WHEN it comes to finding the perfect outfit for this year's work Christmas party, Glenavy woman Emma Hamill won't have a problem.
Weighing in at under 10 stone and a svelte dress size eight to 10, most clothes suit her petite frame, making shopping an enjoyable experience rather than an ordeal.
But it wasn't always the case for the 29-year-old Starbucks supervisor. Just three years ago, she tipped the scales at 16.5 stone and the clothes she reluctantly bought online were dress size 18 to 20.
Since embarking on her health and fitness journey in the summer of 2016, Emma has not only shed six and a half stone and dropped five dress sizes, but also run two Belfast marathons, three half marathons and is planning to run the London one next year.
And she has taken part in a white collar boxing match in Belfast, spurred on by her trainer and the man she credits for helping to turn her life around, former professional boxer Brian Magee.
Emma says: “I joined Magee Health and Fitness in west Belfast in September 2016, at a tough time in my personal life. The weight had crept on me and I'd lost all my confidence. That summer I decided it was time to do something for me, to take back control.
"I started following the Slimming World diet, though I never went to the classes. I was very motivated to lose the weight, though, so I knew I could stick to the plan.
“I read about Brian's gym on Facebook and as it's near my granny's house I thought I could kill two birds with the one stone; visit her then go and train. But to be honest, I never imagined for one moment I'd get so addicted to fitness.
"I absolutely love exercising. I train five or six days a week, sometimes classes; sometimes running. I love the feeling I have afterwards and, of course, it's been amazing to see the results.”
Emma began working at Starbucks in her late teens and one of the perks of the job was being surrounded by food. Her weight began to creep on but the situation worsened when she found herself in a toxic relationship. Feeling her control slip away, she indulged in comfort eating and the pounds piled on. By 2016 and aged just 26, she weighed over 16 stone.
“I managed to get out of the relationship and I knew I had to do something to sort myself out,” Emma says. "I was so unfit and unhealthy. My back was sore all the time and I would get out of breath quickly.
“My weight also had a big effect on my confidence. I used to love shopping for clothes but when I was big, I'd look at stuff and just feel bad about myself because I knew I couldn't fit into the things that I liked. I did a lot of shopping online so I wouldn't have to try on clothes in the stores.”
Sticking closely to her diet plan, Emma noticed the weight gradually fall away. This was an incentive to push ahead with her fitness goals, so she joined Brian's gym and began to train regularly.
“I do circuits, boxing, spin and HIIT [high intensity interval training] classes ,” she says. “I like to mix them up but I particularly love boxing and barbell classes.
“After a few weeks of going, I got well and truly bitten by the bug. When you see your body shape changing and getting stronger, it's such a great feeling.
“Brian put me forward for a white collar boxing tournament at the Devenish Complex in Belfast, to raise money for Action Cancer. It was a wonderful experience and and not something I could've seen myself doing a few years ago.”
When she's not attending classes, Emma likes to run five or six miles, either on the treadmill or on the roads. Having already completed the Belfast marathon twice, she's now got her sights on next year's London Marathon.
“I started walking every day that summer I decided to get fit,” Emma says. “Then I introduced running; just for a minute or two, then back to walking again. I gradually began to increase my running and the following June, took part in my first half marathon.
“It was such an amazing feeling when I completed it. When I did my first full marathon, I must admit it was tough, but I did it and had such a great sense of achievement.
“This year I'm running the London Marathon to raise money for the Cancer Fund for Children. At the moment, I'm running between 35 and 40 miles a week but will really start the training in February, running longer distances to get me ready.
“I know it's going to be tough but I'm looking forward to the challenge.”
Emma says one of the things she loves most about attending Brian's gym is the sense of camaraderie among her fellow fitness enthusiasts and the support and encouragement she receives from the trainers. If she misses a few sessions in a row – something she rarely does, admittedly – she gets restless and frustrated and can't wait to get back. Exercise has become a huge part of her life and she can't imagine a time when she's not running, boxing or lifting weights.
“I'm single, I have no children, so I have plenty of time to devote to fitness and it's become such a massive part of my life now,” she says. “Of course, if I were to meet someone, I'd make time for them, but it would be great if they were into fitness too.
“I've had people ask me if I'd ever consider making a career out of it but, to be honest, I love my job and am happy to stay there. I have helped motivate one of my colleagues, though, through my dieting and exercise and he's now lost seven stone.
“Exercise has changed me, not just physically but mentally. I'm such a different person to the woman I was three years ago. I feel so much stronger and happier in myself, I've got my confidence back and I'm setting myself challenges that three years ago, I could never have seen myself doing. I've got fitness to thank for that.”
