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Member of the Month
Congratulations to the winners at each of our 55 Clubs – every success story represents a life changed for the better through the benefits of exercise!
The National Winner for this month is Stephen Doneghan - Wearside
At the time of joining the club Stephen weighed 26 ½ stone and was receiving medication for high blood pressure. He had arrived at the daunting truth that with his lifestyle as well as his job as a Deputy Head Teacher at a local school he was, “a heart-attack waiting to happen” Through this realisation he decided to spring into action.
Before joining the club Stephen had never used a gym before and his only previous form of exercise was 5-a-side football which he had stopped playing. Slowly Stephen gained confidence in the fitness arena through a carefully constructed exercise programme. It featured easy routines constructed of a mix of Cardio and weights. Each week Stephen had achievable, realistic goals to meet, whether it be to lift heavier weights or to increase the distance on the treadmill.
Stephen has worked very hard in the gym but has also worked equally as hard outside, saying “Without exercise I would have not lost weight. Diets alone don’t work, exercise and a healthy approach to eating are now a way of life.” Stephen noted the help of the Esporta staff saying “The Fitness team are always on hand to give advice and encouragement.”
One year later and Stephen is 7 ½ stone lighter and has new goals to reach. He’s also realised that now his two children Grace and Matthew also regularly use the facilities, it’s a great way to spend time with his children.
Congratulations on becoming our National Member of the Month Stephen, from all of us at Esporta.
Previous winner: Catherine Lambert – Chiswick Riverside
Catherine has been a member for about 5 years, going to one or two studio classes a week enjoying body pump and urban rebounding in particular.
She recently decided to apply for a place in next year’s marathon and with that in mind she now has more focus. She started attending our gym classes (a combination of treadmill ignite and glow classes & express circuits) which she says she really enjoys and have helped with her motivation - pushing her to work a little harder than she would do on her own.
At the same time Catherine started to have 45min -1hr training sessions with 2 of our personal trainers (Jack & Etelka) two or three times per week and as a result she has learned a lot about ensuring correct technique - which has then helped when she then has been training on her own.
In 3 months Catherine has gone down 1 dress size, lost a few inches from her waist and also lost 5lbs in weight, apart from feeling so much better she has more energy which helps her deal with the hard job of looking after 2 young children both under the age of 5.
Good luck on getting your place in the marathon Catherine and congratulations to you for being a National Member of the Month.
Previous winner: Clare Weeks - Rustington
When she joined in June, in her first On-Track session with fitness instructor Dottie, Clare explained that her goal was to lose weight (as with many of our members) and also control her asthma.
With the support of the fitness team in our Rustington club, Clare soon developed the habit of attending regularly – exercising around 4 times per week mainly in the gym and also in the pool.
“I don’t feel that the staff are just ‘trainers doing a job’ – I always have a laugh and a chat with them and see I them as friends.” She also admits “Everyone thinks I’m a nutter for being so committed to my exercise programme!”
Well ‘being a nutter’ has its rewards: Clare has lost 4 inches off her waist and lost 10 pounds in 8 weeks. Congratulations on becoming a National Member of the Month - you are a great inspiration to others and a superb example of what can be achieved.
Previous winner: Tina Nicholson - Taunton
Tina’s success is remarkable; after struggling with her weight for the last 15 years she embarked on an exercise programme. Through effort, determination and supported by the fitness team and personal trainers she managed to lose 7 stone in a year.
“I thought I was going to be the ‘big jolly fat girl’ for the rest of my life. The Esporta team have been fantastic. I may not always feel like putting my trainers on but the buzz I now get afterwards is something I never believed I would feel.”
Well done for all of your hard work Tina – you are looking great and are a worthy winner of the National Member of the Month Award!
The Finalists for this month are:
Christine Gerrard - Oxford
Christine joined Esporta just over two years ago to help her cope with the stresses of a busy life as a Fellow of an Oxford college, mum of two boys, and home carer for her disabled father. Although she trained regularly she gradually became stuck in a rut, using the same few pieces of equipment and making little progress. Christine decided to use the services of Personal Trainer Eddy Digét. As a result of Eddy’s help and Christine’s hard work she saw a dramatic change.
Christine says “I now have the confidence and knowledge to use dozens of items in the gym and vary my routine all the time. My back problem has now gone, I’ve lost my bingo wings and have something close to a flat tummy. I now feel stronger, fitter and more energetic than I have done since I was in my twenties (I’m now in my fiftieth year). Best of all, it has been great fun”
Daniel Life – Thorpe Wood
Since joining the gym, Dan has managed to lose about 1 ½ stone and has recently completed the Great Eastern Run in 2 hours and 8 mins.
Daniel says “When I joined my main goals were to lose weight and get myself fit. I have achieved both these goals and am still working hard. I regularly attend spin classes as well as doing weights in the gym. I feel this has enabled me to lose weight, and tone up at the same time. My Great Eastern Run time was 12 minutes faster than I have ever achieved before, so proves what I have achieved since joining the gym. I would like to thank all the gym staff for all the help they have given me, as they have managed to keep me motivated.”
Sebastian Mifsud - Hampshire
Sebastian joined the Hampshire Club in March this year. He started with his On-Track sessions – which are the 3 reviews which are provided free of charge by fitness team to the club members. These saw him progress from cardiovascular exercises and core stability training, through to resistance training to free weight exercises, a natural progression from the fixed weight machines. This was an easy transition as Sebastian had made fantastic gains on his strength in a short period of time.
Since completing his On-Track sessions, Sebastian has now taken on Andy as his personal trainer who meets with him each week to introduce him to even more exercises and training alternatives and to keep him motivated.
Since joining the club not only has Sebastian lost an amazing 29 kgs, he also has increased energy levels, feels stronger and feels much more confident about himself.
Peter Tidey - Northwood
Peter Tidey has recently taken part in his first ever 10K run, aged 60. Together with personal trainer Maggie Dokic, he ran the Manches Moor Park Fun Run in aid of the Lynda Jackson Macmillan Centre, completing the course in a commendable 62 minutes 37 seconds. He also raised over £900 on behalf of the local cancer support centre.
"I have been training with Maggie once or twice a week ever since she took me in hand prior to a ski trip about 18 months ago. I had not been skiing for some years and did not want to disgrace myself in front of my much fitter son!
"I really noticed a difference in my performance on the slopes and continued to train with Maggie. I can't praise her enough for her encouragement and relaxed manner. Then she suggested the 10K run. So we trained on the treadmills in the gym and have been running locally. I've enjoyed it all very much and wish I'd started when I was younger. The only exercise I was doing before I joined Riverside four years ago was playing the odd game of squash. I feel so much better, my body shape has improved and I've lost about half a stone” says Peter.
Paul Rundle – Glamorgan
Paul joined the Glamorgan back in 2005 and has attended the gym a fantastic 324 times so far this year. Paul enjoys doing a mixture of Body Pump, RPM and has recently taken up Step. He also uses the Fitness room regularly. All this training has paid off as has just completed his 7th Marathon. Well done Paul!!
Paul Rundle says: “I really enjoy the atmosphere that we get in the classes, and the encouragement of the instructors always makes me work a little bit harder. I find the club is a great place to relax at the end of the day”
How can you celebrate your achievements and become our Member of the Month?
The General Manager of each Club selects a winner that they feel embodies our goal of helping our members to look and feel great. If you think Esporta has helped you, we want to hear about it!
Fill out the below form which goes directly to your Club General Manager, or speak to member of the team for more information.