Monday 12 February 2024

National Heart Month

February is National Heart Month and on Friday I visited the Leeds General Infirmary for my 4 yearly check-up, so what better time to raise the importance of taking care of our hearts.

I was born with Congenital Heart Disease (CHD), Primum Atrial Septal defect (link to my condition below if anyone wants to see), aka a hole in the heart and I have two leaky valves. My heart condition was picked up when I was two years old on a routine health care visit. I was monitored and then at the age of nine I had open heart surgery.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BBnt0jNpyw

As it has been something I have grown up with I have always got on with it, I have led a normal life and go for check up’s every 4 years. There are certain things that I should avoid like piercings and tattoo’s (although didn’t take on board the tattoo advice!) and need to take extra care with my dental hygiene.

I was on my way home on Friday and for the first time in all these years I felt really emotional after my hospital visit.

I think there are many factors which led to those emotional feelings. The last time I went for a check-up was when I was pregnant. Through my pregnancy I had to have my own heart check to make sure I was strong enough to cope with pregnancy and also had a foetal scan to make sure that the baby hadn’t inherited the same condition as I had. Those pregnancy appointments and all previous appointments were attended with Mum. So being sat in the waiting room on my own hit home more than ever!

Whilst I sat waiting I decided to read all the information which was scattered around the waiting area – I am not sure if this was new information or maybe I had just not noticed it before, but the one QR code I was keen to scan through was the exercise recommendations for those who have CHD. Now I can’t recall if any information was given on what exercise I should or shouldn’t be doing when I was younger, and the parent who would remember these things is no longer with us L

During the ultrasound on my heart the practitioner asked if I was active as I had a low heart rate and also asked what type of exercise I did. When I went through to see the heart nurse she also asked the type of exercise I did as certain types of exercise (mainly high intensity) were not suitable for certain types of heart conditions. Now luckily the condition I have is ok to do most types of exercise! Thank god for that as over the years I have carried on like anyone without a heart condition.

I think this stems from exercise being part of my childhood, I had active parents and I have always been active. I will never be able to improve my CHD condition however, I can look after my overall heart health by being active and eating healthy.

On my way home, I drove past my daughter’s nursery and I timed it when my Dad was picking her up. After a beep from me, the number one reason why I want to be healthy for as long as possible gave me the biggest wave and smile and blew me a kiss!

If you don’t have the motivation to look after your health for you, then do it for those you love and those who love you!

Tuesday 1 August 2023

Start with WHY

 As I was tidying up at the weekend I came across the well-known book by Simon Sinek, ‘Start with Why’. For those who have not read it, it is a great book and would definitely recommend reading it. Sometimes when we are on the daily treadmill of life we often forget why we do what we do……however, we all have a ‘WHY’ that gives our lives meaning and fulfilment.

So today I thought I would reflect on why I do what I do and also get writing a blog again!

For me exercise has always been an important part of my life, when I was younger I probably didn’t see it that way, it was something that I just did. I grew up with active parents, going to keep fit classes with Mum (yes with the leotard and leg warmers!) and been dragged along at weekends to watch either Dad or Mum do some sort of running. I used to think they were bloody nuts….. who runs for fun!?

From the age of 9 I was in the majorettes, which at the time I didn’t see it as exercise, it was something I did as a hobby, however, training twice a week with competitions and galas on a weekend certainly kept me active.

As I got older, I left the majorettes around about the time when booze and boyfriends became a priority. It was then that I thought I would try running and see what all the fuss was…..I hated it and soon stopped! Luckily I tried it again and really got into long distance running. For me that was the start of my adulthood fitness journey. I also started going to the gym, but didn’t really get into it properly until I started my degree, which also coincided with my boyfriend at the time being a PTI in the Army……so no excuse for me not exercising!

Like many graduates, I came to a cross road in what I wanted to do after University, I dabbled with the idea of joining the army myself, however, I soon realised that wasn’t for me. This is when I had the idea for Fit 4 Force. After attending the pre assessment day for the Army, at the time I realised that there was no specific training out there to prepare for the assessments required to join the forces. I had my why! As time evolved, so did the business, I was targeting a very niche market, which a lot of the forces were halting recruitment.

Over the last 12 years the business has changed, the sessions I offer has changed, the original target audience has changed, however, the core principles of improving health and fitness has stayed throughout. I have committed customers who have been with me from the start, who want to keep improving their health and wellbeing on a weekly basis and that is why I keep doing what I do.

This time last year I was at a point where I was deciding if it was time to call it quits. Covid had a negative impact on the business, alongside lockdown I lost my Mum to breast cancer and had a baby! I was at an emotional, exhausted time in my life and wasn’t sure I had the energy to carry on.

I sent an email to my customers to say that it was time to come to an end, as soon as I did I felt so sad as I didn’t want it to come to an end – luckily neither did my customers, the response I had to keep going made me realise that I had made an impact on people’s lives and continue to do so. Plus, my biggest ‘WHY’ now is my daughter. Just like Mum and Dad created the Legacy with me that exercise is important I am doing the same with her. She is the only one I know who likes to do Burpees for fun!

Again the business has adapted to the phase of life I am in now, however, for me keeping fit and healthy to be around for Sofia and showing her the importance of keeping healthy are the most important WHY’s. The other day she made my day as she asked if she could have a new bootcamp t-shirt, a purple one like Mummy’s……

 

 

Monday 27 March 2023

Mummy Keep Going....

 

There I was just plodding along putting one foot in front of the other, sweating my backside off and breathing like I was about to have a cardiac arrest. I was doing an 8 mile run, on a route which I have completed many times over the years and a distance I used to do without thinking – yet here I was running this particular distance and route a hell of a lot slower than I had since I started running over 20 years ago!

It got me thinking about all the things I have completed over the years and how my life is so different. I am older, I am a different person and my circumstances are very different to 20 years ago. However, why do we still try compare ourselves or try compete with our younger self?

If I had done that time 5 or 10 years ago I would have been really disappointed, however, the difference this time was I was running with a two and half year old in a running buggy! So what might look like regression on paper (i.e. slower time) the practicality of it was I was achieving more, just at a slower pace. Anyone who has ever run with a running buggy will know that it is bloody hard! The bigger she gets the harder my training.

It was also on this run that I thought I need to keep doing my blogs, something I used to do on a weekly basis, I dropped off from doing them through pregnancy/grief/covid and wrote my supposed ‘come back blog’ over 6 months ago!

One thing I have always made time for is some sort of fitness, over the years that has changed depending on my goals and over the last few years has evolved as I have to maximise my training in shorter work-outs.

Whatever goal we have in life, fitness or business, consistency is key. Life often gets busy and it is hard to juggle many plates, but keep putting one foot in front of the other and we will eventually get to where we want to get. When I got to the top of a hill the other week and bent over the pram to catch my breath, a little voice said ‘Mummy keep going’ and that is my reason to keep putting one foot in front of the other…….. what is yours?

Wednesday 5 October 2022

My come back blog!

 26th October 2020 was the last time I wrote a blog......nearly two years ago! Two years!! I used to write blogs on a weekly basis, so now is the time to get back into doing something I love!

The last two years has changed so many people and their habits so I am sure that I am not the only one who has let something slide that they once did on a regular basis.

If you read my last blog (on 26th October 2020) then you will be aware that quite a lot has happened in my life over the last two years and if I am honest I haven't prioritised writing into my schedule or had the passion to do so.

Last week I attended the first session of a 12month accelerate course I am on for work (the day job, not bootcamp) and after only one session it has made a difference. One task was to complete a time picture of our week, this was broken down into half hour slots and the first thing I did on Friday when I was back in the office was to put my weekly schedule down on paper.

It has been such a game changer this week, I now have set times where I check my emails and phone, set times for meetings and each half day is broken down into different tasks/areas I need to focus on.

One thing I have always prioritised and features on my time picture is time where I exercise, for me this is a none negotiable....the benefit exercise has on both my physical and mental health means that I do not compromise on this. Over the last two years I have had to adapt my training (especially when gyms were shut due to COVID) and I have had to train smarter & harder in the short time I can allocate each day. This was a big struggle to start with as I felt like it was a military operation to get out of the house to go train after nursery drop off and before work. However, I have realised that even if I only have 20 minutes, that is better than nothing at all. Plus I now have an energetic toddler to run around after so I need to keep fit! 

Lack of time is one of the main excuses we use not to do something, whether this is exercise, completing certain tasks at work, cleaning the house or taking time out for some 'me time'. If you sit down and plan your week in half hour slots then you will probably realise that you have more time than you think.........if you cut your screen time down in half you will more than likely fit in a training session!

Today is my warm up to getting back into writing - I won't be back to writing my weekly blog in Costa like I used to, however, I am committing to at least once a month and hopefully some of what I share will help you make changes where needed and help you prioritise your health.

Keep on eye out for my next blog where I will talk about my biggest job role to date!

It feels good to be back - even if I do feel a bit rusty!

Andrea (come back blogger) Springthorpe


Monday 26 October 2020

Nothing is more dangerous than missed time with loved ones!

 

There it was a faint blue line, I had to keep blinking to make sure my eyes weren’t deceiving me & to also get rid of the tears! It was Friday 27th September 2019 and my dream had finally come true as I was pregnant! I cancelled my gym session and got ready for work as I couldn’t wait to go and break the news to my Mum and Dad. Before I got to my parent’s house I was washing up and I burst into tears, I was so happy, scared and also slightly sad that I didn’t have a partner to share it with.

My route to pregnancy was less than traditional and a far cry for what I had ever hoped or imagined doing. Like most people I imagined that I would have settled down with Mr Right and planned a family with someone I love. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out that way, I found myself at 40 years old, single and worried that I didn’t have much time left as my biological clock was ticking. So I made a decision to embark on motherhood alone, when I say alone I mean without a partner in the ‘traditional’ way as I had the support of my Mum and Dad and some amazing friends.

I made an appointment at a fertility clinic to look at using a donor to get pregnant. I can remember driving there feeling nervous, worried about what they would say and what the cost would be! But mainly I felt embarrassed and disappointed that I had got to this stage in my life and had not met anyone, I felt a failure in the relationship department.

After my initial consultation, several tests later and discussing with my parents I decided to go down the IUI route using donor sperm, which is basically like having sex at the right time without the fun! I was advised that IVF may be my better option due to my age and my fertility level, however, I went with my gut and wanted to try the most natural way possible. I had never tried for a baby before, in fact you spend most your adult life trying to avoid it that you don’t realise how complicated and how crucial timing is. I paid for three cycles (3 go’s) and I left it to fate.

I have always been one to try and think positive the majority of the time, I believe in the law of attraction and I had a baby boy and baby girl in my ‘vision book’. I also have a good looking husband so he is yet to transpire lol.

My period came after the first go and I was absolutely devastated! This really highlighted how much I wanted this and how much was riding on it, one attempt down and two to go. I booked myself into reiki, reflexology, stopped drinking and started to imagine myself pregnant. After the second round I started with the usual sore boobs, stomach cramps, feeling fed up, I was certain my period was on its way. I remember sat in a meeting at work and feeling disappointed as I thought my period had arrived as I had stomach ache, however, my period didn’t come and the following day I did my test as instructed by the clinic and there was my thin blue line!!

I flew round to my parent’s house before work as I couldn’t wait to tell them, my Dad was in the kitchen and he just asked what I was doing there and then asked if I was pregnant! I heard my Mum come running down the stairs as she had heard the news, they were both super excited as it was their first grandchild.

That Sunday I was round at my parents’ house and my Mum was in the kitchen crying. I was worried that she wasn’t happy for me, however, she was worried that history would repeat itself and that she wouldn’t get to see the baby. My Mum’s Dad lost his battle with cancer when my Mum was 5 months pregnant with my older brother. She was having treatment for secondary breast cancer which she was re-diagnosed with in 2015. I told her that she was being daft as she was as fit if not fitter than most people I know and was responding to treatment really well.

I was lucky that I had a fairly straight forward pregnancy, not much sickness, I still managed to exercise and started to grow a cute little bump. I got such a positive response from people when I told them that I had done it on my own and I soon realised that it was the best decision in the circumstances I was in. The best thing was I had no one to argue with over baby names! Over the first few months of my pregnancy my Mum had a few wobbles as her main worry was not seeing the baby, the week after I found out I was pregnant her treatment had to be changed as the chemo tablets she was on had stopped working, however, they had an alternative and could keep treating her. I kept telling her she was being daft as she was going to be around to be the best Nana ever!

After New Year my Mum started feeling more and more tired, a side effect of the stronger chemo. She had been so lucky as over the years she never really suffered with side effects of the treatment, she came to boot camp, kept fit and lived a normal life.

On Wednesday 11th March after a few days in hospital we got the devastating news that there were no more treatment options left for my Mum and that she had months to live! I was 28 weeks pregnant. My world fell apart and all I wanted was for my Mum to see my baby. I thought once she came home she would perk up and she only had 11 weeks to wait till she met her first grandchild. I never wanted to find out the sex of the baby as I wanted the ultimate surprise, I had to have a scan on the 18th March as the baby was measuring small, I was worried it was down to the stress. I asked at the hospital if they would write the sex down so I could pass to my Mum as in the space of a week she had massively declined. They wouldn’t do that so I booked a private scan for the following day so I could give to my Mum that way so would at least know the sex of the baby. That evening at 7.25pm my Mum passed away and my whole world fell apart. Nothing can ever prepare you for losing a parent, let alone losing one too soon. I lost my Mum, my best friend and my birthing partner. It breaks my heart every day that she never got to meet her grandchild. I never got to have the scan to find out the sex, up to that day I would have been happy with either sex, however, losing my Mum made me long for a baby girl, that way I could make some sense of it all and hope that part of my Mum lived on in a little girl.

Four days later we had to deal with our first mother’s day without her, then the day after, Monday 23rd March the UK went into lock down due to COVID 19!!

29 weeks pregnant stuck at home in a pandemic, lost my Mum and not sure if we can even have a proper funeral for her. I felt lost, heartbroken and so alone. Here we were as a family coping with grief, I was worried about embarking on motherhood without my Mum or the support of a partner and I had to listen to people moan about home schooling and working from home!

17th April we had a funeral for my Mum, not the one she deserved as we were only allowed 10 people there! She was loved by so many and I know that the crematorium would have been packed out if it had been any other time. We had to sit apart, we couldn’t hug family and friends who were there and we couldn’t have a wake afterwards. To say it was shit is an understatement. The one thing that did make it easier was that people lined the street when my Mum left the family home for the last time to say their goodbyes. We plan to have a full memorial service when all this COVID crap is over, never did we imagine it to have gone on as long as it has!

On top of all this I had to change the structure of bootcamp and deliver it over zoom, which served a purpose at the time but it is not the same as doing live training. I watched my turnover gradually decrease as people had to cancel contracts due to their own personal circumstances, just something else negative to deal with in 2020!

The last few months of my pregnancy were never how I imagined it, the image of me shopping with my Mum, preparing the house and generally getting excited was all blown out the window. Hospital appointments were attended alone, I was shit scared about giving birth and how I would manage looking after a baby without my Mum. The decision to go it alone was made so much easier as I knew I had both my Mum and Dad around, never did I imagine that half of that duo wouldn’t be around to see it.

On Thursday 4th June 2020 I gave birth to a gorgeous little girl with my Dad by my side. I never imagined that my Dad would be my birthing partner as he is squeamish like me and I am not sure he was even there for the crucial moment when my brother and I were born! My Dad wanted to be there and he said it would be what Mum would have wanted. Luckily he was allowed with me, only after I went onto the labour ward. He became a bit of a legend in the eyes of the midwives and he managed not to faint haha. After 4 hours of labour Sofia Lily Springthorpe was born at 02.20am weighing 7lb 9oz. It was a stressful few minutes after the birth as she wasn’t breathing on her own, there were about 6 doctors and nurses trying to get her to breath, I was in tears as I hadn’t heard her cry, I couldn’t take any more heartache. The cry eventually came and I held my daughter for the first time. I would like to say that I instantly found her beautiful, however, here was this little bruiser with a squashed face, hair matted to her and she was giving me some competition in the cleavage department! I soon fell in love and spent two days in hospital before I went home.

Those two days were hard, I had to have stitches, I had lost a lot of blood and my iron level was really low. I struggled with breast feeding and I missed my Mum like hell. To top it off I wasn’t allowed any visitors. In hindsight I probably left hospital too soon as I really didn’t feel well in myself due to the lack of iron, however at the time I just wanted to get home.

We moved in with my Dad as there was no way I could have coped at home alone! No one tells you about the first two weeks of motherhood and women must forget to go on and have more children. My emotions were like something off a Ronan Keating song as I wanted to cry all the time, the hospital must have forgotten to give me my Haynes manual so I had no idea what was right or wrong. To add to the misery, the first time I went to the toilet it felt like giving birth again, where was the gas and air when I needed it!!  I was in pain after having stitches so just moving in bed hurt, my once strong core could barely let me sit up out of bed and the once toned stomach now looked like a deflated balloon! No matter how rough it was at the time it was all made worthwhile every time I looked at my beautiful daughter (by this time the little bruiser had blossomed lol) The protection and love I feel for this little girl is indescribable.

To this day I look at Sofia and I can’t believe I have created something so beautiful and perfect. I often sit and cry when I look at her as I can’t believe my Mum never got to see her. I do believe my Mum is watching over us and that she has seen her, however, I never got to see my Mum’s reaction to her, to my Mum spoiling her and being the amazing Nana I know she would have been…….and Sofia never got to see my Mum’s beautiful face.

When Sofia was 11 weeks old I had to go back to the hospital where my Mum had been the week before she passed away as one of my breasts was lumpy! I thought it was down to pregnancy but my GP referred me to the hospital. I met with the consultant who straight away said he saw a lump! I had a mammogram, then an ultrasound and I had to have 3 biopsies there and then as they had seen some lumps which the wanted to investigate. I was sat in the consultant’s room shaking as he told me that he can’t say it’s cancer but he can’t say it’s not cancer! I was on my own and I walked out of the hospital in complete shock, never did I imagine my day would turn out like that. I drove home in tears and had to tell my Dad what the hospital had said. He was so upset as he said he couldn’t go through all this again. My heart sank with worry, if something happened to me what would happen to Sofia!! The wait for the results seemed like a lifetime. I had to go for an MRI scan and my Dad was allowed to the hospital with me for the results. Thank god they came back clear!! I have to go back in 3 months just to make sure they are pregnancy related! This on top of everything else had me at breaking point!

My Dad and brother have been absolutely amazing and adore Sofia (she is going to have them wrapped around her finger when she is older!). I have amazing friends who have the same views as me, so have been there for me from the day lockdown happened. I have had support from friends I haven’t seen for years and if it hadn’t been for all those people I don’t know how I would have coped. Sofia is also lucky that she has a group of ‘Aunties’ that adore her nearly as much as I do. In so many ways she came along at the wrong time as my Mum missed her, however, on the flip side, she came along at the right time as she has eased the pain of losing Mum ever so slightly and is the one thing in 2020 that has put a smile on my face.

COVID has effected people in different ways, for me it has taken away the experience I should have had when dealing with the biggest two things that will probably happen in my life. I shouldn’t be experiencing the death of my Mum so soon, or so close to me having my first child, let alone in the middle of a pandemic.

My biggest regret is not having the balls to embark on motherhood alone a lot sooner, if I had then my Mum would have met the gorgeous little girl I get to call my daughter. Nothing in the world right now can be more dangerous than missed time spent with those you love and care for!

Life is short, make the most of it!

Thursday 30 January 2020

Diverse, energetic and challenging......

Can you believe that January is almost over! January normally drags, however, this year it seems to have flown by! Been busy and getting older might have something to do with it too! It has been great being back after Christmas, seeing new people as well as regulars putting their all into the sessions each week.

I was away with friends at the weekend, which was lovely and included walks (to the pub) great food and even better company. I honestly don't think there is anything better than spending time with and surrounding yourself with the right people. People who make you laugh, people who are there when things are tough and people who motivate you to be the best version of yourself without trying to compete. Surrounding yourself with the right people has such a positive impact on your happiness and energy.

Last week I shared the experience of a couple of clients and today I want to share the experience of a couple more. This week it involves our international client Gillian, who has been over for a couple of weeks and made a visit to our boxing session last night before she flies back this weekend!



Surround yourself with positive people and see how your energy improves!

Click here for diverse, energetic and challenging training

Click here improve health & gain confidence
Andrea (loves to laugh) Springthorpe
07949 959 547
info@fit4force.co.uk
www.fit4force.co.uk


 

Thursday 23 January 2020

When apprehension evaporates with sweat!

Mid to late January is normally when people's new year resolutions tend to get broken, dry January lasted, for some, only a few days, the routine of getting up earlier to be productive is broken and I have found it hard to get back into the routine of writing a blog! If I am honest I feel like I have had a bit of a block when it comes to content......until this week! I have been gathering client testimonials and reading them has given me a boost and put a smile on my face, as the people who come to my sessions are what make what I do so enjoyable.

Since being back after the Christmas break I have had new people sign up, even though they struggled to walk after the taster ;) It can feel scary coming to something new, even for the avid fitness fanatic, let alone someone who hasn't exercised in years! For someone starting after the new year can be twice as hard, this is normally when most people feel they are the most unfit they have been. Add to that, the regular exercises are normally kitted out in their new gear (from Christmas presents) so can look even scarier to a newbie!

Everyone has been a newbie at some point, whether that is in their job, a new town or starting a new exercise regime.

Today I wanted to share with you the experience of a couple of my clients, see what they have to say instead of me for a change! This week is the story of Stacey and John, watch out over the next few weeks for what some of my other clients have to say....including an international one!


If you want to embark on your own journey then click one of the links below.....

Click here to get fit, have fun and train with like minded people

Click here to kick start your healthy eating.
Andrea (was also a newbie once) Springthorpe
07949 959 547
info@fit4force.co.uk
www.fit4force.co.uk