A CITY keep-fit fanatic and businesswoman is hoping her honest gym approach will see more people take up healthy living.
Sandy Kenny, known throughout the city as Fizz due to her energetic nature, recently opened the Fizz Fitness Gym and Booti in Albert Road. For many years she has promoted keep fit, but she doesn't hold with gym bunnies and jocks.
Born and raised in Keyham, along the way she had raised two children, been a professional carer working at homes across the city and achieved a fitness degree at UCP Marjon.
But her dream has always to run her own gym and help people get fit and healthy who would otherwise be terrified of exercise for a multitude of reasons.
In recent years she has run special bootcamp sessions in parks, businesses and schools as well as in residential homes, encouraging young and old, able-bodied and disabled to not be afraid of going for the burn.
She said: "I've devised fitness plans for pensioners, for disabled people, for children.
"My aim is to see all kinds of people getting fit, to encourage everyone to do it and not be worried about being judged.
"I've got 14 years experience as a support worker and health carer, so I know what it's like to help people with a range of illnesses, disabilities, health issues.
"I want my gym to be known as a gym with a difference. No posers, no gym bunnies, no jocks."
To make her point, Sandy said she is running sensory fitness sessions for children with autism, aims to target schools to help them get overweight youngsters fitter, target obese men and women who feel uncomfortable in gyms and give them personal support to burn off the calories.
She said: "I also want to encourage women who have or are
suffering from mental health issues like post-natal depression. I want people who have mental health issues or are too body-conscious in my gym.
"We don't want gym bunnies who want to look down on others because they think they look better than others. We want those people who want or need to get fitter, because it helps their bodies, helps their minds, helps them feel more confident about themselves. I know that fitness works on more than just your body and there's many people who really need that lift.
"We've already worked with children and adults with mild autism, ADHD, brain injury, helped those who have obesity issues, supported schools and clubs with children that are being bullied."
Sandy's infectious enthusiasm for fitness has seen her overcome obstacles to finally see her dream realised with her gym and she was joined by local children and supporters at the recent opening.
She said that in addition to the gym she offers a very wide range of keep-fit group sessions, tailored to needs, be it post-pregnancy exercise to hard-core training, family fit groups to individual packages.
She said: "I know for a lot of people they can be afraid of the idea of getting fitter and healthier. I'm a Plymouth girl and I like my pasties as next as the next Janner. But our aim is to make it real – our current motto is 'eat your pasties, eat your pies, you just work harder and exercise'.
If you want to sign up or find out more visit the gym in Albert Road, Stoke or contact Sandy on 07976568477.
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