THE A-TEAM…
PLM Health and Fitness and The Well Nest have teamed up to provide a complete care package for great physical, mental and emotional health. Sarah Varley meets with Phil Moss Bsc (Hons) MA and Sara Dewhurst BSc, MSc, MBPsS to find out more. Photography: StatementPhotography.co.uk
PLM Health and Fitness in Whalley is the ideal setting for The Well Nest – as both focus on preventative health and wellbeing, education, goal setting and positive lifestyle changes. The luxury gym also provides a less clinical, more approachable setting for The Well Nest.
Sara Dewhurst, owner of The Well Nest, is a Wellness Psychologist specialising in health behaviour change and education, helping clients to form healthy new habits in various ways including one-to-one wellbeing and talking therapy.
“I use an integrative approach including CBT, person-centred counselling, goal setting and mindfulness. I help people get back to feeling like their old self,” Sara explains.
Phil Moss, owner of PLM, is a fitness industry expert with 18 years’ experience. Incorporating The Well Nest is a great example of how PLM is a gym that offers so much more than just access to gym equipment, really looking after clients.
“The gym industry can represent everything that is off-putting to Sara’s clients, focusing on appearance and a competitive environment,” Phil tells me.
“Here we are doing things differently, looking after people’s mental health and physical health all under one roof and resetting people’s priorities to what is really important.”
“We are launching the new PLM Wellness membership in January, which will include sessions from The Well Nest, so we will be providing a complete care package for your physical, mental and emotional health,” Phil explains.
PLM focus on providing more education into what’s needed for a healthy body – the right balance of cardio, weights and nutrition is vital. “People say they haven’t got time to go to the gym but taking that time out to exercise improves your focus and motivation so spills over into other areas of life including being more productive at work,” says Sara.
“We’re finding that downtime doesn’t exist in the same way anymore,” Phil adds. “Work follows you home, so in both businesses we focus on preventative health, to help you keep on top of those every day stresses before they become big issues, through exercise with a trainer who can pinpoint exactly what exercise and nutrition your body responds to, through Sara’s wellness sessions, or a combination of both with the new Wellness membership.”
Both Phil and Sara agree that the most successful clients have a support network around them who understand their goals. “The gym buddying service Sara is offering is fantastic because we achieve so much more with support,” says Phil.
“Having someone there alongside you is great, and gives clients confidence to try new things such as the free-weights section. It’s relaxing having someone to chat to and having that appointment in your diary means you keep to your plan,” Sara states.
“It’s consistency that is key,” Phil adds. “Learn it, repeat it and sustain it. The Motiv8 course is also a great way to get into this positive habit – eight sessions laying the foundations for training and nutrition, stripping out the bad habits, getting the basics right and going from there.”
“I find my most dedicated clients are the ones who’ve had health scares already and wish they had started sooner,” Phil says. “This should be a wake-up call to the rest of us to not take our health for granted, to make those lifestyle changes.”
“Traditionally people hit the gym in January but stop by March because they’ve worn themselves out. We encourage people to set realistic targets of coming maybe twice a week for half an hour – the important thing is to keep coming.”
“If you can go from not exercising at all to coming twice a week every week for a year, think what a fantastic lifestyle and health change you have made, with so many benefits. When we increase our fitness we sleep better and our bodies absorb nutrients better,” he adds.
Accessibility is a priority for both businesses, helping clients to fit around work. The gym is available 24 hours a day for members and Sara offers appointments through to late evening or even online, such as a 30 minute session to boost you before a big meeting.
Sara also works with non-members experiencing anxiety and depression. “What I’m offering at The Well Nest is a willing ear – one-to-one sessions with someone who is neutral and non-judgemental.”
Sara, who is furthering her professional development with a Doctorate in Health Psychology, would like to invite readers to get in touch for a complimentary 30-minute appointment to experience the benefits of wellness sessions for yourself.
PLM Health & Fitness & The Well Nest
Abbey Works
Back King Street, Whalley BB7 9SP
01254 781777
sara@wellnestribblevalley.com
www.plmfitness.com
www.wellnestribblevalley.com
