Trainer shares fitness journey to inspire other Mums

27 Apr

**Movve owner Jess Ryder, standing, with son Jax and Steph Marshall with son and daughter PJ and Piper. “I love that my kids get to come and see what I do for work, and for myself at Movve”.**

Mother of two Steph Marshall changed her life through exercise and improved nutrition. Now she is doing the same for others.

Steph trains people daily at Movve Fitness in Yandina. She inspires healthy living to her clients through fitness and nutrition. For many, she’s the epitome of “passion” in the gym, and her fitness journey took off from the start.

“I started as a client with (Movve owner) Jess Ryder in Feb 2018 when she was Valkyrie Health and Fitness. It was 12 weeks after having my daughter Piper when I started doing classes. I completed one of the challenges and had some amazing results. I lost a heap of weight and started feeling incredible.

“From that moment on, I knew that I wanted to help other women and mums feel as good as I did.”

Steph said she completed her Certificate 3 and 4 in health and fitness and ditched her 9-to-5 admin job. “Not long after that, I fell pregnant with PJ but I continued to work right up until a couple of weeks before I was due and returned to work when he was 4 months old. Having a work environment where I am able to bring my children with me to see what I do has been amazing.”

Jess said when Covid hit last year she took the opportunity to rebrand and created Movve.

The restructured program aligned with Steph’s passion for helping parents move and do things they thought were beyond them.

“The feeling I get seeing the joy in clients’ eyes when they do something they never thought they could do or would do is something I can’t explain,” she said.

Steph has loved every minute of her new role as Facility Manager and her enjoyment is reflected in feedback from clients.

“I never actually ever thought of myself as a role model for other women until I had someone say that I was their ‘goal’,” she said. “It made me actually stop and think and realise that what I was doing was having a positive impact on more people than I thought.

“Being a PT/Coach has been so rewarding. One major thing I remember about my own fitness journey was the moment I realised that for the first time in forever I was actually happy with my body and where I was at. I am doing things I never thought I would be able to do ever, let alone at 30 years old — like chin ups and dips. And holding a handstand for nearly 30 seconds!”

She said her journey also had a positive effect on her family.

“I love that my kids get to come and see what I do not only for work but for myself as well. Movve is such a positive and inspiring environment that my whole family gets to enjoy”

• Movve Gym is at 1/3 Progress Place Yandina: hello@movve.com.au, 0448 934 355, 5446 7796.