Keeping fit and staying healthy are two sides of the same coin.

Gone are the days where some Ghanaians were only concerned about unhealthy foods.

Today, gyms and training centers have sprung up all over the country.

Nowadays, you walk in town and you see fine looking men with a protruding stomach as if they are ‘carrying babies’. Ooops sorry for hitting at you. Their belts are seen either on top of their bellies or under their waistlines, with no intention of hitting a gym or exercising on their own.

They quaff alcoholic beverages as if they are drinking tea and eat all kinds of meat at odd hours which put their health at risk.

Tell you what men, the ladies of today like the men with flat tummies. You can drink your alcoholic beverages and chew all the meat because you have the money to do so but you sure have to be health conscious, Bro!.

Some ladies also have the protruding stomach which makes them ‘unsexy’ in their dresses. These ladies put in dresses which tend to expose their ‘unsexy’ physique.

A visit to the gym at around 7 o’clock in the evening at Santasi roundabout in Kumasi revealed how patterns have changed and how everyone is working out to get their dream body or just to stay healthy.

Some of the gymnasts who spoke to me explained why they come to the gym

A lady who had just finished training said ‘I want to lose weight, it’s a personal thing, I had always wanted to come but then I was just lazy but then I decided that time is now so I just have to come, I have a body goal, I know and my trainer knows and we are working towards that and I am changing my diet as well, I have cut off meat and soda, basically I don’t eat after six o’clock in the night and I drink more water and eat more vegetables’.

Rahim another trainer explained ‘I just want the body to wear my t-shirts and club tees, I just want to fit into my shirts and look good and keep fit, I just started two months now but my arms are bigger, my chest, you know I have expanded and I am changing my diet as well, I don’t eat after six, the goal is to be healthy and fit and look good, if I look like the Rock it won’t be bad’

Candidly he admitted that he has been influenced by social media to have a particular body, he tells me ‘yes I have been influenced by social media, society, friends and those I come to meet, those who already have the body when I see them I want to get that body’

Well, after all, social media is not that bad?!

The gym instructor corroborated the reasons. According to him some people come with very varied reasons ranging from sexual performance to just keeping fit.

Instructor Frimpong says ‘Nowadays ladies and guys are lazy in bed so they come to train to boost their performance, a lot of ladies also come and say they want to look good, get wider hips and perform in bed and we as trainers help them to get their dream body’.

He adds that keeping fit is not only limited to the physical exercise but the kinds of food a person eats.

‘If you come to gym, your instructor will help and guide you on what to eat and what not to eat’ he said.

Therefore, physical exercise goes with healthy eating.

He explained that, it only cost hundred and fifty Ghana cedis (GHC50.00) to register and a monthly pay of seventy Ghana cedi to have access to all the equipments at the gym, plus a continuous holistic advice on dieting and lifestyle and it only take a month to see changes

So whether you are influenced by social media to have a dream body or you just want to keep fit and stay healthy, you can always register at a gym near you.

Remember healthy living equals long life.