WITH the new year upon us many people decide to head to the gym and some embark on weight-loss programmes.

But how do you know you are making a real difference? Fitness instructor, Hasham Digankar, talks about how to get motivated during these shorter and colder days when we all have a tendency to overindulge.

“I am in better shape at the age of 50 than I ever was before. Everyone seems to think I’m in my late 30s.

“I have been a personal trainer, on and off, for 30 years. I competed in bodybuilding competitions all over Europe since I was 14 years old.

“Every person I train brings a new challenge for me.”

Three people trained by Hasham have got into the finals for the British Power Lifting Championship. One girl is expected to win the British title.

He said he was delighted to be able to run his group at the Elite Physiques Gym off King Street, Blackburn which is managed by Shaun Coote.

“The owner here has been very supportive for which I am thankful.

Hasham said he had worked with a Multiple Sclerosis sufferer.

“He’s an incredible chap, very highly educated. I train him twice a week. The difference I see in him is remarkable. I had researched a lot into MS beforehand.

“I also train people with special needs.

“I also work with the armed forces when they are on leave. We train Monday to Friday. Their sessions are pretty gruelling. These guys have very intense fitness levels. I understand this as I served in the armed forces years ago.

“I work with people of all ages, from teenagers to 60 year olds. It’s so refreshing to see how many people are turning to the gym to get fit. Each session lasts from 30 minutes to an hour.”

People normally see Hasham for three months. “First we get the body used to exercise. Then we focus on the food and nutrition aspect.

“It’s not about how strong you are, it’s the ability to focus.

“It’s so rewarding when a spouse or partner of the person I am training says thank you to me. It means the world to me.”

Exercise goes hand in hand with eating healthily in order to achieve successful weight-loss. Hasham continued: “Nutrition is a huge part of training. When I was competing, I mostly ate protein, a little bit of essential fats like fish oils and a small amount of carbs. I was eating between six to eight meals a day.

“The biggest I ever was 15 stones and I only had four per cent body fat.”

Hasham shares his success stories on a Facebook page as an interactive way to stay in touch and motivate other fitness enthusiasts. “My daughter created my Facebook page for me. She said it was about time I embraced the modern age.

“We’ve had a great response on the Betterbodies Blackburn Facebook page. I share lots of tips on the website too: www.betterbodiesbyhasham.co.uk “Recently a guy asked me train him so I asked him a few questions like I always do. He subsequently asked me if I would shout at him. I said no as I’m no longer in the forces. He replied ‘Oh, I wanted someone to shout at me.’ “I asked him why on earth he would want me to belittle him in public and that there are far better ways to encourage and motivate people than to shout.

“As he left I said, ‘If you really want to be shouted at get married and wind your wife up!’”