Meka is a Personal Trainer certified by the American Council on Exercise. She is a Holistic Health Practitioner, Certified Sports Nutrition Consultant and Advanced Holistic Nutritionist. Meka also holds a degree in Psychology mentoring in Dance. She dedicates herself to promoting health and fitness for sailors, sailing enthusiasts, youth and anyone with a desire to lead a healthier lifestyle. She has a certification in Plant based nutrition from Cornell University as well. Her education also includes specialty certificates in:
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- Plant Based Nutrition
- Holistic Fitness
- Yoga and Mind Body Healing
- Lower Body Strength and Stabilization
She has also been trained in:
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- Nutrition for Women
- Mind Body Programs
- Physiology
- Injury Prevention
- Abdominals
- Kinesiology
- Exercise Programs for Kids
- Back Stabilization
- Athletic Abs
- Kids Stability Ball Exercises
Having grown up in a strong sailing community, it was a natural progression for Meka to use her skills to help those passionate about this sport. Many sailors don't realize how physically and mentally demanding the sport of sailing is. It requires high levels of endurance, muscular development and self-awareness - the perfect blend of mind and body. And the perfect focus for Meka's talents.
At one point in time Meka found herself 55 pounds overweight. At 5'3" that is a lot for the body to carry. She struggled with weight as a child and then through High School and college had never had a problem. She then decided she would never have one again. Not believing in fad diets she made a lifestyle change and shed the weight through her own hard work and motivation. She continued on to train with Tom McCarthy, a trainer out of Buffalo. She started training for fitness competitions and was very close to her first competition when she realized she would rather teach others how to live a healthy lifestyle then compete. She started studying for her certification and took her examine while on the road with SAILFIT. She has now been certified by the American Council on Exercise since 2001. As the years went on I realized that there needed to be a trifecta for me to stay healthy. I needed to be engaged mind, body and soul. Fitness, nutrition and mental training all became equally important.
Since then I have focused on helping other people by combining my passion for fitness, nutrition and the power of our mind with my existing training in Psychology and Dance and becoming a personal trainer and Holistic Nutritionist.
"SAILFIT and Kurt's Olympic dreams have taken us all over the world. Traveling has taught me a lot about fitness both mentally and physically. I am a runner so all I need are my sneakers and I'm off. I have seen some of the most beautiful countryside and beaches this way. I have also seen many laps around a rest stop! Fitness benefits me physically, but mentally there is nothing compared to it. Whether I am running or weight training it's my time to push myself and to work out whatever stress or hurdles I may be facing. I believe that you need to be mentally fit, nutritionally fit as well as physically fit. Put these three elements together and you are a force to be reckoned with. This is what I want to share with people and what I want to teach them." -- Meka
Meka put in some hard training for many Half Marathons and decided that It was time to embark on another challenge, a full Marathon. Meka has helped raise Money for the Ulman Cancer Fund. They Provide support, education and resources, to benefit young adults affected by cancer, their families and friends. So she decided to join their Team Fight and raise money to help the Ulman Cancer Fund. "They are an amazing group of people and the vibe is so positive when you are around them. Working with them and raising money was just a given for me. If all of these individuals can stand up and fight cancer I can certainly push myself for a few miles to benefit them." -- Meka
Unfortunately the same day she committed to this Meka also suffered her first running injury. A torn Meniscus….Meka was fortunate enough to know a DOM (Doctor Of Oriental Medicine) who said she would help Meka recover and still run the Marathon. Holly Johantgen, Doctor of Oriental Medicine, A.P., Dipl. Ac., M.S.O.M., started giving Meka acupuncture treatments. Increasingly determined not to have surgery and to help the body to heal itself Meka continued with acupuncture and a rigorous rehab routine. Paying careful attention to diet, stretching multiple times per day and deep tissue massage Meka has was able to start training for her marathon. "My deepest respect and gratitude go to Holly Johantgen. The knowledge and patience she has are just unparalleled. On days I thought I might never run again she gave me the positive mindset to stay on track. Sometimes I think she has more faith in me than I do myself. Acupuncture and Oriental medicine have become a mainstay not only for me, but for my family as well. It has truly changed our lives." -- Meka She ran the full marathon and has continued to run distance and even through another pregnancy.
Over the years Meka has been fortunate enough to work with some of the top Sailors in the country. Some of which have gone on to represent the USA at the Olympic games. She says each client teaches her just as much as she teaches them. Their desire and passion for what they do is unparalleled.
"It's true that I am pretty regimented with my personal training and my nutrition. I enjoy it and when the day comes that I don't then I know something has got to change. My biggest accomplishment to date is running through three pregnancies up until and on the day I went into labor." says Meka. She used to run every day with her children but now that they have gotten bigger they are helping her train. They come out and cheer her on and hand off water on her long runs. It is never too early to start a good example.
If you would like more information about Holistic Health Training, Contact Meka, she would love to hear from you!
