Many college students want to get in great shape and have fun doing it. Stephanie Helmers, a senior at UW-La Crosse, can help out with that. In addition to being a full-time student at UW-L, Helmers also manages her own fitness studio, Zen & Pow, where she holds a variety of different fitness classes weekly.
While being a full-time student and running a fitness studio does provide a challenge for her, Helmers highlights the importance of having a balance in her life. She wakes up most days around 4:30 a.m. in order to teach her 5:30 a.m. classes at the studio. The bulk of her day then consists of going to classes at UW-L, studying and then, finally, teaching more night classes at her studio.
“I try to get plenty of sleep and eat healthy to help fuel myself for my long days of teaching and school. It truly is all about balance and staying focused on my goals. Coffee helps too,” Helmers joked.
Helmers also commented that, although her job is very fulfilling, it certainly does not come without its daily struggles. She said that the biggest struggle she has is wanting to be able to do everything everyday for the people in her life but just simply not having the time or the energy to do it all.
Another struggle she has is all of the driving around town she has to do between classes and teaching and that her life is especially chaotic when she accidentally overbooks herself for things.
“If anything, I need to say ‘no’ a little more often so as to not burn myself out or damage my own body. I have to remind myself that I also need a break once in a while,” she said.
Helmers said that the best part of her job so far is being able to connect with so many different people and to form a variety of friendships with her clients. She said that she knows all of her students’ names and a little bit about each of them personally.
“I feel that showing your clients that you are truly there to help them and take interest in their life and health goals is key!” she stated.
Advice she would give to her fellow college students would be to find exercise that they enjoy and to embrace it daily. She noted that everyone should try their best to take care of their body now so that they won’t have to later.
“Embrace and love your body; it is the most amazing thing you will ever own,” she stressed.
Interested in taking some of Stephanie’s classes? Contact her at (608) 797-3616, email her at [email protected], or visit her website at www.zenandpowstudio.wix.com/zenandpowstudio.