A Guest Episode with Shay Kostabi
Despite our focus on health and wellness, the fitness industry is not immune to burnout. Studios and gyms across the globe are full of high-achieving instructors trying to do it all because they care deeply about what they do but who is caring for them? Can anything be done to keep fitness instructors from spreading themselves too thin?
In this episode of the Mindful Fit Pro Podcast, fitness career specialist Shay Kostabi joins host Shelly for a conversation on burnout.
Teaching back-to-back classes, investing all your time and energy into clients, and trying to keep up-to-date with the latest trends can be a recipe for burnout. Shay and Shelly share insights on how to recognize and prevent burnout. By listening to their conversation, you can pick up some tips for balancing the demands of being a fitness instructor without losing your passion.
Tune into this episode of The Mindful Fit Pro Podcast, to learn how you can prevent burnout and where to turn if you’re currently running on empty.
Timestamped Highlights of Ep. 5
- 00:00 Fitness industry veteran Shay Kostabi discusses preventing burnout, transitioning from performing arts to fitness, and making group fitness classes fun to hook people on working out.
- 09:17 Shay Kostabi helps people find their calling as fitness instructors and avoid burnout by focusing on experience design, vocal training, and self-care.
- 16:06 Instructors in the fitness industry need better support from employers to prevent burnout, with the importance of setting boundaries and offloading tasks to reduce stress.
- 21:04 Focus on creating a positive environment and finding joy in teaching, set healthy boundaries to avoid burnout, and prioritize self-care in the fitness industry.
- 28:15 Set boundaries, prioritize well-being, and communicate with employers to avoid burnout as a fitness instructor, while also recognizing and appreciating team members who pick up extra classes.
- 36:19 Fitness instructors need to find their perfect combination of workouts, prioritize rest, and recognize symptoms of burnout to avoid exhaustion and maintain sustainability in their careers.
- 41:17 Self-awareness and setting boundaries are crucial for avoiding burnout in the fitness industry, finding joy outside of work is essential for rejuvenation, and seeking a new environment that aligns with your values is okay.
- 47:49 Good coaching and teaching are separate skills that need independent work, with intention setting being crucial for personal and career development in the fitness industry, and it’s important to prioritize self-care and create a positive and inclusive environment for clients.
Key Takeaways
😓 Overworking and pushing yourself to the limit may seem like a badge of achievement, but it can lead to complete exhaustion and burnout. The constant pressure to one-up yourself in creating new workouts leads to burnout and exhaustion.
💰 Lack of health insurance and low income contribute to the challenges faced by fitness instructors, making it difficult for them to prioritize their own well-being.
⏰ Balancing work and rest is crucial for showing up as your best self for clients and maintaining a positive experience within your classes. Setting boundaries around the types of classes you’re willing to teach and when you teach is important for maintaining a positive experience for both instructors and participants.
😴 Taking time off and doing nothing can be a good start to combat burnout and exhaustion.
🌱 It’s okay to outgrow your current environment and seek out a new one that better suits you as you grow and evolve.
Who’s in this Guest Episode?
Meet Shay!
Shay Kostabi is a creator, connector, educator, and guide. As Co-Founder of Fitness Career Mastery with her husband, Barry, and Director of the Group X Conservatory, Shay works with instructors and studio owners internationally to build programs, instructor training manuals, and continuing education materials to help fitness professionals turn their workout classes into epic, immersive, never-to-be-missed experiences for the clients they are meant to serve. With a background in the performing arts and education and over 15 years of working with studio owners and instructors all over the world, Shay’s purpose is to help professionals create meaningful and memorable experiences through the power of movement, music, and storytelling. Shay is an adventure-seeking, experience and music-obsessed mom to a magical unicorn child and contributor to AFFA’s most recent GFI course, an ACE and AFFA certified group X instructor, NASM CPT, and holds too many specialized certifications to list
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Mental Health Resources
If someone you know is in distress or experiencing a mental health crisis, and you’re in the United States, dial 988. The 988 Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support from trained counselors. and prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones.
If you are looking for mental health professionals in your area, visit our Resources page.
To further support your clients and your own mental health, download the ✨ FREE ✨ Mental Health Resource Guide for Fitness Professionals or check out upcoming Mental Health First Aid training offered by The Mindful Fit Pro LLC.
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Ep. 5: Navigating Burnout as a Fitness Instructor – Guest Episode with Shay Kostabi of Fitness Career Mastery – The Mindful Fit Pro Podcast
- Ep. 5: Navigating Burnout as a Fitness Instructor – Guest Episode with Shay Kostabi of Fitness Career Mastery
- Ep. 4 Caring for the Whole Person: Supporting Client Mental Health
- Guest Episode: Charlotte's Interview with Shelly on the I Heart My Fit Biz podcast
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- Ep. 2: How to Overcome Performance Anxiety & Pre-Class Nerves