Fitness guru promotes healthy lifestyle in Gainesville with Xtreme Hip Hop class – WCJB

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) – Getting your steps in while getting your groove on sounds fun but Xtreme Hip Hop with Brandy is about more than breaking a sweat, it’s about breaking barriers.

Xtreme Hip Hop with Brandy Garner hit the ground running at the beginning of 2021, during a pandemic.

“We started out really small, just to get a feel for how it was going to be,”

She hopes to tackle obesity one step at a time.

The high pace class grew in clientele. Now after losing 20 pounds herself, she teaches the class two times a week on Wednesday and Saturday in her own studio.

“When friends ask me how do I stay fit, I tell them I go to the gym,” Garner explained. “Not everybody likes to go to the gym they feel intimidated and I came across extreme hip hop on Facebook. Everyone just loved the class and it’s just been building ever since.”

Christel Lewis said she and her daughter have been addicted to the class since their first session in August. The class relieves stress with every beat for even Garner’s youngest clients like 13-year-old Kyleigh Lewis.

“The exercise is kind of like a breather from homework, usually after school sometimes,” Kyleigh Lewis said. “I really enjoy it.”

Garner’s goal is to push people and help them reach their goals.

“And hopefully help them want to live a more healthy lifestyle and encourage them to feel like fitness is fun and not just a chore that they would want to eat healthy and gain the confidence like myself,” Garner said.

More than 28 percent of people in Florida are obese according to the CDC. The number is even higher for African-Americans at about 35 percent.

Christel said she hopes this class will teach Kyleigh to break barriers, especially poor health in the black community.

“it’s important to take care of your body.” Christel said. “We believe our body is our temple and we have to take care of these things and it’s such an incredible encouragement with Brandy being a black woman who is a fitness leader, fitness guru for the community.”

Xtreme Hip Hop with Brandy is located at 501 Northwest 23rd Ave. in Gainesville. The next class is on Saturday. To sign up, click here.