Ok so August is usually quiet in the fitness game. Especially in my ladies only gym, kids off school, holidays and nice sunny weather means people tend to enjoy the summer rather than think about being fit and healthy. However this August has been a lot busier for me and very exciting too. I have started training my friend and long-time member, Samira, ready for her new movie role.
Samira Mohamed Ali has been a member at my gym, Shapes, pretty much since I opened 8 years ago, when she joined with her lovely mum, Helena. However Samira has only been able to attend fitness classes when she is back home in Neath over the last few years, due to her very busy lifestyle, travelling the world, modelling, acting and being an ambassador for several charities.
Samira is an award-winning International Actress and Brands Model who is currently working with many leading global companies. From a very young age, Samira started off as a model and led many high profile campaigns through her entrepreneurial skills. Samira is such an inspiration to women, she is a strong, determined business woman who has already done fantastic in her career. Despite her outstanding achievements, Samira is very humble and simply a lovely, genuine person. It is a huge pleasure to work with her.
Samira has now been given a role within an action film, produced by Swansea film company Tanabi, called ‘By Any Name’ with her co star and lead man Cengiz Dervis, who is a super fit, combat expert. The role has a lot of action scenes, therefore Samira wants to improve her overall fitness and strength and to generally start leading a fitter, healthier lifestyle. This is vital for her to support her hectic lifestyle.
Even though Samira has been attending my kettlebell classes twice weekly over the last month, since she has been home more, this wasn’t enough, and with filming being four weeks away, Samira asked for my help to get her ready for the role. Obviously four weeks isn’t a great deal of time, but I quickly got started with Samira, writing programs to improve her fitness, as well as some fat burning routines too. Our aim is not a totally lean, muscly physique, as Samira’s character is a doctor. However the action scenes are filmed on Wales very own beautiful Brecon Beacons, so Samira needs to be fitter and stronger, as well as making sure her nutrition is spot on to support her on the long days of filming. Samira’s health and wellbeing is the most important to us and we have set out a great nutrition plan, which is easily maintainable for her.
We were concentrating on cardio interval sessions, on either the treadmill or hill sprints up the mountain, as well as a mixture of hiit (high intensity interval training) sessions and hormonal based, fat burning programs too. Nutrition has been limiting carbohydrates, especially high sugar foods. Ensuring there is one main meal a day with carbohydrates such as wholemeal rice, quionoa or sweet potato was also important in Samira’s program, to ensure best results for her. We aimed for snacks of protein and vegetables, to prevent hunger and cravings and maintain a constant energy level. We did however, find that Samira needed to add a small amount of good carbs mid afternoon before her sessions with me. This was usually a piece of fruit or low fat greak yoghurt with seeds, nuts and berries.
I will keep you all updated on Samira’s journey and her progress as the weeks go on as I will be training her while she is on set filming too.
Please be aware that we are all individual and exercise and nutrition that works for one person, may not be right for another. We have to find what is right for us, without following the crowds on faddy diets and crazy exercise programs. All of our bodies and lives are different from hormones to stress, sleep patterns, breathing, injury, illness, family life and lots more, therefore it is important when embarking on a fitness and fat loss journey that you get the right advice for YOU.
Please contact me for information on personal training / coaching at , facebook Emma Probert Shapes Gym or Twitter @EmmaShapesGym