The business of fitness

Consciousness on health and wellness sparks business opportunities in Kuching

Low physical activity which makes a huge part of modern lifestyle such as watching TV, working at a computer, or playing electronic games have been associated with adverse health outcomes such as obesity, heart diseases, Type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and many more.

Adding to that, overeating, skipping breakfast, and eating loads of junk food are now seen as normal as fast food has become a dietary staple for many families due to its convenience.

With the negative health epidemic that is currently going on worldwide, efforts to embrace a healthy lifestyle has been growing in popularity as seen by the mushrooming numbers of gyms in Kuching and else where.

Mohammad Nasrul Faiz, a personal trainer at The Gym Box said that the increasing numbers of gym operations is in response to a “new consciousness” among people who are aware of the serious impact of a sedentary lifestyle on health and body fitness.

He explained that there are a lot of people who want to look as good as the fitness models on the cover of magazines and also there has been a great number of these models trending on social mediums such as Instagram.

Entrepreneurs therefore see an opportunity to cash in on the emerging ‘fitness craze’ but Mohammad Nasrul personally does not see this ‘trend’ as a passing fad.

Gyms aside, the growing trend towards a more healthy lifestyle has also boosted a new niche market ranging from supplements to trainers which creates more economic opportunities for the locals.

Businesses like Urban A.P.E, Kuching’s first personal training studio, Kuching Supplements, Diet Wonder and Kuching Clean Foods, clean food providers, have spawned out of this new trend set by health and fitness conscious locals.

However, despite the growing demand, many are still unaware of what is needed to achieve their goals be it health, strength, or fitness. Nutrition, form, lifestyle change all have to work together and be adaptable to a person’s body type as not all are made equal.

BizHive Weekly talked to a few people who have made a career out of this growing demand and have dedicated themselves to assist local Kuchingites to look the way they feel as well as assisting the local economy by bring in a new revenue stream for the enterprising business-minded.

 

Personal training: A new demand

While most Malaysians understand the importance of exercise, not everyone who joins a gym know what they are doing – which could result in a person being de-motivated – to continue or worst still suffer injuries due to inappropriate workout dynamics. This is where having a personal trainer becomes important.

Before the advent of this body fitness trend, not many would consider personal training as a career path. Today, there is an ever growing need for these niche professionals in Kuching.

Ang Soo Boon is arguably one of the more well-known personal trainers and fitness instructors in Kuching, having made a name for himself with a large portfolio of clients.

“When I first started, I was a lecturer at a local university. I was doing the personal training part time as it is something I personally loved doing.

“But back in the day, being a full time personal trainer is not enough to put food on the table with some trainers earning only RM800 a month,” Ang told the BizHive Weekly.

Ang noticed that with the growing demand for a fitter lifestyle, as well as a massive increase in his clientele, there was a huge potential for him to do something he loved on a full time basis.

“I used to enter competitions but that alone is not a good sign of a good trainer.

“Winning a contest is a personal achievement, which is fantastic, but it is about making your own self look good. Being a personal trainer, your job is now to make your client look good which involves factors you have no control like how disciplined are they with their diet and training.

“Nutrition, genetics, and even training would all need to be tailored to the client as everyone’s body physiology react differently to internal and external factors,” Ang said.

“Being a personal trainer also means that you are a businessman and like any businessman, you need to know what you’re doing and in this case, how to fine tune nutrition and training for each client.”

Ang who says he charges ‘thousands of ringgit’ for a set amount of sessions, underscored the importance of compensating for what is going on in your body and fine tune regiments to fit into your schedule.

“They are your clients therefore you are working more on an advisory capacity to them.

“Nevertheless, you are also their mentor, role model and motivator. As the going gets rough or when they start losing heart, it is your job to understand how to further motivate them to push harder to achieve their desired result.

“As I have been a lecturer before, I think it is easier for me to assist my clients in this manner as I am used to tutoring people,” Ang said.

“If your client is always on the move, it may be difficult for them to attain quality nutrition and that is where a personal trainer would need to figure out a way to assist the client whether it is food choices or supplements that they should take,” added Ang.

Nasrul from The Gym Box concurred with this sentiment, adding that a good trainer also motivates his clients.

“Just as it takes two hands to clap, no matter how effective the trainer may be, it is also up to the client to stay disciplined or they may not see the change they want to see.

“Motivation is key in your physical transformation journey and there is nothing more powerful than internal motivation. Many people have been giving excuses that it is difficult to diet or that healthy foods is not available but end of the day if there is a will, there is a way,” said Nasrul.

“People are paying good money which could be spent elsewhere on getting fit. It is then up to a trainer to apply their knowledge and be a tutor to these people to prevent injuries, stay on diet, push themselves harder and at the end of the day be pleased with what they reap.”

 

Feeding the human machine – Big business potential

With Malaysia ranked Southeast Asia’s ‘fattest’ country, the ‘obesity epidemic’ is not something Malaysians should shrug ofd as immaterial. Based on Lancet’s survey in 2013, 45 per cent of Malaysian men are obese, showcasing that our love affair with food has gone out of control.

A report by McKinsey Global Institution noted that obesity now costs the global economy RM6.7 trillion in healthcare and lost productivity which is RM334 billion less than both smoking and armed conflicts.

Seeing this new pandemic, the meteoric rise of the health food industry is not something that should raise eyebrows.  In Sarawak many entrepreneurs are jumping on the bandwagon – the fitness industry.

Since the mushrooming of gyms, many home based cooks have assisted the health conscious working class in an important part of their routines, namely nutrition to assist in handling the matter as well as feeding the human machines at the gym.

Sean Trevena and Andrew Stephen Liew of Urban A.P.E, Kuching’s first personal training studio, explained that, “Given the quality of the food that is available and the frequency with which people eat out in Kuching, clean foods and supplements can definitely help my clients to achieve their goals.

“I would say that teaching them how to eat properly and to understand the value of whole foods, hard work and time invested in their fitness journey are the main focus.”

At the end of the day, the trainers explained that teaching people to make smart food choices is a great idea and the concept of ‘clean food’ providers is not a new one.

A clean food service makes sense for those busy professionals who don’t have time to cook said Liew, adding that from a point of eating well and understanding food needs however, it is better for people to learn to cook and inform themselves about how foods affect their bodies and health.

“Education and responsibility for one’s health should be a priority for us all.”

Having had experience in the world of culinary arts before, Liew took the time to explain that food preparation is most definitely the key to success in getting a healthier, leaner physique. It is a misconception that it is hard or takes time.

“If you have time to watch TV or play on Facebook or Instagram then you have time to cook,” he stressed.

“Create a menu and then decide which days to food shop. I recommend at least twice per week to keep produce fresh and in all honesty you can have nutritious meals prepared anywhere from 15-30 minutes of effort per day.

“But again this is down to a desire to change and the follow through to continue until it’s a daily habit!”

Heng Lee Shing saw this opportunity and together with her partner Ang, capitalise on it by learning from him the importance of nutrition, calorie counting and portion control before venturing into this business.

Doing this at a time when nutritional importance was not as highlighted as hitting the gym, Heng was among the early adopters of eating clean and offered such products to local Kuchingites.

Her business, Diet Wonder, focuses on clean eating with a focus on calorie counting and portion control.

Heng noted that, “Diet Wonder is a customised, low carbohydrate diet food for people who want to lose weight the correct way. It takes into account the proper macros being counted and tailored to the individual as compared to a generic clean food that is usually one size fit all.”She added, “It is more about customised food.

Unlike other clean food providers, it does not just focus on just being healthy but on weight loss and macro nutrient management. It is still a popular misconception that ‘clean food’ isn’t as tasty as regular food and other diet foods tend to taste rather bland.

“Diet Wonder is aims to change that misconception and focus on a meal that is tailored to an individual’s nutritional needs while having great taste. Which in itself a difficult thing to do as all Malaysians have a love affair with food.”

In terms of growth, there has been a gradual increase in orders for such services as many working adults do not have the luxury of time to prepare their own food.

“Most working adults spend eight hours a day at work with limited choice in nutrition. Diet Wonder offers a solution to this problem and adding to that, we could also set up a diet plan for them. We are open to consultation.

“The reason this is so important is because many people do not realise you can’t out train a lousy diet. You need to eat to support your training. To achieve your target whether it is aesthetics, health or strength, you will need to diet and collaborate with a good trainer to get it.”

In a previous interview with the Borneo Post, Mohd Shakira Joto, a bodybuilder and entrepreneur noted how important it is for him to watch his weight as well as nutrition all the time.

Realising that this is not just a personal problem but all health conscious people around, the 31-year-old came up with Kuching Clean Foods (KCF).

“There are so many fast food restaurants selling unhealthy items that may be cheap and convenient but are detrimental to our health in the long run which is why the government wants at least 30 per cent of Malaysians to be active in sports and practice good eating habits,” said Shakira

These new businesses are trying to fight the stereotype that healthy foods are expensive with foods all prices averaging about the RM10 range.

Keeping in mind that these food would be fuel for the body, it is safe to say RM10 per meal is a steal when you consider it as an investment for your body and health.

“It is the same amount of money you spend for lunch or dinner but with better portion control and the right amount of macro nutrients (protein, carbohydrate, fibre, vitamins, and minerals).

“Our condiments are all natural, consisting of virgin olive oil, rock salt as well as the creative use of herbs and spices instead of monosodium glutamate or MSG,” he noted.

The Gym Box’s Nasrul also expressed his views on the growing clean food industry.

He views this new niche market positively noting that to achieve your health and fitness goals, ‘clean food’ (via these providers) and your general health goes hand in hand.

“As you can see now, fast food restaurants and chains are everywhere. The thing about it is that everyone knows that it is bad for you but why do we still eat it? This is because of a lack of education on eating habits and diet.

“Eating fast food is convenient and easy for all the working people and that’s where all these clean food providers come in because not only are they preparing the food in a cleaner and healthier way for those that want it, but most of them also provide free deliveries,” he enthused.

“However, not everything is sunshine and rainbows as relative to the food that we could get at most coffee shops, it is quite expensive due to the ingredients and the way the food is prepared.

“An increase in demand may shift the providers towards a better economy of scale and may push the cost down in the future hence killing multiple birds with one stone.

“This would boost local entrepreneurship, give back to the local economy, boost the people’s health, lower cost for everyone involve and also lower health related issues,” he opined.

 

Addressing misconceptions : Certification and supplements

Like any industry, misconceptions are rife regarding fitness including those related to certifications as well as the foods and supplements industry.

Many people believe that aside from training, it must be coupled with hordes of expensive supplements to assure that they get the results they require. Others believe that just because a trainer shows a certificate from a certain group that they are automatically considered good but that is not the case.

Calling oneself a personal trainer and actually being a personal trainer is two different things altogether as not all certified trainers are good and not all good trainers are certified. However, a certified trainer would definitely have a more substantiated claim what knowing what to do as they would need to study not only human physiology but also nutritional impact as well.

All interviewees for this feature concurred that trainers must be well verse on a holistic approach and focus on the client’s goals rather than implying what they deem is right to the client.

Having ‘both experience and education’ is crucial for a trainer as they need to understand how the human physiology works, how to avoid injuries, how nutrition impacts the body after training as well as tips on how to achieve the client’s goals.

“Supplements are just that, they are secondary to a whole food nutrition approach. Once the client has cleaned up their nutrition, I would then suggest they look at supplements targeting health,” said Liew and Trevena from Urban A.P.E.

The supplement industry is big bucks and in general seems to be targeted at people’s desire to get results fast, noted Liew.

Stating that he would recommend people watch the documentary ‘bigger, stronger and faster’ as it highlights the many things that can be misleading within the supplement industry.

“I also believe that sooner or later all supplements will become subject to the same standards as pharmaceuticals as can be seen by Glaxo Smith Kline’s purchase of MaxiMuscle.”

Faiz noted in similar fashion that “Supplements are not that important if you eat enough nutrients from your whole foods. Supplements are expensive and I rather tell my clients to eat more whole foods than rely on supplements.

“Only as the training intensifies or if the need arises to fit the client’s goals then I would recommend a few key supplements to take like fish oil, vitamins and amino acids.”

He added that like the fitness industry, the supplement industry would also rise with the tide as more and more brands are coming out. However, he explained that sometimes these companies are cashing in on the fitness craze.

“It may be affordable for now but these are things you constantly need to maintain. In the long run, it really adds up.

“Supplements are just as their name states, a supplement.

“Yes it would assist you in achieving your goals but do not rely on it too much.

“Plus, money does not grow on trees but fruits and vegetables do,” he joked.

 

Tapping into personal training

The growing demand for such services prompted the establishment of Kuching’s first personal training studio, Urban A.P.E.

Commenting on the entire health scene, Trevena and Liew said, “Learning how to do anything properly is important and the human body is a beautiful and complex organism. It requires an in depth understanding of its workings and then the ability to be able to teach someone how to apply the right types of movements and exercises so that they get the desired results.

“This is something that takes many years to become proficient at. So in my professional opinion, I would always advise a new gym enthusiast to invest in a few sessions to sort out technique and also help them to start their fitness journey,” Liew told BizHive Weekly.

“Being a good trainer is more like being a teacher as that is exactly what you are doing, teaching.

“You must listen to what your clients’ needs are and have the skill set to be able to take this information and mould a plan that is about the client.

“A lot of trainers try and fit their clients into a ‘one size fits all’ box. Time and investing in your skill set are the foundations for becoming a good trainer. Always look to improve on the knowledge that you have.”

Trevena believed that as Kuching expands as a city, we will see a bigger demand for health clubs.

“I would say the biggest thing we may see if a big fitness chain decides to come to Kuching,  will be pressure on the smaller independent clubs regarding memberships.

“The biggest obstacle I see for the industry growing is the availability of qualified staff within the local market.”

On demand, Mohammad Nasrul added that being a trainer, he averages at roughly four clients a day with some days hitting eight or 10 clients but during the school break the numbers usually drop to about three.

“On the general scope of things, there really has been an increase in clients lately. People are starting to understand the fact that the business of looking and feeling good is not easy and sometimes they do need a helping hand in the form of a trainer.

“People should see fitness as a way to keep and maintain a healthy lifestyle and not just because it is ‘cool’ or because they want to look like their favorite movie stars. Health is an important asset to us in the long run and if you need a trainer to assist you in that aspect, then the supply is currently there.”

Liew and Trevena concluded that, “Like anything in life you get what you pay for and I can never understand why health and looking after one’s self isn’t at the very top of that regarding how one spends their money.

“After all you only get one body and its worth investing in. Waiting until it is broken or you become too ill isn’t a smart plan if you want to enjoy the wonders our bodies are capable of.”