Where do I start…I guess I never thought I would be that person that began to struggle with their thoughts and feelings but back near the middle of last year I experienced being bullied. It’s funny looking back now because I never asked for help or spoke about it at the time, I just kind of accepted it which was a common theme back then. I began to lose motivation to even get up in the morning never mind exercise or be bothered about what I was eating. I genuinely didn’t care and I felt like I had given up. Then I’d look in the mirror and hate what I was seeing but I compensated by eating quick fixes or feel-good food. Then I started hating going to food shops or clothes shops, I stopped doing my Les Mills body pump classes at home and the walks with my dogs were becoming few and far between. My fitness was literally in my boots. Then I moved jobs and although that was a positive in a sense it carried with it a lot of stress because I had worked in the same place for 8 years, basically since I qualified. I guess my head got a bit better but my shift pattern totally changed and I used that as an excuse to dodge exercise or eating better again.

I kind of started getting back into my body pump classes at home but I was seeing no change and things just became stagnant and a chore and I was feeling so crap about myself. Then a lovely woman I used to work alongside posted this insane before and after post on her FB story in spring and I was blown away! So, I searched the group she was in and began to see and read about all the success stories and I was amazed. So, I reached out to her for her personal opinion and I’ve never looked back!

So, 12 weeks all in I go…I’m not going to lie I was sceptical a little about how on earth was I going to see the changes I want in such a short space of time. But I was all in and up for the challenge and I kept in my head that any change was better than staying stagnant and feeling stuck. Martin gave me the attitude of basically there should be no “I can’t” in my vocabulary and no excuses. So, I got my head down and got stuck in with the knowledge, support and motivation from Team Tank as a whole. My first check in was crazy positive at the changes already and it just kept on coming. Not once throughout my journey have, I felt deprived of foods I love nor been ‘made’ to do any form of exercise or workouts. Nutritionally in 12 weeks I have a better understanding of the little things that make a difference to your nutrition and have been blown away at the change in my attitude towards food. Then the exercise…I started off with only a 20-minute run per week required but this process motivates you to push your limits and it boosted my self-esteem and confidence in my own ability and I achieved my first ever 5k when I was only five weeks in and I think to date I’ve done about 7 in total now.

My scepticism was quickly squashed and I knew that the only reason I wouldn’t see the results I wanted would be because of me and that wasn’t happening. The process has been mentally easy because if you want change and I mean really want it you just get it done and adapt. All the support is there and the support group is filled with people who get it, people who are posting every day and it’s so motivating.

My mental health has improved, I’m focussed and most of all I’m comfortable in my own skin. Unfortunately, throughout this 12 week I experienced ignorance as I know some of my fellow tankers have with people just not getting it and making stupid comments like “you don’t need to be skinny” when actually it’s not about that. Lesson for me is I used to care too much about what people thought about me and my appearance but now I don’t because as long as I feel confident and ready for the next chapter that’s the main thing. No excuses exist for me now, even my hen party and Wedding weren’t excuses but I still enjoyed myself. Now it’s time for me to build some muscle and become stronger physically and I know and trust in whatever Martin tells me to do in order to achieve it! TeamTank is not a restrictive process by any means it’s yours to control and adapt and that’s what a great coach nurtures.

Thank you to Martin, Sophie, Clare and all my fellow Tankers for all the motivation and support. What a team!