HE'S a successful gym owner and personal trainer. They are desk-dwelling Evening Mail team members in serious need of a better lifestyle. (Sponsored)

Ulverston gym chief Henry Armer has set himself the stiffest of challenges as he bids to transform self-confessed 'cuddly man' and motors advertising rep Ryan Parkinson, and desk-dwelling fizzy drink-loving editor James Higgins into fitter, healthier individuals.

Here the two write about week one of their six week journey with the personal trainer. You can learn more about what he offers, here .


James' diary

YEEEES, shouted Henry as he encouraged me to push for a final few seconds.

Nooooo, said a voice from within as I expended the last vestiges of energy from my body.

The session had started off with banter; a few laughs covering common ground as Ryan and I warmed up for our PT session.

It ended in exhaustion quickly followed by the feeling of euphoria only a solid exercise session can bring about.

We'd shared our goals. Mine were ambitious; get rid of my fat and make me fit. Oh, and I'd like to look like James Bond à la Daniel Craig when he walks out of the sea.

Henry was not fazed - or at least he didn't show it. We did a number of exercises using everything from the rowing machine to kettlebells and what I came to learn were battle ropes.

They are now my nemesis. Innocuous enough in looks - devilish in nature when it comes to building them into a training session.

There was feedback, encouragement and monitoring through the session. My exercises varied slightly to Ryan's, but we pushed through together.

"How are you feeling,' asked Henry ?

"I'm 8.5 out of 10 tired," I said.

Back to it then, he commanded - you've still got enough to give me more.

For the next six weeks this will be life on Mondays and Fridays. It was tough and I sense it will get tougher. But it was great, and as the saying goes, there's no gain without pain.

Ryan's diary

It was with some trepidation I skulked up the slope to the green doors of HA Fit in Ulverston at 6.45 am on a cold, damp and misty Monday morning.

I am not a gym goer, per sé, but when needs must and all that. Reality has dawned recently that I am pushing the big 40, and having Type 1 Diabetes and a broken hip a little over 12 months ago, combined with changing my job to a somewhat sedentary office-based one and a love of food, the pounds are piling back on.

Now, I have always been, lets say “cuddly”, standing at 192 cm tall and currently in the region of 125kg (6’3” and a shade under 20 stone, for the “brexiteers” amongst you).

But I have been much more cuddly a few years ago but got my act together then and lost 6 stones, but over 2 of those have snuck back on in the last 12 months.

As I wait at the “reception desk” it is clear that one of my initial fears have been quashed, that being, this is not one of those flouncy wouncy places where looking good and being in the latest gym gear with all the “look at me I’m beautiful” gym bunnies prancing on the treadmills judging everyone who walks through the door.

From the avant guard handmade desk and retro lockers on the wall, to industrial looking weights and early morning boot campers, being encouraged by Henry, on the CCTV screens, it is clear to me this is just a proper, unpretentious, does what it says on the tin kind of a place .

So I wait contemplate the fate about to become me. As the weary yet energised boot campers file past me off to set about their daily chores I realise my time has come.

I am taken up to the gym by Henry himself and he explains what we will be doing. I try to get across that I am so unfit and nervous!

He sets me to warm up on a cross trainer for five minutes before we start the fitness tests as a base and measure of my overall fitness - or lack of.

After the warm-up and a few stretches, I move on to the rowing machine. I have 3km to row no time limit, just as quickly as possible, then the same on the bike, with legs like jelly, plank for as long as possible, then as many push ups as I can in one minute.

By this time I am knackered! Properly knackered! Trying not to let on and show it, “normally” explains Henry, “we would go and run on the treadmill now”

However with my recently operated on hip joint running is not encouraged, so a spot of boxing is suggested, followed by stretching.

Stretching is something that I have never done really and I was totally unaware of where and how it can affect muscles, all of this was explained by Henry in plain English and very well.

He also went in to a little nutrition and what to eat and how it affects the body, all in a way that was easy to absorb and understand.

Next stop, week two. Once more unto the breach...

Discover more about Henry's gym here .