Rochdale Online reporter Kirsty Rigg starts fitness challenge at Full Contact Performance Centre

Kirsty Rigg starts her program with personal trainer Andy Lavery at the Full Contact Performance Centre

Rochdale Online reporter Kirsty Rigg has teamed up with Full Contact Performance Centre for a five month extensive fitness challenge with one of Rochdale’s leading personal trainers - but will she be able to take the heat?

With expert advice and nutritional guidance from personal trainer Andy Lavery, Kirsty aims to kick start her journey back to fitness to be ready for her first 10k run in September.

Andy said: “Kirsty hasn’t had much fitness experience and it’s great that she’s taken on this challenge. I am really looking forward to working with her to help her achieve her goals. I have every confidence in her that she can do it.”

Her monthly journal will document her progress.

Month One – April 2016

First of all, let me get it off my chest that I am as guilty as the next person of making wild assumptions about gyms. My anticipation of walking into a room full of super fit, groaning gym bunnies lifting small cars and not breaking a sweat couldn’t have been further from the truth.

In fact, when I had my introduction at Full Contact Performance Centre on Queensway, and met my trainer for the first time, all my fears went right out of the window. Not only is Andy Lavery a warm, friendly face who understood completely why I was worried, he was able to completely put my mind at ease within minutes.

“You’re not the first, and you won’t be the last to have assumptions like that” he said.

His patience and understanding whilst showing a beginner like me all the “scary” machinery and various warm up/cool down methods really eased my fears.

The realisation that everyone else in there was not an Olympic champion was also a great encouragement.

This month, Andy has guided me through everything from breathing exercises to core exercises to nutritional advice and, most importantly, given me the confidence to really believe I can achieve my goals.

Which brings me to my next point, my goals.

As a natural size 8-10 it has become a personal goal to get back there, having gone up to a 14-16 after a few years travelling around Europe and taking little notice of my somewhat casual lifestyle, with little exercise and over-indulgent calorie intake.

Not only this, but I will also be taking on my (first ever) 10k run this September, and as someone that can barely run across the road it will be something of a challenge.

Andy spent time with me going through these goals and has set up a program combining weight loss and also strength building.

Two to three times a week seems like an awful lot to someone who doesn’t usually work out, but working on his recommendation I have been keeping (almost always!) to that plan.

This month has been about overcoming barriers and making adjustments. I’m sure it will be a while yet before any physical changes are visible, but my first month has been for me about mental preparation and habit building.

Thanks to the help and support from Andy, and also from the other members of staff at the Full Contact Performance Centre, I’m sure the coming months will be a success. Wish me luck.

Month one – the figures
Weight: 77.5kg
Weight lost: 0kg (yet!)