Hannah Young had spent years trying to lose weight while living with PCOS. By the time she contacted me, she felt frustrated and had started to doubt herself. She needed someone who would listen, take her seriously and help her find an approach she could keep doing.
Over almost a year, we worked on home training, food and everyday habits. Hannah lost 10kg and later shared the news that she was expecting her second child. Below, she explains what that meant to her.
It’s not always as simple as “eat less, move more”
Hannah just couldn’t understand why her weight loss efforts weren’t working. As a physiotherapist, she knows how to look into research. She recognised the impact of her PCOS on weight loss. Despite trying for years, she couldn’t lose weight.
Hannah described feeling let down by previous attempts to get support.
“I’ve been told I must be doing something wrong, or even told I’m outright lying,” Hannah said. “Experts would tell me there’s no way I could be eating and exercising like I was without losing weight. I ended up doubting myself and feeling like it must be my fault.”
It wasn’t just about losing weight. Hannah and her partner also wanted a second child, but Hannah had started to give up on this dream.
“So many people told me that I was never going to lose weight and should just accept it,” she said. “I had got to the point where it was easier to believe them than keep hoping.”
Finding a coach who took time to understand
Hannah and I know each other from years ago, so when she saw that I was hosting a free weight loss webinar on Facebook, she signed up to see if I had any fresh advice.
“I knew I could trust Joe to listen to me and take time to understand where I was coming from,” she said. “On our call it was clear that he was willing to work on it if I was, and not give up on me. I was determined to make this work – and so was he. I felt that my weight loss was in safe hands for the first time in years.”
Hannah has a busy job and a small child, so she needed a plan she could do at home in her own time with no need for the gym.
I designed her short, home-based workouts that she could fit in around her lifestyle. She was already eating a healthy diet, but I helped her be more aware of protein intake and portion sizes.
Hannah and I worked together for almost a year, with monthly nutrition support, habit-based coaching, and a personalised exercise plan via my app.
“Previous coaches had given me such conflicting information about eating less, or eating more, or changing my diet completely,” said Hannah. “Joe made it so simple. He understood that PCOS affects my appetite, and helped me see how my body responds to consistent intake. From there, we used calorie cycling to slowly bring my bodyweight down.”
Staying consistent with slow weight loss
Hannah’s progress was gradual. We paid attention to her own response and kept adjusting the plan, with plenty of encouragement and patience along the way.
“Joe was committed to researching PCOS and putting his findings into practice,” said Hannah. “He never pretended to know everything, and never fobbed me off with generic answers. It felt like a true partnership, with both of us dedicated to finding a solution that would work for me. It was such a refreshing experience.”
With my support, Hannah stuck with it as the months went on.
We focused on her progress rather than comparing her with other people. I was there to help her work through questions and keep going when it felt difficult.
“Joe always reassured me that I wasn’t doing anything wrong, it was just going to be a slower process for me,” said Hannah. “It was such a confidence boost to hear that I was doing all the right things. Joe is the ultimate cheerleader and mood booster!”
Hannah has lost 10kgs – but that’s not her biggest win
Alongside losing 10kg, Hannah shared some wonderful news: she was expecting her second child. This had been a deeply personal hope for her. I’m sharing what happened in Hannah’s life, without presenting pregnancy as an outcome that coaching can promise.
“If I’m honest, a second child was always my ultimate goal,” she said, “but I’d been led to believe it wasn’t possible, so I reset my goal to just losing weight. I’m over the moon to have lost weight and been able to get pregnant again!”
Building self-confidence for weight maintenance after coaching
The lasting impact of our coaching journey is that Hannah believes in herself again. She is confident in her knowledge and ability to lose weight and keep it off.
She left with more confidence in the habits she had built and a clearer idea of how to approach her own progress.
“It’s such a relief to feel that I can manage my weight,” she said. “Joe has rebuilt my self-esteem after being told for so long that I was doing it wrong or making it up. If I ever feel myself starting on a downward spiral again, Joe will be my first port of call. I know he will always be there to support me.”
Would you like support with your own training and eating habits? Get in touch today and let’s see how I can help you.
Joseph Webb
Expert coaching. Entirely personal.
Chartered Personal Trainer | FRSPH | FCIMSPA
