Issuu

EXELEON FITNESS

INSPIRE EXCELLENCE

VOL. 07

ROBIN MILLER

TO FOLLOW IN

NINA GEANINA

TANNY BHATTACHARJEE

Living the

Philosophy EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS

EXPERT COLUMNS

FITNESS TIPS

itness leadership today extends far beyond workouts, routines, and physical transformation. The leaders making a lasting difference are those who understand that fitness is deeply connected to confidence, discipline, mental well-being, and the ability to live with greater purpose. Akshay Panzade

Natasha Green Matt Hale Photographer - Jamie Watling

Richard Dann Katherine Price Hitesh Patil Pawan Pawar

Exeleon Fitness recognizes the Admired Fitness Leaders who are helping reshape the way people approach health and personal performance. Through coaching, entrepreneurship, education, and their own example, these individuals have built communities where progress is measured not only by physical results, but also by the habits and mindset developed along the way. What makes these leaders admirable is their ability to meet people where they are. They recognize that no two fitness journeys look the same. Age, lifestyle, responsibilities, health goals, and personal circumstances all influence how individuals move, train, and care for themselves. Their work reflects a more thoughtful approach to fitness, one that values consistency over perfection and sustainable progress over short-term results. Many have also turned their personal experiences into a source of inspiration for others. Whether overcoming setbacks, changing careers, building businesses, or transforming their own relationship with health, they lead with the credibility that comes from lived experience. Through this editorial recognition, Exeleon Fitness celebrates individuals who continue to raise the standard within the fitness community. They are coaches, mentors, entrepreneurs, educators, and advocates whose influence encourages others to become stronger, healthier, and more confident versions of themselves. These are the fitness leaders whose work, journeys, and impact make them truly admired.

10.

Samantha TRACY ARCHER Aziz

20 Nina Geanina: Showing Women That Strength Has No Age Limit

28 Robin Miller: From Reluctant Competitor to IFBB Pro at 54

34 Tanny Bhattacharjee: A Life Shaped by Strength, Discipline, and Yoga

42 Strength for Every Stage: Stacey Sloan on Fitness, Resilience, and Longevity

COVER FEATURE

Tracy Archer Living the & Fitness First Philosophy

How Strength Training, Family, and Resilience Have Shaped Her Lifelong Commitment to Health

EXELEON FITNESS

FOR TRACY ARCHER, ﬁtness has never been a temporary goal or a seasonal commitment. It has been a constant throughout her life, evolving alongside her roles as an athlete, teacher, and mother of three. Whether she is coaching sports teams, teaching physical education, working out with her children, or encouraging other women to prioritize their health, Tracy believes ﬁtness is one of the greatest investments a person can make.

resilience. Following the COVID-19 pandemic and a family emergency, she lost a signiﬁcant amount of muscle. Although she continued walking and occasionally used free weights, she no longer felt as strong as she once had.

Her passion for an active lifestyle began long before structured workouts. Growing up, she enjoyed almost every sport she could participate in, including hockey, baseball, downhill skiing, waterskiing, swimming, hiking, and walking. That love for movement naturally carried into adulthood.

Determined to rebuild, she joined a women’s ﬁtness team called Get Sculpted, where she began working with coach Marilyn, whom Tracy credits as both an exceptional coach and a close friend.

“I started going to the gym when I got my license at 16 years old and have been enjoying working out ever since,” she says. Over the years, her workouts have changed, but her commitment to staying active has remained constant. Rebuilding Strength Like many people, Tracy faced setbacks that tested both her physical and mental

“I didn’t like how I looked because I looked too skinny and I really wanted to look more athletic,” she explains.

Together, they shifted her training toward heavy resistance work while placing greater emphasis on protein intake. It was a different approach than what she had followed previously and one that required patience. “I didn’t realize how hard it is to gain muscle, but my heavy lifting is paying off.” The changes extended far beyond appearance. “My confidence has improved because I feel strong and fit, and I love the way my clothes feel, fit and look. Strong body equals strong mind.”

EXELEON FITNESS

COVER FEATURE

EXELEON FITNESS

COVER FEATURE A Simple but Effective Routine Today, Tracy follows a structured strengthtraining routine built around consistency rather than complexity. She trains four days each week using weight machines, alternating between upper-body and lowerbody sessions. Whenever possible, she incorporates cardiovascular exercise through the stair machine, incline treadmill, or outdoor walks. More than the exercises themselves, it's the environment that keeps her motivated. “I usually work out with a friend or my daughter, and occasionally one of my two boys is lifting alongside me as well.” Training has become another way to spend quality time with her family while encouraging healthy habits across generations. Although lifting heavy weights isn’t always easy, Tracy enjoys the challenge. “I like feeling strong and ﬁt, and I feel like I have accomplished something after my workout.” Learning the Importance of Nutrition Exercise may have been part of Tracy’s life for decades, but her understanding of nutrition developed much later. As a child, she grew up eating homemade meals centered around meat and potatoes. During her teenage and university years, fast food became more common, although she generally maintained balanced eating habits. After becoming a mother, she focused on providing healthy meals for her family, but it wasn’t until she began working with a ﬁtness coach three years ago that she gained a deeper understanding of nutrition.

LEADING BY EXAMPLE Fitness extends far beyond Tracy’s personal workouts. As a teacher responsible for 26 students, she sees physical education as an opportunity to build lifelong habits rather than simply improve athletic performance. “I love seeing my students gain strength and endurance during the school year in my gym class.” She also coaches multiple sports teams, combining her lifelong love of athletics with a desire to encourage young people to stay active. At home, that same philosophy continues. Nothing brings her greater satisfaction than seeing her three children enjoy exercise alongside her. “Nothing makes me happier than being at the gym with my three children because I know I have taught them how important it is to take care of their bodies.” Her children have participated in sports since they were three years old, and Tracy has proudly supported them from the sidelines throughout their athletic journeys. For her, ﬁtness is not simply something you practice. It is something you model.

EXELEON FITNESS

“

Fitness ﬁrst, because everything is easier when you're ﬁt.

EXELEON FITNESS

COVER FEATURE

01 DAYS OF STRENGTH 02 STRENGTH OVER PERFECTION 03 FITNESS WITH FAMILY

EXELEON FITNESS

For more than two years, she weighed and tracked her food to better understand portion sizes and nutritional needs. Today, her approach is much more practical. She prioritizes lean protein, fresh fruits, vegetables, and protein-rich snacks while allowing flexibility when dining out. “I usually order sushi, steak, or chicken, and I feel satisfied.” Rather than following restrictive diets, Tracy has found an approach that supports both her fitness goals and everyday life. Strength Through Life’s Hardest Moments The greatest challenge in Tracy’s fitness journey had nothing to do with exercise. She stepped away from training for an entire year while caring for her child during cancer treatment.

PUTTING FITNESS FIRST Balancing work, family responsibilities, coaching, and personal health requires discipline, but Tracy believes the rewards make the effort worthwhile. Fitness gives her the energy to teach, care for her family, spend time with friends, and continue pursuing the activities she loves. Her advice to other women, particularly busy mothers, reflects the philosophy she lives every day. “I would tell busy women and moms to put their fitness first because everything they do will be easier and more enjoyable if they’re fit.”

“My biggest challenge was when I had to take a year oﬀ because I had to look after my child who had cancer.”

She believes exercise, nutritious food, and quality sleep work together to create a healthier, happier life while providing the energy needed to fully enjoy family, friendships, and everyday experiences.

It remains the most diﬃcult period of her life.

After decades of staying active through every stage of life, Tracy’s message remains remarkably consistent.

She credits the support of family, friends, strangers, prayer, and a positive mindset for helping them through that experience.

Fitness is not about chasing perfection or achieving shortterm goals. It is about building a strong body, a resilient mindset, and a lifestyle that allows you to show up fully for the people and moments that matter most.

Rather than weakening her commitment to health, it strengthened it. “The worst year of my life reinforced my belief that health and ﬁtness are extremely important and should never be neglected or taken for granted.” That perspective continues to shape the way she approaches life today.

FOLLOW HER

“I believe everything is easier when you’re ﬁt.”

EXELEON FITNESS

EXELEON FITNESS MAGAZI SUBSCRIBE

EXELEON FITNESS

N S INE

FITNESS INTERVIEW

Showing Women That Strength Has No Age Limit

or Nina Geanina, strength training is about far more than changing how the body looks. It is about helping women feel capable, conﬁdent, energetic, and in control of their health as they move through diﬀerent stages of life.

Nina did not begin serious strength training until she was 39, an experience that reshaped her understanding of fitness and ultimately influenced the work she does today. What started as her own personal journey became a mission to help women over 45 challenge assumptions about aging, muscle, and what their bodies are still capable of achieving. Her approach centers on practical strength training, adequate nutrition, recovery, and habits that can realistically fit around careers, families, travel, and everyday responsibilities. Rather than encouraging women to chase quick fixes or perfection, Nina focuses on sustainable progress and helping clients build strength they can carry into the years ahead.

EXELEON FITNESS

FITNESS INTERVIEW

EXELEON FITNESS

In this conversation, Nina discusses her own fitness evolution, the mindset shifts she encourages in women over 45, and why she believes it is never too late to become stronger. What inspired you to focus on helping women 45+ build muscle and age strong? My own journey inspired me. I did not start serious strength training until I was 39, and it changed how I saw my body and what was possible for me. I realized strength training was not just about looking different. It was about feeling capable, confident, and in control of my health. I want women to know that age does not have to hold them back. What I see in my clients goes beyond physical change. Many start by wanting to tone up or feel better in their clothes, but the results go much deeper. They build muscle, improve posture, feel stronger in daily life, and start trusting themselves again. I have seen women go from feeling tired and discouraged to lifting heavier, having more energy, and feeling proud of what their bodies can do. How has your own fitness journey evolved through different life stages? My journey has changed me in many ways. As a mom and busy woman, I spent years putting everyone else rst and treating my own health like it could wait. When I found strength training, it became more than exercise. It gave me a new sense of capability and showed me that starting later is still starting. A few years into my strength-training journey, I decided to challenge myself in a completely new way by becoming a bikini athlete with the Hammer Fitness Team, under the guidance and mentorship of my coach, Amer Kamra. Becoming an athlete pushed me far beyond what I thought I was capable of. It taught me discipline, consistency, resilience, and the importance of trusting the process. It also reinforced something I now share with other women: you are never too old to set a new goal or challenge yourself.

Shortly afterward, I became a coach at Hammer Fitness. That transition was incredibly meaningful because it allowed me to take everything I had learned through my own journey and use it to help other women become stronger, healthier, and more condent.

EXELEON FITNESS

Today, at 52, I am proud to continue as both an athlete and a coach. Being an athlete keeps me challenging myself, while coaching gives me the opportunity to guide other women through their own transformations. Over time, I have learned that tness is not about perfection or doing everything at once. It is about building habits that t your season of life and support you for the long term. That understanding has transformed my body, mindset, and condence. What does your approach look like for busy women balancing kids, travel, and responsibilities? Fitness has to work in real life. Most women I coach are busy, so we focus on simple habits that create results: strength training, enough protein, balanced nutrition, and consistency. That might mean three focused lifting sessions a week, planning protein at each meal, and finding realistic ways to stay active during travel or hectic weeks. Instead of trying to be perfect on vacation, I help women walk more, make smart food choices most of the time, and get back to their routine when they return. You do not need perfection. You need a plan you can actually follow. What is one of the biggest mindset shifts you help women over 45 make? I help women let go of the idea that aging means decline. Getting older does not mean giving up on your health or goals. One of the biggest shifts is helping women understand that they are not “too old” to change their body. They can still build muscle, get stronger, and feel better in their skin. I have seen women in their 40s, 50s, and beyond make incredible progress once they stop focusing on what they have lost and start focusing on what they can still build. How is your coaching style different from mainstream fitness advice for women in this age group? A lot of women are told to eat less and do more cardio. I take a different approach: build muscle, train with purpose, and support the body properly.

FITNESS INTERVIEW

My coaching teaches women how to train well, fuel themselves, and create habits that last. That means progressive strength training, enough protein to support muscle growth and recovery, and avoiding the all-or-nothing mindset that keeps so many women stuck. Instead of chasing quick fixes, I help women build a stronger body and a healthier relationship with fitness that they can maintain for years. What habits and training principles are essential for women 45+? Consistency matters most. Strength training, enough protein, recovery, daily movement, and overall health habits are the foundation. Women 45+ benefit most from lifting with intention, using good form, and gradually increasing the challenge over time. That could mean adding weight, improving reps, or simply being more consistent week after week. Recovery is just as important, especially as hormones, stress, and life demands change. I also encourage daily movement like walking because it supports energy, metabolism, and overall health. Small actions done consistently lead to real change: stronger muscles, better energy, improved confidence, and a body that feels more capable. What are your biggest goals for 2026 and beyond? My goal is to keep growing as an athlete and coach while inspiring more women to believe in themselves. I want my journey to show women that they can start at any stage of life and still create a healthier, stronger future. I hope to keep helping more women experience real results, not just in how they look, but in how they feel, move, and show up in their lives. My bigger vision is to keep proving that strength training can change lives at any age and that it is never too late to become the strongest version of yourself.

FOLLOW HER

“

Strength training was not just about looking different. It was about feeling capable, conﬁdent, and in control of my health. EXELEON FITNESS

FITNESS INTERVIEW

EXELEON FITNESS

Robin Miller

From Reluctant Competitor to IFBB Pro at 54

obin Miller had no plans to become a competitive bodybuilder.

When a woman at her gym approached her in January and suggested that she enter a show, Robin's reaction was immediate.

That plan changed quickly. Robin performed well in her debut and walked away wondering whether she might actually have a future in the sport. She continued to Universe, where she placed second and missed earning her pro card by just one placing. Two weeks later, she competed at Masters Nationals.

“I laughed and thought, absolutely not,” she recalls. “I wouldn't be caught dead in a bikini in front of strangers, in ﬁve-inch heels and a tan.” The suggestion did not go away. Week after week, the woman kept encouraging her until Robin ﬁnally agreed to give it a chance. At the time, she had been lifting consistently for about two years. There was a regional competition scheduled in her hometown at the end of May, and Robin decided she would enter one show, experience it, and leave it at that.

EXELEON FITNESS

This time, she won the overall in her age bracket and earned her professional status. “To become a pro in less than two months still blows my mind,” Robin says. “I was absolutely shocked and speechless when they called my name and number that night.” For Robin, earning her pro card was the culmination of an unexpectedly fast rise, but it was also the beginning of something much bigger.

FITNESS INTERVIEW

Robin describes Ayotte as detail-oriented and demanding, qualities she believes have contributed to the success of both him and his athletes. Lindner joined her training team more recently, and she is excited to see how her physique develops under his guidance over the coming year. “I have no doubt I would not be where I am today without James,” she says. “I am so blessed to have these two as my coach and trainer.” Her routine reflects the seriousness of that commitment. Robin trains six days a week, with workouts typically lasting between 90 minutes and two hours. She rarely needs much cardio, something she credits to her metabolism, but her nutrition is closely monitored throughout the year. Both in-season and during the off-season, she weighs and tracks her food down to the gram and follows the macros set by her coach. The structure remains largely consistent, with the off-season offering greater flexibility for occasional cheat meals.

She had discovered how much she loved the discipline of bodybuilding, the process of reﬁning her physique, and the challenge of seeing how far she could push herself. “My why hasn't changed,” she says. “I absolutely love the physique I have built, and there's no chance that I'm going to let that go backwards.”

For Robin, maintaining the physique she has worked so hard to develop matters just as much as preparing for the next competition. The Mental Battle The biggest challenge has not necessarily been the training or dieting. It has been belief.

Going All In Robin describes herself as someone who commits completely once she makes a decision.

Despite her rapid success, Robin admits there have been many moments when she questioned whether she truly belonged alongside experienced competitors on the national stage.

“When I decide to do something, I go all in 1000%.” After her ﬁrst show, she knew she wanted to pursue bodybuilding seriously. She brought coach James Ayotte and trainer Corey Lindner into her preparation, a combination she credits heavily for her progress.

“The most diﬃcult challenge has been the mental side of the sport,” she says. “There have been so many days that I have questioned whether or not I am good enough.” Her response has been to keep working.

EXELEON FITNESS

RELENTLESS EXELEON FITNESS

FITNESS INTERVIEW

Rather than allowing doubt to dictate her decisions, Robin reminds herself that success in bodybuilding is built through repeated eﬀort, patience, and long hours that often happen far away from the stage.

She describes the women within the sport, particularly those competing in masters divisions, as exceptionally supportive. While they compete against one another on stage, Robin says there is a genuine desire among the athletes to see each other improve.

“I’ve come a long way in a very short period of time, so I’m very excited to see where I am a few years from now.”

“We all just want to see each other do well and become better each time.”

That perspective makes earning her pro card at Masters Nationals even more signiﬁcant.

In only a short time, she has developed friendships she expects to carry with her long beyond competition.

The moment her name was called remains the highlight of her competitive career so far.

That experience has strengthened the message she wants to share with women over 40 who are considering their ﬁrst show.

“I will never forget the feeling that overcame me at that moment. It was absolutely surreal.”

“Take the plunge and just do it. If I can do it, so can you.”

Strength at Any Age At 54, Robin is especially passionate about encouraging women who believe they may have missed their opportunity to change their bodies or try something new. She understands that hesitation personally. Before bodybuilding, she says she had never felt comfortable wearing a bikini in front of others, despite never having struggled with being overweight. What changed was muscle. “I was severely under-muscled,” she explains. “Muscle is absolutely the fountain of youth, and it will completely transform your physique.”

Her advice is to start with one competition and see where the experience leads. After all, that was exactly what Robin intended to do. One show became another. A regional debut became Masters Nationals. Less than two months after stepping on stage for the ﬁrst time, she became an IFBB Pro. Now, instead of wondering whether bodybuilding is for her, Robin is focused on how far she can take it. She does, however, oﬀer one warning to anyone tempted to follow the same path. “It is extremely addictive.”

Today, Robin says she has never been more proud of how she looks or what her body is capable of doing. “At 54 years old, I have never ever looked this good, and I am so proud of the physique I have built.” Bodybuilding has also given her something she never expected: community.

FOLLOW HER

EXELEON FITNESS

“

When I decide to do something, I go all in 1000%

EXELEON FITNESS

FITNESS INTERVIEW

EXELEON FITNESS

Tanny

Bha acharjee

A Life Shaped by Strength, Discipline, and Yoga

or Tanny Bhattacharjee, ﬁtness did not begin with a transformation challenge, a gym membership, or a career decision. It began much earlier, during her childhood in the hills of Arunachal Pradesh, where movement was simply part of everyday life.

Long walks with her mother, pranayama sessions, and yoga with her family gave Tanny an early appreciation for staying active. Even as a child, she was unusually conscious of health and ﬁtness. She recalls giving up sugar for a period while she was in Class 7 because she was worried about gaining weight. Looking back, she believes the instinct to take care of her body was always present. “I feel that the desire to stay ﬁt and healthy was always within me,” she says. That instinct would eventually grow into a lifelong commitment, taking Tanny through modelling, corporate life, yoga teacher training, strength training, authorship, content creation, and now preparation for a bodybuilding competition.

EXELEON FITNESS

FITNESS INTERVIEW

From the Hills to the Gym Tanny's relationship with structured ﬁtness took a more serious turn after she moved to Bangalore for higher studies. Once she started earning, one of her early investments in herself was a gym membership at the age of 19.

increasingly began viewing physical ﬁtness alongside ﬂexibility, mobility, breathing, mindfulness, and mental well-being. The pandemic brought another change. Home workouts became part of her routine in 2020, before she gradually shifted toward more serious strength training from 2021 onwards.

There was little looking back from there. At 21, she began modelling, a profession that gave her another reason to stay disciplined about her physique and health. But maintaining a ﬁtness routine during those years was far from straightforward. Her twenties involved corporate work, modelling assignments, frequent travel, changing schedules, and even night shifts. Consistency had to compete with a busy professional life. Rather than waiting for the perfect routine, Tanny found ways to keep ﬁtness present. She would pay for gym memberships in advance because it created another level of commitment. Even when work became demanding or travel disrupted her usual schedule, she continued returning to exercise.

Barbell squats, deadlifts, structured programming, and heavier resistance training became more prominent. Her understanding of nutrition evolved alongside her workouts. Tanny admits that earlier in her journey she paid relatively little attention to protein intake, macronutrients, or micronutrients. As she learned more, nutrition became an increasingly deliberate part of her routine. The results became particularly visible between August 2025 and February 2026. During those six to seven months, she closely monitored her food, tracked her macros and micros, and became considerably more disciplined about nutrition. She ultimately lost approximately nine to ten kilograms. The signiﬁcance of that phase, however, went beyond weight loss.

“I may not have been perfectly consistent every single day, but I never gave up,” she says. “I believe that is what truly builds a long-term ﬁtness journey.”

The process showed her what structured eﬀort, patience, and personal accountability could achieve.

It is an approach that still shapes her philosophy today. Consistency, in Tanny's view, does not mean having a ﬂawless routine. It means returning to the process repeatedly, particularly when life gets diﬃcult.

Today, as Tanny prepares for a bodybuilding competition, training has become signiﬁcantly more scientiﬁc. Strength work, recovery, nutrition, supplementation, and planning are all treated as interconnected elements.

Fitness Beyond Appearance

“Fitness, for me, is no longer just about aesthetics,” she explains. “It is about strength, health, longevity, and continuous self-improvement.”

During her modelling years, Tanny’s workouts were largely geared toward maintaining a lean and toned physique. Lighter weight training and regular physical activity were enough to support those goals. Her perspective began to broaden when she completed her yoga teacher training and became a certiﬁed yoga instructor.

Where Yoga Meets Strength Despite becoming increasingly serious about strength training, Tanny has never seen the gym and yoga as competing approaches. Instead, she considers them complementary.

Yoga became a signiﬁcant part of her life for several years, giving her a deeper understanding of ﬁtness that extended beyond appearance. She continued going to the gym, but

“I often say that yoga is like water and strength training is like food. You need both for complete health.”

EXELEON FITNESS

“

Motivation comes and goes. Discipline is what keeps everything moving.

EXELEON FITNESS

FITNESS INTERVIEW

Strength training, she believes, becomes particularly important as people grow older because of its role in building and preserving muscle and physical strength. Yoga provides something different but equally necessary through mobility, flexibility, breathing, balance, meditation, and mental well-being. That mental component matters to her just as much as physical conditioning. Following a demanding training program, managing diet, dealing with professional responsibilities, and remaining disciplined all require mental resilience. Yoga, meditation, and breathwork provide Tanny with a way to manage those pressures. “For me, true fitness is the balance between physical strength and mental well-being.”

“Do not worry too much about what others think,” she says. “If you have a goal in your mind, believe in it and take the first step.” Rather than focusing on dramatic transformations, she encourages beginners to take manageable steps and allow progress to accumulate. She also stresses the importance of education. Anyone who wants to build a career within fitness, she says, should continue learning, invest in knowledge, pursue relevant certifications, and remain open to changing their understanding as new experiences emerge. Discipline Over Motivation As Tanny’s career has expanded, fitness is no longer the only demand competing for her attention.

Turning Knowledge into Something Bigger One of Tanny’s proudest achievements came outside the gym. In 2023, she became an author with the release of her women’s yoga book, Fit . The project allowed her to bring together two important aspects of her journey: her knowledge of yoga and her desire to make fitness more accessible and meaningful for women. It remains one of the milestones she values most, alongside the physical transformation she experienced between 2025 and 2026. Her growing influence in fitness also earned her recognition as “Woman Influencer of the Year 2025,” although Tanny says receiving the title was never something she had deliberately set out to achieve. Instead, she sees it as a consequence of years spent learning, creating, practising, and remaining committed to what interested her. That experience shapes the advice she gives women who are intimidated by starting their own fitness journeys.

Content creation, brand collaborations, training sessions, meal planning, deadlines, and personal ﬁtness targets all have to exist within the same schedule. Her solution is structure. “At this stage of my journey, I do not rely on motivation alone. Motivation comes and goes. Discipline is what keeps everything moving.” Tanny maintains a structured calendar for content, brand commitments, workouts, and other responsibilities. Meal preparation helps her avoid unnecessary decisions during busy days, while planning content in advance allows her to keep professional commitments from interfering with training. There is another side of ambitious goals that she believes people discuss less frequently: solitude. “There is a certain amount of isolation that comes with pursuing big goals,” she says, adding that learning to become comfortable with your own company can be an important part of personal growth. Once again, yoga helps provide that balance.

EXELEON FITNESS

Meditation and breathwork allow her to slow down mentally even while her professional and physical goals continue moving forward. It brings Tanny’s journey back to where it began. What started with walks, pranayama, and family yoga in Arunachal Pradesh has developed into a far more demanding approach to ﬁtness, but the foundation has remained remarkably consistent. Fitness, in her life, has never been about one workout style or one physical result. It is a practice of repeatedly showing up for herself. “Success is not about motivation,” Tanny says. “It is about planning, discipline, self-awareness, and maintaining inner balance while continuing to move forward every single day.”

FOLLOW HER

EXELEON FITNESS

Strength Every Stag Stacey Sloan on Fitness, Resilience, and Longevity

EXELEON FITNESS

FITNESS INTERVIEW

for ge

or Stacey Sloan, ﬁtness is not about chasing a number on the scale or proving how hard she can train. It is about staying strong enough, physically and mentally, to meet the demands of everyday life.

Her relationship with health and fitness began at 19, during a period when she was dealing with depression, anxiety, and panic attacks. Exercise became a way to take greater care of both her physical health and mental wellbeing. Over the years, that relationship has continued to evolve. Now approaching 42, Stacey views fitness through the lens of longevity, recovery, strength, and sustainability. While balancing three jobs, married life, and demanding work in addictions and mental health, she has learned that consistency rarely comes from having more free time. Instead, it comes from making health a priority and adapting when life does not go according to plan. Her journey has also taught her to train differently. A hamstring injury reinforced the importance of recovery and mobility, while age and experience have shifted her focus from simply working harder to training smarter. In this conversation, Stacey discusses the experiences that shaped her fitness journey, how she maintains consistency through a busy schedule, the lessons she has learned about nutrition and recovery, and why she believes women should feel empowered to prioritize themselves. How did your relationship with health and fitness begin, and how has it evolved over the years? Growing up as a child, health and fitness were not a priority, as they were not taught to us. It started later in life when I turned 19 and was diagnosed with depression, anxiety, and panic attacks. It was not until then that I decided I wanted to turn to health and fitness to take care of my physical health and mental wellbeing and start making a positive change. Since approaching 42, my fitness journey has evolved from simply wanting to be active to focusing on long-term health and longevity. Fitness has become a lifestyle and a form of self-care rather than just something I do to reach a specific goal. My fitness journey has helped me build discipline, resilience, and confidence, and those qualities carry over into my work and everyday life. You balance three jobs, married life, and a demanding schedule. How do you stay consistent with fitness when life becomes busy? While having three jobs and balancing married life, my schedule can be unpredictable at times. I have learned that consistency doesn't come from having extra time. It comes from making fitness a priority. I have to plan my workouts the same way that I plan my work commitments. Some days I have to get up and do a morning workout, while other sessions may be shorter or done at home.

EXELEON FITNESS

Putting yourself ﬁrst and taking care of yourself allows me to show up as my best self for my clients, my family, and at work. For me, exercise helps improve my energy, manage stress, and keep me mentally focused, which is important in the work I do with addictions and mental health. I have a very supportive husband, which makes it easier to maintain that balance. It is about building sustainable habits that ﬁt my lifestyle rather than waiting for the perfect time to train. What does your current training routine look like, and how has your approach changed since turning 40? My training routine consists of a combination of cardio and strength training, but strength training is my primary focus. I typically train about three times a week, or more if I can, along with cardio for heart health, endurance, and stress management.

INN

After turning 40, my approach has evolved. I focus more on training smarter, mobility, proper nutrition, recovery, and consistency. I have learned to listen to my body, prioritize good technique, and understand that long-term health and injury prevention are more valuable than pushing myself to extremes. A couple of years ago, I experienced a hamstring injury, which changed the way I approached training. It taught me the importance of mobility, recovery, and proper warmups. My mindset has shifted from simply working harder to working smarter. My goal is to stay strong, healthy, and injuryfree so I can continue to enjoy an active lifestyle for years to come. What has been one of the biggest challenges in your ﬁtness journey, and what did it teach you? One of the biggest challenges I’ve overcome was recovering from a hamstring injury a couple of years ago. It forced me to be patient, which is very hard for me when it comes to the gym. It helped me modify my training and focus on proper recovery rather than trying to push through the pain. That experience taught me that progress isn’t always about doing more. It's about training intelligently and consistently. Consistency doesn’t require perfection. Some workouts are shorter or need to be adjusted, but I learned to stay committed because I know how much exercise beneﬁts my physical health, mental wellbeing, and ability to perform my best in all areas of life.

EXELEON FITNESS

FITNESS INTERVIEW

NER DRIVE

EXELEON FITNESS

FITNESS INTERVIEW

What role does nutrition play in supporting your ﬁtness, energy, and overall wellbeing? Nutrition is a very important part of my routine because it supports my energy, recovery, and overall health, mentally and physically. I try to focus on eating balanced nutrients and including protein with every meal to help fuel my training and help me perform my best. That being said, I also believe in moderation. I don’t think any food has to be oﬀ-limits. I enjoy a treat or fast food occasionally. It is part of a healthy, sustainable lifestyle. It is about consistency over time rather than striving for perfection. I aim to make healthy choices most of the time while still allowing myself to treat myself once in a while. When I am working at the bar or working long hours, I always bring healthy snacks and meals with me so I’m not relying on whatever is available when I get hungry. If I do have to eat out while I am working, I always choose the healthiest food on the menu, such as a salad.

What advice would you give to women who struggle to make time for themselves and their health? I would encourage women to prioritize themselves without feeling guilty about it. Fitness isn’t about changing how you look. It’s about building strength, confidence, energy, and taking care of your mental and physical health. Life gets busy, and there will always be work, family, and unexpected challenges that can get in the way, but small, consistent steps can make a huge difference. I would also remind them to be patient and kind to themselves. As we get older, our bodies tend to respond differently, and that’s okay. Celebrate progress along the way, even if it’s in small steps. Learn to focus on training smarter, listen to your body, and focus more on recovery. You don’t need to do everything perfectly. You just need to keep showing up. That is a win. Looking ahead, what do you want fitness to continue bringing to your life? Ultimately, I want my fitness journey to be something sustainable that grows with me and allows me to continue living a healthy, active, and fulfilling life. I want fitness to continue supporting my energy, confidence, mental wellbeing, and ability to show up fully for my career, my relationships, and the things I enjoy. My fitness journey has taught me that it’s not about chasing a certain number or trying to be the youngest or strongest person in the room. It's about becoming the strongest version of myself at each stage of my life.

EXELEON FITNESS

THRIVE EXELEON FITNESS

EXELEON FITNESS w w w. e x e l e o n ﬁ t n e s s . c o m