About a year ago I embarked on a mission. With 30 grinning around the corner and my physical health suffering under immense pressure and stress at work, late night conference calls and poor food and lifestyle choices I decided to start investing a decent amount of my time and energy in the only asset I *really* have – me. I joined yet another gym, started journaling my food and started walking to work thanks to Sean Cosgrove – a cheerful chap and great personal trainer from Glasgow, Scotland who knew how to grow a humongous body without any help from synthetic protein powders and chemicals and who – like me – used to be a fat kid.
I am strongly convinced that there is no stronger connection to another person than shared suffering. That’s why I know that my current personal trainer Matt Chapman understands me, knows what I am really going through as well as Sean did. Matt knows how the appetite and the irrational cravings and emotional face stuffing are the real enemies lurking deep inside me. And he knows how to beat them.
I shyly approached Matt on Instagram and asked him around about his program which I saw on a suggested posts page (power of social media yay!) A year after I started working on my fitness and wellbeing and 24 kilograms lost later, I want you to meet a very special guy – Matt of Matt Chapman fitness. He is training me remotely through the Trainerin app and helps me achieve my goals unlike any other trainer has so far. Call it a shameless plug for his services – I don’t care, because I write only about things I have tested and believe in and Matt is 100% responsible for my success.
Guys, meet Matt!

Matt Chapman fitness Sydney

How did you choose the career of a personal trainer?

Becoming a personal trainer was a natural progression for me. As an obese teenager I was picked on and bullied a lot. From a young age I decided I didn’t want to be that person so I taught myself the importance of eating well and exercising. From then on I gained a passion for fitness and health which led me to becoming a personal trainer where I could help others change there lives just like I had.


What’s the most challenging part of your job?

Trying to help clients break old/bad habits and getting into people minds and trying to change the way they think about training and nutrition. Everything starts in the mind!

In an age obsessed with body image what part of your clients – do you think- train because they want to be healthy and what part train to conform to beauty standards?

This is a good question! A lot of people come to me because they want to look good. This is fine but I always try to teach them the importance of eating well and exercising for health benefits. If you train with purpose and learn to love the process the good looks will come in due course.


Do you know what it feels like to be overweight or not like your own body?

100% As I mentioned I was obese as a teenager and felt very uncomfortable physically and mentally.

I remember sitting on the toilet one day and grabbing my stomach with 2 hands. From that day on I decided I wanted to change. I put my sneakers on and started running. I ran to a road sign that wasn’t far up the road and walked the rest of the way around the block. The next day I ran to the next sign and so on until I could run a full lap around the block without stopping. I remember I used to run at night time so no one would see me. I’m in the best shape of my life at present but I’m still working on changing the way I feel about myself. Those early days scarred me a lot! It’s a constant mental battle.

 


What’s the best motivation for someone who hasn’t started training yet?

Wake up early every morning. Put 2 feet on the ground and get moving! The hardest part is starting!!!


What’s your normal day like?
  1. 4am Wake at4:30 Coffee
  2. 5am Train with a client
  3. 6:30am Eat breakfast
  4. 7am Train clients in the gym
  5. 10am Eat and train more clients
  6. 1pm Finish with clients and Eat
  7. 1:30pm Head to PocJox HQ where i’ll pack orders and do anything required such as emails, marketing, photography ect.
  8. Eat
  9. 4pm Eat
  10. 5pm Pick up my son Rafa from day care and spend and hour with him before cooking dinner
  11. 7pm Attend to online clients, programs and tidy up any loose ends.
  12. 8pm Prepare a list of ‘to do’s’ for the following day while chilling on couch
  13. 8:30pm Cuppa tea & snack
  14. 9:30pm BED
Do you eat burgers?

YES YES YES

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