Rodney Davis, cheif executive officer, Cool Group of Companies, never had weight issues as a young man but in 2006 the unthinkable happened.

His then six-year-old daughter said to him one day, "Daddy, you are getting fat".

Her statement had quite an impact on Davis because he did not consider himself fat. Coincidentally, it was the same week he got an email from Sharon Feanny about Shakti's 'Six Weeks For a Better Body'. After calling, he signed up immediately. When he joined the camp, he weighed 205 pounds and had 27 per cent body fat. This was a result of bad eating habits plus a lack of exercise.

Davis said when he was much younger, he worked out but with a hectic work schedule he just did not get a chance anymore. His only form of exercise was playing golf.

Eating habits

"I would get up in the mornings, skip breakfast, sometimes lunch as well, and then sit down to a heavy dinner."

He pointed out, however, that before joining Shakti's fitness programme, he went to the gym regularly but didn't see any results. He was not getting fit nor shedding any pounds. Shakti appealed to him because it was structured. They had trainers who monitored the exercise plus a nutritionist who guided participants on proper dieting.

The six-week fitness programme was hard work. "It was torture. I had to do my classes at 5:30 a.m. due to my work schedule. Plus, my trainers did not have any mercy on me, even when I was in pain."

He added that once during the programme he became light-headed because he was not eating properly and his trainers eased up a little. But, after he got the eating on track, everything was better. Though it was rough, he enjoyed every minute of it and did not get many cravings, especially when he practised good eating habits.

Slacking off

After the six weeks, he lost 27 pounds, taking him down to 178, and 10 per cent body fat taking him to 17. For two years he kept the weight off. But, at the start of this year, he gained three pounds and by the summer he gained another seven pounds. He said it was because he was slacking off. He was not exercising and ate lots of chips, chocolate bars and liquorice.

Now he's back on track at Shakti, this time at the Shakti Autumn Equinox Wellness Boot Camp, aiming to lose the 10 pounds he gained and reduce his body fat to 15 per cent.

- K.S.B.