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

Hi Jai, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
Work life balance is important and something that should remain a priority. As a personal trainer for over a decade, I’ve worked with many clients that put work first for years and unfortunately ended up with preventable health issues. They come to me desperate after hearing from a doctor what would take place if they did not make a change.

Also, I am a wife and a mom of two. Time flies! I don’t want to miss moments and so many moments are within the day to day routine. If we just spend all of our time pouring into others, we won’t have anything left to give. There must be allotted time to pour into our own mind, body and soul which often comes from exercise, laughter with loved ones and personal growth.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am a licensed Personal Trainer through the American Council of since 2011 but have been training since I was in my late teens. I am 43 now and still extremely passionate about sharing with others the blessing of health. I implement my years of experience into how I train my clients but always keep a fresh perspective that each person has their own journey. My focus is preserving their body, being sensitive to their need but strong in leading them closer to their goal.

Since I have trained for so long, I have matured in how I trained clients. I use to train to give people a great workout in my twenties.

In my 30s, I got Prenatal & Postnatal certified in NYC. I just had my first son and lost 56 pounds post delivery through eating clean and exercise. I trained with the focus on being patient, safe and focused because I was creating balance between my health, training others, being a wife and mom. Then I started working with clients with all different unique goals. From a father of 3 who lost his wife to cancer and wanted to extend his life to see his kids grow up. He lost 99 pounds with us in the Bronx.
From a retired officer who was in the World Trade Center on Sept 11. Doctors said his lung capacity would not be the same again. Through training with us, his doctor’s were amazed at the breakthrough with endurance, weight loss and lung capabilities.
To a mom of 3 who was under 5ft tall and had a special needs teenage son that she lifted in and out of his wheel chair multiple times a day to care for him, transport him. My focus was strengthening her body, protecting her back so she can perform her day to day role without injury.

It is the victories in these stories that keep you pushing when it is not easy managing a gym, caring for clients, a household and myself. Our work ethic is being watched by our kids. My oldest has seen our growth over the years and he has watched LEGACY go from one location to 6. They have seen how victories from one client brings more people wanting to live healthy, how to keep pushing and getting creative in challenging seasons.

As I train now in my 40s, my goal is to help each person get strong, feel amazing and train their body from a place of gratitude for all it does for them. Not to exercise from a place of body disapproval or comparison to others. My goal is to connect people in a positive way to nurture the one body they have been given through exercise and nutrition.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would absolutely set up her P.I.T. sessions here at LEGACY Pembroke Pines with me so she has a “P.I.T.cation”

On a girl’s night, I would show her Wynwood Walls since it reminds me of “Da Bronx” with the graffiti and she is also from NYC so she would love it. We would go to my favorite Italian Restaurant on Biscayne Blvd “Via Verde Miami” @viaverdimiami. with our favorite Chef Fabrizio Carro.

On a day with our kids, I would take her to Miami Children’s Museum because it is so hands on. As an Autism Mom, I love that they have Sensory Friendly Saturday on the second Saturday of every month. They lower the sounds, have a supportive setting for the Autism Community.

Finally, for a beach day with the full family, I would take them to Lauderdale By the Sea so family friendly foods and beaches.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The biggest thank you to my husband Ron of 13 years. Ron and I are both personal trainers that manage LEGACY together in Pembroke Pines. We operated our own fitness studio in the Bronx New York for years prior to moving to Florida. We fell in love through our passion for sports and fitness. He reminds me by just who he is to live daily with gratitude. It has always been bigger than fitness for Ron and I. We remind each other how the impact made in here will transform our client’s life for the better. It will impact their confidence in other areas.

Manning Sumner who is the CEO/ President of LEGACY. Ron started coaching with LEGACY as soon as we moved from NYC in 2014. It’s hard to narrow down a couple reasons why we are thankful for Manning. It’s one thing to experience Manning’s consistency to living a life of personal growth but his passion is to pull it out of others as well. That is the beauty of NO DAYS OFF. Manning is the founder of “No Days Off” which is about never taking a day off on YOU. Today starts a renewed commitment to becoming the very best version of yourself that you can be. That is what we instill in our community at LEGACY. This is not a session but a lifestyle and Manning instills that in the LEGACY team as well. There are layers and layers of breakthrough that come from committing our life to personal growth and surrounding ourselves with a community doing the same. It starts at the top and that is Manning.

Website: www.legacyfit.com

Instagram: @jai.faith

Other: @legacyfitpines @nodaysoff

Image Credits
The images of Ron and I on TRX. Spotting the client on the Bench Press, coaching the client on the fanbike are by Anton Antipov The image of me in Jeans with graffiti background is by Flowwwphotography (Natalie Prisla) The images of me in the pink biking set are by Bla Florida Filmhouse

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