I am identified for my passion of life as a personal trainer. I encourage, believe in, love, take pride, strengthen, and admire every client I have. This job is what I was born to do. Love what you do, do what you love. Strong With Mitzi is about the person, the community, and the will to be better than yesterday.
1992, under the lights of Turpin Stadium in Natchitoches, La, I was doing what I love as a Purple Pizzazz Pom member…DANCING. The problem began when my dancing ability was only good enough to land a spot on that field at halftime if the scale said what it was supposed to the day before. You could have been the best dancer in the world, but if the scales did not say it… you did not dance. This led to my yo-yo dieting, bulimia, anorexia, self-esteem issues, pills, and a roller coaster of mood swings. I have been there… How did I overcome it? I am on the struggle bus daily, but I fight those demons head on.
I am no nutritionist or physician. I am just someone that has figured it out for myself through trial and error. I am just someone that got tired of changing clothes sizes every season and took back her life. I WAS YOU!
I have completed numerous 5k’s, 10K’s, more triathlons than I can remember, eleven marathons, and Ironman Wisconsin. I wish I could say I was “my kind” of healthy for all those events. The truth is, I overused food that was not beneficial for the races at hand.
In 2016, I left my Kindergarten teaching position of 15 years to follow my passion as a fulltime personal trainer at Louisiana Athletic Club, Alexandria, La. Since then, Covid hit. I lost my job in March of 2020, as many did. I quickly decided that I could not lose what I had worked so hard for, so as loyal as my clients were and for their mental stability and health, I continued to work with them in an at home gym. August 1, 2020, my dream was born. STRONG WITH MITZI became a 10-foot lighted sign outside of 1503-C Wimbledon.
“Don’t give up on your dreams, because they might come true” -- PINK
Running and CrossFit are my personal passions for fitness. These two activities feed my spirit and my soul. They keep me sane, competitive, and motivated. This moves me.
2013, I began the paleo lifestyle. It has been the best nutritional decision of my life. I have weighed the same amount (give or take 3) for the last 5 years. That is HUGE people. I believe in Melissa Hartwig’s Whole30 program. I believe food has become a happy place for so many people and not a nutritional value place. We should eat to live, not live to eat.
“Can’t” is probably the most overused word I hear in a gym setting. Who cannot? Why can’t you? If cannot is in your vocabulary, then when CAN you?
Through this journey, my goal is to show you strength in the good, bad, and ugly of yourself, your nutrition, your fitness, your successes, your gains, your environment, your friends, and your family. We can agree to disagree. I do not expect you to agree with everything I say or do. This is what makes us great. Let us take this path together and learn to be stronger than our excuses. Find what moves you!
