Corporate Health Programs, Sydney
Vital Fit System
Justin Cantelo Interviewed
Justin Cantelo, Director of Vital Fit, has developed the unique Vital Fit System using his extensive knowledge and experience in nutrition, fitness and motivation to faciliate Corporate Health Programs in Sydney.
Vital Fit has helped many companies such as: Smiths Snackfood; Eraring Energy; Coca Cola; Blake Dawson Waldron and many more to improve the overall health and performance of their employees through initiatives such as: health checks; tailored corporate health programs; seminars; group fitness and nutrition programs.
Our Manly: The Vital Fit System Corporate Health program is good for bringing a group together and for promoting individual health. It’s also comprehensive. Tell me more about Corporate Health Programs.
Justin Cantelo: We recommend to companies that employees first get a Health Check. We assess the health of the entire company. We take a blood sample and assess blood sugar levels, cholesterol, blood pressure and fitness. Each individual gets a health report and then we can assess what areas of the staff’s health need to be addressed, individually and as a group.
We can also do a more extensive Health Check of executives, for example.
From there we can gauge what types of corporate health programs the company would benefit most from. The are group fitness programs like boot camps, boxing or indoor Pilates. We get feedback from the employees about what types of fitness programs they prefer.
Our Manly: What are “intelligent exercises”?
Justin Cantelo: It depends on what the individual wants to achieve. For most people that is weight loss. There are more intelligent ways to exercise where you maximize your time working out. For example, if you do full body exercises, or what we call compound movement, you burn more calories and create an “after burn” effect- you actually burn calories after you exercise.
Our Manly: You have identified some inherent physiological drivers of the body that burn fat and build muscle. Explain this.
Justin Cantelo: There are certain types of exercises and intensities of strength training which stimulate fat burning hormones like glucagon, testosterone and human growth hormone. By stimulating these hormones with specific exercises, you can switch your body into a fat burning machine.
Our Manly: Program participants have the option to incorporate a fitness challenge where a company’s staff is put into teams and a points system based on attendance and performance is designed to increase motivation and staff attendance. How does this work?
Justin Cantelo: Through the questionnaire included with the initial Health Check, we find out what motivates each individual. Some people are motivated by a challenge. In the “Step Challenge”, the staff is put into teams, quite often by department, which creates a healthy rivalry through competition. At the end of each week the teams count their steps, which can be from walking, running or playing sport- there are locators for every fitness level. There is a prize for the winning team and for individuals.
Another example is weight loss or activity challenge.
Our Manly: Do companies have better camaraderie and communication after finishing a Vital Fit System Corporate Health Program?
Justin Cantelo: Certainly. Through questionnaires at the start and end of the program we can assess a staff’s health as well as their overall morale and cohesion. There are very positive results.
Employees start to form relationships with staff from different departments. By the end of a 10 or 12 week program everyone is a lot more relaxed around each other.
Our Manly: What is the benefit of outdoor exercise?
Justin Cantelo: Some people don’t like gyms, or exercising in a closed environment. I think taking advantage of the beautiful weather in Australia is enjoyable, and people who enjoy exercising outdoors are far more likely to keep it up long term.
There are other benefits. You need exposure to sunlight on a daily basis to ensure the right amount of Vitamin D levels. And exercising outdoors on uneven surfaces helps to stimulate your balance and is much better for your joints and keeps your ligaments strong. Treadmills, ellipticals and bikes in gyms don’t stimulate those joints.
Our Manly: How do you think overall corporate health is effected through these fitness programs?
Justin Cantelo: The money spent on these programs is paid back through higher performance and reduced absenteeism. Companies also become an employer of choice, improving employee turnover.
To take a look at Justin's personal healthy recipes or learn more about Northern Beaches fitness, follow the links below!
>>Try Justin's Healthy Ultimate Green Smoothie Recipe
>>Cure the winter blues with a healthy alternative hot chocolate recipe from Vital Fit!
>>Fitness for Fat Loss, Northern Beaches
Justin Cantelo, Nutritionist & Fitness Specialist, BHSc (Human Movement),GradDipClinNutr is the founder of the Vital Fit System and through his 10 years of experience in the health and fitness industry has developed a unique system integrating fitness, nutrition and motivation that has helped 100s of people overcome obstacles to improve their health, fitness and quality of life.
Justin has had an extensive athletic background as a national level sprinter, decathlete and Australian Rugby Schoolboy representative. He currently keeps fit through soccer, strength training and soft sand running. He is also dedicated to regular meditation for his overall health and life balance.