Gareth

Photo by Gareth

Gareth's Fitness Journey: From "Fat Dad" to Fundraising Athlete

Gareth, a father driven by love, embarked on a fitness journey to be present for his sons. He started with a running challenge, proving that busy parents can prioritise health without sacrificing responsibilities. His journey inspires others to embrace healthy lifestyles, setting a positive example for their families and communities. Gareth's story reminds us that it's never too late to make a change, and even small steps can lead to significant transformations.

Growing Up in the Valleys:

I was born and raised in the valleys of South Wales. Due to the nature of my location, I was fortunate enough to have grown up on the side of a mountain bordering the famous Brecon Beacons. Environmentally we were between rural and industrial, in front of us a huge steelwork and behind us mountain peaks and farmland. I spent good chunks of my childhood wandering the mountainside and fishing in the feeder ponds for the local steelworks. We knew the valley side like the back of our hands and would traverse it in all weathers, usually under-kitted!

Turning Point & First Steps

I was always fairly active prior to the pandemic. I played a lot of football but that was just about maintaining my weight. As soon as that stopped, I started to pile on the weight. There was no singularity when it came to making a change for my health. There were several factors that played into it but most importantly was watching my eldest son grow and knowing that if I didn’t do something then that would literally be all I would be able to do, watch! So, incorporating exercise into my routine was fairly straight forward I just needed something to force my hand. I restarted my fitness journey by signing up to Great Ormond Street’s JanuRun initiative which gave me a reason beyond myself to actually get out and do a bit. I chose to run as it’s something that I have been able to do, regardless of weight, even without training. Prior to this, I had somehow completed 3 Cardiff Half Marathons with no training at all! Over the course of January 2023, my fitness levels improved, and my weight began to come down. I didn’t seek any professional help; I just went out and started. Shortly after that, I started my Instagram account @fat.dads_fit.club to keep myself accountable and motivated and hopefully inspire others by showing them that was possible, even as a busy, working parent. 

My partner’s support was invaluable, at the time I started she was pregnant with our second child so for her to allow me to do what I needed to do all whilst being pregnant and looking after our eldest gave me even more motivation to fix myself. Initially, my diet stayed the same, but I was still noticing a drop in weight. Shortly after the birth of our youngest my partner began her own weight loss and fitness journey and that’s when the major dietary shift came in. Our healthy eating regime mixed with our exercise programme saw a drastic change in not only weight but clothing sizes and quite quickly a significant weight loss occurred

Photo by Gareth

Memorable Milestones & Challenges

My most notable achievement over the first few months, disregarding the number on the scales, was my completion of the Barry Island 10K and that was in under an hour a time that I was targeting. Given the elevation present on the course I was surprised I hit the target! My biggest setback came at the end of November and over the Christmas period. I had to have surgery to repair a hernia which resulted in a 6-week layup, at the worst possible time of year for weight gain. Fortunately, I came through with minimal weight gain but unfortunately, I lost quite a bit of fitness, so I was essentially starting from scratch

Positive Impact on Life:

 The knock-on effects of my running regime are a definite improvement in my mental health. I suffer from a condition called Cyclothymia, in America, it’s known as Bipolar 3 and is a relatively unknown condition. This results in fast cycling shifts with ups and downs. A running regime, outdoors, music-less with the dog has had a marked improvement in my ability to regulate my emotions in my down periods. This has meant that all aspects of my life have also taken a turn for the better.

Next Chapter: 

I am currently in my “Year of Giving Back”, I turn 40 this year and in lieu of celebrating I am signed up to several events to raise money for Tŷ Hafan. I am running a variety of distances from 10K all the way up to 40 miles, culminating in a 33 miler from Caernarfon up and over Yr Wyddfa. 

Words of encouragement:

Well, my motto is let’s get after it! And my advice is to do just that. 

My other tagline is: - “a mile is as good as a marathon when the alternative is doing nothing”

Little changes add up to big differences, I don’t advocate that you have to go out and run miles and miles every day and do it all fueled on 3 lettuce leaves and a boiled egg. I recommend just upping your activity levels every day. Taking the dog for a walk, taking the kids for a bike ride, and swapping the car ride to the shop for a walk all add up. We happily supplement our diets so why not supplement our exercise by adding that little bit extra that you wouldn’t even class as effort but will be what reaps you the rewards.

Photo by Gareth

To continue following our explorer Gareth’s journey or simply want to reach out and say Hi, you can connect with Gareth on the following accounts: 

Gareth: “I currently run a Strava club which has a monthly leaderboard which I find is a great way to keep yourself accountable plus you get kudos from other similar athletes which is always rewarding as peer recognition is one of the strongest forms of motivation. Also if you couple it with a charity challenge then you can also help out those in need all whilst losing weight and gaining fitness. If this is something that interests you then I’d be happy to welcome you aboard…part of the crew, part of the ship” https://strava.app.link/KKMOZcjfrJb

“I am always actively seeking donations towards Tŷ Hafan, a fantastic charity the link to my Just Giving page is”: 

https://www.justgiving.com/page/fatdad

“I also had a feature on their website and socials if you would like to read more about my fundraiser or find out more about the charity the link is here”: -

https://www.tyhafan.org/2024/03/28/gareths-year-of-giving-back/

Find me on Instagram  @the.runnersaurus and @fat.dads_fit.club

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