"Your body can stand almost anything. It's your mind that you have to convince."
Dear Reader,
A famous English poet once said that April showers bring forth May flowers. So here is to wishing you a great new month and a super short week ahead! We thought to send some motivation your way by sharing the fitness journey of an artist/ arranger/ musician/ producer whose talent shines through his impeccable skills at playing the guitar. He is a member of the well renowned and award winning band called Sauti Sol which has blessed us with amazing songs like Lazizi, Sura Yako, Kuliko Jana, Love Again, Girl Next Door, Melanin; the list is endless!
Sauti Sol
Welcome back to episode twenty four of Tizi Talks with Polycarp Otieno. On top of gracing us with the great music, he finds time to stay in top shape all whilst inspiring others to do the same. He is one of the founders of the 'SweatStation Bootcamp' which has been running for the past two months at Alpha Fit and whose proceeds go to charity. Be sure to look out for our review article on the bootcamp which has become a social media sensation. We got to chatting and this is what he had to say regarding his fitness journey...
TIZI: How old are you?
PO: I am 30 years old.
TIZI: How long have you been working out?
PO: I started working out when I was 22 during our first European tour. We had so much time in our hands so we opted to kill time with working out, cycling and playing football.
TIZI: What made you start?
PO: Initially I wanted to look all buff and 'sexy'; a word whose definition varies from one person to the next. Then of course with time you realise that looking good is actually a default/result of living a healthy life. Another thing that you also realise with time is that diet plays a major role, if not the biggest, in your development. I recently just turned vegetarian.
TIZI: Do you feel like it has made a difference in your life?
PO: HUGE difference. In all aspects of my life. I feel great. I look great. I sleep better. I am more energetic. Enhanced mental strength. A more positive look towards life. I mean, the list is endless :-)
TIZI: Can you please take me through your daily fitness routine on a weekday? And the weekend?
PO: I try to work out at least 3 times a week. Monday is a must. I focus more on fitness and high intensity training than on weight lifting. Reason being it keeps me more fit and alert, especially considering the kind of profession I am in. In between workout days I go for a run. At least 10km. Running is another form of fitness that I am really passionate about. During the weekends I play football every other Saturday when am not busy. I rarely workout on Sundays but sometimes I go for long runs and then laze around all day.
TIZI: Do you find it difficult to include your workout in your daily routine?
PO: No. You make it work within your schedule. Some prefer morning. Others lunchtime/evening. I prefer morning. 6am I am in the gym. For my runs I prefer evening runs, as they relieve me of all the happenings of the day and I sleep really well too.
TIZI: What keeps you motivated?
PO: The general feeling of a healthy lifestyle makes you not want to stop. You have to try it to know exactly how it feels. And once you get there you hardly ever want to go back to your previous lifestyle.
TIZI: What can you advise people who want to start their fitness journey?
PO: It's all in the mind. Your body can stand almost anything. It's your mind that you have to convince. Also it takes time, sometimes longer than expected, to get results showing. Patience is key. Once you get yourself into a routine then your body adapts and you will love it! Another thing is that diet is everything. No matter how hard you workout, if you eat the wrong things then all that work is redundant. Workout and an appropriate diet go hand in hand.
SweatStation Bootcamp at Alpha Fit (Its a must try!)
#madeinKenya
Yours in Wellness,
Subscribe below to receive these newsletters directly to your email.
