Meet Deanna O’Brien | Personal Trainer & Yoga Instructor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Deanna O’Brien and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Deanna, every day, we about how much execution matters, but we think ideas matter as well. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
I will premise this article with the fact that while I was finishing my master’s education, I was diagnosed with ADHD (finally). Additionally, I refer to myself a Health and Wellness Advocate with specializations in personal training and yoga instruction. Basically I stand up for your own health and wellness journey. Finally, as with many businesses, they started somewhere and may look completely different from how they were originally conceptualized. There were times I wish I had a straight path, but I suppose that would have taken all of the lessons and fun out of the equation. Here’s my story…

My current business model is different from the one I originally started with. I graduated with my MA in Counseling Psychology in October 2013. While I was in my last semester of school, I went for my National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) Personal Training Certification. I became certified in November and I started training people right away. After 2 years of trying to gain my hours to test and become licensed as a therapist, I had to let my intern registrations expire. I put my attention toward my fitness business and it paid off. I ran my own business and became an independent contractor. My contractor offered me an opportunity to manage a fitness studio in Downtown San Dieg0, CA. I put all of my time and energy into that studio for 9 months. During those 9 months my then-husband and I decided we were also going to get married and start a meadery. I don’t recommend doing all of that at one time, but somehow we did.

By the time we got married the fitness studio was shut down. I was able to go back to teaching fitness classes for my contractor and seeing clients 1:1 again. I also started taking dance classes and became more involved with the meadery.

I did all of this for another year and then the first injury happened. I was teaching a fitness class and I pulled my lower back really bad. A little side note here: I was teaching up to 8 classes per week (indoor cycling and water aerobics), seeing clients 1:1, taking our business to farmers markets 3-4 days per week, and running the tasting room 3 days a week. It was, quite literally, exhausting.

As soon as I felt better I went back to my work schedule. It was around May of 2018 that I decided I was no longer happy in my marriage and I started the divorce process. During this process I found myself in the ER in November 2019 – I was working through a lot of back pain on a daily basis. It became so severe I could not drive anymore and my now partner picked me up to go to the ER. I had severely ruptured my L5-S1 disc and stayed in the hospital for 5 days waiting for surgery. While I was in the hospital drugged on pain killers, I was studying to become a Corrective Exercise Specialist and working on paperwork to send to my attorney. It was a mess.

I had healed enough to get back into work, at least I thought I did. I started with fewer classes so I did not stress out my back as much. The attorney fees were not going to pay for themselves. I worked 8-10 h0ur days between water aerobics classes ( I had to stop teaching indoor cycling classes – it was too much pull on my back) to pay my bills I was racking up during my divorce and recovery process. I finally finished my Corrective Exercise Specialist certification so that was one less stress to deal with.

Fast forward past my divorce to 12/29/2020: I injured my back (again) right before teaching a water aerobics class. A storm was coming in and one of the umbrellas was lifted by a gust of wind. I pulled down on it because I did not know where the wind was going to carry it and my class of elderly ladies was coming in. Then the wind had shifted – I could not control the umbrella and I twisted my back really bad. I taught the class and then the pain set in. Over the course of the next year I lived with chronic pain and would lose the ability to drive because I had little to no control of my right leg. I was on disability and did what I could for myself financially. It was during this time that I started Fit and Functional, my current business model, and pitched the idea to Miss Cassandra Fitness to help me bring it to life. I told her this program would be helping people in chronic pain work their way out of pain by using the body’s natural healing pathways. She loved the idea and we got to work with fully conceptualizing the program. We started filming for the Low Back Pain module, but by November, I was being scheduled for a back fusion. I got my back fused on 12/30/2021 and on 12/31/21 I walked out of the hospital. The project was put on hold.

Everyone tells you the road to recovery is going to be intense. You think you understand that after having a back surgery before, but nothing compared to the back fusion. I was not able to move normally for the first 3 months of recovery. I could walk and I walked as far as I could. With my knowledge of exercise science and yoga (I became certified in 2016 and was working on my 200 Hour cert with Akasha Yoga) I meditated and practiced what I could everyday. I continued working with Cassandra on my current project. With her help we have designed the first module for low back pain. We are currently in the process of recording more modules for head and neck pain. We will be creating modules for the entire body and my goal is to be able to offer workshops and virtual classes to further supplement the program.

I have held onto this project because I know what it is like living in chronic pain. I realized that the world needed this program, especially during the pandemic when everything was remote. Back issues, body aches in general, and chronic stress level were on the rise and I felt that it was the perfect time to bring this program to life. I can educate the masses on how to move and live better with being virtual and I realized that as I was healing on disability. My purpose is to help people move through their chronic pain and live the healthiest lives they can dream of. My long term goal is to have a virtual wellness center where I have health and wellness professionals from different disciplines join forces and create a community where pain is treated from the root causes, not just from the symptoms. At the very least, I hope that my story inspires you to take action for your health and wellness journey. Make the choice to stand up for your body and be well!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
1. What sets me a part from the others is how I know and understand the pain first hand and how I am choosing to address the pain. There were ways to prevent what I experienced and I want to share that with everyone who is searching for a solution. 2. I am not proud of what I went through – bearing pain is nothing to be proud of. It was a like a curse that seemed it would never be lifted. However, I am proud of being able to take control of my thoughts, take ownership of my life, and share my story with others who are going through something similarly in hopes they can find the inner strength to embark on their own healing journey.
3. In the previous section I took about 12 years worth of content and summarized my life into a page or two. Was this journey easy? No. Even as I type this out, I feel like there is still so much to do. I did not see myself where I am today 10 years ago. Going through a divorce while getting my first back surgery was shocking for me and the second surgery more so. Navigating all of this feels like a lifetime of work already. Still, when you have a dream, a vision that you cannot shake, you just have to go with your gut and inner wisdom to see it through. My current partner has been my rock, along with all of my friends who saw my struggle and offered support whenever they could. Really, what sets me a part from others is how I see the world and CHOOSE to experience my life. I have always been active and for me to lose a part of myself for 3 years was devastating. My mind went into some dark places. I could not get an endorphin high from working out because I could not work that hard. I could not go to the beach, ride my bike, do yoga, dance, hike, anything really without being in a ton of pain. I learned how to tap into my mind and take better control of it. It did not happen over night. It took a lot of practice and patience with myself. This is where my name Fit and Functional came from. I have always LOVED fitness and to go from being active up to 3 hours a day to not being able to do even 30 minutes was a rude wake up call. I did not want to go through that again and, because I am very empathetic and sympathetic, I am choosing to share my knowledge and experience with others so whoever finds me knows there is another way to move out of pain and prevent it from happening.

Lessons:

1. DO NOT GIVE UP. There is always a way through, you just have to be open to seeing the opportunities.
2. Choose to take control of your life and focus on what you CAN DO instead of what you don’t have control over.
3. Be open to change and growth. How you start may not be how you finish, or evolve. And that is okay! Everyone’s story is unique, and that is what makes all life incredible!

My brand is about taking responsibility over your mind and body and being the change you wish to see. I will help you advocate for your own physical and emotional well being, and I am so excited about embarking on that journey with all that come through the door!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
This question is nuts! Let me do a day by day itinerary:

Monday: Coronado! We would ride our bikes on the Bayshore Bikeway and tour Coronado in style! We would stop by the Greek restaurant before we hit the ferry. We would take the ferry across the bay to downtown and grab a beer and maybe some other food. I would want to make reservations ahead of time to go to False Idol for some amazing eats and rainforest action.

Tuesday: Wake up to get in some museum action at Balboa Park. This is an all day affair!

Wednesday: San Diego Zoo, night hiking in Mission Trails Park.

Thursday: San Diego Safari Park

Friday: ride up and down the PCH visiting breweries and local eating places

Saturday: Take a trip to Tribute Pizza and explore the North Park and Hillcrest Areas

Sunday: rest day at the beach!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
1. Cassandra Jahn, Owner and Founder of Miss Cassandra Fitness 2. Deno and Scott Bell, previous Owners and Founders of Fit X Fitness, for being excellent mentors in the beginning of my fitness professional journey
3. My friends and family, especially Cassandra Jahn and Adam Baer
4. Books: Think and Grow Rich, Atomic Habits, The Culture Code
6. Andrea Zajac and Jo Shipe: for sharing their amazing work habits and creative ideas with me
7. Rose Revenue, for helping me navigate the marketing waters and giving me control over my website and social media presence.
8. Ingrid Arna: her empowering corporation to help women rise to their fullest potential.

Website: www.fitnfunctional.club

Instagram: fitnfunctional.club

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deecobrien/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/psychdnc

Other: My website is currently under construction so your best bet is to visit me on my FB or IG accounts.

Image Credits
Myself