Emily Bratt

The one change that worked: I could never get fit – until I tried a 40-second plank every day

All my attempts at exercise had ended in failure, so I decided to lower the bar. Five years later and I’m a much stronger, healthier and more self-confident person

For years, I loved smoking, slurping large glasses of wine and gobbling wings from overlit chicken shops. I tried to be healthy: I would make overnight oats; get only the small mixed sushi from Wasabi; and drink prosecco because someone said it was keto-friendly. I even did Veganuary back when it was such a gruelling feat of strength to be vegan for a month that people would sponsor you in horror and amazement.