Spice up your life
Hollywood A-lister Melanie Brown is old-fashioned – well, when it comes to fitness and health, anyway. Unlike other celebrities who religiously follow fad diets and imprudent fitness regimens to be healthy and fit, Melanie doesn’t take any shortcuts and really sweats it out to get good results.
She heads to a Fitness First gym on her free time and follows her fitness program, to the letter. And when her schedule as a pop singer-songwriter, actress, and TV host, not to mention being a mother of two, becomes so erratic and demanding, she still does simple exercises in her personal gym at her home before heading to work.
“I don’t take shortcuts on workouts. I really want to see natural results. Workouts make your body healthy and make you feel good. It is something you have to do consistently, like at least three times a week. I usually work out for an hour, or an hour and 15 minutes, not more than that. It is something doable,” shares Mel B, as she was fondly called.
It is no wonder that Melanie has always been in the best shape possible, even after she has given birth to her two daughters. When her children left for school, Melanie would hit her personal gym. She would do some little physical activity even for just a few minutes to keep her healthy and fit.
“It depends. I sometimes go for a hike. Sometimes I would attend a workout class. Or just hit the machines in my gym. I do a combination of cardio and lightweight. It really depends on how much time I have and what mood I’m in,” says Melanie.
And unlike some celebrities who go on crash diets or skip meals to keep their figure, Melanie doesn’t follow any particular diet. Although she is not repulsed by the fad diets that are so popular nowadays, Melanie is not one to jump on that bandwagon.
“I don’t have a diet. I believe in healthy eating, which means lots of protein, fish, vegetables, and salads. I make sure I have a good intake of vitamins and protein every day. I don’t follow any fad diet, but you just have to find what works for you. What works for me is to eat healthy and make it part of my lifestyle. On a weekend, and if I have a craving for burger or pizza, I’ll have it but in moderation,” shares the former Spice Girl.
She continues: “You also have to set an example for your kids. Prepare healthy food for them. My children always see me working out, and now it becomes a family thing.”
During her years with the Spice Girls, Melanie was known as the Scary Spice. And she wouldn’t be called by that name for nothing. While the singer/ TV host got her Spice Girl name from her signature animal print outfit, loud Leeds accent, big hair, and throaty laugh, it was her aggressive attitude that really made a difference. She really puts her mind and heart in everything she does.
Like the various endeavors she does such as being a finalist in “Dancing With the Stars,” hosting Oxygen’s “Dance Your Ass Off,” and advocating the Susan G. Komen Foundation’s “Pose for the Cure” breast cancer campaign, Melanie is so passionate and aggressive about fitness and wellness, so much so that she was named as the global ambassador for the International Fitness Week for three consecutive years now.
To celebrate the International Fitness Week, Fitness First clubs nationwide will open their doors to both members and non-members to give them the opportunity to get them started on their fitness program and, well, just simply to get them moving.
From March 14 to 20, Fitness First will offer different activities – whether people want to tone up, lose weight, or simply become more active – every day. There will also be activities for building strength, sculpting, nutritional assessment, and weight loss, among others, facilitated by a team of friendly experts.
As an ambassador, Melanie hopes to inspire people across the world to make a change and help them find out what activity works for them and how to lead a healthier lifestyle. And she’s really hands on with this campaign.
Last year, Mel led a mass workout which she personally designed. Because she knew what she would enjoy and what would work for her, she personally put the choreography and class together. Along with a Fitness First trainer, she showed the participants the exercises while motivating them to keep moving.
This year, Melanie will visit various Fitness First clubs around the world on the week prior to the event to promote it to the gym members, and the general public as well. She will visit Singapore, Germany, and London to promote not just the IFW but also the advocacy for a healthy and fitter world.
“We’ve really made some fabulous progress over the last two campaigns. We’ve brought in more people to find something they like to make exercise a part of their daily lives. This year, I would do a class designed based on the Totally Fit Mel B DVD, which features all the exercises and workouts that I do. I’m happily and heavily involved,” says the Hollywood star who is currently starring in her own show “It’s a Scary World.”
Her dedication to health and fitness certainly makes her the perfect choice to inspire other people to get off that couch and get moving. She hopes to inspire people to leave behind their inhibitions and tackle anything that comes their way, especially the lethargy and languor they feel towards fitness routine and healthy practices.
She knows all too well that it’s not always easy to motivate yourself to stick to a fitness program, but it is achievable. All we need are the discipline and the passion to be healthy.
“It’s hard to get the motivation and energy to go to a gym. And sometimes, walking in the gym can be somewhat intimidating. But if people could just make it part of their lifestyle, part of their every day, then it would be easier for them to get going,” says Melanie who believes that having someone like friends, your partner, and family to support you achieve your goals is a big help.
She continues: “The first step is always the hardest. But sometimes you just have to bear it out. Walk in any gym, find all the information you need to know, get your body size and weight, try different exercises – it can get you motivated. The IFW can get you starting. Go to any Fitness First gym and try the exercises. It’s completely free.”
Or you can make it more fun, workout with Mel B herself through her Totally Fit Mel B DVD and/or videogame. Who wouldn’t want to have a celebrity as her own personal trainer?
The Get Fit with Mel B videogame allows the user to work out on-screen with the former Spice Girl as their personal fitness trainer by using the latest Playstation Move’s advanced motion control technology. Based on the personal preferences of the user, Mel B will design a fitness program to reach their individual fitness and nutrition goals.
“The videogame helps you count calories, tells you how many times you work out, and gives you a nutritional plan but at the same time caters to the food you like but gives you control. It’s really a personal trainer,” says the 35-year old singer/actress.
In her “Totally Fit Mel B” fitness DVD, Melanie promises to give people all the tools that they need to get the body they’ve always wanted. “I’m going to tighten you up, make you laugh, and enjoy your workout no matter what level of fitness you are,” she enthuses in one of her fitness videos.
Melanie likes to motivate and encourage people to be fit and healthy by working out on daily basis, so much so that she became a personal trainer. She took some personal training sessions and decided to get qualified. Now, she offers Get Fit classes in the US.
“It’s not just about seeing results. It’s about making it a part of your lifestyle. You have to consistent to make your life happier. Personally, fitness has made me a happier person and more focused. I believe it helps me be a better parent, better wife, and better person. Overall, it makes me feel better,” concludes Melanie. - Article courtesy of Manila Bulletin
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