Meet Leia Nicole, Skimble‘s featured Trainer! After several years of helping people manage muscular pain as a massage therapist, Leia decided to take a more proactive approach to help her clients build strength and protect themselves from injury in the first place. We recently had the chance to chat with Leia and learn about how she discovered her own passion for fitness and decided to help others work towards a more active, sustainable lifestyle.
Tell us a bit about your background and where you’re from.
Leia: I am originally from Madison, Wisconsin. I have been an athlete all my life, participating in gymnastics, basketball, and volleyball all the way through high school. I didn’t start working out in a gym until I was 25 years old, and that is when I fell in love with fitness. At age 30, I made the decision to follow my dreams and move to the beach, escaping the long, harsh winters of Wisconsin. For the last five years, I have been living my best life near Galveston Island, Texas!
What inspired you to become a personal trainer?
Leia: I have been a massage therapist since 2007, and after a year or two of trying to help people manage muscular pain, I realized that if they could learn how to be more physically active, they could avoid a lot of this chronic pain they were dealing with. That is when I decided to pair massage therapy with physical fitness. I wanted to help people live longer, healthier, and happier lives.
What are your training specialties?
Leia: I specialize in women’s fitness. I work with a lot of busy moms who are trying to juggle their career, their kids, their friends, etc. and still make time for themselves. There is a lot of pressure on women in today’s society to have it “all together” and I really have a passion for teaching women how to love themselves, and love the journey. This means a lot of home workouts, pre/post pregnancy fitness, functional fitness, and building shapely curves with resistance training. (Being #StrongNotSkinny)
Why did you choose to certify with ACE?
Leia: ACE has a fantastic reputation and they have SO much to offer in terms of continuing education. I had a personal trainer at one point who recommended ACE and she was an amazing trainer… so of course, I wanted to get certified with whoever she was certified with! I feel ACE has really high standards of education, and I am always able to advance my training and knowledge with them.
How did you first hear about Workout Trainer?
Leia: It was in one of my ACE professional magazines!
What’s your favorite feature in the app?
Leia: I LOVE that each exercise has a video demonstration. This is so key for my clients, to be able to watch proper form demonstrated.
How do you use Workout Trainer as a part of your coaching business?
Leia: I enjoy creating short, free workouts to give people an idea of my training style and introduce them to the type of workouts I like to bring to my clients. From there, I am able to connect with people interested in taking the next step and allowing me to design a workout that is totally customized for their body type, fitness level, lifestyle, and goals.
In your experience, what are some of the benefits of online training?
Leia: In-person training is usually just once or twice a week. With online training, I can create workouts for the entire week, giving them a solid plan to follow every single day. It also allows people to get their workout in on their own time, which is very convenient… it is also cheaper! I believe it is the answer to every excuse someone can have for not working out.
What keeps you motivated to stay fit yourself?
Leia: I don’t believe that we have to “grow old”. I don’t want to live my last years in a wheelchair. I want to still be able to hike mountains and swim in oceans when I am 90! I want to be energetic, look and feel young 50 years from now, prevent disease and chronic pain as best I can. I truly believe our body is our temple, and we should take great care of it!
Finally, can you share a secret health/fitness tip with the Skimble community…
Leia: The key to lasting change and results is consistency. Even if it’s one or two small things a day, as long as you are consistent you will continue making progress. Focus on small changes daily rather than trying to make big moves just once in a while. The little things add up, and it’s what you do day in and day out that matters, not what you do now and then.
Thanks for sharing with us, Leia, we’re excited to see what the future will bring for you and your training biz!
Leia Nicole is currently accepting new clients for 1:1 Online Personal Training in Workout Trainer. Get signed up today and let her help you crush your fitness goals.
Want to follow Leia and other great trainers? Download the Workout Trainer app for Android & iOS, then head on over to the Trainers tab.
Are you a fitness professional? Want to become a Trainer like Leia and have access to our online coaching tools and more? Get started for free on Skimble’s Trainer page.
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