mind. Use the support of others at the

gym and the community you are a part of and lean on them for support. A lot of the

time we feel alone in our grief, but I can assure you we are not.

When we experience loss and trauma, we feel we have lost control, and the gym can

be a refuge to be able to gain some of it back. It is so important that before, during

and after loss we set realistic expectations of what we need and want to get out of

our training. More often than not throughout these times my goal was purely just to

show up for that day and I could count that as a win. Start small and build back up.

Listen to your body and give yourself time.

It has been shown that physical activity can have a positive impact on our mood, can

reduce stress levels, provide a sense of achievement whilst also helping you feel

less angry or frustrated. It also releases endorphins that can boost your self-esteem,

help concentration and improve sleep (Mental Health Foundation, 2021). If you are

struggling with motivation or discipline you could try different forms of exercise, trying

new things can help you find your spark again doing something you enjoy. Before the

gym I had no outlet for my grief, but now I do, and it has greatly improved my mental

health along the way.

“One day or day one. You decide” - Paulo Coelho

Mental Health Foundation (2021). Physical activity and mental health. [online]

www.mentalhealth.org.uk. Available at:https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/a-z-topics/physical-activity-and-mental-health.

Why fitness is more than just a physical goal!

I've always been someone deeply involved in sports, and during my teenage years, my main passion was football. My introduction to the gym was initially a way to build strength and size to improve my football performance. Little did I know, this would spark a lifelong passion for fitness.

With over 10 years of experience in the fitness industry, from being a gym instructor and teaching classes to continuously setting new personal challenges, I've gained a wealth of knowledge. This experience has equipped me to help others achieve their goals and feel better about themselves.

Initially, I viewed fitness as primarily a physical goal. However, last year, everything changed, and fitness became so much more. On August 14, 2023, I was diagnosed with a form of blood cancer called Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. My world was turned upside down. I knew many things would change, and my energy levels would be limited. Despite months of intense treatment, I made it a priority to maintain some form of exercise routine. I adapted my training, set realistic goals, and tried not to be too hard on myself on the days I couldn't make it to the gym or didn't have the best sessions. Continuously showing up made me feel like I was staying ahead in the battles I faced.

This experience made me realise that health and fitness go far beyond just looking good for the summer. It has a profound impact on our mental well-being, giving us hope and belief that we can achieve anything if we are willing to keep putting in the work.

From the moment of my diagnosis, I knew I wanted to dedicate my time to helping others improve their mental and physical well-being through health and fitness. That's why I became a Level 3 Personal Trainer.

My journey has shown me that fitness is not just about the body. Whether you're dealing with a major health challenge or just looking to improve your everyday life, fitness can be a powerful tool for transformation. I look forward to helping others find their strength and resilience through their own fitness journeys.

Matt

Self-Doubt to Powerlifting Glory: How I Overcame Years of Struggle to Find Strength & Confidence

I can’t remember a time where I looked in the mirror and liked what I saw. My goal has always been to lose weight, and this had been my mindset from a very young age. I used to think that once I lost weight, I would finally be happy and confident. I was 17 when I made my first serious attempt to lose weight, at this time I had no knowledge or understanding of the right way to do it and decided to try a ‘quick fix’ and use Slim Fast shakes and it sounded great, an easy way to lose the weight, or so I thought. Of course, it wasn’t a sustainable way to lose weight, and I was back to square one. For the next 6 years I would go through phases of eating as little as possible and weighing myself multiple times a day, then the weekend came and it would end in binges, eating all the foods that I promised myself I wouldn’t.

At the end of 2020, I moved back down from the Northwestof Scotland to Portland to be with my family. Once we were settled, I knew that I wanted to join a gym and find a sustainable routine that I would be able to stick to and make progress. I did a lot of research and watched tons of videos to help me understand what I should be doing, while this is helpful, I knew it wouldn’t help get rid of my fear and anxiety being in the gym. There were so many times I got to the gym, was too scared to go in and went back home. After a little while I decided to ask for help, I wasn’t going to let my fear stop me from going for what I wanted anymore. This is when I met Connor and scheduled my first 1-2-1 session. I was terrified and thought I would embarrass myself. I continued to lose weight and keep it off. After a few months I realised how much I enjoyed training, and it was no longer a chore. Istarted to trust the process and over time my mindset changed from ‘needing’ to lose weight to wanting to be strong. This is when I learned about powerlifting, and it really appealed to me. I doubted that I could do it, someone that had never done a sport before and thought it was too late to start. I put it offfor over a year before I decided to make the jump.

All throughout the training for my first competition, I believed I wasn’t strong enough or I didn’t look how I should to be able to be an ‘athlete’, but I kept going and did my first in Oct 2023. Everyone there was incredibly supportive, and we allcheered each other on no matter the level we were lifting at. I came out on such a high and wanted to do it all over again, so I did 2 months later. After a short break over the new year,I’m back powerlifting and planning to build my total a fair amount with the aim of competing in the October competition again.

Although it is hard to carry on when you don’t see improvements quickly, I strongly believe in trusting the process and fighting through what your mind is telling you and go for what you want. I know if I never moved from Scotland, decided to start one to one session’s, start uni and get my PT qualifications Id never be where I am now, let alone competing in a sport. Every single thing good and bad that has happened in my life has lead me to where I am today. The impact of looking after my physical health has also massively improved my mental health and now I don’t know where I would be without the gym.