A former Oxford Mail reporter has launched a personal training company to help women navigate the menopause.
Journalist Maddy Biddulph, who started her career at the Oxford Mail and The Oxford Times in 2003 aged 21, has retrained as a fitness coach.
Maddy Biddulph Personal Training specialises in one-to-one and small group training for woman over 40 who want to get fit to ease menopause symptoms.
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Ms Biddulph, 45, said: “I train women who want to prioritise their health and fitness, but have very little time for themselves.
I take the stress out of exercise by coaching them in their homes, where we only do exercises they enjoy. I don’t believe in forcing someone to do something uncomfortable - exercise should be fun, not a chore.
“My clients come to me because their bodies are moving into a new phase, and we work together to get them physically and mentally strong to navigate all the challenges that come with menopause.”
Personal training packages include a MenoFit Strength plan, designed to help women get physically and mentally strong during the menopause, as well as MenoFit Core – targeting menopausal weight gain.
Ms Biddulph, who lives in Oxford, said: “During menopause, women start to lose lean muscle tissue and bone density, and all the hormonal changes mean it’s not uncommon to gain weight and go up a dress size.
“So it’s more important than ever to do regular exercise, especially strength training, which is proven to boost bone health.
"Staying fit is also great for our mental wellbeing, helping to maintain a positive mindset, as well as a healthy weight during menopause.”
Ms Biddulph decided to retrain as a personal trainer during lockdown, when like many freelancers she found her work disappeared overnight.
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Having spent many years writing for health and fitness titles and always being passionate about exercise, working in the fitness industry was a natural progression.
She added: “In my twenties, running and training for half marathons gave me the energy needed to keep up with a demanding magazine job in London, in my thirties, HIIT workouts helped me get fit after having a baby, and in my forties I discovered weight lifting, which keeps me strong inside and out.”
The journalist turned personal trainer first joined the Oxford Mail after editor the late Jim McClure hired her while she was on work experience there.
Ms Biddulph secured an exclusive about conmen doing ‘black henna’ tattoos in Cornmarket Street in the city centre.
The fraudsters were using hair dye containing high levels of chemical PPD and could burn and scar the skin.
Maddy worked as a senior reporter before moving to London in 2006 to work for Splash News.
She went on to work for celebrity magazines NOW and Closer, and still writes and edits for many of the UK’s bestselling publications.
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Her late father Michael Biddulph was also an Oxford Mail journalist in the 1960s and was deputy editor of the Mail’s sister paper the Oxford Star.
Maddy Biddulph is a fully qualified Level 3 Personal Trainer, Level 2 Gym Instructor and Nutrition and Weight Loss Advisor.
To find out more about Maddy Biddulph Personal Training, email Hello@MaddyPT.co.uk or visit www.MaddyPT.co.uk.
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This story was written by Andy Ffrench, he joined the team more than 20 years ago and now covers community news across Oxfordshire.
Get in touch with him by emailing: Andy.ffrench@newsquest.co.uk
Follow him on Twitter @OxMailAndyF
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