Meet Jennifer Shaver | Wellness Advisor/Healthy Habit Advocate

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jennifer Shaver and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jennifer, what habits do you feel play an important role in your life?
As a former marathon runner I have learned that success takes time. I didn’t decide to run a marathon and wake up the next day to go run 26.2 miles. I trained arduously for 6-8 months leading up to the big day. We are a society that has become accustomed to immediate results. If we want food we simply type it in our phone and it arrives at our doorstep or we go to a drive thru. The art of delayed gratification and working hard for an extended period of time has been lost. As a marathon runner you learn to pace yourself and work on getting better at your craft daily/weekly. Some weeks you are on top of your game and others not so much. The marathon really is a metaphor for life. The value is in what we learn a long the way. The race itself or reaching whatever goal it is we have set is just a part of the process it is not THE process itself. There are also times when we are able to meet our goals or have a great race so to speak, yet also times when things don’t work out. It is important to use those times as learning experiences that are building blocks for future success. Evaluating what worked well and what didn’t work as expected so that future endeavors can be more successful.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I have always been an avid fitness enthusiast. I used to set my VCR to record Denise Austin and do her workouts before leaving for work(I am a former middle school Spanish teacher). Once my children were born(2001 oldest was born and 2003 next one came along) I became a stay at home mom and my attention was focused on them. I did make sure to continue my fitness habit and found a gym that offered babysitting while I took care of my health and my workout. When the pandemic hit in 2020 we were all left at home with no kid activities to attend. I knew this was a great time for me to focus on something that could help others. My oldest was about to graduate from high school and the next one was a junior in high school. My time of volunteering was coming to an end and so I knew I would have more time to devote to other interests. I combined my love of fitness and my ability as a former teacher into becoming a certified personal trainer. Once certified I created my business Fit with Shaver. I focus my attention on the busy midlife woman. I went from teaching middle school students to teaching midlife women. This is a population that is often overworked and overwhelmed. I help women learn to make exercise a part of their healthy habits without extreme time commitments or extreme exercises so that they can prepare their bodies to age successfully. I work on helping them instill healthy habits so that they have more energy to do the things they enjoy. I provide online strength training that is void of burpees and sit-up and prepares the everyday muscles to be strong for life using my Strong for Life program.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I don’t think I would ever invite anyone I like to Columbus Ohio, I do have a home on Sanibel Island so that’s where we would be. It is more home to me than any other place on earth. While it is void of touristy things to do, it is the most magical place. The wildlife you can see in a day is better than any zoo. My day usually starts with a nice walk on the bike path. While the island itself is only 12 miles long, there are over 25 miles of paved bike path. Starting the day with a walk on this path is a great way to start the day. After that a trip to the beach to search for some shells is a must especially during low tide. A boat ride in the afternoon or time out on the paddle boards will provide opportunity to see manatees, dolphins, cormorants, pelicans and and the occasional bald eagle. Dinner at the Old Captiva House particularly if planned to coincide with sunset will leave you with a breathtaking view and way to end your day. It is all the simple things in life that make for a complete day.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
John Wooden and his Pyramid of Success has helped to shape my approach to life. I have also drawn great knowledge from Brian Kight and his Daily Discipline Newsletter. I start my day with his thoughtful words that allow me to set my intentions for the day and how to approach the day with proper mindset.

Website: strongforlifefitness.com

Instagram: Fit with Shaver

Linkedin: Jennifer Shaver

Facebook: Fit with Shaver

Youtube: @fitwithshaver1974

Other: fitwithshaver@gmail.com