Mariana Abeid-McDougall, BEd, BPHE

Mariana is a mom, a personal trainer/exercise expert, and the coowner of Two Sisters Fitness.

How many children do you have?  I have one 18-month-old. 

How did you come up with the idea for your company? I have always been fascinated with the human body and active living, as well as health promotion. After a friend of a friend hired me and my sister to help her lose weight and was extremely successful, we were inspired to start our business, Two Sisters Fitness. I am a Personal Trainer/Exercise Expert and my sister is a Nutritionist. Together, we help other women (and occasionally men) get healthier and achieve their fitness and nutrition goals.

What’s your favorite parenting tip?  Sleep when the baby sleeps! (if you can!) 

How do you get your family to eat healthy food and/or exercise?  We don’t bring junk food into the house. Sweets and “junk food” are special foods for special outings, and are eaten only occasionally. By not bringing them into the house, we limit the amount we eat. We make most everything from scratch. The slow cooker and bulk cooking are our friends.

As for exercise, I participate in triathlons, which means I have to train for them during the year. We also make a point of giving our daughter lots of outdoor time so she is active, and we take family walks on a regular basis. 

How do you recharge your batteries?  I enjoy reading and taking some time out to enjoy with girlfriends. My hubby and I also make sure that we have a date night, just the two of us, once a month, at the bare minimum.