“We are not a team because we work together. We are a team because we respect, trust, and care for each other.” (Vala Afshar) and as you may have heard, we have a fabulous addition to the team and having spent some time with her, she will be a brilliant addition to all our fitness and wellness journeys as well. So… who is Mia?

How and why I started?

I struggled with my weight growing up and spent years being a yo-yo dieter, trying and failing with the gym. I have always struggled to motivate myself so I asked for help. My brother became a qualified personal trainer in 2014 and he has been training me, motivating me and supporting me since then.

A year into my journey, I signed up to one of his transformation phases and spent 8 weeks transforming my mindset regarding food and exercise. In my progression, I lost 2 stone and was in the best shape I’d ever been. I fell in love with my new lifestyle and loved how much more energy I had after making a few simple changes.

As my brother followed his goals of professional football and he travelled more for games, I wanted to give back and begin to inspire others in their own journeys. So I began teaching and working towards my qualifications!! I fell more and more in love with teaching and spent 12 months doing an online course alongside my normal office job.

Taking on being a fitness instructor has been by far the best decision I’ve ever made and I love that I get to help people every day using my own experience and my growing knowledge.

Qualification:

I have my Level 2 Fitness Instructor qualification

What is my favourite class?

My favourite class is definitely circuits. The short, sharp exercises are designed to get your blood pumping and burning fat and I never get bored as you can constantly switch it up. I’ve also recently been taking Hannah’s Movement Flow classes and absolutely love them! After such a high pace class like circuits, it is nice to balance it off with a slower class focusing on movement and flexibility.

What do I do to relax?

During the summer, I love to go on walks with my dog and spend time with family and friends. Over the winter months I’m definitely more of a ‘cosy up on the sofa and watch a film’ kind of girl.

My favourite nutritional dish and my cheat day treat?

My favourite nutritional dish would have to be Seabass with new potatoes and veg. It’s so simple to make and I just love all the flavours together. I’m not much of a chef but if I can find a meal that’s not only nutritional but tastes amazing I’m happy!I make sure I’m good with my nutrition and stay on point throughout the week so that I can enjoy a glass of wine or some chocolate as a treat at the weekend.

What inspires me?

I’m constantly inspired by every person I teach. Everyone is on their own journey and trying achieve their personal goals. Whether that’s running a distance in a certain time, holding a plank for longer than they’ve done before or getting in shape for a special occasion. I’ve been there myself and understand how hard it can be at times. I truly love being to be there to support people as their lifestyles change for the better and feel incredibly lucky to be a part of those journeys.

Top tip for clients?

My top tip would be to enjoy your training journey as it is not an overnight success so take ownership of your time. Always try and keep a good balance of training and nutrition and relaxation