16/09/2026
There were clothes sitting in Mel’s wardrobe that didn’t fit anymore.
In the space of a year, menopause had hit hard.
Her body shape had changed.
Her weight had crept up.
She’d gone up two dress sizes.
She had a decision to make.
Clear out the wardrobe and buy everything in a bigger size.
Or do something about it.
Mel chose the second option.
“Instead of getting rid of clothes that did not fit me anymore and changing my wardrobe, I decided that I was going to fit in them and worked hard to get there.”
What makes Mel’s story interesting is that she wasn’t someone who did no exercise.
She’d always danced.
She even taught a dance class once a week.
But suddenly, what she’d always done wasn’t having the same effect.
“I was and am going through the menopause and felt a definite decline in my body shape and fitness. I’d always taken part in dance classes and teach once a week, but that cardio wasn’t hitting me at all. I was putting on weight that I couldn’t shift.
“I felt tired a lot and completely fed up with feeling like that. I had jumped up two dress sizes in a year. I just felt deflated.”
If you’re reading this while going through something similar, you’ll probably recognise that frustration.
You’re trying.
Maybe you’re going to classes.
Maybe you’ve tried dieting again.
Maybe you eat hardly anything when you’re being “good”, then find yourself overeating when hunger and real life catch up with you.
You lose a few pounds.
Put them back on.
Start again.
And every time it happens, your confidence takes another knock.
For Mel, things had reached the point where she knew she wanted to make a change.
There was just one problem.
She had never stepped foot inside a gym.
“I was very nervous about starting. I was anxious about being judged and felt very uncomfortable about my body shape. I had no idea what I was doing at all.”
That’s why telling someone like Mel to “just join a gym” often isn’t much help.
You can pay for access to hundreds of machines.
But if you don’t know what to do with them…or you already feel uncomfortable walking through the door…that membership card doesn’t solve much.
Mel needed someone to take the thinking out of it.
So she started with Transformation HQ’s 6-Week Meltdown.
Three 45-minute coached sessions each week.
A simple meal planner.
Trainers showing her exactly what to do and checking her technique.
And accountability to help her keep going instead of having another stop-start attempt.
She didn’t have to become a confident gym-goer first.
She just had to turn up.
And something happened during that very first session that Mel hadn’t expected.
“After joining and taking part in my first class, my anxiety was immediately put to rest. Absolutely no judgement whatsoever, just encouragement from the trainers.
“I felt completely at ease and continue to enjoy the challenge of the classes.”
That was the start.
The Meltdown gave Mel the structure to get going and start seeing changes.
Then rather than reaching the end of six weeks and going back to doing everything herself, she continued with Transformation HQ on our monthly rolling membership, which can be cancelled at any time.
Same coaching.
Same structure.
Same support.
And something to keep working towards.
The weight kept coming off.
Her body shape changed.
But perhaps more importantly, the woman who had been frightened to enter a gym started feeling like herself again.
“My confidence has soared. Looking back, the menopause had hit me pretty hard. My confidence was at rock bottom and I was fed up with feeling like that, so I was pretty determined to make a change.”
Mel is also asthmatic and says regular training has made a difference there too.
“I have noticed that I do not use my inhaler as much at all. So overall the whole experience continues to be a massive positive for me.”
But the scales only tell part of this story.
Remember those clothes?
The ones Mel refused to throw away?
“The satisfaction when a zip that wouldn’t budge four months ago now moves with ease is such a good feeling!”
That zip was proof.
Not an app telling her she’d done well.
Not someone paying her a compliment.
Something she could physically see and feel.
The clothes fitted again.
And then Mel did something she’d never felt confident enough to do in her life.
She bought a bikini.
“This may seem a ridiculous thing, however I have never been confident enough to wear a bikini. But recently on a weekend away, I actually bought one and wore it with pride!!”
Think about that change for a second.
Mel went from feeling uncomfortable in her own body and being nervous about entering a gym…
…to walking around on holiday in a bikini she’d chosen for herself.
And she wasn’t finished.
As part of her rolling membership, Mel decided to take on Transformation HQ’s 12-Week Shoot.
This is there for members who are ready to push things further after building those foundations.
Today, Mel has lost over 21lbs and weighs 9 stone 2lbs.
“I have now lost over a stone and a half, my body shape has changed dramatically and I feel so much better. Menopausal symptoms do feel reduced and now manageable.”
“The shoot gave me that extra push. I loved the challenge of it and was really pleased with the results.”
She now sits down with her trainer every 3 weeks, setting fresh targets and keeping on top of what she’s achieved.
Her approach to food has changed too.
“Always check your macros! The MyFitnessPal app has helped me so much. Also the recipes on the members area are fantastic. I have the whole family eating them.”
And despite becoming someone who trains consistently, Mel isn’t pretending she wakes up every morning desperate to exercise.
“Some mornings are difficult but once you get to the gym and get going you feel so much better. Those endorphins have a lot to answer for!”
Her solution?
Make training fit around life.
“I like training in the morning as it sets me up for the day and by 7:30 I know I have done it and it makes me feel good.
“Also, find time. It’s only 45 minutes out of your day and Transformation HQ is open early to later at night!”
If you’re reading this thinking:
“That’s me.”
Your clothes don’t fit like they used to.
Your body has changed.
You’ve tried cutting back.
You’ve tried classes.
You keep telling yourself you’ll sort it next week, next month, or when life calms down.
And perhaps, like Mel, the idea of walking into a gym when you already feel uncomfortable in your body sounds like the last thing you want to do.
Mel understands.
She’d never been in one either.
Her advice now?
“Go for it!!
“I wasn’t a gym goer. I’d never stepped foot in a gym. I had always felt intimidated by them and had no idea what I was doing, so it was easier not to bother.
“That’s why I like Transformation HQ. It’s structured and you are shown what to do and your form is checked so you get it right!”
Mel didn’t wait until she felt confident enough to start.
Starting is what gave her the confidence back.
Over 21lbs gone.
Back into the clothes she’d refused to throw away.
9 stone 2lbs.
And, for the first time in her life, wearing a bikini with pride.
If you can see a bit of yourself in Mel, perhaps the question isn’t whether you can change things.
It’s how you’ll feel six weeks from now if you put it off again.
The next six weeks are going to pass anyway.
You could spend them having another go on your own.
Or you could finally give yourself the structure, coaching and support Mel wishes she’d had sooner.
DM us for more information 📲
