ABOUT TRANG
A woman of many hats: Health Coach, Personal Trainer, Sport Therapist, Mum, and Female Entrepreneur based in Hackney and Islington.
EXPERT FEMALE PERSONAL TRAINER IN NORTH LONDON
"Emphasising the personal in personal training" is how I work. I believe that when it comes to personal training, the personal is just as important as the training. I understand how difficult it is to find a trainer who can provide you with empathy and sensitivity to your needs. That’s why I work closely with my clients to build a strong rapport that leads to a mutual trust between us. This enables my clients to achieve and sustain their fitness goals in the long-term.
Why did I become a Personal Trainer?
My fitness journey began in 2014 with a story that is very cliché: a bad break up. I had invested so much of myself into the relationship and when it fell apart, it felt as though I lost a huge part of my own identity. I decided that I would start by building myself physically and as I watched my body transform, I realised that by dedicating myself to training I had also become stronger mentally and emotionally. This transformation inspired me to pursue a career in personal training and to this day I continue to dedicate my time to empowering others.
You don’t need to go through a break up to start transforming yourself. Permanent change happens with time, dedication and patience. By pushing your body to it’s limits you are also proving to yourself that you are stronger and more capable than you think.
THE PAST RELATIONSHIP WITH MY BODY
For years I was always struggled with my body image, had little confidence, and found myself trapped in a cycle of one crash diet after another.
My struggles with my body and weight began in childhood. Growing up, I also witnessed my mother’s difficult relationship with food and body image, which shaped my own perceptions of what my body should look like. Having lived through these experiences, I understand firsthand how challenging it can be to build a healthy relationship with food, exercise, and your body.
“Trang Barrel” was the nickname I was given in middle school. From a young age, I became consumed by the pursuit of the “perfect” body. I followed strict diets, pushed myself through intense workouts, and restricted my food intake, all in the hope of achieving a slimmer figure, looking more delicate, and finally feeling confident in my own skin.
BUT no matter how much weight I lost or how often I stepped on the scales, I could never escape the feelings of unhappiness, frustration, and inadequacy. I was constantly chasing the feeling of being good enough, yet it always seemed just out of reach. Eventually, the restriction would lead to binge eating, and the cycle would begin all over again.
By the time I was 19, I had completely given up exercising. I felt defeated. Nothing I had tried seemed to work, and I was exhausted from constantly fighting against my own body.
MY CRASH DIET AND QUICK FIXED TRIAL
My obsession with crash diets consumed me, and I spiralled into an increasingly unhealthy relationship with food. I counted calories obsessively, tried every diet I could get my hands on, and took pills that promised “quick results” and “rapid fat loss”. I exercised for hours every day, all in the relentless pursuit of losing more weight.
But the painful truth was that the more weight I lost, the more I compared my body to everyone else’s. No matter how much progress I thought I was making, I was never satisfied. I was caught in a cycle of restriction, obsession, and self-criticism that slowly began to affect every area of my life.
My career suffered. My relationships suffered. And deep down, I felt increasingly unfulfilled.
My life revolved around food, calories, and the number of steps I took each day. Food controlled my thoughts, my decisions, and my daily routine. It was exhausting and overwhelming. I felt trapped in a cycle I couldn't seem to escape, as though there was no way out.
It took me a long time to find my way out of that dark place and begin to understand something that changed my entire perspective:
It's not about weight loss. Let me say that again: it's not about weight loss.
When you really think about it, the constant pursuit of losing weight can keep you locked in a cycle of trying to change, control, and fight against your body. And when your entire focus is on restriction and deprivation, it can become incredibly difficult to maintain those changes in the long term.
Perhaps this is one of the reasons so many people find themselves caught in the exhausting cycle of yo-yo dieting: losing weight, gaining it back, and then starting all over again.
I began to realise that lasting change wasn't about finding another diet, chasing a smaller body, or constantly trying to fix myself. It was about changing my relationship with food, movement, and my body — and learning that my worth was never determined by the number on the scales.
The best thing training gave me was finding the real ME
By going on this journey of personal and professional development, I learned what it actually takes to get long-lasting results. And guess what?
You don't need to adhere to fad diets or engage in strenuous exercise to have long-lasting effects.
Instead, I was finally gaining access to the resources I required to establish balance. And as a result of doing this, I found the lifestyle that best suits me and has helped me rediscover my identity. Truly.
Looking back, I not only appreciate this time in my life, but it also shaped who I am today. It served as my best teacher and gave me the knowledge and expertise I needed to bring about long-lasting change. Sustainable change sounds great. But for so many of us, that’s all it is: a goal that sounds great.
MY Prenatal & Post natal journey
Prenatal Journey
There were many ups and downs during both of my pregnancies, but exercise helped my body adjust to the changes and brought me so much joy, as well as physical and mental support. Having grown up with weight and body confidence issues in my late 20s, one of my main concerns during pregnancy was if I would be able to get back to my pre pregnancy body and gain back my strength in my late 30s.
Postnatal JOurney
Pregnancy was a tough journey, but working out throughout my pregnancy meant that my recovery was so much faster and I gained back my pre-pregnancy strength and shape. Labour was definitely the hardest workout that I have ever done. To me, giving birth is not just about having babies; it is about women's lives, women's wisdom, women's bodies, and women's empowerment.
Amplify doing what you love
I cannot even believe I’m writing this… Me and Rimon opened our first private gym in 2022 where we could created a comfortable space for our clients and family to growth and achieve their growth.
Firstly, thank to all our clients, without a doubt this would never have been possible without your support which helps me help others. For that, we are BLESSED to have you by my side. Some of you may know and others may not know, but this did not happen over night.
I am a female refugee who immigrated to the UK from Vietnam in the back of a lorry 20 years ago. I thank my mum and grandmother daily for taking the biggest risk of their lives to provide me with the opportunity and privilege to even be able to do what I do today. I love you dearly!
I stepped foot into the gym without any intention of growing a strong community or opening a fitness business. Rimon and I launched Dr Stretch in 2019 with the hopes of helping people build mental, physical strength and future proof their body!
I knew would be amazing, I trusted my gut massively. I knew that coming from our bedroom to a small gym and now a bigger gym would be possible. I didn’t doubt us for one second! I knew because our intention has always been to make people believe it’s possible to get fit, healthier and love their body. So here we are now, growing and improving daily. What a blessing to know that I get to wake up each day and see other people make a big change in their lives with the help of a product that we built.
Thank you, thank you, a huge thank you for believing in us. For picking us and just believing in this vision.
Lastly, to any refugee reading this… don’t you dare give up !! Hard work beats any talent….
Experience and Qualifications
Qualifications
LSSM BTEC level 5 Professional Diploma in Soft Tissue Therapy
Anatomy In Motion
British Weight Lifting coach level 1
APPI Level 4 Pilates Equipment series
Pilates Diploma level 3
APPI Pilates for Spinal Surgery & Lower Back Pain
APPI Pilates for Shoulder Rehab
APPI Reformer Series Certification
Nutrition Management level 3 and 5
Diet and Metabolic Rate Specialist Training
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
Advance Kettle Bell
Boxing
HITT Training
TRX Training
Lesmills Grit Strength, Cardio and Plyo
Spin/ RPM instructor
Specialities
Body Fat Reduction
Weight Loss
Sport Massage
Soft Tissue Therapy
Anatomy in Motion
Body Building
Olympic Weight Lifting
Strength Training
Pilates and Reformer Pilates
Posture Correction
Lower Back Pain Improvement
Shoulder Rehab