Health scare shocks mum of two to lose 12 stone

Two years ago, 28 year old mum of two, Amy Sewell weighed 22 stone and was dangerously overweight. So much so, that she began to suffer from heart palpitations and had to be referred to her local hospital by her GP after a routine check up proved her heart problems to be more serious than previously thought.

Amy continued to be monitored at hospital and it was discovered her heart was beating irregularly and had become enlarged from the pressure of being overweight.

“I couldn’t believe it when the doctor told me how serious my condition was,” said Amy, “the thought of Abbie and Christian (Amy’s children) growing up alone, without me really shocked me into seeing sense. I wasn’t living healthily and idefinitely wasn’t happy. It was time to make a change for the better!”

Amy went to see a dietician at the hospital who started her off on three healthy, well rounded meals a day and she lost 5 stone just by changing her eating habits and incorporating more fruit and vegetables into her diet.

“He encouraged me to still enjoy my food, not starve myself and really get rid of the negative connotations I was holding against dieting and food in general. The weight just kept dropping off and igathered up enough confidence to get into my local gym and have a few personal training sessions. I discovered that I really enjoy boxing and love keeping fit in the ring. I haven’t looked back since!”

Having achieved so much Amy decided nothing was going to hold her back, and she made the decision to take herself back to college and study for an NVQ Level 2 in Health & Fitness Instruction. “I started going to evening classes and took a 6 month work placement at my local gym in Peterborough. I couldn’t believe my luck when the job at Harpers Fitness appeared at Deepings Leisure Centre; it was five minutes drive from my house!”

“I went to the interview thinking imight be in with the chance of one day being a personal trainer but it turned out the interview was for the position of Fitness Manager. The rest, as they say, is history and I started in January this year. We’ve seen a massive increase in clients and more members in training programmes too.”

“Amy not only lost an awful lot of weight over the past two years but she’s also succeeded in creating a successful career for herself in the fitness and leisure industry,” says Dan Summerson, Harpers Fitness Regional Health & Fitness Manager, “Since Amy took over we have taken over £2,200 in site sales for Deepings Leisure Centre and she single-handedly manages the fitness initiatives at the centre. She has no fitness team working with her. Amy’s a real inspiration and an example of the fighting Harpers spirit.”