Lisa Chatfield first became my PT around mid-March last year (2022) about six weeks after I had had major surgery. At that time, Lisa would come to my home three times a week and workouts would only last 30 minutes, tailored to what I could do and what was recommended medically. And 30 minutes was all I could do! I was not too well at that point and could barely walk down to the end of the street but Lisa literally encouraged my every step. I gradually got better and workouts were extended to 45 minutes. All I wanted was to feel stronger and Lisa completely understood that this was the aim of our sessions and so I never felt exhausted or overwhelmed.
2022 was not a great year for me and I had to have another four surgeries (two of which were major) but Lisa continued to plan each work-out to what I could achieve. With each surgery, I amazed my doctors with how quickly I recovered and this was because I was getting physically stronger. And personally, it got to the stage where I could hardly wait for my six-weeks’ ‘all clear’ from my surgeon so that I could work out again because of the positive effect on my overall mental health and well-being.
The beginning of 2023 was a milestone as I could finally work out at the gym and do one hour sessions. I now work out four times a week with Lisa and she pushes me to get ever stronger. The feeling I have at every session of “You must be joking; I will never be able to do that!” is always present but I seem magically to exceed all expectations. However, apart from feeling a bit “achy” sometimes after sessions, I have never felt that I have hurt myself or gone too far. I think this because of Lisa’s understanding of how women’s bodies work.
Lisa has also really encouraged me to adopt a much healthier lifestyle and diet and I have been able to lose almost a stone and a half since the beginning of the year. When I first started working out with Lisa, I was always on some new faddy diet or another and had got to my wit’s end over what I should or should not be eating. I could not face breakfast and would not eat until about 2pm when I would be so ravenous, I would grab whatever I could and stuff it down.
Lisa encouraged me to start having breakfast and gave me several healthy options to try. This made the world of difference as I began to eat more sensibly and mindfully. As I was not ravenous at lunchtime, I could slow down and make healthier choses. And this new way of eating extended to dinner time. With the food advice that Lisa has given me (and still gives me) I now eat more than ever but really healthy, tasty food and am able to control my sugar-cravings – something I had thought was impossible.
Even though I have been away several times this year, I have still managed to lose weight and have lost that awful, restrictive “always on a diet” mindset.
I have Lisa to thank for the amazing feeling of confidence I had recently at my eldest’s graduation in the outfit I was longing to wear
My sessions with Lisa are of course challenging, but it’s not always about the weights I’m lifting. We ‘put the world to rights’ during our sessions, and also have a good laugh in the process. Its all of this that i enjoy. Lisa is the funniest, most entertaining and positive human being and the effect she has had on my health and strength and well-being has been immeasurable.
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