Lifestyle

Consistency over perfection: Q&A with fitness and life coach Beth Sanderson

Consistency over perfection: Q&A with fitness and life coach Beth Sanderson

This week Rumble sat down with fitness and life coach Beth Sanderson. Through her work and services, she inspires clients to focus on the "why" and to feel empowered to lean into the best versions of themselves. 

Rumble: Give a brief synopsis of how you became interested in fitness and nutrition.

Beth: Full disclosure, my interest in fitness and nutrition initially came from an unhealthy place. Like so many of us, I was searching for ways to control my life and feel good about myself, and I started using fitness and nutrition as a coping mechanism when things seemed out of my control or when I needed an easy distraction. I overdid my cardio and under-fueled my body, so I know from personal experience what a number this combination can do on your hormonal health. I lost my cycle and had zero energy. I became obsessed with the physical goal and let my health fall by the wayside. Eventually, I decided I wanted more. I wanted to be strong and energized. I wanted to feel good - because isn't that what being fit is all about? On Instagram I started following women who embodied this strong, vibrant life I wanted for myself. I hired coaches who taught me the importance of fueling my activity. I began spending my time in the weight room to build muscle. I started to understand the impact stress had on my hormones and my health, and slowly, I began to break up with the lies diet culture had fed me for so long. It’s now my passion to help other women break up with their own limiting beliefs around their bodies and their fitness. 

Rumble: What has fitness done for you? How has it enhanced your life?  

Beth: I started teaching group fitness classes when I was in college, which was 20 years ago. The community aspect that group fitness brought to my life at that time was so supportive and accepting. I realized that teaching in the fitness setting gave me an outlet for both of my passions - fitness and teaching! I love connecting and sharing with people, and there’s something about working with people to reach their health goals that allows for a sacred and vulnerable space to open. I feel honored to guide people towards a healthier, more empowered version of themselves. It gives back to me just as much as it gives to them.

Rumble: Why is it important for all people to focus on fitness and nutrition? 

Beth: Embarking on new, healthy habits can seem overwhelming, and even if we are initially motivated, that motivation will eventually flag, so it’s important to identify your “why” to come back to when things get tough. I think that everyone in some respects will share a similar “why” when it comes to investing in their health and fitness. Finding the right plan for you and your body will automatically improve every single facet of your life - and that’s not an exaggeration. When we eat foods that our bodies digest well and that fuel our lifestyles, we sleep better, we have more energy, we improve digestion and even brain health! When we find the fitness plan that allows our bodies to move and grow stronger, we improve our heart health markers, our brain health, our bone health, and our insulin sensitivity. Fitness and nutrition designed for your body and your life will make the rest of your life feel that much better. Honestly, when you think about it like that, who shouldn’t be interested in fitness and nutrition?

Rumble: You recently started a coaching business. Tell us more about that. 

Beth: In the summer of 2020 I got my personal training certification from the National Academy of Sports Medicine, and, in addition to some in-person training, I opened my own online business, Your Power Potential. I added my NASM nutrition coaching certification in 2021. This past July I invested in a 16 week-long nutrition and metabolism program because I wanted to be able to truly understand how our daily choices (food, sleep, stress, movement) impact our bodies on a hormonal level so that I could further guide my clients’ journeys towards better health. I now offer personalized fitness plans (for gym or home), nutrition coaching that guides them towards fueling their bodies appropriately, and counseling on lifestyle factors that will support healthy hormone function. I am evolving towards a real holistic coaching service that seeks to support my clients in all the areas of their lives, not just fitness and nutrition. I seek to create that supportive and sacred space for my clients, and while it can be harder through an online platform, I speak with each of my clients weekly to debrief and plan for the week ahead. I encourage my clients to look for lessons they’ve learned during the week and to never see anything as a failure. It’s an opportunity to troubleshoot and create success next time around!

Rumble: Do you have any cool success stories you can share? 

Beth: Two current clients come to mind when I think of success stories. One of them because she has grown so much mentally! We started working together over a year ago, and her confidence and personal power have grown enormously. We started working on the basics by increasing her food - so many women under-fuel themselves and don’t even realize it - and managing her stress levels. She started having epiphanies every week, identifying where she needed to set boundaries and protect her energy, learning to release things that were beyond her control. She has started to see her beauty and power because we have identified her limiting beliefs and grown beyond them. I love chatting with her every week, because every week is some sort of breakthrough moment. She’s a goddess!

My other client that is an absolute rock star is a mom of 4. The biggest takeaway from her story is that consistency and managing stress are essential - sometimes it’s about doing less, not more! She wanted to feel more like herself, and part of that was losing some stubborn pregnancy weight. By following the plan and trusting that food would fuel her and rest would nurture her, she’s dropped almost 20 pounds! And yes, that was by nurturing her body, not punishing it. I think we’ve been taught for so long that the body we want is on the other side of restriction and punishment. But it’s not. 

Rumble: If people want to inquire about your services, what's the best way to contact you? 

Beth: The best way to contact me is by text message or phone call at (828) 507-0966. I am also on Facebook and Instagram as Your Power Potential, and you can shoot me a message there. I would love to brainstorm with you about ways you can support your own healthier, empowered goddess lifestyle!

Rumble: Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Beth: I want people to know that we’re all struggling to be better in some area or aspect of our lives, and that it’s ok to be a beginner. If it seems overwhelming, reach out to those who have been there before for guidance and support. Take little steps and never give up. That’s the secret to moving forward. Consistency, not perfection.

Smokey Mountain News Logo
SUPPORT THE SMOKY MOUNTAIN NEWS AND
INDEPENDENT, AWARD-WINNING JOURNALISM
Go to top
Payment Information

/

At our inception 20 years ago, we chose to be different. Unlike other news organizations, we made the decision to provide in-depth, regional reporting free to anyone who wanted access to it. We don’t plan to change that model. Support from our readers will help us maintain and strengthen the editorial independence that is crucial to our mission to help make Western North Carolina a better place to call home. If you are able, please support The Smoky Mountain News.

The Smoky Mountain News is a wholly private corporation. Reader contributions support the journalistic mission of SMN to remain independent. Your support of SMN does not constitute a charitable donation. If you have a question about contributing to SMN, please contact us.