Before starting with ATP Personal Trainers, Kieran had been exercising for years but had never managed to build the physique he wanted.
That all changed when he started working with the professional coaches at ATP. Now after dropping 18kg and losing most of his bodyfat he is mentally and physically stronger.
"THIS YEAR I DECIDED TO STEP UP MY FITNESS GAME AND GET IN PROPER SHAPE. I KNEW FAT LOSS WAS SOMETHING I WANTED TO ACHIEVE, I REALISED THAT THIS WAS PART OF THE JOURNEY TO LIVING A HEALTHY, SUSTAINABLE LIFESTYLE ."
Why did you decide that now was the right time to get started?
I had trained by myself for many years, but I wanted to try something new to take my training to the next level. I also wanted someone to keep me accountable for progress/training
What were the greatest challenges you faced?
For me, it was 2 things; saying no to food/drinks at social events; and snacking when hungry. Through the help of my coaches, I realised I didn’t need to say “no”, but to be aware of my intake and to have everything in moderation. My coach said at the start to really think about my “why?”, so that when things became difficult, just to remember my “why”. I cannot emphasise how important this was for my journey. It was a gamechanger.
"SINCE WORKING WITH ATP I'VE FELT PHYSICALLY MORE ENERGETIC, STRONGER AND OVERALL HEALTHIER. IT'S ALSO HAD A POSITIVE IMPACT ON MY MENTAL HEALTH. I'VE HAD FEWER HEADACHES AND BETTER SLEEP"
Did you find the D.N.A. coaching helped you to achieve your goals?
I found the D.N.A. coaching to be extremely helpful in establishing my daily processes and approach to my training programme. I was able to better understand and monitor my Daily routine, Nutrition and Activity
Since working with ATP, I’ve felt physically more energetic, stronger and overall healthier. It’s also had a positive impact on my mental health. I’ve had less headaches and better sleep.
What do you think your friends would say has been the biggest change in your lifestyle?
I think my family and friends would probably say that I’m a lot more active and energetic, as I enjoy getting out a lot more and doing different forms of exercise (running, walks, yoga, etc.)
What one thing would you recommend to someone who’s about to start their fitness journey?
I would recommend that you look for a coach that’s going to help you to start off in the right direction. There’s a lot of misinformation out there, so sometimes it can be daunting, especially for beginners. Also, be more aware of what your daily routine looks like and be more conscious as to what your eating, and how much
How would you compare yourself from day one to now, in terms of fitness, mindset, physique and health?
When I arrived at ATP on day one, I struggled with endurance significantly, I wasn’t sleeping enough and I felt like my physique had remained the same for quite some time, without much progress. My overall health was getting worse, I wasn’t aware of the effects processed, fast food and sugary foods had on my body. I was eating maybe 4-5 meals per day snacking throughout. M/p>
However, my training was nowhere near intense enough to cope with the excess calories. Now, I’ve dropped nearly 18kg, I feel stronger, sleep better and a lot more positive as a whole. My overall knowledge on nutrition and fitness has improved drastically throughout the period.
What has surprised you about the process? How has the experience differed from your expectations?
I was surprised to see how much change can occur, just by making minor tweaks to my daily life and doing these consistently. Simply replacing unhealthy snacks with berries/coffee/tea instantly saved me 300+ calories per day.
Initially, I expected the training programme to be very similar to other personal training plans. However, I was really surprised when I saw the amount of detail the coaches went into their clients programmes. It’s beyond a training programme, and helps with multiple aspects of your daily lifestyle (work, relationships, stresses, events, etc.). The tools they provided are ones I can now use for the rest of my life to stay in shape.
"I'VE DROPPED NEARLY 18KG, I FEEL STRONGER, I SLEEP BETTER AND I'M A LOT MORE POSITIVE ABOUT LIFE. MY OVERALL KNOWLEDGE ON NUTRITION AND FITNESS HAS IMPROVED DRASTICALLY THROUGHOUT THE PERIOD. "
The 5 mistakes that stopped me from getting in shape, and how I fixed them:
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Over-eating and under-hydrating
Before joining ATP, I was under the impression that I needed to continuously eat in order to maintain/build muscle, whilst forgetting about hydration. These misconceptions were arguably 2 of the biggest mistakes I had made. Hydration is so important for every aspect of your health, beyond just physical performance and losing fat. -
Convincing myself that I was training consistently and adequately
I used to go to the gym quite frequently, but often without a serious training plan, or the dedication to hold myself accountable in the gym, especially when working long hours, or when you need those extra hours of sleep in the morning. Before joining ATP, I frequently used to miss my gym sessions, which then affected my progress. Lack of progress then affected my motivation. -
Not preparing a training plan or diet plan
Not having these prepared prevented any real structure to my training programme and hence, became a big limiting factor. -
Lack of sleep
Sleep was always something I struggled with, especially not being able to switch off from work. Now, incorporating daily breathing exercises, visiting yoga classes and stretching has helped to clear my mind and definitely helped with sleep, important for muscle growth, fat loss and recovery -
Not taking care of aches and pains before they become injuries
Training through the pain had caused some injuries over a period of time (especially my shoulder). I now learned that when you have muscle tightness/soreness, it needs to be treated before it causes serious injury. I’m glad to have worked with physiotherapists and my ATP coaches to help me navigate these throughout my journey.
Would you recommend this experience to your friends?
Yes, definitely. I’ve already recommended a few friends to ATP, who are also enjoying the experience. The staff are incredibly friendly, from the front-of-house to the trainers. They all make the experience what it is.
Are you confident in your ability to sustain these changes? What does ‘beyond transformation’ look like for you?
Yes, most definitely. This is why I’ve particularly enjoyed this programme. I don’t think I could do a 12 week programme because I know it wouldn’t be sustainable for my lifestyle. The changes I’ve implemented are pragmatic, reasonable and quite simple to follow
It’s about improving my physical and mental health so that I can live a more fulfilling life. Losing fat and gaining muscle is just an enabler to that, but not the end goal. I plan on exploring new activities, such as rock climbing, as well as helping to share my experiences with family/friends that are struggling with similar challenges I previously faced.
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