Fitness guru nominated for Pride award

CAN-DO ATTITUDE: Carterton fit club leader Di Bailey has been nominated for a Pride of New Zealand award. PHOTO/LYNDA FERINGA

A Carterton fitness guru's dedication to helping people lead a healthy, active life has earned her a nomination for the Pride of New Zealand awards.

Di Bailey has been nominated for a Community Spirit award for her work establishing the Carterton Free Fit Club, a group exercise class held in Carrington Park.

Mrs Bailey runs four 6am classes every week, incorporating pilates, weights and cardio exercise into a 45-minute workout. A real estate agent and pilates instructor, Mrs Bailey runs the classes for free, only asking for a gold-coin donation when bad weather drives the classes indoors to the Carterton Events Centre.

Mrs Bailey said she was inspired to encourage others to get fit after shedding 20kg in 2006. "I started doing weight-loss challenges, which is just getting a group together and teaching them about good nutrition, and part of that was exercise.

"A few of us were getting up at 6am to go walking and we thought 'why don't we get together and work out together?'" The group, which started early last year, now has about a dozen members and a second instructor who runs sessions at 9am.

Working out together helped to keep people motivated, Mrs Bailey said. "It's a really awesome bunch of girls, we encourage each other ... it's just part of a healthy, active lifestyle."

The group has seen some great results, with two members losing 20kg since joining, she said. Mrs Bailey also hosts fitness classes for community groups when requested.

Motivating people to be healthy was important for the whole community, she said.

"You can't educate kids without leading by example. If we can get out there and encourage the parents, then hopefully it will filter down to the children."

Her anonymous nominator said Mrs Bailey always had a "can-do attitude".

"She has a heart for the Carterton and wider Wairarapa area ... she believes in the health and well-being of all the communities and her goal is to get the Wairarapa looking amazing."