Saher
“You have truly changed my life”
Nothing really conveys a message of the journey that is possible with us than the actual words and experiences of some of those women who have followed the path less travelled themselves. The examples that accompany this page are just a small percentage of the stories that we have to tell, but because these are the ladies who have very kindly allowed us to use some of their photos as evidence of what can be achieved with educated effort, a little bit of faith, and a smidgeon of self discipline!
Female fat loss transformations can come in all shapes and sizes. Although I have coached some startling female fat loss reductions, the actual amount of weight lost, or even body fat % improved, is more often than not irrelevant to whether I judge my work a success. What really matters is how the “new, slimline / lean and toned” person f eels about their new image and how it can empower their life at every single level.
A prime case in point of this is the female fat loss transformation that I would like to focus on today. A personal training client, Saher, over the course of her fat loss transformation journey lost an incredible 70lbs and took her body fat % from the high 20s to below 15%. However to me that isn’t really a big deal because numbers in and of themselves mean nothing. What is an extremely big deal however, is how such a radical change can alter a person’s perspective on life. Suddenly everything seems just that little bit more “possible”. Challenges that would previously have been seen as insurmountable are now mere hurdles to be leaped over. The superficial boost of the fat loss transformation from a home body to a gym body can be great for the vanity and certain parts of one’s self esteem, but don’t underestimate the much deeper, and in many ways more important, changes in self worth and self confidence that come with regaining control over a once errant, and often malfunctioning, body.
In Saher’s own words, via a message that she sent me and very kindly allowed me to use in this blog in the hope that it can inspire other women to take real charge over their own bodies, here is how her own fat loss transformation helped to reshape her confidence and her self esteem:
Nick I wanted to thank you for many things. You have truly changed my life. I have NEVER looked this good and as vain as this is going to sound..I cant stop looking at myself in the mirror. My classes (she was a full time cardio teacher before I weaned her on to weight training for her fat loss transformation – kind of belies the myth that weights will make a woman bulky doesn’t it!) are absolutely packed because I’m in such good shape. Funny thing is because I now look so much younger not only can people not believe that I have a child, but I’m getting guys in their early 20s hitting on me-ha ha!!!! I find it hilarious. Not only is my confidence sky high it has made me realise so much about myself…I am reading more, I am studying more, I just want so much more from life!
I want to be the best I possibly can, which before I never believed I could be before…
Most of all Nick, I’m a much happier person and a better mother to my daughter as a result.
I weighed myself last week and I’m 7stone 12 lbs-for me that is truly incredible. I’ve never been in this shape, slim and with shape to my body and my small muscles and I feel amazing about myself.
Nick thanks again, I couldn’t have done it without your help, support and advice.
As great as the photos look, it is the last sentence that makes it all worth it for me. Contributing to helping a good person regain her self confidence and become empowered by changes made through the force of her own will (I provided the 1% of advice, and the rest is 99% her own will, grit and determination) makes me feel very privileged. It’s been a fantastic journey for Saher and I will watch her future progress with great interest and admiration.
Female fat loss transformations are harder than for men – the reason being that female hormones and lack of muscle mass mean in many cases that women have to work twice as hard as their male counterparts for 50% of the results. Get the right advice, don’t continue to do what you have always done (useless leg turning on the stationary bike is a pet hate of mine performed by too many females seeking fat loss) as otherwise you will never change, and above all else believe that you can do it because I guarantee that if you want it badly enough you can.
Sally: “The Master of Perfecting Female Bodies!”
“As I my late 30s approached, I’d made a conscious decision that I needed to recruit a PT – one that I was confident could offer me results, so was worth the money; who’d received excellent testimonials from women, let alone supermodels; who believed in my digestive condition and could use his/ her skills as a Nutritionist to improve it; who could rehabilitate my many injuries but most importantly, find someone who I could absolutely trust and respect and who had enormous respect in the industry. Nick Mitchell from UP stood out head and shoulders above the rest of the top personal trainers London had to offer. When I met with Nick, I immediately knew he would be the one to take me through my journey.”
What do you feel that you have achieved:
Immediate results! Within twenty sessions Nick had strengthened my shoulders/ back to the extent that I no longer needed surgery on either shoulder. My body changed shape immediately, with my arms gaining more definition and becoming my best feature. My problem area – legs looked far less stocky and leaner, especially above the knees. A little weight gain from muscle tone but a far stronger and fitter body that is functioning much better. My digestion is much improved through excellent nutritional advice and as a result, my joints are less problematic and my condition, controlled. I’ve also experienced improved clarity, determination and will power as I strive to achieve these results!
What have you learned:
That you can achieve amazing results, including fitness though weight training. I never expected to achieve much over and above strength through this method, and expected my cardio workout to consist of more traditional forms- versa climbers/ cross trainers (etc.) but have been proved very wrong. I never realised that my under Nick Mitchell, there is no duplication with exercises, every session is different, all punishing, some more than others…..yet all the while, I am fully challenged and reassured by Nick’s incredible knowledge of this area, and having fun attaining a better body.
What’s next for you:
Maintain my arm shape. Improve the impingement in both shoulders, and correct joint issues in my right shoulder through strengthening and stretching various muscle groups. Strive to attain the best body shape I can achieve, which includes a reduction in fat on the thighs, slim down my stomach and reduce cortisol storage, whilst improving overall fitness and strength. Once achieved, have some proper photos taken!
What would you be willing to tell others about your experience with us:
I can only, and only have ever sang Nick Mitchell’s praises. He is the King of weight training, and the Master of perfecting female bodies! If you wish to get results and achieve value for money, pay for a UP personal trainer. They’ll make you work hard for your money but no-one said getting fit was easy.
Tina:
“Years of sitting behind a computer screen and endless travel meant I got extremely out of shape. Untoned, unfit and enjoying a diet, which although not unhealthy, did actually do me more harm than good. Personal attempts at getting back into shape by attending the local gyms and seeing the local personal trainers there didn’t yield the results I would have liked after endless months. I was stuck in a rut and very frustrated with how I looked and felt. I had the motivation to do something about it, but knew I needed help from professionals who knew what they were doing. After reading an article about Nick Mitchell and UP in Women’s Fitness I decided to get in touch. The article struck a cord in me and the no nonsense approach and communication of UP’s website were really what spurred me on. Forgetting the frills of fancy gyms and personal trainers trying to get me into shape that were in questionable shape themselves. I decided the UP team were in a league of their own. The rest is history.”
Louise: “Turned Back The Clock 24 Years!”
“I started training with Rich Phillipps on 23 March 2009 as I was feeling increasingly frustrated with my own inability to lose weight and tone up. I had been going to the gym 6 days a week for 6 months, mainly attending classes, but ended up putting on weight and getter fatter around the middle!
Following my initial BioSignature readings Rich started me on nutrition and supplements plan and I trained with him 3 times a week for the first 4 months.
I am amazed at my progress – even within the first 3months it was dramatic – to date I have lost 11 kgs and many inches from my vital statistics! For me the most encouraging has been the massive inch loss from my hips (6inches), thighs (4 inches each), and waist (5 inches).
The nutrition plan has been challenging at times but now that I have adapted my way of cooking and preparing meals to eliminate the foods I should avoid yet still have the occasional ‘treat’ means I haven’t ever felt like giving up. And of course Rich has always been on hand with good advice and gentle but firm encouragement to persevere!
To maintain my new shape I now train twice a week with Rich and attend a Pilates class once a week.
I feel healthier and happier with improved sleep patterns and no more slumps in energy levels due to bad eating habits.
After years of yo-yo dieting I firmly believe that this is the way I will stay – a slim and toned size 10 (after being a size 14 for years). Even better, my husband loves that I am back to the way I was 24 years ago when we first met!”
Mel: “8.5% Body Fat Lost in Just Six Weeks!!”
“A simply unbelievable and life affirming experience – 8.5% body fat los in just six weeks!
I was unfit and overweight, with a slowly increasing dress size. I had always been a size 10-12 but more and more was starting to have to look at 12-14. I was unhappy with this but didn’t know where to start in terms of losing fat and getting back into shape.
What do you feel that you have achieved:
The numbers speak for themselves. I have dropped a stone in weight and more than halved my body fat percentage. Importantly for me I also dropped to a dress size 8 which has made me feel so much more confident. My body shape overall has improved and I am starting to see good definition. I feel more positive and have gained a healthy appreciation of exercise.
What have you learned:
I have learnt what to eat and what not to eat; and the importance of regular exercise, whilst retaining a sense of perspective. I know how to be good and if I have to be naughty how to do this without starting back on the slippery slope to increased body fat. Since working with Dave I have learnt such a huge amount about weight training and what my body is capable of which has given me huge confidence to continue training on my own.
What’s next for you:
I aim to maintain the results I have achieved by using the skills and knowledge Dave taught me. I have since joined a gym and I will continue with the weight training – a new thing for me as a girl training in what seems to be a predominantly male part of the gym!
What would you be willing to tell others about your experience with us:
Everything. That making the commitment to sign up to the full Ultimate performance package is not easy but if can stick with it and embrace it (helped with Dave’s relentless support!) the results can be fantastic! I am asked how I achieved my change all the time and I have to say that its down to the encouragement from Dave and UP helping me to make myself better!
EP: “I love My New Toned Body”
“I put on weight in the past few years due to no exercise and wrong diet. I felt horrible and unfit. It was my New Year resolution and I determined to lose weight, get fit, get healthy and improve my body shape.
I knew I wanted a hardcore personal trainer. I did some research on the internet and I was certain UP fitness could help me to reach my goal.”
What do you feel that you have achieved:
I see my body transform to the better shape. It is fantastic. I feel great, healthier, fitter and stronger! I have more energy than ever. I get compliments from people all the time which I am really proud of. All my hard work paid off 😉
I am really appreciative of all the efforts Mike Porter has helped me to get this fantastic body. He has great personal trainer qualities that I am looking for – hard core, drive and motivate me to push beyond my limits, know how to get the results, attention and high experience. The intense workout program is also what I am after and Mike is doing very good job.
What have you learned:
I learn the best way to do exercise and learn how to eat right. It was hard at the beginning as I had not done any exercise in the past few years. I am glad that I had will power and self discipline to change my life for the better. I now love workout in the gym, doing exercise to raise my heart beat, lift weight to tone up my muscle. If I don’t feel muscle ache the following day after workouts, I feel a bit upset.
What’s next for you:
I love my new toned body and no intention to give up my exercise routine and a healthy diet. I currently have a new mini goal to shape up my body a bit more so it looks even better and fitter.
What would you be willing to tell others about your experience with us:
I have no hesitation to recommend everyone who would like to get fit, lose weight, increase energy, tone up and build muscle mass with UP. All staff are really friendly, professional and helpful. The gym atmosphere really keeps me motivated as you can see others work hard to get the best results.
A Few Words on the UP experience from some of our other female clients:
Chiara: “I would like to Thank You For Your Kindness, Availability & Patience”
“Hi Nick,
Just a quick note to thank you and Daria for your great assistance and help on my 15 personal training sessions I’ve recently finished.
As I explained on my first meeting with you Nick and on my first session with Daria, I came to you to get some help readjusting my diet, digestion and possibly hormone balance, to find and learn how to train my body based on my muscles structure and knee difficulties, to improve strength and be able to handle stress better.
What I found was a lot more than what I was expecting. Daria helped me understand the reason why my body was feeling tired and unhealthy, she correct my diet not only giving me good advices but also adjusting all food and supplements weekly, based on my progress and my needs. She gave me really good advice on how to improve my sleep and my lifestyle just after my first session.
She was great explaining the benefits of each food and supplement and understanding or changing method promptly when needed. Every session was different and every week Daria changed my training program and increased the difficulty of each exercise following my needs/improvements. The work we did helped me understand a lot about my body and together we found always new and very effective ways to train and correct all my posture and past training mistakes.
Daria gave me really good advices on how to keep improving my strength and muscles at home with some easy exercises I could do between our sessions.
I can’t say it was easy to change my lifestyle, to completely modify my diet and start training all in once at the beginning, but she was very encouraging and always available for advice when I felt something was feeling strange or I was not sure of my body reactions, Daria’s sessions were always very challenging and intense but at the end of each one the feeling of achievement and the results made the hard work worth every minute.
After the first 5 sessions I suddenly felt my body was changing and my energy was definitively increasing, I got great results in terms of hormone balance and body readjustment. After 10 sessions my knees were hurting a lot less in the everyday activities and I started to feel better and less stressed, my hair, skin, nails, sleep and digestion got instantly better and I decided to do 5 extra sessions to keep exploring new ways of improving knee stability and strength and at the end of my 15 sessions I could really feel the difference and see my body starting to get leaner and more fit!
The improvements I could see doing my exercises were unbelievable!
Once again I really enjoyed training with you Daria and would like to thank you again and again for your kindness, availability, patience 😉 and encouragement, you are a real star!
I would definitively spread the word, and suggest Daria to all the people who like me, want to give a real shift to their life, in every aspect, and want to learn how to respect their bodies and themselves and improve their quality of life and health as well as their look!
Thank you guys!”
Olivia: “Going From Being Average To Good Is Brilliant”
The main reason I first contacted UP was because I had tried a number of different personal trainers but no matter what I did I was not getting the results I wanted. I never felt like I was pushed hard enough and frankly I have the kind of personality that can get away with being cheeky and doing little! Feeling hugely frustrated I did some internet research and found UP Fitness on a google search. I was really impressed with the website and the results I saw on that and decided I wanted a piece of that action!
What do you feel that you have achieved:
I am – without doubt – in the best shape I have ever been in. I have never in my life been pushed this hard and achieved so much so quickly. I am stronger, fitter and leaner than when I started – and significantly so on all fronts. I never thought I would be able to lift the weights I did in the last session – and I’m not sure I will be able to lift the weights Glenn asks me to in the next one! But I do know that it is possible to push yourself further and harder than you think you can. And the rewards are brilliant.
What have you learned:
I know that I am a challenging client! I am bolshy and I complain. A lot! I remember telling Glenn when we first started that the only outcome I wanted was to get leaner and that frankly I didn’t care about getting stronger or fitter – if they happened to be by-products of our training then so be it. How times have changed! I find doing strength exercises one of the most rewarding ways you can exercise – and it is an absolute thrill for my competitive nature to see the weights getting heavier week by week on each exercise I do. Going from being average to good is brilliant. But now I want to get better. If I can achieve a “Nice one” from Glenn then I know I’ve made it!
What’s next for you:
I am probably in the best shape I have ever been in my life…but that doesn’t mean I don’t crave for more. I really want to carry on using these sessions to get fitter, stronger & leaner as well as continue to have loads of fun in the process!
What would you be willing to tell others about your experience with us:
Glenn Parker is the best personal trainer I have ever trained with. I genuinely feel like he wants me to succeed, but he knows that to do that he has to be unbelievably mean to me! He has really understood how I work and adapted his style to make sure that we get the most out of our sessions. It’s results-oriented, rather than spending a couple of nice hours together each week. That is what I wanted from UP fitness and that is what I got. And I’ll tell anybody who will listen about it!
Wendy: After 3 Weeks The Return on My Investment Was Starting To Feel Really Good”
“For the past 3 years I’d flung myself into work nearly 24/7 and had gained over two stone in weight, had absolutely no work/life balance and a bad habit of having that large glass of wine in the evening. All of this manifested itself in a weight gain of over two stone, insomnia and well on the road to becoming ill and then the final smack round the face was the break up of my relationship. I finally saw the light and decided to ‘hit the gym, not the bottle’ so in March this year I laid down my hard earned cash as an investment in my future well being. I’d been to personal trainers before but from the first session with Daria I knew I was going to enjoy the hard graft. The first time I had to get the fat test with the calipers was quite frankly, embarrassing but it had to be done. No normal carbs for me and a bag full of supplements and info sheets on types of food that would be my life for the next few weeks. I dived into the new lifestyle and did exactly as Daria told me and put 120% into every session. After 3 or 4 weeks I started to notice the difference in my shape and weight, return on investment was starting to feel really good. After 8 weeks I was 2 sizes smaller and a new wardrobe was in place.
I decided to go for another 18 sessions and see how much more difference we could make. Daria made sure I was getting the right foods and supplements and the training was getting tougher – I was loving it! I’m now 3 sizes smaller, happy, sleep really well and have changed my lifestyle and in a way that’s sustainable, I still have the odd glass of vino, a bit of naughty food but it’s all under my control. My personal trainer Daria Tiesler has been fantastic and just when you think you can’t push out another bench press or squat she gets it out of you – awesome! I now have taken up triathlon and enjoying the sport. I have also decided to do another 18 sessions as maintenance and to work on getting my tummy as tight as possible. Oh, and single life is actually really fun!”
Tina Norrgrann: “In A League Of Their Own”
“My ambition was to lift weights and to achieve a very toned physique (ok, not to an extreme level) as a woman. No one person I had ever come across was able to convince me that they knew what they were talking about. I spent years with different personal trainers, magazines and books and ultimately they all left me more or less where I started. I often felt like I knew more than them about the subject, but not enough to get myself to where I wanted to be. So I started researching where to find that elusive mythical creature, a personal trainer who knows how to train women, taking into account hormonal differences, physiological differences and so forth. What I ended up with was Ultimate Performance and truly, they are in a league of their own when it comes to anything to do with fitness, nutrition, training and generally just having a great time while working yourself harder than you have ever done.”
What do you feel that you have achieved:
I broke through personal boundaries and proved to myself that I can do things I never thought possible (even though I really wanted these things I never really thought I could do them…).
What have you learned:
My nutritional needs are forever very clear to me, when I stray off the path I no longer go from one extreme to the other, or from one fad diet to the other. I know exactly what keeps my body in check, what balances my hormones and, the most important thing, what keeps me healthy in the long run. On the training front I have an amazing programme that I can always refer to, and I have muscles in places I used to only have bones sticking out! Farewell pigeon chest! Hello Michael! Nick assigned Michael Porter as my personal trainer and I struck gold there! I have never met anyone who knows how to get me motivated, how to push me very hard without putting me off and how to truly make me feel at ease with something that can be very intimidating in an intimidating environment. He is a training genius, and a very nice guy at that.
What’s next for you:
I am currently doing a BA in Creative Writing and English Literature so I am now a fully-fledged student with questionable finances, suspect eating habits and disturbed sleeping patterns. As such that doesn’t equal great training, but everything in good time. I am breaking another personal barrier and I enjoy pushing myself where I doubted I’d ever go in yet another area of life. I won an award for academic excellence in my first year, so when my student days are over I will be looking to achieve similar things in other arenas.
What would you be willing to tell others about your experience with us:
Absolutely everything good! I loved my time with UP. I admire and respect Nick and Michael so much and I would never consider going elsewhere if I needed results and hard-core KNOWLEDGE. I’ll be back, that much is certain.
Pippa, President Global Healthcare Company
Nick Mitchell. What a discovery. I cannot speak more highly of Nick. He is one of those rare trainers who has such a burning curiosity for learning and improving his already expansive knowledge around health. His objective is to optimise the best from the human body, even if it looks in such a sad, irretrievable shape as mine. Whereas I have some say as a President in the Boardroom, I have absolutely no say with Nick during the workout. He is the boss and there have been times where I have been pushed to the point of exhaustion (and wanting to drop that 30 kg weight on his big toe), somehow he just makes me dig deeper. And where else in London can you find a personal trainer who looks like what he preaches, who is also the owner of the private gym Ultimate Performance, a graduate of English Literature , and an ex Barrister, with a great sense of humour. Love him or hate him, you just keep coming back for more.
Marili – “Lost 20kgs With No Impact Upon My Mood”
After a huge weight gain during my pregnancy I had to lose 30 kgs in the most efficient and healthy way.
Due to a knee injury there was little sport I thought I could do and had been off-and-on swimming but doing nothing else. I also work in a highly stressful environment (Financial Services) and so diets have always ended after a couple of weeks trying.
What do you feel that you have achieved:
What has been incredible with UP Fitness and especially thanks to Justin Maguire’s training and nutrition advice, is that in 7 months I have lost 20 kgs with no impact on my mood. In fact I have lowered all my levels of cholesterol, BMI, etc.. and I feel much healthier and happier.
Justin has motivated me throughout the training and thanks to his follow-up and advice with my way of eating I never felt I was deprived of anything. I have managed to keep the diet for almost 8 months now despite frequent business trips, holidays and social events. I can’t deny I did not break the diet from time to time but I have been always advised and motivated by Justin and therefore was back on it immediately.
I feel I have achieved a different way of looking at exercise and weight training and I now feel bad if I miss a session. I actually miss it!
What have you learned:
I have learnt that exercise if properly tailored for you (as Justin has been doing) is wonderful and actually makes you feel and look good!
Also the nutritional advice given has now been incorporated in my way of eating and I have changed my eating habits.
What’s next for you:
I would like to continue until I have lost the full 30 kgs (10 more to go) and then I would like to continue the exercise with Justin as it has become a treat for me!
What would you be willing to tell others about your experience with us:
Definitely! It will help others who like me had given up on exercise and dieting.
Yasmin: “To Say This Has Positively Impacted My Life Would Be A Huge Understatement”
I finally reached a point in my life when I realised that I have never, not once been happy with my body or my health. I have had many personal trainers over the years and been to many nutritionists but much to my frustration it was only ever a short term solution at best, usually I was just not achieving the results I wanted to see, therefore my motivation to continue was short lived. I was overweight, had terrible mood swings, was constantly fatigued and even more confused about ‘healthy’ foods than ever before. I needed proper advice from a serious professional, I wanted the best.
I browsed many websites but Ultimate Performance really caught my attention, I liked the site but what really impressed me was the content. I was determined to reach my goals and my personal trainer was equally determined to help me achieve them. We started our session with a bio signature assessment, something I had never heard of. During which he was correctly analysing my patterns and behaviours such as ‘you don’t sleep very well do you?’ I had never mentioned sleep and was impressed by his obvious knowledge and experience. Richard is one of the most professional people I have ever met, he gave me sound advice and completely transformed my mindset on every aspect of my health and wellbeing. He contradicted a lot of my previous beliefs, but he earned my trust from the very first session and I therefore decided to follow his advice to the letter. He then proceeded to address my issues one at a time. The diet he gave me to follow is straightforward although it was challenging to start with, I soon adapted to it. Although I’d taken supplements before, those recommended by Richard are amazing. Over the following weeks I starting sleeping better, my moods improved and my energy levels increased dramatically, as a former coffee addict I am amazed at how much better I feel without it.
I have not been ill once since starting, my hair is thicker and my nails are really strong. I have learned so much and I have even incorporated a lot of it into my children’s lives. I will continue training and working towards getting leaner and healthier. My expectations have been greatly exceeded and to say that Richard has positively impacted my life, would be a huge understatement.
I would highly recommend Richard and the team at Ultimate Performance for anyone who is serious about their health and their life.
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*Please note, these articles on BioSignature Modulation are maintained for historical interest and no longer reflect our current practices. We do not endorse BioSignature as a methodology.
