INSPO Fitness Journal July 2017

do something that is going to make me feel
in control again. It gives me a way to express
my emotions, whether that’s anger, despair
or happiness. It helps me get those emotions
out, clear my mind, find some clarity and
control myself through logic rather than
emotion. It really is therapeutic and I feel
calm and in control afterwards.
I have lot of hobbies and interests which
also help me relax. I love the outdoors so a
bush walk or running the Hakarimata Summit
(when it reopens) is ideal. I also have two
very good friends in Hamilton that I spend
every Wednesday night with. We sit down
and vent about our week, the ups and downs,
positive and negatives. It’s really like our
own little therapy session and I always leave
feeling so empowered because I’ve been able
to move any weight off my shoulders and
get advice from people who have my best
interests at heart, with no judgement.
What is the best advice you have received?
My business coach, Amy Mclean from
M4 Collective originated as my reception
manager at Les Mills Hamilton. At the time I
didn’t have the best self-esteem. However she
really helped me become a more confident
person. I was always worried about what other
people thought of me, which made me put
a lot of pressure on myself to always impress
others. One of the best pieces of advice I was
ever given and still remind myself of daily
came from Amy during one of my development
sessions. She told me not to worry
about what other people think of me, as not
everyone in my life is going to like me - that
is simply impossible. She said to just keep
being myself and concentrate on the people
who do like me, instead of worrying about
those who don’t. This shifted my mindset
and improved my performance at work and
in all other aspects of my life.
Shane’s tips on taking
a sensible approach to
exercise when struggling
with mental health-related
issues:
Start off small
Depression and anxiety are already overwhelming
so getting into exercise initially can make
this worse. Start off with a small walk around a
local park or something similar, choose a time
of day when you know it won’t be busy so that
you can have your own space and be one with
yourself. Once you can get into a routine, then
you can start to try new things like going for a
run, training with a friend and even going to a
gym or group fitness class.
Find the right fitness centre to fit your
personality
If you join a gym, check it out first and trial
it to see if it is the right fit for you (for now).
There is no point joining a gym if you don’t
feel comfortable – a big part of mental illness
is feeling safe and accepted. Feel free to talk
to someone at the gym, ask them when the
quieter times are and what the overall atmosphere
is like. I prefer a gym where the music
is upbeat, it is colourful, well organised and
the staff are friendly and caring.
Get a personal trainer
Part of depression and anxiety is feeling isolated
and unsupported in life, so avoid this at
the gym. Even though I’m a fitness professional
I have always had a personal trainer
because I need someone to be accountable to
and to push me along. I mostly need someone
to support me, who I can talk to and get some
issues off my chest. Ask around, find a trainer
that you feel comfortable with, ask for someone
who has experience in the mental health
field like me.
Set achievable goals
Don’t go into it thinking you will be fit and
strong overnight. You’re not going to lose 20
kilograms in a month and you’re not going to
have huge muscles next week. If you manage
just a little exercise, like taking the dog for
walk, that’s still something to feel good about.
Be realistic.
If you have a bigger goal in mind, set a
long-term date then work backwards and set
out small achievable steps to help you reach
the big one. For example, if your goal is to run
10 kilometres, set mini goals like running for
five minutes the first week and building up
from there. Most importantly, set yourself up
for success, not failure.
Have a wow factor in every workout
Set yourself a goal each time you exercise that
is achievable but makes you challenge yourself.
This may be running a few seconds faster
or doing a few extra repetitions. It’s amazing
how improving your time or the amount of
times you do something can really boost your
confidence. This is something I incorporate
into all my workouts and my clients’ workouts.
It gives me and the client a sense of accomplishment
– that feeling of winning and it’s the
best feeling you can get.
INSPO – FITNESS JOURNAL JULY 2017
15