Today we’d like to introduce you to Saidah Jones.
Saidah, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I dated a fitness trainer who needed help training clients. He suggested I get certified as a convenient way to supplement my income while training for the Olympics in 2000. My quest to make Olympic teams in track and field has been the impetus for becoming a fantastic trainer.
I relocated to California (the San Francisco, Bay Area) where I acquired my strength and conditioning certification and was able to train professional athletes, figure competitors (placing runner-up in Ms. Olympia), and serve as physical activity director on the five-million-dollar grant for one of the top universities in the country (UCSF). I also served as health and fitness expert on 106.1/KMEL in San Francisco. I’ve lead fitness retreats in Lake Tahoe and developed health and fitness programs while in California. However, there’s no place like home.
I relocated to my hometown of Atlanta in 2010 and partnered with the Piedmont Park Conservancy to bring quality, convenient fitness programming to the park. Classes include: Lift, Spoga (Spin & Yoga), Sweat and Splash, Core and More, just to name a few.
I have also maintained a thriving client base which includes many of Atlanta’s most powerful women from Home Depot CFO, Carol Tome, Suntrust CMO, Susan Somerville-Johnson, Philanthropist, Liz Blake, and DNP voters rights/political advocate Pinney Allen just to name a few. More recently, I have had the privilege of working with many visiting locations and working in the film industry. In short, I’ve developed many close connections and friendships that I will cherish for a lifetime.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Like every profession, hard work is a must. I sometimes believe people think of training as reading a few fitness magazines, posting a few pics and training clients.
I have one of the hardest and most well-respected certifications in the field, the National Strength, and Conditioning Association, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. The certification had only about a 30% chance of attaining a passing score the first go around. I repeatedly took the test in an effort to pass and it has opened up doors that do not get opened for others in the field.
As a female, it is even more important to attain as much education and gain as much knowledge as you can when it comes to working in the fitness field. Credibility is key and you have to be able to carry on conversations with men in the field who absolutely know the field.
There are so many options to take in the fitness field. I would tell women to have a vision for who they want to be and what they want to represent. Never let that go. Stay true to yourself and develop a mission. Find the path that you want to take and move in that direction without getting deterred.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Love You Healthy – what should we know?
I am first a certified strength and conditioning specialist who provides personal training to a very exclusive clientele.
My specialty includes getting clients to establish positive lifestyle behavior changes meaning after working with me, you change your habits and lifestyle for the better. My mission is to create communities of health which is evident in my work as Lululemon brand ambassador as well.
I’m known for my style which is very warm, non-judgmental but challenging. I often train clients just coming out of or going through a crisis.
What sets me apart as a brand is that I motivate clients mainly through self-efficacy. I give them self-confidence and the real belief that they can change their lives by first changing their bodies.
So much of the media coverage is focused on the challenges facing women today, but what about the opportunities? Do you feel there are any opportunities that women are particularly well positioned for?
Absolutely! Women are now being taken seriously and seen as equal when it comes to their place in the workforce. Just this year, a woman will be the first to interview for a head coaching position in the NBA.
Women can take the fitness field and strength and conditioning field by storm. However, it is important that rely on their knowledge and gain that knowledge through multiple certifications, seminars continuing to educate themselves.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.loveyouhealthy.com
- Email: info@loveyouhealthy.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loveyouhealthy/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/loveyouhealthy/
- Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/loveyouhealthy
Image Credit:
Ross Oscar Knight (Ross Oscar Knight Photography), John Washington Jr (JWJ Photography), Meg Pukel (Meg Pukel Photography)
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
