Sarah has always lived an active lifestyle. Having committed to running for seven years as a hobby, Sarah became obsessed and eventually lost a total of six stone. This contributed towards a decline in Sarah’s mental health including regular panic attacks, severe anxiety and bouts of depression. However, she still turned to running as a means of losing weight. Despite maintaining high levels of activity through running each week, Sarah was initially put off the idea of joining a gym due to her previous negative experiences with local clubs’ restricted accessibility and opening hours.

Realising her passion for a sense of belonging and community, Sarah came across local club Anytime Fitness Wokingham due to its nearby proximity to her house (a five-minute walk). After being introduced to the gym by the club’s friendly staff, Sarah knew Anytime Fitness fitted her lifestyle due to its close-knit environment. Anytime Fitness Wokingham has helped Sarah rediscover her healthy love for running as she has exciting plans to run six 10km runs in six different Anytime Fitness UK locations.

“Anytime Fitness has got me out of bed every morning, despite my mental health challenges”, summarises Sarah. “Knowing that I can change into my gym gear at 4am in the morning gives me comfort as I tackle my current levels of anxiety. I think the best part about the club are the staff; they are some of the most approachable people I’ve ever met, and this is so important for me. They’ve created an atmosphere which allows me to think that even during my worst times, I’m still able to get comfort from going to the gym.”