Rebuilding Yourself with Harry Purdy
Today we’re talking to mindset coach Harry Purdy, a self-confessed ‘normal lad with a passion for sport, learning and self-development’. Harry works with individuals and business owners to transform their mindset and drop unwanted weight.
But his own journey hasn’t been an easy one.
From early childhood, sport has always been central to Harry’s life. He’s a Chelsea supporter and a cricket fan, with fond memories of watching matches with his grandfather.
For Harry, sport is more than a pastime.
It’s a metaphor for life.
“If you look at cricket, you might think a forward defensive position is boring, but it’s the bread and butter of how you ride through and stay in an innings in long-form cricket.
“That’s a good analogy for anything, because if you play short-form cricket, you’ll be a flash-in-the-pan. Just like with life and business, you’ve got to play the long form of the game.”
Despite his love for sport, Harry wasn’t in the best shape with health.
By 2018, he was forced to confront the reality of his situation.
“Cutting a long story short, I got really big. I’m still a big lad, but I was morbidly obese and got to 23 stone. That what was kind of scary. I don’t really know how it happened; it just crept up on me.”
The turning point came during a local football cup final.
Harry was the manager, but he had to make a difficult decision between being a non-playing member of the team and just being the manager that day, or picking himself over somebody who was fitter.
“I knew on that day that there were lads there who were way better than me, so I took the decision not to play.”
The morning after the cup final, Harry woke up with mixed emotions.
Sad that he hadn’t got to play, he knew something had to change.
“I woke up at 6:30 in the morning, and I was like: “Right, something’s going to happen. I’m going for a run””. He still remembers the route to this day. But at 23 stone, he quickly found out that it wasn’t as easy as he thought. He realised he couldn’t run a mile.
That first run was humbling, but it marked the beginning of Harry’s transformation.
“That was the day I was like: “How has an academy college footballer, who’s sporty, loves football, would do anything to play in this cup final, got to a position where I can’t even run round the block?” And that was the start of my weight loss journey.”
But that journey was anything but straightforward.
He’d cut out calories and drop a stone, then put it back on, drop another stone, and put it back on again. And he repeated that cycle for around 17 years, until eventually, it dawned on him that the real battle was in his mind.
“That’s what I was missing with the whole journey.
“It wasn’t the weight loss necessarily. I needed the weight loss for football and sporting purposes, but I didn’t realise how poor my mental health had got in that time as well.”
By 2020, he was at rock bottom, and that’s when Harry’s transformation really started.
“In dealing with my physical health, I’d only been dealing with 50% of my problems. So from then on, I knew it was time to handle what was going on upstairs as well.”
Harry’s very open about his struggles with mental health.
Battling with depression and intrusive thoughts as a natural born people-pleaser, he began to realise that if he wanted to be happy, he’d have to create that. Relying on someone else to make him happy wouldn’t work.
“I was always fighting these intrusive thoughts. They are brutal, the things you can make up about yourself, and that kept me stuck in this cycle.”
Therapy marked another big turning point for Harry.
He started to see a counsellor, and recalls that it was the first time someone had just allowed him to feel normal.
Recognising the need for a holistic approach, Harry’s coaching practice is more about mindset and lifestyle than weight loss. But he knows that being in peak physical health has a positive impact on all aspects of life, including business.
“We work hard at the start of the journey to iron out what clients want to achieve at the end of it, and that’s really individual. But ultimately, it’s about becoming a version of themselves that they didn’t think they could ever be.
“A 100% version of themself.”
Harry’s story is one of authenticity, resilience and a refusal to give up. He’s living proof that transformation is possible, not just for yourself, but for those you choose to help along the way.
“But it’s not about what you want to achieve today or what the scales are going to do tomorrow. It’s about the person you want to become. A person who makes you proud.
“You don’t need discipline when you’ve got that.”
For those looking to connect with Harry or learn more about his coaching, he can be found at Harry Purdy Official on Instagram, and on the 100 Percent Podcast on Spotify.
And if you’re a business owner or entrepreneur facing your own challenges, Harry’s journey is a reminder that the long game, self-respect, and a willingness to face the hard truths are what truly lead to lasting change.
Don’t miss the next episode of Stay Hungry – we’ll dive into straight-talking insights on business marketing, growth mindset, and the realities of running a business. And if you want to take the hassle out of your marketing, we’ve got you covered with our done-for-you service.