"Craig you’re going to end up killing yourself mate, come with me to The House of SK-1 and turn it around"
A long-time friend of mine who trains at the house of SK-1 said this to me after I came home from a holiday with the lads where I totally over did it on the booze, I ended up with alcohol poisoning and was in a real bad way.
He was badly concerned about the lifestyle I was living and what it was doing to me. Hitting the beer hard was no strange thing to me back then and I could be found in the pub every evening after work knocking back 5 or 6 pints and as many as 15 a night at the weekend!
I was 49 at the time and my friend convinced me that age is just an excuse not to start and that I could turn it around at the right place with the right people. So in October 2013 I walked through the doors of The House of SK-1 and that was the first day that my life started to change.
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This may sound dramatic, but I really do feel as though it has saved my life with the road I was going down.
What has been key to your success?
Do you know what, it’s the people at the house, the friendship, support and atmosphere. I love training with a load of great people.
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Also I’ve never walked in to the same workout twice, it’s totally different every time and I never know what to expect, I really don’t know how Ski comes up with something totally new every day!!
The way the sessions are put together you get your whole body trained and I don’t even need to give a second thought to my training , it is being programmed in such an amazing way and it’s impossible to get bored!
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After doing the plans I have implemented changes to my lifestyle, I asked L for loads of information after too so I could really understand what and why about nutrition.
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I felt so great after the plan and I have learned so much about how to fuel myself and how food really makes you feel, not just about weight. I have no interest anymore in eating rubbish because I know how much more rubbish it makes me feel.
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Can you summarise the impact it has had on you? And how has life changed?
Well for one my wife Lynne is so happy about my new lifestyle, now when I get out the shower she says to me, "wow I can’t believe how great you look!" It feels great to have my wife look at me like that after 35 years together.
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The biggest impact its had on me is my confidence has gone up massively, I feel better, I feel stronger, I look smart and it translates into all areas of life, especially business meetings and winning new work, I feel totally on it!
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I take no end of challenges on now and stretching myself has become normal! With work projects, I want to do bigger and better, I have such a huge can do attitude now.
Now instead of thinking I have to get down to the pub I panic if I can’t get to the gym! I also love taking part in physical challenges like Mens Health Survival of the fittest and Lockdown.
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I have so much more self-respect and internally I just feel in such a good place………and im saving a fortune from what I used to spend at the pub! I don’t drink at all now in the week and just have a few pints at the weekend.
Craig was 49 when he started with us, he weighed nearly 17 stone and has lost a total of 5.5 stone, whilst transforming his physique and gaining muscle.
What have been your highlights?
All of it, the weight loss and feeling like I have totally transformed from the age of 50, people make excuses about it being too late and well, it’s a load of rubbish! I regularly train with guys and girls 30 years younger than me and there is no better feeling than being able to keep up with them.
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I lost about a stone in the first couple of months through just the training, a friend said “wow what have you been doing mate?” I told him and he was straight down to join himself, we both still train together now!
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I lost 19lb on the Summer 2016 shred , I couldn’t believe that was even possible in 4 weeks!!! Its really opened my eyes to what can be achieved with focus and confirms that age really isn’t an issue, I have maintained my weight roughly since the shred too which im really happy about.
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I’ll put on over Xmas I’m sure, but know how to get rid of it now. I’m excited to see what happens on the January 2020 shred as my body is continually transforming, so I’m excited to see what happens as I continue my journey!
What advice would you give anyone looking to start?
Whatever is holding you back, just ignore it and do it anyway, I was inactive for 15 years before starting at the house so I had zero strength or fitness. My lifestyle was sending me on a downward spiral and you have to decide enough is enough, there is much more to life.
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I have a very physical job and I used to have a lot of problems with my knees, cartilage removed and torn all ligaments playing football (19) had a big operation , in hospital for 10 days, plaster 10 weeks and 6 months off work so have always had problems.
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So I was really nervous about my knees, being self-employed if they went it would seriously affect me, but I had to put that to one side and just go for it and the reality is that now they are so much stronger than they have been for 30 years and I nowhere near have any of the same problems I used to have and I’m a lot more capable of doing my job now. The coaches get to know you personally and they help you work any weaknesses with the aim of strengthening them.
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The journey isn’t just the weight loss, I feel loads better, healthier, stronger and more energy at 52 than I had at 32!
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So just get through that door, get up the stairs and you will never look back.
That is the hardest thing, coming that first time, but once you get over that and meet all the fantastic and supportive people you will wonder what you were so worried about.
