Fitness Together

April 2010 was a turning point in my life. Swimming is my passion but despite training 3 times a week, I was overweight, my back was sore and my diet was terrible. I called FT, spoke with Carl and I?ve been training with the fabulous John and Stephen since then. I like to train hard and have a laugh and the boys facilitate that in spades. They are professional, know my limits and abilities better than I do and NEVER let me throw in a sneaky break or short cut! Carl keeps a close eye on my weight and diet and taught me to think before I eat. Similarly, he knows all the excuses! It?s been a year of personal highs and lows. I lost 34 pounds of fat, my swimming improved and my back feels great. I qualified for the World Masters Swimming Championships in Italy! This, against the backdrop of my Fathers long battle with illness. Sadly he died 3 weeks before competition but during that difficult time, the FT team provided the right balance of support, motivation and training to get me through. I went to Italy, swam personal best times and carried my form through to the regular sea swimming competitions at home. I feel better, fitter and stronger than I?ve felt for a long time and I?m smarter about the foods I eat. I?m so grateful to the FT team and I can?t recommend them highly enough. Michele Goode I feel better, fitter and stronger than I?ve felt for a long time

?Another year over and a new one just begun??. The lyrics of the song from John Lennon rang through my ears as I looked down at my rather large pot, post-Christmas gorge belly and sighed. This has been a long pattern for the last number of years and I was determined that 2011 was not going to beat me with the all too familiar disappointment of starting a ?diet? only for it to fail in February. Granted, I am on Television and I probably should be according to the ideal ?.slimmer, but I ain?t! I have what I like to fondly call the Irish Rubenesque Figure or what my Mum used to call it, The Milkmaid! Yes, I have the quintessential curvy figure and for years because of my height and my large chest, you often can look portly or perhaps pudgy! Eitherway, I have, like many battled with my weight, whether it was over indulging at Christmas or on Holidays or just in general, to the Monday diet of ?No carbs til Saturday!? only to falter on the Tuesday and retreat into a haze of pasta and toast slathered in butter! No doubt, I LOVE my grub and it has to be said so does everyone else. But it has taken me YEARS to find out that because I am petit 5ft 3? I can?t afford to carry too many extra pounds and not only can the Milkmaid effect take full flight but more importantly I wasn?t too happy about the extra muffintop either! So, when 2011 rolled round I decided enough is enough and I sought the help of Carl from Fitness Together who has put me on the straight and narrow. I can safely say that I have boxed my way to a fitter me, healthier me and all round happier me. I started boxing twice a week and it?s made me feel like a female Rocky, cue music!.... So although I am on the TV and can see myself back, I now don?t recoil with horror, Its kinda ok what I see, wobbly bits and all!

I found that exercising with Carl and the team over the past few weeks has given me a lot of confidence. I am more aware of what I put into my body and take my health more seriously. I have come to understand my limits physically and have seen a DRAMATIC difference in my shape and stance and posture. I know that there are people like me that loathe exercise especially when you have to drive 45mins out of your way to do 1 session ( Hello!) but I pushed myself and didn?t give in in the February like so many years before, this year was different for some reason and I?m now onto April? Yippee!! I think it?s that the team are so wonderful, they care and respect you. They are not easy on you, but it?s fun, energetic, kick some ass kind of exercise and Carl really makes you believe you can do it? and you can just like me!! One of my favourite pieces of inspirational and motivational quotes for 2011 is?? The only people who never tumble are those who never mount the high wire. This is your moment - Own it!' Lisa x As they say in Showbiz ? Break a Leg!!