About Barb MacGillivary, NASM CPT, CES, FNS, BCS, WLS

HEY, I'M BARB!

I coach women who...

  • love... life, their families, food, feeling fit, movement.
  • hate...deprivation, yo-yo dieting, rebound weight gain.
  • need... accountability, consistency, progress with weight loss.
  • crave...results, but also crave the occasional glass of wine or chocolate.
  • can't figure out how to... lose weight and keep it off long term.
  • struggle to... find balance, willpower or motivation.
  • secretly yearn for... freedom, progress, success!
  • are looking for... support, accountability, motivation, results.
  • are totally over... fad diets + really, really long and inefficient workouts.
  • are totally into... efficiency, doing what works!
  • are totally ready for... LASTING CHANGE!

I give women the TOOLS they need to...

  • have more discipline, while sprinkling in a little satisfaction and enjoyment.
  • get more results in less time, while helping them feel balanced.
  • work through obstacles, while creating more "wins."
  • get exactly what they want, which is weight loss they can keep for the rest of their lives.
  • bring more health, energy and fitness into their lives.
  • turn challenges into success stories.
  • resolve the dieting struggle once + for all.
  • look + feel totally confident, proud, accomplished!

My Background + Education

  • Certified Personal Trainer - National Academy of Sports Medicine
  • CES - Certified Corrective Exercise Specialist
  • FNS - Certified Fitness Nutrition Specialist
  • BCS - Certified Wellness Coach (Behavior Change Specialist)
  • WLS - Certified Weight Loss Specialist
  • Sharecare.com NASM Elite Trainer
  • Bachelor's Degree - University of Illinois
  • Fitness Competitor - Bikini Division
  • Best of Thumbtack - Awarded Thumbtack's top coach 2-years in a row!

AND WHEN I'M NOT COACHING OR BLOGGING, I CAN BE FOUND...

  • Spending time with my twin daughters.
  • Binge-watching my favorite shows with my husband.
  • Stargazing with my telescope, and sharing my love of astronomy. Science rules! :)
  • Traveling or planning my next trip until I cross off all the destinations on my "bucket list."

SOMETHING YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT ME... I struggled with yo-yo dieting, weight loss and rebound weight gain for 14 years before finally finding balance and lasting success.

I know what it's like to feel stuck, frustrated, and powerless to food. There is a way out.

MY FULL STORY

My journey with health and fitness began when I started to gain weight after high school. Understanding I had a strong family history for obesity, I spoke to my parents for guidance. My father told me there was nothing I could do to fight genetics, and that I would continue gaining weight no matter what I did. My mother was a lifelong Weight Watchers member and told me it was the family curse. That conversation ignited a fire in me, and I became determined to prove family history did not need to determine my destiny.

Unfortunately, at first, I spent many years trying to reach my goals the wrong way - developing a love/hate relationship with food, my body, diet and exercise. I went to extremes resulting in becoming underweight (at first) through excessive dieting and exercise. After recovering from those eating disorders I went to the opposite extreme by binge-eating. Soon I was overweight and suffered from high cholesterol and various health issues. I lived as a yo-yo dieter, always looking for the next fad diet or workout to finally fix my struggle with weight and my body. In the end, I lost 40 lbs and kept it off for over 20 years, losing it once again after having twins.

After reaching my goals I wanted to help others. I became a certified wellness professional (BCS), weight loss coach, personal trainer, and certified fitness nutrition specialist. I founded Barb's Fit For Life. My goal was to provide a service that encompassed the three parts I believe are necessary to achieve lasting results: exercise (through workouts that fit our lifestyle), sustainable nutrition (to achieve weight loss and health without extreme dieting or banned food) and mindset (through support/coaching). I wanted to partner with my clients to provide more support than they would get with a trainer in a typical gym-environment. This included additional assistance with the challenges many face when embarking on a new fitness program.

My specialties include weight loss/health coaching, nutrition, strength training, behavioral coaching, corrective exercise, core and balance training and more. I would love to partner with you to reach your goals.

Ready to get started? Let's do this!

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