Laura Todd Fitness

If you keep comparing yourself to strangers, please stop doing that.

Your body is unique. Your health needs are unique. Your metabolism is unique...

All of these things make you, YOU.
It’s good to have a group of people you can reach out to for support in your fitness journey... But DON’T compare yourself to anyone.

Walk your journey in a way that makes you comfortable... And celebrate your body every single day, no matter what the scale says… 💜

After all, your body deserves to be loved!

Here’s some selfies of me not in gym gear for a change…

Since I finished some lovely nightshifts yesterday I decided to take an active rest day.

Here’s some ideas on what you could do on an active rest day:

1. Low impact workout
2. Light run or bike ride
3. Go for a walk (get those steps in)
4. Foam roll
5. Stretch
6. Stay hydrated

So after a solid time of grafting I FINALLY dragged myself to Glasgow to sit my practical exams and I can now officially say I am a QUALIFIED PERSONAL TRAINER!! 🫶🏼

Apparently nursing wasn’t tiring enough and I just had to become a personal trainer as well 🥹

I just want to give a massive shoutout and thank you to for being my amazing client and for your ongoing support. Definitely couldn’t of gotten through it without you 🥰

Happy Monday!

I want to invite you today to set the tone for the week...

So take 5 minutes out of your day to think about your intention for the week

What do you want to focus on?

Whats something that you can improve you?

What can you do better?

For me, my aim is to stretch every night! Ive been slacking a bit in that department

So ive decided when I sit at night to watch Netflix....

Im going to stretch!
I want you to focus on ONE thing too.

Lets get better a something and focus on just 1 thing that will make a difference.

To your health and happiness!

‼️BODY DYSMORPHIA‼️

Body dysmorphia is a mental health condition where a person worries too much about flaws in their appearance.

Hating your body is something you learn and it DAMN RIGHT is something you can unlearn too.

Seeing your strengths, seeing your weaknesses, seeing your imperfections is something that we should be learning to love and to embrace.

We all look different from one another yet we aim to look like one another?

A bad body image day is so common and happens to all of us, regardless of size & shape. We all have bad days (even us PTs!), tired days, stressful days & we have motivated days. We have our own expectations, standards & goals for ourselves but unfortunately along side this we are also our worst critics.

I spend days happy with the way I look, proud of the progress I’ve made and I take pictures/ videos to show my hard work.

But on the day these photos were taken on my birthday night out in Newcastle I picked myself apart to the verge of tears.

‘I’m too chunky’
‘I’m bloated and I’m putting on the lbs’
‘My legs are too fat’
‘My underarms are too dark’
‘My cellulite is too noticeable’

We pick out our flaws and elaborate so much on them we can’t see past it.

Take the time to look at yourself, really look at yourself. And I hope you see what everyone around you sees, which is that you are BEAUTIFUL. No matter where you are at on your self love journey.

~

Tips for body confidence:

👭Surround yourself with people who are good to you and good for you - People really do have a massive influence on you.

💗Realise that beauty is deeper than your skin - For every part of your body that you’d change, find something you love about yourself.

🔍Focus on what your body does and not how your body looks.

🪞In front of the mirror is where we experience the most body hate. Post positive notes on your mirrors, such as, “I am enough”, “ I am loved”, “I am beautiful”.

👑Learn to accept a compliment for example “Your skin is glowing”, “I love your hair” not accepting a compliment you’re putting yourself down.

💬Be your own best friend - Ask yourself - would you speak to your best friend like that? Give yourself the respect you deserve.

I sent this quote to a client of mine and they really liked it!

So I thought, I have to share it with everyone!

“Be stronger than your strongest excuse.”

We have so many excuses that we tell ourselves...

That make us fall of the wagon, give up on our workouts or think F it and eat everything if we've had 1 small enjoyable treat.

Self sabotage is something I see happen to MANY women.

And its actually all down to a weaker mindset.

A mindset that unfortunately, we've conditioned to listen to and believe.

Learning to push past excuses and self limiting beliefs is where the true happiness and magic lays.

So today, think about the BIGGEST excuse you feed yourself. What you tell yourself when you give up or cant believe.

I want you to push past this today.

I want you to be stronger than that. Be better than that.

Because you are.

P.S: If you want to learn how to actually get rid of negative thoughts and build a consistent, positive mindset, then apply for my coaching in the link in my bio. 💗

Despite being a crucial part of every fitness routine, stretching is frequently the aspect of exercise and daily living that is most neglected.

Stretching both before and after exercise can have a lot of positive effects on the body. Stretching can help athletes perform better and lower their risk of injury. Strains, sprains, and other injuries are more likely to occur in muscles that are tight and inflexible.⁣
⁣
There are two different approaches to stretching. Dynamic and Static.
What is the difference?

Static stretching is holding a stretch, usually near the limit of a muscle's range of motion (imagine stretching your hamstrings while seated on the floor).

Dynamic stretching, which involves actively moving the joint while moving the limbs through a wider range of motion (ROM), is more functional than static stretching. (Think leg swings forward and back).

There is conflicting evidence regarding which is preferable to perform and when during your workout.

Personally, we think that performing dynamic stretching before a workout is essential to prepare the muscles for the activities they will soon be performing. While static stretching is ideal for maintaining long-term flexibility after a workout since the muscles are heated. 💪🏼

Stretching has too many advantages to leave it out of your workout regimen:

1. Increase ROM and flexibility
2. Dynamic stretching can help you avoid injuries
3. Encourages good posture
4. Quickens tissue healing and lessens muscular discomfort
5. Improves blood flow to the muscles

Being a fitness coach/trainer, I’ve seen all type of excuses.

Seriously, all of them…

And the one thing that I REALLY hate seeing...

Is women putting themselves last.

It upsets me seeing women holding themselves back from what they truly desire.

Holding themselves back from confidence and more happiness.

Or even holding themselves back because of self doubt.

Thinking they cant do it, and ultimately self sabotaging.

What’s one of the excuses I’m seeing now?

Summer excuses.

Women not wanting to start something now, because they have a holiday in 4 weeks...

Or them thinking, what’s the point i’m going away soon...

Well, there is a point!

The point is, starting something now, makes a difference tomorrow.

Starting now will actually boost your confidence more for your holiday.

Starting now, means learning great habits for the whole summer and for after.

You starting NOW, means you are one step closer.

Please stop making excuses.

You are WORTH it. You are worthy of what you want and desire.

& I am waiting to help you, to get you closer to your goals.

Closer to full confidence and a life you truly deserve.

Stop wasting time and apply now for coaching with me.

It’s time we make a change together.

DM me ‘COACHING’ and we’ll get started.

I’m going to be real with you. I haven’t been feeling myself recently.

Although I constantly encourage and promote body positivity and self-love, this does not mean that I have mastered it personally.

Being a female is CHALLENGING, and being a female personal trainer can be even more CHALLENGING.

Unfortunately, the fitness industry still places a lot of focus on aesthetic goals and appearance, which can put a lot of pressure on fitness professionals to maintain a certain image.

The phrase, "You wouldn't hire a PT who was fat and weak," has always bothered me. It makes me feel very uneasy to think that someone is investing in my body and physical well-being, almost as though it's an object by which they can assess my professional worth and value.

Just like a lot of other people, I have STRUGGLED. There have been times when it came to exercising and staying active, that I felt incredibly demotivated. I've struggled with food and the want to binge because I used food as comfort. Am I a bad person because of this? NO. Does this mean I'm a bad PT? NO.

When in fact, do you know what makes me a fantastic PT? I've been there... I can relate to your hardships because I experience them myself. I struggle with body issues, worries about my appearance, and self-deprecating moments, but that's why I became a personal trainer.

Your fitness journey should be about you as a whole person, not simply about appearances. I want to be able to support others in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, finding a passion for exercise, and developing self-confidence in their own skin. They want to FEEL good about themselves, not because they want to appear a specific way.

I have been debating for awhile about posting these progress photos because I was worried that it might discourage people from my PT services. I know how crazy this sounds and I realise how much pressure I’m putting on myself.

I wanted to post these progress photos today as a reminder. Not only for my clients, but also to remind myself that our physical appearances does not define who we are as people, and it CERTAINLY does not prevent you from being an amazing coach!

Just like that I have RESIGNED from my very first nursing job 🥹

Right now, I am feeling a mix of emotions. I am nervous and scared, but most importantly I am excited and prepared to totally dedicate myself to my personal training business.

I can FINALLY claim to be living a self-employed life.

It has been a long time coming but I am eager to feel more invigorated, less exhausted (no more working four nights or three days straight), and hopefully much less stressed.

I now have the freedom and a lot more time to devote entirely to my amazing clientele and be able to properly expand my business.

I haven't fully abandoned my nursing career (I studied at university for three years and it was hard work, so there's no way I'm throwing all that away 🤣). I will occasionally take on shifts to stay up to date with my skills, but everything will be on my terms, giving me much more freedom in my career, which I'm really looking forward to!

Even though I am very excited about my new adventure, I am also very sad that I am leaving such an amazing group of people.

I will always be so grateful for the opportunity I have had to work alongside such amazing nurses and I couldn’t have asked for a better group of people to welcome me into my very first nursing job.

Here’s to my next chapter! 🥹🩵🩵

If you have been feeling unmotivated lately…

… could be due to the extra work you have to juggle, or because you might not be seeing much progress or any other reason…

Then I just want to remind you to keep going…

Transforming your body is a journey… it’s NOT a sprint…

There will be days when you’ll feel low…

There will be days when you just want to stay in bed…

And there will be days when all you want is to give up.

So, during those days acknowledge how your body is feeling and respect that.

See, if you can squeeze in even 5 minutes of exercise and if you can’t…

Then don’t sweat it!

Make sure to rest, fully recharge your body and be ready to get in those reps the very next day.

Recently, and like always, I enjoy posting about mindset alongside fitness and nutrition.

We know how important mindset is...

So I wanted to share a quick message to you!

On the days where you NEED to rest and have taken a day off training, don’t feel guilty about it!

Its okay to rest!

So instead of sitting there and feeling unsure...

Remember:

- You are taking a rest day
- You are recovering
- You are taking time for self care
- I rested!

All these things are viable and should come into your head!

Dont ever feel guilt!

Here’s a throwback to when I went away to the Lakes District at the start of May and never stepped foot in a gym for a FULL week! (I know shock)

Was my training effected the week after? Absolutely not. If anything it helped me MORE.

So here’s your reminder to listen to your body and take your rest days 🩷