Meet the Gold Coast co-founder of Evolt 360.
Meet the Gold Coast co-founder of Evolt 360.
Hands up if you are still trying to reach those fitness resolutions you promised yourself at the stroke of midnight 2021/2022? Well, look. No judgement here, because same. So to convince you (and us) to kick-start those resolutions back into gear we spoke to Evolt 360 Co-Founder, Kelly Weideman on her journey to building the body composition scanner (AKA your fitness saviour) globally and what her local loves are!
How long have you been a Gold Coast local?
13 years
Tell us a bit about you.
Originally from South Africa, my family immigrated to Canada when I was a teenager and I arrived in Australia in 2008 with my sister for a holiday looking for adventure and fell in love with the Gold Coast! Many years later I am now an Australian citizen. I have travelled all over the world and the GC is my favourite place I have ever been to, it offers everything you could possibly need and want; sunshine, beautiful beaches, vibrant cafe culture…
Explain to us what The Evolt 360 is.
The Evolt 360 is a medically graded body composition scanner that uses bioelectrical impedance technology to provide a user with important information about a user’s internal body metrics. Unlike a standard scale, the Evolt 360 can tell you more about what your weight is made up of, like Skeletal Muscle Mass, Total Body Water and Total Body Fat and distinguish between internal body fat and visible body fat which is essential information when trying to change body composition. It is impossible to know whether your training or nutrition efforts are working in your favour just by using the weight figure on the scale. The Evolt 360 body composition scanner is important to give the user that all-important baseline measurement to measure and track progressive changes over time.
What makes The Evolt 360 superior to other body composition analysers out there?
The Evolt 360 body scanner is non-invasive, doesn’t require you to remove your clothing, takes less than 60 seconds and provides an individualised report with over 40 metrics. The Evolt 360 is digitally connected to a user-facing app where the user’s body scans are stored. Users can track and monitor their progress over time; take part in the lifestyle questionnaire, change their goal; re-assess their nutrition requirements, view the extensive education around their body composition metrics and other features of our Evolt Active app. The Evolt 360 is the only body composition scanner that gives you macronutrient recommendations based on your goals and individual body composition.
What’s the benefit of people understanding their body composition?
Not knowing your starting point or understanding what you need to do is like trying to locate a new destination without using a GPS guide or set of directions. Traditionally most people use a standard weight scale that can’t tell you whether you are losing body fat or losing muscle mass. Our research shows that people who track their body composition and know their starting point are more likely to be successful with long-term transformation goals.
Why should people be counting their macros rather than calories?
Traditionally people tend to track calories only and end up on a yo-yo dieting pathway. This is because not all calories are created equally. For example, 1,500 calories of fast food will not have the same effect on your body transformation goals as say 1,500 of balanced healthy fresh, home-prepared meals. Each macronutrient plays a very different role and depends on your individual activity and training style, so understanding the proportion of protein, carbohydrates and fats is crucial to ensure that your body’s needs are met, and are aligned with your goal. For example, someone who prefers endurance-style training is going to have a different protein, carbohydrate and fat requirement than someone who prefers a more resistance style of training approach, so it is important to distinguish the difference. Your own body composition starting point is also important to establish the baseline requirements of each macronutrient. The Evolt 360 is the only body composition scanner on the market that provides a suggested individualized approach based on the user’s individual circumstances.
You had Richard Branson test out the Evolt 360. Tell us what that was like?
That was very cool and unexpected! It was great to see that he had a really high health score on the scanner and was very happy about it, he mentioned it was his favourite piece of equipment on his new Virgin Voyager cruise ship and has now decided to include Evolt 360 on all of his cruise ships.
What do you consider your greatest career achievement?
Building a global brand and an incredible team! I feel very lucky to earn a living from something that I am passionate about and enjoy doing on a daily basis. Evolt helps people all around the world learn about their bodies and health and through awareness and education helps them reach their health and wellness goals.
What are your New Years Resolutions for 2022?
1. IPO for EVOLT (ASX Listing)
2. Continue to grow the team and business operations globally
3. Set up a veggie and fruit garden at home
4. Travel to Europe for a holiday
5. Get married
6. Do yoga every morning
What is one thing you are looking forward to in 2022?
My mother & sister are hopefully visiting from Canada, it’s been a few too many years since we last saw each other!
Where can we test out the Evolt 360 Body Composition Analyser?
There are currently a few thousand Evolt 360’s in place around the world in 26 countries. We are also lucky enough to have several great locations here on the Gold Coast too, some include BFT Robina, PLC Coomera, SKULPT Clinic Broadbeach, Vision PT Southport, ACTV Strength to name a few.
What are your favourites…
Café: Coming Home, Robina
Coffee spot: Boat Shed, Currumbin
Restaurant: Sofia’s, Broadbeach
Bar or pub for a drink: Roosevelt Lounge, Broadbeach
How do you choose to spend your weekends?
Beach walks, spending time in nature, gym, cooking, spending time with my partner Pete & dogs Dundee and Nala. I also love catching up with friends for coffee, food or drinks in Broadbeach, Nobbys or Burleigh.
Keeping yourself fit and healthy has become big business here on the Gold Coast, but you may feel overwhelmed in amongst the swarm of gym-junkies and tricky looking equipment at the chain gyms. There’s something different about entering a smaller studio with regular friendly faces. Being a fitness — and espresso martini — focussed bunch of folks here on the Gold Coast, we have a smorgasbord of fantastic personal studios where you can work up a sweat and get those endorphins flowing. Slip into some lycra and grab your water bottle; here is our take on the intimate studios you need to visit to live your best active life.
Lighten Up
When you enter this Robina-based studio, the intention is set from the beginning: this is your sanctuary and a chance to nurture your body. Thirty-five classes run across the week, and a modest weekly membership fee means making up for all that tequila on the weekend is not only easy but affordable. Once signed up, you can enjoy a selection of reformer and mat pilates, plus yin and flow yoga sessions which give you the chance to completely mix and match the way you break a sweat!
Where: Suite 3, Level 1 Easy T Centre, Robina
Free Living Studio
So much more than just fitness, you’ll find a mindful movement community devoted to health, wellness, yoga, and more at this Palm Beach-based studio. The understanding here is recognising that physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing is all closely connected and each as important as the other. Classes are methodically split under the four pillars of Strength, Burn, Sculpt, and Restore; with a comprehensive schedule of classes and handy membership options, there’s no easier way to get/keep in top physical (and mental) shape.
Where: Shop 1, 32 Brooke Avenue, Palm Beach
Xtend Barre
Located with a leafy outlook on a backstreet of Burleigh Heads, Xtend Barre is the perfect studio if you regularly find yourself around one of the Gold Coast’s most happening suburbs. Workouts have been curated around combining the science of pilates with the dynamics of aerobic dance to thoroughly tone the body and revive the mind. And with the friendliest bunch of instructors you’ve ever come across, it’s little wonder this life-changing workout has been a smash hit with the locals.
Where: 3 Park Avenue, Burleigh Heads
Hustl
By their admission, this ultra-chic studio doesn’t do normal. Located upstairs above the rather epic BSKT café, Hustl is an inspiring minimalistic space with an incredible view over Nobby Beach. What a place to undertake a morning class as the sun rises! Their program cleverly fuses advanced pilates with resistance-based cardio to bring you a workout like no other spread out across two slightly different classes. Suitability is geared towards everyone, fitness fanatic or not. And if you join as a member, you’ll also have access to their sister studio in Byron Bay. (For when the borders open back up!)
Where: 4 Lavarack Drive, Mermaid Beach
Pilates + Co
Starting your fitness journey, or maintaining it, has never been easier than with the team at Pilates + Co. There is a wide selection of classes — with a maximum size of 14 participants — multiple week challenges, and private sessions in place for you to smash your goals and a uber approachable team to make it all happen. Their original location in Burleigh Heads is now joined by a newly opened space in Bundall, and should you find it hard to make it to either of these, they also have a state-of-the-art home workout platform with exclusive videos allowing you to work out on your terms.
Where: Unit 5, 75 West Burleigh Road & Units 8-10, 25 Upton Street, Bundall
Kbod Fitness
Do you love to dance like nobody is watching, but also love the high and good feelings you get from a high-intensity workout? Kbod is touted as Australia’s first dance-based fitness centre and is run by an ex-professional dancer of 24 years. Getting in great shape doesn’t have to be boring — Kbod is the studio where you can achieve a dancer’s physique and have a whole lot of fun along the way. Because the best sort of fitness is the fun type!
Where: Unit 4, 40 Ern Harley Drive, Burleigh Heads
Words by Alex Mitcheson.
If there is a year to live your very best life, get healthy, fit and feel the greatest you have ever felt, it is 2021. For obvious reasons but mostly because you deserve it!
Which is why we thought it would be a fun idea to put together a list of gyms on the Gold Coast who have created New Year offers for that exact purpose. You’re welcome and good luck.
Macro Gym
Macro Gym is a community-based gym where everyone comes together with the common goal of bettering themselves. No ego, no judgement, all abilities, shapes and sizes are welcomed as equals. The freshest new gym on the Gold Coast has opened and is looking to fill its doors with amazing members who are sick of busy, soulless commercial gyms. Boasting a fully kitted out, open 24/7 gym, 20 weekly epic group fitness classes run by talented personal trainers, an in-house massage therapist and home to the ONLY Macro Mike supplement store. For the month of January Macro Gym will be running discounted membership prices for members of the community. Pop into the gym and talk to the friendly staff about what deals are on offer to help reach your ‘new year, new me goals’.
Find out more here.
LOCATION: Unit 11/2 Prosper Crescent, Burleigh Heads
Strength Collective
The Strength Collective is a boutique gym based in Burleigh, striving for consistency and quality through movement, while creating an atmosphere that’s inclusive, supportive and engaging. They run Strength Based Group Training that prioritises science as the base to all methods and programming. Strength Collective’s gym culture is extremely important, the team works hard to create an environment where you instantly feel at home. The coaches are dedicated to members’ progress, performance and happiness. They know each and every one of their members inside and out and are not just there for your fitness, they are there for you. If YOU are invested, they are invested. Kick start your year off right with Strength Collective’s Transform Challenge. Learn how to effectively build lean muscle mass and sustainably drop body fat mass. They take the focus off the aesthetics and place a greater emphasis on building muscle and teaching your body to efficiently process food (hint, that means more food) The next challenge begins on 23rd January 2021.
Find out more here.
LOCATION: 3/63 Township Drive, Burleigh Heads
Elevation Fitness
Walking through the doors of Elevation Fitness, the rustic and timeless fit out immediately gives a feeling that this is a gym like no other. Embrace the warmth of the timber, iron and the people who live and breathe this space. With daily access from 5am to 10pm the boutique gym boasts a plethora of options including a variety of classes, functional training room, world class cardio and strength equipment, personal and small group training, two altitude rooms and an infrared sauna. The trainers are all incredibly knowledgeable and experienced and genuinely want to see you reach your goals. Everything is designed to keep you motivated with loads of options on offer to ensure time efficiency in a truly beautiful environment. To top it all off Sparrow Coffee Co and their amazing baristas offer a little sanctuary inside Elevation to pause and enjoy a post-workout coffee. Family owned and operated, you are surrounded by an amazing team and members who value the friendships and beautiful community that is the Elevation family so you know you will be well looked after. Elevation is offering $200 off their Six Week Reset to kickstart 2021. It includes a variety of classes, full gym access, two x 3D Body Composition Scans, a one-on-one :1 PT Session with Program, 10 Infrared saunas, weekly accountability, goal setting and nutritional guidelines.
To find out more contact Ali on 0422 205 752 or email [email protected].
LOCATION: 2/151 West Burleigh Road, Burleigh Heads
Electric Fitness
Unlike other gyms where you feel out of place, at Electric Fitness staying active is the main priority. Classes are capped at 12 people to maximize the quality coaching you receive. Chris, the founder of Electric Fitness was a business owner for over a decade and struggled with running a successful business along with his family life and his own health. He wasn’t getting the answers he was looking for from traditional gyms and functional fitness programs so he setup Electric Fitness to help clients like him get the results they are really after. The result is life-changing transformations, increased happiness, a stronger mind and body and an easier life.
Head here for your free consultation.
LOCATION: 35 Lemana Lane, Burleigh Heads
EMF
What started out as a bootcamp on Broadbeach, is now one of Australia’s most respected fitness facilities in Australia. Regarded as a “one-stop shop” for all your fitness needs, EMF is based on the concept of providing military ideals such as professionalism, impeccable hygiene and presentation, as well as excellent customer service to the wider community. Whether you are going to the gym to attend a weekly group fitness class, follow a specialised program or “do your own thing”, their facilities offer members a training experience that they have never tried before in a safe, supportive and community-driven environment. Their aim is to provide an environment where members can explore a variety of training options to achieve the results that a high-level performance athlete would.
You really can do it all, with group fitness classes specialising in a realm of styles including aerial yoga, functional training, spin, yoga, dance, Jiu Jitsu, altitude training, aqua fit, Reformer Pilates and more. As well as gym facilities, EMF is home to an EMF Supplement Store and Cafe located in the heart of the GC, as well as their very own play centres for the littlest ones of your family. EMF Jnr is a club where the kids can run wild in their giant play area featuring trampoline bounce zone, fun obstacles, slippery slides and more with both supervised and unsupervised sessions available. EMF Jnr caters for all kids with separate play zones for toddlers and bigger kids.
Find out more here.
LOCATIONS:
EMF Performance Centre: Coomera, Nerang and Robina
Platinum by EMF: Pacific Fair
EMF Fitness Centre: Bundall, Harbour Town, Pacific Fair and Surfers Paradise
EMF Jnr: Nerang and Pacific Fair
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She is the Gold Coast born Pilates guru loved the world over for her unique blend of technical knowledge combined with a passionate modern approach to healing and strengthening the body.
And excitingly for us, Kirsten King owner of Fluidform Pilates (Sydney) and instructor for a slew of professional athletes and celebrities, will this weekend teach one of her high vibe classes at Eden Health Retreat in Currumbin on Saturday August 24th.
We sat down for a chat with Kirsten about what we can expect from the weekends’ event and how we can practice Fluidform Pilates from the comfort of our living rooms.
What’s do you love most about visiting the Gold Coast?
I love visiting the Gold Coast to see my family. My Mum and Dad and other extended family still live here and any chance I get to come back and spend time with them is so special, not to mention I get to go and visit the best beaches in the world. I have so many fond memories of growing up on the Coast, it really is like coming home.
Tell us how your business Fluidform Pilates came about…
I studied for my Pilates certification in the UK and taught there for a little while and then just after my oldest daughter was born my husband and I moved to Sydney. At that time I discovered Fluidform Pilates and began teaching there which quickly turned into me buying into the business and shortly after that buying out the previous owners in full. Since then I have opened a new studio in Clovelly and also just launched Fluidform at Home, an at home Pilates subscription program. My goal is to allow as many people as possible access to Pilates and that is what I work towards across all elements of the business.
Why is Pilates something everyone should be incorporating into their lives?
Pilates brings about both physical and mental change. With a regular Pilates proactive you’ll see your body change as you become stronger and more flexible, posture improves and your body feels and looks better as overall functional movement is improved. Alongside all the physical change comes the mental strength and positivity that comes from improving your physicality. It really is a life changing practice and I see that every day with my clients whether it’s helping them through injuries or pregnancy or simply improving their overall health through regular Pilates.
What’s unique about Fluidform Pilates?
We are for everybody. Anyone can benefit from Pilates and we focus on having an inclusive and supportive approach in our studios and our online program. Our approach to Pilates blends the traditional training with a modern sensibility to create programming that is effective and relevant for current lifestyles.
Tell us about your event at Eden Health Retreat on August 24th…
Last year I had a week at Eden and it was life-changing. I left feeling really inspired to create a Pilates focused Eden experience and this year that is exactly what we have done, starting August 18th. For those who can’t make the full week, we are holding an outside mat class on the 24th that includes breakfast and a Q&A with Sylvia Jeffries and I. The class will be a challenging workout and the Q&A will be a chance to understand more about the way I approach Pilates.
You’re bringing along some exciting guests, what do they have to share with Gold Coasters?
Pip Edwards and Sylvia Jeffries will also be attending the retreat and mat class. Sylvia will be interviewing me for the Q&A and Pip will be joining in the mat class with all our guests.
How can people who don’t live in Sydney experience your classes?
Fluidform at Home! It is accessible from anywhere in the world via laptop or mobile. We release new workouts and accompanying calendar each month to keep things fresh as well as other special things like a fortnightly Facebook live class or Q&A with me. FFAH is now five months old and we already have the most beautiful community of committed women and men who keep telling us how much they have benefitted from it.
What’s on the agenda for the rest of 2019 for you?
At the moment we are planning some live events across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane to give me a chance to meet more of our Fluidform community. Other than that you’ll either find me teaching at one of the studios or spending time with my husband and three daughters!
