First, tell us a little about yourself. Who you are, where youre from, how old you are, what you do back home?
Sarah Jean Bradbury is a 36 year old Administrative worker from Toronto Ontario. Duane is 37 years old and is an Agile Coach (software development) working for the Canadian Government.
How did you find out about Phuket Fit?
D: Reading about the success stories of extreme weight loss is what really made up our minds on coming to Phuket Fit. Seeing the before and after pictures of others that had achieved amazing transformations had a real impact on me.
D: A few months before we set off I had a dream that I was in Thailand training and losing weight. As soon as I woke up I told Sarah that we were coming to Thailand to train! We didnt know how we were going to be able to do it, but we pulled it off and were on that plane here before we knew it!
How long have you been at Phuket Fit and how much longer are you planning on staying?
S: We got to camp on our 5th Anniversary, February 14th, and are staying for 3 months.
Did you set any goals for yourself while training here?
D: We both wanted to kick start a new, healthier lifestyle to continue at home. We also wanted to up our fitness level and lose as much weight as possible. Also, as odd as it may sound, I wanted to be able to fit in public seating. I would love to go to a hockey game and not ‘overflow’ the seat. Larger people would understand this.
How did you do at meeting those goals?
S: I think we have done really well! Our bodies have completely changed! Together we have lost 60 pounds and gained a lot of muscle!
D: Most importantly we have learned about a different, healthier life style that we can try to replicate back home.
What accomplishment have you achieved while you were here that you’re most proud of?
S: When we first arrived I could not do 4 burpees in a row. I did 75 the other day (50 straight!)
D: I am proud to see how we have progressed along the way. The other day we redid a previous workout from when we first started working with our personal trainer and smashed our first times.
What kinds of challenges of setbacks did you face along the way?
S: When trying to lose weight the numbers can be daunting. You think youve had a fantastic week of exercise and were eating really well you think youve lost 3kgand you are up 500g. Progress pictures and really looking at how your clothes are fitting can be a better indicator of how your body is changing!
Do you have any advice for someone who might be looking at TMT for fitness or weight loss?
S: Phuket Fit is a great place to get a good mix of Fitness and Muay Thai. Coming into this adventure I had not done a minute of Muay Thai but figured if I couldn’t pick that up easily I could always fill my time with Yoga and Fitness classes. Reaching our goals had a lot to do with having the grill on site and knowing that the choices we had would be healthier options than what we could find on the street.
D: It is nice to be in an environment where everyone is there to reach a goal (even though it may be different from your own). It can be very encouraging and inspiring. I enjoy TMT because you just don’t have the fitness classes but also Muay Thai. I really enjoy Muay Thai training but when it is so much fun is it still a workout?
Which classes did you attend and what did you find the most exciting or challenging about them?
S: We started out just doing Muay Thai for the first month. We were then matched up with an amazing fitness trainer and started doing personal sessions with her and that is when we really started to see our fitness grow.
D: We are now doing fitness privates, bodyfit classes, Muay Thai privates and are walking up the Big Buddha hill as many times as we can. Each session pushes us in different ways. In Muay Thai you have to have your brain turned on to know which move to do next, in Bodyfit it is a different mental challenge to keep myself moving and not to rest!
What surprised you the most about Phuket Fit?
D: How friendly all the people are! Everyone has their own goals and they seem to want to help the next person achieve theirs. There are no outcasts here!
Tell me about one fun memorable thing that happened to you during your time at Phuket Fit.
S: There are so many to choose from! The beach Muay Thai class on BBQ Beatdown day was pretty fun and memorable – during the swim break before leaving I got caught in a few big waves and got pretty pummelled. The next day my trainer was asking me about it, she was asked if she ‘knew Sarah, from Duane and Sarah’ like we were a t.v. show!
How would you recommend someone prepare before coming to Phuket Fit?
D: Break your goal down into smaller to do items and slowly complete each one and chip away at the mountain. Also ensure you are serious about your goals because it is a true journey, and will last a life time. We took 1 month to adjust, the next month is to kill the old habits and the 3rd month to form new healthy habits to bring home with us.
S: After you arrive go at your own pace! Listen to your body. We came from a cold climate and tried to jump right into it. We needed to take time to adjust to the heat and time difference and get over our jet lag! Know that everyone has their own pace and as long as you are constantly pushing yourself out of your comfort zone your fitness will improve!
What are your favorite and least favorite exercises you encountered at Phuket Fit?
S: I have liked doing bag work with the Muay Thai trainers. A good mix of cardio, Muay Thai and lots of laughs. There is not a lot of enjoyment to be had when dragging a weighted tire around camp at 2pm on a hotter than hot day!
What tip did you learn at Phuket Fit that youll integrate into your life back home?
D: We hope to integrate so many things into our lives back home including regular exercise and healthy eating habits
Do you think you’ll come back to Phuket Fit?
S: We have been thinking of plans on how to get ourselves back here since week 4! We will be back as soon as we can!
Since the writing of this article, recently back in Canada Sarah suffered a very serious leg injury. All of us at Phuket Fit wish her the speediest of recoveries and wish her well. Also thinking of Duane who no doubt will be running around like a headless chicken after her! Luckily he is now more than fit enough to be able to do this! Best wishes to the both of you!