JC Fitness

Nobody really talks about this bit of being bigger.

Restaurant chairs.

Not looking at the menu first…

Looking at the chairs.

Will I fit?

Are they going to be comfortable?

Will they hold me?

Then there’s putting your shoes on.

Holding your breath while you try to reach your laces.

Or parking as close as you possibly can…

And still looking at the walk from the car thinking…

“That’s further than I thought.”

They’re little things.

Except when they’re happening every single day…

They’re not little things at all.

And that’s exactly why we created the 4XL Exit Plan.

Not to get you a six pack.

Not to put you on some ridiculous 6 week shred.

And definitely not to tell you that you can never have a burger again.

Over 12 weeks we want to start helping you take back some of the things your weight has quietly been taking away.

Move easier.

Have more energy.

Feel more confident.

And start saying YES again without immediately wondering about the walk, the chairs or whether you’ll manage.

And you don’t need to get fitter before you come.

We’ve had people walk through our doors at over 200kg, more than 31 stone.

We’ve had people who haven’t exercised for years.

We’ve had people absolutely terrified about being the biggest person in the room.

That’s who we’re here for.

Our brand new 9.15am group starts Monday.

Men and women.

Everyone starting together.

Monday, Wednesday and Friday at JC Fitness in Stockport.

It’s £349 for the 12 weeks, or you can spread the cost over 3 payments of £149.

If you’ve read the bit about the chairs, the shoelaces or the car park and thought…

“Bloody hell, that’s me.”

Don’t worry about committing to anything yet.

Just send me “THAT’S ME”.

We’ll have a chat and see if we’re the right fit for you.

No pressure.

And if this happens to be your 31st time messaging me…

I’ll answer exactly the same as I did the first. 🧡

Another city. Another hotel. Another family celebration 😂

It’s been one of those weeks.

My oldest cousin turned 60, we’ve had two baptisms, family over from the States, and now we’ve ended up in another hotel for one more celebration.

Although judging by this photo, Arthur and Nora are perfectly happy as long as there’s a luggage trolley 😂

I love weeks like this.

Family, food, kids running around, and making memories.

And it’s one of the reasons I love doing the job I do.

Because for many people, their weight slowly starts making moments like these harder.

We say we’re busy, tired, or that we’ll come next time.

And sometimes that’s true.

But sometimes the real worry is:

“I’m not sure I’ll manage it.”

The walking. The stairs. Keeping up. Feeling exhausted.

Looking after yourself isn’t about six packs or living in the gym.

It’s about being able to keep saying YES to life’s moments.

Anyway, enough seriousness for a Saturday 😂

We’ve done a 60th and two baptisms already, and there’s one more family celebration today…

Any guesses what we’re here for?

Let me know in the comments 👇😂

How many times have you thought about starting?

Not necessarily with us.

Just doing SOMETHING about your weight.

You’ve thought about it.

Looked at gyms.

Followed a few pages.

Maybe even sent a message.

And then…

Nothing.

Over the last 10, 20, nearly 30 years of working around fitness, I’ve seen one thing stop people more than almost anything else.

The bloody door.

Not physically walking through it.

Everything that happens in your head BEFORE you do.

What’s it going to be like?

Who’s going to be there?

Will I be the biggest?

What if I can’t do anything?

What if everyone looks at me?

What if I embarrass myself?

What if I hate it?

That unknown can be absolutely paralysing.

We’ve had people physically shaking before walking through our door.

We’ve had people barely sleep the night before their first session.

And that’s why when someone is coming to us for the first time, I tell them something that probably sounds ridiculous coming from the bloke who owns the gym…

You might feel rubbish beforehand.

You might sleep terribly.

You might wake up thinking…

“Why the bloody hell have I agreed to this?”

That’s okay.

Think about your first day at a new job.

Your first day at school.

Walking into somewhere you’ve never been before.

There’s excitement.

Fear.

Nerves.

Good feelings.

Bad feelings.

Your brain doesn’t know what’s waiting on the other side yet.

But there’s something else I tell everyone before they come in.

You can leave.

Seriously.

You’re not trapped 😂

Walk through our door.

Have a look around.

Give it 20 or 30 minutes.

And if you decide this isn’t the place for you…

Go home.

No argument.

No guilt.

No trying to talk you round.

I don’t want you training somewhere you feel uncomfortable.

But here’s what I’ve seen time and time again…

The person who was petrified outside the door…

20 or 30 minutes later is okay.

Because now the unknown isn’t unknown anymore.

You’ve met us.

You’ve seen the room.

You’ve met some of the people.

And you’ve realised nobody expects you to suddenly become an athlete.

We take things slowly.

We work around what you can do.

And we go at YOUR pace.

So if this weekend you’re thinking again…

“I really need to do something about my weight.”

Maybe your first step isn’t joining a gym.

Maybe it’s just reaching out.

Then we’ll help you with the next step.

And when the day comes to walk through that door…

You’ll probably feel nervous.

You might want to turn around.

You might even wonder why you messaged me in the first place 😂

Come through anyway.

We’ll be waiting on the other side.

And we’ll take it from there. 🧡

Yes Simon losing 12.5cm this month.

That’s now incredible 71cm lost.

Absolutely buzzing for you.

🔥🧡🔥🧡🔥🧡🔥

Nora got baptised last night.

And I absolutely love these pictures and I’ve no idea 🤷 why Arthur can’t just smile and have a normal picture taken.

No idea where he gets it from.

What’s everyone up to this weekend, let us know in comments.

10 people are starting something new on Monday morning.

Well…

8 more hopefully 😂

Because 2 of the 10 places have already gone.

On Monday we’re launching our brand new 9.15am session at JC Fitness in Stockport.

Monday. Wednesday. Friday.

And we’re limiting the group to just 10 people.

But I want to make something REALLY clear about who this session is for.

This isn’t a general fitness class.

We’re looking for men and women who have a significant amount of weight to lose.

Maybe that’s 3 stone.

Maybe it’s 5 stone.

Maybe it’s 10 stone or more.

Maybe you’re wearing 3XL, 4XL, 5XL or above.

Maybe you haven’t exercised for 10 or 20 years.

Maybe walking into a normal gym genuinely scares the life out of you.

Maybe you’ve even thought…

“I’m too big to join a gym.”

You’re exactly the sort of person we want to hear from.

And when I say we understand bigger bodies, I mean it.

We’ve had people come through our doors weighing over 200kg.

That’s over 31 stone 7lb.

So please don’t think you need to lose the first few stone before you’re “ready” for us.

You come as you are.

The sessions are built around where YOU are starting from.

Can’t get on and off the floor easily?

We’ll adapt it.

Need more rest?

Take it.

Can’t do what the person next to you is doing?

Doesn’t bloody matter.

There’s no competition.

And because this is a brand new 9.15 group…

everyone starts together.

Same first day.

Same nerves.

Same uncertainty about what’s behind that door.

This is our 4XL Exit Plan.

12 weeks focused on helping you move easier, have more energy and start saying YES to more things again.

You’ll also get weekly check ins, support from our nutritionist, our online chef and online workouts for when life gets in the way.

No extreme diets.

No intimidating gym floor.

And no expectation that you get fit before joining us.

If you’ve just done the school run, 9.15 could be perfect.

If you work shifts, you’re retired, self employed or mornings simply work better for you, this could be your time.

There were 10 spaces.

8 are left.

And we start Monday.

If you’ve been telling yourself…

“Maybe I’ll start next week.”

Well…

Next week is here 😂

Send me a direct message “9.15” and let’s have a chat.

First message or 31st message.

We genuinely don’t care.

If you’re ready to try again, we’re ready to help. 🧡

Well… apparently Arthur doesn’t need us anymore 😂

First day of school today.

And as expected, the whole morning felt a bit chaotic.

Different routine.

Different timings.

Everyone trying to stay on track to get Arthur to school on time, Get Nora to Nina’s nursery.

So was all chaos this morning.

And obviously Soph and I have been thinking about how Arthur would actually be when it came to walking through those doors.

Would he get upset?

Would he cling onto us?

Would we have to convince him to go in?

Nope.

Little man basically walked straight in.

Didn’t look for Mum.

Didn’t look for Dad.

Just off he went 😂

I’d love to sit here and take all the credit and say what an incredible job ive done…

But I genuinely think a massive amount of it is down to the people around him.

The way ninasnurserydavenport have handled everything.

The things Soph (the wife) has done to make the transition as easy as possible for him.

All those little things people have done beforehand that meant when today finally arrived, it didn’t feel quite as scary or unknown to him.

And he absolutely smashed his first couple of hours.

Came out happy.

Seems to have taken the whole thing in his stride.

Although…

It is day ONE 😂

I’m fully expecting at some point over the next couple of weeks for him to realise…

“Hang on a minute…

You mean I’ve got to keep coming back here EVERY DAY?!” 😂

I’m sure we’ll have a few tears and mornings where he doesn’t fancy it.

But for today, we couldn’t have asked for much more from him.

Me and Soph have just been for a breakfast afterwards, so I’m not actually sure it’s properly sunk in for Dad yet either 😂

Prob cry myself to sleep tonight.

Feels like one of those little moments where suddenly you realise they’re growing up.

One chapter done.

And I’m really looking forward to seeing what this next chapter brings for the little man.

Very proud Dad today. 🧡

If your little one started school today or this week, how did they get on?

Straight through the door like Arthur?

Or did you have tears?

And more importantly…

Were the tears theirs or yours? 😂

I’m going to save some people a message.

Our brand new 9.15am session starts next week.

Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

And we’re only taking 10 people to start it.

But this isn’t for everyone.

In fact, let me tell you who it’s probably NOT for.

If you’re looking for somewhere to train for your next bodybuilding competition…

Not us.

If you’re chasing a six pack for your holiday…

Probably not us.

If you want someone screaming in your face telling you that pain is weakness leaving the body…

Definitely not us 😂

If you’re already smashing the gym five days a week and just want somewhere new to train…

You probably don’t need us.

And if you want to spend your mornings comparing how much you can lift with everyone else in the room…

There are loads of gyms that’ll be better suited to you.

So who IS the 9.15 for?

Maybe you’ve got 3, 4, 7 stone or more to lose.

Maybe putting your shoes on is harder than you’d like to admit.

Maybe the stairs are starting to take it out of you.

Maybe you haven’t exercised for 10, 15 or even 20 years.

Maybe you’ve spent years telling yourself you need to get a bit fitter BEFORE you join a gym.

Maybe you’ve done the school run and 9.15 actually works perfectly.

Maybe you work shifts.

You’re retired.

You work for yourself.

Or maybe you’ve looked at our 6am session and thought…

Absolutely no bloody chance 😂

That’s who I’m hoping walks through the door next week.

People who don’t necessarily feel like “gym people”.

Because you don’t need to become a gym person.

You just need somewhere that understands where you’re starting from.

And there’s another reason I’m excited about this group…

Everyone starts together.

You’re not joining something that’s been going for years.

It’s a brand new group.

Same first day.

Same nerves.

Same 9.15 start.

We’re limiting it to 10 people.

Monday, Wednesday and Friday at our private indoor gym in Stockport.

Starting next week.

If you’ve been saying September is when you’re finally going to do something…

This could be your start.

Want one of the 10 spots?

Send me a message with 9.15.

We’ll have a chat and see if we’re the right fit for you. 🧡

This is what it’s all for really.

We’ve got extended family over from the States at the minute, so the next couple of days are looking pretty full 😂

We’ve got baptisms.

A wedding.

An outdoor aqua park.

Family time.

And apparently plenty of burgers planned in too 🍔😂

And I bloody love it.

Because for me, this is the reason for trying to look after yourself in the first place.

Not to spend your entire life in a gym.

Not to avoid burgers.

Not to have a six pack.

To be able to say YES to more of this stuff.

Family days.

Weddings.

Swimming with the kids.

Running around with them.

Going out for food.

Making memories with people you don’t get to see anywhere near enough.

That’s the good stuff.

And amongst all of that, our morning sessions are still going ahead as normal.

Because fitness doesn’t need to take over your life.

It should help you enjoy more of it.

We’ve got spaces for people to start with us this week at JC Fitness in Stockport.

So if you’ve been saying you’re going to start in September…

Well…

It’s September 😂

Want in?

Just send me a message and let’s have a chat. 🧡

Tomorrow is September.

How many times have you said…

“I’ll start in September.”

Well, it’s here.

So have you booked in yet?

Or has September already started moving? 😂

“I’ll just get the kids settled back at school first.”

And listen, I get that one more than ever this year.

Arthur has his first day at school this week and there’s definitely a bit of fear around that.

Then there’s…

“I’ll just get the Bank Holiday out of the way.”

“I’ll start once we’re back into a routine.”

“I’ll give it another week.”

And before you know it…

September becomes October.

October becomes…

“There’s no point now, Christmas is coming.”

Then we’re back to January again.

Sometimes we get so used to giving the same reason that we don’t even stop and question whether it still makes sense.

We’ve spoken to people who’ve said they can’t train because they’ve got to get the kids ready for school.

Fair enough.

Then you ask how old the kids are…

23. 😂

Mate, I reckon they’ve got their own shoes on by now.

And even if you DO have young kids…

Ask yourself honestly.

What are you doing at 6am that’s getting them ready for school?

Because sometimes the thing stopping us isn’t actually the kids.

Or the Bank Holiday.

Or September.

It’s that starting is scary.

So we keep moving the goalposts because next week always feels easier than tomorrow.

If you’ve told yourself September is when you’re getting back at it…

September is here.

And if you’ve messaged us before and disappeared…

Booked in and cancelled…

Said you were starting and changed your mind…

Or you’ve messaged me 5, 10 or 30 times over the years…

I genuinely don’t care.

You’re not wasting my time.

I’m not keeping score.

You don’t need to explain yourself.

Just message again.

Because sometimes it takes a few attempts before you’re actually ready to walk through that door.

First message or 31st message.

We’ll answer exactly the same.

So…

Are you starting in September?

Or are you about to move the goalposts again? 🧡