About me - Kelvin
I'm Kelvin and I'm sure my health story is similar to plenty of other people. If you are interested, have a read below...
At school I was very sporty and played football to a fairly decent level, although some may disagree! I ran cross country and competed in athletics as well as being generally active, as most teenagers are.
When I got to about 16 years old I discovered smoking and drinking. As I grew older, the sport tailed off and the party took over. Before I knew it, I'd stopped all sport, drank far too much, played with recreational drugs and stuffed my face with whatever was in front of me.
I travelled and lived overseas a lot from the age of 18, and while it was amazing fun that I would never change, it was not exactly a healthy lifestyle. Still thinking I was a spring chicken, this continued into my 30’s.
I avoided sports at this point because when I did try to play the odd game of 5 aside, after about three minutes and a single “spritely” dash up the wing, I'd think “FECK ME, I’M GONNA DIE!” It gets embarrassing so you just don't bother with it.
Then one day you look in the mirror and think, "I need to do something about this". For me the kick up the arse was being persuaded to do Tough Mudder. With that looming I had no choice but to get on it, and fast!
I started running, and when I realised I couldn’t run to the end of the road before stopping, I was pretty pissed off with myself!
The good news is that with some consistency, this changes pretty quickly. I knew I had a very short attention span and might be tempted to quit, so I needed to find something else to do to keep me motivated. I found a gym that did boot-camp style circuit training and went along. After nearly throwing up during at least the first three sessions, I ended up really enjoying it. For me, training as a group really helped at the start because you all push each other to succeed and get stuck in.
In 2014 I did Tough Mudder and loved it. Roll on nearly 5 years (2019) and I have achieved more than I could imagine. I'm certainly not a fitness freak as some might put it. I still drink when I like, I just cut back. I still eat whatever I like, I’m just aware of what’s good and what's not.
What I get up to now
I'm currently around 4 stone lighter than I was. I used to suffer with chronic indigestion and acid reflux, I now know exactly what triggers this (booze and fatty foods) and have it under control. I've also taken part in some amazing challenges and managed things I didn’t think I would be able to do.
- Tough Mudder x 2
- Completed the Three Peaks 24hr Challenge
- Walked the full length of Hadrian’s Wall (84 miles) in 33 hours
- Ran the Edinburgh half marathon
- Ran 54 km up the Fife Coastal Path
In doing this I've not given up on my social life or any of the foods I like. I still get drunk with friends and enjoy my food more than ever! As does everyone else, I also I go through periods of not wanting to do anything let alone go to the gym!
The difference is I now have the knowledge and the right tools to maintain a healthy balance, and give myself a kick up the arse when, not if, I fall of the wagon.
When I say knowledge, I don't mean qualifications either. Yes I have trained in Nutrition and Fitness, but thanks to a good gym owner I gained the basic know how, before I decided to become a professional.
That’s all I want to do with this website and with my face to face clients. I want to help people make the changes they need to improve their health, and give them the tools and knowledge to be able maintain a balanced lifestyle.