The Role Model In You – Ethan Benda, Personal Trainer & Nutrition Coach

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Role Model
The Role Model In You
Today’s Guest – Ethan Benda

1. Your name, title, and age? What do you do (or did you do) for a living?

Ethan Benda, Personal Trainer & Nutrition Coach, 39 yrs. old, I have been a Personal Trainer & Nutrition Coach for over 13 years.

2. Who was the person that inspired you as a child to eat healthy and stay fit? What was their relationship to you?

I was raised mostly by a single mother, my uncle Mark was only a little older than me. He was the one that got me playing sports. I remember when I was 7 or 8 years old he introduced me to weight training–just some basic exercises using those old plastic dumbbells that you could buy at Sears. Something about the experience stuck with me. I kept adding to my exercise routine–pushups, sit-ups, just basic stuff.

3. What did they do to inspire you?

I will never really know what it was that Mark said or did that made exercise stick for me. I think I just recognized that HE was a fit and healthy person. He was athletic and was always willing to introduce me to new sports. He encouraged me a lot, which I think helped.

4. How did their lesson change your life?

That CREATED my life. I don’t know any other lifestyle than athletics and being fit. It was so important to me as a kid that I taught others in the neighborhood how to exercise. I was that weird kid in the neighborhood that built obstacle courses and made the other kids do pushup and sit-up contests. I think if I never became a trainer, I would feel empty now.

5. Do you convey their message to kids in your life presently?

I have an 8 year old boy. He has been familiar with gyms since he was born. I am VERY conscious of teaching him a healthy lifestyle. He knows about eating healthy and being active. I still compete in natural bodybuilding and Jiu-Jitsu, and try to take him with me to my competitions to show him sportsmanship and what that type of competition is about.. His step-mom is also a Trainer and Fitness Competitor. I think it’s cool that he gets to see women being strong, active and healthy also.

6. What would be your main message to children today to lead healthy lifestyles?

Play. Play a lot. Stay active. Find a role model that lives a healthy lifestyle and follow their example. Kids are smart. They know what’s healthy. It’s usually the parents that force bad habits onto kids. Sometimes it’s the kids that need to educate the adults.

7. Do you have a web site you would like to promote….web address only?

FitInKC.com