In order to succeed a person needs strong passion, strong desire coming from somwhere deep inside and strong will to be persistant and endure the obstacles that are gonna be on the way to the top! Today I have the opportunity to introduce you Marianne Kane. A woman who inspires, leads by example and changes lives! Truely great people, are those that manage to make others feel better about themselves, those that manage to light a fire inside people’s hearts and help them find their true meaning in life. That’s what Marianne does for her readers, her followers and everybody that ha dthe opportunity to know her! Enjoy her words…
Ines Subashka: Thank you for agreeing to give an interview for Inspired Fit Strong, Marianne! Tell us a little bit more about yourself and how the idea about MyoMyTv was born.
Marianne Kane: Thank you for having me; it really is an honour every time I get to speak to others about what I do!
Well, I am currently working as a Cardiac Nurse and more recently a Personal Trainer. Over the past 4 years I have fallen in love with fitness and am lucky enough to be making it my new career. Although I wasn’t always fit, I always had a drive to be strong, both inside and out and succeed at the things I love.
After about a year of being your typical “cardio-queen”, I was introduced to the weights room and since then I have never looked back. The empowerment of getting stronger, AND seeing the bonus effects on your body composition, is the most amazing and most motivating feeling EVER! Now it is my mission to help others reach this conclusion too.
MyoMyTv was born in January 2010 on the back of my newly found passion in fitness. It was always my goal to, a) document MY fitness journey and my progress (warts and all) while trying to collect and share the best information out there to help cut through all the crap and b) help attract like-minded folk with similar goals and a similar hunger for knowledge, thus creating a friendly, supportive community … which I have done!
MyoMyTv is my baby, and I love that my readers make the whole experience a pleasure for me, and new visitors. Myomytv would be nothing without the community – it’s like a little gathering place for people to learn, share, laugh, and learn – and that includes me!
IS: How did you fall in love with kettlebells and how did you learn the technique of all the kettlebell movements( watching videos,certifications…)?
MK: About 3 years ago I attended a Kettlebell Class in the gym I go to (because it was the latest thing), and I instantly fell in love with the movements, the challenge and the fact that this was all from 1 piece of equipment. I immediately saw the potential for home use (and not just as a doorstop). After I bought a couple of Kettlebells for home workouts, I had the brainwave that I would start putting together Kettlebell workout videos, because I felt (at that time) no one really knew what you could achieve with Kettlebells, or how to put together full body workouts that were short, intense and FUN!
Over the past 3 years (since I saw my first KB), I have been perfecting my form and learning from people all round the world. I have a Certificate in Extreme Kettlebell Instruction from Optimal Life Fitness here in the UK, but I have also attended Steve Cotter’s Workshop in Kettlebell Technique and learned a great deal from RKC qualified friends and other fitness friends, while at the same time keeping my own “style” of training. I think if you learn the fundamentals of movements and perfect good (and safe) movement patterns, understanding how the body is meant to move, then there is no harm in letting your own personality take over a little – no body wants to be an exercising robot!
IS: Do you follow a nutrition plan and would you share a sample daily menu?
MK: I wouldn’t call it so much a nutritional plan, but I have been applying Intermittent Fasting to my life for the past 2 years I think. It really means that I have more flexibility in my diet, because I don’t need to be as strict about what I eat, as long as I get my macros and total calories to support my goals. This doesn’t mean I eat shite all the time (though I do love the odd splurge like the next person), but I TRY to eat lean protein, fibrous carbs and fats in most meals so the overall balance = health AND happiness!
I hate being strict with myself and not allowing treats. As soon as I say “must not have chocolate” for example, this usually ends up in me rebelling and eating a whole 100g bar of it, just to spite myself … then I feel guilty and stressed! So, I allow myself the things I love (chocolate, ice-cream, red wine etc) in moderation, and this seems to work for me.
Intermittent fasting also means I can eat big portions, which suits me to the ground – because I am a grazer-feaster. I graze through the afternoon (from about 2/3pm and then feast in the evening).
A typical feast might look like this:
Fillet Steak and some other meat, like Venison sausages or chicken legs (yummy)
A pile of Sweet potato, parsnip, carrots (mashed or roasted)
Fried Kale, spinach or broccoli
Peanut Butter spread on chocolate (Oh sweet Lord, YUM!)
Glass (or two) of red wine
More chocolate :/ oops!
IS: What do you think is the reason behind so many girls being afraid of lifting weights? How would you encourage them to get rid of pink dumbbells and start doing some serious strength training?
MK: I think there are a few reasons:
-They feel they do not know what to do or where to start
-They are afraid they will hurt themselves
-They are intimidated by the weights area or people in there
-They may be worried about getting bulky
-They fall for the social expectation that women do cardio and men do weights
How I help:
-Lead by example
-Answer any questions
-Highlight the importance of progressing in any program (no matter the goal, if you are always lifting the same weight and doing the same reps, you will not progress).
-The pink dumbbells are fine to start with, but women should understand that they are able to do much more that they believe – this is often a turning-point for women – when the penny drops that strength breeds confidence, fulfillment and a leaner more “toned” physique.
IS: Have you ever struggled with some kind of an eating disorder? In your oppinion why do women find it so hard to find balance when it comes to diets and working out?
MK: A few years ago, when I first started myomytv, I obsessed over my body fat goals and was very strict with my diet, to the point I was boarder-line of some sort of disordered eating habit, obsessed with eating healthy I would say (Orthorexic).
If I slipped up at all I would feel terrible and I would desperately try to make up for the extra calories by doing more cardio or eating very low calories the next day. Also, in my early 20’s, I became very obsessed with my weight, after struggling to lose weight for a long time. When I finally was “thin”, I was terrified of gaining even a little weight, so I monitored it all the time and was miserable because of it.
I think for many women, there is only one goal – FAT LOSS/weight loss. The focus always seems to be on getting thinner or some sort of aesthetic goal, so this is why I think many women find it difficult to strike a balance.
I think if the focus shifts to performance goals, then the diet and training can support that. I’m not saying there is anything wrong with wanting to lose weight (and I know that any goal can result in obsessive behaviour), but I think many women associate exercise with having to be on a diet too. Or as a means of compensating for a bad diet. For example, I see many women leaving fitness classes so they can feel guilt-free when they eat their take-away meal / junk food. I’ve been there myself even!!
We are all very hard on ourselves and we will feel guilty for the slightest slip-up – yet in reality, most “mistakes” won’t have much impact on your long-term goal (provided you’re not making them every single day). I say, wipe the slate clean for a new day. For instance – we all get days when we are so hungry that nothing is enough (the day when you scoff 100g bar of chocolate in 10 minutes) … why punish yourself for 1 day?? Just get back on the wagon the next day and carry on, happy that you got to enjoy your chocolate.
Finally, I think another issues is unrealistic expectations, or little concept of how long it takes to reach their goal. Often, if people don’t see results in a week or two, they give up, or apply even more extreme measures. Give it 4-6 weeks before assessing this. Have patience and be consistent!
IS: For those who are familiar with your work, it’s no secret that you are a part of Girls Gone Strong. What is your mission? What message are you trying to spread in our community?
MK: Girls Gone Strong is such an awesome community now, I am so proud to be a Co-Founder! The women of GGS share the desire to help educate and empower women of all ages to maximise their strength of body, mind and character.
Currently our website is being built, but in the mean time, you can follow us on Facebook, and Twitter. One of the best things about the GGS Co-founders is that, while we share a similar vision, we each approach things slightly differently, so appeal to a more varied cross-section of our “followers”. In other words, there is something for everyone!
IS: You have a lot of great videos for workouts at home. What do you think is the necessary equipment for every women that is willing to have good workouts at home?
MK: I sure do! Honestly, a lot can be achieved with just you and a willingness to try your best, but if you want to participate fully in my workouts, then a Kettlebell/Dumbbell or Sandbag can be used with an Interval Timer and little bit if an attitude 😉
IS: If you had to sum up your training philosophy in just one sentence, what would it be?
MK: Variety, with a focus on progression and FUN, truly is the spice of life!
IS: How would you finish the sentence “I workout because…”?
MK: … I want to move better, look good and be able to eat more!
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P.S. If you liked this interview, find it inspirational or helpful, please share it with your friends! 🙂
