Mary Cristelli
BS Exercise Science with Emphasis in Health Promotion, Wellness & Behavior Change | Certified Personal Trainer (NCSF) | Certified Nutrition Coach (PN) | Certified Sleep, Stress, and Recovery Coach (PN)

At 24, I became a half-marathon fanatic, obsessed with squeezing every ounce of potential out of my running. Beyond logging miles, I dissected my form, filming and analyzing my gait across every imaginable terrain—uphill, downhill, road, track, even the treadmill. I meticulously tweaked my posture and stride, driven to be more efficient and reduce injury risk.  When I added strength training to my plan, discovering that it made me faster was a revelation. The medals piled up, and hitting PRs became my norm. It felt like I’d cracked the code, and I was thrilled!

Behind the true joy I had for running and my race-day successes, though, I was struggling with an eating disorder and an unhealthy relationship with exercise. I was pushing myself beyond reason, ignoring the warning signs of injuries, and feeling like a bit of a fraud professionally (I would never advise a client to train/eat the way I was, why couldn’t I apply that same wisdom to myself?). 

Fortunately (feels weird to say), the universe intervened. A tibial stress fracture, followed by a gnarly bike accident, gave me a much needed wake-up call and forced me to confront the (un)sustainability of my approach. 

With the support of my therapist and friends, I finally sought additional guidance. I connected with a dietitian who helped me better understand optimal exercise nutrition for my training and lifestyle. I also hired a fitness coach who designed a training plan that was balanced, yet challenging, and gave me the “permission” I needed to ease up. This experience not only radically transformed my life, but it also changed my approach to coaching.

While I entered my career with a passion for holistic wellness, this experience gave me the lived understanding of how an integrated approach to performance can look and feel. It was remarkable, and I wanted to share it with as many people as I possibly could.

I started with a deep dive into nutrition, becoming a certified nutrition coach, determined to empower my clients with knowledge I wish I’d had sooner. I then became certified in sleep, stress, and recovery as my own rehabilitation, and the process of building smart, sustainable fitness plans to return to the gym, taught me just how important recovery is to overall sport performance. I realized that success in fitness isn't just about pushing harder, it's also about nurturing our body and mind.

For over 10 years, I have brought this hard-earned wisdom and individualization to my clients. I understand the drive for peak performance, but I also know the devastating cost of ignoring your body's needs. My mission is to guide you towards a sustainable, healthy, and fulfilling fitness journey—one where you thrive, not just survive.