By Judith Chukwuma, Patrick Ochife & Nsisong Morgan
In the Federal Capital City of Abuja, many ladies go extra miles to look good. While some choose visiting beauty shops, others go to the gym to maintain a healthy lifestyle through exercise. Still a good number indulges in all manner of dieting even to the point of starving to look good. Also, some people find a community or make friends at the gym and as a result value the social interactions they have there.
Aside the foregoing reasons, Daily Sun gathered that several ladies go to any length to maintain their shape, look sexy and remain appealing to their spouses, as anything in the contrary could cost them their relationships, nay marriages; these days that the world is ruled by trendy lifestyles.
According to a gym operator, Mrs. Franca Jones, most people know that exercise is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle, which helps to burn calories, reducing the risk of obesity and protecting the heart: “You can exercise and be fit without incurring the expense of joining a gym, but exercising at a gym provides benefits that you cannot get by working out at home.”
She explained that one other reason people go to gym instead of working out at home is to avoid doing it alone. Her view is that gyms give access to group exercise classes and a way to workout with other people.
On why she goes to a gym, Mrs. Blessing David said she does so to keep her body fit and impress her husband because she would not want to lose him to a strange woman for lack of exercising. She insisted that going to gym makes her coordinated by gaining more control over her body and overcoming her fears.
Mrs. Tracy Ojo who had lived in the United Kingdom disclosed that her fatness motivated her into exercising; pointing out that she discovered while in London that many fat people consult medical personnel for one form of operation or the other to burn down fat in their body, not knowing about the essence of going to the gym.
She also said she had since found out that the only help medical personnel could render in this case would be to guide a person on what to eat and what not to eat; mainly dietary advice.
But another respondent and member of a popular health club in Abuja, Mrs. Mercy George, said exercise, particularly aerobics is another thing that gives her joy. However, she had to scale down on frequent exercise unlike before when the husband complained about her fatness:
“To be sincere, I was worried and have to tell my friend who advised me to always exercise my body. Right from that day, I started exercising my body; I have a good shape now. Besides, it makes me to be smart, strong and improve my mental focus and concentration as an important aspect of anyone’s life.”
Investigation revealed that some single ladies are more concerned about their shapes than the married ones; hence they have practically taken over the gyms and health clubs. One of such singles is Kate Ondaje, a student who also works in a non-governmental organization:
“I come here only on weekend based on how free I am. Since I started coming to gym, I have been so flexible; before then I would feel so lazy and pains most times, and right now I feel changes in my body system.
“If you are keeping fit and trying to burn out some calories, you need to be on a diet; selecting the kind of healthy food which suits your body. What I do is that I eat vegetables a lot and fruits which really help me a lot. I don’t eat food much but what I do is that, I reduce the intake of carbohydrate and replace it with more vegetables, every morning I eat fruits.”
Ondaje advised people who focus on other things to the detriment of their health to start doing exercise before it became too late, adding that they should “try to eat a lot of vegetables then take normal food at lunch then fruits after dinner.”
A stunning dimension was revealed about the large number of single ladies who throng the numerous health and fitness clubs in Abuja; especially at the Old Parade Ground, Millennium Park, Jabi Lake, Area 3 Playground and the like.
Several of the single ladies decked in skimpy and colourful sports wears at these centres merely use it as avenue to get the attention of men. By and large, all the people who spoke to our reporters were united that it takes self-discipline and might even cost a fortune trying to keep fit and maintain shape. But they also agree that it was the best way to go for any lady “wishing to keep her man and her home.”