This new series (PT Tales) in the York Fitness blog, will focus on telling the fitness stories of some of our biggest fans and followers. We’re hoping we can inspire you with some of the most motivating grass roots stories and fitness tales. If you want to be featured or have a good story to tell, then contact us to be featured.
Let’s start with a little about me. My name is Odette and no I wasn’t named after the swan princess, but after Odette Churchill a WW2 spy. I have hit the ripe old age of 30 although if I get asked for ID I still get flustered and feel the need to make up a date of birth. I am a type one diabetic, which basically means I am wonder woman.
If anyone from younger years, especially school years could see I was writing a fitness blog, they would laugh and I would probably join them. I was never into sport of any kind. OK I lie, maybe a game of kiss chase, but I did extra art GCSE so I didn’t have to do PE, or got very good at forging sick notes! I was not in any way sporty and I still don’t see myself that way, I am just a girl who likes to lift heavy things.
I started my fitness journey back in 2017 with little success, like most people I didn’t see results so I gave up. I then tried numerous fad diets, which weren’t a success or maintainable in the long run. Then came Christmas of 2017. Gorging myself on copious amounts of champagne, cheese footballs, chocolate and anything else I could fit in my mouth. I had a breakthrough, whilst lying on the bathroom floor propping my belly up in a food coma, I decided to get fit and healthy.
So, January 2018 approached and I started researching personal trainers in my local area, I was instantly overwhelmed by the choice of PT’s available. They all seemed to have a good speech, but were they any good? Well, I bit the bullet and booked a block of 10 sessions with a local young lady. I then had to buy all the gym gear, any excuse for a shopping trip! This made me the girl who had all the gear, but no idea!
My first PT session involved a consultation on what I wanted to set as my goals and the dreaded measurements and weigh-in. I am the type of girl who weighs herself naked, clothes are heavy, right? My two goals were to be able to do a full push up and a general tone up all over and lose weight.
The PT sessions started and I began to enjoy exercise. Don’t get me wrong, I still dreaded the Monday sessions! But once I was there I enjoyed it, I learnt a lot and learnt what my body could do. The 10 weeks went by and not only had my strength improved, but so had my confidence. So with this growth in confidence, I decided to join a gym.
This is when my gym journey began. I walked in and felt completely overwhelmed by all the machines and everyone seemed to know what they were doing. I signed up for an induction, to get a little bit of a low down on what to do and what not to do. To my disappointment, the person showing me around was more interested in trying to sell me PT sessions rather than show me how things worked. But I didn’t give up and found the one machine I could work – the cross trainer.
I was the typical cardio bunny, the cross trainer was my best friend. At that time, I didn’t realise that strength training was just as important and the combination of the two can give you great results. I went through a phase of sometimes doing 4 classes a day and then extra cardio on top! Then my trainer came along and pulled me to one side, told me to slow down and to eat! He also roped me in to a PT session, which looking back now is probably one of the best decisions I made.
I have now been training with my PT for nearly two years. My goals have changed, I want killer arms and to be able to do a pull up. I have realised that throughout the training process, goals will change and for me it keeps it fresh and keeps me focused. Our first session together was an easy one, just a simple upper body workout. I thought “I can do this, sign me up!” Well the second session comes and it’s legs. I had never trained legs before, so as you can imagine I was in for a very big shock. My first leg day ticked off and I was still alive, but most importantly I was taught about technique, form and the importance of both. We continue to train once a week together and strangely enough we only train legs together, so it couldn’t have been that bad really.
I developed a proper interest in fitness in 2018 and my passion for the gym and working out came alive. I got into lifting weights and I have never looked back. In the same year, I decided I wanted to train to be a personal trainer and lucky for me my personal trainer trains PT’s. I am in the process of completing my level 2 in personal training and will continue to complete level 3. For myself, the reason I wanted to train to be a personal trainer was to gain knowledge and a better understanding of training. I want to see results; I want to be the best I can be and if that allows me to help or encourage others to do the same, then I’m happy.
In 2018 I set myself the challenge of having abs for my 30th birthday, which I didn’t think was possible, but I achieved it! I got myself some abs. At present abs are optional, it is winter after all and you need a little extra covering to keep the cold out. Plus bulking season has hit.
Anyway, enough of my ramblings, I hope you’ve enjoyed my story and how I came about.
Find Odette on Instagram: @the_fitness_story_of_odette
Two of Odette's favourite York products are the York Fitness
If you're a PT or are interested in fitness then check out PT Today, it's an excellent online resource for fitness advice and news.