A FITNESS lover from Basingstoke hopes to inspire others by setting up a new fitness training business after suffering from an eating disorder for years.

Laura Footer who is originally from France but now lives in Beggarwood started her business called Laura Fitness Coaching after recovering from 20 years of a binge eating disorder and body dysmorphia (BDD).

She said that because of this she understands the difficulty of sticking to a healthy diet.

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BDD is a mental health disorder. If you have BDD, you may be so worried about the way your body looks that it interferes with your ability to function normally. You may take extreme measures such as repeated cosmetic surgical procedures.

Speaking of her journey, she said: “Going to the gym didn’t help and I used to feel so out of place that I would be too shy to do any exercise at the gym, and then going back home, I would binge on food to make me feel better."

Following this ordeal, Laura set up her business in a bid to help others feel more comfortable taking part in exercise who might be in the same or similar position

She said: “For a lot of people going to the gym can be quite a daunting and scary place so that’s why I started my business.

“I can go to people's houses and train them there in order to make sure they feel comfortable.”

She said she really enjoys seeing people have fun and quit her job to set the business up to bring some meaning back into her life.

“Today, even if my weight is almost the same, I feel stronger, more confident, my mental health is at its best. I finally do something I enjoy and love helping others with their goals and challenges," she added.

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She is currently offering full 12 weeks of training, which includes one or two workouts a week at the place of the client's choice, which could be at a house, garden, or park or she can train residents at the Queen Mary College in Basingstoke.

On top of this during the 12 weeks, she will also be available for any questions and offer nutritional advice to discuss eating habits.

She said that although the business was only set up during lockdown, she hopes to one day open her own gym in Basingstoke.

For more information about what Laura offers you can visit her Facebook Page, here: facebook.com/laurafitnesscoaching.

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