Geelong’s Gym

Are you scared of entering a gym because you think its going to be full of super fit and toned athletes?

Believe me, I’ve heard many people tell me that’s the reason why they haven’t joined a gym.  But they couldn’t be more wrong.  At Geelong’s Gym we have all sorts of different body types and many different levels of fitness represented.

I’d like to share with you the story of one of our members, Greg Parker-Hill, who thought everyone would be looking at him because he was overweight and unfit.  But he wasn’t willing to let that assumption hold him back, so he took the plunge and joined Geelong’s Gym.

Greg was determined to lose weight.  He had tried every diet and weight loss program there was without long term success, so he decided to undergo Laparoscopic Band surgery.  The lap band would help to manage Greg’s appetite but he knew that to lose it he’d have to move it!

“It took a month of hiding on the treadmill in the back corner to realise that no-one was looking at me…that’s the difference with Geelong’s Gym, I feel comfortable there, it’s full of friendly faces.”

The team at Geelong’s Gym provided expertise and encouragement to progress Greg from the treadmill to classes and personal training sessions.  Greg lost 60kg in his first year!  That’s an incredible result when the average weight loss from a lap band is 27kgs!  When asked about his weight loss success, Greg says with a smile;

“It’s thanks to Geelong’s Gym, they’re good guys, I have a lot of time for them but don’t tell them I said that!”

Greg ran the Sydney City to Surf, exactly one year to the day after joining the gym – that’s how far he’s come!  Congratulations Greg!

Greg’s Personal Trainer, Adam Ryan, recently had a chat with Greg about his weight loss journey.  Here’s what he had to say…

Do you want to take your fitness and weight loss to the next level, but don’t want to spend any longer in the gym than you already do?

Thought so.  Well, here’s your answer.  High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).

By throwing out your old mindsets that the longer you run, bike etc the fitter and leaner you’ll get, you can burn calories like never before, lose more fat and improve your cardiovascular fitness AND spend LESS time in the gym doing cardio.

With High Intensity Interval Training you'll watch that weight just melt away.

That’s not to say that HIIT is easy, because it’s not.  It’s actually pretty demanding on your body because let’s face it, you don’t get results without working hard.

Basically what it involes is short bursts of maximum intensity exercise interspersed with low to moderate intensity exercise.

How does it work so well?

• HIIT conditions and trains both your anaerobic and aerobic energy systems.
• HIIT increases the amount of calories you burn after your exercise session because it increases the length of time it takes your body to recover after each session.
• HIIT causes matabolic adaptions that allow you to use more fat as fuel.
• HIIT can limit muscle loss which can occur during traditional weight loss.

The key with HIIT is to use MAXIMUM effort in your high intensity intervals, not just a higher heart rate.  Give it your all and watch your fat just melt away!

If you need some help with changing over to a HIIT method in your workouts, check out our Personal Trainers at Geelong’s Gym.  They are all very experienced in the HIIT method and more than willing to help you take your fitness and weight loss to that next level.

Have you ever felt like you were the only one hurting after a session at the gym?  You’re not the only one.  Here’s a look at one woman’s humourous take on a week of Personal Training at “Torturer Gym”.  Just remember, nothing good  comes without hard work.

The name says it all!

Dear Diet Diary

As a Christmas present this year, my daughter, Cresley [what a thoughtful darling] bought for me a week of personal training at the local health club. Although I am still in reasonable shape since being a high school cheerleader 43 years ago, I decided it would be a good idea to go ahead and give it a try.

I called the club and made my reservations with a personal trainer named Juan Antonio [ooh what a name] who identified himself as a 26-year-old aerobics instructor and model for athletic clothing and swim wear. My daughter seemed pleased with my enthusiasm to get started. The club encouraged me to keep a diary to chart my progress.

Monday

Started my day at 6:00 a.m. Tough to get out of bed, but found it was well worth it when I arrived at the health club to find Juan Antonio waiting for me.   He is something of a Greek god: he has curly hair, dancing eyes and a dazzling white smile. Yippee!

Juan Antonio gave me a tour and showed me the machines. I enjoyed watching the skilful way in which he conducted his aerobics class after my workout today. Very inspiring! Juan Antonio [call me Tony by now] was encouraging as I did my sit-ups, although my stomach was already aching from holding it in the whole time he was around. This is going to be a FABULOUS week!   My New Year resolutions will be easy.

Tuesday

I drank a whole pot of coffee, but I finally made it out of the door. Tony made me lie on my back and push a heavy iron bar into the air. Later he put weights on it. My legs were a little wobbly on the treadmill, but I made the full mile. Tony’s rewarding smile made it all worthwhile. I feel GREAT! It’s a whole new life for me.

Wednesday

The only way I can brush my teeth is by laying the toothbrush on the counter and moving my mouth back and forth over it. I believe I have a hernia in both pectorals. Driving was OK as long as I didn’t try to steer or stop. Tony was impatient with me, insisting that my screams bothered other club members. His voice is a little too perky for early in the morning; and when he scolds, he gets this nasally whine that is VERY annoying. My chest hurt when I got on the treadmill, so Tony put me on the stair ‘monster’. Why the hell would anyone invent a machine to simulate an activity rendered obsolete by elevators? Tony told me it would help me get in shape and enjoy life. He said some other garbage too.

Thursday

Tony was waiting for me with his vampire-like teeth exposed as his thin, cruel lips were back in a full snarl. I couldn’t help being a half an hour late; it took me that long to tie my shoes. That man then took me to work out with dumbbells. When he was not looking, I ran and hid in the restroom. He sent a skinny woman to find me. Then, as punishment, he put me on the rowing machine - which I sank.

Friday

I hate that man, Toady or whatever his name is, more than any human being has ever hated any other human being in the history of the world. He is a stupid, skinny, anaemic, anorexic little bighead. If there was a part of my body I could move without unbearable pain, I would beat him with it. Toady wanted me to work on my triceps. I don’t have any triceps! And if you don’t want dents in the floor, don’t hand me the flippin’ barbells or anything that weighs more than a sandwich. The treadmill flung me off and I landed on the health and nutrition teacher. Why couldn’t it have been someone softer, like the drama coach or the choir director?

Saturday

That person, that Toady, left a message on my answering machine in his grating, shrilly voice wondering why I did not show up today. Just hearing him made me want to smash the machine with my planner. However, I lacked the strength to even use the TV remote and ended up catching eleven straight hours of the Weather Channel.

Sunday

I’m having the Church bus collect me up so I can go to services today and thank God that this week is over. I will also pray that next year my daughter Cresley [the cruel, whingeing creep] will choose a gift for me that is fun: like root canal treatment or a hysterectomy. I still say if God had wanted me to bend over, he would have sprinkled the floor with diamonds!

What happens when you miss a couple of workouts… and then another… and another?

Well, apart from the obvious downturn in strength and fitness gains, a peculiar mindset takes over.

At first you play the game of telling yourself it’s only one session you’ve missed, your reason is valid.  And it probably is.

But the next missed session might be full of lame excuses, and the next and before you know it the lazy person takes over, closely followed by frustration until finally you start thinking, “What’s the point?  I can never stick at exercise.”

Sound familiar?  Are you wondering how I knew that?  Guess what?  You’re not the only one! In fact, the majority of people get stuck in this same pattern.

And it’s no surprise that some of the participants in the STRONG study have found themselves right at this point.  But the beauty of this particular research project is that there is a personal trainer involved to call, advise, motivate and encourage.  If anyone misses two sessions in a row, or has a pattern of one, two, miss a few – the trainer is right there to help get and keep them on track.

And the general response?  “I’m so glad you rang – I was feeling so guilty! I’ll definitely be there next session!”

And guess what?  They are.

www.GeelongsGym.com.au