Glancer Magazine Picked Me!

Ten Fitness Influencers to Know by Glancer Magazine…

The Full Interview with Michelle Rae Sobi

1. Where is your studio located? I have two in Naperville. One is on the South side of Naperville on 87th & Modaff and the other is on the North side of Naperville on Ogden and Wright. Both are about five to ten minutes from downtown Naperville.

2. When did you first discover your passion for fitness? In junior high school. My best friend and I would go to the gym after school nearly every day. We thought we were so cool to hang out at the gym when everyone else was at McDonalds. We are still friends to this day.

3. If you had to pick one, do you prefer cardio or strength training and why? Tough question! But if I had to pick, cardio due to its stress relieving qualities. I feel people are pent up with stress and that manifests itself as ailments within the body.

4. Who or what inspired your love for fitness? My Uncle Nels. When I was growing up, he was always going to the gym and in such a good mood. I wanted to know what it was all about. He also taught me quite a bit about being a small business owner. He has since instilled these values in his children. He is still in great shape and in a good mood to this day!

5. What is your personal favorite nutritious meal or snack to make and why? Steel cut oatmeal. I really enjoy starting my day off with my overnight oats. I fill mason jars each week with nuggets such as dried cranberries, coconut, a bit of turmeric, etc. The breakfast of champions! My son had oatmeal every morning since the second grade and still has it to this day. He’s been a great example of commitment to wellness.

6. What is the one body part of yours that is your nemesis and your all-time favorite exercise to combat that area? Arms! I love nothing more than nice toned guns in a sun dress. When I put on a few extra pounds, that’s where it goes! I love my Barre Yoga class to tone and slim my guns.

7. What does being a fitness influencer and fitness role model for other people mean to you – what message do you like to convey to others about being fit and healthy? Being a fitness professional is a tremendous responsibility. You have to be mindful that students are coming for all different reasons. If you can find out what each student really wants to accomplish and target that, you’re ready to do your job. That’s a lot more effective than putting your own personal goals upon them.

8. You hold many certifications – which one of you most proud of and why? My Fitness Instructor certificate from College of DuPage. It is a very rigorous program but my knowledge of kinesiology is at the core of my craft. I’m currently in the middle of earning my RYT 500 Hour Yoga Teacher Training at Essencia Yoga. I’m a student before I am a teacher.

9 Can you please share a bit about your family – single, married, children, pets, etc.. I am married and we are quickly becoming empty nesters. We have two little dogs we rescued that rescue us every day! We are both business owners, so we work quite a bit, but also enjoy freedom from a conventional schedule. We recently bought a house just around the corner from my newest Power Edge Yoga studio. I’m pretty excited about riding my fat tire bicycle to work every day.

10. Where do you like to get new ideas to keep it fresh for clients and yourself so fitness does not become boring? Training workshops! I love to take my Edge Yoga School teacher trainees workshops, and see what they know. I learn so much from them!

11. What awards or accolades have you earned in the fitness or nutrition arena? My Yoga Teacher Training program was nominated Best Program at the SCW Fitness Mania Conference last year. It was so exciting!

12. What are your personal hobbies outside of fitness and nutrition? I absolutely love to paint. I started going to the wine and sip paint parties at Pinot Palette and must admit that I’ve gotten pretty good. Sometimes I donate them to local senior housing.

13. Since we can’t always be healthy 100% of the time – What is your guilty pleasure? Snickers bars. Whenever I think about eating something unhealthy I qualify it against how many snickers bars I could have for that. I haven’t had sour cream in three years! You can have half a snickers bar for one serving of sour cream.

14. Please feel free to share anything else you would like the community to know about your love for an overall healthy lifestyle and how to make living healthy fun. There is no short cut to health. I try to encourage my students to live in a healthy way through yoga and meditation, and the body will reflect that. Almost any fad diet can work short term. The idea is to embrace health and treat the body as the temple it is. Eating is for nourishment, not entertainment.