We were lucky to catch up with Rachel Brenowitz recently and have shared our conversation below.

Rachel, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How’s you first get into your field – what was your first job in this field?

My first job in the fitness industry was when I was about 14 years old. I was an intern for a small athlete training facility where I stayed to work until I went to college and even throughout college during the summers. The owner went by “Sarge,” a homage to his previous status as a sergeant in the Navy. He allowed me to train there with other young athletes in my age group in exchange for my efforts around the gym. I started off vacuuming and cleaning all of the equipment and other various tasks like re-painting kettlebells. Over the years I helped with social media and with growing the business. Eventually, I was able to shadow strength and conditioning coaches and was trusted to lead classes for youth athletes. I spend those summers learning not only about athlete strength and conditioning practices, but about running a business and chasing a passion.

And so when I turned 18 I decided to get my personal trainer certification. I was a college athlete at the time, so it was a side job with odd hours. But it felt familiar and I had gotten a taste of being my own boss and teaching fitness the way that I wanted.

Rachel, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My intentions in starting BodyByBren Fitness was to help others pursue complete wellness and to develop and breed their own multifaceted healthy lifestyles. My business is based on the modern woman; having a flexible and accommodating training structure to breed lifestyle changes. I never restrict my clients but instead help them learn how to implement wellness into their lives with good intentions without it being a chore or anxiety-inducing.

Beyond fitness, I have a background of studying Neuroscience and Psychology in my undergraduate education and am now getting my Master’s Degree in Health Science with an Integrative Health and Wellness concentration. This really allows me to approach my clients’ needs with different perspectives and with more tools. I’ve gotten specialties in Fitness Nutrition, Weight Management and Group Fitness and am an active Health and Wellness Specialist contracted by FXWell, the wellness provider for Under Armor and CareFirst. All of these parts of my business are facets of who I am which allows me to relate and connect with people on very central aspects of their beings and of their wellness journeys toward self-love and self-acceptance. I pride myself on being a well-rounded trainer who advocates for her clients’ well-being. I have found a lot of trust by being so reachable and open. I am proud to own a business that promotes that a fit life isn’t always gym time and calorie counting, but by pursuing health by how it works for you.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

After graduating college I was still having a lot of pain and fatigue similar to how I was feeling being a collegiate athlete. I had assumed these things were a result of pushing my body to the limit as part of that lifestyle and I couldn’t figure out as to why the pain was continuing even after that chapter of my life had closed. Psychologists had related it to anxiety and trauma, physical therapists had diagnosed me with ailments that weren’t being improved with exercises and deep needling. Finally, about a year into my efforts I was confirmed to have fibromyalgia and dysautonomia-like disorder. The recommended lifestyle was made up of things that I was already practicing as a fitness professional – I was training functionally, following a healthy, plant-based diet, and trying to reduce my stress. For anyone who has an autoimmune disorder or chronic pain, it’s a hard to accept that it’s just about managing symptoms and kind of accepting that sometimes things are just the best that they can get.

It has taken a lot of time and reflection for me to adopt a more positive approach to my diagnosis. I started to explore other avenues of treatment and of wellness, even more so when I began my master’s degree to learn more about alternative and complementary medicine. Most notably, this lifestyle has allowed me to connect with a population of individuals that are in need of help. I can relate to others with autoimmune disorders and advocate for them because we have shared experiences. And I don’t think I would have been able to effectively relate to this population without my own diagnosis.

Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?

You can’t learn how a body moves from a book. You have to experience it and feel it for yourself. Yes, there is a very technical side of exercise that is foundational and is a huge industry, but you can’t promote it for others without seeing and feeling your teachings first hand. Experience and shadowing are the most important part of being a fitness and wellness professional. You don’t have to have had lost 100 pounds or have competed in bodybuilding competitions, but you have to have seen your preaching in action. You need to be able to explain how an exercise feels and if your client is doing it correctly. You have to make sure that the workout you write is logical and obtainable for who you’re training. Finding your stride and your style can only be done by practice and by observing those of others.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://bodybybrenfit.wixsite.com/bodybybren
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/body.by.bren/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bodybybrenfitness/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-brenowitz-a97924109/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfA67iyzRYgNkpICEotKRsQ?app=desktop

Image Credits
Mike Shadrene Samuel Dupervil Christian Logue