How Tony has helped me to change my lifestyle for the better - Liz Bowles

Tell us how did you start your fitness journey? 

It's been a long journey to get to where I am today. I had a lot of problems with my knees for years and when I went to the doctors, they diagnosed me with arthritis. I was then told that the best way to deal with it was to lose weight. For this reason, I started going to the gym, working with another personal trainer but then she kind of disappeared and I was left on my own. That's when I joined the gym that Tony was working as a PT at that time. I saw him around the gym working with other clients and I really liked his lifestyle-friendly fitness approach. 

Long story short, I started training with him 6 years ago and I just continued with it because it worked for me so well. Having that 1 to 1 support, which I absolutely get working with Tony, has made a big difference to me. Unfortunately, my arthritis continued to deteriorate and I ended up having a knee replacement surgery in February last year. So it’s been sort of ups and downs when my knee was really bad but I’ve continued training with Tony throughout my journey. What appreciate about Tony is that he’s really flexible and knowledgeable. He’d constantly adapt my training to help me cope with how good my knee is and post-surgery side effects.

Has Tony helped you change your perspective on food and nutrition?

Oh God, yes! My weight has always been an issue, going up and down like for a lot of people. I also have another health condition that has not been diagnosed for years, which is an underactive thyroid. One of the side effects of it is weight gain. Coupled with my knee problem and the impact that was having on my mobility was huge. I couldn’t walk for more than a half-mile at that time. Tony gave me the kick that I needed and helped me completely change my lifestyle with his meal plans and training programmes. I’ve lost 4 stone 5 pounds now and got another 9 pounds to go.

What’s special to you about Tony’s approach?

Tony’s just the most supportive personal trainer I’ve ever worked with. I’m 67 and I know, I wouldn’t have done it without Tony. Example: I went in to train on Friday last week and couldn’t push myself as hard as I normally would. I know the session was not as good as it could have been but Tony has been so understanding. He supports you through sessions and adopts the training depending on your circumstances. 

Having a personal trainer keeps me on the straight and narrow, he pushes me obviously a lot harder than I would push myself if I trained on my own. It works for me on every level, Tony is just such a nice person. He’s kind, funny and most importantly knowledgeable about fitness and nutrition. He’s done a lot for me and for as long as I can physically drag myself to the studio, I will continue to train with him!

Has Tony helped you with the meal plans?

For me, the honest truth was that I knew what I should eat, but the meal plans that Tony offered gave me the kickstart to really make a change. They are so easy to follow, you’ve got breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner planned. And he even provides you with a shopping list, I mean how much more straightforward it can be? I’m vegetarian and the plan caters for that and I’m certain that Tony's meal plans will cater to anyone’s needs. It’s so easy to follow, it also provides you with the calorie breakdown and list of all the nutrition you need. I still go back to my very first plans and pick up the meals. They are great!

What is the proudest moment of your journey so far?

The proudest moment of my journey it’s not even the weight loss. My overall fitness and cardio levels are great now. Obviously, the weight is important too because I did put on so much weight before that it was kind of getting in the way of my mobility and me enjoying my everyday life. But to get my fitness levels back up, especially since I’m getting older, it feels amazing! It’s really important to me that I don’t turn into an old lady that cannot move out of the chair. 

Keeping my fitness level up also helps me to stay healthier and keep my arthritis under control. But I wouldn’t do it on my own. I’ve done it because Tony was there sort of on my shoulder yapping into my ears, in a nice way! I know that on my own I wouldn’t train as hard and I wouldn’t have achieved what I’ve achieved with Tony.

Making a long-lasting change can be tough. How has your lifestyle changed as a result of working with Tony?

I think I’m just much more conscious of my fitness, what I eat and the importance of being active and keeping moving. I guess since I retired as well, I almost feel like I can’t sit still! I suppose it is different for everyone but for me what’s become clear is that it is really important that I move because it stops my knees from getting stiff and uncomfortable. It’s important to look after your health and do what you need to do to keep your fitness level healthy. I’m definitely much more in tune with all that now than I used to be.

Would you recommend Tony to people who are looking to start their fitness journey?

Oh, yes without a doubt! I couldn’t recommend him highly enough. I had a different personal trainer before and Tony is much more superior. His knowledge, personality, the way he supports you and how he guides and motivates you. He genuinely cares about changing your lifestyle for the better. For him, adopting a healthy lifestyle and habits are more important than just weight loss.

It’s been quite a journey for me, and I’m still on it.  Today, Tony pulled up the photograph of me when I started my fitness journey first in November last year and I shuddered when looking at it. Today, I feel like a completely different person. And when I look at this old picture, part of me thinks “Why did I ever let myself get like that?”  but having done it and being on the healthier side now I know how not to ever let myself go back to that again. I have a grandbaby and I want to be able to play with her and see her grow up. I accepted that healthy eating plus training it’s a much better lifestyle for me. And Tony has been absolutely instrumental in supporting me in making those changes.