A father-of-two from Harrow achieved great success with his journey to a healthier lifestyle - going from just under 19 stone to 13 stone in nine months.

“You look at yourself and you think; how much longer have I got on this planet?” said 52-year-old Keith Cousins of the moment he realised it was time to make some changes in his life. “In reality, we are not promised tomorrow. I realised, no one is going to do this for me. I’m going to have to do something for myself.”

Keith began swimming at Harrow Leisure Centre, eventually moving onto the gym as well. He started incorporating weight training in his workout, with help from his personal trainer.

“The convenience and value, combined with the extensive facilities such as swimming pool, classes and gym area, made joining Harrow Leisure Centre an easy decision,” says Keith.

But he admits the journey wasn't easy: "I'm going to be honest, you do hit walls. Sometimes you get a time when you can't be bothered, you just think, what's the point? Losing weight is a slow process and it's easy to be impatient.”

When Keith was awarded Regional Member of the Month he felt like all the hard work had paid off.

“Keith is an inspiration to us all,” says Harrow Leisure Centre assistant fitness manager Neil O’Shaughnessy. “You will always see Keith training hard, pushing himself to hitting his targets and never missing a gym session – his determination is infectious.”

After his journey to get fitter, Keith has been inspired to help others achieve the same results, enrolling in PT Academy to become a personal trainer.

Keith is now working for the Harrow Leisure Centre, helping others on their journey to a healthier lifestyle, proof that if you try for it, you can do anything.