36 | YOU Magazine
A rAdiAnt
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by Amanda Wright
future
eaving behind a hectic lifestyle in South Korea, Sunah Yun was excited about the possibilities that a life ‘down under’ could provide. Staring at a computer monitor all day in Seoul, Sunah lived a fast-paced city lifestyle as an IT consultant. She is an Oracle database system certificate holder, but in 2005 she left her job, family and home behind in search of a more fulfilling future. Sunah, known as Sarah in English, moved to Bowen on Australia’s tropical Queensland coast. After meeting a Kiwi couple, and hearing how highly they spoke of their motherland, Sunah wanted to experience this friendly Kiwi land she had heard so much about. Sunah arrived in Auckland in 2006, and travelled throughout New Zealand before settling in Ashburton in 2008, where the weather and friendliness of the community appealed to her. “The surrounding rural area is peaceful and pristine and there are many sporting grounds and parks. It is a good place for a migrant such as myself to settle, as the living expenses aren’t too high and there
are many job opportunities,” she said. She lived in Ashburton for four and a half years, before moving to Wellington to complete the advanced Certificate in English at Whitireia Polytecnic, and then returned to her former workplace in Ashburton in December 2013. Sunah joined Finesse Fitness Ashburton in January 2014, as she was looking for a gym that had a great selection of group classes. “When I lived in Wellington, I enjoyed tramping, running and skating as part of a group as it helped me both physically as well as mentally and socially. I found exercising in a group was more effective for me, so I searched for a gym which had a systematic group-exercise timetable. “I found the gym to be clean and inviting, with more personal trainers than I had found at other gyms. The variety of classes suited my lifestyle, and I found everyone to be very friendly. “There was a wide variety of age and body shapes of the members, and many of them were achieving their goals. It was affordable, offered a free breakfast and also there is a beautiful view through the windows as you exercise. It was everything I was looking for,” Sunah said. In four months and one week, Sunah
Sunah Yun before.
achieved fantastic results. She lost 10.1 kilograms and 12 centimetres from around her waist. She dropped her body fat percentage from 33.4 per cent to 23.4, a loss of 10 per cent of her body mass. She describes her transformation as being fit for a new life. “I feel fitter than ever before. I used to get sore ankles when running on the treadmill for five minutes, but now I can run for more than 10 minutes. “My skin is smoother, and mentally I feel calmer. I have increased muscle mass and my metabolism is faster, so now I can indulge in occasional scrumptious food without worrying about gaining weight,” Sunah said. Working the evening shift at ANZCO has made fitting in exercise challenging, but with determination and commitment, Sunah has changed her life. She goes to the gym four times per week and partakes in a variety of group classes, from BATS and Zumba to Swissball Core,
Sunah Yun after.
Spin and Step Express. She walks to the gym for her daily intake of Vitamin D from the sunshine, and keeps a food diary to keep track of what she is eating. “I have learned that exercise helps with strength of mind, commitment, continuity and concentration. It helps me socially as well as physically, which is very important to me since I work night shift. “The trainers at Finesse kept me motivated during times when I didn’t lose weight, explaining how certain times of the month can result in retaining water, or how muscle mass can result in weight gain. They were right! “Throughout my journey, I have learned more about myself, including how my body responds to food. I now know what, and when to eat, to keep healthy,” Sunah said. By taking action, Sunah has changed her body and mind in a way that her future self, will one day thank her for. Advertising feature
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