Meet Emma Stone
Emma’s life is the definition of busy, driven, and successful.
For the last 17 years, she’s co-run a growing business of over 130 employees with her husband, whilst bringing up two boys (now 10 and 16).
But there’s one thing Emma has never really been able to totally master.
Body Image Issues
2017 – the year of her 50th birthday – is the year all that changed.
“I’ve wanted to get “properly fit” for as long as I can remember,” says Emma.
“But there’s always been that conflict between taking time for myself, and doing a good job as a Mum, wife, daughter and business owner.
From the minute I wake up, until bedtime, I’m on the go, spinning lots of plates.”
Dealing With Guilt
Lots of you will recognise feeling of “selfish” guilt when focusing on your own health and fitness.
It’s a powerful barrier which kept Emma from pursuing her goals for decades.
But with a big birthday on the horizon, she sat down to map out her 50th year.
“I really enjoyed writing out a list of goals and adventures I want to achieve,” she says.
“They included travel, family experiences, and to finally tackle my body image issues.
I knew that weight and fitness would be a significant part of all that.
Focused On 50
I wanted to get to 50 feeling the best I could about myself.
So I could embrace this big year with total confidence in myself.
“I had tried several fitness or weight loss projects over the years, but nothing stuck,” she says.
“It left me feeling as if I wasn’t achieving anything personal.”
With work and family life front and centre, Emma felt her goals fading away.
She knew she would have to take action – “guilty” feelings or not!
There Will Never Be A Perfect Time
Emma knew there would never be an easy time to get fit.
She would always have some obstacles: work, responsibilities, time, her own mental barriers.
The only way to get started was to do it.
“I felt so annoyed with myself,” she explains, “and that’s what really pushed me to reach out this time, and get help properly.”
Her Biggest Enemy Was Her Own Mind
Emma was annoyed that, despite success in lots of other areas of life, she couldn’t seem to “get it together” when it came down to diet and fitness.
She was frustrated that she was bogged down in the numbers,
having researched healthy eating, optimal health, nutrition,
and training for as long as she could remember.
Emma knew she was getting good at deluding herself!
“Emotionally, I had never considered that I could ever be a fit, slim person,” she admits.
“I had to accept that this was my biggest barrier, there were no physical reasons to be unfit.
I was sick of getting in my own way.”
Time To Get Started
Emma had been training at a nearby gym, but she knew her sporadic lunchtime workouts weren’t enough.
When the gym closed, she started looking around for an alternative.
“Within a week, I saw Joe’s car less than a mile from where I live with his logo on it,” she says.
“I knew I needed a completely fresh start, so I decided to apply for coaching.
“We had a face-to-face consultation which turned out to be far more than a fitness chat!
I unloaded what felt like a sack of rocks on the table.
Joe got the full picture of a busy, stressed woman heading to 50 – all the issues I felt I had and challenges I thought would be in my way.
I’m surprised he didn’t just turn and run!”
I didn’t, of course.
In fact it was a pleasure to work with Emma and see the breakthroughs happen, not just on the scales and in her fitness, but in the way she views herself.
Weight Loss Isn’t Linear
Emma knew weight loss might not be easy.
“Everyone knows that being a female heading to 50 makes losing weight doubly hard,” she says.
“Training at 6.30am before work eased some of that Mum guilt about taking time for myself!
The workouts energised me, and helped me cope with work stress.
But my weight was stubborn, and that got me down.”
We helped Emma cut ties with the weighing scale by asking her to focus instead on her measurements.
And as you can see, these showed incredible progress.
In 12 weeks, Emma lost over 4kgs (net loss, including muscle gain), 10% body fat, and 14 inches off her body measurements!
At the start of her 12 weeks, skin-fold measurements had Emma at 38% body fat.
After 5 weeks, she had only lost 1kg on the scales.
We knew this was progress (adding muscle as well as losing fat), but Emma felt disheartened.
Changing How I look At Things
“I started to wonder what on earth I have to do to lose weight,” she says. “I felt like a lot of effort for just 1kg.”
But it wasn’t “just 1kg”, it was significant amounts body fat gone, inches lost, and some new healthy muscle gained.
Remember, weighing scales only measure net loss, not body composition changes.
“Joe was very encouraging during that difficult period,” she says.
“Work was very full on, and I would often be close to tears with stress.
He knew exactly how to keep me focused.”
And by week 12, Emma was down to 28% body fat and had lost 14 inches all over, including 3 inches off her hips.
More Than Just A Fitness Plan
As Emma discovered, joining us for a 12-week transformation journey gives you much more than a weight loss diet and fast effective workouts.
“Joe sends out emails every day at 6am,” she says.
“They always encourage me to assess my goals and daily plans before the day gets busy.
“Joe’s method was revolutionary to me,” she says.
“I always thought I couldn’t sweat doing exercise.
Well, I’ve never sweated so much in my life as I do in our sessions!
And the fact that I can now make my body sweat – without a trainer there to push me – is a revelation!”
Training wasn’t the only eye-opener for Emma during her 12-week journey.
I Never Felt Hungry
“Losing weight has always felt hungry and miserable before, which is partly why I had such negative emotional issues with the idea of dieting,” she says.
“I was surprised that I never felt hungry, once Joe helped me see how to eat the right split of fat/protein/carbs.
I’d been getting it wrong for years!
I actually felt that I was eating more than before, but I was losing weight and inches!”
Life After The 12 Week Programme
Emma is – slimmer, lighter, fitter and happier.
Just how she wanted to be for her 50 birthday.
But just as importantly, Emma feels she will have no problem maintaining her new slimmer figure and healthier lifestyle.
“At 49, I finally feel like I am one of those active, fit people!” she says.
“I never thought I’d be like this after just 12 weeks.
But this approach works!
“And I’ll definitely keep it up.
I like how I feel too much to go back!
This Is Part Of My Life Now
I just have to go out and buy some new clothes!”
Emma says she finally feels liberated from the body image issues,
which threatened to persist into another decade and can now fully enjoy all her 50th birthday celebrations.
“I won’t say it’s been easy every day, but it has been immensely rewarding,” she says.
“I’ve managed to kick start my body at 49. If I can do it, anyone can!”
Whatever your age and whatever your motivation to get started, I’m here to help.
Apply today to work with us and we can set you up on your own journey.
