Welcome to Fitness & Feta!
Growing up in a Greek family where gyros and baklava are thought to be next in line to water and shelter hasn’t always made it easy to make the healthiest decisions. Food, and lots of it, is often the focal point of every Greek gathering. Turning down seconds, never mind thirds or fourths, is usually received with a blank look (think My Big Fat Greek Wedding’s “What do you mean you eat no meat?!”) and then another helping of spanakopita and moussaka heaped high on your plate.
Despite my background, I was never [that] overweight. In fact, I have always been very active. Growing up I played soccer, field hockey, and t-ball. I took dance lessons since the age of four and ran track in high school. I continued dancing in college as part of the Providence College Dance Company; however that just didn’t cut it as enough exercise when combined with the college lifestyle of beer, late night pizza fests, and the cafeteria food selection. I started noticing the “freshman fifteen” catching up with me and decided I needed to do something about it. I began taking advantage of the Friar Fitness program, and I even went to Jazzercise over breaks with my best friend and our moms. It was then I discovered my love for fitness classes, and my obsession grew.
During my sophomore year, I noticed signs around school advertising for fitness instructor tryouts. Several of the current instructors were graduating and needed replacements, so I thought “Why not?” I put together an audition and was selected. That summer I got certified through the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America and began teaching the following fall. Between that and still dancing, I felt better about my body. Plus, what a perfect on campus job that was, getting paid to work out!
That was in September 2005, and I’ve been an instructor ever since. After college I started teaching part time with the Greater Boston YMCA as a side to my full time job. However, my love for “healthy living” keeps growing. Since then I have also certified in personal training through the American College of Sports Medicine, made a full-time career switch (at the same company) into an HR role that will allow me to create and implement a worksite wellness program for my company’s 4000+ employees, took on the role of Group Exercise Coordinator at the Y, and am currently working toward my wellness coaching certification through Wellcoaches. Needless to say, I’m a pretty busy gal, but somehow I find the time for my friends, family, boyfriend, and blogging amongst it all.
By no means am I perfect (I still can’t turn down a mozzarella stick after a night out with my girlfriends), but I strive for a sense of balance and know that with moderation I can still indulge every now and then – and actually feel good about it! My family and friends often ask “How do you do it?” and that’s why I have created this little home for myself in the healthy living blog community. This blog is where I enjoy spreading my passion for wellness to all of you by sharing workout advice, recipes, and other random musings and tidbits to help others achieve a healthy lifestyle. I can do it, but so can you!
I hope you enjoy Fitness & Feta! I’m no expert or medical professional and therefore write about what works for me, but I hope my writing can help motivate you to stay happy and healthy in your own individual ways.
If you have any questions, comments, ideas, post requests, or would like to work together, please feel free to email me at fitnessandfeta@gmail.com.
Well I’m inspired just reading about you! great blog you’ve got going here.
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Thank you! Daily Dose of Fresh looks great too! 🙂
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I went to PC too and even took some of your classes! Fun coming across your blog!
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Small world! 🙂
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Hi Athena,
This is a great site! Love your recipes.
Tina
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Thanks Auntie Tina!
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love this! I can’t wait until I become a fitness instructor:)
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Stumbled back on this comment today…. look at you now!
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Love your blog! You’ve put so much work into this and it’s so educational! Thanks for sharing your life and I look forward to reading more!
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Thank you! Glad you found me! 🙂
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GAH! I love baklava
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Me too! Obviously 🙂
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I nominated you for the sunshine award!
http://toriteachesfitness.com/2012/08/24/the-sunshine-award/
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Thank you!!
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Poli kala blog. Sorry, my Greek is rusty, but great blog you have.
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Thank you!
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Love your blog! I’m in Boston too! I have a food blog… mostly dedicated to food… but I’m a runner and try to write about working out too. Keep up the awesome job!
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Thank you so much!
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Hi love your blog and I have nominated you for the super sweet blogging award http://inprosciuttoofperfection.wordpress.com/awards/
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Thank you so much!
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Hey there from a fellow Foodie Pen Pal! Just checking out your blog and wanted to say hello!
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Hello! Thanks for stopping by… come again 🙂
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Hello Athena!! I am so happy to have come across your blog – it sounds like we share similar passions and careers! I started teaching group fitness 13 years ago…. and then went on to become a personal trainer, manage the fitness/wellness dept at UCDavis, earn a BA in Dance, and complete the wellness coach cert from Wellcoaches (great program! totally want to do it again :). Currently I own my own health and wellness business in San Francisco and feel incredibly grateful to connect to others and build a loving community of support to inspire positive, fearless lives. While google searching for wellness vacations in Greece I found your blog and I am so happy I did! Looking forward to following along and sharing health, happiness, and inspiration with you online 🙂
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Hi Caroline, thank you for leaving this note. I love hearing other people’s wellness journeys, and it definitely sounds like we have a similar path. Hope to hear from you again soon!
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Hi!! From a fellow Greek fitness freak…I am really enjoying your blog and glad I found it!! Thanks for the inspiration!! Adrienne
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Hi Adrienne, great to hear from you! Thanks for reading!
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Hi there! I just started following your blog and I wanted to say that I love everything I’ve seen so far. You have a lot of great fitness tips and you definitely seem to be inspiring people towards happy and health lifestyles! Can’t wait to read more (:
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Hi Jessi, thank you so much for your nice words. I appreciate you reading!
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That is wonderful that you found something you loved and have been able to do so much with it.
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Being Greek also I can relate:) I love your blog, you are doing an awesome job!!!
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Hi Athena! I just found your blog and love it. So much info and fun to read. 😉
I’m currently working on losing weight and your blog is inspiring. Check out my blog : myweightolose.com when you get a chance. Thanks! 🙂
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Thanks so much!
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I am so happy I stumbled across your blog! I am a fellow Greek girl who blogs about health and fitness! I love your blog and look forward to following more of your posts!
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I love it! Thanks!
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Hi Athena!
I’ve been enjoying your blog for a few months (I think I found you via Pinterest). Your elliptical and core workouts got me through 4 months of not running due to a toe injury. So thank you! Anyway…
I have nominated you for a Liebster Award. I have no idea who Liebster is, but it’s like a giant chain letter. It’s for bloggers to nominate other blogs they enjoy reading that have a small (in your case, larger than mine) following. Plus, voila! Easy blog post topic.
Anyway, for the questions I was required to ask you and the list of rules, you can see my blog post where I have nominated you here at http://www.seenancyrun.wordpress.com
Thanks!
Nancy
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Thanks so much, Nancy! Hope your foot injury is doing better. 🙂
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Where can I buy the t-shirt?! And I love the website.
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