As I walk through the automatic doors of Nuffield Health & Wellbeing Gym in Bristol, I'm hit with a familiar anxiety in the pit of my stomach that comes from not being inside the gym for a while. The thought of awkwardly waiting for weights machines and silently praying nobody is watching me squat gives me the absolute fear.
But today I won't be the one working out, instead I'll be attempting to do the training - as I've been invited to spend a day in the life as a personal trainer. I worry my weak arms aren't going to be able to spot anyone and I have no idea what advice to give gym newbies - but thankfully I've got PT Neve Cussen to show me the ropes.
Neve's shift starts at 9am which means neither of us had to set a super early alarm - but the task that comes next hits me hard.
"We've got a 45-minute spin class to teach at 10am," Neve says, talking me through our stint.
I naïvely assumed that we wouldn't be breaking a sweat ourselves, but spin isn't the type of workout you can sit back and watch.
Inside the class, Neve gives me a quick rundown of the bikes before the flashing lights and thumping music takes over.
"Let's up that resistance," she shouts through a headset to the 12 people mimicking her every move. I'm amazed that she's still able to talk normally while I struggle to just breathe.
The floor is covered in pools of sweat as everyone files out of the room at the end, and we go to freshen up and change outfits.
Our 1-1 session with the first client, Farheen, begins at the squat rack where Neve sets up the weights and demonstrates the exercise.
"I was always really sporty growing up and I enjoyed learning so I combined the two and did a PT course five years ago," Neve tells me, while counting Farheen's reps on her fingers.
She currently works in the gym part-time while studying a degree in human nutrition, and food is clearly her passion.
"For breakfast today, I had baked oats with a small Milkybar chocolate on it. I'm an absolute chocoholic and I can never understand my clients when they cut it out," Neve explains.
"Then I have a protein shake mid-morning and chilli con carne with rice for lunch. I do a lot of meal prep for my lunches because I never had time to cook during the day.
"PTs don't just eat chicken, rice and salad, though sometimes that is the easiest meal. I love cooking and I really prioritise time for it as it feels like therapy.
"For tea, I might have sweet and sour chicken with stir fry noodles and vegetables or a type of curry or pasta dish. And I always finish the day with a Freddo."
While the three of us are chatting, Neve is multitasking and setting 60-second timers for breaks on her Fitbit, or organising the next exercise on a machine.
She tells me one thing that actually stops a lot of people losing weight is a really strict diet "as you will just end up bingeing".
"The most common question clients ask me is: 'Can I eat carbs?' - you absolutely can and I eat them with every meal," Neve explains.
Looking around the room, it's packed full with gym goers of all ages, which Neve tells me isn't surprising for January.
"I think New Year's resolutions can be really good when they're the right kind," she says. "If they're too ambitious then people will just end up giving up.
"Eating super healthy and coming to the gym every single day is a really big transition for some people and can be unrealistic, so I'd always advise setting little goals instead of huge ones."
Neve thinks steps are the most important way to improve your general health and wellbeing - and make for an achievable resolution.
"I walk 10,000 steps a day and always park further away from the place I want to go. I take the stairs and walk short distances instead of driving," she explains.
"I do weights five times a week and try to run three times. When I teach spin, I do the workout but when I train 1-1, I only show them five reps then spot them."
She teaches me how to squat down and spot Farheen, and give her elbows a little nudge when she's struggling.
I feel a weight of responsibility and I'm thankful she's got a second pair of eyes, because safety really does come first in the gym.
In between catching up with Farheen, Neve tells me that her favourite part about the job is getting to know her clients well.
"I feel really fortunate and it's just like I'm meeting up with friends. It's kind of like being a hairdresser as people really confide in their PTs," she says.
Neve also loves seeing her clients' progression and feels proud when they develop new-found confidence in the gym.
"I have some clients that still don't come to the gym alone. It's a really intimidating place and I feel it too," she says.
"Last summer, I joined two new gyms and I literally sat outside in my car for 20 minutes hyping myself to go in. I know exactly what to do but it's still nerve-wracking."
As Farheen's session ends, I look at the clock and pray it's almost time for lunch - but we've still got an hour to go.
"My mouth is always dry from chatting so I drink about 6L of water a day," Neve explains, taking a big glug of her bottle.
We walk round and greet regular clients, wipe down machines and set up an area of the gym for a HIIT class.
I ask Neve whether it's generally best to do cardio or weights first, and she says that she tends to keep them separate.
"I start every workout with a five-minute warm up either on the rowing machine or cross trainer," Neve says. "But I personally do them on different days.
"If I were going to, I'd do weights first and cardio after so you can give as much energy into the actual weightlifting."
At 1pm, we stop for a lunch break and I feel relieved to have a moment's peace away from the gym - but Neve can't get enough.
"I never get that tired at work - it's probably the bright lights and loud music - but when I get home I always fall asleep quickly," she tells me.
To my surprise, she prefers to train in a different gym and pays for a membership purely for the change of scenery and crowd.
As we head back inside for three more 1-1 sessions, Neve tells me that her youngest client is 19 and her oldest is 76, and she really likes the variety.
"I always advise nervous people to go into the weights section with someone who knows it well or get a PT for a few sessions," she says.
"And remember that everyone is way more obsessed with looking at themselves than looking at you, even if it feels like they're staring."
When one client moans about how big her legs are, Neve explains that it's impossible to spot reduce fat but you can gain muscle in certain areas.
"Women tend to hold fat around their thighs and hips - it's actually fertility fat storage and it's really important," she says.
When our shift comes to an end, I question if Neve thinks I could make it as a PT, to which she replies: "Do you like exercise?" - and I guess that's the most important part.
