Exploring Life & Business with Jody Trostler of Just Train Personal Training

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jody Trostler.

Hi Jody, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
In 2010 I left a full-time, secure, 9-5 career as a public high school Art teacher to pursue my dream of helping others thrive and survive through fitness. I’ve been teaching group fitness classes since 1994 and noticed during those large classes that there were individuals who could use more personal attention to exercise form. I had always dreamed of working in fitness full-time.

For personal reasons, in 2010, I took a leave of absence from my teaching position. That same year I became a certified Personal Trainer and the rest is history. I have never turned away a client because of their goals, or age. I love the challenge of working with a variety of clients. I have worked with preteens and clients well into their late 80’s coming back from surgery or illness.

Experiencing their progress and A-HA!! moments is the best feeling. I train my clients to be prepared for what life throws at them and my goal is for them to move well and with confidence. My most recent passion is for supporting and educating women about the menopause transition. In 2020, I began to notice some unusual changes going on in my body. No one ever taught me or warned me about the menopause transition so I was a bit scared and confused when I began to experience “brain fog” and abrupt “mood swings”.

When I began to experience night sweats and eventually hot flashes, I realized that my hormones were changing. This was when I learned about perimenopause, the 5-10 years before menopause when most women experience the most dramatic hormonal symptoms. I immersed myself in content, reading books, and listening to podcasts related to menopause and athletes, and decided to take an online course taught by Stacy Sims, a Female Physiologist and Nutrition Scientist, called Menopause for Athletes.

Through my studies, I realized that if I was in the dark about the changes going on in my body, how many other active women out there are also in the dark? As it turns out, most medical doctors, unless they specifically study Women’s Health, do not have a concrete understanding of the menopause transition, which is different for all women.

There are so many changes going on as a result of hormone fluctuations and I want women to understand that there are interventions that can help by simply changing the way they look at exercise and nutrition. Working smarter not harder works. During these years women’s bodies need a specific type of training as well as nutrition to maintain and build lean muscle and bone health.

My passion for educating and helping people lead me to create my NEW 12-week Online Group Coaching program IGNITE THE FIRE! for women entering the pre-menopause years and beyond. It is empowering women through fitness and nutrition to get their lives and bodies back through STRENGTH, MOBILITY, and NUTRIENT TIMING. This has been an amazing way for me to reach women outside of Ohio. Anyone in the US can participate. The success of this program is driven by consistency. I coach my clients through every step week by week.

The supportive community, flexibility, accountability, and organized professionally developed progressive workout schedule make Ignite The Fire accessible to even the busiest full-time professional working woman. This program is designed as a LIFE-style changer. The power and pride that shines through the women who commit to change are infectious. They see the positive results and are thriving!

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I would say once I decided to make the career move there were some small struggles along the way but mostly more like growing pains. I had to learn how to create a budget plan, learn about a new tax structure and figure out how to market my business without putting myself out in the public eye. My business is mostly word of mouth as I train my clients out of my home as well as virtually and online.

Like all other businesses, 2020 created minor struggles at first. Fortunately, my clients without kids at home were on board with training virtually. I felt for the gyms that were forced to close and the trainers who were out of work for a time. I felt very fortunate that my business was able to pivot quickly and most of my clients were along for the ride.

The biggest change for me is that I am always in creativity mode and thinking about what is next for my business. This is an exciting aspect but it’s also hard for me to turn off my brain. One of the best investments I have made in my business is hiring a business coach. I tell my clients all the time that coaches also need coaches.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
While I still work with both women and men ages 40-80, Currently I am known in my community as the Menopause Whisperer LOL. Ignite The Fire is what I am currently most proud of and specializing in and working with women in the perimenopause and menopause demographic and understanding this hormonal transition is what sets me apart from other coaches in our community.

I will be launching my fifth Ignite The Fire cohort in January and they keep getting better and better. I love helping and coaching women about the menopause transition and witnessing their changes and gains even in the first few weeks. The 12 weeks always seem to fly by and I have women asking me, “What is next?”. So at the end of November, I will be launching a new program called Fuel The Fire, for Ignite The Fire graduates only.

Fuel The Fire will have the same online group community aspect and is a progressive program that will build on the workouts from Ignite The Fire. Just Train offers 1:1 Personal Training, Virtual Training, Small Group Virtual Training, Online Training, Ignite The Fire, Strength and Nutrition Online Group Coaching Program for Peri-Post Menopause, and Menopause Coaching.

The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and are any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
The biggest lesson I learned is the importance of community. This is what makes Ignite The Fire so special and successful. The Covid Crisis also forced me to think outside the box and pivot quickly. The beauty of the Covid crisis for my business is that it was the launching pad in moving my training to an online platform.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.justtrain.net
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justtrainohio/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jody.trostler | https://www.facebook.com/justtrainohio/

Image Credits
Meg Holiday and Jenna Hadbavny