The Icebreaker

Hello! My name is Cynthia. I’m a personal trainer in New York City, which is not something I believed I would EVER be able to say in my lifetime. Me, a fitness trainer? Me, the fat freckled redhead who struggled to catch up to the soccer ball on the field in my youth? Me, the one who considered macaroni and cheese to be in its own food group? Ha! Ha ha! HAHAHAHA!

I attributed my athleticism (i.e. ability to throw, catch, and shoot) to growing up with competitive brothers, but I had no cardiovascular or muscular strength to endure even half a game of basketball. I was absolutely drained after every practice and ate the same size portions that my 6 foot 8 brother consumed, not taking into account how I was likely not going to grow to that size. If you told me at high school (or even college) graduation that I’d enter the fitness industry, I would not believe you one bit.

After obtaining a degree in Communications, I entered the Mad Men world of advertising where your martini glass was never empty and your belly was full of fancy restaurant food. On nights we weren’t treated to dinner by sales reps, we had our eyes glued to spreadsheets until any office on the west coast would be shutting things down. It was fun when you’re broke and just out of college, but it caught up to the waistline and my sanity.

My favorite part of that job was when we were treated to fitness classes. I also felt best when I got home early to train for a half marathon. It was a sign; I loved fitness. There were also many occasions where I would stress out over minor things at my job and my coworker would tell me, “relax, we’re not saving lives here.” Well, I wanted to help people and actually save lives. It took a soccer-ball-to-the-head concussion to realize that I needed to pursue my passion.

I dropped the salary job for a career into the unknown and haven’t looked back since. I left the comfort hiding in solitude behind my computer and unlimited cups of coffee for a barbell I could barely lift and the discomfort of talking to people in the gym. This was 2016. In the past few years I educated myself to become the best coach I could be, as well as transformed my body and mind. I strive to changing people’s lives for the better.

With this blog, my goal is to motivate and inspire others to incorporate fitness into their lives. Fitness saved my life in numerous ways, and I want to provide that opportunity for others to make change happen. I’ll include personal stories, client spotlights, interviews with respected people in the fitness field, nutrition and wellness tips, and the occasional random rant to keep you guessing.