November 26, 2011
Natalie founder of Girl Fitness Boot Camp and Hot Body Zumba!
I understand that you have a health condition that lead you to a career in fitness. Please could you tell us about this?
I came up with the idea of Girl Fitness after I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in June 2010. Being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis has been the single most devastating thing that has ever happened to me – It took a long time for me to come to terms with it and accept it in my life.
MS is a degenerative chronic condition of the nervous system and effects many parts of your body in different way; its extremely unpredictable and is called the silent illness and you can look perfectly fine on the outside but there’s lots of chaos going on the inside. Unfortunately other than daily medication, there is currently no cure for MS.
I made a decision that along with the doctors guidance and medical care I was receiving that I also needed to get up and help myself….so began the change.
I started serious fitness training, eating right etc…Even though there is no cure for MS, I wanted to make sure I lived the best life possible if I was going to have this condition by my side forever. My thoughts leading to the creation of Girl Fitness was that women shouldn’t have to have something wrong with them like me to start taking care of themselves. We shouldn’t just strive to be a size zero but instead strive to have the best overall health and wellbeing from the inside out; Girl Fitness takes women back to basics in a holistic way with fitness and nutrition showing them its possible to live that best life they’ve always wanted.
Why Zumba and what makes ‘Hot Body Zumba’ differ from standard Zumba?
Zumba is brilliant! It is a fusion of Latin, salsa, meringue, Caribbean and African dance and is so much fun.
I wanted to bring a unique sexy element to my classes to help empower women to feel confident in their bodies, no matter what their shape, so have called it ‘Hot Body Zumba’ and am currently setting up to start teaching classes all over London.
Tell us about girl fitness boot camp?
Girl Fitness provides fitness programs such as boot camps (outdoor/indoor) etc for women over 16. We take a back to basics approach with our fitness sessions and a Holistic approach with the nutritional sessions and only work with the best professional instructors and nutritionists to create programs which are effective, educational and most of all fun! We advocate strongly that its not about quick fix diets or expensive exercise equipment but rather a permanent lifestyle choice you need to make.
Our boot camps launched in the Spring and up to date we have seen over 350 women sign up and take part and come away with results to prove that it works.
GIRL FITNESS IN SCHOOLS FOR 2012….
There’s so much education young girls need in relation to fitness and nutrition that I see it as a very desperate situation right now. I primarily started Girl Fitness to provide fitness programs for women over 16; But I became very inspired to work with younger girls after seeing how Girl Fitness could be adapted to work within schools and communities and be used even more productively than it is now. We’ll be launching our schools programs in the New Year 2012 and I’m soo excited about it!
How do you juggle your fitness activities with day-to-day life and a day job (if you have one)?
I always find the time to take care of myself. I see it as a priority for my overall wellbeing. Without me being okay, nothing else in my life will be.
My day job will be taking quite a shift in pattern, as I will be starting work as an airhostess in December, but I’m anticipating enough time off to maintain my work with Girl Fitness as that is where my heart and future ambition are right now.
Most people say they don’t have time to exercise or they are too tired. How do you motivate yourself when you just can’t be bothered?
I literally don’t think about it! I’ve forced just getting up and doing a planned exercise session into a habit. If you think about it you, you’ll make excuses for yourself wont ever start. Set your alarm, know what you have to do, do it and I promise you feel on top of the world after. Maintaining that is the key though.
Where are your classes and when is the next boot camp?
Our next round of boot camp starts in January 2012..Full information can be found on the Girl Fitness website. Hot body Zumba classes also!
Website: www.girlfitnessbootcamp.com / hotbodyzumba.info
Twitter: @hotbodyzumba / @msnatnats
Tickets £5.00: http://thefirstladychristmasfayre.eventbrite.com/
Under 16′s free
