Greg: Hi, this is Greg from the DVCC Northampton; I’m joined today by Sarah Bromfield. Sarah, how long have you been with the DVCC now?
Sarah: I have been here nearly 3 months.
Greg: And what are the results you have had since you joined?
Sarah: I have lost 20 lbs of body fat.
Greg: Awesome! Can you recall what initially brought you to the DVCC?
Sarah: Just because I wanted to lose some weight.
Greg: Had you previously tried much to lose weight?
Sarah: Yes, I used to do two miles of jogging every morning and a very strict diet. But as soon as I stopped doing any of that, the weight just came back on really quickly.
Greg: Did the initial weight gain come on pretty quickly or was it a gradual thing over a number of years?
Sarah: It was quite quick, yes. Over two years I must have put on 2-3 stone.
Greg: What specific problem did you want to solve the first time you came to see us. You mentioned wanting to lose the weight but was that having an impact on other aspects of your life?
Sarah: It did because I just wasn’t very happy in myself, with the way I looked.
Greg: So what you wanted to improve most was how you felt about yourself and your happiness?
Sarah: Yes.
I never gave myself any time to do anything. Because I would work, deal with the kids and once they went to bed I would just be doing housework. But now I give myself time each evening, I make sure I come.
Greg: What were the main obstacles that you had that prevented you from achieving this before, or solving this problem?
Sarah: Just time; I never gave myself any time to do anything. Because I would work, deal with the kids and once they went to bed I would just be doing housework. But now I give myself time each evening, I make sure I come.
Greg: More time to train – how about in terms of nutrition?
Sarah: Nutrition wasn’t too bad; the nutrition for myself has never been really poor because I don’t buy sweets, I don’t really like chips or things like that so it was just mainly the fact that I was not doing any exercise.
Greg: What had you tried previously to solve your problem; you mentioned the two mile jogging, was it mostly that kind of thing?
Sarah: Yes, that was just was it was. Just jogging two miles every day apart from Sunday. It was the strict diet that I was on; I didn’t give myself any treats – just salad and fish every day. But as soon as I stopped one or the other – as soon as I stopped jogging, the weight came on; and if I didn’t eat just salad and fish, the weight came back on. So I had to both, otherwise it didn’t work. And I couldn’t keep that going, that was hard to do.
Greg: Yes, that’s not very maintainable.
Did you try any gyms or anywhere before?
Sarah: I did try a gym, I joined Virgin gym. But I found that you were standing around more than what you were actually able to exercise - standing around waiting for equipment to use, because it was so busy. I also found it a little bit – I’d say poncy – everyone seemed to be all dressed up to go to the gym whereas I wanted to go to work out. But it seemed more of a fashion show and people staring at themselves in the mirror.
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Greg: So not really an atmosphere that made you feel comfortable?
Sarah: No, not at all.
Greg: Do you think, since you’ve been at the DVCC, that’s something you’ve found to be helpful for you – the atmosphere we create, etc?
Sarah: Yes, definitely. As soon as I walked in the first time I felt welcome. I didn’t feel like they were thinking she can’t do anything, or she’s overweight – I just felt everyone just accepts you straight away and they were all friendly.
Greg: What convinced you that the Real You transformation process would be different?
Sarah: I think because it was more personal; Straight away, coming in to have my meeting to talk about it, knowing that it was 1:1 or a very small group. I thought that would help because I’ve got a time to do it and I would be pushed, I wouldn’t just be left in a corner in a big fitness class to not really push myself because there are more people in front of me.
Greg: So the intimacy of the small groups would help you work harder.
Sarah: Yes, because you can’t be lost in a crowd.
Greg: In terms of knowing how to exercise and getting the techniques right, etc., was that more difficult for you before you joined?
Sarah: It was definitely, because I didn’t know how to do things properly, then I wouldn’t be pushing myself as much. When I came here there were some things: for example you’ll say do this differently and straight away I can actually feel it’s working. Whereas before I would be doing a squat and I’d be thinking this is quite good, and you’d say just change it a bit – and now I can actually feel what I should.
Greg: Good. So how has your *life changed since starting the Real You transformation process?
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Sarah: I’m a lot happier with myself, because I’ve *lost a dress size straight away – I think within the first five weeks I was down a dress size, which was great.
Greg: Yes, really good. Have you found that being happier in yourself has carried over into other aspects of your life: maybe work or family life, that kind of thing?
Sarah: Yes and no. No in the way that I would always train myself to be happy, so I would always appear to be happy. But now I actually am happy. So in a way yes it is because now I can get the benefits of the all round happiness, whereas before I would say ‘yes, I’m fine’ – but now I am!
Greg: It’s always good to be happy. So can you give me an example of something that’s happened since the transformation that you wouldn’t have thought possible before the DVCC?
Sarah: Just a simple one is *losing the dress size. Because before I would try so much, throughout the three or four years, no matter what I did I couldn’t lose any weight. So the fact that I’ve done that in five weeks has made me push myself more, so I can do it now – because it does work.
Greg: And getting results motivates you more.
Sarah: Definitely, it definitely does.
Greg: Awesome. Any final words for me, Sarah?
Sarah: Thank you for all the work that everyone puts in and for putting up with my moaning! Because it is paying off so I’m very grateful.
