Rebecca Rimmer - Q&A

What made you first decide to change yourself and your life?

I suddenly reached that annoying age where my metabolism slowed down and I could no longer eat what I wanted without seeing the effects of it. In my first year at University, being away from home and eating what I wanted, I went from a size 12 to a 16 pretty quickly.

It just suddenly hit me that I never did any exercise and I never took pride in the way I looked – I never liked shopping for nice clothes, paying to get my hair done or anything like that. I lived with a girl at University who loved running, and one day when I decided to tag along I realised just how unfit I was... I didn't make it ten metres without gasping for air and keeling over on the floor. Realising it was all those late-night curries and chocolate breakfasts, I decided it was time for a change.

Tell us how you went about making the change?

I joined the local gym and just tried to get on my feet as much as possible - walking to the shops when I could, walking on the treadmill – I couldn't run very far without stopping. I was too self-conscious to join any classes at the gym because there were so many people in great shape, but the first time I did get stuck in, I wish I had done sooner. There are so many benefits to training with a group of people, you are more determined to carry on at times when you would normally give up if you were alone. And it's great to learn how to do things properly, you pick up great tips and learn how to stretch properly.

The main form of exercise that helped me lose weight was running - at first on the treadmill and then outside. I tried to do yoga, swimming and other more relaxing forms of exercise because you need that healthy balance. After loosing two stone, I then begun weight-lifting and toning the muscles that were finally visible! I eventually started to sign up for local charity 10K runs, they are a great way to get you training regularly and help you work towards a goal. I set myself the target of running 10k in 50 mins and tried to get closer and closer to it each week. You're working towards targets and helping raise money at the same time.

How did you first hear about Maxitone products and what made you try them?

I heard about Maxitone products through word of mouth. No matter how much a company advertises or how cheap their products are, if they're known as being safe it means a lot more. Especially when it comes to sports supplements, there are a lot unknown companies out there, selling ineffective products. You find that if you ask people 'what should I be buying', they tell you to 'stick with Maxitone - you hear the name and you know the product is good quality'.

So I started to take protein supplements because after a day's training I was sore and I had to lay-off exercise the next day. In order to train five days a week I needed my protein shakes to heal my muscles. This, along with stretching and protein bars gave my muscles the treatment they needed.

What are your favourite Maxitone products and why?

I really have a sweet-tooth and needed something similar to chocolate to stop me binging on chocolate, sweets, ice-cream and biscuits. Eating chocolate without feeling guilty I thought are you kidding me?! Definity shakes stop my cravings, satisfy my sweet tooth and repair my muscles after a hardcore training session. I have recently begun taking Sculptress capsules too. The tablets are working great - they give me an extra burst of energy for the gym and stop me snaking on naughty treats - they're filled with so many natural healthy ingredients like green-tea that my body natural craves fresh salad and other green foods. Days when I forget to take my Sculptress capsules I find myself drinking lots of green tea which is just so good for you and full of antioxidants.

If you could give one tip to anyone reading your story and wanting to replicate your achievements, what would it be?

I have so many tips... Stretch properly; always warm-up and cool-down; eat the right foods; get lots of protein; train as a group; don’t deny yourself small treats; don't calorie count and don’t starve yourself under any circumstances. If I had to give only one tip – learn to love and look after your body... you only get one!

What's been the single best thing about the changes you've made?

You won't know what I mean if you haven't previously been unhealthy, and it's hard to explain in words but just 'feeling healthy'. As soon as you start to exercise everything changes, your breathing feels better, your skin, hair, bones, muscles. It’s such a large transformation and you can really feel the difference pumping through your veins.

What's your favourite way to exercise?

Going for a nice long run on Blackpool Beach in the summer with the dog - the sea breeze in my hair, the sand at my feet and the sun on my face.

How do you treat yourself when you've achieved something positive?

Enjoying guilt-free fatty food. Unhealthy food was my bad habit and why I put on so much weight, and although I now have such a different lifestyle, I don’t want to become obsessed. I know people that work really hard at the gym, run for 40 mins and then have a salad. It's not right - you need carbs and you need big meals regularly, especially if you're training for a run. You need to have one day a week when you eat what you want because otherwise you’re not giving your body a break and not enjoying the yummy things in life.

What made you enter the Maxitone Body of 2009 competition?

To go from never exercising to going to the gym 6 days a week is such a huge change. I am so proud of myself for my level of endurance - from going from a lazy couch-potato to an avid runner. I am particularly proud of the fact that exercise is not part of my job. I work in Marketing and sit at a computer 9am-6pm. I have a 45 min journey to work so when I get home the temptation is there to flop onto the couch with a glass of wine, but I don't. I always find time to go to the gym outside of work and socialising . But, that's the thing... being healthy is addictive: exercise makes you feel so good, gets your blood pumping through your body and releases chemicals that make you feel great, it just makes you happier and makes you want to go further and further.