Kakamega,
Wednesday March 27, 2024 2024
KNA by Bright Imungu
Perhaps the most popular reason people join a gym is to lose weight.Regular exercise has been shown to help boost energy levels, enhance one’s mood, including reduced risk of chronic and lifestyle diseases.
According to the Centre for Disease Control (CDC), Kenya’s obesity rate among citizens has surpassed 60% due to changes in diets and lifestyles with women aged 19-49 being the most affected group.
As a result, many Kenyans, mostly in the middle class, are trooping to fitness centers to combat health conditions, diseases and shape their bodies. This is perhaps what made Dr. Gilbert Kitua give his gym the name, “Kip Me Fit”, to help people stay fit and achieve body goals.
Kip Me Fit Gym is located at Amalemba trading Centre, on the first-floor room F2 Ritah Plaza, Opposite Kakamega School, on the Kisumu-Kakamega highway.
Dr. Kitua, the manager says “We have success stories of people losing up to 4.5Kgs a month. With consistency and hard work, one can achieve the desired goal”.
“Different people have different body compositions. However, working out consistently for one month brings you closer to your desired goals,” he added .
The gym is run by certified coaches who run the programmes from Monday to Friday with morning and evening sessions running from 5.30am to 7.30pm.
On Mondays, we do aerobics & HIIT, Tuesdays, Katabox & Body Toning, Wednesdays Circuit, Thursdays, Steps & Zumba, with Fridays Pound Class & Tabata.
Saturdays and Sundays are rest days.The Kip Me Fit Gym membership costs Sh2,500 normal rates. Students Sh2,000 and a student’s ID is required for this membership programme.
For new members at the gym, referred to as ‘new bees’, the first order of business is to conduct a fitness test.
“We test your flexibility with workouts tailored for beginners,” he says.“Coach Ian John Wanga, a partner and a close friend to Dr. Kitua. He works in consultation with the clients on the fitness programme and meal plans for the clients,” he added.
“For diet, we recommend whole and natural unprocessed food. However, in the event of a special meal programme, Coach Wanga our nutritionist can assess and give you a recommended diet,” he said.
“The first week is usually tough and painful for beginners. You must be prepared psychologically. You need a plan that is flexible with your schedule and is practical,” he said.
First, a client must invest in attire. One will need the right gear to work out. “Mini-skirts, heels, jeans, suits and ties will limit your productivity during your workout sessions” he advised.
“Leggings, sweatpants, shorts, tracksuits, vest, singlets and breathable T-shirts, branded merchandise with the Kip Me Fit logo is also available at customer friendly prices,” said Dr. Kitua.
“The merchandise idea was alive though I never knew how to execute it though with time, I met suppliers and companies that deal with printing and so far, it’s great,” he said.
He says most of the clients at Kip Me Fit Gym were ladies aged between 23 to 40 years old.
“I was inspired to start the gym since the time I started playing rugby at Mang’u High School. My dream was to help people live consciously and to love themselves,” he said.
“I was running Keep Me Fit online prior to running it as a physical place. Now I am paying rent, Wi-Fi, electricity and other expenses,” said Dr. Kitua.
“I have had this idea for a while now and last year between the months of October to December, 2023, I wrote down the plan and started working out from the house,” he said .
“I realized that the plan can be practical,” he said as he laughs excitedly.“I shared my ideas with my friends. Coach Ian Wanga and Lih Ingabo Tech Software Engineer bought into the Idea and we are still working together as partners,” he said.
Dr. Kitua says in May 2022, the blogging and writing journey began. “We had set up an e-commerce shop for our merchandise. We believed in the quality of our products, so we anticipated that we were going to have clients to purchase them globally. Then on Monday 10th July 2023, 10 months ago, we hit the ground. Some of the challenges we have faced coming up were resources in terms of finances. Finance has been a challenge. Acquiring the equipment and human resources with good talent is expensive,” he noted.
“I enjoy coming to work now that I have learned from my mistakes and I can work around the clock. Interacting with clients at first was a challenge, however right now people are booking private sessions during the day,” Dr. Kitua said with enthusiasm.
“We have excellent coaches here and they work part time. Our client’s testimonies are confirmation of the good work they are doing. Our head Coach Babu Moses Mtuliz aka afande, though he calls himself Reptile, comes in every morning. Jabez comes in occasionally, Manu handles Cata-box sessions whereas Daisy has Zumba sessions every Thursday,” he noted.
“I have an assistant here, Derrick Onyango, who runs the gym when I am handling management errands. He also takes care of the accounts. I can say I have a very strong team,” he added.
“By the end of this year, we are looking at expanding our business since the number of clients we are getting is increasing by the day and our space is becoming smaller,” he observed.
Dr. Kitua says they have had a great reception in Kakamega, though they struggled in the last quarter of 2023 but have since picked up as of January 2024.
Exercise could help prevent excess weight gain or help one lose weight. When one takes part in physical activity, he/she burns calories, the more intense the activity, the more calories one burns.
“We hope that our reach grows and our long-term goal is to open more locations for the gym,” he says.Dr. Kitua is welcoming investors to partner with him to have the dream of more Kip Me Fit centers in the town and beyond.
“If they want to partner, they can reach us through our social media pages. We want to keep you fit so that you can live consciously, and love yourself,” he concluded.
Courtesy; KNA
