Let Justen Pelser motivate you to get fit!

Who doesn't want to be fit and look good? We are pretty sure everyone reading this wouldn't mind being a bit more toned. The problem is we have to work at it. Ah, that dreaded word. Work. The truth of the matter is that there are no short cuts to getting fit, you have to put in that hard work and be disciplined. And hey, who has the time?

"You need to make time and prioritise! It's a lifestyle!" Justen Pelser told City Times.
Pelser knows all about discipline and dedication to get the right results. The right result being a gold medal.

The ex professional rugby player who hails from Johannesburg, South Africa, has been living in Dubai for over two years where he works as a personal trainer after being head hunted by Boxing World champion David Haye as a strength and conditioning coach.

Recently, Justen won gold in the WBFF world championships held in Australia this month. The WBFF is a worldwide leader in fitness and modeling and to win gold in their competition is no easy feat.
City Times sat down with Justen to ask him about his win, how he prepared for the competition and to help us dispel some common myths about health, fitness and working out

How it started
In 2013, I was reading a fitness magazine. I saw an upcoming fitness competition, which was to take place in my city. I looked at these guys and thought, "Hey, I can achieve this!" I am naturally goal orientated and enjoy challenging my body!

Dubai Fitness World
It's growing at a rapid pace as people are catching onto the need to live a healthy and fit lifestyle! The necessity speaks volumes as this is required in both work and day-to-day life. Health is Wealth!

Winning WBFF
It was an indescribable feeling! I am still on a high and completely humbled by this achievement. It has taught me a very valuable lesson that we all know and sounds quite cliché. Work hard, stay focused and never give up! Even when it gets really tough! What you believe, you truly can achieve! Through self-belief, I knew I could do it.
Preparing to compete
I envisioned and planned what was needed to prepare for the competition. It was a combination of the following: A very strict and specialized diet (80 % of course is diet) - designed by George Herwill (S & C Coach). A variation of weights and cardio training programme. Posing Lessons by a professional WBFF posing Coach - Toby Harrison. This entailed 3 training sessions a day, 7 days a week. Eating 7 meals a day and putting your body through intense discipline!

Three Tips to have a healthier lifestyle
Get enough Sleep (min. 8 hours), regular exercise (min. 3x week) and have a positive outlook on life! Get moving right through the day, drink water. Take the stairs and not the lift!
 
Have you always been interested in health and fitness?
Yes, from a very young age! I am naturally sport orientated and excelled in fitness at school level. The competitiveness and drive motivated me to pursue fitness as a career.

Motivation and Will Power
My three D's: discipline, dedication and determination. I live by these and stay motivated. As each week passed I saw the progress and this kept me focused! And with the help of a professional food meal prep company, Pura Foods, it made my daily prep, less time consuming and convenient as my schedule was extremely limited.

Justen as a Personal Trainer
I give results! No excuses. Complete honesty. I am a natural motivator and passionate about my craft and I am a living example. I believe with the right attitude and discipline, we all can achieve what our minds believe. I specialise in body transformation, pre and post natal, children's training and sports conditioning.

Health Myths
Woman do not bulk if they do weight training! Weight training benefits weight loss when done at the right intensity. Carbs are not your enemy and when eaten in a healthy balanced diet can be beneficial!

On Supplements
I believe supplements are not a must for everyone. It's a personal choice and responsibility of the person who chooses to use any supplements. The word itself, supplement, says it all. It's supplementing additional nutrients into your diet plan if you are not eating enough protein or carbohydrates it's all individualized according to the person's goals and needs. Depending on the individual's goals, whether it be weight loss/muscle gain/toning, there are various supplements that can benefit the individual and all specific according to the person's exercise routine and eating plan or diet. I use Sci-Mx Nutrition for all my supplement needs.

On Steroids and Short Cuts
Sustainable quality results takes time as we are human. We need to adapt for our bodies to change. Consistency, patience and hard work is the only way to see progress. There are no short cuts!

• Dubai