Today we’d like to introduce you to Tanya Stroh.
Hi Tanya, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’ve been in the fitness industry for more than 20 years, but it’s actually my second career. I started my professional life as a television producer, and in my 40s I made a big change and went back to school full time to study fitness. I knew I loved fitness and helping people, and I saw firsthand how much stronger and more confident people could become when they had the right guidance and support.
What I never expected was that my first career and my new career would eventually come together. I had the opportunity to host My Fitness Rx, a healthy-living television series that grew to more than 100 episodes and was eventually syndicated and streamed nationally. Every episode combined fitness, nutrition and healthy living, but what made the experience so special for me was how much I got to learn along the way. I interviewed doctors, coaches, athletes, chefs and health and wellness experts, and then had the opportunity to share what I was learning with our viewers. I also got pushed outside my own comfort zone more than a few times, from trying a flying trapeze to getting on a dragon boat and rock climbing. One week I might be talking with a physician about heart health or the latest medical technology, and another I might be learning from a sports performance coach or a professional chef.
It was an amazing education for me personally, and I think that experience really shaped the way I work today. I learned how much I love taking good information, continuing to learn myself, and then making that information understandable and useful for other people.
My own life has shaped the way I coach, too. I’m a cancer survivor, and I also came back from a serious water-skiing accident that shattered my tibia. After a serous reconstructive surgery, six months on crutches and being told I would likely walk with a limp, I learned on a very personal level what it meant to rebuild strength. It took consistency, month of physical therapy, a whole lot of hard work, persistence and patience. Those 2 experiences gave me an even greater appreciation of what my body was capable of.
As I got older, my fitness business naturally grew and evolved with me. Today, at 62, I work primarily with women over 50 through my Ageless Strength Fitness Programs. I’m in the same stage of life as many of the women I coach, and I understand that our bodies change as we get older. What worked for us at 30 or 40 isn’t what we need now.
I think what keeps me so passionate about fitness and a healthy lifestyle after all these years is that I’m still learning, still challenging myself and still experiencing many of the same changes as the women I work with. I love being able to take everything I’ve learned and use it to help people continue doing the things they love as they get older. And at 62, I feel like there’s still a lot ahead of me, both personally and professionally. And I still water ski!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely hasn’t always been a smooth road. Like most people, I’ve had times in my life when the plan I thought I had suddenly changed.
One of the first major challenges came in my late 20s, when I was still working as a television producer. I was in a serious water-skiing accident that shattered my tibia. I needed major reconstructive surgery, spent six months on crutches and was told there was a good chance I would walk with a limp. I was young, active and athletic, so that was difficult to hear.
Recovery taught me a lot about patience and consistency long before I ever became a personal trainer. There wasn’t one big moment where everything was suddenly better. It was physical therapy, doing the work over and over, celebrating small improvements and continuing even when I didn’t feel like I was making any progress. I eventually returned to the active life I loved without a limp! But to this day I carried those lessons with me.
Years later, I faced another very different challenge when I was diagnosed with cancer. I’m now approaching my five-year cancer-free mark, which is something I’m incredibly grateful for. Through both of those experiences, I had the amazing support of my late husband and my daughter. I truly don’t think I could have gotten through those difficult times without them.
My husband also played a huge role in another turning point in my life. When I began thinking seriously about making fitness and personal training my second career, he was the one who encouraged me to go back to school. His feeling was that if I was going to do this, I should really learn the business and the science behind it, not just rely on the fact that I had always exercised and been an athlete. He was right. So, in my 40s, I went back to school full time and started building an entirely new career.
There have been plenty of professional challenges since then too. I’ve built a business from the ground up, and even after more than 20 years, I’m still adapting and learning. The fitness industry has changed, technology has changed, and the way people find and consume health information has changed tremendously. I’ve had to keep learning and be willing to do things that aren’t always comfortable for me.
When I look back, I think all of those experiences are connected in some way. I learned what it feels like to have your body change your plans. I learned that starting over can happen at any age. And probably most importantly, I learned the value of having people beside you who believe in you, sometimes even before you completely believe in yourself. I’ve been very fortunate to have that in my life.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Tanya Stroh Training Solutions, Inc. / Ageless Strength Fitness Programs?
Tanya Stroh Training Solutions is my personal training and fitness coaching business, and Ageless Strength Fitness Programs grew out of that work as my focus became increasingly centered on women over 50.
After more than 20 years in the fitness industry, I’ve seen a real shift in what women need as they get older. We grew up hearing a lot about eating less, doing more cardio and exercising to make ourselves smaller. But as we age, maintaining and building muscle becomes incredibly important for our strength, balance, bone health, metabolism and our ability to keep doing the things we enjoy.
That’s where much of my work is focused today. I specialize in helping women over 50 build strength, move better and feel more confident in what their bodies can do. Strength training is a big part of that, but I also educate my clients about nutrition, recovery, balance, sleep and the everyday habits that support healthy aging. I want women to understand the “why” behind what they’re doing, not just follow a workout because I told them to.
I think one of the things that sets me apart is that at 62, I’m living through this stage of life right alongside many of the women I coach. I understand that our bodies change. I also have more than two decades of professional experience to draw from, so I can combine what I’m experiencing personally with what I’ve learned through education, certifications, working with clients and continuing to stay current with the science of healthy aging.
My work ranges from one-on-one personal training to programs through Ageless Strength that give women additional ways to get the guidance and support they need. I also spend a lot of time educating through social media, videos and community events because I want good fitness and health information to feel accessible, not intimidating.
What I’m probably most proud of isn’t a particular program or service. It’s seeing someone realize she is capable of more than she thought. Maybe she lifts a weight she never thought she could lift, improves her balance, gets up and down from the floor more easily, or simply feels stronger in everyday life. Those moments matter to me.
That’s really what Ageless Strength means to me. Getting older is inevitable, but how we approach it matters. My goal is to help women continue building strength and confidence so they can stay active, independent and keep doing the things they love for as long as possible.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I was always active growing up and definitely a little competitive. I loved sports and played basketball throughout junior high and high school. I also grew up loving the water, the beach and boating. I learned to water ski when I was seven years old, and being active was just a natural part of my life.
I’ve also always been a big sports fan. I love our Philly sports teams and especially football and that really hasn’t changed much over the years.
Looking back, I don’t think it’s surprising that I eventually found my way into the fitness industry. Movement, sports and being active have been part of who I am for as long as I can remember. And fortunately, at 62, they still are!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://tanyastroh.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tanya_stroh/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tanya.stroh.18/
