By An Executive Editor
In 2018, Doreen Tumuhairwe’s doctor advised her to exercise. She was overweight (at 89 Kgs) and her feet used to swell. 4 years on, Tumuhairwe alias Doreen Shapes is a physical fitness trainer.
Follow her story in this Q & A:
Question: At what point did you realize that you needed to keep your body in shape?
Answer: I used to get sick. I was overweight. My feet used to swell. So, the doctors told me that I needed to start exercising. That is when I picked up the interest of beginning to exercise.
Question: When was that?
Answer: That was 2018.
Question: How many KGs were you weighing at the time?
Answer: I was weighing 89 KGs.
Question: And now?
Answer: 65 KGs.
Question: What do you do that keeps you at 65 KGs?
Answer: I try to keep track of my diet. I calculate my calorie and protein intake every day. I exercise 5 days a week (maximum 1 hour 30 minutes or 2 hours).
Question: Where do you exercise from. Gym, home?
Answer: I go to the gym every day and then I do the stretching and yoga from home.
Question: What do you do as soon as you get up?
Answer: I pray and then I stretch. After stretching, I hydrate. I make sure I hydrate. I take warm water, shower and then start my day.
Question: How long does the stretching take you?
Answer: Like 15 minutes.
Question: How and what do you eat?
Answer: First thing in the morning, I take warm water. Then, I have my breakfast. It is the most important thing of the day. So, I make sure it is very high in fibre, protein and vitamin, and some little carbohydrates (because I need energy to take me throughout the day and the work that I am going to do. After that, I keep snacking on fruits as I drink water in the same interval as I wait for my lunch. Then I have my lunch which is also high in carbohydrates, protein and fiber (these are greens, eggs or meat. That’s how like my lunch has to be. It has to rich in protein, carbohydrates, vitamin and fibre). Again, I snack between lunch and my dinner. But I try as much as I can to have my dinner before 6 or 7pm (3 or 4 hours) to bed. My dinner is always vegetable salad with eggs or milk. I try to choose what I am having for dinner. It must be light. High in protein, less in carbohydrates.
Question. Your current weight. For how long have you been on this?
Answer: Its one year now.
Question: Do you intend to keep at 65, drop?
Answer: I like my weight. I just want to gain some muscles and keep 65 (utmost I can go is 70 KGs).
Question: What do you tell someone out there wanting to cut on weight, maintain or add on weight?
Answer: Discipline. If you don’t have the discipline, your workout journey can be very challenging. So, you have to pick up an activity, either you go jogging, running or boxing. Pick up a fitness activity that is very comfortable with you. If you like going to the gym, go to the gym. Just make sure you have the discipline. Plan your days on which you will be doing this activity and you stick to that. Secondly, be your own motivation because not everyone can motivate you every day. Know why you are doing this activity or why you are working out because it is very important to track your progress (how you are doing. Where you have missed it and where you need to improve). Pick up a role model. Someone you look up to. The kind of body you look up to. Or the kind of lifestyle you admire. Look up to these people. See how they live their lives. The most important thing is: Watch how you eat. Going to the gym, exercising or any physical activity works alongside eating well. Make sure you eat the right food that are very balanced, drink a lot of water and that is it. It is all about eating right and exercising that keeps your weight in check. Not forgetting sleeping. Rest enough. Rest is very important.
Question: How many hours do you sleep?
Answer: 8 hours.
Question: Are there some people you help?
Answer: Yes…Quiet a number of people – men, women and children. I have helped so many people lose weight and meet their body goal because there are people who will come and they want to lose weight. There are people who want to come and gain weight and there are people who want to come and maintain but want to look a certain way.
I was training Methia. She really cut some weight and I have enjoyed being part of her journey. I have trained Prim (Asiimwe). So many ladies. My class comprises of so many women compared to men.
Question: Where do you train people from?
Answer: I train from Najjera. I do online classes as well and gym sessions as well. I am planning to do group sessions in different areas so that I can reach as, any people (who would want to train with me and have a feel of working out) as I can. So, I am planning on having group sessions for different people in different areas.
Question: Do these come with charges?
Answer: Yes.
Question: How much are we talking about?
Answer: My session for adults go for 30, 000 (per head) and kids (below 18) go for 20, 000.
Question: Even for virtual classes?
Answer: Yes. Because I be training with you. Virtual classes are more complex because I have to train with to guide you.
Question: Challenges..
Answer: Yes. Especially with internet because my virtual classes are either WhatsApp or zoom and sometimes you have network problem, either with you or with the person you are training. So it becomes challenging. Secondly, clients (all my clients pay), but their expectations. They have expectations and some of them want to reach these goals in a very short time which is not possible. It takes patience, consistency and sometimes body types. People will start this journey together and then one will lose so quickly and another one won’t lose so quickly. So, there is a lot of mix up. Then, also challenge with clients with eating problems. It’s very hard to follow a meal plan. You have to really be patient with them. Another thing is maybe gym. Some of the gyms don’t give a provision for trainers. They want you to pay to train somebody yet the person you are going to rain has already paid. That is really challenging. It’s costly to find a trainer paying to train someone in the gym yet they are not the ones going to work out. Maybe for home trainings. When it has rained, the weather, the time, traffic- they are really challenging that you have to adjust your time.
