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Fitness
           Nadia Mondragon                                                       the programs she creates for her clients.

                                                                                 “I love being able to combine my knowl-
                                                                                 edge of medicine with my knowledge of
                                                                                 fitness.”
                                                                                   Nadia at first worked in gyms but
           Helping You Achieve Your Fitness Goals                                soon realized that she could not accom-
                                                                                 plish what she wanted in those settings,
                          Photos by Dawn Nicoli/Nicoli Productions               so, she started Steady Body Boss. Nadia
                                                                                 now has both personal and corporate
                                                                                 clients who rely on her to help them
           Nadia Mondragon was born and                                          achieve their health and fitness goals.
        raised in Chihuahua Mexico, always                                         “A lot of my clients are very busy
        dreaming of becoming a doctor Nadia                                      executives who can’t find the time to
        studied medicine at the University Au-                                   go to a gym to work out, so I come to
        tonomous of Juarez Chihuahua, achiev-                                    them. There are also those who dislike
        ing her dream and becoming a doctor in                                   gyms because they feel intimidated or
        2004.                                                                    self-conscious in a gym setting.” Nadia
           Nadia met and subsequently married                                    does one-on-one training, couples
        a fellow student while in medical school.                                training, and small group training. I
        She temporarily put her career on hold                                   asked her what she loved most about
        to support her marriage and raise her                                    what she does. "Seeing the excitement
        children. When her marriage ended in                                     of my clients when they see the results
        divorce, Nadia needed a way to support                                   they could never achieve before. Going it
        her children and decided she would go                                    alone is tough and confusing. I educate
        back to her previous passion for fitness                                 them not only on what they need to do,
        and sports. She went on to obtain her                                    but why they need to do it.”
        education and degree to become a                                           Nadia starts her training telling her
        fitness instructor, personal trainer, and                                clients that she is not going to make any
        fitness and wellness coach.                                              drastic changes. “On my first meeting
           Nadia had been a semiprofessional                                     with a new client, the first thing I tell
        athlete. “I was a runner; my main event                                  them is ‘Don't worry. I'm not going to
        was the 800 meters team competition                                      change anything in your diet.’ The look of
        relay of 4 by 400 meters. I also competed   new direction. “I love what I do and can   relief is predictable, but then I add, 'you
        in the 1500 meters and pole vaulting.”   approach my business with a wealth   are the one who is going to change it
           In 2013, Nadia graduated from    of knowledge because of my medical   and I'm going to teach you how to do it
        Southwestern College, having studied to   training.”                     the right way.’”
        become a personal trainer. She obtained   At some point Nadia hopes to become   For many clients, it often means
        her national certification as a person-  licensed as a physician in the U.S., but for   just some small changes that can work
        al trainer by the National Academy of   now with two small children, the expense   wonders in getting them to achieve the
        Sports Medicine in 2014. A strong believ-  and time needed must take a backseat to   results they desire. “Once you educate
        er in education and training, she went   spending time and supporting her chil-  people about why their body is not
        on to obtain additional certification from   dren. Nadia loves being a resource to her   responding to what they are doing, even
        NASM as a Corrective Exercise Specialist   clients, leading them in the right direction  though in some cases they are dieting
        and another certification as a Weight   in both nutrition and exercise.  excessively, and exercising religiously,
        Management Specialist. Nadia also ob-  “I started out training people and   it is like a light goes off and they finally
        tained a certificate in stress management  found I had a calling for this career. I had   get it.”
        from the Power of Calm Institute.   clients who tried for years to get in shape   Everyone is unique so those fad diets,
           Today, Nadia is the founder and CEO   on their own and they were just so frus-  or even traditional diets, will not always
        of Steady Body Boss, where she utilizes   trated because they weren’t getting the   work on everyone. I don’t have a one size
        her expertise as a personal trainer, physi-  results they desired. Once I took them on   fits all plan for my clients. I start off by lis-
        cian, and group exercise instructor. Nadia   as clients, they were reaching their goals   tening to my clients and getting to know
        focuses on nutrition coaching, weight   and thrilled with the results.”  them before I can create a program that
        loss, strength training, wellness, sports   When you become a client of Nadia’s,   will work for them. My approach is very
        injury, weightlifting, mobility, sleep issues,  you are getting more expertise than you   personal and tailored to each individual.
        bodybuilding, and rehabilitation.   would get from someone who is only     Nadia works with several local cor-
           Having started her career as a   trained in fitness & nutrition. With Nadia,   porations putting together programs of
        physician, I asked her if she enjoyed her   you get an expert in the science behind   movement for employees. Being able

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