Personal Training with Megan Hare

Why did you choose a career in wellness? 

I have always been passionate about nutrition. That’s probably where my fitness career started budding because you can’t do one and not the other - it goes hand in hand. Working with people is such a pleasure and helping them reach their goals is unbelievably rewarding.

What areas do you specialize in? 

Outside of being known for flexibility and stretching, I also help clients who are determined to lose weight and become healthy. Often there can be a vicious emotional cycle: ‘eat because they are unhappy; they are unhappy because they eat [excessively or improperly].’

Some of my clients come to me for stretching only, which I adore due to my massage therapist background. I also enjoy the hands-on approach. There is something about stretching and working on tight muscles that is very rewarding when mobility returns to those areas, and I see my clients' improvements.

What makes you unique as a trainer? 

I love kicking things up into a high energy class. For example, I choose electronic/dance music for group cycle, something with a good beat and loads of drops, which gets me pumped up and in turn, I give that energy to my attendees. I feed off their energy and them mine.

I even use high tempo music for my barre classes, which ends up being pretty hardcore and high energy too. My barre classes tend to be more of a barre fusion than traditional barre. Traditional barre is intense but very slow in its movements. In my classes, I use different tempos and incorporate different devices like weights and stability balls to keep it interesting.

Beyond getting a kick out of high energy classes, I enjoy planning challenging sessions for my clients. I have a good sense of their needs. For example, when my clients seem low in energy or spirit I change my workout program to be uplifting instead of just a sweat fest. Sometimes they just need to get moving to get the endorphins pumping which will lift their spirits. I think of it as working from the inside out, not only on a physical level but an emotional one too. If you feel horrible, the chances are you won’t have a good workout either, and the chances of not having a great day will be higher. I strive to be uplifting to my clients so they leave the gym feeling good about themselves and about what they have accomplished so that that positive trend can follow them throughout their day.