A bit about Balance

Balance was born in 2013 when I decided to leave a well-paid job in education to get back to my true passion of helping people find lasting ways to great fitness and wellbeing using natural, sustainable methods. This continues today but I’m now supported by my wonderful and truly inspirational partner, Lou, who brings her knowledge and endless enthusiasm for exercise, nutrition, nature, and adventure to everything we do.

Why are we here?

Our mission is simple:

“To help you and everyone to be fitter, healthier, and happier, for life.”

What really matters to us?

Click through the slides to learn about the five core values that drive everything we do.

People

**We place people at the heart of everything we do through a focus on social interaction, kindness, contribution, and community.**

Nature

**We cherish the natural world. We celebrate the innate, vital relationship between time spent outside connecting with nature and our physical and mental wellbeing.**
**We understand that we all feel best when we live in line with our natural systems and in harmony with the environment around us.**
And, right now, that natural environment needs us – more than ever – to care for it and keep it fit, healthy, and happy, keeping us fit, healthy, and happy as a result. We find joy in every living thing and the part it plays in the beautiful balance of life.

Wellbeing

**We’re about much more than just getting fit. We celebrate all-round, total, utter, holistic, complete, wonderful wellbeing.**
We believe that great wellbeing is about finding balance in all elements – mental, physical, social, emotional, financial, and spiritual. It encompasses mindset, movement, nutrition, and lifestyle and we strive constantly to empower people to make improvements in all these areas.

Adventure

**We seek adventure in everything we do. We are constantly exploring new places, searching for new experiences, and learning new things.**
We combine movement, playfulness, and getting outside as often as possible in our continual quest for adventure and encourage and empower you to do the same.

You

**We recognise and rejoice in the uniqueness of you and of every individual.**
We practice a coaching-based approach that recognises that there is no one-size-fits-all solution, that no two people are the same, and that puts you – the individual – at the heart of your fitness and wellbeing journey, empowering you to find the habits and tools that are right for you and your goals.

What makes Balance different?

We make fitness and wellbeing:

Simple.

Everything we do is scientific but simplistic, based on evidence from the latest research and our many years of experience working with people on their fitness and wellbeing goals.
At all times, we keep the language and the actions you need to take clear and easy to understand.

Enjoyable.

If you’re going to make changes that stick, they must be fun for you.
We’ll always work together with you to find the most enjoyable way to better fitness and wellbeing.

Affordable.

We believe that good fitness and wellbeing should be accessible and available to everyone.
That’s why we look to make our offerings as affordable as possible, providing an option for every budget.

Sustainable.

Everything we do is about helping you find a way to fitness and wellbeing that lasts, building habits you can enjoy and stick to.
We also believe that a fitter, healthier, happier planet goes hand in hand with fitter, healthier, happier people. We always try to use natural solutions that are good for both you and the planet.

We offer a truly holistic approach. Everything we do is underpinned by our four key pillars to great fitness and wellbeing for life:

- think: Mindset and motivation tools and techniques to help you make lasting changes.
- eat: Helping you to find a balanced, nutritious approach to food and drink that works for you and your goals.
- live: Support with all the important lifestyle habits - sleep, stress management and mental health, social interaction, learning, hobbies, alcohol and smoking reduction, and more.
- move: Help to find a balanced exercise and activity routine suited to you, with a big emphasis on getting outside to enjoy the amazing benefits of nature whenever you can.

A bit about us

Whilst I run Balance, it’s far from a solo effort. My partner Lou is wonderfully supportive and has a great eye for detail, proofreading all of my books and writing. She generates huge amounts of amazing content for social media with her yoga teaching, cookery, gardening, and endlessly brilliant creativity, alongside her incredible parenting of our beautiful children, Lennie and Izzie.

She was also the better half of the team a few years ago when inspired to do something by my dad’s attempted suicide (I’m delighted to say he’s now much better and back to his old self, terrible jokes included), her grandad’s passing, and the impact of Lockdown on everyone, we cycled over 2000 miles around Britain’s National Parks and AONBs to help raise money for the Mental Health Foundation and The Woodland Trust.

Most importantly, Lou, Lennie, Izzie, and Basil the cat help me to find balance in my life. Here’s a little more about Team Balance.

Paul

Hi, I’m Paul, runner, cyclist, all-round fitness fanatic, expert sleeper, bookworm and food lover - lots of healthy things but also occasional cake and beer (only the good stuff though).

Experience:

22 years in the health and fitness industry; in fact, I’ve never had a ‘proper’ job, only fun ones doing what I love!
I’ve been a Personal Trainer, worked in private hospitals, delivered countless health screens and workplace wellbeing initiatives, and taught thousands of people to be Personal Trainers too.
I was Curriculum Manager for the largest training company in the UK and a member of the Technical Expert Group for fitness, advising the Register of Exercise Professionals on their qualifications and courses.
I have a BA Hons in Sports Studies and an MSc in Exercise and Nutrition Science.
I’m the author of two books so far, All Downhill From Here and The Complete Guide to Weight Loss.

Skills and specialities:

Exercise and lifestyle change for people with medical conditions.
Behaviour change for lasting results.
Writing courses, books, articles, and anything I’m asked to (I’m basically a geek).
Teaching and presenting.

Superpowers:

I can make entire packets of custard creams disappear.
I can fall asleep anywhere.

Coolest things I’ve done:

Cycling 2,000 miles around Britain’s National Parks and AONBs, from London to Paris in a day, taking on Britain’s Three Peaks and cycling the 450 miles in between, cycling Land’s End to John O’Groats, and the three ascents of the infamous Mont Ventoux all in one day.
Running multiple marathons and one very painful ultra-marathon.
Walking Hadrian’s Wall, the Cotswold Way, and The Giant’s Causeway Coast Path.

Lou

I’m Lou, yoga enthusiast, crazy plant lady, avid gardener and grow-your-own lover, lifter of heavy stuff, worldwide travel and adventure addict, baker, cook, pizza lover, bookworm, and unofficial wine taster.

Experience:

I have a wide range of fitness industry experience, including as a PT, yoga teacher, HIIT class instructor, and in customer support for gyms and training companies.
I’ve experienced life to the full and developed a range of people skills whilst travelling the world and working the widest range of jobs you can imagine; manager of a million-acre cattle station in the Australian desert and a ski/snowboard school in Switzerland, baker, bus driver, herbalist, and sewing machinist amongst others.
I have a degree in deep tissue massage and numerous fitness qualifications. Most recently, I’ve been taking my Royal Horticultural Society Level 2 qualification.

Skills and specialities:

Advanced Yoga Instructor (and Yoga for Mental Health Specialist).
Deep tissue massage therapist.
Fitness and wellbeing for pre and post-natal women and those with medical conditions.
Employee wellbeing seminar and workshop delivery.

Superpowers:

I can make wine vanish in an instant.
I can power electrical items by touch alone.

Coolest things I’ve done:

Cycling our 2,000 mile round-Britain ride, and the famous Coast-to-Coast challenge, plus running a random marathon on a Tuesday. It wasn’t a race, I just wanted to see if I could do it!
Circumnavigating Australia in a campervan, a parachute jump, trekking the Himalayas, diving with Great White Sharks and running a marathon on my own on a Tuesday once just because.
Making Paul keep up with me on all the long-distance hikes he mentioned!

And the other vital members of the team…

Lennie

Lennie has been adventuring since before he was born, joining us on our Hadrian’s Wall walk from the comfort of his mum’s tummy.

Since then, he’s been hiking, biking, running, skiing (well, snowboarding if Lou gets her way), swimming, and more!

He’s always ready with a smile and a laugh so infectious you can’t help but feel more joyful about life. He’s currently in charge of everything he can get his hands on, from the TV remote to all food in the house, but has also recently been promoted to Walk Leader after finding his feet. :-)

Izzie

Our latest member of the team, Izzie was also an adventurer before she left her mum’s tummy, hiking the Causeway Coast Path in Northern Ireland and taking in the wonders of the Giant’s Causeway.

She had her first passport within days of being born and was soon flying off to check out the Dordogne in France. She particularly loved the castles and ancient cave paintings.

She’s also a music lover and recently headed off to a little music festival in Glastonbury (not that one) for an eclectic mix of tunes including electro-swing and her favourite, Newton Faulkner.

Basil

Basil is the original company mascot, having been part of the team since its launch. He likes to help out by carrying out vital research on sleeping and eating, both of which he does a lot!

To be fair to him though, he does enjoy the odd HIIT workout, usually in the evenings before bedtime. He's patented it HIITCAT and intends to sell it to his feline friends when he can fit the time in between important afternoon naps.