Victoria’s Story

Deep breath and analyse, I am not the girl I used to be. Let's take it back two years ago when I first started out my fitness journey. Like any Disney movie, the prince gets the princess; they don’t teach you that it will never be like reality. The heartache, the trust issues, the cheating – own experiences teaches you things to make you stronger as an individual. Two years ago, my ex decided to give up on me and our relationship when he broke my heart. Growing up, I wasn’t the most confident, this knocked me hugely to the point I felt so alone. I felt so unloved and unappreciated, it was a dark and a lonely time. 

However, that was the time for me, where it was also the best. It was also a pinpoint in my life that was almost the full turning point for my change and ever-growing confidence. At the time it feels like the worst thing going on in your life, but it actually turned out to be the best. From then on, I wanted to become a better version of myself. That was when I started gym, the journey of self-discovery and selflove. After all, they always say you have to love yourself, before anyone is capable of loving you.

For me, originally getting into fitness and the gym, I just wanted to lose weight. Looking in the mirror, I was never fully happy. I got picked on for my weight and ‘big legs’ growing up, I saw it as such a flaw, I wanted to be like the slimmer girls at school.  Going along to the gym, I was a total novice to everything. I would stand in front of the equipment not knowing how to use it. I would watch others do certain exercises and I would feel as if I would be doing it completely wrong. It always is the hardest at the very start, once you become familiar with your surroundings and get into a routine it somewhat becomes easier.

I then created a structure to my fitness programme and started dedicating days to different workouts, following fitness accounts online and being influenced by others I gained confidence to try out new things. As I went along, I began to pick things up. Even two years down the line and I am still learning every single day. The most important part to my change has been my commitment, my mind set and lastly, consistency. Without this sounding like a cliché, gym has helped me in so many ways.

Let's talk metal health. Let's talk anxiety and how we allow our minds to take over so easily and not always for the best. It can be our biggest demon. Ever feel like you are amongst a sea of people? Yet you still feel all alone? Or when you start to feel your heart pound with every breath, almost like you are under water, slowly sinking struggling to find that gasp for air? I get that feeling. 

Struggling with negative thoughts from such a young age, I never knew how to challenge it. I've always seemed to suffer from anxiety ever since I was little. I used to get anxious over the smallest things, to getting picked out in class to read or to answer a question. Throughout school and throughout my teens to be expected with crazy hormones I got acne. Which was also a starting point for wanting something positive to change with the way I looked and my appearance.  I never wanted to be seen, I wanted to cover up and hide from the world. 

From the age of 10/11 these were the demons in my mind I wanted to tackle but never knew how to. Gym slowly became the air I breathed and the getaway I needed when I wanted to escape normal everyday life. By all means I'm not saying gym cures anxiety, it doesn’t cure every negative thought you have. But it helps maintain and improve.

The main thing that kept me moving forwards was remembering why I started out in the first place.  i still run on that running machine staring up at the wall, with the huge clock, watching the seconds tick by; still hoping to get away to a better place, nothing will be a quick fix but you have to learn to love the journey as you go by. Another aspect that helped was taking progress photos. That enabled me to see a clear difference over a period of months.

It's important to be patient when it comes to results but when you start to see it through comparing photos it motivates you massively to carry on.

I also wanted to talk about the exercises that I do. Depending on what you want to achieve and work on. I train legs twice a week, along with cardio and core as one session and the rest of the week upper body. Back, shoulders, biceps, triceps etc. 

I found only recently, the heavier you lift, the better results. I never used to push myself enough when it came to weights. Never fully being confident to break out my comfort zone. One day, it all just clicked and something in my mind told me, if I can do this weight; why can't I do an extra 10kg then another 10kg and so on and so on. It enabled me to push past my barriers and I'm now breaking new personal bests frequently and always setting myself new goals. When you have something to aim for, it seems to give you more purpose.

My favourite muscle group to train is legs/glutes. Hip thrust especially is the favourite exercise for me purely because it works help sculpt and tone your bottom really well. It is also the exercise I can lift heaviest on which is a huge achievement for me. I am happy with the weights I lift, each session I begin to feel stronger. Not only physically but mentally too.

To round this up, I just wanted my main message to hopefully inspire others. YOU are always good enough, NEVER compare to other people’s progress. NEVER let anyone tell you that you can't. Everyone's minds work in different wonderful ways. That is what sets us aside from each other, take a deep breath and focus on yourself and what you want to achieve. Everyone is capable of anything once your mind is focused and set.  I also wanted to say thank you to gym, for essentially saving my life and shaping me to be the confident healthy women I am today.

Thank you.