My Life as a Fitness Instructor

Wow! Who would’ve thought I would one day be an honest-to-goodness fitness instructor. Certified, Licensed and Professionally employed! Certainly not growing up,! I was the “chubby” sister always getting a little bit of, well, no other way to put it but, grief from my parents (especially my mom) about my junk food addiction and lack of exercise. I always tried to go to the gym but I either went in spurts or just gave up all together. I know I’ve mentioned before how I got inspired by my good friend, Julie, and the creators of the formats that I now teach, Chalene Johnson for  Turbo Kick® and Beto Perez for Zumba®, as well as a certain Taiwanese celebrity that I admire but now that my life revolves around fitness I am looking at more ways to improve myself and my classes. I’ve finally found my passion! And it turns out that it’s not a bad one at all!

I think that this is the first time in my life where I find that I belong to something bigger than myself! Fitness is so much more than big body builders on steroids chugging back litres of Creatine and/or Whey shakes and pumping iron 8 hours a day! It is an industry that ranges from, yes, those protein-chugging-muscle-heads  to calming and flowy yoga instructors, from kids sports to senior aquafit, from participants that weigh 90 pounds to Sumo wrestlers! It emcompasses so many areas and people of all shapes and sizes that there is a 100% probability that no matter who you are or what you do, you will find something that fits you!  Fitness is about getting you off the couch and moving to keep you healthy! So, I have found the programs that I know worked for me and then some…

My especialty and what I feel so excited to teach every day is what it’s all about for me! Zumba is dancing and feeling like you’re at a dance party, Turbo Kick has the best music mixes that keep you motivated and the cardio kickboxing combos are like a flowing movement from one to the next.  I am currently getting my Aquafit certification to teach water fitness and will be doing my PiYo™ and Bellyfit® certifications later on this year to complement my classes and have a wider selection for my students.  I want to have a full body and mind understanding of what fitness is to be able to integrate that to my classes. I just wish there were more hours in the day to teach! I want to eventually have my Yoga Teacher certification and keep finding other programs that I want to teach! Who knows? Maybe in the near future I will have my own little studio (or co-own one) and bring my passion to everyone who is willing to let me teach!

This road to my inner self has been over 30 years in the making, but I can honestly say that I have NEVER EVER felt so happy and so good about myself before. And all my struggles to find out where I belong, and failing or giving up, have prepared me for this moment in my life, I am healthier, happier and in the best shape of my life since I started this journey, I have met amazing and inspiring people and have forged some life long friendships. I know I am in it for the long haul… and I am looking forward to every single step of the way.

 

P.S. If you wanted to catch any one of my classes in Winnipeg here is my current schedule until the end of 2011.

Monday
5:45-6:45 pm Zumba Toning at Anunda Studio
7:00-8:00 pm Turbo Kick at Anunda Studio

Tuesday
7:40 – 8:40 pm  Zumba at Shapes on Nairn

Wednesday
6:00 – 7:00 pm Zumba at Silverheights Community Centre on Ness

Thursday
6:30 - 8:00 pm Zumba and abs plus full body stretch at Carpathia School

Saturday
9:30 – 10:30 am Turbo Kick at Anunda Studio

Hope to see you there!