Now fitness fan Jackie builds up her business

Mar 16 2009 by Iain Laing, The Journal

A FEMALE former bodybuilder is helping others achieve their weight loss goals and finely honed physiques by setting up her own personal fitness business.

Jackie Lewis, 42, who has worked in gyms as an instructor as well as less physical occupations such as for a coffee vending machine company, has set up JL Fitness at Blackhall, County Durham.

She said: “I’ve always been interested in keeping fit and I used to be an amateur body builder.

“I love seeing people getting the results they want and being able to provide them with all the information they need about fitness and nutrition to reach their goals. It’s totally different to my previous job and I absolutely love it – I can’t spread myself around enough. I love to see people getting the results they want. ”

She hopes to run more classes and is already thinking about taking up more training. She said “I want to start doing day classes, I have ideas of working with older people and training young children in fitness.”

Jackie has two children of her own aged eight and 10 and she is keen on the idea of getting and keeping children fit.

“I run a junior gym and we do circuit training with the kids, and active activities like games and sports.

“I also teach them about nutrition and quiz them at the end of the session. It’s good for them to know that not only do you have to exercise regularly, but you also need a good balanced diet.”

At the junior gym, for children aged 10 to 14, Jackie educates them in nutrition, health and safety and everything they need to know about fitness.

The children also take part in events such as bike or running challenges and when they reach their goal they receive a certificate.

“I try to make it fun for them and to keep them interested by doing all different types of activities.”

JL Fitness classes were launched with funding and support from Be Enterprising, the Local Enterprise Growth Initiative (LEGI) Programme, which aims to inspire and support enterprise among people in some of the most deprived communities in County Durham.

Amanda Henessy, Jackie’s business coach at Be Enterprising, said: “Jackie had a fantastic business idea and came to us for help to make it happen.

“We were delighted to be able to provide expert advice and support. JL Fitness is proving to be a huge success so far and it is a business that is benefiting the people of East Durham by providing fun and accessible opportunities to keep fit and healthy.”

Jackie began her amateur body building in 1989, and even entered the Miss Universe competition in 1994, so she knows about nutrition and how to get the desired results.

Jackie still attends her local community centre gym, and it was here she was first given the idea of going to Be Enterprising from the centre manager.

She said: “The centre manager told me that they have sessions with BE every month, so I thought I’d go along to see what was on offer.”