Member Spotlight: Kerri Smugala
We are very excited to feature Kerri Smugala as our Member Spotlight this month. It is always fun to learn more about our members. Kerri, it turns out has some serious roots in St. Louis.
“I grew up right here in St. Louis Missouri, on “The Hill” and actually I’m still living there. Some call it so cool that I’m the 3rd generation Italian still here, and some call it boring that I’m still here. There is something very neat about sending my kids to St. Ambrose where I once walked the halls as did my father and my grandmother. Now my husband and I are the co-owners of an event space, (D’Amici Room), and four restaurants (Gastropit, El Milagro Azteca, Carnivore, and Collina Eatery) all located on the Hill so I don’t think I will be moving anytime soon.
As a child I would say I was moderately active, played all the C.Y.C sports, mostly basketball and volleyball but I was never too passionate about any one sport. I would ride bikes and run around with friend so that is as active as I was. As a younger adult I started playing sand volleyball and really liked it, I was never good, but it was so fun to play. In fact, this is how I met my husband, Joe. He couldn’t resist my sweet spike. I started jogging and running and really got into it, eventually running races and 1/2 marathons.
I have always worked a lot, most of the time 2 sometimes 3 jobs so I never really have had time for hobbies other than going out and having TOO much fun with my friends.
Kerri also shared these ‘fun facts’ about herself. “It is weird and kind of gross, but I can blow spit bubbles with my tongue. It is usually a great ice breaker at social gatherings and my family and friends often try to make me do it on command.
Also, we have the modern-day family. My husband has 3 children from a previous marriage and we have a grandson who is 10. My kids have a nephew who is older than them. When he is with us and he is calling me grandma people get so confused. We love to tell people this.”
It is also always fun to find out how people started with us at Forward Fitness. I remember participating in Kerri’s first challenge with her and I’m so glad she stayed with us afterwards. This is what Kerri said about how she joined Forward Fitness. “It’s really crazy how life sometimes just works in your favor. My daughter just turned about a year and a half so she couldn’t walk that good and she was a chunky girl. I carried her up our stairs and when I reached the top I was out of breath, and I thought I HAVE got to get myself healthy. I am not even joking, but the very next day my friend/business partner Mike called me and told me we were partnering up with gift cards from Carnivore with his buddy that owns a gym named Forward Fitness and he is offering a VIP spot for a challenge that they are running. I was so apprehensive at first because I get so intimidated by gyms. However, I decided to step out of my comfort zone and I agreed to the Habit Challenge and this was EXACTLY what I needed to start getting healthy. After completing that challenge and really making progress I decided to join and have loved it ever since.”
This is what Kerri shared about why fitness and health are important to her, “Staying heathy is important to me because I had my children at an older age so I want/have to be able to keep up with them. I don’t want to be the mom sitting on the park bench watching them play, I want to be on the playground running with them, and to be strong enough to help them on the monkey bars. Also, I think it is important for them to see me trying to live a heathy lifestyle so they can learn how important it is for them to stay healthy.
Diabetes runs in my family, both my parents have it, and all my grandparents had it. If I could try to stay on the healthier side to maybe prevent it, I want to. I didn’t start taking this seriously until recently.”
Kerri has had some challenges along the way with her fitness journey, “I had to stop running before I had kids because I was starting the IVF process and with all the medication I was pumping through my body my doctor suggested I stop because of all the health risks. This was in fact when I stopped running because I wanted babies so badly. I now have two children Leonard(7) and Carolynn(5). I also have had 2 varicose veins surgeries, a knee injury and multiple falls from running (Ha Ha)
She shared this about how she has made fitness an important part of her life. “Encouragement from my husband and family and like I mentioned earlier my children keep me the most motivated. But what has probably kept me going all of these years is my best friend, Megan. Twenty years ago, she was in a drunk driving accident, and now suffers from a brain injury. She had to relearn EVERYTHING from sitting up to walking, to writing to feeding herself. She currently is doing very well living by herself and working a part time job. Anytime I am down on myself I think of her, and it keeps me going. My very first half marathon I ran for her.”
When we asked what accomplishments, she was most proud of Kerri replied, “Running 3 half marathons and one day I would love to complete a full marathon but I’m not sure if my leg circulation would allow me. Also, just being consistent at the 6:00 a.m. workouts, starting my day getting up before most do and getting it done before the day starts really feels like an accomplishment every day.”
Kerri would give this advice to someone thinking about adding a fitness routine to their life, “Well start one day at a time and find a plan that works for you. Take small steps and create little habits because the little things all add up to create large accomplishments. Also, find your people.” Great advice indeed!