We love finding out about the philosophies of Aotearoa’s experts on health, nutrition, wellbeing and fitness! This week we asked 20-year-old manager and co-owner of Curves Albany, Taylor Fifield, the NZ Real Health 10 Quick Questions:
1. In a nutshell, what do you do for your job?
I am manager and co-owner of Curves Albany. I am also known as a ‘weight-loss consultant’. I meet with people on a weekly basis on a personal level and coach them on their fitness. I am like-minded to my clients and don’t set unrealistic expectations – I encourage achievable, attainable goals. As I have been on a similar weight-loss journey to them, many of my clients say I’m like an ‘AA buddy’ as I have been there, done that and know what works and what doesn’t! It makes it easier to listen to someone who is on the same level as you.
2. How did you get into your line of work?
My mother coaxed me into it as I had always been active, but as I came to the end of my schooling it was becoming harder; school girls get busier and exercise becomes less of a priority. When mum said she was interested in buying a Curves franchise, I jumped at the chance to get involved.
3. What’s the best thing about your job?
Seeing people achieve what they want out of their fitness regime is the best thing, no matter how small their changes are. Everyone has different goals, be it weight loss, having children, or wanting to change their lives for the better.
4. What do you do to keep fit?
I reference the Curves Complete programme, I work out on the circuit four times a week and I have recently begun to run – I want to do a marathon. I use everything I have learnt at Curves – it really is a one stop shop!
5. What’s your philosophy on nutrition and diets?
If there was one thing I could tell the world it would be to ‘eat’! Our diets have changed so much in the last hundred years and we struggle to keep up. Thousands of years of genetics changed overnight, with the ease and access of fast food and supermarkets. Also, leave the diet behind and just eat well!
6. What does keeping healthy mean to you?
Balance. Everything in balance. It needs to encompass work, family, friends, diet and exercise all in unison. If one thing suffers, everything suffers. Most people put work first, then family, leaving themselves at training?
Because of the changes I have made in my life, I feel fantastic! I never get sick. I’m bounding with energy all the time and I never feel sluggish. I don’t ever want to take pain medication, in fact it’s a lifetime goal of mine to not take prescription medication.
8. What’s your best health or fitness tip?
As I said earlier, eat more of the time. Fitness can be gained through strength training, which increases muscle mass, which means burning calories at rest – it increases your metabolism.
9. If you were stranded on a desert island, what three things would you want to take?
1. Chia seeds. These miracle seeds take on the flavour of anything theyare prepared or cooked with – I have them on everything. A teaspoon a day works wonders for the body.
2. I’d love to take the Curves complete circuit – can I?!
3. If not my circuit then a decent pair of shoes. The feet support the whole body. I change my shoes every three months because they lose their support – it depends how much you use them, of course.
4. I’d sneak on my ipad – it does everything! Ed’s note: We know that’s four things, but we’ll accept it as it’s sneaked 🙂
10. Any favourite inspirational quotes?
“I will show everyone I can do it.”
“Skip the diet, just eat healthy.”
“Remember, any idiot can drive in a straight line but it takes an expert to handle curves!”
Taylor Fifield has a vision – to help as many women live their best lives through active lifestyles, good clean eating and effective exercise. When she was a teen, Taylor battled with her own weight issues and found the Curves Complete programme in the process. Today, she not only lives out the Curves regime and feels stronger and healthier than ever, she is now co-owner and manager of Curves in Albany, on Auckland’s North Shore.
For more information on the Curves Weight Loss Centres, visit www.curves.co.nz.
Image / Supplied