Two years ago, for the first time in my life, my weight hit 60kg; and even climbing up one flight of stairs was exhausting. I had neglected my health and fitness for too long – stress, years of late nights and frequent bingeing on comfort food inevitably led to my expanding waistline, low energy levels, and an even lower self-esteem. I was 36 years old but felt more like 50.

I knew that something had to be done, and getting myself back into fitness was an important part of the equation. When I tried to exercise on my own, my mind was weak and I easily gave up at the first sign of strain. This became a vicious cycle that I did not know how to break.

That was when I met my Personal Trainer Francis. He walked me through the various exercise machines and sat me down to discuss my goals. I was hesitant at first because I thought that Personal Training would mean many hours spent at the gym, and I was worried that my already tight schedule would worsen. But Francis said something that made a difference, “All I need is your commitment of one hour per session, twice a week to reach your goals.”

“Two hours a week to get my fitness back is all it takes? That I can do.” I thought to myself.

I started on a customized program planned by Francis, and quickly realized how difficult it was to commit to just two hours a week. There was also the physical challenge – my body was not used to the motions and my limbs didn’t quite move the way I hoped they would. I felt clumsy, slow and self-conscious.  

Yet, I persevered and completed my sessions by treating them as business appointments, so no excuses! Furthermore, Francis is serious and committed about my fitness, and has done everything he can to put me on the right track. He patiently explains the motions and makes sure I understand what I am achieving with each exercise. Each session is a joy with his constant encouragements to complete even the most daunting of workouts in order to achieve the results we set. Every 1-hour session at the gym completed feels like another victorious step towards gaining a better body and better health, not to mention, a fruitful meeting with a teacher and friend, and I go home feeling good about my time spent.