Expert explains why enjoying exercise is important
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With over 290,000 followers on Instagram, fitness coach Emma has become a role model for other women looking to make a change in their lives and start their journey to a fitter, healthier them. But it wasn’t an easy ride for her, as she battled her own demons after coming to the realisation that her diet and fitness ethic had become a somewhat unhealthy “obsession”.
After being bullied in school because of her weight, Emma felt “insecure” by her appearance and made a conscious choice to change herself.
She admitted she was “sceptical” about embarking on her fitness journey as a whole, starting off in a small gym with limited equipment.
“It was also hard because like anyone who starts something new, I didn’t know what I was doing,” she told Express.co.uk.
“But over time, as I started to learn more and see results, I really grew to love the routine of caring about my health and fitness.
“I definitely felt more confident as I began to lose weight.”
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But her positive mindset soon turned ugly, as she developed an eating disorder.
“I think as much as we like to think that people are more accepting of all body types, women are actually still under a huge pressure to be ‘skinny,'” she said.
“The bodies you see on Instagram, magazines and runways etc are very unrealistic and at best, unattainable for a lot of people’s body types.”
It got to the point where Emma would cancel plans with her friends if they wanted to go for food.
“Not being able to track my calories made me feel anxious,” she admitted.
“At some points, I wouldn’t let myself eat until at the end of the day but I’d still push myself through a gym session of weight training, go to university and then go back to the gym to do cardio.
“I think I knew in my head it was an obsession and that it was unsustainable but I just tried not to think about it.”
She also recalled her friends and family becoming concerned about her eating habits and it was a turning point for her.
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A post shared by Emma | Online Fitness Coach (@emmafituk_)
Now, she’s a different person with her own personal coaching business Empower, which helps women across the globe.
“I spent so many years hating my body, to where I am now which is probably the most confident I have ever felt about the way I look!” Emma beamed.
“My job gives me so much fulfilment too. It allows me to help girls all over the world who are struggling with the same or similar issues that I went through to feel more confident and empowered so I do feel very lucky.”
She added that the benefits of her own experiences have grown her passion for fitness and exercise even more.
“It is such a vice for me when I am stressed or anxious just to go into the gym, put my earphones in and lift heavy weights!” she said.
“It really does make me feel strong and empowered.”
Emma also noted that the journey to a fitter and healthier you isn’t a straight path to success.
“It’s about remembering that everyone’s fitness journey looks different and it’s about tailoring it to suit your lifestyle,” she said.
“There isn’t a one size fits all approach so it’s about finding that balance of what works for you.”
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