Fitness trainer, Zongwane breaks barriers

Pushing ahead: Zongwane has her fitness centre
Pushing ahead: Zongwane has her fitness centre

For the many years I have been in the media industry, this week, I had a unique interview with a fitness instructor, my first. I have never taken a class or a training session offered by a fitness instructor. However, I have been following the Fitness Candy social media pages and was intrigued. CALISTUS KOLANTSHO profiles Candy Gorata Zongwane, who is pioneering a path in a male-dominated industry .

Fitness Candy Facebook page has over 77,000 followers, while the Instagram page boasts of 4,450 followers, and the director, Candy Gorata Zongwane, has about 44,000 followers on her personal profiles. Fitness training is largely male-dominated, but Zongwane is changing the industry's narrative. She is a fitness trainer, fitness model, and fitness influencer. She told MmegiSport this week that her interest in fitness started back in 2011 when she was 19. “It was a personal journey, and at the time, it was not intended to turn into anything public or big. Although it is an industry dominated by men, I am not under pressure because a lot of women will prefer women trainers,” she said.

The Mmadinare-born Zongwane established Fitness Candy in October 2016 as a social media page. Eventually, in 2018, the brand was registered and started providing services. “At the moment, my individual services are online. I have an online service called Shape Up. I provide diet and workout plans for clients. I provide guidance and they get to check-in weekly. Services are open to everyone; men and women. When I provide personal services, I believe in consistency. Personally, it works for me,” she said. Born 32 years ago, Zongwane did a short personal training course in 2017, which was mostly about training and human anatomy, briefly touching on nutrition. When asked what sets her apart from other trainers, Zongwane believes that she is a walking advert and her process is what she is willing to provide. “I understand what the average Motswana has and does not have access to; I put that into consideration. When it comes to fitness, I believe my role model is my younger self; I had more drive and motivation. That is what keeps me going to this day,” she said.

Editor's Comment
Stakeholders must step up veggie supply

The Ministry of Agriculture, local producers, retailers, and industry associations must work together to overcome the obstacles hindering vegetable production and distribution.This collaborative approach is essential to improve the availability, quality, and affordability of vegetables in the market.Firstly, the Ministry of Agriculture should provide support and guidance to local farmers to enhance their productivity and efficiency. This could...

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