Nicky Orr has been on a remarkable journey that has resulted in her losing over 100 pounds in total and totally changing her whole body, mindset & life. We asked her some questions on her journey in the hope that she will help inspire many others.
So Nicky, Tell Us A Bit About You
I am 25 years old. I Grew up in Carluke but now live closer to Glasgow and work in insurance claims. I love an adventure or road trip, a good horror or thriller and I also take part in burlesque dancing, can’t get enough of the feathers and sparkles ha-ha. I currently stay at home with family and five dogs (the busy house I know) and enjoy spending time with them and my friends. I am a pretty driven person and love working towards a goal and encouraging others who are also pursuing their own goals.
When Did You Realise You Were Unhappy With Your Body & Lifestyle?
I had this realisation when I was at my heaviest weight of 18 stone. Everyday tasks were difficult and tiring; tying my shoelaces, walking up the stairs and even just getting up from the couch or bed took so much effort. I couldn’t even wear a dress or shorts on a sunny day because my legs would rub together so badly, I would have bright red sores and it would be so painful. I had gotten to the point where going out was a chore, seeing friends was embarrassing because I felt like they could see how much I was struggling to keep up if out a walk and getting dressed up took days of planning to make sure I had something that fit. Around this time, I had also experienced someone stalking me which, once reported to the police, was taken to court, and unfortunately ended in a not guilty verdict due to lack of evidence. This situation made me think about my lifestyle and health because I realised if this person (or someone else) was to approach me not only would I not be able to defend myself, but I also wouldn’t have been able to run away. I felt weak and lost within myself.
You lost a commendable amount of weight yourself before joining TeamTank. What did you do and how did you do it?
I lost around 4 and a half stones on my own before joining TeamTank from August 2019 until around April 2020. After the before mentioned stalking experience, I started attended TeamTank Boxing once a week and after a while went twice a week. At first, this was just to help me feel more confident in the streets etc but it became my main workouts for the week when I began to focus on weight loss. I also began monitoring what I was eating. I did not calorie count, but I made healthier options for breakfast and lunches and for dinner I would normally make a low calorie/healthy recipe I would find online.
What changed in you that made you think about looking for help with your fat loss? Was there a reason you hadn’t looked for help earlier?
When we went into lockdown spring of 2020 my weight loss came to a halt. Forcing myself to do home workouts was difficult and they were not as effective as the boxing sessions I had been attending. Eventually, the workouts stopped completely, and I began comfort eating again. I started to put on weight and felt completely out of control. Previously in life when circumstances left me feeling out of control, I experienced bulimia and used this as a self-destructive coping mechanism, with this “lack of control” feeling returning I was worried I could fall back into this false sense of security the eating disorder gave me. I knew the way I had been dropping weight before was not going to work anymore and I needed to give my body the fuel it needed to do what I was asking of it and needed the knowledge to sustain the results I would achieve. I didn’t want to just lose weight any longer I wanted to be healthy and strong.
" I didn’t want to just lose weight any longer I wanted to be healthy and strong."
Think about the day you decided to join TeamTank. What made you reach out to Martin? How were you feeling, what were you thinking?
I remember the night I wrote to Martin for a consultation quite well. In the lead up to it, I had been feeling lost, unsure of how to continue my progress and felt as though I may not be able to progress further. I made the final decision to write in while taking a bath, I know this is strange but there is a reason for this. Across from my bath is a mirror, so when you stand to get out of the bath you see yourself in “all of your glory”. I wasn’t completely unhappy with my body as I had already made a lot of progress, but I was unhappy with myself in that I had almost given up. I knew standing up and seeing myself in that mirror I would have to face the disappointment and shame I had been avoiding. Had I really done so much work to throw it away because I am too embarrassed to ask for help? Am I really going to give up on myself? It was at this point that I knew I needed someone to teach and help me & having attended the boxing classes and seen the success of Martin’s previous clients and his no-bullshit approach I knew he would be the best person to help me.
What was your goal when you joined TeamTank? Did you notice changes from what you had been doing previously? Did the reality of what you were doing and how you were doing match up with what you had expected starting out?
When I joined, I was really just looking to lose fat. After I started seeing progress and composition changes this goal developed into not only fat loss but also toning up & gaining strength. The plan Martin & I put in place was very different to what I had been doing on my own. There was a focus on getting enough protein to help the repair process after a workout, focus on getting enough fibre and fluids to keep my body healthy so it can perform. The plan was going to completely change my lifestyle to be more active by getting out walks and training an agreed number of times a week (due to lockdown these were home workouts only at the beginning). The plan put in place was also very different to what I had expected. I assumed I would be on a very restrictive diet; scarily low calories, no treats etc but the reality was far from it. Martin explained to me what the body uses each macro for which allowed me to build my own meals and snacks that would help me perform my best during training and allowed me to hit protein and fibre targets all while working in treats which helped me adhere to the plan.
How long did it take for you to start seeing results?
Mentally, I saw results after the first couple of weeks. The endorphins would kick in and I enjoyed my workouts and looked forward to sticking a podcast or a good playlist on and getting my steps in every day. Physically I saw results in the first week – as in my measurements and scale weight dropped- but I personally didn’t notice the physical differences until around week 4 and I compared progress photos.
Did you feel pressure/judgment from friends/family in relation to the changes you had made? How did you deal with this?
I did experience some judgement from people I know. Friends upset I wouldn’t be having a takeaway with them anymore or drinking with them etc. this did upset me at first; I questioned if my company was only good after an Indian and a few gins, however, I took a step back to look at the bigger picture and what I really wanted from this journey and life in general. I realised that the overweight and shy Nicky from years passed had spent so much time people-pleasing and not putting herself first and I thought “fuck that”. This is my time; my energy and I am going to give it to myself and if you don’t like it then you don’t have to be around it. Now that I am further into my journey and the results are clear; physically and mentally, a few people who had made comments at the beginning are now asking how I did it and saying they want to start their own journey. This has made me realise that when people make remarks or comments it's normally them projecting their own insecurities onto others and not taking these things to heart. Being within TeamTank definitely helped when receiving comments as you were surrounded by people going through their own journeys with similar goals in mind and every single one of the Tankers was there to support me if I needed it.
Have you surprised yourself with how far you can push yourself and what you have been capable of?
Absolutely. When I started, I never thought I would get to where I am now. I feel like I have really learned a lot about myself during this journey; about how hard I will work when I really want something, about how dedicated and driven I am and about the importance of putting myself first. It has been amazing to get to know myself and I am so proud of myself.
"I am so proud of myself"
You’ve made tremendous physical progress, but what have been some of your biggest wins?
It’s hard to narrow it down as there has been so many on this journey (and I’m sure more to come). One of the biggest wins would have to be starting back at the gym. I hadn’t stepped foot in a gym in over 5 years and was beyond anxious about going back. But now I actually enjoy going and look forward to my sessions in the gym and even get excited about new gym wear ha-ha! Another would be being able to wear dresses, skirts or shorts without my legs painfully chaffing and rubbing. I know this doesn’t sound big to some people but this has been life-changing for me. I can go out for day trips and walk for hours without being in such pain and discomfort. A massive win for me has been people reaching out to me on social media to let me know my journey has inspired them to start their own. Reading these messages and seeing people start their own journey honestly just makes me so happy and I hope they absolutely smash it and see the progress they are working for!
Your achievements have been massive. What would you say to someone who is where you were – Unhappy but nervous and unsure of pursuing their own lifestyle goals?
Don’t let the fear of failure stop you from trying. Being nervous means that it is important to you and you want to succeed so use that energy to kickstart your journey whether that be on your own or you reach out to someone who can help. You are putting yourself first and there is no better way of showing yourself love than this. It will be hard, and it will test you more than you realise but you can push through the pain and the tears and will not regret it and you will learn more about yourself than you could imagine.
What next? What does the future hold for Nicky?
I am going to continue my journey with TeamTank as I have not reached where I want to be physically. I am going to continue the lifestyle changes I have made and keep up my good habits. Now that I enjoy the gym, I do want to focus on getting stronger and I want to enjoy this healthier state of being, getting out and doing things I never thought I could or would do for example recently I gave rock climbing a go and even done go ape which I have wanted to do for years.
Is there anything you’d like to add?
I’d like to say the biggest thank you to Martin for sharing his extensive knowledge of training and nutrition with me & coaching me through this journey. I could not have done it without him and with his help, I feel like any fitness or health goal I have is reachable. I cannot wait to see where the next phase of this journey takes me. I’d also like to say thank you to every member of TeamTank. Without the group, this would have been a lonely process and seeing all of you working towards your goals kept me on track with mine. I’m so happy to be bettering myself with such amazing people.
WORDS FROM THE COACH
Nicky has been an amazing example of hard work, dedication, discipline and desire. Not only does she continue to smash her own goals, but when any of the other TeamTankers need any help... Nicky will always be there to lend an ear. During this whole process, I have watched Nicky cry, smile, laugh and call me an asshole but throughout the whole time even when motivation became low, she has kept her discipline towards her goals. The biggest takeaway I want Nicky to take from this continuing journey is that she will be able to achieve whatever she sets her mind to. Of that, I have absolutely no doubts whatsoever. People see the weight loss pictures and yes, they are absolutely fantastic!! However, for me, watching Nicky's change in her mindset and her confidence is something that fills me with immense pride and is a constant daily reminder as to why I do this job in the first place. She's literally changed the course of her own life & as already mentioned, started inspiring others to do the exact same. I can't wait to see what she achieves in the years to come.
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