Today we’d like to introduce you to Sara Cloutier.
Sara, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I had been overweight my whole life. By 22 years old I was close to 300lbs, depressed, alone and no motivation to make a change. My family helped me make positive changes and soon I started to lose weight. The results were addicting, the positive relationships I was building were addicting, fitness soon became my favorite hobby. In 2010, I tried my first group fitness class, it was Zumba. I remember being so nervous and unsure of what to expect. When I walked into the room, I immediately felt at home. Everyone was so welcoming, the instructor was easy to follow and even though I was breathing hard and sweating a ton, I was having so much fun that it hardly felt like a workout. I found my calling. As I looked around the room that night I knew I was meant to do this. Seeing the smiles and the focus and the feeling of accomplishment on their faces called out to me. I decided at that moment, I wanted to become an instructor. Even though I had spent a lot of time at the gym and had great results, it was hard to stay motivated, I had to depend on myself to stay committed, to hold myself accountable and to push myself to try harder. Group fitness was a game changer. It opened my eyes to so many new ways to stay in shape and be healthy. The best part was the community I became a part of. People encouraging and motivating and lifting each other up.
6 months later I started my own class. Before long I was teaching 7 days a week in all the surrounding areas. My one format quickly turned into 2, 3, 10 and now over 30. I became a certified personal trainer, group exercise instructor, and health coach. I turned my passion into my mission. In a country with a growing obesity epidemic, I needed to show everyone that there was an answer, there was something for them and I could help. Fitness was fun!
As I continued to teach, my classes continued to grow. I was running out of space fast. I started to get anxiety about not being able to help everyone. I needed a solution. Renting libraries, school gyms, church basements was not enough, it was time to take one of the scariest steps of my life, open my own business.
Many are surprised to hear this was not my dream. I wasn’t a 12-year-old girl that always knew when I grew up I was going to own my own business, wear yoga pants more than regular clothes and have a passion for helping others get in shape but life has a mysterious way of working sometimes and I couldn’t be happier.
Things moved very quickly after that, on June 1st, 2013 I opened Rock Your Body in Fremont, NH. I had myself and 2 other instructors and we offered 12 classes. We got a huge response from the community. The feedback was pouring in. People LOVE it. They felt welcome, they felt strong, they were losing weight, they were meeting friends and they were spreading the word. Within 11 months we had outgrown our 1800 sq ft studio. I had to expand. I brought on more instructors and secured the unit below my current one. This gave us 3 group fitness rooms, a babysitting area, room for 12 more instructors, enough space to double our member capacity and offer 50+ classes 7days/week. My heart was full. The hardest part is getting people to give it a try but 99% of the time, after their first class the only thing they are not happy about it not trying it out sooner. Rock Your Body has a very strong community; we often call it our home away from home sweet home. If someone is out for the day, it isn’t uncommon for others to check and make sure they are okay. We love to cheer each other and become successful together.
In January 2017, Myself along with 10 other women attempted to break the world record for the longest fitness class. We worked out for 39 hours and 59 minutes to break the current world record for 38 hours and 20 mins. We are still waiting for The Guinness Book of World Record to validate our attempt but we are confident we crushed it. This is what it is all about. We are not elite athletes yet we have realized the value you of challenging ourselves, setting huge goals and crushing them and if working out for 1 min short of 40 hours inspires one person to get off the couch and take the first step, I would do it again and again.
My relationship with fitness has continued to grow. While I love teaching group exercise, I have started to focus on personal training especially with special populations, older active adults, children, pregnant woman and those with disease or disabilities that may prevent them from participating in regular classes. It is very empowering to share with all that there is a solution, there is a safe approach for everyone to build a stronger mind and body. I have also been named the Master Trainer in America for HIITSTEP which is a brand format. I will be traveling across the country to teach other fitness instructors how to bring their format to their clients.
Sometimes the best things in life are the ones we don’t expect. I am so thankful for what fitness and my community have brought to my life and I look forward to where it will take me in the future.
Has it been a smooth road?
Fairly. The hardest part is finding balance. Being a mom to my 4 children is a top priority but my clients feel like my family too. I now encourage my clients to bring their families with them to some of the classes so they can spend time together and to help their children learn the value of exercise.
My husband is very supportive and my biggest fan, however, neither one of us were prepared for how fast everything moved. It has been an adjustment but we made it work together. I couldn’t be happier.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Most people that try Rock Your Body that have worked out at other gyms tell us that the atmosphere is like no other. It truly is a judgment-free zone. You will see a variety of ages and abilities from teenagers to grandmothers to college athletes. Our instructors work together to make sure everyone feels comfortable and is being challenged. We constantly mix things up as we realize the value of the fun factor. We always want our members to look forward to their workout and to leave knowing they gave 150%
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Being located just north of Boston has its own challenges. Fremont, NH has a population of just over 4000. I am happy to report Rock Your Body has captured over 10% of that as members.
Contact Info:
- Address: 25 Spaulding Road
- Website: www.rybnh.com
- Phone: 603-702-2765
- Email: sara@
- Instagram: getfitwithsara, RYBNH
- Facebook: rockyourbodyNH
- Other: snapchat RYBNH
Image Credit:
Todd Ward Studios
Stephanie Minion Photography
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