Overcoming Fitness Struggles: My Transformation Journey

So, I’ve set myself a challenge that I’ve mentioned before – to do a fitness photoshoot later in the year. And I’m still very much on the road to it.

It started really at the beginning of the year when I really felt bad about the way I looked and my gym really didn’t help. I’ve long had issues with it. I used to be very skinny, weighing roughly 65-70 kg and around 16%, and always wanted to put weight on. 

I should be careful what I wish for. 

During the latter part of the covid lockdowns that’s exactly what happened, but not in the way I had hoped. I suffer from sciatica and during 2021/2022 I had a really bad flare-up. It rendered me bed-bound at worst, hobbling around and needing to sit every few minutes at best. Taking multiple painkillers particularly amitriptyline and naproxen. I even had two nerve blocking injections into the base of my spine. And the weight came on. At my heaviest I was around 98kg and around 29% body fat. I didn’t feel like I was fat fat but definitely could feel the extra weight. And it made me miserable. 

I would work out regularly once I felt better and did it responsibly with proper stretching routines ending the workout. But I kept switching the routines, doing exercises I would see on Instagram or routines guaranteed to reduce stomach fat etc. But nothing was working, or at least the way that made me feel better. 

So, at the beginning of the year I set myself a challenge, to do a fitness photoshoot. I set myself a fixed routine spread over six days of the week and not deviate from that. 

So far, I’m down to 89kg and around 19% body fat. So it’s working, just not as fast as I was hoping. I was hoping I would be able to do the shoot in June. But I am not ready for it now, and truth be told and I am a little annoyed at myself. 

I have had some setbacks and personal changes. I started a new job as well as writing and working as a Supporting Artist. Had some health setbacks with a brief sciatica flare up. But, the main problem I am facing is the diet. Or more specifically the faffing around with it. 

It’s something I’m still trying to work my way through. It’s something I will update on shortly. 

In the meantime the workouts. 

I’ve adopted a double upper and lower body split, with a day for extra cardio and conditioning. 

With treadmill walking on a 10-12% incline everyday for 20 minutes. Which upped to 30 on the conditioning days as well as either bag boxing or 20 minutes on the stepper. 

All programmed into Garmin Connect and then my Fenix 7 watch so I can see what exercise is next, counts my reps, rest time and gives me a load of other stats that I’m learning how to use and optimise. 

So it’s working, slowly but surely. Which means the shoot will have to be delayed. I’ve elected to do the shoot in September now. Which yeah, only gives me a couple of months extra but may be a little more realistic. I then plan to go on a well earned relaxing beach holiday immediately after. 

I have some breaks planned but they will be far from relaxing!

But… My gym posted the photo AGAIN. This time as part of a reel. Others in the reel look happy and active and coping, and then there’s me. Hunched over the bike, back fat trying its dammedest to escape the side of my vest top. So, once again I am PISSED. 

I know I’m not in that shape anymore. I know I am closer to my goal than I was then. 

But it did throw me. I did impact my confidence again. I went straight to the mirror to look. And I didn’t like what I saw. 

That’s why I’m bringing this here now. 

Call it venting. Call it announcing. Call it holding myself accountable publicly. Call it documenting my journey. 

But the plan is to keep popping up here to track the workouts and the journey. Follow along here or on Instagram. 

But, what about you? Have you set yourself any fitness challenges? Are you struggling with confidence, diet, or anything else? Let me know in the comments below and lets start a conversation hopefully with a bit of encouragement and confidence boost.