Finding Strength in Motherhood: FIT4MOM Westside brings community, wellness to Playa Vista

By Nikki Link

For all the joy motherhood can bring, it can also be difficult, isolating and exhausting. However, one Playa Vista workout group is looking to change all that. FIT4MOM Westside is bringing wellness, support and community to the table with its roster of outdoor group workouts made by moms, for moms.

Helmed by Kellie Fell and her tight-knit team of instructors, FIT4MOM Westside serves Playa Vista, Westchester, Playa del Rey, Marina del Rey, Mar Vista and part of Culver City. Classes take place in a rotating circuit of local parks six days a week.

FIT4MOM was founded in 2001 by Lisa Druxman after the birth of her baby. The program offers pre- and postnatal fitness classes for all stages of motherhood. Today, there are more than 1,800 locations and 1,700 instructors helping moms get in shape, all while having fun with their baby and meeting other moms along the way.

Fell’s journey with FIT4MOM began shortly after the birth of her son in 2014 and her decision to leave her career in television production behind to raise him.

“Nobody was more surprised than I was when I decided to stay home with my son. … The commute plus the travel that I had been doing was just not what I was looking for.”

The experience was somewhat isolating. She explained that she took on freelance writing projects as a way to get some adult interaction.

“When he was 6 months old, I came across FIT4MOM and decided to try a Stroller Strides class — that’s the stroller fitness class — and I basically just never stopped,” Fell says.

She took over the Westside location several years later.

“When I was pregnant with my second child, the owner put the franchise up for sale,” Fell says. “I was like, ‘Yep, let’s do it.’ My husband was very encouraging, and he made me a whole PowerPoint on why he thought I could do it, even though I didn’t have a fitness or business background. I took the leap about a month before I had my second child.”

Fell celebrates six years of ownership this spring. She said that both as a client and a business owner, working with FIT4MOM has been an overwhelmingly positive experience.

“As a client, as I was taking it, just knowing that I could show up and there were all these moms that were kind of going through the same thing I was, was so helpful, because motherhood can feel very lonely,” Fell says.

That feeling of support also carried over as she transitioned to a franchisee.

“FIT4MOM as a company, as far as a business owner goes, they’re very supportive of their franchisees,” Fell says. “They give us lots of materials and support, and they have these core values, which they start every meeting with. The core values are love, inspiration, inclusivity, positivity, authenticity and ripple. As a company, FIT4MOM really seems to walk that walk, which I’m impressed by.”

FIT4MOM also offers a wide variety of programming that can be implemented by their franchisees. Fell gave a rundown of what’s offered for moms at her location. She explained that there are basically two different branches of classes — stroller based and mom only.

“In our stroller-based fitness classes, moms bring their kids in strollers and we exercise throughout the park using resistance bands. Instructors help keep the kids happy and entertained while also teaching the moms,” Fell says.

Their best-known class is Stroller Strides, but they also offer some variety.

“We also offer Stroller Barre, which is barre influenced, and a class called Strides 360 that adds some fun equipment like ladders and hurdles,” Fell says.

For moms wanting a program to follow, FIT4MOM offers those as well.

“We have a Run Club program where we come alongside moms to train for a specific distance they choose, as well as an eight-week program called Body Well that meets twice a week in the evenings for HIIT (high-intensity interval training) workouts and includes nutritional coaching and a strong accountability aspect,” Fell says.

In addition to these programs, Fell is excited to launch FIT4BABY, a prenatal fitness class, this spring in Playa Vista.

While barre classes and HIIT workouts are nothing new, there are several aspects of FIT4MOM’s programming that make it special.

“The option to bring your child with you is what probably most makes (FIT4MOM) stand out,” Fell says, “because as soon as moms are cleared for exercise, which normally happens at about six weeks, they can bring their babies with them. That means you could bring a 6-week-old baby to your workout class, which I’ve not heard of anywhere else.”

She said the ability for mothers to have their child nearby can be freeing.

“There’s a lot of that nervousness that I think goes away during these classes, because you have your baby with you,” Fell says.

She also pointed out that FIT4MOM has many accommodations in place in case a mother needs to change or feed their child during the class. It’s all about creating a safe space where they don’t feel like they’re interrupting or getting in the way just because their baby needs attention.

“The other great part about these (classes) is that it basically forces you to be outside in some fresh air for an hour, which just makes everyone feel better,” Fell says.

The list of benefits only continues from there.

“The longer I’ve been in this business, the more I’m learning just how beneficial exercise, especially pregnant or newly postpartum, is,” Fell says. “I think there’s a lot of either misconceptions or old information out there that discourages pregnant women from getting in a good workout, but if you have a healthy, uncomplicated pregnancy, it can benefit so much from a safe exercise program.”

Fell mentioned that moms should always be cleared by their doctor for more intense physical activity but that the results of working out while pregnant are very noticeable.

“Some of the benefits include easing of pain, especially back pain,” Fell says. “It can lower your chance of gestational diabetes and other complications that can come up during pregnancy. It prepares your body for childbirth.”

In terms of postpartum, mothers can benefit from weight loss and social interaction with other moms going through the same thing. Fell notes that mothers can also feel comfortable knowing that they are in good hands during a FIT4MOM workout.

“Our instructors are all certified in prenatal and postpartum fitness,” Fell says.

After being medically cleared for exercise, preparing for a FIT4MOM class couldn’t be easier. Fell says all moms need to bring — in addition to their baby — is water, appropriate footwear, and a towel or mat for core work. That’s it.

“We are ready for all the moms, how ever they come,” Fell says. “If they come late. They’re unshowered. They’re sleep deprived. They are with or without their kids. They have spit up in their hair.

“We’re moms who get it. You don’t need to be in any sort of shape. You don’t need to be in any sort of way before you can come to our classes.”

It’s that aspect of community that drew Fell to FIT4MOM and something she makes sure is alive and well in her own “village.” One of her instructors, Kristen Sorotsky, describes the support system she found as a client as “life-changing.”

“I suffered with postpartum depression and anxiety,” Sorotsky says. “Aside from getting fresh air and exercising for my health, I found a supportive, loving environment that taught me how to take care of myself both physically and mentally so I could be more present for my children and ultimately feel great about being a mom.”

“We want moms to leave class feeling better than they came and loved on because it can be really hard,” Fell says.

Anyone interested in attending a group workout with FIT4MOM Westside can register for a free trial class on their website. More information about scheduling, payment packages and workouts can also be found there.

“We’re here, and we’re ready for all the moms to come join us,” Fell says.

 

FIT4MOM Westside
WHERE: Location varies, see
www.westside.fit4mom.com/locations
WHEN: Classes offered Monday-Saturday, www.westside.fit4mom.com/schedule
COST: First class is free; email or call for additional pricing
INFO: 760-954-2490, KellieFell@fit4mom.com, www.westside.fit4mom.com