Meet Millie

MILLIE'S STORY

I have battled being “chubby” all of my life since my early teenage years.  First diet, age 13.  I grew up in the “age of diets”….all kinds of diets (another word for crazy ways to lose a lot of weight with no regard for health or for the sustainability of the weight loss).  When I got pregnant (age 28) it was the first time in my life when I wasn’t working on losing weight.  And then, after the birth of my son (more than 36 years ago) I was right back in the game of getting off the extra pounds.  It was shortly after he was born that I made a career transition (from being a programmer analyst) into the fitness industry.  Trying to stay healthy and fit, now as a new mom, was not only my personal passion, but was now my professional pursuit.

I had to learn how to eat healthy and get regular exercise into my life as a

 single, working mom. I was now in the large, multi-purpose fitness club industry but it was in its infancy.  I was running group exercise programs in multiple clubs.  There were no certifications for fitness professionals so I began working with colleagues and sitting on certification boards to create them. All in the effort to help women learn how to be strong, fit, and healthy.  Initially, I was focused on new moms, but as I got older, so did my friends and clients and my learning and my focus shifted.  I was not only talking to women about monthly cycle challenges and weight fluctuations but now I was dealing with and addressing the issues that premenopausal, menopausal, and soon to follow post-menopausal women were facing.  I made it my professional crusade to learn as much as I could through each of these stages to support my clients as they were dealing with the challenges that come through life’s cycles and passages.

While none of my personal challenges (Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism, osteoporosis and several fractures resulting from it, gallbladder removal and subsequent herniated incisions, blood clots, and blood poisoning )were life threatening (well, quite possibly the Salmonella issue), I believe that the challenges that I have dealt with have all been a part of my path ….that of helping women be their best….no matter what.  Through all of the challenges, I have been called upon to learn and grow and I am continually being given the opportunity to share my “learnings” with clients and friends that find themselves in similar situations.   I am able to help, through my personal experience and professional explorations, as women go through similar battles and obstacles on their path to becoming healthy and fit.

I am passionate about helping my clients get to and maintain a healthy weight because in so doing, I help them become their healthiest and fittest selves.  My clients become my friends and we form a partnership to help them move, at their pace, toward their goals.  Eating healthfully,  moving more, and enjoying life through the process is not easy in this culture.  Support, guidance, motivation, education, training, and accountability are all key components to making a shift.  I get to know my clients and their strengths and vulnerabilities.  Together we work toward creating the environments,  strategies, and support systems that help them make better choices, consistently, in their life.  

Getting healthy and fit is a long-term commitment. It is a way of life. However, changing old habits is not easy.  I am a “lifestyle change agent”, nurturing the very best in my clients and assisting them in discarding what no longer serves them….as they make their way to their best selves yet!