Jodie Needham
Jodie Needham

I come from a large Italian household where food, family, and faith were a priority.  That has always stuck with me.  I was the social one in my family.  Growing up, my favorite thing to do was hanging with my friends and eating!  Fitness and nutrition were never my passion.  I was the kid that struggled with her weight, and wasn’t really that athletic.  I didn’t think I could change, but truthfully, I never tried.  Instead, I focused on my career, traveling and enjoying life!

I always avoided looking in the mirror…but in 2014, for some odd reason, I decided to take a long look.  I didn’t like what I saw.  At 50 years old my health and wellness journey began.   I joined Weight Watchers (now WW) and started to understand the value in and of food.  I also joined a gym.  I will not lie and tell you I fell in love with working out (not at first…not for several years).  Both in nutrition and fitness,  I recognized how small changes really can make big differences.  It took me almost 2 years, but I lost 75 pounds and changed my perspective about myself.

Up until 2016, I was an Asst. Dean at a law school.  I loved helping students accomplish their dreams of becoming a lawyer.  It’s where I met my husband, Joe!  But In 2016 I changed career directions.  As a wellness coach, I now help people meet their individual health and nutrition goals.   I truly have a passion for helping people succeed.  Before venturing out on my own, I worked as a personal trainer at Functional Effect Fitness and Rehabilitation for 5 years.  Since we can’t out-train a bad diet, I became Precision Nutrition certified and also became a WW coach.   I still believe that ALL food has value, but I now recognize what that value is to my mind, body and spirit.  Sometimes my Noni’s lasagna soothes my soul and other times I realize the power that greens have on my energy levels.  The difference is, now I pay attention.

I live in Wisconsin with my husband and 2 dogs. My business includes all forms of wellness, from personal training to nutrition and mindset coaching.   I meet with clients either in-person or through Zoom.   For in-person clients, I have a gym in my home, I can come to your home, and I train clients at the local gym here in Kenosha.  However, the bulk of my business is through virtual Zoom calls.  In addition to one-on-one coaching, I also do small group training and workshops.  Topics for my workshops include things like: how to set and achieve your goals, which snacks help you stay on track, how to create healthy habits for life, and how to be a boss at the gym.  Check out my Workshops page for more details.  If you let me, I’d love to be a part of your journey.

I have my BS from ISU, my MA from Lewis University, My Nutrition Certification from Precision Nutrition and NASM, and my Personal Training Certification from NASM.