Meet Your Coach!
Courtney Gaines, A.S, B.S, AACC-CPT, FITOUR- PGE, ACE-WMS, NASM-CNC, AFPA-PPFSC
Growing up, I’ve always struggled with my weight. I was embarrassed and had low self-esteem for quite some time. It wasn’t until my senior year of high school, until I really got introduced to fitness. I was assigned to be an aide for an Aerobics class and ended up loving it! With the help of my Aerobics teacher, I was able to shed 15 pounds before prom! That was one of the best feelings, I’ve ever felt. Not only were other people noticing my achievements, but I was acknowledging my new commitment to me.
I discovered that health and wellness was my biggest interest in school. In 2014, I received my A.S. in Health, Fitness and Exercise Studies and Certificate of Personal Training. I continued to exercise, but really struggled with eating healthy. Of course, fluctuation can be a beast. Four years past, I stepped on the scale and couldn’t believe what I saw. I knew I was far too young to be carrying so much weight, so I decided to really make a change that I could adhere to. With maintaining multiple jobs, relationships and family life, I was able get back in school. I knew I wanted a career in the health field, I just wasn’t exactly sure doing what. In 2017, I graduated from Towson University with a B.A. in Exercise Science. My last semester I also experienced my first fitness job as a Group Exercise Instructor. My manager called me a “natural.” For me, that was amazing, because I’ve always struggled with social anxiety. When I teach, somehow that all goes a way and I feel like I can really be myself. In college, I was also able to receive my ACE Weight Management Specialist Certification. After graduating, I accepted a position as a Personal Trainer for high-risk clients. I loved it. I was able to make new connections with so many great people, all while helping them feel better and become stronger. After a year working as a personal trainer, my boyfriend (now fiance) landed a job in New York and suggested that I come with him. Although, I was scared to move, (Maryland was the only thing I knew), I knew that in life we must jump out of our comfort zone in order to grow. I applied to jobs and landed a position at one of the top 10 fitness companies in the US.
I moved to New Jersey in 2019 and began working for an amazing fitness company. In 2020, the world changed drastically with Covid-19. New laws were enforced, making it more difficult for people to stay in shape. During quarantine, I decided that I was not going to sit around and do nothing. Exercise was apart of my everyday life and I wasn’t going to let a “stay-at-home order” stop me. I was able to earn my NASM Certified Nutrition Coach Certificate during this time. Then I had the idea of teaching online. I started teaching friends and family and really appreciated all the time and commitment I saw them put in. I thought, well if they enjoy and benefit from these online classes, then maybe others will too. Just Gaines was born.
I decided to receive my AFPA Pre and Postnatal Fitness Specialist Certification in June 2021. We were blessed with a beautiful baby girl on October 7, 2021. Let me just say, my pregnancy was so manageable and not at all what I expected. This certification helped calmed my nerves and made me so much more confident in my daily movements and helped prepare me for the BIG day of labor and delivery. Ladies, do not compare your pregancies to other women. We are all different and will all experience different symptoms. Exercise and nutrition plays a big role in our lives! I’m so happy that I can add expecting and post partum mothers to my specialization of clients!
Ladies, life gets hectic, trust me I know! I want to help solve the issue of not having time, not being motivated and not wanting to leave the house. I want to help other women like me, learn how to commit to a healthy lifestyle, not just a quick fix. I want to help convey that fitness and nutrition can be enjoyable, affordable and informative all at the same time. I want to help women GAIN confidence, GAIN self-esteem and GAIN control of their health! Our bodies are all different, I want to help you to discover what ways work best for you. I’m a devoted health coach and I’m grateful that I have found my passion and my purpose. Let’s do this!
No losses, Just Gaines.
Check out my success story at: https://www.blackweightlosssuccess.com/courtney-lost-43-pounds/