In The Gym with La’Tai Jenkins, Beachbody Coach

Please introduce yourself to our readers.

Hi! My name is La’Tai and first and foremost I am a wife and momma of a 3 and 5 year old. In my spare time I am also a Doctor of Physical Therapy and work for Johns Hopkins Medicine as well as currently working on my Masters of Business and Masters of Healthcare Administration from the University of Maryland. Lastly, I am a health and fitness coach through Beachbody.

How did you get interested in fitness?

My love of fitness I believe was ignited through my own weight loss journey. I was never significantly overweight but definitely went through times in my life when I needed to make changes. Following grad school I lost 30lbs with diet and exercise. Then again after having my two babies I found myself needing to get healthy again… and wanting to feel good about myself!

What prompted you to focus on helping others with their fitness?

It was honestly just a natural progression. It is easy for me to see the connection between human physiology and the effects of diet and exercise because of my training, but the average person does not. The feeling of helping someone by educating them and unlocking the tools they need is priceless and addicting!

What do you like most about what you do?

I love hearing my client’s and patient’s success stories. I realized when I worked with patients with spinal cord injuries to embrace the process. Of course these patients wanted more than anything to walk, but it also made a HUGE impact on their quality of life if I got them to be able to sit up without the assistance of two family members. It is the same with weight loss. Sure, people get stuck on seeing their end goal but when they start to become consistent with one of our programs they start reaching goals like being able to exercise 30 minutes without needing to take a rest or being able to fit into a pair of jeans. Their self esteem is lifted and they have new motivation to keep going!

What is your favorite exercise routine?

Ahhh. That varies but I would say I really like a HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workout that incorporates weights. Most people, myself included, respond really well to those short burst of work coupled with resistance that really gets the heart rate up. Plus you add in muscle confusion and the body has to work that much harder. It’s really the most bang for your buck!

What do you consider the most useful workout equipment?

I am a big believer that you can get a good workout with no equipment at all. Anyone try Insanity? Or anyone of Shaun T’s workouts for that matter? He incorporates the HIIT principle with body weight exercises like push ups, burpees, and mountain climbers. You are literally dripping with sweat.

What types of services do you provide?

I provide people with the whole package. Coaching + Nutrition + Accountability. I spend a lot of time with a potential clients understanding their goals, current fitness level, and nutrition to identify what program would be best for them to start with. When they receive their challenge pack they are able to access their workouts on DVD or On Demand. I provide sample meal plans and recipes new each week. By the end of the challenge they have their own ecookbook from me! They also receive a daily dose of dense nutrition that is protein, adaptogens, probiotic, and digestive enzymes. Lastly, they are added to completely private FB page and I check in with them daily. Once they are in one of my challenge groups they are welcome to return for as long as they need me.

Which fitness levels do you typically work with?

Any and all. In my current challenge group I have people who need to lose 100+ pounds and marathoners who are doing our most intense, weight training workout Hammer and Chisel. Everyone cheers each other on and becomes a tight knit group sharing recipes, successes, disappointments. We all depend on each other for accountability.

What do you think is the biggest misconception about this field and what you do?

Because our customer base comes from social media that it is a network marketing scheme. Beachbody coaches are some of the hardest working and passionate individuals I have ever met. Their dedication to each and every challenger is what ensures their success. Many top coaches are actually former challenge group members who have just fell in love with philosophy!

The second one I would say is that you need to be in amazing shape to be a fitness coach. That is just not so, you just need to be willing to share your journey! People will relate to your struggle. They want to see what is working for someone like them.

What general tips do you have for the average woman balancing family, career with health and fitness?

It has to make sense for you. I am a total gym rat, but between family, work, and school I just could not make it. Don’t spend $100 a month for a gym membership if you can only go 2 or 3 times! That is really the beauty of Beachbody programs. They are total body workouts that are short and can be done at home with none or very little equipment. In addition, Beachbody is so committed to adding the nutrition component that it really is a recipe for success! Next I would say it needs to be something enjoyable and meaningful for you. For example, challengers who love Zumba really enjoy our hip hop workout called Cize. If you enjoy it it will become a priority and then a habit… that is when you see results!

Do you have any special events coming up?

I run a challenge group twice a month. The next two will be January 25 and February 8.

Our team is also a 15 star diamond elite ranked team, which is the highest distinction Beachbody offers. We do a sneak peak into the coaching opportunity for all that are interested once a month. That is currently going on and our Feb. date has yet to be decided.

The best way to find out about my events is to send me a friend request on Facebook!

How can our readers find you on the web?

www.beachbodycoach.com/LATAIJENKINS

https://www.facebook.com/public/LaTai-Charlton-Jenkins