We are so excited to announce our MOM (Motivating Mom of the Month) for August! Each month we will take a moment to honor one of our local FIT4MOM Montgomery County Moms for her efforts to lead a healthy lifestyle and for her dedication to the program. This month we honor.... Stefani Berdia!

I have loved getting to know Stef and having her in classes! She and Ella bring such positive energy and smiles to every class they attend! This village is so lucky to have her be a part of it 🙂 ~ Instructor Courtland

I have really enjoyed getting to know Stefani and watching her daughter Ella grow! She is always working hard and willing to do whatever modifications needed, to avoid hurting her wrist. She always shows up for class ready to work hard, and she is very welcoming of new moms that join us. I've missed seeing them in person but I love the sweaty selfies that she posts at the end of the virtual workouts. We are so lucky to have her and her wonderful family in Our Village! ~ Instructor Adrienne

I love having Stefani and her daughter in classes. Ella is such a joy to look at, can't hug her unfortunately right now. She cheers on her strong mama and gives free beautiful smiles :) Despite her wrist issues Stef is very consistent in classes . Ever since we added in person classes back to the schedule, Stefani jumped in and comes to all classes I teach :) ~ Instructor Ewa

We asked Stefani a few questions so we can all get to know her better, and here is what she had to say:

Who are the members of your family?

My family includes my husband, Jay, our daughter, Ella (16 months), and our dog, Roscoe.

What is/was your career?

Before having Ella, I worked in publishing. I’m also a yoga teacher (vinyasa, prenatal, and aerial yoga), and I’d love to get back to teaching when I have the time!

When was your first class, and what do you remember about it?

I went to my first class when Ella was about 7 weeks old. I remember everyone took off jogging, and I’ve honestly never jogged in my life so I was a bit intimidated. Everyone was so welcoming, though, so I kept coming back and even started jogging after a few months!

Where can we find you? What is your FIT4MOM routine these days?

Pre-covid I went to both the North Bethesda and Gaithersburg classes. These days I’m going to the outdoor classes on MWF at Montgomery Mall and Gaithersburg. It has been so amazing to get to see my fellow mamas again!

What is your favorite strides exercise?

I love the barre classes, so any move that has maximum impact for minimal movement ;)

What has being a mom taught you?

Be patient and be present. We only get one shot with these babies and I don’t want to miss a thing.

List 3 of your favorite things.

Besides my family… ice cream, ponies, and books.

Give us a giggle- What is your funniest or most embarrassing mommy moment so far?

Ella likes to hide things, especially under rugs. One day I went into her room and all of her books were under her rug! She also likes to hide the tv remote, sometimes in the couch cushions, sometimes in the kitchen.

Any advice for other moms out there?

Just take it day by day and don’t sweat the small stuff. Even if you’re in a rough patch (hello, teething!), nothing is permanent and you’ll get through it! And rely on your mom friends – we’ve all been there!

What would you tell someone who is considering attending their first #fit4mommoco class?

Just do it! Even if you don’t think you’re ready, this group is so supportive and will meet you wherever you’re at. The instructors are great at giving alternatives for whatever is going on in your body (shout out to everyone who has supported me and my bum wrist!).

Thank you, Stefani for being such a valuable part of Our Village here at FIT4MOM Montgomery County! We truly appreciate you & the positive energy you bring to class and Our Village!

Check back to see who our MOM will be in September!