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Welcome to STORIES-2-INSPIRE #11 where I share inspiring stories of REAL people from many different backgrounds and situations who've overcome struggle, made amazing positive changes or achieved great things against the odds and refuse to give up!
Meet STEVE MARTIN - a fellow METALHEAD and HARDCORE fan! I got to know Steve through the Northern Ireland/Belfast METAL scene and our old bands played together at many shows through the years. 🤘
Like myself, Steve got to a point where he needed to make BIG changes to his life and he's done so in an impressive way and now on a mission to help others too!
READ HIS INSPIRING STORY BELOW...
NAME: Steve Martin
FROM: Belfast, NORTHERN IRELAND
Personal Trainer/Coach - TITANIC COACHING
Bass + Backing Vocals - CURSED SUN
TOP 3 ROCK/METAL BANDS:
1. BEHEMOTH
2. MISERY INDEX
3. CLUTCH
"My name is Steve and I'm a metal loving coach that plays guitar, hits up every show I can and trains 6 days a week. A few short years ago though my story was very different.
I used to volunteer at a DIY concert venue. I would drink 4 or 5 nights a week, take some things I definitely shouldn't have, sit up all night and party my life away. On the nights I wasn't doing this I would sit on my lazy ass playing video games until the sun came up, eat take out, drink and smoke my brains out.
I was 19 Stone at my heaviest (266lbs / 120kg). I had no body confidence, my mental health was in bits, my physical health was no better and I was so unfit that I couldn't climb the stairs without gasping for air.
The worst part of it was that I just believed this was my fate. My parents are both overweight so I blamed genetics. I blamed the convenience of the Chinese takeaway at the bottom of my street.
I told myself I couldn't sleep without a joint before bed. I blamed Just Eat. I blamed my family, my friends, my partners and everyone else for every bad habit that I had cultivated.
Something had to give."
"I was depressed, having anxiety attacks and couldn't hold down a job. I was nearly 30 years old and still living at home because I couldn't prioritise adult responsibilities over partying and I firmly believe that if this hadn't have changed I would be dead before 40!
It was at this point I met my wife. She lived just down the street from me and we'd known each other in passing for the guts of 20 years but it was never more than a cursory hello. We locked eyes at the Katatonia show in The Limelight, Belfast and 4 years and 2 kids later we haven't looked back.
That moment set me down a path that I never would have imagined. A few simple changes had massive results.
She didn't do takeout 7 nights a week like I did but she enjoyed a good meal so we'd go out for dinner. Suddenly I was replacing cheap processed food with whole food.
I cut out the smoke almost immediately and found my breathing was getting better almost immediately.
I would always drink Magners (cider) by the case but she turned me on to white wine. I could have a couple of glasses and be satisfied. This would cut out about 1000 calories any time I decided I wanted a drink. Still far from an ideal habit but it helped nonetheless."
"Most importantly though, she kept horses. I found myself helping her muck out the stables 6 days a week. This is a remarkable calorie and fat burning habit that I didn't realise would have such a profound impact on me.
With this culmination of circumstances I lost 4 Stone in just a few months and I did it by accident. One day I jokingly told her that none of my clothes fitted me anymore. I went from an XL to a baggy L and I wasn't on the last notch of my belt anymore. Result.
We got married and had our daughter Arya shortly after. Determined to bounce back from the pregnancy as quickly as possible, we went to a Personal Trainer.
It was here that I fell in love with the process, not to mention losing a further 30lbs in 14 weeks, and decided that a career in fitness was the only thing for me!"
"I wanted to let people know that it was possible to change yourself into someone that can look at themselves in the mirror with confidence.
I wanted to make people strong both inside and out.
I wanted to make people love themselves, their health, their fitness and their future.
And now I get to do just that. My greatest successes in the gym have all been from changing someone's mindset. When your head is in the right place and your intentions are right then your actions will follow suit.
If I can do it then so can you!" 💪
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💪 I want to build a community or tribe of like-minded people through BORN 2 BLEED so if you'd like to share your story email me at info@born2bleed.com , send your story, your top 3 rock/metal/hardcore bands, where you're from and a pic of you rockin your BORN 2 BLEED gear and lets fuckin' lift each other up, motivate and push each other forward!
NEVER GIVE UP!
Steve
(Owner BORN 2 BLEED)