Hidden Gems: Meet Natalie Jones of Natalie Jones Fitness & Nutrition

Today we’d like to introduce you to Natalie Jones

Hi Natalie, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I was never a fit or athletic person. I wasn’t genetically elite and I certainly didn’t feel confident in my body as a teen all the way through my 20s and early 30s. Like many women, I struggled with my body image and always felt “fat” and fell victim to any diet fad that was happening at the time, hoping that I would succeed in losing weight (I never did). I started working out in college because I took a weight lifting class for physical education and that’s what started a habit of going to the gym, but I never knew the value of having a specific training and nutrition program to follow. I just went to the gym a few times a week and did random machines through grad school. Not much changed in terms of my body composition, and I hadn’t yet discovered the importance of nutrition in succeeding with my fitness goals so I just managed to maintain and felt discouraged that nothing was changing.

Once I had my first baby, I put my workouts on the back burner and didn’t prioritize it with everything that had changed in my life as a new parent while working full time. It wasn’t until after I had my third and final baby that decided I wanted to commit to consistent workouts and feel more confident about my body and my health. Something had to change, and with social media coming on the scene, I had access to more information and learned about the importance of following an exercise and nutrition program consistently. I thought to myself that this would be it, that the key was following an actual plan and sticking to it. I’d workout early in the morning before the kids were awake and finish before I had to pack their lunches, feed them breakfast and take them to school (then drive myself to work). I planned my meals ahead of time and started eating better with more whole foods and eating home cooked meals. With three kids aged five and under and working full time, it definitely wasn’t easy, but it was important to me so I worked hard to make it all happen. Once I started following an actual program, I started to see the changes that I had been chasing for decades and my passion for fitness grew. This real commitment to my fitness journey began at the age of 36 after baby number three, which goes to show you that it’s never too late and you’re never too old to get started. And it’s absolutely possible to have your best body (and healthiest mindset) after having kids!

The more I trained the more I learned, I really delved into the world of fitness and studied trainers, coaches and researchers with evidence based practices that really resonated with me. My knowledge and my passion kept growing and the people around me all started to notice and kept telling me that I myself should start coaching and teach others what I had learned. The thought was always in the back of my mind but it wasn’t until Covid hit that I decided to make it official and get certified. My day job was in special events so I was totally out of commission during the lockdown and so many people were looking for coaches to help them with working out at home so it was a good time to pursue my fitness career. I received my certification in personal training, online coaching and nutrition and set up a gym in my garage and have been coaching ever since!

I immediately loved coaching others, I found that most people had no idea how to approach fitness and embed it into their lifestyle; the majority are so misinformed about lifting weights, how to build muscle and lose weight and have no clue how to get started. There’s so much misinformation out there, especially on social media, that they didn’t know how to cut through the clutter and know what’s real and not just a fad or money grab. Everyone’s looking for quick fixes, but that’s often the reason why they fail and can’t maintain their success. I really enjoy helping others find the right way to approach their fitness goals and I continue to expand my education on flexible dieting and biomechanics by taking courses and staying up to date with the latest research. Through my experience and education, I’ve learned that there’s so much more to health and fitness than what people realize or see online or on social media. I help clients cut through the clutter and teach them habits and mindset changes that will set them up for a fit lifestyle that they can sustain.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
No journey is ever perfect and fitness is no exception. It’s a very saturated space and much of it is unregulated which means that anyone can try to sell anything just to make a buck. It’s hard to compete with these large fitness accounts that have hundreds of thousands of followers who are posting exercises that are junk but are entertaining for the gram, or selling detox teas and fat burning pills that don’t work because people want quick fixes. They want quick fixes and they want to be entertained, that’s the stuff that sells sadly.

There’s also so much fear mongering in the nutrition world that people are finding it difficult to eat anything that isn’t labeled as toxic by these influencers. There’s too much focus on seed oils, artificial sweeteners and even things like glucose monitors and ice plunges when most of America is sedentary, over stressed, lacking sufficient sleep and not eating enough protein, fiber, fruits & vegetables. These “big rocks” in fitness aren’t as flashy as the latest, trending click bait. So it’s difficult to stand out in such a crowded industry that operates on shock value and clicks and it’s equally as hard to correct people’s mindset on these types of issues when they are being blasted with it from all directions.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Natalie Jones Fitness & Nutrition?
I’m a certified personal trainer and online fitness and nutrition coach. I specialize in hypertrophy (training for muscle growth), progressive overload (strength training technique) and biopscyosocial coaching (biological health, mental health and mindset, relationships and environment). I prioritize weight training whether your goal is to build muscle, lose fat or make body composition changes in maintenance. My clientele includes women of all ages, but being a mom of three who’s successfully created a fit lifestyle and business later in adulthood, I especially appeal to women over 30 and moms who are struggling to incorporate fitness as a regular part of their already busy lives and who just want to feel confident with their bodies and in their own skin.

If you live in the LA area, come train with me! I also offer remote coaching, so no matter where you’re located, or whether you’ll be working out at home or at the gym, I’ll write you a custom training program to follow with my guidance every step of the way. My monthly coaching plans also include a nutrition program designed especially for your goals and based on the principals of flexible dieting. You’ll learn how to change your mindset and habits and how to sustain them for a better quality of life.

My programs are designed specifically for your needs and goals and will teach you the biomechanics of your movements as well as evidence-based fitness concepts for improving your fitness and overall wellness. It’s really important to me that clients understand the “why” behind what we are doing and that they learn how to exercise efficiently to meet their goals because their time is valuable – fitness should be a part of your life, not overtake it. And because there’s so much conflicting information out there, I’ll help you cut through the clutter and teach you how to identify misinformation and outdated concepts so you can feel confident in your journey.

Being a coach is a very rewarding job because I’m helping people make valuable changes to their lifestyle that really impacts who they are. I have clients in their 30s and 40s who are more confident in their own skin than they’ve ever been in their lives. Clients who are in better shape now with kids than they were before having kids. Clients who finally have the strength to carry boxes during moving day and lift suitcases in airplane overhead bins! Clients whose spouses have now been inspired by them to get fit! Clients that have become a better parent, spouse or colleague by prioritizing their own health and fitness. It’s all these things that truly make me proud of what I do.

I know that people have a lot of options when it comes to selecting a coach, but one of the advantages that I have over larger, celebrity/influencer-type coaches as a small business owner is that I’m accessible and can provide my clients with more personalized service. I offer free consultations and spend quality time making sure clients are equipped with everything they need to start the process. I’m there every step of the way for support and encouragement. I’m their reality check and voice of reason and practicality, but I’m also there for accountability and tough love when they need it the most. We really are in this journey together – the success is all theirs, I just love being a part of it and watching them grow.

How do you think about happiness?
My family makes me happy. I live for my three kids and my husband and my parents who I’m blessed to have nearby. I’ve always been big on family and being with the people I love is the ultimate joy. If my kids are happy, I’m happy : )

And of course, the gym is my happy place! Lifting weights and coaching others and watching them improve their lives makes me happy. There’s nothing like feeling strong and confident in your own skin and knowing that you’re making the best investment for your future self. Weight training is not just what’s best for you now, it’s what’s best for you as you age, especially since we lose muscle mass as we get older. I want to be that 90 year old that can walk and climb up the stairs without issue, lift my own heavy grocery bags and hopefully one day lift up and carry my grandchildren : )

Contact Info:

• Website: https://nataliejonesfitness.my.canva.site/ #natalie-jones-fitness-nutrition
• Instagram: @thatfitchicknatalie

Image Credits
Brian Cuasito Photography