No other coach has ever managed to motivate kids, teenagers and adults alike to live a healthier lifestyle the way he does. Motivator, choreographer and show host Detlef D! Soost was the creator of a dance infused Fitness Empire that definitely gets the nation moving.

The proverb ‘never judge a book by its cover’ does certainly not apply to our January cover star. Showcasing an absolutely perfect body, toned to perfection and with muscles in all the right places Soost almost appears supernatural. I can’t help imagining that he would certainly have made a great motif for Italian sculptor Michelangelo. With his positive attitude and a killer smile Soost instantly casts a spell on everyone in the same room.

“Dance gave me strength”

The son of a German mother and a Ghanaian father grew up in an orphanage in East Berlin and he vividly remembers the old times: “Don’t even get me started on the flower print wallpaper and all that. When the wall came down I was a teenager. We couldn’t wait to enter a new era, to discover the West. It was an incredibly exciting time and I am very happy that we live in a re-united Germany today.” Dance always played an important role in his life. “Dance gave me strength as an orphan and it was the foundation of my career. It almost resembles a good family home. Dance supports you, carries and guides you until you are old enough for other and new things in life,” the charismatic coach reflects. First as a background dancer, later as choreographer he has worked with over 100 national and international top acts and he is well known for hosting prime time TV shows.

”I never intended to become a fitness coach”

With age a few extra kilos piled up until at one point Soost noticed that his body wasn’t in such great shape any more. He was determined to change things around and opted for a healthier lifestyle including a rigorous fitness regime. “After three to four weeks you start to realise the first changes, how your body feels somehow better. Motivation kicks in all by itself, followed by the desire to achieve more. Once you reach that stage, everything becomes somehow natural and easier. All of a sudden, the people around me noticed the change and it made me simply happy. For the first time in a long while I felt truly attractive again, healthy and balanced – almost like a new person,” he remembers. It was a long and not always easy journey, but losing 40 pounds had a massive impact on his career as a side effect. “I never intended to become a fitness coach. But after my big weight loss, I knew so much about the topic, about nutrition and all the issues involved. Just naturally it jumped into my mind to combine dance and fitness and TANZ DICH FIT [dance yourself fit] was born.” The programme gained Soost incredible success and keen followers from all age groups. “I am so proud of this module, because for me and many other people it has been a door-opener to what I am today and what other people have achieved through it,” Soost says.  Other projects include D!’s Mini Kids Club & Christian, D!’s Kids Club, D!’s Dance Club, BODYANDMIND! and D!’s Dance School to name just a few. His programme ‘10 WEEKS BODY CHANGE – I make you sexy’ has already accumulated a whopping 260,000 Facebook followers. In January, a very special treat awaits fans.  Soost teamed up with ROBINSON Club Ampflwang, Austria, where he personally delivers his new BodyChange SCHLANK IM URLAUB [slim on vacation], a revolutionary holiday programme lasting either 7 or 10 days, according to preference.

“Try to set a certain time for a workout”

Particularly in winter it is more comfortable to slouch on the couch and enjoy unhealthy bag of crisps in front of the telly instead of moving those muscles. It is hard to kickstart a new fitness regime, even if we know how good and energised our body feels afterwards. If he has a little motivational advice up his sleeve when it comes to getting started I would like to know. “Just try to set a certain time for a workout, such as every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 7pm for instance. It is easier to remember like that. And bear in mind that healthy nutrition makes all the difference: higher performance, a stronger immune system – and faster weight loss,” he emphasises. There goes the bag of crisps I am afraid. As the interview draws to an end it turns out he does appreciate a bit of lazy time and a weekend in the Soost household is quite a casual affair. Together with his British born wife Kate Hall, Germany’s fitness phenomenon enjoys snuggling up on the sofa with the three kids while watching a Disney DVD. “We also love to take long walks in the crisp air with our dogs and we cherish a nice Yoga workout before dinner.” Hall is a successful model, singer and coach herself and the duo is often referred to as “Germany’s fittest couple” (probably raising Germany’s fittest kids right now).

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