Say Yes Fitness High Wycombe

07/03/2025

If you're not working on your balance, mobility, and strength, you should be!

I received a message from a former client today who didn't return to the gym after injuring his knee on an overseas holiday, as he was undergoing physio before planning a return to normal training.

Unfortunately, during the rehab process, he had a bike accident and fractured his hip. Keep in mind that he is in his 70's. A hip fracture at this age can often end tragically. Thankfully, this has not been the case for my client 🙏

In my client's own words:

"After a few months in a wheelchair I am now hobbling around on a walking frame. The surgeon says there are a few bits of bone missing that will regenerate by mid year, but until then, I have to limit loading on my right leg to 20kg.

Why am I telling you all this? To thank you for your advice in improving my balance and flexibility.

After 5 horrendous nights in hospital, I was transferred to rehab where nights weren't much less horrendous. I was told to expect a 2-3 week stay before I could go home, but the physios were so impressed with my agility that I got out after 2 nights 🤩 Some kind of record I was told.

All confirms how important it is to stay fit so that you can deal with the unexpected."

So please, heed my client's words and ask yourself:

"Would I be physically capable enough to recover in the event something unexpected happens?"

If the answer is no, it may be time to change that.

My client would no doubt have faced a much more gruelling rehab and recovery had he not been working on his mobility and strength prior to the accident. When he started training with me, he had zero balance and even less strength. Unfortunately, due to osteoporosis (the reason his GP recommended a trainer), he was unable to avoid the hip fracture entirely, but he has been able to recover from it better than many are able to.

The power is in YOUR hands.

Laura x

01/03/2025

I have long championed strong over skinny, but the "why" really hit home today. Sure, endless dieting is bad for our mental health. But what about our physical health?

At today's .rightnow event, some of the most impressive medical minds in women's health discussed all things menopause. Among them, the words "STRONG, NOT SKINNY" were championed by the likes of and 🤩

The reasons? Poor nutrition has been seen to lead to brittle bones in even 20-something women, let alone those of us who are 40-something (and beyond). Nutrition also impacts our hormones, and as most of us already know, these can wreak enough havoc throughout our lives without our diets adding to the 💩 storm!

The bone health talk by hit a bit closer to home for me, as earlier this week I stubbed my toe and broke it, in two places 😩 Did my yoyo (and extreme) dieting throughout my 20's and early 30's contribute to brittle bones? An appointment with an orthopaedic specialist will likely provide the answers, but I would not be surprised if my bones are not as healthy as they could be.

Despite my best efforts from my early 30's onwards to improve my health via weight training, a more active lifestyle, and balanced nutrition, those previous years of smoking, poor diet and a lack of exercise may have taken their toll. However, whatever the results of a bone density scan may reveal, I know the outcome would likely be a lot worse if I never made these changes to begin with.

The biggest takeaways I took from today's amazing conference?

💪 Advocate for your own health (GP shop, if you have to!)
💪 Strength train! (If you're here, you already knew this, but it's always good to reiterate)
💪 "Women's health equality begins when we demand for what men already have" 👏

I'm very proud to own a gym franchise with , a major sponsor for this important event. Helping women Say Yes to bettering their lives and health is what I already do, and today reminded me why I do it.

It's never too late to take control of your own health. Nobody else will, or can, do it for you.

Laura x

16/01/2025

If you're looking for a supportive environment to workout in, then look no further than Anytime Fitness High Wycombe WA 😁

Owned and managed by personal trainers, we understand what a gym should be, and we walk the talk! Whether your jam is group classes, PT, or just doing your own thing (with support from us) then we have you covered.

If you're looking for a non-intimidating fitness space, then we may just be exactly what you have been searching for. Message me, the wearer of many hats 🎩 (owner, manager and PT) for an obligation-free chat 😊

08/09/2024

🏃‍♀️🥂 🥳 We had an absolute blast this morning at the West Australian Marathon Club Women's Classic 5km Fun Run

Massive shout out to my amazing client Caris Smith for running her first ever 5km 🤩🌟 You smashed it lady, so, so proud of you 🙌💜

An equally massive shout out to Sarah Young who also ran a casual 15k before the 5k 😜😅 After running her first km with me in training for the 2023 HBF Run, Sarah has since completed 2 half-marathons and will be taking on her first full marathon next month 👏✨

To top off a stellar day Cherie Perrella smashed her 5k time 👏 Plus, took the action shot of Sarah, Caris and I nearing the finish line 📷 😀

That I get to be a part of these incredible achievements is one of the best things about my job, along with getting to know so many strong and inspiring women (who are also beautiful humans) 💕

For my part, as this was my first 5k since 2023, I can confirm runners high is definitely still a thing! 😆

25/08/2024

Hi 👋 Yes, I am still alive 🫣

This is my Garmin watch reminding me, and all of you, that when life gets hectic you need to let your body (and mind) recover 🙏

Biz ownership has challenged me both mentally and physically, and my watch is on to it!

Don't get me wrong, it's "good" hectic, but it has meant having to take a step back from certain things to make room for others, and socials have definitely not factored high on my list of priorities. If I'm honest, the break has been good for me.

Prior to taking a step back I was consuming a lot of negative content, world affairs etc. and it was detrimental to my mental health. We all only have so much bandwidth, and I have to concede that my position of privilege meant I was both "forced", and yet able, to take that breather.

So I'm just dropping by on this Sunday evening to remind you that it's okay to take a break, to remove the negativity for awhile, to understand that sometimes YOU have to come first. To reset, refresh and refocus on the things that matter to you.

For me, those things are my clients, my biz and my partner / friends / family. The juggle is real, but when I allowed myself to drop a few of the "balls" everything else became that little bit easier to juggle.

Which "balls" could you drop to make the juggle easier?

17/06/2024

PILATES CLASSES - open to non-gym members! 🤩 Let me know if you're keen 😄

PILATES IS COMING TO HIGH WYCOMBE! 🤩 Looking for a way to get stronger, improve your mobility and feel like you have accomplished something without the need to hit the gym floor? Plus enjoy it with a group for added motivation? Then you need to experience a mat Pilates class!

"Feel the burn" may traditionally be thought of as something you need weights to experience, but trust us, Pilates will do it too (in a good way!) 💪

These classes will be run in our functional fitness area for 45 mins at 6:00am on Fridays from the 21st June (a divider will be in place to provide a dedicated space). Only $15 per class, discounted to $10 per class for packages of 4 classes or more. Contact us on 0406 029 944 for more info or to book.

See you there! 😀

18/04/2024

Tired? Yes 😴 A little stressed? Possibly 😜 Happy? 💯

The last 12 months have been intense. Purchasing a business for the first time is a huge learning curve, and one that I was completely unprepared for. The emotions ran high. From excitement, to disappointment, to fear, to elation, it has been a non stop rollercoaster 🎢

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. I am in a very fortunate position and I couldn't be more grateful. Whilst nothing could have prepared me for this process, the sacrifices I would have to make or the toll it would take on my mental and physical health, I know the future looks brighter for pushing ahead with this decision and working through the process. I have not lost my excitement for the possibilities that lie ahead for the business itself, and our gym community.

I love the fitness industry. Well okay, I have a love / hate relationship with the fitness industry 🫣😅 That's why I pursued this option. I can make more of an impact as a gym owner and PT than I ever could as a PT alone. I love the positive message Anytime Fitness Australia promote, I have always believed fitness should be accessible to everyone and so do they. With the support of the AF business model I can provide an inclusive environment for our gym community that promotes positivity in fitness. I think we need more of that!

I want our gym to fulfil more than just a functional role. I want it to benefit people in multiple ways - physically, mentally and socially. To me, that's what fitness can and should be.

My passion is helping people improve their health, lifestyle and quality of life. The way the fitness industry operates and makes our services available to people will have an impact on health outcomes within our communities. I am excited to play a bigger role in that and envision a future where a larger percentage of people, from all different walks of life, feel comfortable joining a gym. A future where gyms are no longer an intimidating place they don't feel they belong in, but a community they can be part of and an avenue to a healthier, more fulfilling life.

"Say Yes" meets "Any Body, Any Time". A match made for a brighter future in fitness!

09/03/2024

Shout out to my client Sarah on achieving her first 10km run today! 👏🥳 A little over 12 months ago Sarah was just starting out with PT sessions and learning her own capabilities. With no prior running experience she said "Yes" to joining our team for the 12km HBF Run last May, "Yes" to a 6km trail run in the Avon Valley in June and "Yes" to the awe-inspiring 27km trail run up and down Mt Kosciusko, NSW in December. Now she's set herself the goal of a half marathon 💪 This is truly amazing determination and commitment that deserves to be recognised 🤩

From seeking support from a personal trainer because you didn't feel confident doing it on your own, to becoming an inspiration to your own coach! 😅 What an incredible journey yours has been so far Sarah 🙌

Although not all of us may share Sarah's love of running, that's totally fine! What this defines is what the business name "Say Yes" is designed to promote. Saying "Yes" to the things that make YOU feel good.

✌️💜💪

Laura x

26/11/2023

I am excited to share with you that I recently took over the role of Club Manager at the best gym in High Wycombe - Anytime Fitness 💜

I have been operating my PT business here since January 2021 - it's my second home and I'm proud to have been a part of this team over the past (almost) 3 years. The time has come for my role to evolve and influence the future of this great fitness space 😊

Currently I am job sharing with our other superstar PT John so effectively this:

🏋️‍♀️ DOESN'T mean I will no longer offer PT or Nutrition Coaching services. Coaching will always be my first love and my clients come first.

🏩 DOES mean that I now have more control over your gym experience as well as your coaching one.

Coaching is what gets me out of bed every morning - not too early though 😉

Being able to influence your fitness experience outside of my relationship with you as a Coach is empowering and allows me to help provide the best possible space for you to train in - great things are already in the works!

If you're not already please follow Anytime Fitness High Wycombe WA for updates. We have been quiet on socials during this transition phase but we have some exciting announcements ready to drop soon!

✌️💜💪

Laura x

24/10/2023

HEART HEALTH is such an important topic. Do you know your personal risk factors for heart disease or the warning signs that something may be wrong?

I didn't initially plan on sharing this photo publicly as I felt the image of a fitness professional wearing a Holter monitor may not send the most positive message... then I realised this is actually a great opportunity to highlight the importance of checking in on your heart health 🫶

I wore this monitor for 22 hours to check for abnormalties in my heart function due to recent multiple episodes of arrythmia - defined as improper beating of the heart, whether irregular, too fast or too slow.

I have been feeling 'generally' fatigued for awhile but had put it down to a combo of seasonal allergies and stress. Recently, what I had thought was my asthma becoming symptomatic - a tight feeling in my chest and breathlessness - was actually low heart rate (bradycardia). I put the symptoms & cause together after seeing that my heart rate average had slowed from 65 to a low of 44 via my fitness watch stats.

Given my family history of heart disease and my high blood pressure in the past (a catalyst for my venture into fitness) I immediately made a GP appointment. If there's one thing I do know, it's not to muck around with this stuff!

The GP ordered blood tests and a referral to have the Holter monitor fitted. I won't receive results for a few more days 🤞

Being 'fit and healthy' will not necessarily offer protection from all risk factors of heart disease as some will have controllable risks (e.g smoking) and others non-controllable risks (e.g. age).

If you are a woman aged 45 and over (or 30 and over for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander women) speak to your GP about your risk of heart attack and stroke and have a Heart Health Check.

❗I am 40 with a family history of CVD and a personal history of high BP. If you are below the ages above and you (or your family) have any of the risk factors then I would still encourage a discussion with your GP.

❤️ Follow Heart Foundation to learn more about heart health and how to lower your risk of heart disease - prevention is better than cure!

✌️💜💪

Laura x

04/10/2023

BEING A CHEERLEADER FOR OTHER WOMEN GIVES ME JOY...

My friend and long-term client Pritam is an inspiration to me and many other women 🤩

During the past 4 years I have experienced the highs and lows of life with her and can guarantee there is no one else more deserving of the accolade of being nominated for the Women in Technology, Western Australia (WITWA) Awards 2023 👏🏽

I don't pretend to understand her job - tech is not my strong point - but I do know how professional and skilled she is and how much her organisation values her as a high level employee.

Pritam is one of the kindest, strongest and most talented people I know so please join me in voting for her as the People's Choice via the link below 👇

https://witwaawards.awardstage.com/public/judging/carousel?EntryId=129168

✌️💜💪

Laura x

10/09/2023

Today is World Su***de Prevention Day. Statistics show that all of us will be touched by mental health issues (our own and/or others) and su***de or attempted su***de during our lives.

That is actually staggering and heartbreaking at the same time 💔

Like most of us, I have lost people I cared about to su***de. Often young, and with their whole lives ahead of them.

I have also watched people struggle with their mental health and not known what to do to help. I have spoken at length with su***de attempt survivors.

The most important thing we can do to prevent the worst is keep the conversation going. I will quote the striking words of my beautiful friend Abbe who says it better than I ever could:

"𝘒𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦, 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘥𝘰 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦. 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘨𝘨𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨.

𝘐𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘨𝘮𝘢, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯, 𝘪𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘱.

𝘗𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘥𝘦𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘶𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩.
𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳."

~~~

Please never assume that someone is ok. Ask them. Listen if they want to talk, without judgement. Resist the urge to give advice if you're not qualified to do so. If they are building walls or you are concerned speak with and/or refer to a mental health professional.

People who attempt su***de are in a very deep, dark place but it's possible for them to climb out. They need support and caring to do so. Be that person for them.

If you are struggling please reach out 🙏 I am always available to lend an ear.

Laura xx

🎥 This gorgeous sunrise at Jabiru with birdsong in Kakadu National Park seemed fitting for this post.

Tomorrow is a new day ☀️