We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Trina Wiggins a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Trina , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Was there a moment in your career that meaningfully altered your trajectory? If so, we’d love to hear the backstory.

My health and fitness journey began in the summer of 1972. As I was lacing my tennis shoes, the summer Olympics were on in the background. While looking out of the corner of my eye, I saw the Russian gymnast Olga Korbut do a no-hand back flip on the balance beam. I was instantaneously memorized! I called my mother to come and watch this new sport I had never seen before. After witnessing all the gymnastics events, I began looking in the Yellow Pages to find a gymnastics club in Oakland, California. Unfortunately, there were no clubs in Oakland, so I asked my mother to take me to the public library, where I checked out 12 phone books in search of a gymnastics club. I finally found Diablo Gymnastics in Walnut Creek, California. After joining Diablo, I progressed quickly in the sport. Eventually, I was fortunate to become the first African American female gymnast to compete at Stanford University.

Not too long after beginning gymnastics, my dad was diagnosed with a terminal illness. I watched my mom spring into action to help cure my dad by using food as medicine. I tagged along with her to health and food seminars and the library as she gained knowledge to help my father. She juiced wheatgrass, vegetables, and fruits in the 70s, which was unheard of back then. She even grew wheatgrass in our backyard. As I watched my mother’s relentless efforts to use food as medicine, it sparked my interest in medicine.

Once in high school, I worked with a neurosurgeon and even watched brain surgery. This experience was fascinating and piqued my interest in pursuing a medical career.

After arriving at Washington University School of Medicine, I contemplated how I would stay physically fit with the hefty workload of medical school. I decided to integrate my workouts into my daily life and not add them as an extra thing to do on my to-do list. My husband and I opted to powerwalk to and from school, about 3 miles roundtrip. I also purchased a stationary bike and rode it 20 minutes before class while reading over my notes. Integrating my workouts into my day became a recipe for success as I maintained my fitness level throughout the decades. With the birth of my twin boys, integrating fitness became even more vital if I wanted to maintain my fitness level. When breastfeeding the twins, I would put that bike from medical school next to my bed and ride the bike while breastfeeding one twin, holding a bottle with my breast milk, and feeding the other twin. When they became older and more mobile, I converted my living room into a play den with a surrounding wrought iron fence. I placed my desk and workout equipment around the wrought iron fence so that I could work and exercise while watching them. When the twins got older and began participating in sports, I would exercise at the facility where they were practicing so that when they were done, I was done, too.

Another defining moment happened in the summer of 2002 when my sister was looking for a wedding venue at the Rio Resort in Las Vegas. While waiting for the wedding planner, my sister noticed the huge marquee that said, Ms. Fitness USA. Since the wedding planner was running late, we decided to check it out. Upon arriving at the venue, we saw women doing floor exercise routines, giving speeches, and modeling bathing suits. My sister challenged me on the spot to try out for this event. I started doing the splits and cartwheels when we returned to my house. I eventually found a gymnastics center and started working on relearning some of my gymnastics skills. I decided my platform for my speech would be the epidemic of childhood obesity. Twenty-two years later, I still compete in fitness and talent shows and have begun writing books about health and wellness. Most recently, I am writing a comic book series about health and wellness topics for children. The first comic book, The Sugar Attack, was released in December 2023. In 2025, be on the lookout for the next book in the series.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My journey began at the age of 11 in the summer of 1972. While I was getting ready to play kickball with the kids on 63rd St, I caught a glimpse of the 1972 Summer Olympics on TV. That’s when I saw Olga Korbut, the Russian gymnast, performing a no-hand backflip on the balance beam. I was absolutely mesmerized! I called my mother to come and watch Olga with me. After watching all the gymnastics events, I started looking in the Oakland Yellow Pages for a gymnastics club to begin training. Unfortunately, no clubs were nearby, so I asked my mom to take me to the library to check out the surrounding cities’ yellow pages. I ended up checking out 12 phone books in search of a gymnastics club. When I finally found one, I was hooked! I practiced at the gym and at home seven days a week. This aha moment was the foundation of my commitment to physical activity. It taught me discipline, toughness, determination, and consistency.

A few years later, my father was diagnosed with a terminal illness. I watched my mother spring into action, searching at the library, health fairs, and seminars for information about using food as medicine. She juiced vegetables, fruits, and wheatgrass during a time when this was unheard of. Her relentless pursuit of using food as medicine sparked my interest in pursuing a medical career.

These two experiences, my dedication to gymnastics and my mother’s food as medicine journey, were the cornerstones of my current profession. They are not just stories from my past but integral parts of my journey that have shaped who I am today.

Twenty years after completing medical school, my sister and I were looking at the wedding venue at the Rio Resort in Las Vegas. While waiting for the wedding planner, my sister noticed the Rio’s marquee, which said Ms. Fitness USA. We decided to check out the fitness show. We were pleasantly surprised to find women doing gymnastic-like floor routines. My sister challenged me on the spot. These shows also required you to find a health, fitness, or wellness platform you were passionate about and deliver a captivating speech. I chose to talk about the epidemic of childhood obesity. This discussion led me to host fitness and nutrition camps for kids and do speaking engagements to educate our youth about fitness, nutrition, and wellness. Now, I am writing a comic series surrounding nutrition, fitness, and health with the primary goal of helping to mitigate the chronic diseases seen in adults. What sets me apart from others is that I practice what I preach, and I’m a visible role model for our youth.

Recently, I became the founder of Dr. Trina’s Chocolate Chalk, an athletic chalk designed for all skin tones. As a gymnast in the 1970s, I despised how white chalk looked against my darker skin shade. It was not visually appealing, and it did not make for a good photo op. Appearance plays an enormous role in how confident you are as a performer. If you don’t like how you look on the big stage, your lack of self-confidence will shine through.

I thought that a skin-tone chalk would have been developed after 50 years. Since nothing was on the market, I decided to develop it myself. In addition to gymnasts, many athletes from various sports can benefit from using my skin-tone chalk. They include rock climbing, powerlifting, javelin, discus, CrossFit, archery, pole dancing, cirque athletics, and more.

Do you think you’d choose a different profession or specialty if you were starting now?

Yes, I would choose the same profession again.

Working as a children’s doctor has brought me immense joy. Children are naturally funny and never fail to make me laugh. They keep me feeling young at heart. I also take pride in knowing that I can have a significant impact on helping mold them into healthy adults from a nutritional, physical, and mental perspective. Being a pediatrician has allowed me to branch out and begin writing my health and wellness comic book series for children. It is yet another way to contribute to their development into healthy adults.

Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?

As a pediatrician, you must set an example and be a role model for health and wellness. The children are watching your every move. I decided to step outside of the office to educate the masses about leading a sustainable, healthy lifestyle. I have given talks about staying fit through the decades to children and adults at health fairs, YMCAs, Boys & Girls Clubs, churches, and schools. My personal commitment to health, fitness, and wellness and my professional expertise add a significant layer of credibility to my resume. This credibility is a vital factor in effectively getting my message across. I not only talk the talk, but I walk the walk.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.trinawiggins.com
• Instagram: @trina.r.wigginsmd
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trina.wiggins.79/
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com › in › trina-wiggins-md-1990b410
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaFSSrT2LHg_QMPbSut7WtQ/videos

Image Credits

Healthcare Quarterly Magazine

Las Vegas Photography

Lola Mabel