Fitness Challenge: The Results

I'VE been delaying writing this piece if I’m honest. The final piece of my fitness challenge.

Why? I’ll tell you why.

At Confidential, we’ve got (give or take) 78,500 subscribers. Last month, we had 109,000 unique users. Do I want them – you – to see me in my underpants, before and after my eight week blitz?

I’m shy, and we can’t afford to lose the readers. So you might have to wait to see me stripped to my keks.

I’ve lost 16lbs in just under 10 weeks; I’ve lost two inches off my waist and I’ve got PROPER muscles.

You can request the images privately of course, but that would make you weird. (Ed: As you can see we've published the pictures anyway. Not getting away that easily Binns. Hasn't he done well readers.)

But I’ll tell you this. I’ve lost 16lbs in just under 10 weeks; I’ve lost two inches off my waist and I’ve got PROPER muscles. Bulging biceps, actual triceps and my thighs are scarily defined. Without being too big-headed, I’m in the best shape I’ve been in for 15 years.

I’m stronger, leaner, fitter and faster. I’m completing ten metre sprints quicker than when I was 24, just days from my 35^th birthday. I’ve actually been surprised in how much my body has changed. The spare tyre has gone and I’ve seen off the jowels and man boobs.

Before And After

The training has been hard, but enjoyable. It’s been varied – two hour and a half sessions a week – and the diet changes haven’t been too bad. If I’m honest, I’ve still been out drinking a fair bit during the second half of it.

My body aches though. A lot. It’s worth it though. I played seven-a-side football for the first time in six months recently, and felt strong and fit all the way through. The training has had a massive impact on my recovery time too. Normally I’d be wheezing for ages after a ten minute burst of exercise; now I’m good to go again after 30 seconds.

Before And After

I’ve been called ‘fit’ by chefs and ‘skinny Minnie’ by PR types. Even colleagues have said nice things. It’s been noticeable. And it was pretty easy, to be honest, because I had encouragement from my trainers. They invested time so I felt compelled to invest the effort. They wanted to see results and I felt I owed that to them.

It’s a world away with the one-way relationship I’ve always had with the gym and it’s changed the way I think about exercise. I had more focus, more direction, more drive.

So I need to say a big thank you to Sean and Zoran at Strength and Performance; Ross at MyProtein and Tim and Lynne at Global Therapies, and everyone at the gym who’s helped me get to where I wanted to be.

Strength and Performance rules

Am I going to keep it going? Absolutely. I don’t want to go back to being overweight and unfit, and I like the new sense of discipline the gym has instilled in me.

But you’re still not getting to see me in my pants.

(Ed: Yes we are. Those results are far too good to hide. Well done Simon.)

Follow Simon on Twitter @simonbinns

Simon achieved his results with Strength and Performance, based in Stockport. For more information please visit www.strengthandperformance.co.uk

Click here to read previous articles about Simon's fitness challenge.

Before And After