About Me

Welcome to Fitness & Feta!

Growing up in a Big Fat 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 overweight.  In fact, I was always very active – I danced 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 for exercise when combined with the college lifestyle of case races, late night pizza fests, and the food selection in Ray Cafe.  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 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 AFAA and began teaching the following fall, in September 2005.  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!

I’ve been an instructor ever since, and my love for “healthy living” keeps growing.  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 feel good about it!  My family and friends often ask “How do you do it?” and I’ve decided that it’s time to extend my love for fitness, nutrition, and living a happy life to the blog community as well.  This is where I will share workout advice, recipes, and other random musings and tidbits to help others achieve an active lifestyle.

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 or comments, please feel free to email me at akaralekas@gmail.com.