Good morning,
Thank you for having me here today for the official ribbon cutting ceremony for Beyond Lucky - a new Fitness Studio offering personal and group fitness coaching with over 40 classes per week.
As the Minister responsible for Sports and a former competitive athlete, I am excited when I hear of a new gym opening up...to me that indicates demand; people wanting to do the best for their bodies and their health.
Variety, as they say, is the spice of life, and I am a firm believer that one way to stick to an exercise regime is by mixing things up and trying different workouts, to keep things interesting. So I was very impressed by the multitude of services at Beyond Lucky - which includes yoga, various types of pilates and barre, Les Mills BodyPUMP, spin and “OMCycle”.
Competitive athletics and team sports are not for everyone - and can sometimes be intimidating; working on personal fitness through group and private classes can allow individuals to set personal goals without as much pressure.
I know for me, personally, working out provides a great way to relieve the tensions of the day, to regroup and to take a little 'me' time.
In my swearing-in remarks just over a week ago, I made mention of how impressed I was by the number of successful, go-getter entrepreneurs there are right now, in Bermuda. Abby and her team are a further example of this - young entrepreneurs following their passions and setting up thriving businesses.
Anything we can do to encourage our citizens to be more healthy and active will pay off in spades later down the road.
Overall, three in four adults are overweight or obese, and one in four has at least one chronic non-communicable disease. This reduces quality of life for our people, and increases the need for expensive medical treatments for diseases like cancer, circulatory disease or diabetes.
Poor habits on nutrition and exercise begin in childhood, so if we are to reverse this trend, we have to address our young people.
This is one of the reasons why, last September, the Premier and the Ministry of Health and Seniors, and the Ministry of Education launched The Premier’s Youth Fitness Programme, under the Premier's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition. The programme is provided through schools and is designed to help our children on the path to a lifetime of good health.
In closing, I just want to wish Abby and her team the best.
Thank You.