One of my New Year's resolutions was, as is fairly common, to get fit for 2008.

I also vowed to cut out chocolate and unhealthy food but being a chocoholic, this one has already been broken.

However, with the help of Noelle and her circuit training class in St Asaph which I'm now a member of, I'm on my way for the first time ever to keep to one of my resolutions.

Circuit training is a great way of getting fit for those people who are easily bored, as it involves undertaking a different activity every minute, keeping both your mind and your body very busy.

It's Monday night, my first class and I'm slowly realising just how unfit I actually am. As I'm turning redder than a beetroot by doing about 10 squats whilst holding a mere 5kg weight I look around and see other people - many more than twice my age - barely breaking a sweat as they do about 30 abdominal curls.

Shortly before the class started tonight Noelle undertook a body assessment on my 9st 3 frame. I'm not embarrassed to admit my weight as it's perfectly healthy for my height (5ft 6.5inches), nor am I shy about revealing that my body composition is 26.3 per cent fat (a good level is anywhere between 20 and 29 per cent), but I am utterly ashamed to see that my level of fitness leaves a lot to be desired as I can, at first, mange only two press-ups on demand.

Mind you I didn't need an assessment to tell me that I need to shape up - I get tired just climbing three flights of stairs at work - so this class for me is long overdue.

We started this evening's session with a eight minute warm-up, which included a light jog. I was already sweating at this point.

Then we started the circuit. It contains 10 stations of different activity (both resistance and cardiovascular alternately) such as step ups, skipping, sprints, the aforementioned weighted squats, star jumps, straddles, bicep curls, abdominal curls and pilates core strengtheners.

You go round the circuit twice before it changes to 10 different activities then you go around that new one twice too. You spend one minute at each station and then move on.

After a while I feel I'm getting the hang of it all and feeling a little more confident. We're coming up to the final circuit and I can't wait to finish so that I can get a shower and down a bottle of cold water.

Before that we have a walk-off and do some stretches to help our aching limbs.

Once it's over I feel fantastic and full of energy. And much to my surprise, I don't find myself running to the nearby Spar for a chocolate bar.

The next morning my burst of energy is gone and my calf muscles feel like I've climbed Snowdonia. I soldier on at work hoping it will wear away but by Wednesday morning, it's an effort to even climb the stairs.

I get an email from Noelle informing me of the joys of what I am apparently experiencing, DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness). It's fairly common for a non-exerciser like me and I think that my body has just been put into shock as I've actually made it work.

Luckily by Thursday morning (the day of my next session) I'm feeling a lot better. My legs are back to normal and I'm rearing to go to session number two.

I arrive at St Asaph Leisure Centre feeling happier now that I know what to expect and am soon managing to do an amazing five press-ups - which for me is certainly an achievement.

I ask Noelle how she started in the fitness industry and am amazed to find that she wasn't always the amazingly fit and toned woman she is today .

"I started in fitness as a participant at a huge aerobics class in Holywell shortly after the birth of my second daughter in 1991," she says.

"I went along in completely the wrong clothes, stood at the back, couldn't follow the routine, got very hot and was completely useless.

"I wasn't overweight but I was out of shape. Anyway I loved it and quickly became a "front row" participant clad in lycra."

Since then Noelle has been in the fitness industry - with 15 years teaching classes under her belt.

She's run the circuit class in St Asaph for 10 years and now focuses a lot on one-to-one personal training.

"I think the fact that I don't have a background in dance or sports (like many Instructors do) really helps as I can empathise much more with the new guys," says Noelle.

"I've also had children and I know what its like finding the time and the energy for exercise when you've a family to look after.

"I count myself as very lucky to make a living out of something that started as a hobby. I meet wonderful people who, on a weekly basis, astound me with what they can do. Its a great job."

Although I don't think I'll ever be as fit and healthy as Noelle, I've set myself a goal of running in this year's Race for Life (as oppose to walking it last year) so will be attending her classes every week and reporting on my progress.

Noelle's classes run every week on Mondays and Thursday at 7pm at St Asaph Leisure Centre and cost £4 (with a discount for block bookings).

*See next week's Freestyle for more on Phoebe's exercising progress.