We were lucky to catch up with Stephanie Stroud recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Stephanie, so happy to have you on the platform and I think our readers are in for a treat because you’ve got such an interesting story and so much insight and wisdom. So, let’s start with a topic that is relevant to everyone, regardless of industry etc. What do you do for self-care and how has it impacted you?
I began working as a Personal Trainer 10 years ago. Little did I know at the time, it would change my life in ways I didn’t know were possible, and most likely even saved it. I worked in restaurants for most of my adult life. It wasn’t what I pictured myself doing for my career, but it paid well and I felt I was good at it. I started waiting tables in college and appreciated the fact that the shifts were mostly short and I always walked out with cash. I was able to pursue other interests and opportunities whilst doing it, and I needed that. I knew I was growing still and had more to do. It wasn’t long, though, before I became stuck. I got really good at moving fast and doing things quickly, and I became worse at being present and still. I started to ignore things that slowed me down. I didn’t listen to my body when it was hungry, or tired or hurt. I just kept going. I wouldn’t even go to the bathroom when I needed to. Ask any server. To be good at it, you almost have to minimize your own needs. I learned to numb my feelings with alcohol and mask my pain with medications. It wasn’t looking like I was ever going to get out of it. Until one day, I was waiting tables and met the woman who would impact me to change my life. She had a Personal Training business and we got to talking about it. We met for coffee, and the next day, I applied to the American Council on Exercise to start the process of becoming a Personal Trainer.
Over the past 10 years, my life has slowly but surely changed and because of that I am more effective as a Personal Trainer and more present as a person, than ever. To help others get strong and to feel strong, it’s important to me that I do too. I make the time to exercise. I move my body every day, and I move it in all the ways that I can. I push myself past my comfort zone, but always honor where I’m at. I warm up, I cool down, I do the restorative work it takes to get the most out of my body that I’m asking of it. I stretch after each session and in between. I have made it a point to do a lot of these things throughout my life, but what’s different now, is the consistency. I know that it takes coming back day after day and constantly choosing to make these healthy choices. It’s not always easy. I have to motivate myself each time to get to the gym, to do the workout, to finish it, to eat well after, etc., so, I set myself up. I schedule time after my sessions with clients to do my own workout. I’m already there and that’s half the battle! I have a good playlist. A good playlist can get you through just about anything. I find so much comfort in this routine now, and it helps me exemplify those benefits to my clients.
Taking care of my own body truly helps me to be more present with my clients. I can fully focus on them and their needs, as opposed to thinking about tending to my own. It helps me to be more compassionate and kind. How I eat makes a big difference with that as well. I’ve learned to listen to my body again, to trust it, and how to give it what it needs, and that has helped me be a better person overall.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I have a Personal Training business that goes in-home to work with clients in and around the Kalamazoo area. I started my business in 2021 and got the idea from the company I began working with when I became certified as a Personal Trainer. I liked the idea of bringing the gym to people, so to speak, and of working with them in the comfort of their own home. It gave me a chance to work with people who really needed it. Maybe they couldn’t get to the gym or weren’t comfortable there. This service eliminated those barriers and more. I have received speciality certifications in Youth Fitness, Senior Fitness, and Fitness Nutrition, and have a variety of clients whom I work with. My youngest currently is 11 years old, and my eldest is 96 years old, and I have every kind of client in between. There are some who have worked with me since I first became a Personal Trainer, and that was ten years ago. I work with their family members, their friends, friends of their friends! I work with clients who want to feel strong, who want to lose weight, who want to strengthen after physical therapy, prevent falls, you name it. I walk with some, swim with others, and lift weights with all of them. Strength training is for everyone, but you have to do it safely.
Last year, I studied Culinary Health Education Fundamentals at KVCC and became a certified culinary coach. I’ve since added a new service where I help people get comfortable in the kitchen and with cooking. This is something I’m very excited about, as I believe that how we eat is just as important as how we move. I have personally learned so much that has helped me cook more, eat better, and live more comfortably, and it means a lot to be able to share that with others.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
When I think of how I got here and all that lead me in this direction, I remember my childhood. I played sports. I loved sports. I loved playing catch with my dad and shooting hoops with him. I loved walking with my mom. I have a vague memory of her taking me to an aerobics class when I was a toddler. I remember seeing my parents move when they were young, and that stuck with me. I remember walking with my mom and asking her why we did it, and she said we needed to do it to take care of bodies. I didn’t totally understand it then, but as I grew up, it was always in the back of my mind that movement would make me feel better. Getting outside, being in the woods or at the beach, and under the sun – it would all lead to better things. But, as my parents got older, it got harder for them to move as much. My dad had a lot of health problems and could no longer move in the ways that made him happy. My mom still does. My heart breaks for them. Having suffered a back injury in my twenties, I realized what it meant to be in pain and to not be able to use my body in the ways I wanted to. It gave me compassion for those who suffer like that. As I healed, I learned to stop taking my health and my strength for granted. I became motivated to do all I could while I was feeling good, for fear there could come a day when I couldn’t. That motivates me to this day. And that compassion helps me to be better to my clients. I treat them as I would want my mom to be treated by a person in my shoes. I want them to feel cared for.
Getting here has not been easy, and there were times I almost gave up. I struggled with my confidence as a person, but especially as a Personal Trainer because I, myself, was overweight. I felt ashamed, and I felt embarrassed and I felt hopeless. I really needed to understand how I’d gotten to this point in order to have forgiveness for myself, and I needed to forgive myself to heal. I needed to remember the love I was deserving of – as I was – to do the work it would take to fully realize my potential. I remind myself, constantly, of my strength. I surround myself with encouraging people, tokens of my achievements, and lots of good quotes from great thinkers. And on the days it’s really hard, I learn to take breaks. Because when you take breaks, you don’t have to quit.
Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
I read a book by Ram Dass called Polishing the Mirror in 2017, while my mom as in the hospital. This was the third book of his that I read, and by this time was I hooked. His whole deal was about living from your spiritual heart, being here now, and having loving awareness for everyone, including yourself. The book covers everything from breathing and meditation, to living, loving, dying and grieving. It talks about suffering, the grace we can learn from it, as well as how to embrace aging. It’s a beautiful book with stories of trials and triumph, full of ways to get through it, and has become a great guide for me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://stephstroudpersonaltraining.com
- Instagram: @trainer.steph
Image Credits
Mark Bugnaski Liv Lyszyk Maxwell Sam Zomer
