The teenage boy that overcame Anorexia

Jonathan Before

At the age of 17, Jonathan was 7 stone and dangerously underweight. Now, having doubled his bodyweight to 14 stone and addressed his issues with food, he is a strong and healthy young man.

This is an amazing story of how he found the strength and determination to turn his life around, with the help of his local gym.

Jonathan was an overweight child who ate for comfort after being bullied in Primary School. Things changed when he was just 11 years old. "When I was 11, I had a breakdown. I cut down on my portion sizes and started to exercise obsessively" Jonathan explained.

He became secretive and was barely eating . His weight dropped and he found his body just didn't function - and was struggling emotionally. Controlling food had become his life. "The turning point was when I told my Mum that I had a problem and she took me to the doctor who confirmed that I had Anorexia Nervosa. By this time I had a mineral deficiency, anaemia and was permanently cold."

Jonathan's mother took him to Focussed Fitness in Monmouth, where he was guided by instructor Serina on nutrition and weight training. "It gave me a sense of purpose and helped me to feel in control"

Jonathan After

For the first 12 months Serina helped Jonathan to deal with his issues with food and exercise. Serina said "It was incredibly important to prepare Jonathan mentally and physically to start exercising, so I started him on free weights and concentrated on building his confidence." Jonathan explained "If I had a problem at any time when I wasn't at the gym, I knew I could call Serina on her mobile which was an immense comfort and support."

Three years on, Jonathan is now strong, healthy and above all happy. He is just about to compete in a body building competition and is studying Sports and Exercise Science at University.

"I urge anyone suffering with an eating disorder to take control of their life in a different way and to turn such a destructive behavioural pattern into a positive. Serena at Focussed Fitness was a rock to me over the last few years. I know I wouldn't have been able to do it without her."

Contact details
Serina Beard - Instructor, Focussed Fitness Gym

15 Church Street, Monmouth.

01600 772223