Wonder Woman Fitness: Kiowana Phillips
/By Jill Farr
Soldier, author, certified personal trainer, PhD student, wife, mom…Kiowana Phillips isn’t kidding when she refers to herself as a “Jane of All Trades”, but the usual follow up of “Master of None” doesn’t apply here—she attains goals, in addition to setting them.
“I love challenging myself,” Kiowana says. “There are many women that I look up to but none that do everything that I do. We are all unique. I love helping others and what makes me unique is that I have the motivation, support and drive to push people to reach their goals. Whether they want to maintain, lose weight, or just challenge themselves, I'm there every step of the way.”
As the wonder woman behind Wonder Woman Fitness, Kiowana brings her special brand of enthusiasm to her clients. A Beachbody Coach and certified personal trainer, she also has personal experience with what it’s like to be at the beginning of a long fitness journey.
“I've faced many challenges on my journey from gaining weight and not being able to lose it after giving birth to my now 2 year old, to not liking what I see in the mirror,” Kiowana says.
Although she believes in nutrition and a good program for fitness, Kiowana also credits drive with getting her where she is today, fitness-wise.
“I've always been a competitive person in spirit being in the Army but fitness is my passion,” Kiowana says. “I get a rush from pushing myself.”
Turning challenges into opportunities has meant more than making a business out of fitness, after getting fit, herself; Kiowana’s book, The Boy Who Smiles with His Heart, is a chronicle of the first nine years of her son Khaleb’s life with Moebius Syndrome, a condition that includes facial paralysis. (You can follow the book’s Facebook page to find out more about raising awareness of Moebius Syndrome.
In addition to strength training, Kiowana is an avid runner (20-40 miles a week, and about five races a month, ranging from 5ks to half marathons), and a competitive student of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, which she says comes in a close second to running as her favorite fitness pastime.
“There’s something about stepping on the mat with someone and knowing that both of you want to win,” Kiowana says. “It's all about who wants it more.”
Kiowana may have been blessed with an extra helping of drive, but she insists that the pursuit of fitness is a natural confidence enhancer, and that getting moving, physically, can have enormous effect on your mental wellbeing.
“Fitness plays a huge role in confidence,” Kiowana says. “When you feel better, you look better, you move better, you love better, you're better altogether. When you work out you're doing something for YOURSELF. That's YOUR time. Your time to yourself to work on you.”
For the women who wonder if they too can become Wonder Women, Kiowana’s response is a resounding yes.
“My advice to women who need encouragement would be to always think RESILIENCY,” Kiowana says. “Have the courage to keep pushing forward. Don't quit. It will hurt, you will be sore but change doesn't happen overnight. Situations are inevitable.”
“Life happens but keep going. Hold your head up and run the day, don't let it run you.”
