Better health and balance can be found right outside your doorstep. Jennifer Nash Forrester – personal trainer and athlete – whose likability and popularity exploded on social media, started the #CreateYourGym movement to eliminate excuses, empower others and show the world that a great workout can happen just about anywhere. Even First Lady Michelle Obama has shared her inspiring workouts. Get to know more about Jennifer and what’s ahead in the next phase of her life in our candid Q&A.

Who is Jennifer Nash Forrester? 

That’s a loaded question. If you would’ve asked me this question a year ago I would have told you, “I’m a wife, a daughter, a sister and personal trainer.” Today, I like to think of the question as “What am I?” rather than, “Who am I?” Knowing what I am has allowed me to find my balance and live authentically. First and foremost, I am child of God. I am a giver. I am ambitious. I am empowering. I am vulnerable. I am hopeful. I am caring. And, most importantly, I am an authentic spirit with a purpose.

Authenticity, gratitude and true beauty are recurring themes on your Instagram page. Why is it important to you that you share a deeper side of yourself? 

Authenticity, gratitude and true beauty are reoccurring themes because I want to speak as much truth to my audience as possible. I believe that we are all a work in progress and often times we all need little reminder. Media has been proven to have such a negative impact on the self-image of women. I believe there is no better way to create acceptance in your life than through being thankful for what you have. I want to have a positive influence on how women see themselves. I feel so grateful that I am able to walk in my purpose and spread the word that we are all uniquely made.

“You don’t need a gym to get healthy and find balance,” is the focus on your #CreateYourGym movement. What motivated you to begin this movement?

I started the #CreateYourGym movement to help people get rid of the excuse that they had to miss their workout because they couldn’t make into the gym. The workouts I do can be done anywhere with very little or no equipment. I’m on a mission to inspire people to think outside the box and remind them that they already have everything they need to get up and get moving.

We saw your dad in one of your workout videos! How has your balanced approach to fitness influenced those closest to you?  

That video is definitely one of my favorites! I can honestly say that my dad was my first workout buddy because he’d always take me out on his weekend runs when I was a younger. Nowadays, we workout together whenever he visits. My family and friends mean the world to me, and I always try to be a positive light in all of their lives. I encourage them to find ways to get moving so that it doesn’t feel like a daunting task. I remind each of them that there is no magic pill or quick fix. I make sure they all understand that if they want to get healthy and find balance, they will have to make lifestyle changes.