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Rosalind Neilen, owner and fitness coach of Rosalind’s Fitness Studios, makes sure
that her clients follow a safe and well-balanced program.
BY DONNA CRARY
Take one look at Rosalind Neilen, owner and
fitness coach of Rosalind’s Fitness Studios in
downtown Stuart, and you quickly realize that
staying fit has been a central focus of her life. Her
youthful looks defy her age. At 67, she enjoys training
her clients so they can be in optimum shape.
“I do a prescription of fitness that is realistic,” she
says. “I like to focus on the everyday person and help
them for one hour, two to three times a week. They
walk in the door and say, ‘Tell me what to do, Rosalind.’
Two to three hours makes a big difference in
their lives.”
Neilen received her fitness certification back in 1990.
Around that time, she was working out at the gym and
made her own exercise wear because she thought it
was too expensive to buy retail. She sold her clothing
line at 3rd Street Fitness in Stuart and worked there
as a receptionist. It wasn’t long before she decided to
change her career and was hired, working as one of
the gym’s fitness trainers. Later, she opened her own
fitness studio.
With 30 years of experience, Neilen stresses the importance
of reviewing a client’s medical history before
training them for the first time. She encourages her
clients to call and schedule an appointment, and then
sends a form for them to fill out. This provides her
with vital information that determines whether they
are ready to safely begin a fitness program.
“After I have read their PAR-Q, I will have determined
whether or not they’re ready to come into the
studio,” she says. “If your form says you’re on heart,
blood pressure or cholesterol medications or anything
that is life threatening, I need to get a doctor’s OK.
I don’t want you to come in, yet, and I have to say,
‘Sorry, you need to get the OK from the doctor first.’ ”
After assessing and talking to her clients, Neilen
structures an exercise program to help them achieve
their fitness goals. Listening to her clients, she emphasizes,
is an important part of being a wellness coach.
“Let’s say a client comes to my studio and wants
to lose weight,” she explains. “I would ask why do
you want to lose weight? It may be because you have
a pair of jeans that you haven’t been able to get into
since COVID, and you want to get back into those
jeans. So I would come up with an action plan to help
you get there. I discourage a timeline.”
Although she is not a certified nutritionist, she educates
clients on having a well-balanced diet that leads to
a healthy lifestyle. Sometimes, Neilen suggests her clients
complete a food diary for several days to see what
they are consuming. She says that this becomes life
changing and can aid in improving their appearance.
Neilen’s clientele typically ranges in age from the
40s to 80s. Each age group has specific fitness needs
that she addresses. Her training involves more of a
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