Every morning Steve Bradley gets up at 7am and completes a 5km walk round the village of Balmedie, as part of his mission to complete 10,000 steps every day.
His routine may sound a little intense, but such determination has seen Steve help hundreds of women in the past year.
Known quite simply as The Fitness Guy, the 40-year-old father of two set up his own business at the beginning of this year in a bid to help women get healthy both physically and mentally.
He was inspired by his wife, Jodie, 36, who struggled with her weight after the couple’s youngest child was born.
Steve watched Jodie go from diet to diet before realising that there was a gap in the market for sensible healthy eating plans that could be achieved despite a busy lifestyle.
He founded Lean and Learn having worked as a general manager at Nuffield for 10 years.
“We have Blake who is 11 and Layla who is seven, it was after Layla was born that Jodie really started to struggle with diets,” said Steve.
“She tried one thing after the other and it was hard for me to give her advice.
“She likes to do her own thing and I wasn’t a personal trainer to her, I was her husband.
“It was really difficult to sit back and watch Jodie try various weight-loss pills, diets, shakes.
“It went on for years and there didn’t seem to be a way out, not just for my wife but for women in general who are trying to balance family life.”
It was only after Jodie started taking tips from Steve that she saw positive changes, and he realised the toll that dieting can take.
“I think there are so many gruelling fitness programmes out there that are only focused on achieving physical results,” said Steve.
“Jodie runs round after our two kids, she needed something that would fit in with family life and she didn’t have time to go to the gym all the time.
“I started Lean and Learn in January and it was quite a daunting step to leave my job and actually give it a go.
“Rather than face-to-face meetings I decided to create an online forum, I wanted to bring women together and decided the best way to do that was online via social media.
“This meant that women had everything they needed at a click of a button.”
Lean and Learn is a 10-week programme and includes workouts which can be done at home.
There is no need for any equipment or a gym membership.
“So many programmes work out as really expensive because you need weights, a mat, resistance bands – I wanted to keep things simple,” said Steve.
“All you need is wi-fi, and just as important as the actual workouts is the support you’ll receive 24 hours a day.
“The women come together in groups online and motivate each other.
“It’s really lovely to see and it has created a body confidence moment.
“This isn’t about how much weight you lose but how you feel about yourself.”
Steve’s clients have even completed workouts on holiday, but his key mantra is balance.
He encourages women to go for meals out and indulge in their favourite foods.
“I don’t think diets work when you ban certain foods, it just leaves you miserable and craving,” said Steve.
“The key to having a healthy lifestyle is finding a balance and that’s honestly how I live my own life.
“The programme is very flexible and it soon becomes part of every day routine.
“I don’t think women understand the damage they inflict on their bodies by yo-yo dieting, you can achieve so much more with a 20-minute workout three times a week and a sensible diet whilst still making allowances for treats.”
Steve’s own workout routine sees him train five times a week and he even incorporates a run when he picks Blake and Layla up from school.
“My goal is to help as many women as I possibly can to improve their lives through a sustainable health and fitness programme,” said Steve.
“It’s strange to think that this all started because I wanted to help my wife, and now I’m hopefully helping women across Aberdeenshire and even further afield.”
The next intake of participants is on Monday, January 9, 2017.
For more information on The Fitness Guy’s Lean and Learn programme visit www.thefitnessguy.uk or e-mail steve@thefitnessguy.uk. The Lean and Learn 10-week programme costs £99.
