How losing 40kg helped save Alex’s life and fix his health

“All of my health issues are either gone or completely under control. My doctor is ecstatic and told me to write a book about my journey so he can give it to all his patients!”

Alex’s remarkable 40kg (88lbs) weight loss has fixed his broken health at the age of 48.

Before joining Ultimate Performance, Alex was battling a string of health conditions from diabetes and high blood pressure to gout, bad acid reflux and sleep apnoea.

He couldn’t physically climb a flight of stairs, he struggled to walk properly and had difficulties trying to breathe.

As a result, he was in constant pain and doctors warned him to change his life or he might not live to see his 50th birthday.

Enough was enough. Crazy diets or medication didn’t work. So he reached out to U.P. for professional help to lose weight.

With the support and guidance from his trainer at U.P., Alex has lost a remarkable 40kg (88lbs), reversed his health issues, and looks and feels stronger than ever.

What’s more, he’s reduced his high blood pressure by an incredible 30mmHg, dramatically cutting his risk of stroke or heart attack.

(Every 10mmHg drop in blood pressure reduces the risk by 20%, according to the British Heart Foundation.)

In this Q&A with his personal trainer, Alex talks about how joining U.P. saved his life…

What were your main motivations for joining U.P.?

Health was one of the main triggers for me joining U.P. I had a plethora of issues: I was diabetic, I had high blood pressure, horrible gout, and bad acid reflux at night, which caused sleeplessness and sleep apnoea, which led to me waking up every 15 minutes gasping for air.

I couldn’t walk properly and was in constant pain all the time. I’ve always been very big. When I first started at U.P. I weighed about 120kg, but my highest was 134kg. I’ve tried crazy diet plans and other programs such as taking medication and acupuncture, but I always put everything back on again. It just wasn’t working.

My doctor was telling me that if I didn’t do something about my weight, I wouldn’t live to see my son grow up and that was a shock to me. I got to the point where enough was enough. I met a good friend and colleague who was training at U.P. and suggested that I join.

Why do you think the other methods you tried before joining didn’t work?

I think my goal was wrong. I don’t think anyone’s target or objective should be to lose weight because once you’ve reached your goal, what happens then? Taking medication or having acupuncture doesn’t change you, they’re just easy ways out. With U.P. it’s about building new habits and, in my case, building a whole new lifestyle. You either dread going to the gym, or you dread not going to the gym. I used to tell people that the gym was where I would go and feel like I was going to die. But now it’s different. Now I tell people this is where I go to feel alive inside. I have a whole new lifestyle.

You started training during Covid. How was that different from the gym?

It’s that tenacity to keep going. In the beginning, I was so big that I couldn’t do much. During Covid, we couldn’t train in the gym because it was shut down, so we trained outside instead and found different ways to train. We hung from bars and found benches where I would just step up and down until it felt like my heart was going to burst.

Once I started losing weight it got easier and when the gyms re-opened, I trained three times a week for an hour as well as on my own. Now I train twice a week with U.P. and another twice on my own, in addition to cardio and circuit training.

What benefits have you noticed along your journey?

Everything is just easier now. I can run and go for long walks with my son. I can sleep uninterrupted through the night which is a joy that I don’t think many people will realise. All the simple things that I previously couldn’t have and now I can. I still have a couple of nagging injuries. When I first started, my right knee was injured, and my left shoulder was frozen and couldn’t move. Over time, with all the strength training, I’m much more flexible and more importantly I feel stronger. I never thought I’d be able to do squats but now I can! I’m still training for my first pull up which is something I look forward to being able to do.

Two weeks ago, my son and I had to run a fair distance to catch the train as the doors were closing and I managed to do it so that felt simply amazing! I’m also currently attending bachata dance classes with my partner and to be able to feel light on my feet as I dance and not like the clumsiest person in the world is great. I love that we can work out together.

What do you think your life would be like right now if you didn’t go through that transformation?

Not to sound morbid, but I could very well be dead if I didn’t do this. I wouldn’t be able to go on long walks and runs with my family. I have a new partner now and I’ve gained a new family. Together we have a 5-year-old, a 10-year-old, and a 13-year-old. I wouldn’t be able to run around the park with my two youngest and play catch. My son is going to go into the National Service to serve in the Army in a couple of years. I am training him in a way to prepare him so that he can be healthy when he goes. Before this, I wouldn’t be able to do that or know what to do.

How would you describe your physical health now?

I had so many health issues before joining U.P. but they are all now either gone or completely under control. I don’t have sleep apnoea anymore; my high blood pressure and cholesterol are a thing of the past and my diabetes is completely under control. My blood pressure readings went from 156/101 to 125/76! My doctors are ecstatic. They said I should write a book for them to give to all their patients!

You’re an inspiration to others. Have you noticed improvements in your mental health?

I feel extremely proud of myself. 40kg ago, I didn’t know that life could be better, because I didn’t know that this is what it feels like. The physical improvements can easily be seen but the most amazing benefit from this program has been the improvement in my mental health. To me, that’s what the transformation is about, and you cannot imagine what it’s like if you’ve never been there. You won’t know what it’s like to go to a store and pick up a 4XL T-shirt and it not fit you, and the only thing you can do is laugh because otherwise you will cry. Now I pick up items to try on and often they’re too big. That feeling is just amazing. Knowing how hard I worked and now I don’t just look good, I feel good. Shopping is now my new hobby!

That’s amazing to hear. Would you recommend U.P. to others?

Whenever anybody approaches me and asks me how I’ve managed to achieve my transformation, I tell them it’s because I joined the gym, and because I joined U.P. That’s the difference. You need motivation to start your journey but what’s more important is discipline and tenacity to keep going to achieve the results you want. I’ve been a catalyst for change for other people: I’ve had five referrals to U.P. and I feel joining this gym is the best thing for anyone, and the best decision I’ve made in my life. I don’t think there are enough words to express my gratitude to my trainer. The physical side of the training is one thing but it’s more about mindset for me. The trainers at U.P. have positivity and the energy to keep driving not just the clients towards being better but also themselves. That energy and positivity are infectious, inspirational and motivational. Bringing that into the training helps to transform our minds, attitudes and our lives.

Lastly, what advice would you give to someone who might be hesitant to start their transformation?

Start now. It’s so important to get to the gym and take care of your nutrition. U.P. has helped me turn my life around. I also think that having somebody to do it with you is a lot of help because then they understand what you’re going through. I’m really grateful to my partner for going through this process with me.

If you’re struggling with your health like Alex, take the first step towards a new lease of life with Ultimate Performance. Enquire about your own transformation program today

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