Who are you and what are your passions?
I am a Mom, Business Owner, Fitness Instructor, Volunteer Firefighter and EMT. Owning my own studio gives the the opportunity to meet and work with people from every walk of life. It is wonderful to help people get and stay healthy - the satisfaction I get from that is matched only by the relationships I have been able to build with my clients and the friendships that will last a lifetime!

What do you love about teaching Bellyfit?
I LOVE the energy of a Bellyfit class!! It is so great to see all those smiling faces looking back at you and to see how women have come to "embrace the jiggle" and loose some of the self consciousness we all seem to have!

What is the most common feedback you receive from your participants about Bellyfit?
FUN!!! Almost everyone who has attended a class remarks on how much fun the class is! They are surprised at how much they work without feeling overwhelmed. The core and stretching aspects of the class are a welcomed addition to the cardio and something that is not found anywhere else!

How do you feel that Bellyfit supports your lifestyle?
Bellyfit allows me to continue to help women learn to love their bodies and embrace exercise without the fear of judgement or the need to compare themselves to others. This is something I have done with Pilates for the past 12 years and it is great to be able to offer that on a grander scale.

What do you think are the qualities that make a great Bellyfit Instructor?
Compassion would be number one! Anyone can teach a fitness class, but not everyone can step outside of themselves and focus on helping a client feel comfortable and motivating them to continue on!

What is the #1 thing women need to do to stay healthy and fit? (other than Bellyfit)
Take time for you!! Everyone knows we need to eat healthy and exercise in order to stay fit but not everyone listens to their body and gives themselves permission to REST! As women, we are often pulled in many directions and there seems to be so much left at the end of the day that we did not accomplish, so we feel guilty for stopping to rest a bit in the middle of the day! We must allow ourselves that time to rest and recharge. The laundry will still be there and the world will not end if the dishes are done an hour later than you had intended....If you do not replenish your body when it asks you to, then you will inevitably find yourself exhausted and the simplest of tasks can become overwhelming. At the beginning of each one of my Bellyfit classes I invite my clients to "leave life at the door for an hour and focus on you"...I feel that if we can allow ourselves to do this at home, our stress levels will go down and our "health levels" will go up!!

Anything else you would like to add.
I am so thankful to be given the opportunity that is Bellyfit! From the message to the exercises to the music, Bellyfit has allowed me to grow as a person and a teacher!

Click here to read more about Leslie and her studio Pike Street Pilates, http://northfork.patch.com/articles/local-women-are-getting-their-bellyfit#c