Log In

Reset Password

Getting Bermuda off the couch and on to the streets

Trainer Sergio White and nutritional therapist Catherine Burns are to launch a fitness programme called Beat the Couch, aimed at getting novice runners to the 5K mark. (Photo by Akil Simmons)

Nutritional therapist Catherine Burns was adept at maintaining a healthy diet, but having two children made it difficult to find the time and energy to exercise.A couple years ago she was inspired by her husband to try something new after he took part in the annual May 24 Half Marathon Derby.“I found that kind of distance intimidating but I liked the idea of going for a run,” she said. “To be honest, as a working mum, the idea of plugging in my iPod and going off for half an hour all by myself was exceptionally appealing.“So I picked 5K as a beginner distance, googled some running plans, and discovered the Couch to 5K concept.“It was simpler than I thought it would be [and] all I had to do was find 30 minutes three times a week. I knew people at work were interested too, so I put a training programme in place.”Mrs Burns and her work colleagues managed to reach the 5K fitness goal by October 2011.She’s launching a programme aimed at helping people who have never been active or who have let their activity level slip, on February 27.Beat the Couch is described as a “realistic, safe and rewarding” ten-week running programme for those who are new or nearly-new to running.It’s based on the Couch to 5K concept and offers the extra support of a group environment and assistance from expert trainers — Sergio White and Chuck Morgan. They will monitor each participant’s progress in person, and guide their technique.Mrs Burns will also provide nutritional coaching to show people how to make dietary choices that optimise their energy, mood, performance and recovery. Participants will also have the option of having their weight, body fat percent and number of inches lost tracked throughout the process.The end goal will be the Sir Stanley Burgess 5K on May 12.Top runners Chris and Ashley Estwanik will push a couch on wheels around the route — participants will try and beat them to the finish line.Mrs Burns, 35, has been a nutritional therapist for the past eight years. She first became interested in wellness at the age of 18.While working in Uganda, she became seriously ill with intestinal infections, known as giardia and amoebic dysentery, and had to take large amounts of antibiotics to get better.The combination of the illnesses and the drugs left her with a very weak stomach and extreme fatigue.“In a way I was lucky because it was a real wake-up call for me in terms of nutrition,” she said. “Over the next two years I did lots of research and worked with a nutritionist to get myself back on track.“Changing what and when I ate made such an astounding difference to the way I felt I was inspired to study it professionally.”After university she studied nutritional therapy for four years with the Institute for Optimum Nutrition in London.Despite all her training she said she could only describe herself as healthy — not fit. She tried a number of different exercises, but couldn’t seem to find anything she enjoyed enough to keep going — until she got started with running.She decided to incorporate an exercise component into her wellness programmes after reading a research paper emphasising the importance of physical exercise.Mrs Burns realised that while there were many fitness events in Bermuda the vast majority were geared towards getting fit people fitter.“That’s not the urgent demographic,” she said. “We want to get people moving who aren’t really moving at all.“We want to help them in a fun, effective but completely non-intimidating way and I think we have created a programme that does just that.”She offers a healthy eating and exercise programme that has been popular for more than six years.She believes the same thing will happen with this programme and told The Royal Gazette: “We have had huge success with it ourselves.“We love it and believe in it. We think it will work just as well for everyone else.”The nutritional therapist said she had a vested interest in helping locals get on the path to great health.“My husband is Bermudian, my children are Bermudian and I love this beautiful rock that we live on but we are facing a terrible health crisis here, largely, and sadly, brought on by preventable risk factors.“If Bermuda is going to be economically and socially successful it needs to get healthy. I want to help with that.“Starting my own company [Natural Ltd] in this climate has been a big risk and a ton of hard work, but it’s also been incredibly rewarding. I have some amazing clients to thank for that and I am ready to work with more.”Mrs Burns said people could expect to be challenged with the Beat the Couch programme. She believes clients will gain more energy, self-confidence and pride. The programme will also reduce stress, give clients more balanced moods and more even hormones and improve weight and body composition, she said.People with a medical condition need approval from their physician before taking part in the programme.The ten-week programme costs $395, which includes three 45-minute group training sessions a week and the entry fee for the Sir Stanley Burgess 5K race.For more information, visit www.natural.bm or call 236 7511.