Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Summer Smith. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Summer , appreciate you joining us today. Setting up an independent practice is a daunting endeavor. Can you talk to us about what it was like for you – what were some of the main steps, challenges, etc.

In 2019, when I started my fitness journey, I took it and ran with it. About 1.5 years later, into this new profound passion, I decided I wanted to make something out of it. I unfortunately have a bad habit of starting things and not finishing them, but fitness seemed to be the one thing that’s stuck with me. With that being said, I ventured into starting my personal trainer certification, my nutrition coach certification, then developing an LLC for women’s fitness apparel called ‘Summer Body Fit.’ Though, somehow along the way of pursuing all of that, I lost sight, got discouraged along my journey and just stopped pursuing those goals. Not to mention, I was going through a lot during this time in my personal life by moving into my Mom’s house after dealing with a breakup from a long term relationship, not having a job and figuring out which direction I wanted to go in life; it was a lot to handle during that time and continuing my workouts and getting closer to God was what kept me above water. Pursuing my fitness business goals had to be put on the back burner for a little bit until I was stable enough to handle it all.

Fast forward to moving to Dallas 2021 and getting myself established finally, I now feel like I’m at a good place in my life mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, to be able to pursue these things again. This year, 2023, I am taking steps towards some of the biggest goals I’ve ever had. I’ve even had a new possible goal of participating in a bodybuilding bikini competition just to say that I did it and cross it off my bucket list because why not?! I appreciate the people in my life, especially my gym bros because they are some of the most supportive people I could have ever meet. For a long time, I’ve been searching for community and I found that in this fitness world. “Summer Body Fit” is to be continued, it’s a work in progress, but I strive to bring the best overall quality of training, guidance, and comfort.

Summer , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

When I first started my fitness journey in 2019, I originally came up with the name “Summer Crew Fitness,” but it didn’t flow. It wasn’t until one of my girlfriends, Giavanni, actually helped me come up with the name “Summer Body Fitness,” for my brand. When certified, Summer Body Fitness is going to offer personal training in the scope of functional training. Functional training is a type of exercise that looks like movements you make in your daily life. It can be helpful for athletic performance, injury prevention, and other everyday fitness tasks and used mainly for longevity. Along with functional training, Summer Body Fitness is going to offer nutrition programs that will empower clients to take responsibility over their own health by establishing healthy eating habits and a healthy relationship with food. As far as my clothing brand goes, the launch date for “Summer Body Fit,” is to be determined. It is a fitness apparel brand for plus size women. Though I am not a plus size woman, I believe in body positivity and inclusion. To be frank, women my size don’t struggle with finding fitness apparel that fits our body shapes. I’m sure most women can agree that a cute gym outfit boosts their confidence and gives them more motivation to go to the gym. I want to shed light and support on producing the best quality clothing for plus size women; fitness clothing that is comfortable, breathable, and supportive. Everyone deserves to feel comfortable and confident in the gym no matter the size. Everybody has a summer body.

Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?

I think maintaining the ability of staying a student is key; learning from your clients and keeping open room for discussion and understanding. I’m on the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the fitness and nutrition field. Within the field, there’s also so many different caveats to training and nutrition because the human body has many different variables. What works for one person in training or in their nutrition program, may not work for another. Fitness and nutrition is not a “one size fits all,” industry. It can be misleading to most and I think what’s most important is leading clients to their own truth and what works for them specifically.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

First starting out on my journey, I was freelancing with personal training and I used to give people guidance on exercises and nutrition. Now looking back, I realize I was ignorant during that time and it was not my place to give people guidance on information I didn’t fully know about. That sole reason is what motivated me into starting my certifications because if at any case I were to start training others or provide guidance tools on a serious level, I wanted to make sure that I provided quality information.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/summerbodyfitness08/?fbclid=IwAR19PZfOEdfJv_VGAf5R2eH0f2SAe4mRq2Petsnuwisa7zBK2EdnFmoclfA
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/summerbodyfit.apparel/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@summerbodyfit_official

Image Credits
For the yellow outfit photo, photo credit to @thenucreative https://www.instagram.com/thenucreative/