How Derek Fought Depression & is now a Happy Expectant Father

“Last year was the lowest I have ever been in my life with depression, I was let down with the support of the mental health team, so I had to pay for a private counsellor. It helped in some ways but I knew I still had a fight on my hands mentally and physically”

His relationship with his girlfriend was at an all time low and Derek’s depression was getting more out of control

“Just before Christmas I was sitting in her bedroom crying saying how much I didn’t want to be here and felt like I had nothing else! I know it was selfish but you can’t control your feelings.”

Thankfully, Dany, Derek’s girlfriend hadn’t given up on him and suggested that he joined S&P. Believing it to be a chance to battle and beat his depression, Derek had nothing to lose and decided to give it a go.

“Walking through the door for the first time I was so scared, my confidence level was 0 but I had a good welcome from the coaches and the members. The first session shocked me on how hard it was and I’m not going to lie when I finished the first session, I was lying on the floor for 5 minutes until I started to feel normal again.”

After such a humbling first session experience Derek believed it to be a new beginning for the new life he wanted to lead.

“I thought to myself, do I really want to do this? and once I got home, I decided that this is what I had wanted, a fresh start with something I can stick to and achieve.”

People started talking to me, shaking my hand and telling me their stories and then it hit me, I wasn’t alone anymore. I got stronger mentally and physically. People would comment on how much weight I was losing and I felt really great.”

Busy Doctor Discovers Key To Success

When he isn’t saving lives or working out, Matt is the inspiration to his wife and young family. 

While others are sleeping, busy Matt makes time to train at S&P:

“Training at 6am has become a habit & it’s easier to create a new habit when you surround yourself with people that want the same thing. The biggest thing S&P has given me is consistency and structure… Oh and abs too.”

For busy people like Matt, where there aren’t enough hours in the day, Consistency and Structure (not abs) are KEY in getting the best results. 

When training alone, you can have the best intentions of packing your gear and hitting the gym after work. But, as easy as that sounds, it’s just as easy for your mind to win the brief battle that takes place at 5pm – ‘to train or not to train’…

However, when you have a supportive ‘Family’ of coaches and S&P members waiting for you, it becomes a little bit harder to ‘skip’ the gym.

The best thing?…it takes as little as 3 hours per week to get incredible results!

Confessions Of A Stockport Mum…

“I hadn’t done that much exercise and wasn’t sure if I could do it.” 

Clare had played tennis for a bit, she’d always run, but she never got back to the way that she looked before kids. She didn’t feel herself either. She was always looking around for some fitness thing that would suit her.

That was when the stars aligned and Clare found S&P through a Facebook ad 4 years ago. 

“Time is definitely a challenge for me. I have 3 children and a husband, I work full time and I’m studying a course alongside that. All of these areas require my time, but you have to prioritise. Sometimes I don’t get it right, but it’s all about learning to juggle those priorities. If you want to do something, you can make it work.”

“I’d hate people to think that I’m not enjoying life and sitting eating boring food to get where I am today because that isn’t the case. I want to teach my children that everything is ok in moderation and be the one setting the right example.” 

If Clare’s story has inspired you and you want to learn more, visit www.spgyms.co.uk