"Within 6 months, I went from not being able to walk on the treadmill for longer than 10 minutes to running a 10k race."
Like many people, I’ve struggled with my weight, but this wasn’t a few pound over Christmas or after a holiday, at my heaviest my weight reached nearly 28 stone. For large periods of time I tried to ignore the affect my weight was having on my health, my lifestyle and the bit that now upsets me the most, how it affected others around me, especially my wife.
I am lucky enough to have an incredibly supportive family and group of friends but despite the big smile and bubbly character being that big was embarrassing and got me down. At one point, I’m embarrassed to say my car seat needing replacing as it broke in half and, depending on the car, I struggled to get the seatbelt around me.
I had a really unhealthy relationship with food and had an odd concept of what “normal” was; surely everyone has a whole packet of biscuits with a cup of tea every night? Takeaway would feature regularly on Friday & Saturday (which often went to Sunday & Monday, and the odd lunchtime too if I’m honest!).
I didn’t realise it at the time, but every day I struggled to do what should have been easy tasks like putting on my socks. Most people wouldn’t have known it at the time but I would drive around a car park for 10 minutes to save a 1 minute walk and would send my wife into social situations as I feared judgement and ridicule. I tried every diet you could name for over 15 years, some more successful than others but success was only short term as whatever I lost usually came back on again. That said, over a few years, I managed to get down to 19 stone, but before I knew it, I went back to my old eating habits and I was back at 22 stone. I knew at that pace, I could be at 28 stone again in less than 12 months.
Inspired by a friend who had recently lost a lot of weight through eating well and exercise, I decided to give Les a call. Getting a personal trainer or joining a gym is quite a daunting prospect (and I’ve tried personal trainers a few times) but meeting Les felt different. The environment that Les and his team creates is so, so different to anything else I experienced, it’s a friendly, supportive community of people who want you to succeed and actively show it.
Les trained me once a week but he put me in touch with Adam who runs the Kickstart nutrition programme. You can’t be anything but inspired and motivated by Adam, someone who himself was 28 stone and the next year ran the London Marathon. I’ve learnt so much about food and my bad habits and Les & Adam helped me to create a new “normal”. For the first time, I genuinely didn’t feel that I was on a diet and as a result, I’m wasn’t resenting it, waiting for it to finish.
Because of that, weight was coming off a couple of pound at a time which motivated me to do more. Within 6 months, I went from not being able to walk on the treadmill for longer than 10 minutes to running a 10k race.
If there is anything that shows how special and supportive the environment is, both Les and Adam gave up their Sunday to run that first race with me. Rich (one of the other personal trainers), cycled over to see off all of the runners he knew from the fitness centre. When you arrive at Les’ fitness centre, people you’ve never met before shake your hand and constantly make positive comments about your progress. I don’t think you get that anywhere else.
I am lucky enough to have an incredibly supportive family and group of friends but despite the big smile and bubbly character being that big was embarrassing and got me down. At one point, I’m embarrassed to say my car seat needing replacing as it broke in half and, depending on the car, I struggled to get the seatbelt around me.
I had a really unhealthy relationship with food and had an odd concept of what “normal” was; surely everyone has a whole packet of biscuits with a cup of tea every night? Takeaway would feature regularly on Friday & Saturday (which often went to Sunday & Monday, and the odd lunchtime too if I’m honest!).
I didn’t realise it at the time, but every day I struggled to do what should have been easy tasks like putting on my socks. Most people wouldn’t have known it at the time but I would drive around a car park for 10 minutes to save a 1 minute walk and would send my wife into social situations as I feared judgement and ridicule. I tried every diet you could name for over 15 years, some more successful than others but success was only short term as whatever I lost usually came back on again. That said, over a few years, I managed to get down to 19 stone, but before I knew it, I went back to my old eating habits and I was back at 22 stone. I knew at that pace, I could be at 28 stone again in less than 12 months.
Inspired by a friend who had recently lost a lot of weight through eating well and exercise, I decided to give Les a call. Getting a personal trainer or joining a gym is quite a daunting prospect (and I’ve tried personal trainers a few times) but meeting Les felt different. The environment that Les and his team creates is so, so different to anything else I experienced, it’s a friendly, supportive community of people who want you to succeed and actively show it.
Les trained me once a week but he put me in touch with Adam who runs the Kickstart nutrition programme. You can’t be anything but inspired and motivated by Adam, someone who himself was 28 stone and the next year ran the London Marathon. I’ve learnt so much about food and my bad habits and Les & Adam helped me to create a new “normal”. For the first time, I genuinely didn’t feel that I was on a diet and as a result, I’m wasn’t resenting it, waiting for it to finish.
Because of that, weight was coming off a couple of pound at a time which motivated me to do more. Within 6 months, I went from not being able to walk on the treadmill for longer than 10 minutes to running a 10k race.
If there is anything that shows how special and supportive the environment is, both Les and Adam gave up their Sunday to run that first race with me. Rich (one of the other personal trainers), cycled over to see off all of the runners he knew from the fitness centre. When you arrive at Les’ fitness centre, people you’ve never met before shake your hand and constantly make positive comments about your progress. I don’t think you get that anywhere else.
That inspired me to join Slinn Allstars running club, which was one of the best things I’ve done. It’s an incredible club with such a supportive and friendly atmosphere. Since that first 10k race, I cycled London to Brighton rising money for Prospect Hospice and I have entered a running race every month in 2018, completing my first half-marathon in Swindon in September this year, completing it in 1 hour and 58 minutes.
I got to my goal weight of 13 stone 12lb in April this year (nearly 14 stone lighter than my heaviest) and have kept off every pound since. I still train with Les and run with the club which both keep me motivated to push for more. I’ve entered the ballot for the London Marathon and if I don’t get into London, I’ll be seeking a different challenge for 2019.
If you’re reading this and not sure if you should join Les Slinn Fitness Centre, all I can say is I wish I’d done this sooner. Get in touch with Les and if you want a chat with me before you join, ask Les for my number or I’ll happily meet you at the fitness centre to chat.
Mike Rowland - September 2018
I got to my goal weight of 13 stone 12lb in April this year (nearly 14 stone lighter than my heaviest) and have kept off every pound since. I still train with Les and run with the club which both keep me motivated to push for more. I’ve entered the ballot for the London Marathon and if I don’t get into London, I’ll be seeking a different challenge for 2019.
If you’re reading this and not sure if you should join Les Slinn Fitness Centre, all I can say is I wish I’d done this sooner. Get in touch with Les and if you want a chat with me before you join, ask Les for my number or I’ll happily meet you at the fitness centre to chat.
Mike Rowland - September 2018