The Wharf – September 2006
This is Personal…
I’ve always been quite intimidated by the concept of personal trainers. I know I should eat better, drink less and do more exercise – why would I want to pay some hard-bodied endorphin junkie to shout the obvious at me while I slog away on a treadmill?
That was before I met WharfWorld’s own fitness guru, Laura Williams, put me through my paces in the gym. Laura, who runs her own personal training business, is that rare flower: a fitness professional with a realistic outlook on nutrition and exercise. “I try and make physical exercise do-able and effective for everyone. I believe it is possible to look after yourself without sacrificing the good life, “she says. “I can’t give up sweets or commit to five hours in the gym every week so I don’t see why my clients should.” A former office worker and dedicated couch potato, Laura discovered the benefits of exercise six years ago after giving up smoking and piling on the pounds. She believes few people truly embrace the concept of exercise but rather focus on goals such as weight loss. But, she says, motivation isn’t important. “It doesn't matter what your reason is for starting exercise, it's about whatever it takes to get you going,” she says. “Your doctor may be concerned about your blood pressure, or you might be desperate to squeeze back into your skinny jeans. “You need to establish your goal and keep it in sight every time you feel like having a skive." It sounded like sensible philosophy to me, an exercise yo-yo who swings between short-lived spurts of running four times a week and extended periods of remaining as sedentary as possible.
With a fairly big fitness goal of my own – having to shortly expose my decidedly untoned arms in a strapless wedding dress – I was ready to put myself in Laura’s hands. She devised a programme of cardio workouts and weight training which would see me with chiselled, Jennifer Aniston-style shoulders in no time. She also examined my diet and recommended practical changes, such as replacing my 4pm sugar hit with honey-sweetened herbal tea. And there was no shouting involved.
To book a session or to find out how Laura can help you get into shape, email her at laura@laurawilliamsonline.co.uk
Or call her on 07712 001525.