FIT4MOM OFF THE RECORD

Meet Franchisee JoAnna Zapata

I’m JoAnna - the proud owner of FIT4MOM Frankfort! I live in Lockport, IL (southwest suburbs of Chicago) with my husband, Manny, son Leo (7), my pups - Mickey & Minnie, and cat - Peanut. My journey with FIT4MOM began on June 5th, 2017 when I took my very first Stroller Strides class. (Yes, I remember the date!) I had seen a FB ad for it in the middle of the night, and something made me sign up for it. I had no background in fitness and also had never taken a group class before - but by the end of that first one, I knew that I had found something so special and exactly where I was supposed to be.

I was a first time mom, struggling big time with PPD and PPA, and had no mom friends. FIT4MOM changed everything for me and the village that I found has gotten me through the hardest times in my life - the biggest one being my mom’s unexpected passing in 2021.

From client, to instructor, to manager, to now franchisee - I am so grateful to be able to give back to the community that saved me in so many ways and to bring new moms together to lift each other up and support one another on the good days, the bad days, and everything in between.

Shannon Shondeff is the owner of FIT4MOM Long Beach (since 2018) and also FIT4MOM Palos Verdes | San Pedro (since 2019).

Shannon moved to Long Beach in May 2012. She has 4 children, Clare (born November 2014), Hank (born October 2016), Nora (born July 2018) and Hadley (born August 2020). She attributes FIT4MOM Long Beach as the reason for not only getting back into pre-baby shape but also making meaningful friendships with other new moms within the community she lives in. In this episode she talks about raising 4 kids, 2 franchises and her love for FIT4MOM! 

Shannon received her Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts and a minor in Sports Medicine from Pepperdine University. She wanted to help others through fitness/coaching and as a result she obtained her Master’s Degree in Coaching and Athletic Administration from Concordia University. Shannon is certified in Fit4Baby, Stroller Strides, Stroller Barre, Run Club+ and Body Boost/Well. Shannon is also a ACE certified Personal Trainer.

Favorite Quote: From Mother Teresa's Anyway Poem: The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow; Do good anyway.
Favorite Podcast: 

Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel

This is our last episode of the beyond burnout podcast series. First off, I’m so proud of you if you are here and listening. Many who are in real burnout can’t even get themselves to listen. So you are already making progress. My hope is not just to help you but to help you help others. If you see a fellow instructor, team mate, franchisee or client who is in a state of burnout, reach out to them. Share some of what you have learned or what you have figured out yourself. We truly are a community that lifts each other up. Ok so for our final topic, it’s my favorite one. It’s about how to add more joy into your life. So, a little sneak peak for you. I have written a new book and my hope is that it comes out in 2023. The title is still being worked out but the essence is to find the joy in living. It’s not about the pursuit of happiness because we find that it’s a moving horizon that can never be reached. It’s about finding joy now, today, in simple normally every day life. It’s about finding joy on a daily basis, not just living for weekends or for vacations. It’s about finding joy in the beautiful chaos of life. 

Today’s episode to get beyond burnout is about resilience. Burnout can be prevented or reversed through cultivating resilience. As a refresher, WHO (world health organization) defines “burnout” as a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that’s characterized by exhaustion or lack of energy, job-related negative or cynical feelings, and reduced effectiveness.

The good news is that psychological resilience can be learned, and research shows that people who report higher resilience are physically healthier, more productive, happier, and have closer relationships. Psychological resilience is defined by the ability to withstand, bounce back, and grow—despite downturns. Simply put it’s how we can be strong and happy even if something bad happens. Some would say its the ability to manage your energy - when you better manage your energy you build resilience and get beyond burnout.

Burnout doesn't go away on its own; rather, it will get worse unless you address the underlying issues causing it. If you ignore burnout, it will only cause you further harm down the line, so it's important that you begin recovery as soon as possible.

Welcome to our 4 party podcast series to get you beyond burnout. In the next 4 episodes, I’m going to share with you some tools to help you with what to recognize, how to change your routine, how to recharge and how to bring joy into your life. Today we are going to talk about what to what to recognize.

Ready to get outside? Grab your stroller! Lisa Druxman will coach you through a 30 minute workout.