Consultant, Fitness Blogger
Dear Reader,
Let's start the week strong with some fit inspiration; shall we? Welcome back to episode ten of Tizi Talks with Shiro Ngige. Shiro is currently based in New York as an Economic Consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers.
After getting to know her better, I needed to get her on this series and hopefully inspire you to be active because 2018 is almost here and we all need an extra push. Even I do! Shiro and I got to chatting, and this is what she had to say...
TIZI: How old are you?
SN: I turned 25 this year.
TIZI: How long have you been working out?
SN: I started working out in university. In high school, sports was something that I enjoyed it as I’m a pretty competitive person and I thrive in such environments. When I got to university, it was the first time in my life when fitness was something that I chose for myself. I missed the post workout endorphins so I enrolled immediately.
TIZI: What made you start?
SN: To be completely honest, if I was one of those people who was naturally skinny, I’m not sure that I would have started working out as soon as I did. I have a pretty curvy physique and contrary to popular belief, curves require maintenance. I wanted abs, a curvy and shapely body and radiant skin that comes from sweating and detoxification. You can say that I’m pretty outwardly motivated when it comes to fitness.
TIZI: Do you feel like it has made a difference in your life? If yes, how so?
SN: It certainly has. I feel more confident in my person-hood; I would highly recommend working out to people who struggle with self-esteem issues and self-consciousness. These issues were pretty real for me in my teenage years. Also, working out can make you feel empowered to chase other dreams. Think about it, if you can commit to working out twice or three times a week, and you can see visible results over time, you learn quite tangibly that hard work and discipline lead to results. You may be inspired to take a risk and try something out of your comfort zone.
TIZI: Can you please take me through your daily fitness routine on a weekday? And the weekend?
SN: I try to work out 4 times a week in total. I start out with weights for about forty minutes where I focus on a specific muscle group such as shoulders or legs. I then finish off with a 20-30 min run. If I’m really not in the mood of working out, starting out with running helps as it wakes me up and that post-run feeling is euphoric.
TIZI: Do you find it difficult to include your workout in your daily routine?
SN: My job can be pretty hectic so I try to work out whenever I can. Sometimes that’s a 6:30 am run and sometimes I hit the gym at 10 pm after work. The key is to get yourself there, even if it’s for 20 min. You will never regret going to the gym but there’s a chance that you’ll regret not going.
TIZI: What keeps you motivated?
SN: My fitness journey so far has been very externally motivated, wanting to look good in whatever I wear, wanting to remain youthful and vibrant. As I get older though, I also look forward to the other benefits such as reduced stress for those of us working in high-stress environments, internal body health, delayed ageing and overall wellness. It also feels so good to take care of myself as we spend so much of our days taking care of other peoples’ tasks and needs, be it work, family, friends etc.. Working out is just for you.
TIZI: What can you advise people who want to start their fitness journey?
SN: Diet is key. Take it from someone who once worked out daily and did high intensity exercises but saw no results due to poor eating habits. I would say, clean up your eating and be sure that you’re nourishing your body with the right foods. Next, you can start out by brisk-walking for about 30 min a day. Once you’re comfortable with that, you can try out the gym or maybe home workout videos or a class. Remember, fitness is 80% diet and 20% everything else so be sure to clean up your kitchen.
Its true what they say.."fitness is like a relationship, you can't cheat and expect it to work." Shiro explains that if you commit to working out and see the results, you appreciate that hard work and discipline lead to results. Fitness led me to discover my passion for wellness; so it is also true that working out can make you feel empowered to chase your dreams. I hope you invest in that gym wear, gym membership, or find a gym buddy who will motivate you to stay active. Wishing you a good start to your week and see you in the next Tizi Talks!
The best project you can ever work on is you.
Yours in Wellness,
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