From 105 to 90 kilos: how Steven turned work stress into vitality

I am Steven de Bruijne, 58, creative director and partner at digital agency New Story in Noordwijk. Sport was always an important part of my life. Until I was 42 I played hockey fanatically and being fit felt self-evident. But somewhere along the way work kept taking up more space.

In the digital industry everything moves fast. When you feel responsible for your company, your people and your clients, it is easy to put yourself aside. Less exercise, less good food, less time for yourself. You kid yourself it works, until the bill is forced on you. For me that was my body, my energy and eventually my mood.

The price of always pushing on

At one point I hit 105 kilos. While I still saw myself as someone who is sporty. That may have been exactly what made it hard: I thought I knew how it worked. I had gone through periods before where I pulled myself together and lost some weight. But I always fell back. Looking back I understand why: I was just doing something, without a plan.

As you get older, you look differently at what matters. Work counts, but above all I want to enjoy family and friendship and stay vital for as long as possible. Years of wearing your body down? That bill I do not want to keep passing on. I want to avoid one day becoming a burden to my children.

Sceptical about personal training

I came to de Werf on the recommendation of people around me, but honestly: I was sceptical. I had an image of someone standing next to you shouting "one more, come on". I thought: I will give it a go, but it will probably be the same old story.

That changed at the very first intake with Ian van der Werf. I expected to be thrown straight into the weights, but he started with measuring, observing and explaining. How did my body move? Where was there strength, where mobility, where was I prone to injury? So thorough that I trusted it immediately.

Understanding why

For me that turned out to be the condition for success. Just hearing what I have to do is not enough; I want to understand why. Only then can I embrace it. Ian motivates without imposing anything. Not "you have to do this", but "is it okay if we try this?" That keeps the responsibility with me, within an expert approach. I have been training for four to five months now, every Tuesday morning at de Werf. Ian is technically strong and at the same time good with people - he senses exactly what you need to accept that nudge.

Training heavier, eating more consciously

Training at de Werf turns out to be worlds apart from a regular gym. No fixed machines, but mostly free weights and movement that forces your whole body to join in. That works brilliantly, and is sometimes confronting - for example when you are wobbling and losing 2-0 to that wobbly aqua bag.

Over time I have started training heavier, because I was ready for it. Meanwhile Ian got me to take nutrition seriously. He keeps it simple: more protein, watching how much I eat, and understanding what calories, fats, carbohydrates and proteins do. The first weeks were tough. After that it became surprisingly normal. Biscuits, sweets and crisps I can now easily leave alone, mainly because I know what I am doing it for.

What it brings me

What started as a search for vitality has become a journey of body recomposition: losing fat and building muscle. I have gone from 105 to 96 kilos, planned. Twelve kilos of fat gone, three kilos of muscle gained!

The training sessions are tough and not always fun. Yet I go without reluctance; in fact, I look forward to it. Because after the session I feel wonderfully energetic, and that echoes on for a long time. Today I feel better in my own skin, have more space in my head and have, I think, become a nicer person to be around.

My next goal

My goal has not been reached yet: I want to get to 90 kilos. But I now know for sure that I will get there. I have learned so much that I am convinced I will not fall back like before. After that second milestone the goal shifts to maintaining. I do not want to weigh every bite to the gram for the rest of my life. The new balance has to become part of my system: a routine I no longer have to think about.

My insight

Many people around me have the idea that they can do it all themselves. Sometimes that is true. But with a good personal trainer like Ian, Bjorn and Anri at de Werf you get a plan, technical knowledge and above all an understanding of why you do what you do. And once you understand that, keeping it up stops being a fight. Then it anchors itself in your life.

About the author:
Steven de Bruijne (58) is creative director and partner at digital agency New Story in Noordwijk. He has been training weekly at de Werf for the past few months.

Recognise this story?

Curious what a clear plan and expert guidance could do for you? Schedule an intake at de Werf. Just like with Steven, we start by measuring, observing and explaining.

Read also:
Our coaching in physical training and nutrition and lifestyle.