Today we’d like to introduce you to Karen Layne.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Karen. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’ve always been a super active person, as in, I’m always “doing” something. I lived on my bicycle as a kid. As an adult with adult responsibilities, I’ve had seasons where I was less physically active than others, mainly because I didn’t have the time or was occupied with other things. I’m also a hobby-ist. I have many interests: painting, drawing, crocheting, knitting, sewing, crafts, woodwork, cooking, etc. I guess anything on the creative side. I’ve always had a passion for birds and nature in general, and that is reflected in a lot of my artwork. I’m a birder, as well. Along with being creative and loving nature, I have a heart for helping people. Right out of high school, I became a dental assistant and that is my day job now. In another life, I was also a freelance court reporter. I grew tired and bored of that sedentary job and I went back into dental assisting where I could use my energy and talents to work with my hands and to help people. I am a nurturer by nature.
One other thing I’ve always been interested in is my health. As I’ve matured in life I realize how very important it is to stay healthy and fit, because health is everything. My motto has always been Never Stop Moving. I would go to the gym, ride my bike, jog, just anything to be physically active. I joined Northwest Cycling Club and found racing to be wonderfully challenging and very enjoyable. Cycling is great and I will always love it, but I found myself wanting to round out and balance my fitness and try something to complement it. I had heard a lot about boot camps and so, I Googled boot camps in my area and found Texas Fit Chicks. Some cycling friends of mine decided to join me and we signed up for one month to try it out. I didn’t give it much thought at the time I signed up, but once I started going to the classes, I really liked the fact that it is a women-only program.
I enjoyed the Fit Chick culture so much that I committed for another three months, then for another six months, then again for a year, and so on. I became stronger and more fit than I had ever been in my life — at that time, I was about to turn 50 — and the more time went on, the more I felt in my heart that teaching a camp of my own was something I really wanted to do. I don’t think they knew it, but the other women in my class and my trainer helped to motivate me and really give me the confidence I needed to seriously consider being a trainer myself. I felt that being a trainer would marry my love for fitness with my creativity and heart for helping other people. I had had it in the back of my mind for years. As a client, Texas Fit Chicks had been so supportive and such an inspiration to me, and I wanted to be that for other women. So, I researched what it would take to be a quality personal trainer, and with both feet, I jumped into the Certified Personal Trainer course by NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine). I put everything else on hold to study and pass my certification exam.
Once I got my credentials and became a trainer with Texas Fit Chicks, I found what I thought was the perfect spot for my boot camp and I named it Lakewood Texas Fit Chicks and organized my Preview Week. That just happened to coincide with Hurricane Harvey. The neighborhood in the location flooded, and to this day is still not usable. I did, however, at the time expect to eventually use that spot, so I found a temporary alternative and rescheduled my Preview Week for a couple weeks later. As it turned out, all the schools were forced to open later than usual due to Harvey and so the timing of my Lakewood TFC boot camp and school open houses clashed. With it being the fall season and with post-Harvey stresses, marketing a fitness camp was quite difficult. The timing was just off. It seemed that every step of the way trying to get my camp going met with obstacle after obstacle; there are too many to list. Each one was minor, but as they added up, I considered throwing in the towel. It was as if nothing I did went the way it was supposed to. Even the name of my camp might need to be changed.
During that rough start, I focused on my own Inspired Life Fitness Training with clients one-on-one. Then, I got my first Lakewood Texas Fit Chick boot camp client, and we had many one-on-one sessions until the camp began to grow. But then, I found I didn’t have enough time to spend with all my personal Inspired Life clients AND have a full-time day job AND hold boot camp sessions three night a week, so I’ve been focusing on my Lakewood TFC boot camp. After all, that is the whole reason I got into this endeavor, isn’t it? To be instrumental in improving the quality of life for women, inspiring them to be their best, just like it did for me. Today I have five to seven Fit Chick clients and I’m looking to grow that number this year. I also still have a few Inspired Life Fitness Training clients and I’ve found a niche with that wherein I write programs for them to follow so they can meet their particular goals and I’m available for them if they have any questions or need to adjust their program. I still do one-on-one on a limited basis for those who need it.
I’m really looking forward to what this year has in store for me and my clients, both Inspired Life personal and Lakewood TFC boot camp clients. Despite the growing pains, I still love what I’m doing in changing and improving the lives of my clients and am hoping to segue full time into all aspects of personal training. I can’t imagine why I waited so long in life to do it, but I’m pretty sure God has a plan.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Advice: Do all your research. learn the latest marketing strategies. Remember why you are doing it. Don’t give up.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Inspired Life Fitness Training and Lakewood Texas Fit Chicks – what should we know?
Inspired Life Fitness Training: I meet with my clients and find out what their goals are, i.e., losing weight, building muscle, getting stronger for a particular sport or activity. Then depending on their goals, I recommend and write a program for them to follow. A lot of people go to the gym but don’t know really what to do once they are there, and I give them a focused program to follow to meet their goals. I revise the goals monthly and am available for any questions or instructions they may have or need. I also coach on nutrition and give healthier options for many things they are currently eating, as in healthier substitutes and advise on how to prepare them. I like to take a popular recipe and turn it into a healthier version. I post my recipes on my Inspired Life Fitness Training Facebook page. I think this “virtual training” is a niche that is needed in today’s busy times. People need the help and this is also a very affordable option for those who cannot afford a trainer to accompany them to the gym but have a basic understanding of gym equipment and how to use it yet don’t know exactly what to do to accomplish the goals they have.
Texas Fit Chicks: My heart. The culture of Fit Chicks is that of a sisterhood, where the trainers are motivating and empathetic, inspire and support, educate and love their chicks in a way that is not found with other boot camps. It’s having a workout partner that keeps you accountable, someone to call when you’ve hit a wall, have a question or just need a little uplifting. I can’t wait to get to camp three nights a week. The Chicks give me so much more than I think I give them. I am totally fulfilled knowing that I am doing all these things for these women. It is like being selfish in an unselfish way. Selfishly unselfish. Giving of myself to these women, we are learning and growing together. Fit Chicks is making a difference in the lives of our Chicks through health and wellness, taking a personal interest in them and empowering them. Women empowering women and in return, inspiring others.
Do you recommend any apps, books or podcasts that have been helpful to you?
As with many professions, continuing education is a requirement. Aside from the required reading, I am always looking for a course to further my personal trainer education. I love to research and learn well beyond what is required by my certifying organization. NASM has a great support center for its certified trainers and there is always something new to learn through them and also, through countless other professional publications, such as IDEA, which is a fitness professionals organization. There is no shortage of information on fitness, but I am interested in science-based information such as those.
Pricing:
- Inspired Life Fitness Training: One-month done-for-you workouts for $29
- inspired Life Fitness Training: Basic nutrition plan – one-time fee of $39
- Lakewood Texas Fit Chicks – 8 months for $89/mo
- Lakewood Texas Fit Chicks – 6 months for $99/mo
- Lakewood Texas Fit Chicks – 3 months for $129/mo
- Lakewood Texas Fit Chicks – 1 month for $159
- Lakewood Texas Fit Chicks – One class drop-in $15
- Inspired Life Fitness Training – one-on-one in-person training/coaching $49/hour
Contact Info:
- Address: 9815 Grant Road
Houston, TX 77070 Cypress area with Houston address NW/249 and Grant - Website: TexasFitChicks.com/KarenL
- Phone: 832-356-6472
- Email: KarenL@TexasFitChicks.com
- Instagram: tfctrainerkaren
- Facebook: LakewoodTFC
Image Credit:
Texas Fit Chicks, Karen Layne
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