FIT - Fun In Training

6 Things Personal Trainers Pretend Don’t Bother Them… But Often Do

People see us for an hour.

They see the smile, the encouragement, the terrible jokes, the high-fives, the “you’ve got one more rep in you” face. They assume we spend our days training, eating chicken and broccoli, and absolutely loving life.

And don’t get me wrong… I genuinely do love what I do.

Helping someone become stronger, healthier and more confident is one of the best jobs in the world. Watching clients achieve things they never thought possible is a privilege.

But there are parts of this job that most people never see.

1. We live when everyone else is asleep… or relaxing.

Those 4am alarms become normal.

While most people are waking up for work, we’ve already coached three clients. When everyone else finishes work and heads home, we’re often just getting into our busiest part of the day.

Birthdays get missed. Family dinners get rearranged. Weekend plans become “I’ll let you know when I see my diary.”

And holidays? Well, unless you’re lucky enough to have a full diary waiting when you get back, time off often means no income.

2. We spend our lives helping other people get healthier while our own bodies quietly take a battering.

People think trainers are indestructible.

Truth is, years of loading plates, picking dumbbells off the floor, demonstrating exercises, standing all day and squeezing our own training into tiny gaps between clients eventually catches up with you.

I ended up with herniated discs in my back after years of telling myself, “I’ll be fine.”

Turns out my spine had other ideas.

3. We have to bring the energy… every single session.

No matter how tired we are.

Every client deserves our best. They deserve someone who’s focused, encouraging and fully present.

Some days we’re coach.

Some days we’re teacher.

Some days we’re therapist without the qualifications.

Some days we’re simply the only person who’s asked them how they’re really doing.

It’s incredibly rewarding… but giving that much of yourself all day can leave the battery flashing red.

4. Sometimes there’s not much left for the people we love.

After spending ten or twelve hours talking, listening, motivating and solving problems, I get home and someone asks, “How was your day?”

My answer is usually…

“…Can we sit in silence for five minutes first?”

It isn’t because we don’t care.

It’s because we’ve already emptied the tank.

5. The job never really finishes.

The messages keep coming.

“Can I swap my session?”

“I’ve done something to my knee.”

“What do you think of this protein bar?”

“Can you check my food diary?”

Throw in the worry over cancellations, no-shows and clients moving on, and it can be hard to ever completely switch off.

Even watching Netflix somehow turns into researching exercises or planning someone’s next programme.

6. We don’t always admit when we’re struggling.

We’re supposed to be the positive one.

The motivated one.

The one telling everyone else they’ll get through it.

So we often keep our own struggles to ourselves.

Burnout is more common in this profession than people realise.

Despite all of that…

I honestly wouldn’t swap this career.

Watching someone lift their first weight, complete their first push-up, come off medication, recover confidence after illness or injury, or simply walk into the gym standing a little taller than they did six months ago…

That’s the bit that never gets old.

This isn’t a post asking for sympathy.

It’s simply a reminder that behind every coach is a human being. We love what we do, but we’re not superheroes. Looking after the people who spend their lives looking after everyone else matters too.

Body Recomposition: Why the Scales Don't Always Tell the Whole Story

For years we've been taught that success means weighing less. The scales go down and we celebrate. They go up and we immediately assume we've done something wrong.

But what if the number on the scales isn't actually the best measure of progress?

Enter body recomposition. It sounds like something involving laboratory equipment and a white coat, but it's actually a simple concept. Body recomposition means losing body fat while building or maintaining muscle. Instead of focusing purely on weight loss, the goal is to improve what your body is made of.

This is especially important for women in midlife, perimenopause, menopause 🫶🏽💪🏽🫶🏽

As we get older, hormonal changes can make it easier to lose muscle and gain fat, particularly around the middle. If we respond by eating less and doing endless cardio, we may lose weight, but we can also lose valuable muscle tissue along the way. That muscle is precious. It supports our metabolism, strengthens our bones, improves balance and keeps us capable of doing all the things we love, whether that's lifting weights, carrying grandchildren, hiking up a mountain or wrestling an overexcited dog off the sofa.

So how do we work towards body recomposition?

Firstly, lift weights. And I don't mean waving a pair of tiny punk dumbbells around while having a chat. Strength training should challenge your muscles to adapt and grow stronger. You don't have to become a bodybuilder, but you have to get comfortablewith feeling uncomfortable during your workouts. Two to three sessions a week using weights that feel challenging is enough to make a real difference.

Secondly, prioritise protein. Think of protein as the building material your body uses to repair and maintain muscle and hormones. Include a source of protein at each meal, whether that's eggs, Greek yoghurt, chicken, fish, lean meat, dairy products or other protein-rich foods that suit your lifestyle.

Thirdly, keep moving. Walking remains one of the most underrated forms of exercise. You don't need to spend hours punishing yourself on a treadmill. Daily movement, whether it's walking the dogs, swimming, cycling, gardening or dancing around the kitchen while making dinner, all counts.

And finally, don't underestimate recovery. Sleep, rest days and managing stress are all part of the process. We often think we get fitter during our workouts, but the truth is our bodies adapt and recover afterwards. If you have time, take that afternoon siesta 😴 💤

The biggest challenge with body recomposition is that the scales may not change very much. Or very fast. In fact, they may not move at all. Muscle is denser than fat, so you could be losing body fat, gaining muscle, feeling stronger and noticing your clothes fit better while your weight stays exactly the same.

So rather than asking, "How much do I weigh?", perhaps we should start asking different questions.

Am I stronger than I was a few months ago?

Do I have more energy?

Can I lift heavier weights?

Do my clothes fit differently?

Do I feel healthier and more confident in my own skin?

Because success isn't just about becoming smaller. It's about becoming stronger, healthier and more capable for the life you want to live.

And if you can carry all the shopping bags into the house in one trip without throwing your hip out, I'd say that's progress worth celebrating 💪🏽🫶🏽💪🏽

Stop Chasing Shortcuts: Own Your Food, Own Your Results

People love hunting for a missing magic ingredient instead of fixing the stuff staring them in the face.

It’s rarely a mystery metabolism disorder.
It’s rarely a secret hormone imbalance.
It’s definitely not a rare rainforest berry only harvested under a full moon.

But somehow that feels easier to believe than:
• The boozy weekends that turn into snack-fests
• The daily “liquid dessert” coffees
• The handfuls of nuts that somehow equal a full meal
• The constant grazing on sweets “just because they’re there”
• The kids’ leftovers that magically don’t count

Men do it. Women do it. Even the well-informed, gym-going, macro-counting ones do it.

Knowledge isn’t the issue.
Awareness isn’t even the issue.
Honesty is.

A lot of people would rather Google a fat-loss shortcut than admit margarita night might be the problem.

They’ll shrink the portion of junk food and convince themselves that tiny servings of rubbish will somehow build a lean physique.

Spoiler alert: a petite portion of crap doesn’t create a petite body.

It just creates slower progress.

And here’s the uncomfortable truth — most people already know what their “thing” is.

The weekend drinks.
The nightly sweet fix.
The constant nibbling.
The “healthy” snacks that quietly rack up 500 calories.

But unless someone bluntly says, “Stop. That’s the issue,” they’ll keep dancing around it.

The Fix? Radical Accountability.

Track your food.

Not because tracking is magic.
Because it forces honesty.

Write it down. Log it. Own it.

Look at:
• What you’re eating
• When you’re eating
• Why you’re eating
• And how you actually feel after

Are you hungry?
Or bored?
Or stressed?
Or just on autopilot?

Tracking exposes the “harmless” bites that aren’t harmless.
It reveals trigger foods that open the floodgates.
It shows you that protein and real meals keep you full way longer than snacky nonsense ever will.

Most people don’t need a detox.
They don’t need a superfood.
They don’t need koo-koo berry juice.

They need consistency.
They need awareness.
They need to stop negotiating with their habits.

Progress isn’t hiding in a supplement aisle.

It’s hiding in the behaviours you’re pretending don’t matter.

And until those change, nothing else will.

Why Hiring a Coach Means Letting Go of the Steering Wheel

One of the biggest mistakes people make when they hire a coach is wanting change while still holding tightly to the habits, beliefs, and routines that kept them stuck in the first place.

It’s a bit like paying for a sat nav, then ignoring every direction because you’re convinced your usual route is quicker… even though that route has had you driving in circles for years.

If you’ve reached the point where you’ve invested in a coach, trainer, or professional, there has to be an honest reason behind it. Usually, it’s because what you’ve been doing on your own hasn’t produced the results you wanted.

That’s not failure. It’s feedback!

But here’s where people get in their own way: they want expert guidance, right up until that guidance asks them to do something that feels unfamiliar, inconvenient, uncomfortable, or difficult!

“I’ll do the workouts, but I don’t want to lift heavy and get bulky”

“I want to lose body fat, but I’m not changing my eating habits.”

“I want progress, but only if it fits neatly inside my comfort zone.”

Imagine calling a plumber because your bathroom is flooding, then standing over their shoulder saying, “I know it’s leaking there, but I don’t want you touching that pipe because it looks complicated.”

Sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it?

Yet people do exactly this with coaching all the time.

You cannot ask for transformation while negotiating with the very behaviours that are keeping you where you are.

Growth will challenge your routines.

It will expose excuses you’ve become comfortable repeating to yourself that aren't serving you.

It will ask you to trust a process before you can see the outcome.

That discomfort? That’s usually the sign that something is shifting.

Think about learning to drive. At first, everything feels awkward. You overthink every mirror check, every gear change, every junction. It feels unnatural because it’s new. But if you quit every time something felt uncomfortable, you’d never gain confidence or freedom.

Fitness, health, and mindset change work exactly the same way.

The truth is, comfort rarely creates progress.

The clients who see the biggest changes aren’t always the most naturally gifted or the fittest when they start. They’re the ones willing to lean in when things feel hard. They trust the process long enough to let the magic happen.

That doesn’t mean blindly following without communication. A good coach listens, adapts when needed, and works with your lifestyle, limitations, and goals.

But there’s a big difference between honest communication and resistance disguised as preference.

Sometimes what you need won’t be what you feel like doing.

That’s where coaching matters most.

Real change often starts with doing the very thing you’ve been avoiding.

So if you’ve hired a coach, trust why you made that decision.

You didn’t invest because your old way was getting you where you wanted to go.

You invested because you’re ready for a different result.

And different results demand different actions.

If growth feels uncomfortable, good.

You’re probably exactly where you need to be.

Do We Really Need to Train Differently After 40?

If you’ve spent the last few years hearing that women over 40 should ditch cardio, lift heavy, only train in certain hormone phases and basically exercise according to the moon cycle… you’re not alone.

A recent article in The Guardian explored the growing debate around whether women should train differently from men — especially during perimenopause and menopause.

And honestly? There’s some truth in it…

First things first: women are not “small men.”

Our hormones, muscle structure, recovery patterns and metabolism are different. For decades, most sports science research was done on men, which means women were often given fitness advice that didn’t fully match what our bodies actually need.

Once we hit our 40s and hormones begin fluctuating, things can change again. Many women notice:

🫶🏽 slower recovery

🫶🏽 more fatigue

🫶🏽 increased body fat around the middle

🫶🏽 loss of muscle tone

🫶🏽 lower bone density

🫶🏽 sleep disruptions

This is where strength training becomes incredibly important.

The article highlights the work of exercise physiologist Stacy Sims, who believes women over 40 should focus more on heavy resistance training and less on endless moderate cardio sessions.

Now before everyone panics and throws their running shoes in the bin… cardio is NOT bad.

But here’s the important bit:
hours of exhausting “burn calories” cardio combined with undereating can leave menopausal women feeling drained, inflamed and losing muscle instead of building a strong body.

And muscle matters more than ever as we age.

Muscle supports:

💜 metabolism

💜 bone health

💜 balance

💜 strength

💜 insulin sensitivity

💜 daily function

💜 confidence

So yes — lifting weights is one of the best things women can do after 40.

But it doesn’t mean you have to become a powerlifter.

Walking, hiking, swimming, yoga, Pilates, cycling, dancing and strength training ALL count. The best exercise is the one you can actually stick to consistently.

The real takeaway isn’t “stop cardio.”
It’s: stop punishing your body.

Train to build yourself up, not shrink yourself down.

That means:

💪🏽 prioritising protein

💪🏽 lifting challenging weights

💪🏽 recovering properly

💪🏽 sleeping enough

💪🏽 keeping daily movement high

💪🏽 managing stress

💪🏽 doing cardio for health and enjoyment, not just calorie burn

Research also shows women may actually gain greater health benefits from exercise than men do — sometimes with less overall volume.

So if you’re in your 40s, 50s or beyond and feeling frustrated because your old “eat less, move more” approach suddenly stopped working… your body isn’t broken.

It’s just asking for a smarter approach.

Less punishment.
More strength.
More recovery.
More nourishment.
And definitely less obsession with spending hours on a treadmill trying to “earn” your food.

Strong is no longer just about aesthetics.

It’s about staying capable, healthy, energetic and independent for life.

So I'm doing everything right—the protein, the water, the stretching—and still waking up feeling like my body is running on Windows 98. Lagging. Freezing. Error 404: muscle not found.

Funny… because it’s true.

But here’s the part you don’t see.

Being a trainer isn’t just about showing up in gym gear, full of energy, shouting “one more rep!” with a big smile on my face. That version of me? She’s real… but she’s not the whole me.

Some days, I walk into work feeling strong, energised, and ready to go. Other days? I’m tired. I’ve not slept properly. My hormones are doing their own chaotic thing. My hip might be niggling. Life outside the gym might feel heavy. There are days where the last thing I feel like doing is being “on.”

But I show up anyway.

Because when you walk into my class or my session, it’s not about me anymore—it’s about you.

So I switch it on.

I become the motivator, the energy, the one who lifts the room. I coach, I encourage, I correct form, I celebrate your wins. I listen to your frustrations, your worries, your “I almost didn’t come today” stories. I hold space for all of that… even if, internally, I’m carrying my own version of the same things.

And I do it with a smile.

Not because it’s fake—but because it’s part of the role. It’s the responsibility I take seriously. You deserve that environment. You deserve someone who shows up fully for you, even on the days it’s hard.

But behind that? I’m human too.

I get sore. I get exhausted. I have days where my body feels like it’s betrayed me despite doing all the “right” things. I have moments where I feel overwhelmed, stretched thin, or just… not 100%.

And yet, I still lead.

That’s the part people don’t always see—the emotional load of being the “strong one,” the “positive one,” the “consistent one.” The one who has to bring the energy even when her own battery is blinking red.

So if you ever wonder why your trainer seems like they’ve got it all together…

Just know: we don’t 🤪💪🏽🤘🏼

We just care enough to show up anyway.

And maybe that’s the real message behind this post 🙂

It’s not about being perfect. It’s about doing your best, even when things aren’t ideal. It’s about consistency over perfection. It’s about showing up—lagging, freezing, slightly broken some days—and still giving what you can.

So the next time your body throws you an “Error 404,” or life feels a bit heavy…

Remember—you’re not the only one pushing through.

We’re right there with you.

If You’re Not Seeing Results, Read This

Here’s the thing most people don’t want to hear — your results aren’t coming from doing a bit of everything, they’re coming from doing the right things consistently.

Whether your goal is fat loss, better energy, improved strength, or simply feeling more confident in your body, there are a few non-negotiables that make the biggest difference. And no, it’s not about extreme dieting or punishing workouts.

First up, strength training. If you’re not lifting weights, you’re missing a huge piece of the puzzle. Muscle is what keeps your metabolism functioning well, supports your joints, and gives your body that firm, “toned” look so many people are chasing. As we age, we naturally lose muscle, which means doing nothing isn’t neutral — it’s actually taking you backwards. Strength training helps you maintain and build that muscle, keeping your body strong, capable, and more efficient at burning calories.

Next is protein intake, and this is where a lot of people fall short. If your meals are mostly carbohydrates with just a small amount of protein, it’s no surprise you feel hungry again quickly or struggle with recovery. Protein plays a key role in maintaining muscle mass, supporting hormone function, and keeping you feeling satisfied. Including a good source of protein in each meal can make a noticeable difference in both how you feel and how your body responds.

Then there’s walking — simple, effective, and often overlooked. You don’t need to be doing high-intensity workouts every day to see results. In fact, too much intensity can sometimes work against you by increasing fatigue and stress levels. Walking supports cardiovascular health, aids digestion, helps regulate appetite, and contributes to fat loss in a sustainable way. It’s one of the easiest habits to build, yet one of the most powerful.

Creatine is another tool that’s often misunderstood. Many people still think it’s only for bodybuilders, but it has much wider benefits. Creatine can improve strength and performance during workouts, support faster recovery, and even play a role in cognitive health. It’s one of the most researched supplements available and can be a useful addition, especially as maintaining muscle and strength becomes more important with age.

Finally, vitamins and minerals. These aren’t a replacement for a balanced diet, but they do act as a safety net. If your body is lacking essential nutrients, it will affect everything from energy levels to recovery and overall health. A well-chosen supplement routine can help fill in the gaps and support your body in functioning at its best.

The bottom line is this: you don’t need to overhaul your life or follow extreme plans. You need structure, consistency, and a focus on the basics. When you get these right, everything else becomes easier — and your results start to reflect it.

Pop over to my new website and sign up for help
www.funintraining.com
Or message me on here or WhatsApp and start the change to a new you 💪🏽🫶🏼💪🏽

The Truth About Coaching:
Why Standards Still Matter in Fitness

The fitness industry has evolved massively over the years—and not all of those changes have been positive.

One of the biggest shifts is how coaching is delivered. More and more, it feels like honesty has been replaced with comfort. Many coaches hesitate to tell clients what they truly need to hear. Not because they don’t know better, but because the truth can be uncomfortable—and uncomfortable clients sometimes walk away.

So instead of real coaching, people often receive constant reassurance:
“You’re doing amazing.”
“You’re perfect as you are.”
“Just keep going.”

Now, don’t get me wrong—encouragement absolutely has its place. It can motivate, uplift, and help someone push through tough moments. But when encouragement exists without correction or standards, it quickly becomes empty validation.

And validation alone has never built a strong, capable, or resilient body.

Real progress—real transformation—comes from honest feedback. It requires someone willing to point out what needs improvement, even when it’s not easy to hear. Because growth doesn’t happen in comfort—it happens in awareness.

That means addressing the fundamentals:
Ex*****on.
Discipline.
Consistency.
Effort.

These are not always glamorous, and they’re definitely not always comfortable. But they are the foundations of any meaningful result.

The best coaches—the ones who consistently help people achieve real, lasting change—all share a common trait: they refuse to lower the standard. They understand that their role isn’t just to make clients feel good in the moment, but to help them become better over time.

That might mean correcting poor form, calling out inconsistency, or challenging excuses. It might mean having difficult conversations about effort, habits, or expectations. And yes, sometimes it means risking that a client won’t like what they hear.

But that’s where trust is built.

Because deep down, most people don’t just want comfort—they want results. They want to feel stronger, healthier, more capable. And achieving that requires more than praise. It requires honesty, structure, and accountability.

The truth is simple: validation keeps people comfortable, but standards are what drive progress.

As a coach—or even just someone on your own fitness journey—it’s worth asking: are you chasing comfort, or are you committed to growth?

Because the two are rarely the same.

If the goal is real change, then honesty isn’t harsh—it’s necessary. And standards aren’t restrictive—they’re what elevate you.

In the end, great coaching isn’t about telling people what they want to hear. It’s about giving them what they need to move forward—even when it’s uncomfortable.

If that’s what you want from your trainer then drop me a message as I might be the one for you!

You can message me here, via WhatsApp or check out my new website and drop me an enquiry 🫶🏼💪🏽🫶🏼

www.funintraining.com

Time to stop making excuses!!!
Time for hard work and action

It’s not the food!

Let’s have a little honesty moment, shall we?

Blokes overeat and go, “Ah well… bit carried away there,” and crack on with life.

Women? Oh no. We spiral like we’ve just committed a crime against humanity.

One extra slice of cake and suddenly it’s:
“I’m disgusting.”
“I’ve ruined everything.”
“I may as well eat the entire kitchen now and start again Monday.”

Sound familiar? Thought so.

We attach so much meaning to food that it stops being just food. It becomes a reflection of our discipline, our worth, our success… our identity. So when we “mess up,” it doesn’t feel like a moment—it feels like a personal failure.

And what do we do next?

We punish ourselves.

Less food. More cardio. “I’ll be extra good tomorrow.”
Which, surprise surprise, leads to being starving, fed up, and right back elbow-deep in snacks two days later.

Welcome to the never-ending cycle:
Overeat → guilt → restrict → repeat.

It’s exhausting.

Here’s the truth most people don’t want to hear:
Overeating isn’t the problem. It’s the reaction to it that causes the chaos.

Because most of the time, we’re not eating out of hunger—we’re eating because life is life-ing.

Stress. Hormones. Boredom. Frustration. Anxiety. That one person who tests your patience daily 🙃

Food becomes the quick fix. The edge-taker-offer. The “just five minutes of peace” solution.

And listen—I’m not saying you can never enjoy food like that. Of course you can. But when it’s your only coping strategy? That’s when things get messy.

What if, instead of going straight to the cupboard, you changed the outlet?

Go for a walk. Clear your head.
Have a laugh. Ring a mate.
Or yes… a cheeky bit of bedroom cardio works wonders too 😏

The point is—give yourself options.

Now here’s where it gets really interesting…

Most women are stuck in this constant “eat less, do more” mindset because they’re chasing fat loss at all costs. And that thinking? It keeps you trapped.

Flip the script.

Start focusing on building something instead of constantly trying to shrink.

Hypertrophy—fancy word for building lean muscle—is about growth. Strength. Fueling your body properly. And when you start eating to support performance instead of punish yourself?

Everything changes.

You stop fearing food.
You stop obsessing over every bite.
And ironically… your body starts responding better too.

Funny that, isn’t it?

Look, you don’t need to be perfect. You don’t need to “start again Monday.” And you definitely don’t need to tie your self-worth to what you ate yesterday.

You just need to stop being so bloody hard on yourself.

Because the version of you you’re chasing?
She’s not hiding behind restriction and guilt.

She’s built through consistency, balance… and a bit of sass along the way.

So next time you overdo it?

Say “whoops”… and move on.

Just like the blokes do 😉

What makes a good trainer in my opinion

A pattern I’ve noticed over the years… and it says a lot about what actually makes a good personal trainer.

It’s not just the dramatic before-and-after photos (although we all love a good glow-up). It’s the quieter wins that don’t always make Instagram.

A great trainer celebrates the client who comes off medication just as loudly as the one who drops 20kg. Because real transformation? It usually isn’t the one you can see straight away.

They stop coaching just “bodies” and start coaching actual humans. Stress, sleep, hormones, busy jobs, kids, life chaos… all of it matters. And funny enough, when you coach the whole person, the physical results come anyway.

You’ll know you’ve got a good one when the messages you send them aren’t just about weight loss.
They’re about energy.
Confidence.
“Hey, I didn’t quit this time.”
That’s the good stuff.

Good trainers don’t hand out perfect plans that fall apart by Wednesday. They build something that fits into your real life — not your “ideal life” that doesn’t exist. Because a plan you can stick to will always beat a perfect one you can’t.

Also… they don’t chase referrals.
They don’t need to.

Their clients do that for them — because when something genuinely works, people talk. That reputation isn’t built in 6 weeks. It’s built over years of showing up, adjusting, listening, and actually caring.

And here’s a big one:
They keep clients.

Not for 6 weeks.
Not for a “challenge.”
For years.

Because retention isn’t luck — it’s what naturally happens when coaching actually works and people feel supported, not just instructed.

So whether you’re looking for a trainer or reflecting on the kind of coach you are…

Ask yourself:

Do you feel understood, or just told what to do?
Does your plan fit your life, or fight it?
Are your wins being recognised beyond the scale?

Because a good personal trainer doesn’t just change how you look.

They change how you live.

And in my opinion… that’s the job.