Nadia Murdock champions her message
Celebrity fitness coach and media darling Nadia Murdock takes her message to the streets, television, books, and magazine pages because she needs it to be heard.
Fitness Coach, Writer, and Founder of Nadia Murdock Fit, Nadia Murdock is busy. When she’s not training clients, she’s making TV appearances on Nationally Syndicated television like the ‘Today Show’; writing books; writing columns for National Publications like ‘Lucky Magazine’,’Harpers Bazaar’ and the ‘Huffington Post’; doing talks; or enriching her expertise in fitness.
Let’s back up……
Nadia’s fitness journey started back in 2002 when she started her own fitness journey to lose some unwanted weight. She “became engrossed in the health and fitness world and wanted to learn as much as possible” Nadia says. One thing led to another and soon she was writing for the Examiner.com with her own health and fitness column. A book soon followed, ‘You Can Have It All: Fitness Edition’ where Nadia shared her fitness journey and tips she gained along the way from renowned health and wellness professionals.
On a regular daily Nadia runs Nadia Murdock Fit, teaches a variety of Fitness Classes (Barre, Zumba, Pop Pilates, etc…), and personal training. Nadia helps her clients reach their health and fitness goals by first helping them reach the right mindset. “I want to help my clients and students realize that losing weight is not a quick or temporary fix, but rather a lifestyle” Nadia states.
Foundation
“When I was growing up most of my friends had stay at home moms (which is completely fine) but my mother was full-time RN. She rarely complained about work and actually spoke about her job with passion. I knew she loved her profession and continued to progress in her career right up until the time of retirement. Seeing her love her job that much I knew I wanted the same for myself. Both my parents were lucky enough to find careers the that love and see more than just a job. That’s something that was unconsciously ingrained in me as I look back on it. It’s something that has driven me to pursue my passion as my profession.”
“You have to love what you do.”
Working for herself, as rewarding as it is, has it’s own challenges as Nadia tells it. “Figuring out a good balance and routine was key for me to achieve success. As an entrepreneur you have to learn how to delegate, prioritize and most importantly take a breather. Unlike a typical 9-5, I am always working! Whether it’s teaching a class, on social media, brainstorming new ideas my wheels are always turning. The best part about it all is that I love it. I think that is major ingredient for any major success, you have to love what you do.”
Gaining Confidence
“Doubting yourself comes with the territory when you launch your own company and ‘Put yourself out there’. But you have to share your message with the world or no one will know what you are up to. With the help of a business coach and surrounding myself with positive, like-minded persons I eventually got over any hang ups I had about overcoming that self-doubt.
The biggest lesson Nadia learned was not caring what other people think. “I had this epiphany after I attended a three day seminar called Landmark in New York City. The biggest lesson I learned was not to invest in what other people think about me. I have always known this but once I actually started practicing this key lesson to fullest, things really changed for me. A lot of people will not agree with what you are doing for whatever reason.”
“You can’t let the negativity get you down. It won’t take long to weed out the true supporters. You have to trust in your heart that you are on the right path, my gut hasn’t failed me yet!”
“Don’t focus too much on the little things that may go wrong and ignore the haters!”
Challenges & Motivation
One of Nadia’s greatest assets is her honesty and realness. She’s not one to present a ‘picture perfect’ but unreal image. “Trust me I have fallen off the wagon a few times until I got it right, with practice and dedication I can firmly say that being healthy is a part of who I am.”
“Owning a business has it’s ups and downs, but I have taught myself that everything happens for reason. It truly does! There was one time I didn’t get a big TV segment that I was working on with a producer but that ended up leading me to an even bigger outlet (E! News).” “That’s just one small example” Nadia explains.
“My experience has taught me that there will always be bumps in the road. I can’t quit every time it gets a bit difficult because I will never get anywhere!” That entrepreneurial experience is part of the mindset that Nadia is able to draw on and it helps her advise and relate to her clients struggles too. “I would say that there will always be ups and downs but it’s worth fighting for especially when it’s meant to be. If things do not necessarily workout according to planned it doesn’t mean that you can’t learn something from the experience.”
The positive feedback Nadia has received over the years is a huge reminder of why she continues to do what she does. “The testimonials on my website are not only for the public to see but a kind reminder to myself that I am making a difference in people’s lives. Life has a funny way of reminding me why I have chosen this path. It seems that any time things get hard I always get an amazing note, email, or comment from a student or client. It warms my heart how I have touched so many people, especially those I haven’t even personally met.”
What are the psychological barriers that prevent people from getting started with improving their health and fitness?
There are number of reasons but the most common tend to be the sense that we lack time, fear of failure, and lack of the proper motivation. I help clients overcome these and other hurdles like a lack of support or money. I tap into my Psychology background and marry it with fitness to offer clients the tools they need to successfully overcome these barriers.
Are there special barriers for those that are especially out of shape or unhealthy?
Yes! It’s actually one of my key focal points/messaging at Nadia Murdock Fit. In order to see long lasting results you have to train the mind to change the body. It wasn’t until I trained my own self mentally did I see long lasting results physically. In my 6 week mind and body program I help clients address specific roadblocks/hurdles that may be preventing them from achieving their fitness goals.
What advice would you give to a young person today that wanted to follow a similar path to you?
Don’t get intimidated by competition, you always have something unique to offer. Have a plan/messaging that highlights your unique offerings and lastly stick to your plan.
Where should a beginner in the fitness training world focus most of their energy?
I don’t know if there is a cut and dry formula for everyone. Productivity is key, so many times we are busy working that it’s more busy work than actually producing results. You have to figure out what works best for you and your demographic. Who is your audience, how do you envision your client base? Once you have a few fundamentals in order you can figure out where to focus most of your energy. For example if you are catering to millennials it might be good idea to have a presence where you can be seen by that audience whether it’s Snapchat or Instagram. Never forget your messaging, that needs to drive home at all times.
Where is the Nadia Murdock brand headed?
Life has a way of throwing you a few curve balls so I can’t be certain but I see myself continuing on the path of growing my business including programs, classes and exposure. I would love to eventually have my own show either on digital platform or on TV. On my list of goals is to be a bi-coastal entity/ lifestyle expert. I spent sometime in europe last year and would LOVE to eventually have a presence there as well.
Tell me about your typical workday.
The beauty of working for yourself is that no day is ever the same. However below is general idea of how my day flows.
• Morning: I always check my emails and social, it’s important for me to remain engaged with my audience and handle anything that may require an immediate response. Of course I have breakfast before heading out to train a client, teach a class or do my own workout.
• Afternoon: I want to make sure my scheduled blog post has gone up. I also schedule a lot of my phone meetings in the afternoon. Grab or make lunch, usually a salad.
• Evening: I like working out in the evening, so typically I will be heading to the gym at this time unless one of my favorite classes was scheduled at an earlier time.
• Night: Wind down with a healthy dinner, game plan for the next day and indulge in one of my favorite shows like Scandal!
What’s next?
Enhancing my barre offerings is one thing I’m focused on. I am also working on a few fit pregnancy programs, now that I am pregnant I feel like there needs to be more readily available content out there for women that are looking to remain in shape during their pregnancy. It’s completely possible but I don’t think the average woman that is not into fitness or part of the industry realizes what her options are.
How do you personally like to stay fit?
I love taking classes and teaching them too: Barre, Zumba, Pop Pilates, etc…. If I workout on my own I tend to do circuit style training, Tabata is my favorite.
Do you prescribe to any specific diet or eating philosophy?
No, I just try to lead a healthy and balanced lifestyle making smart choices daily. I don’t deprive myself but I am smart about portion sizes and making sure I have a colorful plate daily.
Nadia Murdock
“Once I realized that I am making a difference and I have a passion for my work I knew I was on the right track.”
