Helen Thorn, 43, is a comedian and podcaster. Squamy Mommy And a writer living in London
As a comedian, it’s easy to think that you have a strong self-esteem, but when you noticed that your husband was having an affair in 2020, your self-esteem was at its lowest ever. I really wondered how adorable I was.
I started running a few years before this. I set the Couch to 5k and ran RaceForLife. I didn’t look or feel like a runner. In fact, I walked most of it – it took 55 minutes – but the great thing about running is that it’s one of the most comprehensive sports you can do. I have come across a really great community of online female runners of different ages, shapes and sizes with different motives for running.
My kids were a little older and I had a little more time myself, so I wanted to do something for myself. The more I ran, the better I felt. I was 18 to 20 years old and weighed 100 kg (15 stones, 10 pounds), but I did it with my own feelings, not weight loss. One day, Bryony Gordon called me and told me to put on my pants and run a marathon, so I started the marathon in October 2021. I felt great.
But what really changed me was strength training. I started working out at Jim Fitness Hub by two great women, Amber Keatley-Shaikh and Suzanne Keatley. When I was completely broken in a divorce, they contacted me and asked if I was interested and if they thought they could help. I used to say that lifting weights was pretty extreme, but when I actually did that I felt like I was recovering. All the weight I lifted tells Sae Yamamoto another story and takes it out of my system. I could see myself getting physically stronger and the endorphins were incredible.
At the same time, amber helped me with my nutrition. It wasn’t good before – I smoked, drank, and ate trash (I took it home while I finished reading the book). First, I tracked what I ate. Amber then asked me to increase the number of plants I eat per week to at least 30 and track how I feel. I started to notice the difference when I ate stir-fried salmon instead of lasagna, which made me very motivated. I’ve lost 3.5 stones so far, but apart from that, I had a blood test 10 months ago and was on my way to diabetes. Now with a dress size of 78kg (12st 6lbs) and 12-14, I’m very healthy.
I’ve been quite public about my physical journey by documenting it on Instagram. Initially, I wondered, “Who cares about the midlife crisis?” But what really warms me is that every time I post about a run or workout, I get a lot of replies that I ask other people to go out. I made some nasty comments about my weight loss-I think some people feel I’m leaving them behind-but I’m probably more about them and their anxieties than I am I noticed that.
What I’ve done is not to make it smaller, but to be in control again after divorce. Running and strength training gave me self-esteem that I didn’t know I had. I feel like I’ve regained myself, but this time it’s a more powerful version.
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