Reaping from people’s fitness

“I am there to help people discover and look after themselves, as well as their children”. That is how Jane Baine, the proprietor of Sleek and Slender fitness Centre in Nakasero, Kampala, best describes her business. A life coach is what she considers herself, perhaps because of her training as a teacher. The one hour I spent at her centre, revealed a jolly, committed, knowledgeable and caring woman.

A former banker and mother of five found her calling after her personal struggle with weight and the monotony of life as a stay-home mother for a decade. She had quit her job at Uganda Commercial Bank after her first child and decided to concentrate on raising her children. “Baby-sitting for a decade had eventually made me put on excess weight. I figured that if I opened up a keep-fit centre that was private and more than just a gym, it would help me and ultimately help others in my situation,” she says.

However, for Baine, not any fitness centre would do. She dreamed of something unique. Her research revealed an option she had not heard about in Uganda - toning tables. Two years later, in 1999, she borrowed money from a friend and flew to the United Kingdom to buy the equipment. While there, she was trained on how to operate and maintain the tables. She bought a tummy toner, a stomach hip trimmer, a leg toner, a waist trimmer and a circulator rower.

With premises already available, there was no wasting time. She set up her centre, taking on the roles of instructor, cleaner and director. She engaged her daughter as a receptionist during school holidays.
“The business grew from one set of equipment to sets in one year. The number of clients greatly increased, the business grew fast and I was so surprised. Even now, I am still impressed because I never thought the business would survive to this time,” Baine says with a broad smile.
She recounts her first client was brought in by a friend. The client was stunned and recommended others. Baine now receives 20 to 25 clients per day, but the number doubles on weekends. She charges Shs200,000 as monthly subscription, Shs170,000 for 15 days.
Toning tables allow one to exercise muscles in a semi-passive state known as continuous passive motion (CPM). Baine says toning is a proven system for inch-loss, improving circulatory system, relieving stress and tension, improving posture, increasing one’s flexibility and mobility, among other benefits. The exercise appeals to people of all ages.

Soul music always plays in the background as clients work out. Baine also serves them with a glass of juice to make the session more comfortable.

“I welcome all clients in their respective capacities. I accept criticism and I keep reading to be more informed. Hygiene is paramount to all my staff, including children. I make sure there are no conversations in the workout rooms because it may affect other clients,” she says of her principles.
Baine attributes success to her mother, Christine Mushanga, and her late father, Mwene Mushanga. They taught her to be a polite, respectful and down to earth person, particularly when handling customers, a thing she passed on to her staff. “My workers are part and parcel of the business. I consult them before making any decision. I encourage them to advise me where I go wrong,” she says.

The Makerere University student of Psychology says for one to succeed in any business, one must accept positive and negative criticism as it helps one know what is dissatisfying clients. “Always read inspirational books, including new publications in relation to your business. You must be a head of your clients. Monitor every penny, be resilient and do not settle for mediocrity,” she opines.

Achievements
Though she prefers keeping information of her earning confidential, Baine says her business enables her meet such bills as electricity, water and also pay school fees for her children.
She also says her fitness centre has made her rub shoulders with prominent people, including ministers, legislators, top business people, among others.

Challenges
Her biggest challenge is the unreliable electricity, which sometimes goes off for more than two days. During such times, they depend on generators that consume a lot of fuel.

Fitness and nutrition

Baine believes nutrition is the basis of a weight loss and fitness programme. Setting up the fitness centre opened her to the world of healthy living and nutrition. In pursuit of good health, her centre also has a fruit bar that serves an assortment of fruits, salads, juice, sandwiches and light meals.
The bar offers clients relevant information, advice on nutrition, supplements and the right way to diet, including numerous books, articles and magazines for you to peruse through and self-educate. She advises her clients on how to get the most out of what they eat.

When she talks about nutrition, one may be excused to think she holds a PhD in nutrition. However, she has acquired the knowledge through reading nutritional books and attending seminars over the years.
“Sometimes, I am invited to talk to women at workshops. I have been hosted on televisions to teach about nutrition, fitness and menopause,” she says.

[email protected]