Meet Lady Grace Edwards. Born and raised in England of Jamaican parents, Grace grew up there until she was 14 years old and currently lives in Edmonton, Alberta. She has one daughter and two beautiful grandchildren. Grace caught my attention in Instagram with her fierce workouts and impressive physique. You might be surprised at how hard this grandmother works on her body and her fitness, surely putting most 20-somethings to shame.
Sports were always an important and integral part of her and her family members’ lives, including her two sisters and two brothers. Grace participated in track and field, netball, and field hockey. She attended school both in England and also Canada, and has been a certified trainer since March 2016. She also boasts a certificate as fitness nutrition specialist!
How long have you been certified with NFPT?
I have been certified since March 18, 2016.
Why did you choose NFPT?
I chose NFPT as I was working out at LA fitness in Phoenix, Arizona every day and I saw the posters for becoming a certified personal trainer on the walls there. Every day I would look at it and say, “I want to do that!”, but my reservations always kicked in and stopped me. So one day I decided to go home and research some companies that certify personal trainers. Looking at the reviews, NFPT came up as one of the favorites! That’s how I made my decision. The support NFPT and ongoing training that is provided during and after you’re certified have validated my choice.
Why did you decide to become a personal trainer?
Fitness has always played a big part of my life growing up in England. I was in lots of sports from the girls’ net ball team, field hockey, track and field, and cross country running —I always excelled and love to compete. Physical fitness was instilled in me at a very young age. When my sister and I move to Canada, we still continued to play netball in a local community and track and field at high school. So seeing that poster at LA Fitness was the nudge I needed to pursue fitness as a career.
What has been your biggest challenge as a personal trainer?
My biggest challenge as a personal trainer is helping clients be consistent. But also, as I travel a lot, it was a little hard to train one on one. With technology advancing the way it is, that’s not an issue anymore. It has been completely diminished as social media has really closed the gap.
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What has been your biggest accomplishment in the fitness industry?
My biggest accomplishment so far has been participating in figure competitions for NPAA sport (natural professional association athletics) and overcoming my fear. I’ve always wanted to compete, but didn’t think I could do it! I am doing that now and I can say it’s right up there besides having my daughter as one of the biggest accomplishments I’ve ever achieved in my life.
What has been your most rewarding experience as a personal trainer?
My most rewarding experience as a personal trainer is seeing the changes in clients, seeing how positive, how strong, and how motivated they become–that is enough for me! And of course, random people sharing their personal stories of how they see me and they realize they can do it themselves is one of the greatest joys of being a certified personal trainer walking the walk.
How has the impact of COVID-19 and its restrictions affected your fitness business?
Covid of course impacted my business in a very positive way. More people are on social media, therefore more people are inquiring about services in the fitness industry and getting educated.
There are a lot of influencers out there but I believe you should look for the influences that have the personal accreditations therefore you know that advice you’re giving is the best advice and not a quick fix as the majority of people want. It’s a lifestyle to get healthy and fit, but at the end of the day especially with social media and the Internet, your mentors and role models ought to be the right people. We don’t know everything! I too have a coach from the NPAA sport— you can never learn enough. Fitness is an ongoing journey and knowledge is wealth.
What role does social media play in the success of your business?
Social media has played a role as far as people seeing my results, reaching out to me, sharing their stories, and letting me know how much I am inspiring them every day. I have also recruited clients from social media. The world is now at your fingertips!
Any advice for people thinking about a career in fitness?
My advice for people thinking about a career in fitness is if you have a passion for it and you love it why not do it and NFPT is a great company for you to inspire to new heights and follow your dreams they have everything you need from coaching to courses to encouragement they basically hold your hand all the way I say never give up on your dreams and you’re never too old to start….you change lives every day!
What does the future hold for you in the fitness industry?
The future and the fitness industry will always be a part of my life. I eat and breathe fitness. It gives me joy and blessings every day. The comments that I get from my clients and random strangers sharing their personal stories and conquering their fears, getting motivated, and eating healthy will always inspire me to be at my very best. With that said that’s enough to keep me motivated and inspired. One day I intend to have my own personal health and wellness centre where all people from all walks of life– young and old– can go to new heights on the personal healthier happier and fitter lives you’re never too old to start being more active every day.
NFPT Publisher Michele G Rogers, MA, NFPT-CPT and EBFA Barefoot Training Specialist manages and coordinates educational blogs and social media content for NFPT, as well as NFPT exam development. She’s been a personal trainer and health coach for over 20 years fueled by a lifetime passion for all things health and fitness. Her mission is to raise kinesthetic awareness and nurture a mind-body connection, helping people achieve a higher state of health and wellness. After battling and conquering chronic back pain and becoming a parent, Michele aims her training approach to emphasize fluidity of movement, corrective exercise, and pain resolution. She holds a master’s degree in Applied Health Psychology from Northern Arizona University. Follow Michele on Instagram.
