I didn’t grow up as the sporty kid. In fact, for a long time, I believed exercise just wasn’t meant for me. But my journey with movement has taught me otherwise — and it’s shaped everything I do today.
Living with Asthma in Childhood
I was diagnosed with asthma when I was around three years old, and honestly, it’s just something that’s always been part of my life. During school, exercise was absolutely brutal. I wasn’t given any support or training to manage my asthma, so every time I was forced to run, I would end up having an asthma attack. I probably averaged one every few months. It got to the point where I’d hide in the PE shed and tidy everything up just to avoid the sessions.
I always knew I was the worst in the class at PE. I vividly remember nearly passing out in the middle of the school field trying to run 800 meters, and one of my friends sprinting across the grass shouting for the teacher because I’d had “another” asthma attack. It felt isolating, embarrassing, and like there was no space for me in the world of fitness.
Discovering Gymnastics
But then there was gymnastics. From a really young age, I absolutely loved it. I started at Tumble Tots when I was about four, then moved on to a group called Gym Bobs. Later, I joined the school gymnastics club. Because gymnastics wasn’t cardio-heavy, it didn’t trigger my asthma like running did. Plus, being hypermobile, a lot of the movements felt natural to me. For once, I had found a way to move my body that actually felt good.
Becoming a Gymnastics Coach
Around 15, I naturally transitioned into coaching at the school gymnastics club. I realised I had probably hit my ceiling with what I could achieve as a gymnast, but I still loved the sport and wanted to stay involved. I started working with the younger kids, and when I was 17, I was offered an evening coaching job at Northgate Arena. The head coach there had heard about me through my school coach. I absolutely loved coaching from the start — even though it would take me another 15 years to circle back to working in fitness full time.
How My Journey With Exercise Shaped Me
Looking back, those early experiences completely shaped how I view exercise and health. I never wanted anyone to feel how I did growing up — left behind, unsupported, and scared of moving their own body. I understood that exercise was vital for my health, but nobody ever showed me how to do it safely and with confidence. I was quite emotionally scarred from it all and had to take things painfully slow, building myself up piece by piece as my asthma slowly improved.
Even later, when I hired a PT at university, they pushed me so hard that I ended up having another asthma attack mid-session. It just reinforced that no one understood what I needed.
It wasn’t until much later, when I was a member at PureGym Runcorn just after COVID, that everything changed. I was training for my first ever 10k run — something I genuinely never thought was possible for the girl who used to collapse on the school field. As I trained, I realised I needed to work on my strength to stay injury-free, so I hired my friend Lee Morton (who was a PT at PureGym and is now my colleague!). Lee opened my eyes to the importance of strength training.
It wasn’t a perfect journey — I didn’t always do everything he wanted me to — but the seed was planted, and luckily, it stuck.
At the time, I was still working in marketing in the finance world, but it wasn’t making me happy. After my dad passed away, I had a huge shift in perspective. I knew I wanted a career where I could truly help people. I narrowed it down to either becoming a carer or a personal trainer. I chose PT first, thinking I could always become a carer if it didn’t work out.
Thankfully, it did work out. While studying for my qualifications, I spent a lot of time thinking about what type of PT I wanted to be. I knew right away that I wanted to create a wraparound service, because my own health journey wasn’t just about lifting weights — it was about combining exercise, nutrition, and healthy habits. One day, the name The Holistic Health PT came to me, and that was it — my business was born.
Final Thoughts
Exercise has never been about perfection for me. My journey with exercise has been about survival, healing, and finding a way to move that feels right for my body. I know what it’s like to feel like exercise isn’t for you — but I also know how life-changing it can be when you find your way into it, on your own terms.
Life in Runcorn
Now, I live and work as a Personal Trainer in Runcorn, where everything really started to come together for me. It’s not just where I found my strength, it’s where I built a community and a business that I love. I’m proud to be part of this town, helping others believe in themselves the same way I had to learn to believe in myself. Runcorn isn’t just where I train — it’s home.
