Member spotlight on Heidi Crompton

Meet Heidi, an SCL member for just over a year. Heidi became a member in 2023 after completing an Active Lifestyles referral. Heidi tells us all about her journey from navigating lockdown with a pregnancy related health condition to now attending regular group exercise classes and our CrossFit Bootcamp sessions.

My main motivation hasn’t been to lose weight, but to be fit and healthy for my little girl. The weight loss goes alongside that though and I have lost 5 and a half stone to date. It’s also had a massive impact on my confidence and mental health too.

‘I fell pregnant in late August 2019, stopped smoking at the end of September 2019 and then 2 months before my due date, we went into lockdown. Towards the end of my pregnancy I was really struggling because my hips had become displaced and I needed physio and crutches. Unfortunately at that time all non-essential medical care was withdrawn and this left me being unable to move much , which led to me piling a lot of weight on in a short amount of time. In total I put on 5 stone throughout my pregnancy.

When I had my little girl and things started to open up again I was referred to physio who also referred me to a weight management programme called ‘More Life’ which really helped me change my thoughts and habits around eating. I started to lose weight by just changing my eating habits and completed the course after 12 months.

After completing the course my weight loss stabilised until I stopped drinking alcohol, (unless I have a rare night out) then it started dropping again, until it stabilised again in September 2022. I remembered on the More Life course they mentioned there was some help available if you are overweight through the GP, a programme ran by SCL called Active Lifestyles. This gave me an initial session with an instructor and a 3 month gym pass. I asked my GP to make me a referral to the Active Lifestyles team and had my first session with them in January 2023’.

I’d never been in a gym before and felt quite nervous and intimidated about going into the new environment. I knew I needed to do this though and I psyched myself up for it. I realised after one or two sessions that everyone is in there concentrating on what they are doing and not really looking at what anyone else is doing.

‘The active lifestyles team gave me a basic workout to do in the gym and I mostly did that for around three months. I tried a few classes in that time, including Booty Bands with Danielle Kelly. After the three months I became a member.

Danielle encouraged me to come to other classes that she does and I now mainly do classes rather than go in the gym. I really enjoy them and feel they give me the motivation to do more and make a lot more progress. I’ve made friends in classes too. I have even been going to the bootcamp sessions on a Monday run by Chris at CrossFit. They are really challenging for me but I do it and feel great for it afterwards.

I’ve had a little bout of ill health at the back end of last year which has set me back a little but I’m determined to get back to where I was and further. Danielle has helped me when I returned back by helping me to ease back into exercise and giving me advice and options to help me in classes.

When I started at SCL my goal was to be able to run the parents race when my little girl starts school (which is next September!) and I think I’ve smashed that goal, although I’m yet to do it. Thinking to the future, one day I would like to do the Hyrox games… not to come anywhere near the top of the leaderboard but to do it and complete it for myself. It’s a long way off, but thanks to Danielle, Chris and SCL I definitely feel like it’s achievable for me.

What an inspiring story from Heidi, we’re sure you’ll agree. Keep us posted on your progress Heidi when you’re hitting the Hyrox Games!’