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Walk into the facility on
Detweiller Drive where Greer
meets with clients and it looks
like many other gyms. There are
machines that will work various
areas of the body, whether it be
for a light workout or an intense
one meant to build muscle.
Greer’s methodology starts
with the phrase “Think – Move
– Eat.” Those three elements, she
said, are the key to getting fit.
“Thinking is important for
adherence, to know what you
want to accomplish and figure
out the best way to get there. But
even before that we ask a client a
lot of questions to determine their
level of commitment and how
best to get started,” she said.
“For example, if you just want
to dip your toe in the water,
group fitness classes would be a
good way to start. Or if you’re not
a social person, find a personal
trainer. But get started,” she said.
The “move” part of her
methodology is, of course, the
exercise itself. Greer said there
are three main components in
any sound exercise program:
cardio vascular, strength and
flexibility. “All three should be a
regular part of your routine,” she
said.
However, how much of each
component depends on body
types, she added.
Greer said she calls the three
body types bananas, pears and
apples, then she pauses to let the
imagery settle in.
Bananas have a hard time
building muscle mass so they
need more strength training.
Pears burn fat slowly but build
muscle quickly, so they need
flexibility. Apples burn fat and
build muscle slowly, so they
need more cardio and strength
training. “Apples have the
greatest challenges physically
and emotionally. They have to
weigh whether they want the
dessert or the weight loss,” she
said.
When it comes to eating, Greer
counsels her clients that they
have to eat because “food is fuel,
and if you think of it first as fuel
you are much more likely to eat
things that are better for you.”
Proportions are important,
she added. “Each person’s body
reacts differently to food. It’s
good to know how fast your
body processes food,” she said.
Greer said exercise has no age
limit. “Bodies naturally slow
down with age, but they slow
down even more if you slow
down, too. The more we stand
the more active we are, and the
more we are able to stand and be
active. I have clients in their 50s
who do triathlons,” she said. “If
you can move it, you can make
it. We all need some kind of
movement every day.”
Greer advises clients that they
don’t need to spend a lot of time
or money to get fit. “Your body
provides you with all the tools
you need. You can work your
entire body without a single piece
of equipment,” she said.
Continued on page 24
The Present
Yvonne Greer’s Power Zone
23
thePeorian.com