My fitness journey started early after seeing the movie Karate Kid.  The scene at the end where he wins the trophy, has a cute girlfriend, and everyone is cheering…I was thinking, “Sign me up!”  From there I would go on to compete in local, state, and national level competitions before opening my own dojo and teaching while attending Western Michigan University.

 

I maintained my fitness as I graduated from WMU then went into law enforcement and after years of working night shifts, work stress, and life events like getting married, having children, and all of the other things, found myself not prioritizing my health and getting more and more out of shape.

 

Then in my early forties, and 70 pounds overweight, I finally had enough.  I got winded climbing a flight of stairs, lost my self confidence, and felt trapped in my own body.  It was time to make a change.  I spent years getting myself back in shape while trying every fad diet, workout program, and shiny new gadget, until finally developing a program that would work for my goals, my schedule, and my lifestyle.

 

However, I knew that if I wanted to keep my progress, that I would need to be held accountable.  And, that’s why I became a personal trainer.  Knowing that no one wants to work with a personal trainer that doesn’t look the part or practice what they preach was the accountability piece that I needed to keep me in shape.  Now, I love helping other people do the same thing, whether they’re finding fitness for the first time, or regaining their health to become the best version of themselves.  

 

I have a passion for my athletes to achieve their goals, whether it’s a weight loss or strength goal, participating in their first 5K race, or just feeling and moving better now and as they get older.  I want them to have an improved quality of life in every aspect.