WHO are you,

NATASHA NESIC?

Hello there! My name is Natasha, and I'm delighted to be your trainer. I specialize in coaching smart, self-aware individuals (like you) to develop the strength and flexibility of a healthy mind and body, regardless of age or athletic ability. 

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Here's the thing: I was born unfit. 

I was born without any genetic advantage. Preferring art and books to sports, no amount of dance classes at a prestigious school could make a difference in my athletic ability. Later years of study revealed why classical ballet wasn't ideal for my body, but when I combined the dance methodology with weightlifting, it started a magical chain of reactions that formed half the foundation of my personal fitness practice today. 

The other half of that foundation comes from being born with a genetic disadvantage: an autoimmune condition called Hashimoto's Disease, as well as histamine sensitivity. Just like my body wasn't made for classical ballet, it wasn't made for classical nutrition, either. Learning to nourish it appropriately, with minimal stress, became the guidelines for my nutritional coaching system.

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But how did it all begin?

In high school, I was an artsy bookworm who suffered from mysterious back pain. A physical therapist informed me that all my reading and drawing had rendered my body too weak to hold itself upright. 

So I listened. I realized that all I needed to do was create an internal muscular support system that could literally counterbalance the time I spent in compromised (ie: sedentary) positions. By the time college hit, I had gone from a reluctant "sometimes" exerciser to a dedicated student of the body.

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The college gym was a different kind of studying. And boy! It felt good. I was getting stronger in ways that my genetics hadn't been able to predict. I left behind dance and took up running and rugby, which later gave way to my current martial arts training.

In completing my undergrad education at Mount Holyoke College with a degree in Cultural Anthropology, I had also equipped myself with the tools to connect to others like me, by helping them identify the lifestyle patterns shaping their bodies every day.

However, it wasn't a straight shot from diploma to deadlift professional.

I started off as an assistant at an upscale, private preschool, before wandering into the food and beverage industry. I became a Certified Tea Sommelier by The International Tea Masters Association, and hosted at one of The San Pellegrino Best Restaurants in North America. 

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Yet during those gap years, I never missed a morning workout. 

No matter what I was doing in my day job, I still got the most pleasure from movement: practicing urban calisthenics or powerlifting; throwing kicks at the bag in taekwondo; shaping the contours of my body with ballet and yoga; developing my flexibility through Animal Flow.

It was only when, on a whim, I became a National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer that things finally made sense.

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But just as my fitness career was getting underway, my lack of genetic advantage caught up. I became close friends with injury. My list of activities now included hip issues, knee problems, stress fractures, and seemingly random difficulties that couldn't be solved with the common advice of, "Just sit down and rest."

Turns out, it was lucky that I was born with a working brain. I broke down, studied hard, and did the recuperative work myself. During this process, I earned my Corrective Exercise and Womens' Fitness certifications, and graduated from Sarah Lawrence College with an MFA in Nonfiction Writing, all of which gave me the additional research skills and tools to help the many clients who have come since. 

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The final piece was nutrition. I have tried every iteration of diet you can think of: keto, intermittent fasting, vegan, vegetarian, carnivore, high-carb, low-carb, "only-things-that-grow"-carb. It was the best way to experience exactly how different foods affected both my physical and mental health, especially during the recovery process for my previous injuries.

The right foods helped me heal faster, avoid anxiety and depression, and gave me energy to spare. I learned how to reduce inflammation and mental difficulties through pairing simple culinary ingredients with the right supplements, being mindful of triggers for my medical conditions.

I became fascinated with studying macro- and micronutrients. Vitamins and minerals were suddenly real, useful things, and the results spoke for themselves as I continued to seek out and identify what my body truly craved. By the time I obtained my Nutrition Coach certification, I had shaken off the "diets" and developed a sustainable approach to food that anyone could enjoy. Success!

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Since establishing Work Life Fitness in 2018, I have had the pleasure of communicating my knowledge and experiences with countless individuals through classes, training sessions, and workshops.

Looking forward to working with you!

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Credentials:

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• Adult CPR/AED Certified

• National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) Certified Personal Trainer

• NASM Certified Nutrition Coach

• NASM Certified Corrective Exercise Specialist

• NASM Certified Women’s Fitness Specialist

• NASM Certified Mixed Martial Arts Conditioning Specialist

• Trigger Point Performance Therapy™ Certified

• Animal Flow™ Certified Instructor

• Author of The Miracle on 98th Street.

HOW WILL YOU HELP ME succeed?