While there are many products and options out there promising to help people lose weight fast, Body Exchange in Burnaby is not one of them.
The fit camp, run by owner and personal trainer Andrea Guzzo, focuses instead on helping plus-sized women get fit and active.
"Really it's not about weight loss, its about staying active and getting moving," she said in a phone interview Wednesday. "And then what tends to happen is you get more active, you get into a routine, and the weight loss is (another) benefit."
But the personalized classes provide other benefits as well, such as increased confidence, a tight-knit community, and small but important ability shifts, she added.
"Not only do you see people change and build more confidence," she said, "but they feel stronger."
Simple tasks that seemed arduous before, such as walking upstairs, become easier for her clients, she explained.
Guzzo has taught the Body Exchange classes in Burnaby since the founder of the company, Louise Green, hired her in May 2009.
Guzzo found the job posting on the B.C. Recreation and Parks Association's website as she was training to become a fitness leader, she said.
"I found it interesting and fun because I enjoy pushing people to their limits, especially when they doubt themselves," she said. "So, encouraging them through exercise and watching them build confidence is what really kept me wanting to do it."
Last December, Guzzo became the owner of the Burnaby franchise, purchasing the license from Green, who started the company in 2008.
The company is open to selling licenses for its program in other cities as well, such as Surrey, Abbotsford and Langley, Guzzo said.
As for Guzzo, she's found exactly what she wants to do, where she wants to do it.
"I love what I do," Guzzo said, adding she's excited about running the Burnaby location.
The program, which is run on the grounds of Kitchener Elementary on Gilmore Avenue, keeps things at a pace that works for each individual, with exercises modified for those with back or knee pain, injuries, or who are just starting to get active after being sedentary for years, Guzzo said.
So everyone does the same exercises, but there are modifications for those who need them, she explains.
They do other activities as well, such as monthly adventures - snowshoeing, cycling on the sea wall, or other types of fitness classes - and go on destination retreats, Guzzo said.
The company is taking clients on a destination retreat to Mexico in April, she added.
Nutrition planning and information is also available to clients through the website.
Because of the supportive environment, the women can be less self-conscious than they might be in a fitness club and can focus more on themselves, Guzzo said.
The physical environment is more ideal than might be expected as well, she added.
Many of the clients are very open to working out outside in the winter because it is cooler and more comfortable for them, she explained.
"If you work inside, then the fresh air is awesome," Guzzo said.
At Kitchener, they use the entire property on sunny days but stay in the undercover area when it rains, she added.
The next classes in Burnaby start on March 5 and run until March 31.
For information on times and prices, or to register, go to bodyexchange.ca/locations/Burnaby.
