Member success story: 'I’ve lost over 7 stone in 11 months!' - Nick Anderson

Meet Nick who has lost over 7 stone in the 11 months he’s been a member at PureGym. This is a great achievement from Nick showing that by working out consistently and forming good habits, you can get great results and improve not only your health but self-confidence too.

Hello. My name is Nick. I'm 31 years old. I've been a PureGym member since August 2016 which was when I started my weight loss journey. I work as a manager at Cross and Sansam Ltd and I'm a lifelong Leicester City fan.

Life changing experience

10 years ago, I was involved in a serious car crash which had my heart stop beating briefly. I was left with serious injuries and was air lifted to hospital. I'd cracked my coccyx and shattered my pelvis. My road to recovery wasn’t an easy feat. I had to learn to walk again. It was the hardest 12 months I'd ever experienced. After the accident happened I wasn’t really exercising. When I wasn't at work I'd be at home playing video games or watching films so I was quite sedentary.

Combined with my poor diet, over the years, my weight just creeped up.

 

What motivated me to change?

It wasn’t until I went on holiday last July and I looked back at the photos I was shocked with how I looked!

I've always been a big lad and have always carried extra weight but it never really bothered me until last year.

At that point, I was eating 2-3 takeaways a week. My snacks in-between meals were also unhealthy (crisps and chocolates) and I had quite a lot of beer in my diet. I think I just knew that I was knocking years off my life with my current lifestyle so it was time for change!

I started following someone on Instagram who had lost a lot of weight and he looked incredible. I said to my family that I was going to do the same as him! 11 months later, I'm nearly 7 stone lighter!

How did I get started?

I went to a local sport shop to buy some new trainers for the gym. I knew if I bought this I’d have to join a gym as I hate wasting money.

That night I joined Puregym, and I've never looked back.

 

How I lost the weight

At the start of my journey, I started at 21 stone so I felt the exercise bike was a good starting point. I cycled on the exercise bike for about 2 months for 3 to 4 times a week. Then I moved onto the cross trainer which is my favourite piece of gym equipment.

As the weight started to fall off, my confidence grew. I trained for 4 months solid, 4 times a week for an hour each session and lost 5 stones.

At this point I decided I wanted to give running a go as I've never been able to do it before.

I completed the Wolf run in June and that was incredible! I managed to climb obstacles and run 10k. This is something I never thought I’d ever be able to do.

I'm now running 10k in an hour which I’m really happy about as I’ve only been doing it for 2 months. I’ve also started to eat clean and drink clean! I've made my own diet plan as I’ve gone along and it’s worked really well for me with a good amount of exercise. I also do spin once a week at PureGym which I absolutely love!

I love my Sunday morning workout the most. But I don't really care as long as I get to go to the gym!

 

The changes I saw as I lost weight

As I lost weight, my clothes became loose and my face was looking slimmer.

I noticed I have more energy - I look and feel happier, and I’m always ready for my next gym session.

My top 3 tips for someone who is trying to lose weight

• Record your progress so that you have something to look back at when you feel your about to hit a wall to remind yourself of your achievements
• Set yourself stepping stone goals! I did, and it kept me motivated
• Never give up!

   

How do I stay motivated?

There are some incredible people on Instagram who inspire me and also follow me. I want to show them that anything is possible with a positive mind!

For anyone struggling with their fitness goals, I'd advise them to stick at it! It's far from easy but it's well worth it in the end.

If you want to get moving, I'd advise anyone to give PureGym a try. I can honestly say it's been the best lifestyle change I’ve ever made!

 

What’s next for me

I'm working on getting in the best shape I possibly can! To help me with this, I’m planning to have PT sessions which incorporates weight training.

I also want to help and motivate others to get on the road to a healthier lifestyle through my Instagram page where I document my healthier lifestyle and transformation.

Brilliant achievements Nick! Your transformation is incredible. Thanks for sharing your weight loss journey with us, and we wish you all the best in reaching your fitness goals.

Follow our Instagram for more amazing member transformation pictures to get you inspired to go to the gym, and give Nick a follow at @nicks_weight_loss_mission

If you're interested in getting featured, please email: [email protected] with the subject line: Member story feature.