"Hi, I'm Heather, a 53 year old wife and mum who is carrying a bit more weight than she should! I have a full-time job as a senior manager in a local software house - it involves quite a bit of travel, long hours and can be very challenging. On top of that I am dealing with the joys of the menopause - I have my very own tropical micro-climate going on, forget everything and endure many a sleepless night!
At the start of 2017 I decided that I needed to take more care of me so I took the plunge and joined the DVCC in Milton Keynes. I was pretty terrified at first but that nervousness soon disappeared because the staff and the other members were so welcoming.
I quickly overcame any feelings of self-consciousness about my shape or poor level of fitness - I can honestly say I never felt judged and was always positively encouraged. All the trainers are absolutely focused on everyone achieving the best they possibly can.
Six months on and I am still attending semi-private sessions three to four times a week whenever possible. I love the flexibility of the online booking app and the ability to change things at the last minute when work or personal commitments come up. I haven't lost a lot of weight as yet but, to be honest, I haven't focused on that so much.
I feel fitter, stronger and more confident than I have done in years - I recently power walked the Race for Life with a team from the office and they were amazed that I could do all of the warm up exercises without stopping (unlike them) - they likened me to the Duracell bunny! A couple of weekends ago I attended a nutrition seminar at the gym and now feel prepared to work harder on my nutrition and relationship with food especially as I know that I will be supported every step of the way with the DVCC."
