In the latest part of our In Profile series we caught up with Jess Brindle, a young lady from Bolton who takes her fitness very seriously. She’s on a major mission and she’s brought her mum along for the journey. She’s also hoping to become Miss Bolton! The very best of luck from ZAAZEE.
Take it away Jess…
I first got into really trying to be fit when I was about 13. My brother started playing football at a local junior football club, I wanted to join in but there weren’t any girls teams, so I set one up. I started off with a few of my friends playing 9 a side, I convinced my dad to do a coaching badge so he could run the team and I played for about 2 or 3 years. While I loved playing football I found that coaching was where my real passion lay. I set up and coached a younger girls team and the mixed under 5’s team.
When I left high school, I got a job at Bury FC, I was a football and circus skills coach so was doing a very active job. At 18 I started working in an office and I found that I put a little weight on, nothing major but I could see the difference, it was just because I just wasn’t as active as I had been, so I joined a gym. I found it a pretty scary place to be. Very intimidating, seeing as I had never been in that environment before. After learning how to use the equipment, and seeing major results I now I love it, if I’m not at work I tend to be in the gym doing something.
Finding ZAAZEE
My friend Jade started wearing ZAAZEE as part of her uniform for her amazing female only personal training business. She looked amazing in it, so I knew I had to try it. The colours are amazing! I love how bright and summery they are.
Mum’s fitness journey
So my mum has always been overweight, for as long as I can remember. She has tried all the usual things, slimming world, weight watchers, Atkins, the Cambridge diet. But nothing ever worked for longer than about a month. She would lose weight at first and then it would slow down and she would get disheartened.
I said she needed to try exercising, so about 2 years ago we started going to a ladies only swimming class, mum has always loved swimming but going to ladies only gave her the confidence to go and not be worried about what people would think of her in her swimming costume.
Jess on ZAAZEE “The colours are amazing! I love how bright and summery they are.”
At the beginning of the year we went to see Jessie Pavelka in Manchester. He spoke about eating healthy, rather than sticking to a strict diet. Exercising everyday, making an effort just to be more active, he wasn’t talking about running a marathon everyday but at least doing something. He also told us not to look at the scales, to measure your transformation in other ways, such as clearer skin, higher energy levels and most importantly your clothes. Mum has been doing so well, 3 months in and she has lost a dress size from her bottom half and 2 sizes from her top half. She is doing so well and I think it is different this time because we are working together on it. The most important thing is the support network she has. I am not saying it is easy for her now, but if she is having a “down day” she has people to talk to and support her. She also isn’t restricting what she is eating, it’s all about portion control and because she is exercising she can have a treat every now and then.
Fitness Advice – Do it with a friend
Get a friend or a partner to go with you. Gyms can be a scary place so it’s always nice to have someone to chat to. Exercise classes are such a laugh but even just committing to walking the dog with your friend once a week can make a big difference and you can have a good gossip at the same time. My mum and I find that the days where you can’t really be bothered to go, you still make the effort to go or else you’re letting the other person down not just yourself. Nine times out of ten when you do still go even though you didn’t feel like it you enjoy it even more. Don’t go for the DIET, as soon as you say to yourself you have to stop eating something, you crave it even more. So just try and make healthy choices, one step at a time. The first major thing I did with my “healthy eating” was swap Dairy milk for Nut Milk, and cups of tea or coffee for Green Tea or Black Coffee. Drinking water instead of juice/ fizzy drinks and making an effort to eat my 5 a day.
Favourite food
CHOCOLATE! I am a huge chocoholic, so I try and go for the “healthier” chocolate options, if there is such a thing. Dark chocolate – the darkest I can find, Options Hot Chocolate – made with water not milk, Chocolate Soya Milk and Chocolate Protein Powder. That way I feel like I am still getting my chocolate “fix” but without too much sugar.
Favourite workout
I love Insanity. Group exercise has always been a favourite of mine, I suppose it is a bit like a team sport. Insanity is hard work, but like any exercise class there are easier and harder options so you make it as hard as you need. I always ache the day after, and the instructor really pushes me in a good way. It’s a real challenge and i love finding new ways to challenge my body.
Motivating Mum
I think setting small goals has helped to motivate her. For example at the end of the first 6 weeks we climbed Holcombe Hill, she had never done it before, it was a struggle but we got to the top in 45 mins. 6 weeks later we then climbed it again, this time she stopped only once and did it in 30 mins. Seeing that physical difference really helped to keep her going. She also had her 25th wedding anniversary 3 months after starting the healthy lifestyle change, so that was motivation to get a new dress in a size smaller. The next goal is to be able to walk up Holcombe Hill without stopping, and then onto Rivington Pike which is even more of a challenge.
What’s next?
Since getting involved in motivating my mum and helping her to reach her goals, I have decided to do something different and challenge myself. I have entered Miss Bolton and Bury, it’s all about meeting new people, raising money for charity and I have to make a dress… I’ve done a 17 mile sponsored walk from Rivington Pike to Holcombe Hill and have some other events planned. I have to learn how to walk up and down a cat walk which will be fun I hope. But overall I am just hoping to have a laugh and meet some new friends.
You can further support Jess by donating to her Just Giving page, which helps support Variety, the children’s charity.
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