Dekel Quant started going to the gym when he was 14 to follow his father after his mother died of breast cancer.
Today, the Bahamian is a fitness guru and, on her own YouTube platform, inspires people across the Caribbean to take charge of their health.
Quant, aka Bowflex Barbie, says he just wants to touch the world.
“I want to build a team. I want to continue to expand in the online space, bringing in other trainers under my brand not only here in the Bahamas, but from around the world. I want to do it, tour it, keep growing and get the product,” the 29-year-old Freeport native told Loop News. She recently welcomed a new trainer to the team.
After his mother died, Quant and his father started going to the gym at his brother’s urging. It was therapy she didn’t know she needed, she says.
“A few months after my mother died, my brother kept nagging him to go to the gym and he gave in and asked me to go with him.
“It was a great place for me and my dad to actually bond, even if we didn’t talk much. was forced to approach his father.
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It was during college that she started taking fitness seriously.
“I was really consistent in college and my friends started asking me to train them. My brother opened a supplement retail store, so my father thought it would be a good idea to get into the workout space.
In college, one of her friends nicknamed her Bowflex Barbie, and the name stuck.
She says she kept her business name when she decided to take on clients.
After holding her first bootcamp in 2012 and graduating from college in 2014, she started competing.
“I went to a pageant in my senior year of college, got a taste of the stage and said I could do this. I have been competing in figure skating since I started competing in 2010,” says Quanto, who won gold in her first year at the CAC.
“It was a really big start. I won two national titles in the Bahamas in 2016 and 2017 and have since competed in the US and Canada.At a recent show in Toronto, I won a bronze medal. “
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Quant says the discipline and structure he gained in the process of building his brand has spilled over into his entrepreneurial life.
“Fitness is the perfect metaphor for life,” she says. “You only get what you put in.”
Speaking about her YouTube channel, Quant said that when she decided to move back home after college, she didn’t want to be defined by the boundaries of her country, so she came up with the idea of expanding her brand online. Told.
“The goal is to help and reach out to as many people as possible,” she says.
She has started events and recently hosted the Bahamas Fit Fest in Nassau, where she lives. The event brought fitness enthusiasts from all over the world together for a weekend fitness retreat attended by local and international trainers.
Through her website, Bowflex Barbie Fitness, people can access nutritional information, virtual classes, personal training and more.
Her YouTube channel features interviews and a documentary called Stage Ready that documents her preparation for bodybuilding, from beginner exercises to advanced workouts. her husband Ethan Quant. shoot a documentary.
“He wanted to document my journey for a while, but last year I said OK. He works in media, so he loves documentaries and movies. I agreed, I was in tune with his vision, and his editor did a good job of telling the story from the perspective of someone unfamiliar with bodybuilding. I wanted to bring out the relevant elements of,” she explains.
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Quant describes her training style as very engaging.
Just as working out has been her therapy, she recognizes that it does the same for others.
“I always tell people that we become almost like therapists because a lot of clients come to me and they unlock a lot of their problems, whether they admit it or not,” she says. .
“My training style is very engaging and non-aggressive. You’ll get a good workout, but I want to get to know you, your day, and create space for you. Exercise releases endorphins. It helps people reduce stress whether they know it or not because it releases them. I have.”
Her advice to anyone embarking on a fitness journey is to have a clear understanding of why.
It will be difficult. There are obstacles and bumps. Have a strong reason to back it up, know how to block out the noise, know your distractions, your haters, your family and friends,” advises Quant.
“Ever since I was 14, they’ve told me not to do too much, but if I didn’t have a support system like my dad’s, I probably would have listened to them and I’m doing it now. Just because you don’t see results and rewards right away doesn’t mean it’s not working.Consistency is key.”
Helping others is a big driver, but a large part of her motivation for staying healthy is to avoid cancer.
She said her family had a strong history of the disease, and as she got older she hoped to put herself in the best position to prevent it or fight it if diagnosed.
She laughs and says: She works out 6 days a week, but I’m human and want to eat greasy, tasty food. ”
Follow Bowflex Barbie on YouTube on Bowflex Barbie Fitness TV or visit her website at bowflexbarbie.com.
