From fat to fit – a single dad’s fitness journey
When I was asked to write a blog by willow. I sat staring at this screen for a long time, wondering. Wondering what to write and wondering if anyone would read it. I was going to geek out and write just about post natal work and realised that isn’t what’s needed and I thought how about my journey.
I mean I’m just me, no one would want to hear about my journey…. but then I realised what I had been through and figured I should share my journey.
This year has certainly been trying and testing, I would never have imagined having to home school my daughter and go from a client base of 20 to rebuilding my business online and not knowing what the future holds for both my daughter and I! As a single dad I had to prioritise what was most important and my daughters schooling and health took priority over every thing. I have been lucky enough to manage to keep hold a few clients and slowly rebuild my online presence and looking into the future. I see myself spending less time in a gym and more time online helping more busy mums over a larger area but I wanted to share my journey And My fitness journey started in 1998 when I was I was 23 years old. I had a major car crash a couple of years prior and I had spiralled out of control weekends clubbing, drugs and a vast amount of booze, I got my weight up too 18st, waist 48”. Enough was enough time for a change
1999 – build a gym in my grandads basement, dumbbells, plates and two small machines
2000 – down to 9st and 28” waist not happy as I felt I was too skinny and time to add bulk
2000 – Grandad dies, stop training sell all gym equipment and go back to clubbing and hitting the booze
2004 – ballooned again and time to hit the weights
2010 – shut my courier business as my daughter Charlie is born I gain post natal weight
2011 – train around looking after my daughter
2014 – start to learn how to become a personal trainer
2015 – pass my level 2 and level 3, whilst becoming homeless, a single dad and looking after my daughter on a daily basis
2015 – start training some amazing clients and learning my way through a minefield
2016 – start in my first commercial gym and build on my client base – take my first class
2018 – Study and pass my Post Natal qualification – I want to help the busy mum’s as I feel the minefield that is post natal rubbish and needs a clear voice
2019 – change gyms and study for my nutritional course
Which brings us to this year and oh what a year it’s been so far, I would never have imagined having to home school my daughter and go from a client base of 20 to rebuilding online. It’s funny how in less than 24 hours the fitness industry went from booming to having to close doors.
Stay safe and have an amazing rest of 2020 no matter where it takes us
Michael
