Rosie’s Journey
‘I have 100% achieved a sense of routine.’
I wanted to create a consistent routine with exercise and form healthier habits when approaching my fitness.
I have 100% achieved a sense of routine. I do not feel like the gym is a chore, but more a safe space where I enjoy attending and working out. I love the fact that I make progress with each workout whether it be increasing the weights or trying something different. I enjoy how flexible each workout can be depending on my timing and therefore it fits so easily into my weekly routine. Since starting at the new space in Horsforth I go to the gym a minimum of three times a week which makes me feel really positive about my relationship with keeping healthy. I feel so much stronger than when I first started. I also feel so much more secure knowing that I am executing the strength workouts correctly rather than trying to guess when doing it by myself. I know that if I am unsure Craig is so approachable to ask about something which means that my form is the best that it has been. I really feel more confident when it comes to understanding fitness whereas prior to working with Craig I felt more influenced by what I read online. I really enjoy quizzing Craig about what sort of exercise is best and how to maximise every workout that I do whether it be 25 minutes or an hour.
Routine! I love the fact that a fitness routine is firmly embedded in my lifestyle. I used to workout at home but I didn’t feel that it had any point as I would randomly choose a workout to do. Now I have consistent routines that are personalised to me and it is great to walk into the gym knowing that I have the space and equipment to do something meaningful. I also feel a lot fitter in myself. Other family members have commented that I am fitter as well. This means that if I choose to go for a run it does not have to be the challenge that it used to be where I kept starting from scratch and working my way up, but actually I can do what I want to do without giving it much thought. This feels so empowering and much better than any weight loss on a scale. Having said that I have remained quite consistent on the scales rather than going up and down which makes me feel more positive towards my body.
How strong I have become. I am lifting heavy weights and feel really proud about this. I really enjoy how I have build muscle. Also I used to be really focused on the weight on the scales, but now I understand more about body composition and how muscle is heavier and to keep focusing on becoming stronger rather than the number staring back at me. I also feel much more confident in my body. This refers to how I look but also in the capabilities of my body for example being able to squat 19kg and deadlift 38kg feels really impressive. I don’t feel like I am pushing myself but it feels good to work up to a point where I am working out with weights where I feel that are impressive!
Craig has a really flexible approach to working out and so really listens and gives thoughtful answers to potential barriers so I 100% believe that he has helped and supported me to achieve more of a routine. He has also given small, but achievable strategies that have supported me when going on holiday and therefore I am no longer in a routine. I have found this so helpful and really good at balancing the negative thoughts in my head about being frivolous in the six week summer holiday. Craig has taught me how to be more mindful in my approach to nutrition and although I am not perfect in eating habits I am much more self aware and I have found this to be really powerful in supporting my vision of wanting to feel healthier and more in control of fitness and nutrition. I really enjoy how Craig has a flexible approach when you may be feeling under the weather as he gives a more mindful approach and celebrates the wins of being in the gym or doing some sort of movement. This has really helped me form a more positive relationship with how I feel towards my body.
No different. I want to keep up the routine. I want to continue to work on strength. I want to keep working on being more mindful especially during holiday periods and work on being more mindful in my approach to food.
I think that Craig is a fantastic personal trainer. I have worked with personal trainers in the past who have felt much more inexperienced than Craig and therefore I have only done 6 month stints. I am now 14 months into our journey together and couldn’t imagine a better way to remain healthy and focused with being fit. There is a lot of ‘noise’ on social media for women and fitness and I find that Craig really cuts through it all with sensible, practical and evidence based advice. This is one of the things that I really enjoy as when I ask the rationale behind a workout, nutrition Craig is able to give his opinion but base it from experience and fact. I find this really empowering to then make the right choices and ignore a lot of what doesn’t make sense on social media. This works really well for me alongside building up my workouts and constantly mixing up workout out routines so that I never feel bored when going to the gym. I really respect how Craig has set up his own space and find it so easy to just go to the gym. Before my barrier might be not knowing what weight to pick, navigating through men on their phones sat on equipment, whereas now everything is really simply and easily laid out. A space is made for you every time you go and I love how accessible turning up is even when you don’t really feel like it!