Louis Michael: My first steps in the health world

Eco Gym owner Paul, cousin/trainer George & Louis

I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s had ‘start getting healthy’ on their to-do list for the last few years. But with so many different ways of going about it and seemingly more diets and workouts than there are people to do them I wasn’t quite sure where to start. This beginner’s trepidation has kept me on the back benches for most of my life.

I’m quite possibly the least sporty person you could ever meet. Ask me to explain the offside rule and the closest thing you’ll get out of me is an explanation as to where the offstage area is: some kids did PE, some kids did drama. Take a wild guess which side I was on.

Much to my dad’s disappointment, who prides himself on his past boyhood glory days as hurdler, basketballer and footballer, any attempt I made at physical exertion was short-lived and as painful to watch as it was for me to execute. This meant that I never put much consideration into my body, and at 20 found myself inches from blacking out when having to run for the bus at what is meant to be the healthiest period of my life.

I can feel my body thanking me already

Keen to get a foothold in the physical world, to prove myself wrong, and to be able to just make it onto public transport without collapsing in a heap moments after, I took the plunge and began my fitness journey at the beginning of this year. And I am so glad I did.

Brighton’s new Eco Gym, where energy is generated from your workout, has warmly welcomed me into their fold where I train with George, one of their personal trainers— who also happens to be my cousin. In keeping with the establishment’s focus on sustainability George is vegan, like myself, so we’re taking a holistic approach to training with a high protein vegan diet. 

The entire experience has given me an entirely new relationship with my body. As I learn about the mechanics of human biology I’m gaining such a new and valuable appreciation for the miraculous machine that the body is. My eating is far more conscious and my lifestyle decisions are starting to be more considerate of my body’s wellbeing, and I can feel my body thanking me already.

I’m just taking my first steps in this health world, but I’m hoping I’ll be able to begin sharing future successes with you all as time goes by. If people had told me being healthy was this rewarding I would have started earlier.