Today we’d like to introduce you to Felicia Starling.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Everything started when I was younger, honestly. I was born in New York and raised in Jersey. I’m Haitian so I already knew about certain herbs etc to help with my body goals. I was always taught about the importance of remaining in shape etc. My mom was always into working out and my aunt had me and my sister in competition hip hop dance, gymnastics, step team, dance teams, etc and working out played a huge role in building my stamina to be able to do so much at once. As I got older, my love for fitness continued to grow so while in college in Jersey, I started off training students at campus for free. Crazy thing is I did not originally go to school for fitness. I actually got my bachelor’s degree in Psychology before moving to Georgia. Once I moved to Georgia, my love for fitness grew so much that I decided to pursue a career as a full-time personal trainer. I got my certifications so that I could become a trainer and I haven’t looked back since! Crazy thing is I met my husband in the gym and before getting married, we opened our own gym in Conyers, GA called Fit2Flex Fitness! We even have a shake shop inside our gym where we sell delicious protein shakes, iced coffee, and fat-burning energy teas using Herbalife products.
Since I have started training, every client I have ever trained has gotten results their first month (if they actually train consistently and do what I say lol). All in all, I wouldn’t change my career choice because I really love what I do and I enjoy seeing how happy my clients get when they see their results. To be honest, the secret that got me to where I am today (which really isn’t a secret lol) is GOD! Once I started truly cherishing my relationship with God and started to grow in Christ, everything in my life really started to fall in place. My boyfriend became my God-fearing husband, we were able to open our own gym and prosper in the middle of a pandemic and just flourish in life. God put Apostle Reginald Steele and First Lady Grace Steele in my life to help me on this walk of faith and it has completely shifted my thinking and how much I acknowledge God in everything that I do now. Once I maintained unwavering faith in God, everything truly fell into place so all praise to the Most High for bringing me this far!!!! I did not do this on my own!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely has NOT been a smooth road the entire process! With training, people fall off based on the seasons and come in during certain seasons. Like training spikes the highest during New Year because of everyone’s “New Year resolution” to work out, but they usually fall off within a few months (not everyone though). At one point, I think my biggest challenge was always comparing my progress with the next trainer. I always work hard for everything I want and I’m truly genuine about my work so at one point in my career it was very disheartening when fitness enthusiast who don’t know much about form, nutrition, what workouts target certain body parts etc to have many clients due to popularity. The fitness industry has become a thing of popularity and who knows who instead of going to a trainer based on their knowledge and client results. But as I continued to pursue this career and build my relationship with God, I realized that all I can do is keep working and stay in my own lane. I wouldn’t care if I had 1,000 clients or if I only had 20 clients, what matters is that I’m changing lives and transforming minds and bodies and THAT is what makes this whole career worth it!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about PerFitbody Fitness?
I am a personal trainer and part-owner of Fit2Flex Fitness which is my husband and I’s gym located in Conyers, GA. I’m known for my training services and the client results that I’m able to get. However, I think one of the most popular things I do outside of training is my PerFITbody Twerk Fitness classes that I host on Saturdays. Everyone falls in love with my twerk classes because it’s fun and gives people a chance to “get loose” with all their friends and learn new twerk routines that I create for each class! If you haven’t been to one of my twerk classes, you’re definitely missing out but I always post about my upcoming twerk classes on my Instagram: @perfitbody_fitness I think my experience with dancing and different sports definitely sets me apart from others because I don’t have to stick just to training every single day. I’m a dancer at heart and I have literally been dancing my whole life whether it was competition hip hop, african dance teams, street dancing, etc.
So the simple fact that I am able to do other classes at my gym like Zumba classes and my twerk classes makes me really happy. People don’t realize how much of a workout twerking actually is and no one has twerk classes so having my twerk classes allows me to do something different from everyone else while still having fun! I’m really proud of what my brand stands for especially in a society that promotes unrealistic body goals. PerFITbody Fitness LLC isn’t about having a perfect body, no that would be unrealistic! My brand is about building YOUR perFITbody!!! In other words, I just want to help people achieve their definition of a fit body because social media always praises fake bodies that were bought. No one acknowledges that a natural body, stretch marks, excess skin doesn’t make you ugly or less of a woman/man.
My brand is all about achieving YOUR fit goals naturally and just to be unapologetically yourself no matter what that may entail!! My brand is about becoming healthier for longevity, not to look like the supermodels on social media who don’t even look like that themselves, they just have great photoshop skills or their photographer has great editing skills! I offer one on one personal training, small group training, booty-building virtual programs, Fitcamp, twerk classes, one on one twerk lessons, and Zumba classes. I also sell my PerFITbody booty bands and several vitual programs for those who prefer working out at home due to the pandemic or being unable to come train in-person. I’m also an Herbalife distributor so I’m really here for all of your needs lol. Our gym also offers some delicious protein shakes, fat-burning energy teas, and high protein iced coffee.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Hmmmm that is an easy one! God, my husband, and dancing/training. I realize you asked WHAT makes me happy, but for me it is WHO makes me happy. Let me tell you God has done some amazing things in my life and I really wouldn’t be who I am if I did not have Him with me the whole way. I know some people find it taboo to talk about Him, but I will shout it from the rooftop given all He has done for me! There is a certain type of happiness that you find when you have a relationship with Christ that is hard to explain, you just have to experience it for yourself.
My husband also makes me happy because he really will go out his way to do whatever to keep a smile on my face. Quan literally is the epitome of a man of God, someone I know only God could have created for me because his love is different. He understands me and even though I’m sure I get on his nerve sometimes (that’s in a wife’s job description lol) he still loves me for me. I don’t have to fake anything, I can genuinely be myself without restraint or worrying about him trying to change me! Plus he makes sure my stomach is always full so that’s a BONUS because if you know me then you know food makes me REALLY happy lol. And dancing and training makes me happy because it’s a part of who I am! Dancing allows me to express myself and have fun. It also helps me connect with others because who doesn’t enjoy a quick little dance session with your friends etc? And training makes me happy because it helps me push my body past its limits to achieve MY version of my perFITbody. Training allows me to transform my own body and help others transform theirs. There’s a certain level of satisfaction that comes when I see my clients cry or smile really hard because they love their results from training with me.
Contact Info:
- Email: sorelfelicia@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/perfitbody_fitness/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cherri.selena
