Growing up in Southeast Asia in the 90’s, Petra was used to an environment of being told that “girls shouldn’t play sports” and “the gym is for crazy people.” She grew content on a steady diet of Nickelodeon, Pokemon, and Harry Potter (Gryffindor for life!), not to mention the plethora of junk and unhealthy foods available. This led to an uncomfortable weight gain and low self-esteem for much of her adolescence.
Despite getting a Bachelor’s in Psychology with the intention of helping people, Petra couldn’t shake the thought that she wasn’t good enough. Not for herself, and certainly not for others. A major depressive episode led Petra to understand that a lot of these thoughts stemmed from her unfortunate resemblance to Chunk from the Goonies. Finally, ignoring those messages she had grown up with, she decided to take her fitness and self-esteem into her own hands. Petra started taking martial arts and muay thai lessons, in addition to going to the gym five times a week. Along with a major nutrition overhaul, her body composition, mood, and physical abilities transformed within months. She even got a job as a trainer at the gym she made these changes at! Great, right?
Nope. Sustaining those lifestyle changes are difficult. Unlike in video games, you can’t just max out your HP and Mana and be that way forever. Life is messy. Life gets in the way of your plans and goals. And sometimes it’s too much to keep up with. Petra’s had her fair share of gaining weight back, or losing strength, or being injured and unable to exercise – sometimes all at once! Additionally, in working with members at the gym, she saw that one of the most common reasons given for quitting and lack of motivation was they were feeling defeated after setbacks. While it is somewhat comforting to know that many people share these feelings of frustration, Petra was determined to learn how to overcome them. This led her to pursue her Master’s in Sport and Performance Psychology in the US, with the specific goal of learning how to keep her clients motivated and on their path. A key part of her own fitness experience, and the ideology she holds with clients, is unconditional positive regard. Whether you succeed or fail, Petra believes that it is all to be celebrated and appreciated.
Petra wholeheartedly believes that life and fitness is not a race to be won, but a journey to be enjoyed. Many of Petra’s clients love her style of coaching with empathy, humor, understanding, and compassion. She uses the same philosophy of sustainability and “no stress!” on her own fitness journey as she does with her clients. This focus on growth mindsets, along with her emphasis on fun, keeps clients happy and motivated as they progress through their goals. Petra’s attitude of meeting clients where they’re at, walking alongside them step by step, and being an educated and available resource for them has helped immensely in sticking with it and overcoming those mental barriers. She will be your biggest fan even if you don’t believe in yourself just yet! She will be the Sam to your Frodo, the Kageyama to your Hinata, the Constable Reggie to your Inspector Spacetime. More than anything, she will support you regardless.
When not coaching, Petra can be found enjoying the Colorado scenery, playing Overwatch, and belting out Let It Go (yes, from Frozen) when she should be deadlifting.
Credentials and Certifications
- BA Psychology
- Masters in Sport and Performance Psychology
- ACE Certified Personal Trainer
- ACE Weight Management Specialist
Now for the real important stuff:
Star Wars or LOTR?:
Oof this is a hard one. While I like the stories and world of Star Wars (and even got to visit Galaxy’s Edge in Disneyland!), I’d have to go with LotR. I do an annual re-watch of the extended editions (let’s be real, do the theatrical releases even count), and cry every time at Aragorn telling the hobbits they bow to no one.
Favorite Video Game of All Time?
I’ll always have a special place in my heart for the very first game of my own that I did not have to share with my siblings – Pokemon Red. However, the game I enjoy replaying the most is God of War 2.
What are you passionately nerdy about?
I love Japanese stationery. Let’s talk about pens, inks, paper, journals, stamps, stickers, different stationery stores. When I went to Japan, I had a suitcase exclusively for the goodies I could bring back. I’m also interested in tech, photography, Jordan 1s (my prized pair was released as a tie-in with Into the Spiderverse), animated media, and hack-and-slash RPGs.