By Kinisha O'Neill, Staff Reporter 
Personal trainer, Martino Redwood. - Carlington Wilmot /Freelance Photographer
PERSONAL TRAINER Martino Redwood, who received his certification from the American Council of Exercise (ACE), has been training clients like Annmarie Hylton (Page 3 weight loss success story) for years.
In the words of one satisfied client who spent more than 20 years jumping from trainer to trainer in the Kingston area, "He is the best trainer I have had."
Redwood, who has a martial arts background, started out teaching martial arts but decided instead to teach people about health and fitness potential.
He does... lifestyle consultations and is a wholistic health educator.
I've been trained... as a macrobiotic guide. The macrobiotic lifestyle is based on balance in everyday living through exercise, the clothes you wear, the way you think and, the most popular aspect, the food you eat.
The macrobiotic diet includes mainly whole foods brown rice, corn, oats and Jamaica produce such as yam and banana. Local fruits and vegetables are a part of the diet as well as small amounts of fish occasionally.
I personally follow... the macrobiotic diet on and off. Although it is very good when you are following it, you have to cook all three meals every day. At times I just don't have the time to do it.
I show my clients.... how diet affects their bodies and how it can change any condition - illness, skin conditions, problems with weight, stress. So I put them on the macrobiotic diet. The first time it was only an experiment but they seemed to love it and have requested it since then. Now I put them on the diet twice per year. (As part of the programme, Redwood prepares a macrobiotic breakfast, lunch and dinner for each one of his clients.)
The main problem... people have which affects their weight is eating. Most of us eat, based on emotion. Our eating patterns are formed in childhood and we do not eat what is good for us unless we are taught from then.
It is, therefore, hard for us to discipline ourselves to eat what is good for the body and mind. Most people also don't eat regularly enough.
Exercise... we just don't exercise. People have cars and are not walking any more. We don't do enough physical activity. Exercise must be something that is planned into our day.
People trying to lose weight... should do whatever is accessible to them. Some people, for example, find it easy getting up at 5:30 a.m. and doing a workout with 'Gilad' (an exercise show aired on a local television station).
Also, every morning write out what you are going to eat for the day. Plan healthily so that you won't end up grabbing food that is not good for you.
My personal workout routine... includes running three-and-a-half miles in 20 minutes, five days per week, weight training three days a week, plus martial arts training to complement that.
I advise exercising for only one hour per day and no more than that.
Exercise is important for the cardiovascular system. Everything about the body suggests that we need to be in constant motion to keep healthy. Our body deteriorates without movement. Even our digestive system will deteriorate if it is not used. Those people who like to take shortcuts and go on things like liquid diets will only help their to intestines deteriorate in the long run.
REDWOOD'S TYPICAL DAILY DIET
Breakfast: Oats and pak choy (a typical macrobiotic breakfast)
Lunch: Typical Jamaican lunch of rice and peas with meat and vegetables
Dinner: A vegetable dish of, for example, steamed broccoli with carrots. He gets home late and doesn't eat too much after 7:00 p.m.
Redwood operates a personal gym in the upper St. Andrew area and will be a contributor to our ongoing series.
