“Exercise truly transformed my life”

My journey towards healthier living started in 2012 when I moved from London to Sri Lanka. From partying, binge-drinking and leading a very unhealthy lifestyle of McDonald’s breakfasts and fast food in London, I found myself in Sri Lanka and not liking what I saw in the mirror. I threw myself into exercise and more conscious living. After a year and a half I was scouted by Victoria’s Secret and embarked on a 4 year long career as a fitting model. As a part of my contract I had to stay in shape, but rather than hiring a personal trainer, I went through the motions and learned everything through experience. Incorporating exercise into my routine truly transformed my life and helped me through some of my toughest times, therefore, upon returning to the UK in 2020 during lockdown, I decided to turn my passion into a career by completing a Level 3 Personal Training qualification and starting You First. As someone who learns from doing, I have made many mistakes during my fitness journey, including herniating a disc, so my approach to fitness and exercise is a very holistic one and centred around functional fitness, building strong core foundations and performing exercises in a safe and sustainable way. This does not mean that you will not be challenged or able to achieve your goals, it just means that priority and emphasis will be placed on good execution and quality over lifting heavy and aesthetic gains.