Catching the Fitness Bug with Agnelo Silveira from Goa

During the pandemic, many people have developed a newfound love for exercising and eating healthy. The constant bombarding of ‘the importance to stay fit and healthy during the pandemic’ by the World Health Organisation and other certified bodies has made people change their routines. Their newly adopted exercise and diet routine coupled with the satisfaction from the results have made many feel like a brand new person. Becoming passionate about health and fitness can put the rest of your life into perspective.

The best thing about fitness is that you do not need anybody’s permission to get started. Some catch the fitness bug early while others still struggle to make space for exercise in their busy schedules. But as they say, ‘where there is a will, there is a way’. It’s all about training your mind to start somewhere and planning your day out to squeeze fitness in. It’s not rocket science at all.

Do not take your body for granted. Start taking care and loving it. Our body is capable of amazing things, do not waste that potential.

Angelo Silveira

Of course, the fitness industry in Goa has taken a huge hit with the pandemic. But this has taught trainers and gym owners in the state to adapt and use the online space to connect with their customers. This may actually be the new norm for fitness in Goa going forward. Many people get a thrill from fitness which leads them to actually pursuing it as a career. The process of helping someone get in shape and improving their lives, one step at a time provides one with a ‘feel-good’ effect. But to do this, one must receive the right certification. Becoming great at coaching is always about trial and error. There is still so much to learn as the fitness and health industry undergoes constant research every year.

Becoming a “complete” fitness professional just doesn’t involve being well equipped with different exercises. You must also be well versed with the latest developments in nutrition, injuries, and movement therapy, which means constant reading and learning. Many people in Goa consider starting a career in fitness every year but have no idea how to make this dream a reality. We at Goan Insider caught up with ISSA-certified personal trainer, Angelo Silveira to learn about his journey in fitness and certification. Read it below.

Tell us a little about yourself. What got you interested in fitness? 

I am Agnelo Silveira, I am an ISSA-certified personal trainer. I completed my BBA at Don Bosco College Panaji. Ever since I was a kid I used to always be this chubby right up to my first year in college. I hated the way I looked and decided I should do something about it. I joined the gym and soon began to see my body changing, which then got me motivated to stick to the routine. Fitness soon became a part of my life. I decided I would rather do something in fitness and become a fitness coach. I got myself enrolled in a course while working as a trainer at a gym. I first worked at Basilios and later for 2 years at Goa Marriott Resort and Spa as a trainer. I left Goa Marriotts later and decided to become a freelance personal trainer.

What type of fitness do you specialise in? Did you receive any training? 

I specialize in strength and conditioning, weight loss, and physique transformations. I also have a lot of senior clients with who I work. I currently hold an ISSA (international sports science association) certification from the USA which has to be completed through self-study with materials provided to you. I am also currently pursuing another course which is NASM (national academy of sports medicine) which I’m about to complete soon. As they always say, you never stop learning.

When did you decide that you wanted to make this your career? How long have you been doing this?

When I joined the fitness industry, I was immediately drawn and addicted to it. The weights gave me an all-time high. Those two hours of going to the gym were the best part of my day. As I saw my physique changing, I always had a lot of people come to me and ask me for advice in the gym, to which I would help them out. This made me happy!

I soon decided that this was what I wanted to do and although my degree in college did teach me a lot, it wasn’t something I was passionate about. This was when I decided to be a personal trainer and coach so that I could help people. I have been doing this successfully for 3 years now.

What gets you excited about fitness and your line of work?

Work? It never feels like work to me at all. I love training myself and others around me. The thought of getting your clients to achieve their desired goals is the best satisfaction one can get. The positive feedback from my clients always puts a big smile on my face. This gets me going and pushes me harder to become a better version of myself. The best part of being an entrepreneur and coach is that you are your own boss and accountable only to yourself. 

Could you take us through a day in your life, from a possible morning routine through to your work till you hit the sack?

I usually start my day at 5 am every morning. It has really got to a point where I don’t need an alarm anymore. Soon after I wake up I prepare my first meal of the day before my first PT which starts at 6 am. I finish my PT sessions at 12pm and try to have my meals in between whenever I can as I try to eat every 3 hours. I have my lunch at 1pm and try to get a power nap after that. Between 3:00- 4:30 pm, I usually work on other stuff like preparation of my clients workout routines, do a bit of reading and research. The second half starts with PT sessions at 5:00 pm which ends at 9:00 pm. I usually work out whenever I have a free slot available. I end the day with my last meal and try to get in bed by 10:30 or 11:00 pm max.

How do you motivate yourself to actually stay committed towards fitness?

I really don’t require any motivation. My motivation comes from within. As long as you love what you do, you would never require any external source of motivation. I do have my days where I really don’t want to work out and just feel tired and lazy. Who doesn’t? With that being said, I do believe having someone beside you when you train like a coach mentor or maybe even a workout buddy is a big help, especially on the days you just don’t feel motivated.

Do you develop your own fitness programs or collaborate with others?

I usually develop my own programmes with the experience I’ve gained over the years. I also do refer to my books which are the basis for any fitness programme from time to time. There’s always a lot more to learn outside books as well so I do my research and develop programmes using a scientific approach.

How hard is it to have a work-life balance as a fitness trainer and how do you manage it?

Being a freelance trainer changes everything. You’re not restricted to working your usual 9 hours a day. But that doesn’t mean I get a lot of time on my hands for leisure. Most of my day goes on training clients. Sundays are usually the only day I get time to myself. So I try to spend that day with my folks at home and meet a few friends. People usually believe that being your own boss gives you all the time to yourself but that’s not the case at all. Being your own boss involves endless hours of hard work, sacrificing your party plans and sleep. Is it all worth it in the end? Definitely! If you want to be great, you got to put in the work. Period!

How has the journey been so far? Which are your most memorable moments? 

The journey so far has been amazing. Of course there are a lot of ups and downs when you have your own business but that’s part of it and it can’t be avoided.

My most memorable moment would be the time I helped a client reach his ideal goal weight and fixing his posture issues which he has been struggling with for a while now. Seeing his progress has made me very happy especially since he was my first client.

According to you what is the best pre-workout snack to have?

I don’t think there is a best pre-workout snack. It all depends on what your goals are and how your body handles certain foods. For example, if you are a morning person and you need to get in a workout, it wouldn’t make sense to have a heavy meal before a workout. Besides, it’s not convenient to prepare something that early in the morning. I’d usually recommend having a small piece of fruit and maybe black coffee prior to training. If you train in the evening you could have a good solid meal with a good amount of carbs and protein. You do need to make sure that you give your body enough time to digest a meal prior to working out or else you would feel very uncomfortable during your workout.

How do you think Covid-19 will change the fitness industry?

The fitness industry has gone through some massive changes ever since Covid-19 hit us all. Most people have shifted to online personal training and there has been alot of personal trainers who are now taking their clients online itself. Some may continue training online even after the pandemic ends while some may shift back to the usual in-person sessions. Alot of gyms and gym owners alike have faced tremendous problems during the lockdown. With the re-opening of gyms slowly, there has been some kind of relief for the gym owners. But one thing is for sure is that Covid 19 has made people realize the importance of staying healthy and exercising.

According to you, how has social media impacted the fitness industry?

Social media has impacted every aspect of our lives. People use it as a means to express how they feel, show what they are doing, share their interests and hobbies, etc. It’s no surprise that social media has impacted the fitness industry as well. One of the most important aspects is how social media helps personal trainers and coaches alike to market themselves out there. If you want to get more clients, the best and obvious way now is to make sure you put up good content. Take Instagram for example, most coaches and trainers alike post a lot of fitness content. As a coach and personal trainer, you need to make sure the posts you put up provide value to your followers and help them learn something from it. So to anyone who is just starting out fresh in the world of being a coach or personal trainer, my advice is to start making use of Instagram. 

These are the questions I’m sure you get a lot. ‘Do I need a personal trainer?’ and ‘when will I begin seeing results?’ How do you respond to this? 

First, let me give you a short answer to your question followed by a long one. No! you do not need a personal trainer all the time. However, if you’re new to fitness or nutrition, a personal trainer can save you a lot of time, trial and error, and wasted effort.

That’s all it really comes down to. As a young teenager, I had all the time in the world to research training, nutrition, and then experiment. The problem is that a lot of us don’t have that kind of free time anymore. A personal trainer can help you get from ‘point A’ to ‘point B’ much faster if you’re new to the game. Most adults and seniors alike do however need a personal trainer with them to supervise and check their form.

That being said while hiring a trainer you do need to do a little bit of homework before hiring one and making sure the trainer has been certified. Most people these days just feel once they have a good physique they are qualified to become a personal trainer without a certification. The human body is complex and as a personal trainer knowing basic exercise and movement science is key. If a trainer doesn’t know what he or she is doing there are very high chances that they are going to hurt their clients. So the next time you hire someone, make sure they are certified. 

Is it better to do weight lift and then do cardio, or do cardio then weight lift?

I believe it all comes down to what helps you remain consistent and what your goal is. If your goal is to improve your cardiovascular, do your cardio first. If you want to get bigger and stronger, it makes sense to do your cardio after weights. Another thing to keep in mind is the intensity and duration of the cardio. Most people do cardio as a part of their warm-up prior to weight training for 10 mins. I usually prefer separating my cardio from my weight training sessions. I do my cardio in the morning and weight train in the evening but most people can’t afford to do that.

So what’s the better to do first? I would say set what your fitness priorities are first. Just want to conclude by saying that in the end, you need to do what best fits you and which helps you be consistent.

What’s your favorite quote or mantra you can’t live without?

You’re gonna die, do something about it.

How can our readers stay connected with you?

One can connect with me through Instagram. Hit me up with any fitness-related questions and I’ll be happy to answer them.

Do you have a story to share with the world? Send us an email at contact.goaninsider@gmail.com