Meet Santa Monica Fitness Trainer: Jamie Lebowitz

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jamie Lebowitz.  Below you’ll find edited excerpts of our interview with Jamie.

Can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.

It’s easy when you get into a routine of things you enjoy to forget the struggle you went through to get there. I am very happy with where I am now and where I am headed, but there were a few bumps along the way. My dad passed away at age 56 just before I started college. His athleticism and hard work had a huge influence on me. He worked out before and after work, and always encouraged me to join him for boot camp classes after work, even when I had volleyball practice that night. I learned early on that my body is capable of much more than I think, and it is only a matter of putting in the work. His sudden passing taught me how short life can be and gave me a sense of urgency to make a difference while I am alive and well. While my passion for health and fitness has held constant since high school, a passion for filming and editing seemed to emerge from nowhere.

It began when I took a media class my last semester of college, where I got my hands on a DSLR camera. It was then that I discovered the world of blogging, filming, editing, and creating content. This piqued my interest, but it was too late at that point to enroll in more classes. How could I pursue a job in this field with no real experience in production? Because I had thought coaching might be the route for me, I had accepted a strength and conditioning internship after graduation in Massachusetts at a gym where Olympic athletes train. Holding tight to my unspecified media interest, I found a media center close by which lent out cameras and editing software. I started taking pictures and filming the athletes, and ultimately pitched the idea of making a promotional video for the gym. My boss’ enthusiasm further motivated me to create the video, “Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning.” The positive feedback and joy I received from making this further shifted my focus from coaching to video production. Equipped with a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology, and an internship with some video production experience, I thought I had all I needed to be successful in my newly chosen field. I quickly realized this wasn’t the case as I was rejected from each media position I applied for. In the meantime, I jumped from one personal training job to another. And while I loved helping people get into shape, the yearning to create and share stories through photo and video was a part of me which remained unfulfilled. This was a difficult period in my life, as I struggled to maintain my motivation to pursue a career that seemed out-of-reach to me. I felt defeated because, although I was applying for jobs, job shadowing, and talking to tons of people in the production industry, I wasn’t getting much closer to this new world.

However, the benefit of working in gyms was meeting some very special people, one of whom was Brett Hoebel, Trainer on The Biggest Loser – Season 11. Brett took me under his wing as his social media assistant, where I was able to gain valuable experience in the interplay between video and social media. This led me to where I am now – a social media and content intern at Livestrong.com – where I can say with confidence that I am the happiest I have ever been. I am learning about social media and production within the context of my favorite subjects, health and fitness. I am writing articles, prepping for our Facebook Live videos, and helping manage our social media. In the future, I see myself specializing in brand development and video production for fitness and health, especially skill-based fitness like aerial, calisthenics, and yoga. For the moment, I feel that I am right where I need to be.

What are your plans for the future?

My plans for the future are really centered around some goals I have physically and creatively. Physically, I want to grow stronger and more skillful at aerial silks and pole so that I can do aerial silks performances eventually and also my first pole competition. I put a lot of time and effort into these and see it as a natural progression.  When I master a skill that I haven’t been able to do, it gives me confidence and makes me a more capable person. Creatively, my goal is to make more videos which spread positive messages. I film and edit on my own and only started learning how a couple years ago. Right now, I am in the midst of editing two very different pole videos for my friends, and I can’t wait to see how they turn out. Diving into this new field has been difficult, but the joy I get from doing it makes it worthwhile. I want to continue filming aerialists and other active people who express themselves through movement. My birthday is around the corner, and I’m hoping to get some cool camera equipment so I can deliver better videos.

Let’s dig a little deeper into your story.  What was the hardest time you’ve had?

The hardest time in my life was when my dad died. I was 18 and just about to start college. He went into the hospital to have his gallbladder removed (an outpatient procedure) and we were told afterwards that it went well. However, he passed away that night in the hospital. I remember very clearly answering the phone at 6:30 that morning and knowing by the tone of the nurse what was coming next. The toughest part was entering college feeling like a part of me was gone. I got through it by staying very busy and by doing things that I know would make him proud; I joined my college’s triathlon club, started taking kickboxing classes, and worked my butt off to get good grades.  I used to struggle with confidence, so much so that I couldn’t look people in the eye. Athletic feats and markers of success have always been my way of proving to myself that I can do something if I put my mind to it.

What are you looking forward to?

My vision for the future is this: make videos that inspire people to get active. That means trying new things, sticking with things, and making positive changes. This is why I’ve spent so much time learning how to film, edit, tell digital stories, do social media, etc. I want to learn how to do everything so I can narrow down which part I like doing most. I’ve had to learn from scratch and on my own, which hasn’t been easy. I am thankful for my internship at Livestrong.com for giving me the chance to influence a larger audience who want to change for the better. I’ve been fortunate enough to dabble in different aspects of production and see it through from the process of creating an idea to seeing it materialized through production, and then shared and discussed through social media. Right now I feel that I am right where I need to be for what I want to do and couldn’t be more grateful.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @lebowfit
• Twitter: @lebowfit
• Pinterest: @lebowfit
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lebowfit/

Check out her work below: