Gig: Athletic Authority | Jackson Free Press | Jackson, MS

Gig: Athletic Authority

Name: Chuck Shelton

Age: 37

Occupation: Fitness Trainer and Weight-Loss Coach, YMCA

Name: Chuck Shelton Age: 37 Occupation: Fitness Trainer and Weight-Loss Coach, YMCA Photo by Trip Burns

As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be an investigative journalist so I could uncover corruption and bust the bad guys.

Describe your workday in three words.

Loud, intense, sweaty.

What tools could you not live or work without?

My voice. I just need to push people through their self-imposed walls.

What steps brought you to this position?

My own journey of losing weight and getting into shape. I lost 85 pounds, and I loved the journey so much that I wanted to help other people do the same thing.

What's the strangest aspect of your job?

Yelling at people. Sometimes I catch myself jumping up and down, yelling and screaming, and I think, "How did you go from journalism to this?"

What's the best thing about your job?

The point where people see and feel that their lives are changing because of what we do together.

What advice do you have for others who would like to become a fitness trainer?

Become well educated on exercise science and nutrition. Have genuine compassion for people and concern for their well-being.

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