A man who struggled to run up the stairs at Moorfields Train station has turned his life around.
Stefan Plotnicki, from Gayton, Wirral, was feeling his worst – both mentally and physically – six months shy of turning 30. The insurance adviser knew he needed to make changes to start his milestone birthday off in the right direction and to help his mental health.
The 31-year-old told the ECHO: “Lockdown exacerbated a lot of pre-existing anxiety. The lack of contact with the outside world, healthy routine or structured exercise made things worse for me. I was frustrated with my appearance and lack of fitness and felt trapped in a rut.
READ MORE: Met Office forecast new weather warning issued for Merseyside
READ MORE: Smirking thug with cocaine on nose battered man in McCooley's
“I felt really inhibited by carrying so much excess weight and felt like I wanted to escape from my own body. I was unsatisfied and self-conscious but I knew I had the ability to change but I needed a hand to kickstart the transformation. I was desperate to start my thirties off on the right foot and in good shape.”
Stefan began working out at Limitless Lifestyle Community on Duke Street, three to four times a week for 45 minutes each time. This increased to five times a week, including, running for around one hour as he became more athletic. Since starting his weight loss journey, over two years ago, Stefan has lost just under four stone and now has his eyes set on a marathon at the end of the year.
He said: “Honestly, I don’t recognise myself in photos from when I was at my heaviest. It’s crazy how one person can appear so differently according to the lifestyle they lead. Mentally, I am more confident and full of energy which has provided me with much-needed resilience which I’ve needed to tackle life’s problems.
“Getting fit doesn’t solve all your problems but it does mean you have one less to worry about and the confidence you have from feeling comfortable in your own body gives you a positive platform from which to start each day.
“Two years ago, running up the escalators out of Moorfields station was genuinely a challenge. Now, my best friend and I have just entered the Valencia marathon in December. Two years ago, this would have seemed ludicrous. Now, it’s very much a reality.”
Stefan has achieved a number of significant physical feats in the last year including the Yorkshire Three Peaks, made up of a 26-mile hike, and finishing his first half-marathons – Liverpool and Alton Towers. However, one thing he still struggles with is diet.
He added: “This has been the biggest challenge and remains so for me. Back in the day, I would try to restrict my food too much which would result in me feeling hungry and deprived to the point where I would binge eat and actually go in the wrong direction completely. The gym has helped me to reevaluate and alter my relationship with food so that I can enjoy all foods, including sweet treats which are my Achilles heel in moderation."
Sign up for the ECHO’s LGBTQIA+ newsletter
Enter our £2,000 Wickes voucher giveaway and step into 2024 with style