- Should your personal trainer set you goals?Horsham-based female personal trainer, Becky, helps clients of all ages and abilities to progress on their fitness journeys. But should a personal trainer set goals for you? She answers here… …
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- Back on board: lessons from the saddleHorsham-based female personal trainer, Becky, is a lifelong equestrian. Following surgery for a soft-tissue cancer, she had to take a break from horse riding whilst recovering, and thanks to several …
- Experience review: kintsugi workshop in LondonA gift I was pleased to receive for Christmas in 2023 was a voucher for a kintsugi workshop in London. It didn’t take me long to find the perfect opportunity …
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- Spring cleaning your fitness!Whether you’ve decided that now is the time to take your first steps in fitness, or you’re a little way in and have realised things could do with a spruce …
- Experience review: visit to Bloom Perfumery, LondonOne of my strong interests outside of fitness and personal training is perfume. I’ve been a fragrance-lover since my teens, and enjoy discovering new ones. Recently, I made a trip …
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- Should the jeans from your 20s still fit in your 50s?Newspaper, The Times, recently published a fitness feature on measurements of fitness. The good: it decried BMI. The bad: Horsham-based female personal trainer Becky gives her take here… Before we …
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- Cancer survivor’s guilt: how to handle itAt a Christmas party, I had a conversation about cancer survivor’s guilt. I know, festive. I was sat next to someone who’s been through cancer treatment, we already knew this …
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- How do you feel about your sports bra?A few weeks ago, I approached a complete stranger on the gym floor and asked her how she felt about her sports bra. Here’s why personal trainers should ask these …
- Gender exercise gap report commissioned by ASICS: the resultsLast week, results of a global study on the gender exercise gap were published. As a female personal trainer, these findings really interested me, so I wanted to share some …
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- How to find a cancer exercise specialistSomething that still tends to not be discussed when you receive a cancer diagnosis is exercise. Fortunately, there’s an increasing amount of help at hand in the community. Here, cancer …
- Fitness myth busting: machines are for beginnersI often hear it said that gym machines are for beginners, whereas free weights and barbells are for those who are more experienced. This is both overly-simplistic and unfair, so …
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- DAJLIEN by IKEA – is it worth it?Never ones to miss an opportunity to flog “affordable” furniture and homeware, our Scandi friends, IKEA, have entered the chat in terms of home fitness kit. Yes, you can now …
- January is over – here’s how to keep your fitness routine goingWith the first flush of New Year enthusiasm now burned out, bank accounts restored post-festive period, and daylight hours increasing, the gym floors are emptying out again. But you’ve done …
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- Is your fitness watch actually helping you?I’ve had an Apple Watch for a little over two years. It’s my first smartwatch, and I’d never used a wrist-worn fitness tracker previously either. When I’d tracked my training, …
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- 2024 fitness trends – have these got potential?It may be Wednesday, but I’m craving a roast. This is, as 2023 wound down, there was a predictable glut of articles wrapping up the year and looking ahead to …
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- Year in review – 2023Can it be too late for a highlight reel? I think not. Whilst most people wrapped their 2023 up in a shiny bow at the beginning of December, I waited …
- Experience review: Pinot and Picasso, BrightonAs 2023 draws steadily to a close, I’m still following my promise of trying new things each month, and in November, I accidentally stuck to a previous theme… Thank you, …
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- Availability for personal training in Horsham2024 has arrived, marking the eighth chapter of my own fitness journey beginning! Whether this is chapter one or one hundred for you, here’s how to get my help in …
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- Why do people film at the gym?As smartphones have hit critical mass, video-based social media apps have soared in popularity, and everyone seems to have become a side-hustling blogger, gyms have become filming locations for many …
- Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour workout – how to copy itLess than a day after Taylor Swift being announced as Time magazine’s person of the year for 2023, the internet had, of course, picked apart the article and chosen elements …
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- Chat GPT or human personal trainer?Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been one of the absolute hottest topics of 2023. It’s been mentioned in a variety of contexts, from helping scientists to develop new medical treatments, to …
- Personal training in Horsham: new availability!It feels only right that, when I celebrated the second anniversary of taking on my first personal training client last week, I’m now able to increase capacity further! This has …
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- Do Personal Trainers exercise whilst on holiday?When I jetted off on holiday in October, I got chatting to a stranger sat next to me on my flight. Upon learning what I do for a living, she …
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- Experience review: tile painting in PortugalMy quest to keep trying new things throughout 2023 continues! In October, I went on holiday to Portugal, and I tried one of my favourite new things yet whilst in …
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- Winter fitness: motivation to train when it’s darkHere in the UK, autumn seems to have hit a new gear. Whilst the clocks changed last weekend, the sensitive (and early-rising) among us have noticed a significant change in …
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- Experience review: sushi masterclassWhen I wrote a list of new things I wanted to try this year, sushi making was one of the first things I added. And in a very specific way. …
- What to Expect from Your Personal Training SessionWalking into a personal training session, especially if it’s your first time, can feel a little daunting. Whether you’re stepping onto the gym floor with me at Dual Strength and …
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- Professional development: The Well HQ’s Female Body CourseBut Becky, you are a woman, and a qualified personal trainer, surely you know everything there is to know about female bodies? Ah, not so. And I am not a …
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- Experience Review: Menopause CafeAs part of my continuing mission to try new things, so far this year I’ve been to a tarot reading, floated in a sensory deprivation tank, and created my own …
- Breast Cancer Awareness Month: allyship over slactivismOctober has snuck up on me, and that’s a privilege. In the UK, this is when Breast Cancer Awareness Month takes place annually, and the backlash has steadily built year …
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- Strictly Come Dancing and fitness – what can we learn?If you follow me on social media, you probably know I’m a longtime Strictly fan. As someone who resolutely dislikes autumn, the glitterball’s return is very much welcome, as it …
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- Strength in the Face of Adversity: How Fitness Empowered My Recovery from a Desmoid TumorIn 2018, my life took an unexpected turn when I was diagnosed with a Desmoid tumour – as September is Desmoid Tumor Awareness Month, it feels like the right time …
- Personal Training vs Online Programmes: Which Suits You Best? In a world where technology touches almost every facet of our lives, it’s no surprise that it has made its way into the fitness sector. The COVID-19 pandemic undoubtedly hastened …
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- Sports bra sponsorship announcement!It’s not often that I get to shout about something exciting like this! As a business, I’m delighted to be able to support (first and last time I’ll use that …
- Two years as a cancer exercise specialist: what I’ve learnedIt seems surreal that it’s two years since I spent many hours on Zoom, lots more reading, and several panicking about exams and assessments. Receiving my cancer exercise specialist certification …
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- How to join me for personal trainingThis is one of those things which is completely obvious to me as a service provider, and I know that the process of getting started at the gym and finding …
- Step counts in the news… againIt’s been a good five minutes since steps equalled clicks, so what better to do than drive website traffic during the dismal summer months than to tell the public that …
- Sussex Writing Retreats at Amberley CastleAs you may remember, back in March, I attended a Sussex Writing Retreats event. The team hold these regularly throughout the year at a variety of venues, and I was …
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- Experience review: Eden Project + Eden SessionsIn continuing my mission of trying new things each month, I had a few in June! In addition to a cold stone massage (as opposed to the typical hot stones) …
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- Cancer recurrence scare: the aftermathI wasn’t planning on writing any more on this, having already written two lengthy posts… but that’s because I wasn’t banking on there being a response to those. Which, in …
- Book review: Under the KnifeThis book is particularly special to me, because I’m proud to say that I supported it in a literal sense. Having struggled to find interest from traditional publishers, Liz chose …
- Review: Happy High Status by Viv GroskopIsn’t it funny how life works out? Almost five years ago, I was at a networking event, working on overcoming my fear of them. And someone I was becoming friends …
- Website makeover!As you may have realised, my website has had a glow up! When I set it up just short of two years ago, I wanted to get to the point …
- Reflections on Sarah Beeny vs CancerI recently watched the Channel 4 documentary Sarah Beeny vs Cancer (what is it with Channel 4 and cancer content in the summer?! I can’t quite believe it, but it’s …
- Learning from a scareLast week, I shared that I’ve recently been through the whirlpool of a potential tumour recurrence. Thankfully, there was nothing to be found and I was cleared again – see …
- Living through a scare: the cancer survivor nightmare of possible recurrenceI survived a benign and aggressive sarcoma. I had a Desmoid tumour (and a LOT of muscle) surgically removed in October 2018, and whilst I didn’t require further treatment, my …
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- Fitness and anxietyAnxiety regarding fitness is a topic that comes up often, and this week I was asked to speak about it via Instagram Live. I wanted to continue the conversation here, …
- Patient to Professional: Royal Marsden Exercise Oncology Study Day 2023I qualified as a cancer exercise specialist personal trainer with a keen awareness that I’d need to stay on my toes. Medicine is constantly changing, and oncology is no exception. …
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- Experience Review: Perfume MakingThis year, I’m on a mission to try at least one new thing per month. I exceeded the brief in May, and I wanted to share my favourite event with …
- Exercising whilst on painkillers – is it a good idea?Following the extensive coverage of King Charles III’s coronation, one of the people to receive a lot of praise was Penny Mourdant, who became the first woman to carry and …
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- Experience Review: Tea and TarotThroughout 2023, I’m focusing on continuing to challenge myself by trying new things. With a flotation tank, stage karaoke and a writing retreat already under my belt, April involved attending …
- Getting better: how I recover from injuriesBoth prior to and during my time as a fitness professional, my body has sustained a couple of injuries – welcome to life! I’ve got one in particular which likes …
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- Medical advocacy: a beginner’s guide to the language of medicineI’ve always considered myself fortunate that languages come naturally to me. I studied French and German at school, and although I’m by no means fluent, the knowledge I gained over …
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- Spring cleaning: remember your bradrobe!If, like me, you used one of the wet weekends of the month so far to have a clear out, there might be something that you’ve missed. Whilst you were …
- Experience review: Sussex Writing RetreatsI can’t quite believe we’re over a quarter of the way through 2023! If you’re just joining my blog, welcome, and here’s some context: I’m a personal trainer based in …
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- What going off-road driving reminded me about gymsNo, I haven’t gone completely mad, there is a genuine link between my recent experience with off-road driving and what it’s like to go to the gym. But I do …
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- Marrakech: I finally made it!As the world slowly locked down in March 2020, I watched a long-planned trip crumble away. One of my best friends and I (she’s Aussie and lives in Melbourne; we …
- Charity fitness challenges: what’s wrong with them and how to change itFundraising challenges that involve fitness activities are a huge bugbear of mine. I was an events and marketing professional long before I was a personal trainer, so here’s my unique …
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- Experience review: karaokeI mentioned previously on the blog that I’m aiming to try one new thing per month this year. February was a little light on Things and Opportunities, partly because it …
- Is it ok to take a break from working out?I’m a personal trainer, and I’m currently on a week off from my own gym training. The response I’ve had when telling friends about this has been interesting, so it’s …
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- Experience review: Float Spa, HoveOne of the things I noticed when I sat down and properly looked back over what I’d accomplished in 2022 was how many new things I’d managed to try. When …
- Five things a Personal Trainer wants you to give up for LentIt’s Ash Wednesday, one of the Western fitness world’s favourite holidays, because it’s a great excuse to spread diet culture messaging and guilt our clients (and prospective clients) into going …
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- CBD: sceptic to superfanI was influenced by people I believed were experts. When I worked for a scientific membership association which was focused on the science of drugs, and cannabinoids were a hotly-debated …
- A year of DuolingoHaving started in the hope of picking up some niceties to use on my trip to Mexico (and also help occupy my evenings!), I recently celebrated a year of language …
- How to measure exercise progress without weighing yourselfI recently completed a consultation with a new client – a “get to know you” session which involves discussing current habits, hopes for the future, and ideas for what a …
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- How to increase your exercise planAs we continue to trundle through January (I know, it’s the longest one of my life too, which seems incredible when you think back to January 2021…), I suspect your …
- A personal trainer’s self-care prioritiesHaving a body, it’s a full-time job! As I get older and continue to develop my understanding of health and fitness, I keep working with what I’ve got and adjust …
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- Five ways to support new gym members this JanuaryThe January fitness enthusiasm is well-documented online. Post-Christmas in the Western world, many people feel guilty about how they’ve treated their bodies throughout December, or take the dawn of a …
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- Thanks for the memories, 2022!As the New Year fully kicks in, I wanted to share some thoughts about the previous one (a little later than many others, perhaps, but it’s given me more time …
- Your guide to starting a January fitness kick!Christmas is nearly here, and many of us are looking forward to enjoying ourselves, particularly as many of us are enjoying our social lives in a way that we haven’t …
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- All I want for Christmas… fitness editionIt’s definitely that time of year! And, if you don’t ask, you don’t get, so I’m taking Mariah’s lead and sharing my I want this Fitmas. Read on to find …
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- Vanity vs Sanity – which fitness metrics matter?Human beings just love measurable statistics. And this adoration has been brilliantly exploited by the fitness and technology industries in the form of measuring our bodies and performance. As technology …
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- Personal training now available in HorshamA possible gym move has been on my mind for a while, and I initially decided I’d change locations in January. New year, new me and all that! And then …
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- Happy business anniversary!I can’t quite believe it’s been a year since I opened for business. I knew that it was going to be a rollercoaster, and with everything that’s happened in the …
- “There’s a lot of colds going around…”Are you even in the UK if you haven’t said this yet since September? Along with not knowing where to start, one of the biggest barriers to a fitness routine …
- Should I be drinking protein shakes after a workout?Other than, “what should I eat to lose weight?”, whether or not to drink protein shakes is probably the top nutrition-related question I get asked. And before I answer it, …
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- Trauma informed approach to exercise provision CPD experienceI recently took part in a training event which was the first of it’s kind in the UK! Mental health has always been a significant professional (and personal) interest for …
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- Why I don’t share suggested workoutsTikTok and Instagram are full of them. So is YouTube. Suggested workouts are understandably incredibly popular, a free and accessible alternative to personal training, right? Wrong. Read on to find …
- When you get a chance…There are so many things that I do by myself without thinking about it: driving to work; walking into the gym to train; going to the cinema; finding a café …
- Hypopressives: one year of practiceTime flies when you’re training your pelvic floor! My journey to improve that and my general core strength started last year, and I thought I’d share my experience in the …
- Co-Women fitness has begun!At the end of September, I hosted and ran the first Co-Women fitness brunch session. There are five more dates which you can still book onto, so I thought I’d …
- Out of office (briefly)!I’m taking a short break during early October – so short that I’m sure you’ll barely notice I’m gone! However, it’s always good to manage expecations and provide updates on …
- Barriers to exercise: an apologyA recent article in Stylist hit me with a thump, and it’s time to say that I’m sincerely sorry. The publication posted a “beginners guide to exercise” and I read …
- Mindful self-compassion: my deep dive weekendI can’t quite believe that I finally attended this course. Booked way back in the depths of 2019 (remember it? “PPE” was a term few of us used; vaccines were …
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- I’ve hit my goal weight – now what?Firstly: fairly obviously, this post is going to discuss weight loss. If that’s something which isn’t a safe topic for you, or something you disagree with, please feel free to …
- Back to school your fitnessIt’s that time of year! Uniforms are being bought, lunchboxes being dusted off, and bus routes being figured out. You’ve got the kids ready for the new term (just about) …
- Sports bra end of summer sale tipsWith the rising cost of living continuing to be an issue, now is absolutely a time to make as many savvy shopping decisions as possible. Exercise is a privilege in …
- New fitness event starting in BrightonCo-Women’s latest exclusive Brighton networking event is available to book now! If you hadn’t already heard, I’m co-founder of Co-Women, a networking organisation exclusively for women which prioritises joy, rather …
- Three easy ways to take care of your pelvic floor… and one thing to avoidBig news: we all have a pelvic floor. Every single one of us. And having a strong and healthy pelvic floor isn’t just important for people who have been through …
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- Football has come home, so now what?England’s Lionesses roared (sorry. Not sorry) to victory in the European Championships and suddenly women’s sport – and specifically women’s football – is in the spotlight, on the front pages, …
- Super Surgeons – the patient perspectiveIf it weren’t for my surgeon at the Royal Marsden, I wouldn’t be here. And I don’t mean that in a fatalistic sense – my tumour probably wasn’t going to …
- Five reasons going on holiday is good for your fitnessMy personal training clients often ask me how to “cope” with holidays (I mean, if they’re looking for tips on seeing the sights whilst eating all of the delicious foods …
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- Making it rain with Davinia: review of financial education for womenConfession time: I’ve grown up as a highly-privileged middle class cisgender white woman and money has been one of my biggest pain points. I’ll save getting deep on the how …
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- What to do when the gym is busyAs one of my niches is people who struggle with confidence in the gym, I’m regularly asked what to do when the gym is busy. And I’m going to tell …
- What to take to a cancer appointmentBefore I turned 32, I was a veteran of two spontaneously-occurring medical conditions. One is pretty common (scoliosis), the other far less so (a desmoid tumour). However, everything I’d learned …
- Are you a patient or a participant?Today’s post is one for the cancer patients, but as we can’t predict the future, it may be relevant to you or someone you know. What follows is worth bearing …
- Cancer on the cover of Women’s Health magazine – why it mattersFor their June 2022 issue, the UK edition of Women’s Health magazine featured DJ Adele Roberts on their cover. So far, so normal, right? There’s a significant visible difference though: …
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- I feel the need… for a Top Gun workout analysisBetter late than never is clearly a phrase which applies to Top Gun: Maverick. The original was already over 30 years old when it was confirmed that a sequel was …
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- Fitness industry intimidationThe fitness industry has a reputation for being both prescriptive and judgmental. During the last few years, there has been a push from some demographics to instigate change, working against …
- Pole dancing as a beginnerThis month marks five years since I first entered a gym at the grand old age of 30. It was the second new fitness activity I’d picked up that year, …