Now that you have learned a little bit about Petra’s background, Petra reveals some of her favorite fitness tips, advice for staying positive and how fitness literally saved her life:

How long have you been in the fitness industry?
I have been in the fitness industry for over twenty years. Wow that is a long time. However, I have always been moving in one way or another. Before moving into fitness I was a professional dancer for 10 years. The best move I ever did was exchanging my dancing shoes for aerobic sneakers.

As a cancer survivor, what advice can you give to other cancer patients about staying mentally as well as physically strong?
While every survivor has their own unique story and will need to consult with their doctor as they go through treatment, for me, personally, fitness saved my life. Mentally more than physically. As I lost my hair, and was faced with a body that no longer was “guaranteed” I found a peace with being able to teach my step class on the Tuesday after my Monday morning chemotherapy treatment. I was able to maintain a very positive outlook by being able to go for a walk before my doctor appointment, and moving in general helped me maintain a sense of power and positivity through that unsettling time.

The biggest shift for me was during that time fitness became a tool for increasing energy. It stopped being about numbers and became about feelings. How did I feel energy-wise when I woke up in the morning? What did I need to do for my body that day to to treat it with kindness as it was working so hard for me to become healthy again?

I do not say this lightly when I say that I think I did some of my best living as I was going through my treatment. Not once in those 6 months did I define my day or attitude about myself by the numbers on the scale or the size of my jeans. It was about moving towards a healthy life versus exercising to shrink my numbers.

You are such an inspiration to so many men and woman – how do you keep such a positive attitude?
Honestly, I get my positive attitude from the people I work with. I am blessed to be able to help people make deep and meaningful changes in their lives. Trust me, I do have my bad days. However, one thing I will never ever forget is something I heard a fellow instructor tell me over fifteen years ago “No one is paying to see your bad day” I can say there has not been one class I have taught in my twenty years of teaching where I brought anything less that 100% of myself to the class. The time a client, customer or student gives me, or chooses to spend with me and my workouts is the greatest gift anyone can give. Time cannot be bought, it cannot be given, it cannot be taken back, yet it is the most precious gift you can be given.

Plus my life is pretty darn good. Any problem I have, when put into the grander scheme of things, is pretty small.

What are some tips for people who are short on time, but still want to exercise?
Don’t think about it, just do it. If I could take back the hours of debating whether I worked out or not, and then the hours that I felt guilty if I did not work out, well . . . just do the best you can. Do a little versus nothing. I do feel that first thing in the morning is the best time for most of us to get our exercise in. If we leave it till later in the day, it is highly possible that our day will just get in the way. Also don’t look at exercise as though it is all or nothing. 10 minutes three times a day, may be more manageable than carving out a 30-40 minute chunk of time. Most importantly PLAN your fitness time into your schedule. Write it down into your schedule and keep that appointment with yourself just as you would any other important meeting.

What is your favorite part about working out in the comfort of your home?
Time. By the time I have driven to the gym and back I could have turned on my computer, logged into FitnessGlo and have already completed a 30 minute Click & Glo. Pretty much everything these days comes down to time. Using it wisely and exercising so that I have a strong and healthy body to be able to do all the things I love to do with the time I have.