The Role Model In You – Jason Fitzgerald, USATF-Certified Running Coach

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Role Model
Jason Fitzgerald

As part of the new web series, The Role Model In You — here is the most recent interview. The Role Model In You series discusses how individuals were influenced as a child to lead a healthy lifestyle. It covers who influenced these individuals, the changes they made in their life to be healthy, and the message they would like to convey to the youth of today. Our guests include doctors, soccer stars, Super Bowl champions, NBA players, Olympic gold medalist, entrepreneurs, celebrities, and just regular people looking to share their story. We hope you enjoy it!

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

Jason Fitzgerald, USATF-certified running coach, 29. I’m a running coach and author at StrengthRunning.com.

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

My grandmother (my mom’s mom).

3. What did they do to inspire you?

My grandmother was always cooking fresh, home-made meals. When many of my friends or other relatives ate cheap or fast food, I learned that home-made is usually best! It doesn’t have to take forever or be super expensive. You can make healthy, easy meals for a big family without burdening yourself.

4. How did their lesson change your life?

As an adult now, I almost always cook at home. Controlling exactly what you put in your body – and making sure it’s the right fuel for running – is much easier when you’re the chef. At restaurants or with pre-packaged foods, you never know the ingredients (or they’re ingredients you can barely pronounce).

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

I don’t have kids (yet) so right now, I try to lead by example for my nephew and little cousins. I know I’m not always successful, but I think it’s important for kids to see what adults do in their every day lives to stay healthy. Not to mention that they see me run every day!

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

Kids today shouldn’t be worried about “healthy lifestyles” – they should be worried about how to have fun. If adults can channel those desires into healthy activities like sports and active hobbies, I think most kids today would be far better off. Sometimes I think that the word “exercise” should be banned in front of kids – instead, thinking about activity as games, fun, or sports is a far more constructive way for kids to lead a healthy lifestyle while ingraining it into who they are.

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

I’m a running coach and author at http://strengthrunning.com.