An entrepreneur whose chronic back pain left him unable to sit at the family dinner table has revealed how he has not only eased the symptoms but is feeling fitter than ever.
Paul Babai, 35, from Camden, London, has regained his sporting abilities and is preparing for his first charity boxing match after a slipped disc left him in so much agony he couldn’t even put his shoes on.
The entrepreneur initially had successful surgery, however he soon began suffering from chronic back pain, which weeks of intensive physiotherapy was unable to cure.
He eventually turned to a mobile personal training service which boasts some of the UK’s most high-profile clients who pay up to £25,000 per year for tailored training and nutritional programmes.
‘After having a very active lifestyle, from climbing Kilimanjaro to running the New York Marathon, I started to pick up little niggles,’ explained Paul. ‘Ignoring these, I continued to play football and lift heavy weights, which eventually led to me not being able to get up out of bed one day.’
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Paul Babai, 35, (pictured left) from Camden, London has overhauled his appearance and cured his chronic back pain by signing up to a mobile personal training service
Paul (pictured before) had crippling back pain that left him unable to put on his socks or sit at the family dinner table after suffering from a slipped disc
Paul (pictured after) who tried to cure his back pain with physiotherapy began considering alternative treatments after a meal with family, where everyone sat at the dinner table but he had to lay on the floor
Paul, who feared his back pain could impact his family life if he had children in the future, turned to a personal training service for help.
‘My whole leg became numb with shooting pins and needles down the whole of my right leg,’ he said, speaking of the injuries.
‘If I had addressed the pain earlier I think I could have avoided this. I had a slipped disc in my lower back and had to go for emergency surgery because of the extent to which the disc was trapping my nerve.’
When Paul first heard the phrase ‘back surgery,’ he worried he wouldn’t be able to do sport again – something which he described as a ‘huge blow.’
‘When you’re not in pain you take every day things for granted,’ he said. ‘When you’re in pain, it’s all-consuming.’
Paul (pictured right) said at times he would become upset when the pain prevented him from playing with his niece (pictured) and was concerned about his own future as a father
He continued: ‘Living with it every day was a trigger for me; walking up the stairs, sitting down, lifting up my niece, putting on my socks and shoes – it was always there.
‘There were times I’d want to play with my niece, hug her, pick her up… but I couldn’t, which was really upsetting. Thinking about having my own family one day and not being able to do those things felt like a tragedy.’
‘The final straw was at a big family dinner and I just couldn’t sit at the table any longer. I had to go into the living room while everyone was still eating and lie down on a hard floor, thinking, ‘I can’t live like this, there has to be another way.’
In time, Paul turned to personal training service, PGPT in the hope of easing his pain.
The service providers worked with Paul to devise a comprehensive strength and conditioning programme as well as to overhaul his diet in order to help him build muscle around his lower back.
The entrepreneur (pictured before) was given a personal exercise and nutrition plan by PGPT who offer services to some of the UK’s most high-profile CEO’s and business leaders
Paul (pictured right) now exercises up to four times a week and has increased the amount of protein in his diet. He has just 10 per cent body fat and is no longer in any pain
The entrepreneur began working out up to four times a week and increased the amount of protein in his diet, which has now left him 5kg lighter, with just 10 per cent body fat and also entirely pain-free.
Paul is set to compete in his first ever boxing match this April to raise money for Cancer Research UK – something which has always been a lifelong dream.
‘Working hard every day with a team of trainers has thankfully given me a great outcome. I’m thankful every day for it,’ he explained.
‘The difference between PGPT and your usual personal training or physiotherapy sessions is that you have access to more than one professional, which keeps your training interesting and provides a range of different methods.’
Paul (pictured) praised PGPT for adding each of their clients to a WhatsApp group to ensure they have the support needed to stay on track
Paul (pictured right) is not only back to where he was before the injury, but is feeling fitter than ever
He added: ‘The team also creates a WhatsApp group with each of their clients to ensure you are staying on track and have all the support you need.
‘It makes you feel like you have a team around you, like a professional athlete. I find that very motivating, especially when you have an injury, which has so many ups and downs.’
Paul revealed that at one point he was at the ‘lowest of lows’ and was convinced he’d never do sport again or live a normal life – but he’s totally turned that around.
‘Now I’m not only back to where I was, but I feel better than I ever have,’ he said. ‘My boxing match is on 13th April. I’m feeling fitter than ever and am ready for it physically and mentally.’
‘Looking back to even one year ago, I wouldn’t have thought this would have been possible.’