FOR some, the thought of walking into a fitness class for the first time would be the stuff of nightmares, but few would imagine the instructor in front of them had overcome the same fears just months earlier.

Personal trainer Natalie Aiken has decided to share her story in the hope that it can encourage others to look to fitness and exercise as a way to overcome mental health challenges.

38-year-old Natalie moved to Swindon with her son last year to launch her personal training business, Aiken Bodies, delivering the internationally renowned ‘Insanity’ fitness classes.

But while she may exude confidence and energy at the front of a class, her journey to that point was anything but straight forward.

“A year before my first class I couldn't have gone to the supermarket alone,” said Natalie.

“I was agoraphobic and suffered crippling panic attacks, I couldn’t sleep more than 2 hours at a time.

“I couldn't answer the door to the postman on a bad day. I suffered deep depression, felt a failure as a mother and person, and was signed off by my doctor as unfit to work.”

Natalie attributes her recovery since then to getting back into fitness, she turned to the same Insanity DVDs she had used to qualify as an instructor before she fell ill.

As she pushed herself again physically, she became stronger mentally too – strong enough eventually to leave her West London home and move to Swindon with her young son to start afresh.

She added: “On the day of the launch class I was terrified, I worried that I might have taken on more than I could handle – but I’m so glad I did it.

“I've had to hand hold terrified class members and walk them in from the car park, now they bounce in with a new confidence.

“I set these classes up for people with mental health issues – to help them, to show them an alternative to medication and hiding away.

“It’s working, it’s fantastic, we’re beating anxiety one class at a time.”

Participants don’t only get support during the classes, the group Facebook page has become a safe space for discussions and advice for those trying to overcome adversity.

The classes have now become so popular that Natalie has had to secure the use of a bigger venue.

From June 6, she will run Insanity classes three times a week at St Luke’s School on Cricklade Road.

To find out more, you can visit www.facebook.com/AikenBodiesLtd