Tricia Zelenak creates fitness and dietary schedules for her clients, all while being an exemplary role model for working women and mothers seeking a healthier lifestyle.
She has been a health and fitness coach for about eight years since she discovered her passion for the profession while fit modeling for companies like Express Inc. and UpWest.
“It was through fit modeling where I had to find a way to maintain my measurements but not in a restrictive way, so I could still have wine on the weekends and do fun things with my family,” Zelenak says. “Then other women started asking me how I managed to enjoy cookies, cakes and wine on occasion and still maintain my measurements over time. So that was when I really found my passion.”
After completing her master’s degree in communication and marketing, Zelenak joined one of her mentor’s fitness and nutrition accountability groups. She says she loved seeing women helping women be their best without any judgment and that it was all about lifting each other up. Zelenak wanted to dive deeper into that by using her own experiences through fit modeling.
“I started using those tools together with my own experience to find a solution for my friends and family, then over the years I went on to do some more marketing through social media and finding more people who needed my help,” she says. “Eight years later I’ve been able to help hundreds of women find their good fit without a restrictive diet. I wanted them to find something that fit their daily schedules so they could still enjoy nutrition and reach their fitness goals.”
One piece of advice Zelenak has for anyone trying to reach their fitness goals is giving accountability to another human being, whether that’s your neighbor, best friend, fitness coach or even your mom. She believes accountability is more important than motivation in this case, and telling someone your goals will hold you accountable to perform the daily habits and behaviors it takes to reach those exact goals.
“I have been a client of Tricia’s for four years, since one of her daughters was in my sixth-grade class,” says Mary Ellen Remick, a teacher at Hayes Intermediate School. “She is fantastic and very knowledgeable about fitness and wellness. She is a great coach, whenever I go off track she’d help me get right back, understanding that no one is perfect.”
Zelenak says she works with clients to find the best types of fitness training they can enjoy and fits into their schedule.
“Being a client of Tricia’s has been a fabulous experience,” says Andrea Ruede, a local nurse. “She is very personable and takes the time to find out what my goals are as to help me achieve them.”
In addition to exercise, Zelenak says food choices make all the difference to achieve a healthier lifestyle. For years, she accompanied her clients to grocery stores to share tips on healthy meal prepping. Now, she has created a video series to help educate people on healthy grocery store tips before their next visit to the supermarket.
“Tricia is a highly motivated and a very caring person. She always reaches out to make sure you’re still on track, and to check if you’re struggling with anything,” says Kim Ritterbeck, who works with Zelenak as a health and fitness coach. “She’ll keep sending you new recipes and will ensure that you hold accountability to get on the right path. She also plans ahead for the whole month, keeps a very positive attitude and cares a lot for people she tries to help.”
Alongside her fitness career, Zelenak has also volunteered frequently around Grove City to give back to the community she holds dear. She is a past member of the Grove City YMCA consulting board, Grove City Area Chamber of Commerce board, and is now a current member of the Keep Grove City Beautiful board.
“I believe Grove City is the jewel in the crown of all of central Ohio,” she says.
One of Zelenak’s favorite activities involves biking around Grove City because she gets to involve her whole family. Zelenak, her husband and two children frequently ride their bikes into downtown Grove City for the farmers’ markets and other organized events.
During the pandemic, they’ve still been riding down Grove City’s bike-friendly paths to attend events, wearing face masks and practicing physical distancing. Her kids particularly enjoy the Bike with Mayor Ike event during EcoFest and sometimes ride over to Beulah Park to admire the beautiful new neighborhood.
“I was not born and raised in Grove City, yet my husband and I chose this as the place we wanted to raise our family,” Zelenak says. “(We had) been working for a few years in Grove City and came to love the people, the businesses, the green space, the quality of schools and just how passionate and genuine all of the city leaders are about making our big little town the best place in central Ohio to live.”
In addition to biking, her family also enjoys hiking and kayaking around Grove City’s Scioto Grove Metro Park to stay active in Grove City along with streaming strength training workouts at home, which they’ve been doing more of since March.
“I may not have been born here, but this is always where I was meant to end up,” Zelenak says.
Sanaya Attari is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
