NFL
By: Joe Cardoso
The first Fitness interview of the year is finally here and we start things off with a story of hard work and faith paying off, and being used to help others. With springtime fast approaching most of us are planning vacations and outdoor activities and want to feel and look our best while doing it. If those New Year, new you promises have flown away already it’s all good you are not alone and can always get back on track with it. This month we introduce to you a young lady who hails from Argentina and now calls Dallas, Texas home. Making her way as a professional Latina businesswoman we get to know Elisa Chiaradia.
Joe Cardoso: How did you get into the world of fitness?
Elisa Chiaradia: I grew up doing sports my entire life (my dad was a professional soccer player and my mom
is super athletic). I played volleyball, the Argentinian league, and beach volleyball. I studied
Occupational Therapy and I worked in gyms back in Argentina.
JC: What were those first few months in America like for you?
EC: The first few months in the USA were super difficult I didn’t know anyone. I didn’t have savings, a job, or a place to stay, I didn’t speak English at all and I did not have a car to move through the city and the DFW (Dallas Fort Worth) area is massive. I went through many struggles and more that were very discouraging and easy for me to give up, I thought many times of going back to my country. But I endured my problems with God’s hands on me. When you encounter triggers and problems to solve, It is up to you to decide if you want to be discouraged. You can be angry, and bitter with life, or you turn the problems into opportunities to be tougher and mentally stronger.
JC: When did you realize you wanted to be a trainer?
EC: I moved to Mexico to provide a better life for me and my family. When the pandemic hit and I was fired from the company I was working for, I decided to move to America to learn English and have more opportunities to work than in Mexico, but my expectations were far away from reality, everything shut down in the States due to COVID and I couldn’t find a job. With the language barrier, how would I learn a new language without speaking to people? So then when I started my fitness company “Workout With Eli”. Since 2020 I’ve been dedicating my life to helping other people in their fitness journey. I am beyond grateful for it, I love what I do.
JC: Why is fitness important to you?
EC: Fitness is important for me because it is a tool that can be used not only for the body, health purposes, and aesthetics but also to reach the deepest part of you and connect with it. I had a client that was living in a really toxic marriage and her self-esteem and confidence were being completely affected by this. We worked for months in loving her body and affirming herself daily. She used her accomplishments in the gym as a reference to make decisions in her personal life with the same confidence and authority as she was doing in her fitness journey.
JC: What do you want clients to take away from training with you?
EC: I want them to accomplish their goals, but I also want them to love themselves and workout for the right reasons that will enrich their lives and have a very positive impact on their overall being and not solely due to not liking their bodies.
JC: How important is it to you to be a Latina woman in the worlds of fitness and business?
EC: Being a Latina in the fitness world is not as big a deal as much as it is to be a Latina Business woman in the USA. You will find way more struggles being a foreigner in this country than a citizen. The challenges are there, just like hurdles I have learned to keep my head right and focus on the positive aspects that strengthen me. I have become much stronger due to all the adversity I have encountered. I’ve worked so hard for every single accomplishment in life and I am beyond grateful for having many opportunities in America. I can promise you that I will never take it for granted.
Bonus Questions:
JC: When not training or working out what do you do in your free time?
EC: I am actually not working out because I am recovering from some injuries. In my free time, I am singing and preparing for my recording career. I recently signed on with a veteran in the industry to handle my business management. I love cooking, I am writing an Ebook called “LEAN & LATIN” that will be released soon and I am so excited because It will help a lot of people that struggle with nutrition to eat the food that they like and still look how they want to. Once I heal my injuries my favorite thing to do is play beach volleyball.
JC: What do faith and family mean to you?
EC: FAITH & FAMILY ARE ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING!! God is my savior, I wouldn’t be here if
It wasn’t for my FAITH and my relationship with THE LORD.
JC: Who is Elisa Chiaradia?
EC: I consider Elisa as a child of Jesus Christ, willing to serve his kingdom and serve others on
this earth so he can glorify through whatever I do in life.
Faith and a strong work ethic are how I would describe Elisa. I can’t thank her enough for taking the time to speak with me and share her story. With so many projects coming soon she is someone to keep an eye on follow her on social and her websites. Find her on Instagram or TikTok. Who will be under the spotlight next to share their journey and share some inspiration? Could it be you?
