Making it fit

By Dexter McCree, Feature Writer

ST. PETERSBURG — Natasha Walker is an attractive, dark complexioned woman who is confident in her skin and is passionate about being a fitness trainer and instructor. She is an exercise guru who embraces her African heritage and appreciates her inner beauty.

Physically, she has a firm, toned body that is a reflection of six days a week of body enhancement training and cardio workouts.  Her signature smile enhances her smooth skin and highlights her low haircut is a reflection and tribute to her African-American heritage.

The woman you see today is very different from that of some years past. Today, she is sure of herself and solid in her faith, both spiritually and psychologically. Now, she is a strong woman who desires to empower other sisters who may share in her story.

“I found myself giving to others but didn’t feel that I was deserving of the love for myself,” said Walker. “My outward appearance reflected my inner feelings and it wasn’t good.”

A few years ago, Walker lacked self-confidence and found herself in a low state. At times, life seemed difficult; she wondered if life was worth living. There were challenges in her marriage and more pounds than muscle on her body. She reached a point in her life where she just could not figure things out.

One night after an intense argument with her husband, she left the house feeling lost, afraid and unsure of how to proceed with her marriage. She wondered how after 23 years the devil could have crept into their relationship and torn the family apart. Her husband was her best friend at one time.

Walker got in her car and drove to the beach, unsure of her next move. Then she received a phone call asking her to come back home. She needed to hear her husband’s voice telling her that he needed her there. She thought to herself that it was the sweetest voice that she had ever heard.

However, when she arrived home, she learned that the phone call did not come from her husband. God had intervened in a way that she had never experienced before.

“As soon as I spoke, the Holy Spirit’s presence was all around me, and I knew right then it was God and that everything was going to be alright no matter the outcome,” expressed Walker.

God’s Holy Spirit lifted her out of the mire she had been in for so long.

In an effort to improve her body image, she started a fitness class at Franklin Templeton Investments where she worked for 10 years as a financial analyst and assistant supervisor. The class was such a hit that her supervisor suggested that she pursue a career as a fitness trainer.

Thinking that a new career could be the life change that she needed, with careful contemplation and some consternation, Walker resigned. After a successful career of helping the investment firm process and protect client accounts, Walker would now take those leadership skills and help individuals invest in their bodies and help protect them from unhealthy eating patterns and a sedentary lifestyle.

The new and confident Walker studied nutrition at Athletics and Fitness Association of America and is now a licensed personal trainer and nutrition/weight management counselor.  She is also a diabetes prevention coach, Zumba® instructor, LIVESTRONG® and a SilverSneakers® instructor at the YMCA of Greater St. Petersburg.

Walker helps individuals of all ages transform their mind, body and spirit through a healthy lifestyle. Her inner beauty accentuates her outward physical appearance. Helping others workout, faith in God and enjoying her three children and three grandchildren gives her the confidence to smile.

To reach Dexter McCree, email dmccree@theweeklychallenger.com