A dad has told of how he managed to turn his life around by cutting his cannabis smoking habit through exercise.
Carl Whittle, 40, found he was out of breath just walking up the stairs and a stroll in the park with his four-year-old son would tire him out. The joiner spent his free time getting stoned on the sofa, which then saw him resort to takeaways for tea most nights.
Whilst out on sites for work, he would drive to the nearest McDonald's for breakfast every day before then indulging in a Greggs for lunch. But by the time he was approaching his 40th birthday, he knew he had to make a change to be a better role model for his little boy, and found help in the gym.
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"I always wanted to change but I was always so lazy," Carl said, who lives in Salford. "It was always ‘I’ll do something tomorrow’ or ‘I will start on a Monday’ but nothing would ever happen. I needed to have some accountability.
"Smoking cannabis really impacted my lifestyle. I smoked it every day without fail since probably the age of 16. I wanted to quit, so I thought if I joined the gym, that gives me more reason to."
Feeling low on energy and depressed at times, he sought to be a more 'present’ dad. It led to him signing up for a 16-week programme with Ultimate Performance gym in Spinningfields last summer.
Feeling nervous about going to a gym for the first time, his wife Cheryl, 38, joined him, and they underwent their transformation together. "I had no idea about nutrition so I just ate whatever was easiest and most convenient," Carl explained.
"I had no interest in exercise, I had no motivation. I was really lazy and unfit. I spent most of my time sat on the couch."
Before, Carl would describe himself as 'skinny fat' - with skinny arms and legs but a larger belly. Through training at the gym three times a week and by overhauling his diet, he lost two stone in weight and his body fat percentage dropped from 25 per cent to nine.
Cheryl, who is a specialist nurse, also lost almost two stone after cutting out junk food and training with her partner. They planned and prepped all of their freshly cooked meals, which consisted of boiled eggs or porridge for breakfast, salmon salads for lunch, and chicken and vegetables for their evening meal.
"Walking into the gym was nerve-wracking and overwhelming but I was made to feel at ease straight away," Carl said. "It was a big change that was hard at first, but once we got used to it, I started really enjoying it and the meals."
Eight months on, the couple have sustained their healthy regime and hit the gym together four to five times a week. They even take their son along with them to a David Lloyd club, which hosts classes for kids such as Lego club and swimming lessons.
Carl credits improvements in his relationships to his new way of life too, with his friends and family commenting on the change. "I’m a lot more confident, I’m out more, I’m able to do more in work and it’s easier, I’m more active, more sociable," he said.
"I’m definitely happier. I was stoned all the time so I was always insecure and wanted to be left alone. The gym gave me something to do, it was probably more through boredom that I used to smoke and then eat sh*tty foods all the time. One habit led to another."
Carl added: "It’s completely changed my life. The way I used to live then to the way I live now, it’s completely different; two completely different people."
If you need help with treatment for drug addiction, please see your GP. If you're not comfortable talking to a GP, you can approach your local drug treatment service. Visit the Frank website to find local drug treatment services.
