I am Emma, a qualified level 3 Personal Trainer (CIMSPA registered). My qualification includes Level 3 Nutrition (AfN certified). I am a Mum of two with a background in Social Care and the charity sector. After years of working with people to achieve their goals, I have grown passionate about helping women achieve their health and fitness goals, to promote overall wellbeing and longevity in later years.

I grew up in the era of 90’s body shaming, diet culture and dangerously low bodyweight being promoted as glamorous (you know, the ‘live off diet coke and eat nothing’ era). I was never into sport or exercise when I was younger. Like a lot of people, I spent my 20s thinking my body was invincible. I worked hard, played hard, and did very little exercise. My younger self genuinely used to believe that people who ‘worked out’ were somewhat self-absorbed (sorry!). Now I understand that wanting a healthy body, mind and soul today and in later years, is anything but selfish.

I dabbled in little bits of exercise over the years, but generally, I didn’t understand what to do or why I was doing it. During the brief times I had a gym membership I would run on a treadmill for half an hour and then leave, mostly intimidated and confused by the weights section. Fast forward several years and I quickly learnt in my 30s that we are absolutely not invincible in these bodies of ours. We have one body: once again, it comes back to the old sayings ringing true: ‘treat your body as a temple’. Some would argue this makes you boring, however, I would respond that firstly, I’m not boring, I enjoy being silly and genuinely love life; and secondly, losing your independence and mobility in later years is far more worrying (which links me back to – train for your older self). We don’t have to be saintly every day but our choices now do make a difference later in stacking the ‘health odds’ in our favour.

Within the last 4 years (and with the help of Coach Bob from Yate and Sodbury Striders running group), I have progressed from not being able to run one lap of our local playing fields without stopping, to running a trail marathon and winning my age category (it was small on numbers but yes, I’m proud 😊). Whilst discovering running, it wasn’t until I started incorporating strength training that I really saw growth (physical and mental) across all areas. I was fortunate to be inspired by a wonderful Personal Trainer who helped me understand the basics that are so often overlooked: what to do and why I was doing it.  As soon as I learnt to focus on being strong, to fuel my body adequately and how training and running helps my body on the inside, rather than following diet culture or calorie counting, it all made sense (and I can eat cake!).