Today we’d like to introduce you to Elsa Senat.
Elsa, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I started my fitness journey in 2013, my senior of college. For most of my life, I watched my precious mother and other family members suffer from chronic illnesses such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and cancer. As a result, it galvanized me to take control of my health. I started running with one of my close friends a couple times a week and I saw improvements not only in my body, but in my mental health as well. As the years went by, my admiration for fitness grew and I loved helping my friends with their workouts. Being a woman of color, we are at a higher risk of many chronic illnesses, and I wanted to be apart of the solution that would change that narrative. Around 2017, I knew that I wanted to help & teach women of color to become a healthier them!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My fitness journey has been just that… a journey! My journey has definitely had its peaks and low points. There was a time where I didn’t work out for three months! I was dealing with my mother’s stage IV cancer diagnosis and I didn’t really know how to process it. There were even times where I couldn’t finish a workout. However, I kept pushing and I kept going. The advice I would give young women is that discipline and consistency is hard, and it takes time to build. However, you will get there! The reward for being disciplined and consistent goes beyond your fitness journey. Also, I would say that your feelings is not a variable for your fitness journey. I always tell my friends, “commitment over feelings.” You will accomplish your goals, just be patient with yourself and give yourself some grace.
What do you do? What do you specialize in?
I am a fitness motivator and I am looking to specialize in strength and endurance training. I am most proud of what I do because I am able to help young women, specifically young women of color, to not only be more aware of their health but enjoy the journey of becoming a healthier them! I would say what sets me apart from my fellow fitness motivators is that I take a holistic approach to fitness. I want to eliminate as many barriers for young women so that they can feel empowered to change. I discuss nutrition, grocery bill hacks, hair barriers, emotional barriers, and the related.
We’re interested to hear your thoughts on female leadership – in particular, what do you feel are the biggest barriers or obstacles?
I would say one of the biggest barriers to female leadership is a lack of collaboration among women. The beauty is that there is room for EVERYONE and you do not need to be anyone but yourself. Social media can strip your joy or discourage you from pursuing your dreams. However, what you bring to the table is just as special as what the next woman brings to the table. As a result, the more women collaborate, the more and bigger the opportunity is for everyone.
Contact Info:
- Email: elsiesenat1@gmail.com
- Instagram: abenevolentsoul
- Twitter: ElsaSenat
Image Credit:
Photo taken by Ashley
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