Many women believe they “just don’t like the gym” or that strength training isn’t for them. They’ve tried before, felt uncomfortable or out of place, and come to the conclusion it’s not something they’ll ever stick with.
My client Holly felt exactly the same. When she started online coaching, her main goal was to lose 6kg and feel more confident about her appearance – not to lift weights or spend time in the gym. In fact, she was convinced she hated it.
What changed wasn’t willpower or motivation, but how the process was approached. Over time, strength training became something she didn’t dread, then something she felt confident doing, and eventually something she genuinely enjoyed. Alongside that shift came changes in mindset, confidence, and how she viewed progress altogether.
This is a real example of how coaching can help women move past long-held beliefs about exercise, and build habits that actually last. And this could be especially powerful if you’re starting with a weight loss goal this January.
Starting Point: Focused on the Scales (and Feeling Stuck)
Like many women, Holly’s initial goal was weight-focused. She wanted to see results on the scales and feel better about how she looked.
She was already:
-
Planning meals most weeks
-
Drinking plenty of water
-
Trying to “do the right things”
But despite this, progress felt harder than it should, and confidence was closely tied to whether the scales were moving.
What Changed During Coaching
One of the biggest shifts Holly noticed was how her goals evolved.
Rather than staying narrowly focused on weight loss, coaching helped her:
-
Improve her mindset around food and exercise
-
Build habits that felt realistic and sustainable
-
Feel more confident in what she was doing week to week
Using Nutracheck to track her nutrition didn’t mean becoming obsessed with numbers. Instead, it supported the planning she was already doing, and gave her reassurance that meals were balanced and giving her body the fuel it needed to build strength and lose body fat. As she wrote in her coaching evaluation form:
“I was already planning anyway – so why not use an app to make sure what I had planned was going to be well balanced?”
This reduced mental stress, decision fatigue, and second-guessing.
From “I Hate the Gym” to Strength Training Confidence
Strength training was something Holly had always believed wasn’t for her.
She was convinced she:
-
Hated the gym
-
Didn’t enjoy weights
-
Would never stick with it
So rather than forcing big changes, we focused on:
-
Short-term, achievable goals
-
Gradually building in home workouts
-
Progress over perfection
Over time, confidence grew. The habit started to build – and enjoyment followed. She even started going to the gym rather than training at home, and found even more satisfaction from the heavier weights she could lift there.
Strength training shifted from something she felt she should do into something she genuinely wanted to do.
What She Found Most Valuable About Coaching
Two things stood out most for Holly:
1. Support and availability
She knew she could reach out whenever she needed encouragement or had questions, which helped her stay consistent and feel supported.
2. A positive, realistic coaching style
Even when she couldn’t see progress herself, it was reflected back to her. As she wrote on her evaluation form:
“Hayley always found the wins, even when I couldn’t see them.”
That reassurance helped her recognise progress and keep moving forward, rather than giving up when motivation dipped.
An Honest Learning Point: Calories, Hunger & Progression
Towards the end of coaching, Holly’s activity levels increased significantly:
-
Gym sessions 2-3 times per week
-
Pilates 2-3 times per week
-
Dynamic yoga 1-2 times per week
-
Steps increased to around 12,000 per day
At this point, she began to feel significantly more hungry.
While her calorie target had been appropriate earlier on, this phase highlighted something important:
nutrition needs change as training and activity increase.
She also noticed a mental block around increasing calories, after spending so long aiming to be in a calorie deficit for fat loss. This is something many women experience after dieting, and this insight alone was valuable.
It demonstrated that targets need to be reassessed as life and training evolve, and what’s most important is what feels enjoyable and sustainable.
The Outcome: Confidence, Strength & a Sustainable Lifestyle
Although Holly didn’t quite reach her original scale goal in the timeframe she set, she felt completely at peace with that.
Why?
Because her definition of success had changed.
She now:
-
Plans nutrition with ease and far less stress
-
Goes to the gym for enjoyment and progress, not punishment
-
Feels motivated by habits and progress, not willpower
“I now go to the gym because it feels really good, and I enjoy seeing and feeling my progress.”
She no longer sees herself as someone who “can’t stick to things”, but as someone who builds habits she can enjoy and sustain.
Before & After: More Than Just a Visual Change
As you can see, Holly made noticeable fantastic progress during our time coaching together – losing fat and gaining both muscle and strength.
But these images don’t just reflect physical change. They represent increased confidence, strength, and a healthier relationship with food and exercise.
Progress showed up not only visually, but in how she felt, trained, and thought about herself.
Would She Recommend Online Coaching?
Here is Holly’s full testimonial:
“I would absolutely recommend Hayley as an online coach. My initial goal was so specifically around hitting a number on the scales in a specific timeframe – and I actually fell a little short of it.
But I felt absolutely fine about that, because through coaching, my goals actually evolved from something that was short term and visual, to a long-term lifestyle which has transformed my confidence and how I think of myself.
I used to think of myself as someone who couldn’t achieve my diet goals because I couldn’t sustain motivation. But I learnt that motivation isn’t what keeps you going, it’s gradually building good habits, which you can enjoy – honestly!
Planning my nutrition for the week ahead sounds boring and time consuming, but in reality it saves me so much time and mental stress through the week, that I’m really grateful for this habit now.
I now go to the gym, not to punish myself for eating something or to try to drastically lose weight, but because it feels really good. And I enjoy seeing and feeling my progress through visual changes to my body, but also noticing how I can lift a little heavier each time.
I needed a little motivation to start this process and to build the habits, but it’s the progress I have established through these that now keep me motivated!”
She needed support to start.
She needed guidance to build habits.
Now, those habits are what keep her motivated.
Thinking About Weight Loss This January?
If you’re starting again this January and want:
-
Weight loss without extremes
-
Support without pressure
-
Habits that actually last
Online coaching may be the missing piece.
You don’t need more motivation.
You need structure, reassurance, and a plan that fits your life.
I talk a lot more about weight loss, mindset, strength training, nutrition, menopause and more in my podcast – Think Healthy with Hayley. You can find it on any podcast platform or on Spotify here:
And if you’d love personalised support in 2026 to lose weight, get stronger, improve your relationship with food, and keep the results for good – I would love to help you.
(Check out my Client Results page to see how many women just like you have reached their goals through Online Coaching)
You can find more about having me on your team here:
Online Weight Loss Coaching with Hayley
