Breast Cancer Recovery Exercise Program

Read Video Transcript

Jenni: Hi, I first met Sheree in 2010 when I needed support with a breast cancer recovery exercise program to get myself fit again. So I started with a Zumba class and have continued with the gym since then. I've had a recent, earlier this year, another illness, not as serious as the first, that made me realise that I actually had to do something about my weight. I needed to get some strength in.

I paddle a dragon boat, I needed strength for that. So I came to see Sheree and ask her for a suggestion as to what would be my best bet.

"If you're looking to be supported in a breast cancer recovery exercise program, I think the motivation of having a group of woman to actually exercise with and seeing them lose weight and get fitter as well as yourself is a real inspiration."

She suggested I join Semi-Private Personal Training so, in for a pound I went to join my small group. I signed up for it, initially three months of sessions and started on a Monday and a Wednesday night. What started as an experiment for myself and my body and what I could do. I changed my eating habits slightly and exercised. Eventually what happened is that the group became friends and they're still friends. They shimmied us along. I could work within my own capabilities within the group but always knew that there was someone looking over my shoulder.

So I think one of the hardest parts of being a member of the gym is actually getting in the door

And having that commitment to make two days a week to come to the gym and knowing that the girls would be wanting to know where I was and if I didn't have a good explanation, I was in trouble. So I continued that, I did my initial twelve weeks so I continued for another three weeks. And since then I've now joined the gym just as a general member and I am doing weights and came to a step class which I'm trying to be uncoordinated, haven't quite fallen off the box yet but will continue because I love it.

Looking to be support in a
BREAST CANCER RECOVERY EXERCISE PROGRAM
among other encouraging woman?

Sheree: Great and how much weight have you lost?

Jenni: I've lost 14 kilos since March.

Sheree: And what would you say to somebody else thinking of coming to Spice Fitness?

Jenni: Oh I think it's great, I think it's friendly, Sheree is an inspiration and she asked me why I was here. It's all her.

Sheree: What would you say to somebody else planning to join the gym?

Jenni: Oh, someone has to join the gym. Well I think as I said here earlier that getting in the door, if your looking to be supported in a breast cancer recovery exercise program, I think the motivation of having a group of woman to actually exercise with and seeing them lose weight and get fitter as well as yourself is a real inspiration.

Sheree: Is it the first time you've done strength training before?

Yes, I haven't done strength training before, at all

And I even got to like the machines. Having the small groups and at set times allowed me... I tend to stay at work late and on Mondays and Wednesdays I knew that I actually had to be out of there and hit the road at a certain time to be at the gym for 5:30 and that flowed over into my work life because it means I actually got a better work balance.

I went to the Doctor the other day and she took my blood pressure and I'm now on half the dose of pressure tablets I was on in the beginning of the year and my blood pressure is fine. She also said I was looking really good with losing the weight and continue on what I was doing.

Sheree: Can I just say I have known Jenni here for quite a few years now, I am amazed at the transformation in you Jenni. It would be great if you had a before picture even that we could show on this because you have transformed not just in your whole body, you're looking like a lean woman. Now Jenni totally transformed the way she looks but she's now strong. She picks up weights, throws them around like she could never have done that before. Could you? Because you never did weight training?

Jenni: No.

Sheree: And it's great when you do your... what do you do? Your paddle boarding?

Jenni: Dragon boating.

Sheree: ...dragon boat, because that gives her more strength as well to plough through the water and you have just found out that that's helped you with that, hasn't it? So in all ways Jenni, I think you've progressed from somebody that had never done weight training to someone's, which I think is why your body has really leaned out, like just got some muscle mass and you're also looking good but you're strong and I think the head space is in a great place as well. So it's everything. It's kind of done the whole lot. Well done on your breast cancer recovery exercise program Jenni. We hope to keep seeing you along the tracks and...

Jenni: I'll be here sweating it out.

Sheree: Yeah sweating out. So come into Spice Fitness, this could be you.