Chronicle Editor
Michael Makuza, Features Reporter
FROM being laughed at by people for being physically weak and deemed to be sick everywhere you go can be mentally damaging for one.
Advice from those who know the benefits of choosing a fitness life changed the life of a man who now can be proud to narrate his fitness journey and how it has helped him from being laughed at to being a figure that many can look upon for advice.
A regular gym member for nearly two years after joining, Nhlanhla Gumede whose life has changed magnificently after being told to hit the gym by people as a way to stop himself from laughed at says the gym has done wonders for him.
“Being into fitness has changed my life because it helps a lot in fighting diseases and it has helped me to gain a lot of mass and now, I can walk in town without anyone asking if I am disabled or being sick,” said Gumede.
“Before going to the gym, I was physically weak and some people would feel sorry for me because of the way I used to walk, some concluded that I was really sick and I had a sort of a disease and after meeting some people who talked to me about training, I finally decided to join Barberton gym.”
He says he now understands the difference between the life before venturing into fitness and after. He said he did not have any knowledge on how to use the gym equipment but with time and help from others he is now considered as one of the people around who knows how the equipment works.
Physical activity is defined as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that require energy expenditure. The term “physical activity” is not equal to “exercise”. Exercise is a subcategory of physical activity which is structured, repetitive, and purposeful and exercise does not mean to go to gym or some club for daily activity, it only means to do some physical activity no matter how and where.
Gumede says he does not miss any day in the gym as it has become a routine and it is a lifestyle he says will never change. He talked about the relationship between training and eating a well-balanced diet that it essential to achieve a desired goal.
“Fitness and diet go hand in hand. You can do all the physical activities and do not get any results because what you are eating is not proper. If you decide to venture into fitness, one should prioritise eating food like sweet potatoes, beans, rice, eggs, chicken and vegetables.”
Mohammed Abou Elmagd states that regular physical activity and exercise can help one stay healthy, energetic and independent as they get older. Exercise plays a vital role in preventing health diseases and stroke.
Physical activity and exercise can reduce stress and anxiety, boost happy chemicals, improve self-confidence, increase the brain power, sharpen the memory and increase our muscles and bones strength. It also helps in preventing and reducing heart disease, obesity, blood sugar fluctuations, cardiovascular diseases and cancer.
Gumede advised other people to at least be involved in light exercises just to keep fit and prevent themselves from diseases that can be avoided by exercising. He said people should try to reduce their body fat percentage by doing aerobics or high-intensity interval training (HIIT).
“People should try to keep their body fat percentage by doing high-intensity interval training which is very important to shred off fat because it really allows someone to sweat in less time.”
Online Reporter