I’m Steph. And I built this for the woman the fitness industry keeps failing.
You’re strong. You’ve been active your whole life. You show up consistently, you care deeply about your training, and you are absolutely not a beginner. And yet somehow, every program you try is built for someone else.
Too intense. Too generic. Too focused on shrinking your body instead of building your strength. Written by people who have never had a hot flash, a high-pressure career, and a half marathon on the calendar at the same time. Too unconcerned with the fact that you’re a real person with a job and a family.
The fitness industry keeps telling women like you to eat less, play it safe, and be grateful for whatever scraps of progress come from it. That’s not coaching.
I kept thinking: someone needs to build something better. So I did.
I’m a strength and nutrition coach, Brazilian jiu-jitsu athlete, and the author of The Core 4.
Competing in sports is something I’ve done since I was a kid. From soccer to mountain bike racing, CrossFit to jiu-jitsu, I’ve always loved the feeling of challenging myself and being connected to my body.
I studied Biology with a concentration in Human Physiology at UMass Amherst, then spent twelve years as a high school biology and chemistry teacher — all while competing at a high level in sports.
But years of trying to get smaller, lighter, and leaner were taking a toll. By 2010, I was under-fueled, losing muscle, and constantly fighting off injuries.
That year, I walked into a gym and started lifting free weights. Little did I know it would change everything.
To build strength, I had to fuel, train, and recover properly — instead of obsessing over skinny. It was liberating.
You deserve a coach who actually understands what’s happening in your body, not just someone who tells you to work harder.
I’m not just writing programs and sending you on your way.
I pay attention. When a client mentions in her training log that she’s been skipping the jumping exercises, I ask why. When someone’s energy is tanking despite doing everything “right,” I don’t just tell her to walk more, I look at the full picture. When a pattern shows up that deserves a second look, I say something.
If you’re afraid that you’re slowly losing the part of yourself that loves doing hard physical things, I take that seriously.
My clients are women building something durable — the kind of strength that shows up on the start line, on the trail, on the mat, and in everyday life well into their 70s and beyond. They’re not before-and-after stories. They’re athletes.
MY PHILOSOPHY
Women in midlife don’t need less. They need smarter programming, better fueling, and a coach who understands the full picture of their lives and physiology.
Training without a strategy isn’t the answer. Training with intention, recovering on purpose, and fueling like an athlete is the answer. And no, it doesn’t happen in eight weeks.
- Certified Sports Nutritionist from the International Society of Sports Nutrition (CISSN)
- National Academy of Sports Medicine – Certified Personal Trainer (NASM-CPT)
- Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology with Human Physiology concentration, University of Massachusetts – Amherst
- USA Weightlifting Level 1 Coach, USAW
- Certified Menopause Coaching Specialist, Girls Gone Strong
- Menopause Health & Fitness Specialist, MedFit Classroom
- Certified Women’s Coaching Specialist, Girls Gone Strong
- Health Mindset Coaching Certified
- Pure PROgramming Certified
- Safe Sport Certified
- CrossFit Level 1
- Master of Arts Degree in Education, National University
- Certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, Nutritional Therapy Association
- Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, Intuitive Eating Pros
- National Board Certification in Chemistry, National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
If you’ve been training for years and you’re ready to stop spinning your wheels — ready for a plan that sees you as the experienced athlete you are — I’d love to work with you.