Health & FitnessEducationSelf-Improvement

Start Before You're Ready

Kelly Young

Welcome to Start Before You’re Ready, a podcast dedicated to inspiring and educating those on their journey toward health and happiness. Join us as we dive into authentic conversations with individuals who have embraced the challenge of adapting healthy behaviors, sharing their struggles and unique paths to success. This show is for anyone who has ever felt overwhelmed or uncertain about where to start on their wellness journey.

Our Mission

In a world where perfection often feels like the goal, we believe every small step counts. Our message is simple: you don’t have to wait for the perfect moment to make a change. Whether you’re just beginning or have faced setbacks, every action you take toward your goals is worth celebrating. Let’s explore the power of starting small and building upon your own success.

Who We Serve

Our audience comprises individuals who want to take steps toward better health and those who already exercise and focus on nutrition but may not feel like they’re nailing it. If you consider yourself a work in progress, this podcast is for you.

What Makes Us Unique

Start Before You’re Ready stands out in the crowded podcast landscape by combining storytelling with actionable insights. Each episode features guests who share their struggles and triumphs, allowing listeners to connect with real experiences. As a solution-oriented fitness coach with 30 years of experience, I’ll provide expert advice tailored to each guest’s challenges, ensuring that our audience walks away with practical strategies they can implement immediately.

Goals of the Show

• Personal Growth: To foster a community of individuals committed to improving their health and happiness.

• Brand Awareness: To introduce listeners to Inergy’s studio and virtual workout programs while highlighting the value of our nutrition coaching services.

• Engagement: To invite listeners to join our community and take part in a supportive journey toward wellness.

Join Us

Tune in to Start Before You’re Ready for engaging stories, expert advice, and a supportive community that believes in progress over perfection. Together, let’s take those first steps toward a healthier, happier life—because every journey begins with a single step!

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32 episodes
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Avg 42 min
English

Episodes 32

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#109
Monday · 46 min
Ep 109. I Always Think of You on Fridays, with Beth Novy
Kelly Young reconnects with college friend Beth Novy for a warm, free-ranging conversation about Beth’s career in communications, her family’s experience when her son Zach developed transverse myelitis, and the routines and values shaping life after major change. Their memories of college and enduring friendship lead to a practical closing message: reach out when someone comes to mind. It all started with a Friday tradition at Ithaca. Fridays were Beth’s time to herself, and every week Kelly would ask if she could come along anyway. Years later, hearing about her daughter Lindsay’s Fridays with friends at Syracuse made Kelly think of Beth and send her a text. One quick call turned a planned solo episode into a conversation between old friends. Beth reflects on leaving Paramount after nearly 20 years, what helped her family get through Zach’s recovery, and why motherhood comes to mind when Kelly asks when she’s had to start before she was ready. — Let’s connect! IG: @kellys_bootcamp My website: https://kellysbootcamp.net/
#108
November 2 · 43 min
Ep 108. Different Seasons, Same Determination with Rebecca Weaver
In this episode of Start Before You’re Ready, I’m joined by Rebecca Weaver, a mom of two, IT executive, and member of our KBC community for 11 years. Rebecca shares how her relationship with fitness has evolved through different seasons of life, including a lupus diagnosis that challenged her identity as an athlete. We talk about learning to focus on what you can do, surrounding yourself with people who help you grow, and why someone who seems confident can still struggle with imposter syndrome. I love her reminder that success can mean finding ways to keep going as your life and body change. From signing up for her first triathlon while holding her baby at 2 a.m. to adventure racing with her sister and renovating a neglected lake house with her family. Rebecca has plenty of experience starting before she’s ready. We also talk about friendships built through fitness, the shift from chasing a lower number on the scale to protecting muscle, and building strength for the life you want to live. This conversation is full of honesty, humor, and reminders that we can do hard things, even when we’re figuring them out along the way. — Let’s connect! IG: @kellys_bootcamp My website: https://kellysbootcamp.net/
#107
October 26 · 44 min
Ep 107. Life Doesn't Have to Be Perfect to Keep Showing Up with Kjersti Oliver
In this episode of Start Before You're Ready, I'm joined by longtime KBC member Kjersti Oliver, whose story is an incredible reminder that life doesn't have to be perfect for us to keep moving forward. Kjersti is a wife, mom of two young boys, assistant principal, and former competitive swimmer and triathlete. In 2024, while helping open a brand-new school and raising her young family, she was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. She shares what it was like navigating chemotherapy, surgeries, and radiation while trying to hold on to the things that made her feel like herself. One of my favorite parts of her story is how she reached out to me to start exercising again, even when she wasn't sure what her body could handle. She literally started before she was ready. We also talk about the power of community, raising kids with healthy habits, making fitness a part of your life without becoming obsessed with goals, and why consistency matters so much more than perfection. Kjersti shares some great practical advice about meal planning, involving kids in the kitchen, and supporting someone going through cancer. Her biggest takeaway is something I think we can all learn from: sometimes the most meaningful thing you can do for someone is simply keep showing up. This conversation is about resilience, perspective, and finding your way back to the things that bring you joy, even when life looks nothing like you planned. — Let’s connect! IG: @kellys_bootcamp My website: https://kellysbootcamp.net/
#106
October 19 · 45 min
Ep 106. From Gym Bro to Bootcamper: Chip Connell’s Story
In this episode of Start Before You’re Ready, I sit down with Chip Connell, who has been part of our KBC/INERGY community since 2020. Chip grew up playing soccer, spent years lifting heavy at the gym, and didn’t necessarily picture himself becoming a regular at group workouts. Now he is one of our Saturday Bootcamp and Dude Camp regulars! We talk about how his training has changed, the difference coaching has made in his movement and mobility, and how he and his wife make time for workouts while raising their three-year-old son. We also get into his first HYROX, which he signed up for just a few weeks before the event, what surprised him, and what he wants to improve before his next race. Chip shares how he is approaching nutrition, body composition, and learning more about his health through blood work. But my favorite part is hearing what this community means to him. From new friendships to seeing people in their 60s and 70s doing hard things, his story is a reminder that finding your people can change what you believe is possible for yourself. Anneli's episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/e15516f9 — Let’s connect! IG: @kellys_bootcamp My website: https://kellysbootcamp.net/
#105
October 12 · 44 min
Ep 105. Everything Is Figureoutable: Megan Jacoby on Strength, Resilience & Showing Up
In this episode of Start Before You’re Ready, I sit down with longtime KBC member Megan Jacoby, who has been part of our community for 11 years. Over that time, I’ve watched Megan’s relationship with fitness and health evolve in such a powerful way. She talks about the people who have influenced her, the programs that helped her stay accountable, and the changes she has made to become stronger and healthier. But Megan’s story hasn’t been a straight line. We talk about some of the challenges and setbacks she has faced along the way, and how she has continued to show up through all of it. Her story is such a great reminder that getting better doesn’t mean being perfect. It means continuing to make choices that move you forward, leaning on the people around you, and being willing to keep going even when life gets hard. — Let’s connect! IG: @kellys_bootcamp My website: https://kellysbootcamp.net/
#104
October 5 · 33 min
Ep 104. The Reason You Start Isn’t Always the Reason You Stay
In this episode of Start Before You’re Ready, I’m sharing three stories from my book, Start Before You’re Ready: The Power of Taking Action. Jodi, Gloria, and Rebecca all started for different reasons, faced different challenges, and took very different paths—but there is one thing they have in common: they kept showing up. Jodi went from struggling through her first boot camp after having five children to becoming a fitness instructor and creating our Retro program. Gloria went from questioning some of my crazy ideas (and telling me so!) to becoming a longtime KBC member and yoga instructor. And Rebecca learned to stop focusing on everything she was told she couldn’t do and instead figure out what she could do. These stories are such a reminder that the reason you start doesn’t have to be the reason you stay. Small changes add up. Confidence grows when you do hard things. And sometimes the biggest ripple effect starts simply by taking care of yourself. I also share the story behind one of my oldest KBC sayings, “Get what you came for.” Because what you need from a workout—or from this podcast—might be strength, confidence, connection, a break from a hard day, or simply a win. Whatever it is, I hope these stories remind you that you don’t have to have everything figured out. You just have to start. — Let’s connect! IG: @kellys_bootcamp My website: https://kellysbootcamp.net/
#103
September 28 · 42 min
Ep 103. 15 Years of Just Showing Up: Mo’s Story
What happens when someone who doesn’t think group fitness is for him decides to show up anyway? Mo has been part of the KBC community for 15 years, and today, on his 54th birthday, we’re talking about the journey from his very skeptical first workout to becoming one of the strongest, most consistent, and most valued members of our community. We talk about why starting slowly works, finding a fitness community that keeps you coming back, and why exercise becomes about so much more than burning calories as we get older. Mo also shares what Dude Camp has meant to him, the importance of men talking openly about their health, and why connection may be one of the most valuable things we get from working out together. This conversation is such a great reminder that you don’t have to be ready, fit, or even convinced when you start. Sometimes you just have to show up. — Let’s connect! IG: @kellys_bootcamp My website: https://kellysbootcamp.net/
#102
September 21 · 27 min
Ep 102. What I’d Tell You If I Wasn’t Afraid to Say It
What would I really tell you as a fitness trainer and coach after two margaritas? In this honest episode, I’m sharing some of the things I believe but don’t always feel comfortable saying out loud from what “I don’t have time to exercise” really means to why building strength matters at every age. I also share a deeply personal story about my mom, her broken hip and ALS diagnosis, and the lesson I still carry about never assuming we know what someone else is going through. I’m also opening up about my own health journey with hormone replacement therapy, blood work, body composition testing and visceral fat. I share what I’ve learned from people in our community about their experiences with GLP-1 medications and how those conversations have changed my perspective. This isn’t medical advice. It’s my personal experience and what I’ve learned from others. The message is simple: don’t be afraid of your numbers, don’t be afraid to ask for help, and don’t accept feeling miserable when there may be options that can help you feel like yourself again. — Let’s connect! IG: @kellys_bootcamp My website: https://kellysbootcamp.net/
#101
September 14 · 39 min
Ep 101. Never Give Up: Cole Parvin’s Run to Honor Families Affected by Addiction
In this powerful episode of Start Before You’re Ready, Kelly sits down with Cole Parvin, a Northern Virginia athlete who is turning profound loss into purposeful action. After losing his mother to opioid addiction when he was 12, Cole committed to a 200-mile run from Hampton to Fairfax, Virginia, ending at the home where she passed away. His goal is to raise money and awareness for families affected by addiction while supporting the Chris Atwood Foundation and its work to provide compassionate resources, housing, support, and overdose-prevention efforts. Cole shares honestly about growing up amid addiction, grief, guilt, and instability and the resilience he built through faith, therapy, football, endurance sports, and a decision to keep moving forward. From a career-ending football injury to Ironman races and now this extraordinary run, Cole’s story is a reminder that you do not need to have every detail figured out before acting on a calling. This conversation is about honoring the people we love, choosing purpose over fear, controlling what we can control, and doing the hard things that seem bigger than us. Please consider donating to his important campaign. https://chrisatwoodfoundation.app.neoncrm.com/campaigns/milesformom — Let’s connect! IG: @kellys_bootcamp My website: https://kellysbootcamp.net/
#100
September 7 · 42 min
Ep 100. Raise Strong Girls: Confidence, Fitness, and Finding Your Power with Coach Nicole Foley
Coach Nicole Foley returns to Start Before You’re Ready to share how her Empower Her program is helping middle- and high-school girls build more than physical strength. From athletes looking to improve performance to girls who are brand new to fitness, Nicole creates a supportive, small-group environment where participants learn proper form, set personal goals, gain confidence in the gym, and discover that progress has nothing to do with comparing themselves to the person next to them. Kelly and Nicole discuss the powerful culture created when girls encourage one another, and celebrate every win from a longer plank to a first pull-up and learn to feel proud of what their own bodies can do. Nicole also talks about coaching girls’ soccer at PVI and Freedom High School, her work with Morgan’s Message to amplify mental-health awareness among student-athletes, and training for her third HYROX race in Washington, D.C. This conversation is for parents, coaches, athletes, and anyone who believes young women deserve spaces that challenge them, support them, and help them become stronger for life Episode #3 Find Your People: —Your Essential Hype Team for Life, with Nicole Foley — Let’s connect! IG: @kellys_bootcamp My website: https://kellysbootcamp.net/
#99
August 31 · 37 min
Ep 99. Ted Moore on Smarter Strength Training, Small Groups, and HYROX
In this episode of Start Before You’re Ready, Kelly sits down with Inergy trainer Ted Moore to talk about his transition from athlete and member to strength coach. Ted shares what he loves about coaching Group Strength and small-group training, including helping members improve their form, build confidence with heavier weights, and see the progress they are making over time. Kelly and Ted also discuss why small-group training can be such a valuable complement to regular classes: more individualized feedback, greater accountability, personalized goals, and the chance to work closely with a coach who knows your strengths and challenges. Ted also gives us a behind-the-scenes look at training for HYROX, the fast-growing fitness race that combines running with demanding strength and conditioning stations like sled pushes, sled pulls, farmer’s carries, weighted lunges, burpee broad jumps, rowing, and wall balls. Together, Kelly and Ted explore the value of mixing strength, conditioning, recovery, and steady-state cardio—while remembering that the real power of training often comes from the people beside you. If you are ready to get stronger, challenge yourself, or try a more personalized training experience, this episode is for you. — Let’s connect! IG: @kellys_bootcamp My website: https://kellysbootcamp.net/
#98
August 24 · 55 min
Ep 98. Clean and Shred: Simple Nutrition That Actually Works with Amy Beyer
Kelly Young and Amy Beyer talk about how to make nutrition simpler, more sustainable, and more realistic for everyday life. Amy shares how her approach to food evolved over 12 years of coaching, from strict rules to a more flexible, whole-foods-based method that helps people build habits they can actually maintain. The conversation covers practical tips for meal planning, packed lunches, ingredient labels, cravings, and the difference between hunger and stress eating. They also discuss Amy’s Clean and Shred program, the power of community support, and how small, consistent changes can make a big difference over time. — Let’s connect! IG: @kellys_bootcamp My website: https://kellysbootcamp.net/
#97
August 17 · 40 min
Ep 97. Reps, Confidence, and Community: Two College Girls on Starting Before They’re Ready with Bella Maniscalco & Alli Connors
This week on Start Before You’re Ready, Kelly sits down with two young women who spent the summer pouring into the KBC community: Bella Maniscalco, a marketing student at College of Charleston, and Alli Connors, a JMU kinesiology student and daughter of longtime KBC instructor Jess Connors. Bella came on board to help with marketing as part of her college coursework, and Alli ran a youth strength program all summer while also stepping into her own identity as an instructor and coach. They talk about building confidence in front of a room, what it means to run a small program with total commitment and how growing up around fitness shapes the way you show up for people. The conversation also digs into life as a college freshman navigating food, fitness, and finding your footing away from home. Alli and Bella compare notes on dining halls, cooking for themselves, and staying consistent with healthy habits when the options are suddenly unlimited. Bella reflects on what she learned about branding and community building watching Kelly run KBC, and both women share their own “start before you’re ready” moments, from Alli’s first time leading a class solo to Bella’s leap from an individual sport to a team sport. It’s a fun, heartfelt episode about mentorship, independence, and the reps it takes to grow into who you’re becoming. — Let’s connect! IG: @kellys_bootcamp My website: https://kellysbootcamp.net/
#96
August 10 · 44 min
Ep 96. From Foreclosure to Top 5% Gym Owner: How Evans Armantrading Built CNU Fit and CNU Stretch
In this episode of Start Before You’re Ready, I sit down with Evans Armantrading, CEO of CNU Fit and CNU Stretch in Dover, Delaware. Evans is a Brooklyn native, former Air Force service member, and entrepreneur who transformed his own struggle with weight into a career helping others build healthier, stronger lives. After losing 42 pounds and discovering a passion for metabolism, nutrition, and behavior change, he began coaching clients out of his home and eventually trained people with bands in a borrowed OBGYN office. Evans shares the real story behind building his business through unemployment, foreclosure, subleased spaces, donated equipment, and a community of clients who believed in him. Today, CNU Fit has grown to three locations and has helped nearly 4,000 people lose more than 45,000 pounds. His approach has always been bigger than a quick-fix diet or workout plan: it is about helping people believe they are worthy of taking care of themselves, creating sustainable habits, building muscle, and staying accountable for the long term. We also dive into the creation of CNU Stretch, the innovative stretch-therapy system that caught my attention at the SCW Fitness Conference. What began as one client asking for a workout made entirely of stretching has grown into a powerful service inside his gyms—and a certification program now reaching fitness professionals across 19 states. Evans explains how he built a client-centered, systematic model that teaches trainers not only how to deliver high-quality stretch sessions, but also how to confidently integrate the service into a fitness business. This conversation is full of heart, practical business wisdom, and a reminder that taking care of your strength, mobility, and health is one of the best investments you can make. — Let’s connect! IG: @kellys_bootcamp My website: https://kellysbootcamp.net/
#95
August 3 · 35 min
Ep 95. Pick One Thing: Your August Accountability Challenge
This week’s episode feels more like a coaching session than a podcast. Kelly shares what came up during Run Club this morning as members set their intentions for August, and breaks down five of the most common goals her community sets: steps, food and meal prep, sleep, workout consistency, and connection. She explains why the goal itself matters less than picking one thing that actually feels important to you right now, and why having someone to check in with makes all the difference. Kelly walks through her own approach to each category, from her Ultra Human ring and step tracking to her go to meal prep staples. Kelly closes with a challenge for every listener, not just her in person community. Pick one thing you want to accomplish in August, whether it is a daily habit, a number to hit, or something you want to do by the end of the month. Then reach out to Kelly directly to share that goal, and if you do not already have an accountability group, she wants to help you build one, ideally four to six people who check in on a regular cadence. As she says, there is no wrong goal for the month. What matters is that it is yours, and that you have someone in your corner. — Let’s connect! IG: @kellys_bootcamp My website: https://kellysbootcamp.net/
#94
July 27 · 54 min
Ep 94. The Hidden Pain Behind a Strong Exterior with Beth Maier
In this episode of Start Before You’re Ready, Kelly sits down with friend and original KBC student Beth Maier for a heartfelt, funny, and inspiring conversation about fitness, resilience, and what it really looks like to keep showing up for yourself over time. Beth shares her journey from working in real estate to staying home with her kids, building a dog-walking business, and learning to balance life, family, and fitness through every season. The conversation also dives into Beth’s powerful return to strength training after years away, the hidden pain she was living with, and the life-changing impact of addressing her hips, back, mobility, and nutrition. From bootcamp memories to hip replacements and the importance of getting stronger before surgery, Beth’s story is a reminder that it is never too late to take care of your body, rebuild your health, and start before you feel ready. — Let’s connect! IG: @kellys_bootcamp My website: https://kellysbootcamp.net/
#93
July 20 · 48 min
Ep 93. Move Better for Life: Yoga, Stretch, and Healthy Aging with Meg Phillips
This week Kelly sits down with Meg Phillips, a longtime friend and one of the most versatile coaches at KBC and INERGY. Meg teaches every format in the studio, leads the Retro program for the 55+ community, and just became a certified stretch therapist. They dig into why yoga is worth trying even if you’ve written it off before, the difference between the Tuesday flow class and Wednesday night’s Yin class, and how something as simple as slowing your breath can change your nervous system and your flexibility. Meg shares tips for building a home yoga practice, from bolsters and blocks to setting the right atmosphere, and the two talk about how the Zenergy Reset chakra series has added a new layer of connection and education to class. The conversation also covers Meg’s new stretch therapy certification, including the story of how she pushed through a tough season to finish the training and what she learned working with different bodies and imbalances. Kelly and Meg close out with a well-deserved shoutout to the Retro program, celebrating the community, the strength gains, and the real-life wins members have shared, from easier hikes to a canceled shoulder surgery. It’s a conversation about consistency, self-awareness, and what happens when you stop following everyone else and start listening to yourself. — Let’s connect! IG: @kellys_bootcamp My website: https://kellysbootcamp.net/
#92
July 13 · 44 min
Ep 92. The Core Performance Blueprint: Protect Your Body for Longevity, with Viraj Chang
In this episode of Start Before You’re Ready, Kelly sits down with physical therapist and clinical Pilates instructor Viraj Chang, owner of Accelerate Physical Therapy in Ashburn, Virginia. Viraj brings over 20 years of clinical and fitness experience and specializes in pelvic floor physical therapy, orthopedic injury rehabilitation, and preventive wellness for women at every life stage—prenatal, postnatal, postpartum, perimenopause, and beyond. Viraj explains how her whole-body, root-cause approach blends Postural Restoration, clinical Pilates, and a unique biomechanical lens to help women lift, run, and return to fitness safely after pregnancy and throughout midlife. A major focus of the conversation is breath and how the diaphragm actually works, why most of us don’t use it effectively, and how asymmetric anatomy impacts breathing and core function. Viraj breaks down what she looks for in a breathing assessment, why many pelvic floor clients breathe from their necks or bear down into their belly, and how tools like straws, balloons, and Pilates machines help retrain the rib cage and restore true core support. You’ll also hear what a typical session with Viraj looks like: a detailed health history, sneaker evaluation, breathing assessment, functional fitness and strength screens, and hands-on work with clinical Pilates equipment. She shares how she develops individualized treatment plans that may include manual therapy, dry needling, rib cage mobilization, and progressive exercise and why she created her own app so patients can follow her cues and breathing in real time at home. — Let’s connect! IG: @kellys_bootcamp My website: https://kellysbootcamp.net/
#91
July 6 · 31 min
Ep 91. What I Got Right and Wrong About Fitness
In this continuation of her story, Kelly takes you deeper into the moments that shaped not just her career, but her values as a business owner and leader in the fitness industry. From navigating integrity in a corporate role to stepping into motherhood with three young boys, she shares how those experiences led her back to fitness in a way that felt aligned, flexible, and deeply meaningful. What started as a simple Saturday boot camp quickly grew into something much bigger, rooted in community, accountability, and a belief that fitness should feel doable. Kelly also pulls back the curtain on how the fitness industry has evolved over the last two decades, and what she believes is coming next. From the rise, and limitations, of boutique specialization to the growing demand for more well-rounded, sustainable fitness approaches, she shares honest insights for both fitness professionals and everyday participants. If you’ve ever wondered what actually works long-term, or how to build a fitness business that lasts, this episode will challenge the way you think about both. — Let’s connect! IG: @kellys_bootcamp My website: https://kellysbootcamp.net/
#90
June 29 · 41 min
Ep 90. From Bally’s to Boot Camp: My Love Letter to the Fitness Industry
This episode shares Kelly’s lifelong journey in the fitness industry and why community is still the heartbeat of fitness. From being a three‑sport athlete in the 80s to joining Bally’s Health Club and falling in love with her Reebok step bench and the GIn Miller step aerobics tape, Kelly realized early that her true passion was “getting better together” on a team. She reflects on how the industry has evolved from Jack LaLanne–inspired health clubs to today’s world of lifestyle brands, wearables, AI, and hybrid memberships. Through all the trends, one thing has stayed the same: people show up consistently where they feel seen, supported, and inspired, and that place is community. If you’ve ever been part of a team, class, or boot camp, this episode will help you reconnect with your own fitness story and the communities that shaped it. -- Let’s connect! IG: @kellys_bootcamp My website: https://kellysbootcamp.net/

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