When people ask me when it was that I first knew I wanted to be an exercise physiologist, I think back to when I was a child. I grew up on the south side of Chicago in a town called Calumet City. My best friend, who lived in a house across the alley, would come over everyday and we would play "workout." My dad had a weight room in the basement. I would blast Whitney Houston and pretend like I was an aerobics instructor. Then I'd act like I knew everything about lifting weights and my little friend would follow me around and repeat everything I did. Our intentions were purely to have fun. We weren't trying to lose weight or get tone; we just knew that playing "workout" made us feel good.

I was always passionate about health and fitness. Even as an English and Journalism student at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, IL, all I really enjoyed writing about was health and fitness. I was always trying to ask people I thought "looked fit" about the subject, seeming that made them all knowing. There were so many contradictions out there, and it was so confusing! It wasn't until after college that I knew that if wanted to help guide others and myself in the right direction, I had to go back to school and earn my master degree in Exercise Physiology.

My graduate assistantship consisted of a cardiac rehab program (stages III and IV) and an adult fitness program for the apparently healthy population. Like most people, I held several jobs as a grad student. I walked into a newly opened Ladies Workout Express to get a job teaching aerobics and was hired as the fitness program coordinator. I started an in-house instructor training program and the first prenatal exercise program offered in the area entitled M.O.T.H.E.R.S. (Mothers open to health, exercise, relaxation, and strength). I loved working with the wide range of people and fitness levels. I started training people in their homes working with stay-at-home moms, the NIU faculty, pregnant women, and college athletes.

I took a yoga class as an elective one summer, not realizing that I would fall in love with the practice. I began studying yoga under the direction of one of my instructors, Dr. Danielle Jay. I began teaching the class at the campus recreation center and eventually was asked to lead classes for a variety of athletic teams to assist in their training. I developed a class for our cardiac rehab patients to work on lowering their blood pressure and select conditions. My thesis study observed cardiovascular responses to power yoga asanas, which was one of the first yoga studies conducted in the United States.

After grad school, I moved back to Chicago and was hired as a personal trainer at the Gold Coast Multiplex. I introduced private yoga training to the club, which allowed me to work on individual's specific needs. My clientele ranged from college students to working parents to retired seniors.

In September 2002, I was hired into Advocate Fitness' management team. Working in corporate fitness allowed me to see first-hand the struggles people face with balancing work and a healthy lifestyle. Even having the convenience of a fitness center in their company, it was still a challenge to break free from work to exercise. Some individuals even expressed the pressures of being perceived with having time to workout would state that they weren't dedicated enough to their job.

For fun, and to maintain my practical skills, I began training individuals in their homes, condo fitness centers, and swimming pools in fall 2002. I trained couples, individuals, children, and seniors. Their successes and accomplishments were so exciting to see, even if the accomplishment was simply to adhere to a consistent program. As years past, I realized that my true passion lied in having one-on-one interaction and empowering individuals to find that motivation and create behavior modifications. Finding a team who shared my passions and philosophies, it was evident we had a mission. . .evolved Escape 2 Fitness.

Karen@escape2fitness.com