LITIANA Miller needs no introduction.
This fitness guru was a national sprinter and has now progressed as one of the most sought after trainers by those who want to inherit a fit lifestyle.
At 38, she is the epitome of fitness and all the good things that come with it.
She lays down two simple rules which she believe is the key to getting fit, losing weight, building a gorgeous body and having fun while you train.
And it is not for women only. Litiana proves that sometimes ‘training like a girl’ actually works and she will push you to your limit as much as any other trainer.
There are two training programs she is currently running and both are equally effective.
And as a mother of three, she has mastered running a busy fitness schedule and being there for the family, so there is just more than fitness tips to learn from this Seaqaqa woman.
Boot Camp
“The Boot Camp and Zumba. Both are fun and burn calories like nothing. The Boot Camp classes are mostly in the morning,” she said.
“The Boot Camp is a scary name but it is not. Many people think it is like a military style camp where they go in and come back fit after certain weeks.
“It is in fact, a series of circuit exercises which includes gym work, cardio and calisthenics. It follows the basic HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) techniques to be more effective.
“I have also designed the fitness programs for all ages and all fitness types so there is no worries. Come in and fit in slowly but all this will happen while you make progress.”
The Boot Camp training often commences with dynamic stretching and running, followed by a wide variety of interval training, including lifting weights, pulling rubber TRX straps, pushups, situps, plyometrics, and various types of intense explosive routines.
Sessions usually finish with yoga stretching. Many other exercises using weights and or body weight, similar to CrossFit routines, are used to lose body fat, increase cardiovascular efficiency, increase strength, and help people get into a routine of regular exercise.
According to Litiana, if people want to know if the Boot Camp really works, she suggested that they should check with people who have done the training program with her.
Zumba
Zumba is a Latin-inspired cardio-dance workout that uses music and choreographed steps to form a fitness party atmosphere. While many of the types of dance and music featured in the program are Latin American inspired, classes can also contain everything from jazz to African beats to country to hip-hop and pop.
If you have been to any of Litiana’s Zumba classes, you cannot help but move. Zumba is for everyone as Litiana puts it.
“The best thing about Zumba is that you do not realise that you’re working out. It is dancing and moving to the beat and it is fun,” she said.
“My Zumba classes involve a lot of people, so it is actually having fun with a lot of people. Some people come with friends and enjoy themselves. And this a low impact exercise.
“Often people have recurring knee, ankle or joint injuries when doing other exercises but with Zumba, it does not matter.”
Most of Litiana’s Zumba classes are an hour long and happen in the afternoon and some during the day time. The classes start with a dynamic warm-up and end with a cool down and some static stretching.
Workout is broken down by song, each with a different dance routine. Litiana adds her own flair to the class so the dance steps are more fun to do.
Zumba is also different from other aerobics classes. In aerobics when you learn a move, more moves are added to create a routine. In Zumba different parts of the song are used.
Zumba is also unique in that its instructors don’t speak much. Instead they cue you on what to do with hand signals of which direction to move, or a loud hand clap that signifies that it’s time to move to a new move.
Overall, participants learn as they go through repetition and by example. This can be frustrating for first-timers but you get better with every class.
Diet
Training and proper diet go hand in hand and according to Litiana you can continue eating what is being made at home but ensuring that the meal is balanced.
“Simple rules. Eat good food, treat yourself when you feel like it but ensure a balanced meal which means that the only thing you have to cut down is junk and not to overeat,” she said.
“My rule is that if you take the calories in, burn them off. This also means that you can enjoy yourself by having drinks with your friends in the right amount.
“In my personal experience, when people start shedding the weight or start getting in shape, they relook at what they are eating. Eat a balanced meal and drink heaps of water.”
Litiana’s holds her training program mostly at the University of the South Pacific and can be contacted there. And she guarantees that once you start, you will not stop.
* We do not recommend that you attempt any of these exercises without suitable experience and supervision. We offer no medical advice. Information on this page should not be taken as medical advice. You should always consult your physician or other healthcare provider before starting an exercise program.
