The Hairpolitan Magazine Vol-1 August-Sept 2016

MOVE
GET BODIED
ON THE POLE
By Nina Odongo
Yes, that’s a pole. Mine, to
be precise. It’s up in my
bedroom. I use it every day.
I love it. I’m thinking of
naming it. And no, I’m not an
exotic dancer. Neither am I
throwing private parties for
my husband. I’m just
addicted to pole fitness, to
any fitness really. I have been
a health and fitness
professional for over four
years now, but I have been a
fitness fanatic for the last
thirteen. For me, fitness is,
literally, life. But it wasn’t
always like that.
I was never a sporty child
growing up; I went to a very
academic primary school
where the focus was on
reading so I never actually
learned to play any sport,
something I regret to date,
especially when my husband
is droning on about the
off-side rule, penalties and
fouls.
High school should have been marginally
better, as I went to a great, all-round school.
However, although I was strong and eager to learn,
since I was so far behind in ability, I spent my entire
high school years warming the bench.
Once I arrived at University, all thoughts of exercise
went straight out the window. The only lifting I did
was of the one arm kind. Fast forward a few years
later to my career as a lawyer, I was spending long
days, and some late nights, sitting at a desk, moving
very little and eating an extraordinary amount of
bacon sandwiches and chocolate. My sedentary
lifestyle soon took a toll on my weight and I found
the slightest effort would leave me breathless,
huffing and puffing.
“
IT IS HARD TO
PICK A FAVOURITE
EXERCISE, I JUST
LOVE SO MANY!
“
With no clue on where to begin and with no real
plan, we began running regularly after work,
gradually building up our time and speed. A number
dropped out along the way but three of us managed
to stick it through and I did my first 10km a few
weeks later. I’m certain I ran at the speed of molasses
but it was a massive achievement for me, and I had
lost a few pounds to boot. Result!
Running became a passion and I would run up to
50kms a week. Running didn’t require much
investment, save for a decent pair of trainers, it didn’t
require any gym membership and I could do it
anytime I pleased. I ran and ran and ran. I would run
mornings before work, on weekends, in rain and sun,
in the winter; I just ran. I don’t recall how long I was
running before a neighbour who was a gym instructor
persuaded me to attend a free trial at the gym where
he worked.
I was really apprehensive about going to the gym;
afraid that I would look foolish, that I wouldn’t be
dressed appropriately, wouldn’t know how to use the
equipment, afraid to stand out like a sore thumb. My
fears were unfounded; the instructors were lovely,
walked me through all the equipment, set me up a
program and coached me along and best of all,
nobody cared what I looked like, nobody gave me a
second look. Everyone was too busy pounding out
his or her own personal demons. I was hooked and,
although I was sore and aching for days after, I signed
up for membership.
Contact Person: Nina Odongo
Brand/Business: Body By Nina
Email: bodybynina@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/Body By Nina
www.instagram.com/Body By Nina
www.twitter.com/Body By Nina
Eventually, on a random check-up at the doctor’s,
I was diagnosed with high blood pressure, quite a
shock considering I was only in my twenties. I was
very distressed at the thought of being on
medication for the rest of my life so the doctor,
glancing at my ample waistline, suggested trying
exercise as an alternative.
I went home determined to change the trajectory of
my life and, the very next day, roped my work
colleagues into signing up for a road race.
I loved my gym. There was a lot of variety in terms of
different types of exercises, both cardiovascular and
strength based. Around this time I also began to take
an interest in nutrition, although at this point it was
still a very basic ‘calories in calories out’ model. I
carried on in this vein for a great many years,
managing to maintain a weight I was happy with,
juggling work, an active social life and exercise. But
life was to take an unexpected detour.
I met my husband, got married and moved to China
for a few whirlwind years. I fell pregnant shortly after
we moved back and, although I was very career
driven at the time, I found it harder and harder to get
back into the rat race while juggling my family life.
Eventually, after many tearful, heartfelt conversations,
my husband and I agreed that a better route for me
to take would be self-employment. I knew exactly
what I wanted to do from the start. I studied to
become a personal trainer!
And I haven’t looked back since.
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