Zumba gives instructor body she's always wanted

MAYS Alfar has her work/life balance all sorted out. The Zumba instructor knows the importance of a healthy diet, fitness, social life and relationships.

INSPIRING: Mays Alfar strongly believes in finding a form of exercise you love and dedicating time to doing it. Picture: Laura Mckee

MAYS Alfar has her work/life balance all sorted out.

The 27-year-old is a Zumba instructor and knows the importance of juggling a healthy diet, fitness level, social life and relationships.

Mrs Alfar moved to Australia 14 months ago from Jordan to live with her husband in the Boyne/Tannum area.

"I worked at an office as a junior architect from 8am to 6pm in Jordan and I thought I was getting chubby," she said.

"I was working at a desk all day and not moving.

"You lose your interest in life when you just work. It's hard especially when you are starting out in a new a job and you want to get everything right."

However, Mrs Alfar discovered her love for exercise when she decided to join a gym.

"I worked hard to get the body I had always wanted. I also taught 14 Zumba classes a week as I wanted to maintain my endurance," she said.

A qualified architect, Mrs Alfar hasn't found work yet so she took up Zumba instruction at Calliope and Boyne Island again.

"When I moved here I was bored and had nothing to do, so when I started teaching Zumba I made friends and it also had that fun element to it," she said.

Mrs Alfar said the secret to liking exercise was trialing lots of different regimes that suit your schedule and personality.

"If you find a fitness program you love, you will want to do it and you won't feel like you have to do it," she said.

"But you don't have to go to the gym.

"If you have kids you can do a dance fitness class where you can both join, go to a gym that offers daycare or go to a park and teach your child how to play basketball."

Mrs Alfar runs Zumba classes at the Boyne Island Community Centre on Tuesday and Thursday at 5.30pm.

She also runs them at the Calliope RSL Memorial Hall on Wednesday at 7.30pm. Classes are $10.

Call 0424 976 486 for details.