OBESITY has reached epidemic proportions here in Bermuda. A recent survey found that one third of Bermudian adults are clinically obese, with poor diets and sedentary lifestyles listed as contributing factors.

One fitness company is trying to turn this around, encouraging Bermudians to excercise with a thrice-weekly aqua aerobics class. On Monday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings at the Fairmont Hamilton Princess Hotel, The Fitness Firm holds hour-long sessions that run all summer through October 30.

Canadian instructor Yves Paul, a long-time Bermuda resident, sat down and spoke with the Mid-Ocean News about the notion of having fun while getting fit:

"I'm 45 years old and I've been involved with fitness and being a health educator for the last 20 years," he said. "I'm a three-time Canadian aerobic champion. I'm certified through the YMCA and various other Canadian fitness programmes. I've been teaching aqua aerobics for around six months now."

Aqua aerobics is a recognised way to help you lose weight, lower blood sugar levels, reduce stress and build muscle, burning about 600 calories an hour.

Being in the water means you are getting more of a workout and causing less stress to your body. Senior citizens and people with brittle bones find aqua aerobics benefits them greatly because of the lack of stress put on their joints and bones.

People with injuries and professional athletes from a variety of sports use aqua aerobics as a form of treatment. They can safely rehabilitate their muscles without the stress of the hard ground.

One US study found that pregnant women who did aqua aerobics had more mobility, experienced less physical discomfort and had an improves self-image.

Mr. Paul described his experience with his clientele as positive and productive, adding: "I get a heterogeneous group of young women, some older women, and people with joint issues. Some have bad knees or have had knee reconstruction or disk damage in their spine. It's great because the buoyancy picks up some of your weight. It's good for therapy or people who are treating injuries or post rehab. I also get pregnant and postnatal mummies. It's mostly women but I have had a few gentleman who show up to some classes."

Mr. Paul wants people to know the classes are simple, non-competitive, non-intimidating and fun. "Our class sizes vary from 18 to 25 people in the pool. I put the music on for an hour and I teach basic aerobic exercises," he said.

"We incorporate some lower and upper body exercises and some core conditioning as well. It's great because it's a full body work out. The exercise routine is great for soft or mid impact aerobics. It's also good for people who have been sedentary or for people who want to incorporate it into their current regiment. It's a good cross training way to exercise, have fun and get fit."

Speaking about a recent class he taught, in which he was impressed by his students' commitment, Mr. Paul said: "During the Monday class of Labour Day weekend I had 20 women show up for class. I was so touched by them all coming out and being so serious about their workouts.

"Some people brought guests and some visitors on the island and they came and did the class.

"Some even commented they didn't know about the programme until that night and that they wished they had known aqua aerobics was on all summer."

Mr. Paul described how he got involved with health and exercise and said: "I've been involved with health and physical activity all my life. Both my parents are involved with physical activity and I played and coached high school soccer as well as playing goalie in hockey and catcher in baseball. I guess I was pretty much a jock growing up and the positions in sports I held were leadership positions. I became a natural leader and I wanted to keep that going with fitness. I am a physical and health educator and leader."

Mr. Paul went on to explain that The Fitness Firm is "sort of like a temp agency."

"We have personal trainers, aerobics instructors, and massage therapists," he said. "People or organisations such as a gym that are short of instructors call The Fitness Firm and ask for an instructor."

"My other activities range from teaching aerobics here at the Olympic Club to personal training one on one and, occasionally, I will personally train one on two. I do a lot of outdoor training, meaning I will go to the Botanical Gardens and I'll take a client through the gardens, bring some resistance bands and do some upper body work. I love that. I can't describe to you the feeling of 'zen' that you get from my 'gym without walls', the outdoors. I also do some training at The Arboretum and at the National Stadium."

Mr. Paul said that it's not hard to get fit; you just have to have the determination.

"I would say it doesn't take much to start getting fit. You don't have to purchase a membership at a facility. Put on some sneakers and go out there and do stuff. Do it all. Rock climb or play tennis. Do a lot of things. Take your body beyond the point of comfort. Go to Botanical Gardens and use the hills for different exercises.

"Or call me and I'll take you out for a walk and a training session at Botanical Gardens. Just ask some of my clients. Come and see me for our aqua aerobics class and I'll teach you some things that will help you on the road to getting fit."