Fitness First With Anam Rafiq Godil

Anam Rafiq Godil on her fitness journey

Anam Rafiq, a certified barre instructor speaks to us about her journey as a fitness instructor. Read below as she explains in depth all about barre fitness, her own fitness philosophy, how she joined the fitness industry and more.

 

How would you describe your fitness philosophy?

I believe that a successful workout routine is one that fits you and your lifestyle, and finds you moving your body in a way that makes you happy. Forcing yourself into a workout is a very bad idea, it’s a life style choice, it should be about balance, and it should be fully enjoyed and certainly should not be taken as a chore. So my philosophy is that don’t look at an exercise as a punishment or a chore, it should be an essential part of your day that makes you feel the best and gets you moving.

What inspired you to join the fitness industry?

I have always been physically active. I love trying different types of workouts, although I always thought something was missing in my workouts. My main reason for turning into a barre instructor was when I gained weight after my baby. It just wasn’t coming down and it was frustrating, making me jump from one boot camp to another. One day I randomly started doing this workout on YouTube, it said barre, it was very different from the normal routine workouts. For the first time, that day I actually thought that my body has done something really challenging. Since that day I’ve been doing barre every single day, sticking to a healthy balanced diet and including barre in my workout routine really helped me lose all the weight that I had gained. Not only did it change me physically but I also saw a significant change in mental health; it made me calmer and more relaxed. There are only a few barre instructors in Karachi and I wanted to help women especially those who struggle with postpartum depression, weight gain, insomnia through barre and that’s how  I became a barre instructor.

What exactly is barre fitness?

Barre is a hybrid workout that is inspired by ballet with techniques of pilates, dance and yoga. It focuses on low-impact, high intensity movements designed to strengthen and tone your body in ways that few other workouts can. Barre involves inch movements which makes a difference that most of the workouts cannot. I always remember when a barre instructor says ‘down an inch pulse’ it literally means an inch. A basic 60 minutes barre class comprises a nice warm up to begin with then focuses on the upper body, after that lower body at the barre, taking it down to the mat for the core and ending with the most relaxing cool down. Every barre instructor has their own way of teaching it but I try to make my classes fun by adding new props and cardio every week.

Three things in your diet you can’t go a day without?

Definitely tea, I literally need three cups. However it’s not that good for your internal health but we all have our cravings. Dates, especially before my workouts as it really gives me energy. Apart from these two I enjoy banana smoothies, walnuts, oatmeal and milk.

What is your typical day like?

I have a kid so apart from my workout classes I spend each and every minute with him. I wake up spend time with him, I make a mind map of how I’ll go about in that day’s class which is in the afternoon. In the evening we take our dog for a walk and after that I take my second workout session in the evening. Night time is for family and in between I still practice a lot for my class choreography. I love to keep my degrees up to date so I just keep studying for any additional courses at night when my son sleeps.

What is the most effective workout?

I believe that every workout is effective only if you are willing to give your 100%, be punctual and staying motivated. It’s a lifelong commitment . Obviously barre is really effective but again your 100% commitment is required. When I say “ an inch down or an inch up pulse” I literally mean it and that is what will make a big change to your body so small isomeric moves are key to get good and long lasting results.

Advice you’d give to people looking to attain a healthier life style?

According to me, moderation and balance is key to a healthy lifestyle. Avoid following the latest fads blindly instead adopt a balanced diet with good carbs from fruits and vegetables, add nuts to your diet. Working out at least five times a week or starting thrice a week. Get at least good eight hours of sleep at night. Also I think binge eating at night is really unhealthy.

What are some misconceptions/questions asked by your clients?

I get a lot of questions regarding weight loss especially “if I work out all week will I become really skinny in a month” yes you can see a big difference only if you eat a balance diet along with your workout routine because if you want to go down on the scale you need to eat a healthy and balanced diet since your diet impacts more than your workout.

Your favourite food to eat on a cheat day?

Gluco biscuits with tea, very basic but
very yummy.

How is your fitness mantra different from others?

Everyone has their own ways and style to instruct a certain workout programme. I believe in small and isometric movements which can actually make a big difference to your body with long lasting results. I tell my clients to take it slow and then I add challenges to the workout. I plan out my workout according to the group of people I teach. Also, before taking any new client I always ask if they’ve ever had any sort of injury and while the workout is going on I always give them modifications. I love adding props to my workouts. Every week I’ll introduce a new prop and the entire class will be based on that. Lastly my barre classes are never the same. Every single barre class is different from the previous one even if we work on the same muscle group.

Which celebrity would you like to train and why?

I would love to train Jacqueline Fernandez as she loves barre workouts. Her body is really flexible so adding barre challenges would be fun with her.

Something you enjoy doing when you’re not working out?

I love taking the weekends off so on weekends I don’t work. Weekends are for my family and I make the most out of it by spending time and going out with them which I enjoy a lot.

A quote or saying that keeps you going?

“The best hour of the day begins at the barre”.

When it comes to eating healthy what are your top recommendations?

Eating a healthy diet is not about strict limitations or starving yourself with food you love. It’s about feeling great, having more energy, improving your health and boosting your mood. The cornerstone of a healthy diet should be to replace processed food with real food. Eating food that is as close as possible to the way nature made it can make a big difference to the way you think, look and feel.