It isn’t easy making a lifestyle change but every effort counts, no matter how big or small. Fitness trainer Davi Sakaizawa tells us how he found his passion for health and wellness, and the little things we can do to achieve our fitness goals
Moving to a new country, embracing a healthier lifestyle and setting new fitness goals can seem daunting to most, but for Brazilian native and fitness trainer Davi Sakaizawa, these challenges have inspired him to venture out of his comfort zone. The once-aspiring video game designer found his calling at the age of 13 and his career has since brought him to his current gig as a group class instructor at Pure Fitness, one of the top fitness studios in Singapore.
His job keeps him active, but even as Davi works hard at getting his clients into shape, he’s always working on improving himself – even if it’s as simple as making time to perfect his yoga practice. It’s a personal goal he aims to “master” and with help from Fitbit, he keeps his progress in check. To Davi, no change (or purpose) is too small for anyone who wants to get into shape.
With that in mind, we spoke to him about staying motivated, the do’s and don’t’s in staying fit, and the small steps we can take towards an active lifestyle.
Hi Davi! Please tell us more about yourself and what you do.
I’m Brazilian, and am from São Paulo. I’ve been physically active since childhood and especially love swimming, volleyball and Group classes (GX) such as Les Mills sessions. I started attending GX classes at 13 and loved how it made me feel – making new friends in the gym was a bonus!
I’m currently teaching at Pure Fitness in Singapore and my classes range from Body Balance, Body Pump and yoga, to TRX (total resistance exercise) and Zumba. My next goal is to become a master at yoga, which is why I’ve been practicing yoga four to five times a week.
Why did you make the move from Brazil to Singapore and how was it like adjusting to life here?
I wanted to experience working in one of the most popular countries in Asia. When I first arrived, I faced some challenges adapting to the new culture, as people are always busy working and everything needs to done very quickly.
It probably took me a couple of months to get used to the pace here, but the environment has made me a much more independent person. Singapore is a country that’s always moving forward, which is good for those who are career-minded – someone like me, who is very much focused on my job and trying to be better at it.
When it comes to maintaining an active lifestyle, how do you keep yourself motivated?
Keeping motivated doesn’t have to involve a complete lifestyle overhaul. For example, I always try to keep my goals in my mind with simple questions such as: How much muscle do I want to gain? How many tucks jumps can I perform in 30 seconds? Having a personal tracking device like Fitbit Alta HR shows me where I am now, where I want to be and how to get there. It also keeps me accountable and disciplined when working towards my goals.
With heart-rate tracking, I get a more accurate gauge on how much calories I’ve burned after each workout and a better sense of how much energy I’m using up throughout the day, which lets me decide when I need to step up my workouts or tone them down.
Can you share some do’s and don’t’s in keeping fit?
Having a planned training routine ensures I know what to do to achieve my goals. The type of food you eat will interfere with your results – if you expend 700 calories doing physical activity but you ingest 1000 calories by eating pizza and drinking beer, you are taking in more calories, and the result will be fat mass gain. Resisting the temptation to indulge isn’t easy, which is why the Fitbit app’s food logging feature is essential in helping me plan and track my meals by giving me an estimate of my daily calorie consumption. It even provides feedback on my progress!
Do you have a philosophy that inspires you?
My inspiration comes from “Carpe Diem”– a Latin quote from a poem by Horace – and it’s popularly known as “seize the moment”. It’s also used as an expression to avoid spending time focusing on useless things, or as a justification for immediate pleasure without fear of the future.
Lastly, do you have any advice for those who find it hard to maintain an active lifestyle because of work?
I recommend that they start with small changes first, such as climbing the stairs rather than taking the lift, walking short distances to the office instead of driving or taking the taxi, drinking more water and eating more fruits and vegetables – you will be surprised at how these can all add up! You should consider creating a workout and diet plan with the help of a trainer as outlining your goals and tracking your progress helps keep you motivated.
Reach your personal goals and milestones with the slim Fitbit Alta HR. With continuous PurePulse heart-rate tracking, you’ll receive accurate calorie burn data throughout the day, night, and during your workouts. Its SmartTrack automatic exercise detection monitors the progress of your walks, runs, aerobic exercises, cycling (and more), and simplifies the tracking of your personal goals. With the Fitbit app, you can keep track of your calorie intake to manage meals and plan your workouts. Find out more at www.fitbit.com/altahr.
This article is sponsored by Fitbit