When did you start your fitness journey and how did you get into it?
I properly got into the gym and started my fitness journey in October 2018. I had always been a sporty and active child growing up, but I hit year 11 and stopped all exercise. I gained a lot of weight over the few years and because of that I became very self-conscious and aware of how my body was changing. I didn’t feel comfortable and I remember hating having my picture taken. There was one specific picture my friend took of me and I was just like ‘okay, enough is enough. Let’s sort your life out, Imogen!’ I then started focusing on my diet and joined a gym. I was basically doing cardio every day until I started following more fitness accounts, on Instagram, and soon realised I needed to incorporate weights. That is sort of where my fitness journey officially started.
What are your current fitness/training goals?
My current fitness goals are to build up my stamina, lose a bit of fat and stick to a consistent workout routine. Life can become quite hectic, so I want to get myself back into a proper routine and focus on feeling good within myself. I am about to start my second ever cut, which is quite exciting and hopefully I will see some good changes in my health and physical appearance.
What’s your favourite way to train?
My favourite way to train is definitely in a gym and following set workouts, whether they are my own or someone else’s. I tend to train with functional workouts and my training will always incorporate some form of HIIT. I train to feel good, so the length of my sessions will vary depending on my emotions and how my body feels. The gym is a place I want to enjoy, so sometimes sessions have to be adapted, skipped or mixed up, to keep me focused and content.
What does a typical week look like for you?
Currently, I’m on my third year at uni so my current week would usually look like this:
Monday & Tuesday: gym in the morning, complete any uni work/assignments, and then I would probably be working in the evening.
Wednesday: Uni in the morning, maybe gym after but I would spend the rest of the day chilling and prepping meals.
Thursday & Friday: Uni work all day, no training and a chilled evening
Saturday & Sunday: Work all day, hit the gym after if I felt up to it, and then eat and sleep!
I try to hit 10k steps everyday as well, just to keep my activity levels higher.
What is your relationship with food like, do you track what you eat?
My current relationship with food is a lot better and healthier than it has been but I definitely have off days with eating. I have suffered from binge eating over the last couple of years, so sometimes I find the habits of this creep back into my mind, but I am a lot better at controlling it now. I am a snack kinda girl, who loves sweets and chocolate and crisps and although I allow myself to have the things I crave, I do try and be aware of how much I am eating and I will try to opt for better snacking options when I can. This girl has to have a pudding no matter what though!
I tracked my food for the majority of my weight loss journey but then had a few months away from any calorie tracking apps. As I’m now wanting to lose a bit more weight, I will be tracking my calories again, but I always allow myself to have a day away from it every week, so I don’t become obsessed and reliant on it.
Do you have any advice for beginners in fitness?
1. SET GOALS – simple. Long & short term goals. Make the realistic but challenging. Keep them in a note folder and keep coming back to them!
2. TELL PEOPLE – tell people that you’re starting a new journey. Making yourself accountable is key in staying on it.
3. BE REALISTIC – be organised and set aside times you can actually get to the gym. Make it a priority but make sure you’re fitting it into your lifestyle. Same with food.
4. PINTEREST – save all your meal inspo in a little folder. Keep the recipes and lunch ideas fresh & fun but easy!
5. USE INSTA – set up an account for you to share your journey. It keeps you passionate & focused
6. BULK COOK – prep all your lunches and a few dinners in one go. That way it’s all done & you can’t be too tempted by other things!
7. HAVE FUN – do things you enjoy. Try new recipes and gym classes. Find yourself. Do what makes you smile
8. DITCH THE LABELS – don’t ever see eating more nutritious foods as a ‘diet’. This isn’t a diet. If you want cake, fit it in your day. Be in control but enjoy yourself!
What do you do when you’re not feeling motivated?
If I am feeling unmotivated then I always give myself a break away from fitness. I wait until my body wants to work-out and eat ‘more clean foods’. I will reset my fitness goals and the things I want to achieve. Then I will start a new plan and routine for myself, take some progress pictures and it usually comes back from there! I definitely think that giving yourself breaks and re-evaluating your goals is always helpful and kickstarts your motivation!
What is your proudest achievement on your journey so far?
I think my proudest achievement is creating a body that I feel confident, happy and safe in. I finally appreciate the body I have, and it has allowed me to grow so much as a person. It’s really strange but losing weight and finding a love for fitness have made me a much better person all round. I am a lot more positive and I push myself to do things I never used to be able to do.
What quote do you live by?
One of my favourite quotes is: ‘Don’t let your ice cream melt while you’re counting somebody else’s sprinkles.’ – it reminds me not to compare myself to other people and to focus on myself, my own progress and my own achievements.
What are some of your favourite accounts to follow?
Okay, here is a list of Instagram accounts that I love:
Follow Imogen here.
