About April
I grew up in Birmingham and moved to Argo in 1997. I am married to Ryan and have a son named Jesse. I work full time as a payroll accountant and train part time.
Athletic Background
I played basketball in middle school and ran outdoor track in high school. After graduating from high school, I continued exercising on my own, but it wasn’t until 2012 that I started getting serious about exercising. In spring of 2012, I decided that I wanted more results from my workouts, so I joined an outdoor boot camp class. This is where my exercise journey really began.
Turning Point
After joining the boot camp class, my father’s health started to deteriorate, and I realized that I was going to lose my father to his health issues. He was suffering from numerous bouts of pneumonia, heart disease, and kidney failure. Throughout his many stays in the hospital, I was determined to keep up my workouts because I didn’t want my health to go down the same path as his. In August of 2012, his body couldn’t fight any more and he passed away. My workouts then became my outlet to help me hold it together for my family. Then in 2015, after having numerous trainers at the boot camp I was attending, we got a new trainer that was in a wheel chair that had been paralyzed from a car accident. He was so encouraging and had such a passion for life and exercise that when things were hard in a workout you didn’t want to complain or give up because you realized that things could be worse. I continued working out with him until 2016 when the gym closed. Then I found SmartFIT. After joining SmartFIT, my passion for working out became even stronger, and I continued to get stronger and fitter. In 2017, I was thinking about what I wanted to do once I could retire from my fulltime job. My husband had told me that I needed to become a personal trainer, but I wasn’t so sure about it, so I decided that I would pray about it and then one day it was like I was being told by God, “You can do this”, so in late 2017, I enrolled with AFAA to get my personal training certification.
Passion
My passion for fitness, I feel, has made me a better and happier person. I want the people I train to realize that the effort that they put into being healthier does pay off. I want them to realize that it is a lifestyle change and the only person that can make it happen is “You”. The passion that the trainers at SmartFIT have isn’t like anything I have experienced at any other gym or boot-camp. They really care about every person that attends the classes. It doesn’t matter their fitness level. The trainers know how to modify and adjust workouts so that anyone can do the class. This is the reason I chose to become a trainer at SmartFIT.
Motivation
The motivation that I have received from being a part of SmartFIT has been wonderful. The trainers are knowledgeable and know how to push you to help you achieve your goals without making you feel like you are not going to be able to do it. They encourage you to do your best and not short-change yourself. Even if you are having a bad day or just in the middle of a hard workout, they know how to help you push through to the end, so at the end you can say “I made it”. I have many experience’s where I had expectations about my performance in a workout, but with the trainer’s encouragement I succeeded in going beyond what I thought I could do.
My biggest motivation is my family and the people I train. I want to set a good example, especially for my son. I want to make sure that I do all that I can to help them achieve their fitness goals big or small. I want them to be able to live their lives to the fullest.
Qualifications
AFAA Personal Training Certification
CPR/AED Certified