Today we’d like to introduce you to Monica Baumgardner
Hi Monica, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
When I started college in 2006, my initial goal was to become an athletic trainer. After a few months, however, I realized my passion lied elsewhere. I would go on to change my major a few times, settling on teaching and coaching and pursued a Master’s Degree in coaching itself. I thought surely I’d end up working in Track & Field as a head coach (my favorite sport!) but then discovered I had no real desire to be in a classroom teaching. Simultaneously, I was also beginning my own fitness journey which primarily focused on weight loss. This fueled an obsession with nutrition, exercise, and mindset changes as I began to see progress. I got my first personal training job at Lifetime Fitness in 2013, and found it challenging for my desired schedule so I went out on my own almost immediately. This proved to be exceptionally difficult given that we didn’t have social media in the capacity we do today, and I knew absolutely ZERO about running a business. I stuck it out for over a decade, learned any and everything I could about behavior change, our relationships with food and exercise, true strength training, and now teach group fitness classes at various gyms, train remotely as well as provide remote nutrition coaching, and I of course have 1:1 clients and get to see people get stronger and better EVERY DAY! It is an absolute joy!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
NO! Lol.
I had to learn marketing, not internalizing loss of clients, figuring out how to structure my pricing according to my experience and time in the industry, and the over saturation of coaches on Instagram has at times been frustrating. Ultimately, it has developed me into a more resilient and strategic business owner and has forced me to come face to face with internal blocks I have had around money mindset, self limiting beliefs, and how I balance fitness and my regular life. I am able to impart these skills onto clients now and if it weren’t for these trials, I wouldn’t have the composure I do today. I’m grateful for every single setback and challenge.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I do a few things, actually.
I coach group fitness at two local gyms – Dane’s Body Shop & F45.
I also provide 1:1 personal training which I do as a concierge service in clients’ homes, or, within the walls of Dane’s Body Shop.
Remotely, I offer customized training programs and I also provide 1:1 nutrition coaching. I will be incorporating group program nutrition coaching later this year (2025) so that I can serve more people.
It is my mission to help folks see how strong they already are and to help them develop better relationships with themselves, exercise, and their nutrition so they can fuel their everyday lives in a way that doesn’t feel restrictive, that doesn’t rob them of their culture (who is really trying to give up chilaquiles???), and that ultimately helps them feel CONFIDENT in all aspects of their lives.
I want my work to help clients move without pain, be able to chase their children/grandchildren around and make a positive impact on them, and have more time to themselves as fitness and nutrition practices should be a part of our lives and not our WHOLE lives.
I am most proud of the fact that clients feel safe with me and let me into their world so that I can positively impact it in a long lasting way.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
Oof, I have a lot, actually. Most of them involve my dad. We used to stay pretty active at the parks, swam at the lake and public pool all the times (hello 1990s!), we did karate together (another popular 90s activity), and ate lots of ice cream and popcorn (balance!). I don’t think I can pinpoint JUST ONE. But I know that his impact on my life has been profound and I can likely credit my love of movement and the human body to him because he definitely fostered this for me.
Pricing:
- $100 – 1:1 Training (60 min session)
- $300 – Remote Nutrition Coaching (Monthly)
- $300 – Remote Training Programming (Monthly)
- $525 – Combo Remote Training/Nutrition Coaching
- Inquire within about concierge training pricing as well as small groups of 2-6.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/thebaumbody (Personal) and www.instagram.com/baumbodyfitness (Business)
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/baumbodyfitness
