testimonials : Soular Energy

Dan Phillips

Exercise was, for many years, something that 'other' people did - unless of course you consider friday afternoon schooners as 'weight lifting'... Time management, weight control, portion control, balanced diet, Life priorities, Self control - what the? The bombardment of the 'things that you should be doing' absolutley dis-engaged me. Being overweight, it made me feel like I was too far gone, that I was so far gone from what a 'normal' person should be, that I shouldn't even try. Well - in Feb 2010 that changed.

Walking past Birrawa Reserve with my daughter in pram, I encountered a fitness group (mixed levels of fitness, age and of course gender) boxing, running, throwing things, doing situps and other exercises I didn't even know existed. I was intrigued. Approaching the instructor Mel, she let me know how it all works - costs, class times and gave me a mobile number. Chatting to matt and organising my first 'benchmark' fitness assessment was the smartest thing I have done in years.

Three months later, I am 23kgs lighter, a damn sight fitter and have a much better understanding of what 'holistic' fitness means. The best 'learnings' for me have been the benefits of a fun (but challenging) routine, setting myself achieveable goals and portion control. Soular Energy provides the most professional, yet friendly insight into maintaining a holistic and sustainable approach to getting fit.

They say that picture says a thousand words - here's a couple that will save me rambling on..

Nicole,

After the birth of my second child I knew I had to do something to help remove the excess weight I had gained from having my two children. I was out walking with my children and saw a group of Soular Energy people training in Birriwa Reserve. WOW!, I said when I watched 6 people run completely round the oval and then do push ups, sit ups etc. I thought these people were machines. That's when my journey with Soular Energy all started. My goal was to be fit enough to run around the oval once! My first session was the hardest, I was sore for days. I knew I had to keep going, keeping my goal in my head.

3 sessions a week quickly turned into 5 sessions a week. I reached my goal really quickly and now I set higher goals for myself.Now I feel more energetic, happier, my body weight and body measurements are continually decreasing.The best thing about Soular Energy is the variety of classes and support from other Soular Energy members. There is never any pressure to be the fittest person in the class, you just have to try YOUR best. Soular Energy offers a mixture of strength, endurance, agility and cardio classes.Thanks to Soular Energy's trainers I now place a very high value for my physical fitness. I can actually run around with my kids not just watch them. I can't get enough of Soular Energy! Thanks Matt.

Sonia,

All my life I'd been a yo-yo dieter and hand in hand with that, a yo-yo exerciser. I would join a gym, sign up for twelve months and start off really enthusiastically. I would lose a few kilos, start to get fit, then after a few months I'd get bored. I'd go from training 5 or 6 times a week, down to once or twice a fortnight. Then I'd miss a couple of weeks. A couple of weeks would turn into a couple of months, the weight would creep back on and I'd be too embarrassed to turn up again, so I would continue to pay for a gym membership I wasn't using. When that membership expired I'd find a new gym and start the process over again.

I met Matt on a treadmill at a gym, in the middle of one of my enthusiastic periods. He told me about his outdoor sessions, which I was also enthusiastic about, so I joined up. That was 3 years ago. I do about 4 classes a week and I never get bored. No two classes are the same. I've met some wonderful people of all fitness levels, and apart from the fresh air and sunshine, the best thing about outdoor training is, there are no mirrors! So you can't see your wobbly bits! No more staring at the same 4 walls. I can finally say I'm no longer the yo-yo exerciser I'd been since a teenager. Training is just a part of my routine now, I don't even think about it. I can take my kids with me, so I don't have to worry about booking them into the overcrowded crèche at the gym. They get to watch us all train, so are subconsciously learning about being fit and healthy. The trainers are all very approachable if you have any problems. Matt helped me with rehabilitation for my broken shoulder, he's helped me with my diet and advice on training for Fun Runs. His knowledge of the human body is astonishing. I just email him with my trivial questions and he gets back to me the same day. It's like having my very own personal trainer, for a fraction of the cost. Wish I'd joined 20 years ago!

Georgia,

Growing up, I'd always battled with my weight. I was never a sporty person and was quite intimidated by doing classes at the gym. I joined Soular Energy after a friend took me along to a training session. One session and I was hooked! The first thng I noticed was that kids were welcome, I didn't have to worry about them in a room with strangers, I also loved the fact that it was outdoors. I love training with Soular Energy. My fitness has improved and I no longer worry about my weight. The trainers are fantastic and you never have one session the same. Training is now part of my life.