JENNIFER YOUNG
Originally from southern Illinois, I grew up in the Army, and also lived in Hawaii, California, and Michigan before my family settled in Alabama. I experienced being the “new kid” in school several times, was very shy, and never participated in any kind of sports. In fact, I failed PE in high school. I was ridiculously thin and uncoordinated, and any workouts I attempted in high school and college resulted in my being barely able to move the next day. I had no idea what I was doing.
I earned a Master of Science degree in Speech & Hearing Science from the University of South Alabama in 1992, and practiced as a pediatric speech-language pathologist at United Cerebral Palsy, in schools, and independently, moving to the DC metro area in 1993. I worked on and off after my two children were born, but paused that career to homeschool my son, who has Asperger’s Syndrome. When he decided to try going to school, I decided to try something new, as well.
After years of sporadic exercise, I had started working out regularly to deal with stress, and it became a passion I wanted to share with others. So in 2006, at the age of 39, the girl who failed PE became a group fitness instructor, teaching indoor cycling and Body Pump. While I loved the atmosphere and energy of group fitness, I was often frustrated by my inability to provide adequate corrections, due to time and format constraints. I wanted to get my hands on people!
That frustration led to another career change, and I became a certified personal trainer, followed by nutrition coaching. I am certified with the American College of Sports Medicine, with Precision Nutrition as a Level 1 Nutrition Coach, and hold several specialty certifications including TRX Suspension training.
Poor eating habits in college took care of the “ridiculous thin” problem. My first experience with dieting was in my mid-20’s during graduate school, and it was inspired by having the button on my favorite jeans pop off and fly across the room. Several diets followed over the years, but none were sustainable ways to eat, and the weight always came back. Success finally came when I focused on nutrition, and the behaviors and habits that contributed to poor eating.
I work with men and women with a variety of goals, as well as teens and young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders. My talent lies in helping others overcome their insecurities and self-doubt, and I feel privileged to share the moment when my clients discover they are a badass!
When I started my training sessions with Jennifer, I was close to 10 pounds overweight and struggled with a weak core and low energy. I was so thrilled when I met her to find that she was very relatable and fun, with a really great sense of humor, which put me at ease. Attentive to my unique strengths and weaknesses, she pushed me to quickly make noticeable gains all while I was just having a great time! I haven't laughed and sweat that much at the same time ever! I highly recommend her!
- Juli F.