How it Started…
The height of the step aerobics era complete with unitards, leg warmers, sweat bands and 80’s music; this was my introduction to exercise! My mom started teaching step classes when I was still in diapers, and I remember growing up in the gym watching the women sweat, grapevine and twirl through intricate routines. I’ll never forget, even in her most crowded classes, my mom made her rounds encouraging women of all fitness levels, one by one, to keep moving and to have fun. I knew exercise was a good thing and by the time I reached my teenage years, I was a “gym rat.” I tried everything from weight training to running, group fitness classes to intramural volleyball, spin and boxing, but I was hooked on weights. When I got to college, I was the unofficial “personal trainer” at the main camps gym before I ever considered personal training as a career.
On Stage
At the suggestion of a good friend and training partner, I started competing in Figure Competitions in 2009. My first experience was like many of the horror stories you may have read online. Grueling two-a-day workouts, eating the same foods for weeks and bringing my own boiled chicken and steamed broccoli on the rare occasion that I had enough energy to go out with friends or family. I was still competing in 2014 and under a new coach, I thought my prep was healthier by comparison. I dieted for 25 weeks, eating tilapia, chicken breast, oatmeal, broccoli, eggs and asparagus on repeat; I didn’t even bother socializing. My body image and mental wellbeing took a major hit and when I walked off stage with my first-place trophy in 2014, I knew that would be my last show.
I spent 3 years working to reestablish my relationship with food, to exercise because I loved my body and not because I wanted to change it and to remember what it felt like to rest and recover outside the gym. I don’t regret the years I competed! I have fond memories of getting ready backstage, the glamour of the hair, makeup and sparkly suits and the celebrations when I won. However, the cons outweighed the pros for me, and I was ready to get back to how I felt when I first started exercising – unrestricted, energetic, fun and balanced.
Train with Trin
A quick rewind to 2011 when I started personal training at a local gym. I was also working full-time and turning down potential clients who wanted to train with me. After a year of trying to balance my day job and busy gym schedule, I took a leap of faith and decided to launch Train with Trin, LLC full-time! A close friend introduced me to a boutique gym owner who I would go on to rent space from for the next 5 years. During those 5 years of personal training, nutrition coaching and group exercise, I gained a deeper appreciation for how unique our bodies are (and how much care they need). The rigidity I was used to during my competition days had no place in my trainer-client relationship. Little did they know, but my clients’ journeys were also helping me heal.
…How it’s Going
When I reflect back on my journey, I see how all paths have led me to where I am today. Yoga found me somewhere between wanting a workout that didn’t involve weights and needing a mindfulness practice to help me work through years of unbalance. I earned my 200-hour teaching certificate in 2018 and I’ve been practicing, teaching and studying ever since. I believe that we practice not to just get better at the poses, but to get better at knowing what we need in the moment. Today, I teach chair yoga for corporate wellness, virtual yoga classes through my online studio, and I share content on compassion-centered best practices for mindfulness and gentle movement.
Education & Certifications
B.A. Communications | Old Dominion University, 2009
M.S.Ed | Kaplan University (now Purdue International), 2014
200-hour Yoga Teacher Training | Honest Soul Yoga, 2018
200-hour Yoga Teacher Training | The LYT Method, 2021
Chair Yoga Training | Chair Yoga World, 2022
In progress:
Behavior Change Specialist | National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)
Stretching and Flexibility Coach | National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)
300-hour Yoga Teacher Training | Yoga & Ayurveda School Online
200-hour Meditation Training | Yoga & Ayurveda School Online