After a decade of coaching friends and colleagues through 5Ks and marathons and answering fitness-related questions from fellow moms, I finally took the advice of family and friends and decided to make a career out of it. In May 2008 I earned certifications from the Cooper Institute as a personal trainer and a pre/postnatal fitness specialist. Since then, I have been working as a personal trainer and group fitness instructor with the company I founded, Balance Personal Fitness Training.
My first career was as a college professor, teaching art history and the humanities. I remain a teacher at heart; educating people regarding fitness and lifestyle is my new discipline. My experience as a life-long avid distance runner provides a grounding for the research and ongoing study I enjoy.
Working with pre/postnatal women is my passion. There is so much wrong with childbirth in the US that I could no longer sit idly and watch. Giving women a greater sense of empowerment by educating them about what their bodies can do is a small yet powerful contribution to normalizing the birth process. I hope that healthy, intelligent women can help turn the tide of medicalized birth.
My feelings toward pregnancy, exercise, and general fitness are colored by the two amazing pregnancies and deliveries I had. I know that it was my committment to fitness that helped me have two uneventful pregnancies and two uncomplicated, natural deliveries. I am thankful to the midwives who provided my prenatal care and who trusted that I had a sound understanding of my body’s capabilities.
With two young children, fitness has to be a lifestyle. Exercise is part of our family’s dynamic and routine. It makes me more capable to take care of my children, and I am acting as a positive model of wellness for them. Fitness is not about weight or a dress size– it is about good health and being able to enjoy all that life has to offer.
Good health and great happiness to you.
