Kara Wutzke – 专业健身教练 – Personal Trainer & Health Wellness Coach

Personal Trainer & Health Wellness Coach Kara Wutzke specializes herself in Body Transformation Challenges, Bootcamp and Muay Thai Fitness. On top of that she’s certified in CrossFit.

With her online training she reaches hundreds of people at a time, not only in China but all around the globe. Over the past couple of years Kara participated in 8 bodybuilding competitions, always placing top 4 in her category. DB got inspired when we saw the impressive results of Kara’s clients who participated in her fitness programs. Are you up for the challenge as well? Find out more by reading the exclusive interview below.

Who are your clients and how do you reach them?
K2Fit has grown organically without a lot of marketing. Most of my customers have come to me through word-of-mouth and referrals. I have been in the industry a long time and have a strong reputation because of that. I run Bootcamps, personal training and online programs, which allow me to train hundreds of people at a time, not only in Guangzhou and Zhuhai, but around the world.

Most of my clientele are expats but I do have Chinese people joining as well. K2Fit programs are offered only in English for the time being, so generally it’s the English speaking crowd participating in those. However, I do have another company, NBD, that focuses solely on the China market and training in Chinese.

What is your method of work (from the moment somebody signs up till the goal is accomplished)?
First off, we establish goals and make sure they are attainable within the timeframe that my client expects. Setting clear goals and mini milestones helps keep motivation high and those goals need to be checked and revisited often to make sure we’re on the right path. Then it’s time to get to work. Now, I only get to see clients on average 2 hours per week in face-to-face sessions, but there’s another 166 hours during which I need to offer support. That’s where online training and messaging comes in handy. I keep in contact with my clients to help with any questions along the way, whether it’s on food or modifying an exercise or maybe it’s just to help them out of temporary slumps. Personal training via text is extremely beneficial for both parties. I get a good idea of how well they are staying on track and they know they can count on me.
How do you motivate your clients?
It can vary, depending on whether I see my clients face to face or online. But regardless, one of the main ways of getting people to stay on track is to encourage consistency and routine. This means replacing old unhealthy habits with a new, more mindful lifestyle that emphasizes daily physical activity and making healthy eating choices most of the time. I know the words “consistency and routine” aren’t very exciting or sexy, but they’re the key to lasting change.

However, IF you mess up, it’s not the end of the world. Don’t let things snowball! So for example if you go out and splurge on too much pizza and too much beer, it doesn’t mean the next meal or the whole weekend has to be thrown out the window. Pick yourself up, shake it off and start fresh. Health and fitness are a work in progress every day. So make sure you don’t beat yourself up. Now, if pizza and beer become a regular thing, then maybe you’re being a little too lax, and that’s where I come in, to make sure you’re keeping your goals in mind and not falling into negative patterns.

Where did you study fitness and nutrition?
I started studying about 15 years ago, in Victoria, Canada, but I’ve never stopped learning. It’s an industry that’s always changing, with new research and techniques coming out all the time, so being diligent with study and knowledge is extremely important for me. Because of this, I’m constantly studying and getting more and more certifications through online programs.
Could you tell some more about the Ultimate You Challenge 2016? How did it go and why should people join next year?
The Ultimate You Challenge is a virtual fitness program where I provide step-by-step training and nutrition planning for 10 weeks. If you want results and want to get in the best physical shape possible, this program is for you. Do it for you, or for the honor, or for the prize money! Winners of each category take home 3000 RMB. Not a bad prize for getting in the best shape of your life!

You sign up, set your goals, and send in “before” pictures and measurements (which are confidential). Then, I encourage you, as a participant, to get your head in the game, to mentally prepare yourself to give fitness a real go. Set aside 10 weeks of commitment to your health and body to see what you can really do. It’s amazing, the results coming through every season. The Before and After pictures speak for themselves. Definitely have a look at my website (below) and check out the success stories.

I am your coach, readily available online to answer any questions. I also send weekly emails with tips on mindset, motivation, and strategic ways to stay on track and push past any obstacles you have. In addition, what’s particularly encouraging is the community and teamwork aspect of the challenge. We set you up with an online team to be a virtual – and real-life – fitness community. Teams get together, do workouts, meal prep, and social activities. The support is such a huge part of the success for many participants. Our Zhuhai team took the Ultimate Team award this year! I love the K2Fit community – it’s beautiful to watch and lead.

What’s your further aspirations in your field of work? How do you see the future?
I would like to reach an ever wider audience. I’ve started speaking at workshops and conventions, so the next step would be to run my own seminars where I can inspire and motivate people from all over! I want to connect with as many people as possible and help them achieve their goals.
What’s your view towards supplements?
I believe the right supplementation is beneficial and often essential. A high-quality multivitamin and mineral formula is a good safety net, which makes sure you’re covered when the body hasn’t gotten or absorbed enough nutrition through food. It’s like insurance…you buy it, just in case, and you’ll be set.

I also strongly suggest to my clients to supplement with protein powder. Protein helps build muscle and improves recovery of muscle breakdown. If you eat too little protein, you don’t have enough to build muscle, and your body may even break down its muscle to utilize the amino acids to feed itself. This is not good! Don’t get me wrong, it is absolutely possible to eat high-protein foods throughout the day to make sure that you get enough for your body. Protein powder is not a “must” but it can be utilized in some awesome shakes and healthy snacks to make for good eating and nutritional benefits at the same time. I know I love chocolate shakes, but I would never buy one made from high-fat, high-sugar ingredients. I will blend chocolate protein powder, milk and a banana with ice to make a tasty treat that still fuels my body.

Some people are struggling with weight problems or trying to gain muscles for years without any result despite the effort they put into it. What do you say to this people and what makes you think your programs do work?
I don’t “think” my programs work, I “know” they work!

So many people put a heck of a lot of time and effort into their training and still don’t achieve the results they want. Unfortunately, I see this happen too often and I find it frustrating just as I know they do! Okay, they will definitely gain the benefits of getting stronger, faster and healthier, but people want more. Along with feeling good, people want to LOOK good. Rarely do I get clients coming to me and saying their goals are purely for performance. What I hear is “I want to lose kilos, I want a smaller waist, bigger arms, a six pack”…. That’s what people really want to see. And this is where I come in. My programming is designed for getting results to be healthier, stronger, fitter AND better-looking than ever before.

I’ve helped thousands of people become the Ultimate version of themselves through my training and nutrition plans. And just to be clear, my nutritional planning doesn’t mean you have to cut out all “fun” foods. I teach healthy eating habits while enjoying a bit of the tasty non-nutritious goodies that we all love… Once in a while!

Invitation for the next Ultimate You Challenge!

If any of the above resonates with you as a reader, I would love to encourage you to participate in our next challenge. It’s loads of fun, extremely valuable and rewarding. The next challenge starts in September and you can find more information on www.k2fitchallenge.com or get in touch with me directly on WeChat: KaraK2Fit