10 teaspoons of sugar in tea a day to losing five stones - local personal trainer breaks down barriers to help mums lose weight

As the new year begins . . . many people will be setting resolutions to lose weight and improve their overall health.

Melissa Tolan, owner and head coach at BU Studio based at Unit 19, Moss Lane, Royton, is aiming to remove one of the biggest barriers to fitness for women by encouraging them to join her gym with a creche facility designed to make working out stress free.  

The mother-of-three, a level three personal trainer, pre and postnatal exercise specialist and sports massage therapist  realised there was a gap in the market for new mums wanting to shed the weight, but not having a creche where they could work out, when she had her children. 

She explained: “It first started as a thought as I've got three children of my own who are aged 11, five and four. 

“My biggest struggle was trying to stay fit, strong and healthy during pregnancy and after having the children I felt like I had nowhere I could go with them to train basically.  

“I was doing workouts at home, but it just didn’t feel like it was enough. I felt like I needed that structure, I needed a place to go to.  It was affecting my mood and my mental health.  

“It wasn’t until I took that step into eating a lot healthier and exercising and getting out with the pram as well, it wasnt until then that I was able to lose around five stones after having my children.

“Now when I got to this position of losing the weight I realised there was a barrier for a lot of women who have had children or are currently pregnant and not having the space where they can feel welcomed to attend and exercise. 

“My diet before was embarrassing I would have shocking 10 teaspoons sugars in my cups of tea and I would probably have about six cups a day.  

“It was so bad, I was eating the wrong types of food. I wasn’t moving. I was working in an office. I was sat down 9 to 5pm and then I would go home more tired and have the children to sort out.” 

Melissa added: “The real shift for me was when I started small. A lot of people think that they can jump straight into it by exercising seven days a week and that’s when they fall off.

“I started off with just 30 minutes, three days a week at the gym and then switched my diet as well and decreased my sugar from 10 to 4 and so on. I cut down on my junk food as well.  

“I used to have a packet of biscuits every night, and I cut it down to half. Just making those small changes and overtime, I incorporated new healthy foods like avocado and spinach into my diet. 

“BU studio are different because it gives the feel of someone looking for a place where they can balance work, homelife and children at the same time and their fitness goals. 

“Now there’s a lot of gyms, a lot of fitness spaces that can be daunting if you are new to the gym or new to exercise which can be quite intimidating, let alone being able to bring along your children. I experienced that when I had mine.” 

Some of the services available, not just to new mums but to everyone, can be found here -  https://www.bu-studio.com/#/events