Today we’d like to introduce you to Valeria Macias.
Hi Valeria , so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I moved to Salt Lake City from my hometown El Paso, Texas exactly on month after graduating high school in 2018. I visited Utah for the first time in 2015 when my older brother Jesus moved here for work and instantly fell in love with Salt Lake. I knew I needed to live here.
My love for fitness started with me needing a hobby after I stopped competitive cheer and dance at fifteen. It was not something I immediately loved, I just did it because my mom always stressed the importance of us being active. My brother taught me the basics and encouraged me to stay consistent. After a couple of months I saw the benefits. I was less worried about what my body looked like and was more interested on what I could achieve physically. Strength training helped me be more confident as I was always very insecure about my weight and physical appearance.
When I moved to Salt Lake my brother connected me with a private gym owner in Millcreek. I was a clients of his for months before he asked me to get certified as a trainer. There were no other female trainers at the gym so he really wanted me to be part of the team. He mentored me and taught me a lot till I was ready to take clients on my own. During that time I started competing in powerlifting and olympic weightlifting. I set a couple of Utah records before the pandemic hit and competitions stopped. I had a lot of extra time during the pandemic so I started school at SSLC. I had decided that working in the fitness field was something I wanted to do forever, so school was worth investing in. I finished my associates in Kinesiology and then transferred to the University of Utah were I graduated with my Bachelors in Kinesiology December 2024. I worked as a trainer full time, was a student full time and managed a bunch of mystery health issues that began to pop up. I was eventually diagnosed with endometriosis and hashimotos. My chronic pain kept me from lifting weights and it made me even more depressed than I already was. thats when I discovered classical Pilates. It was a form of movement that brought me a lot of healing. I decided to get my certification while I was finishing the last year of my degree at the U. I worked with many women who had the same diagnoses and similar health struggles, so I wanted to be able to help them as much as I could.
I began teaching Mat Pilates by doing $5 pop ups around salt lake valley (usually at other woman owned businesses). My goal is always to make exercise accessible and to bring a community of women together and pop ups were an amazing way to do that. My classes were full enough that I wanted to teach Mat more often but I didn’t know of any Mat studios in SLC. So I started looking for a space of my own. I signed the lease to my building the week after I graduated from the U. I remodeled my space with the help of family and friends January & February of 2025, opening to my personal training clients March 9th. I added mat pilates April 6th, had my grand opening May 31st and have added 10 group classes since then!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No, it has not been a smooth road. My health struggles in college made it really difficult for me to live my life like a “normal” college girl. I couldn’t stay up late, have a drink with my friends, or eat anything I wanted because I was afraid it would cause a flare up. Struggling with my health and being in the fitness industry sometimes makes me question if I’m good enough to be in the industry.
I had some struggles with the city when some unexpected troubles with parking came up. It delayed me being able to take on clients at Define for a whole month. It was the most stressful part of business and there was nothing I could do about it
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Define Fitness?
I named the gym “Define Fitness” because I think everyone has a different definition of what being fit/healthy means to them. I think the journey of finding what works for each client individually is really special. I wanted to create a space where all women no matter their goal, experience level, size or shape felt comfortable in the gym.
I teach Mat Pilates because I love the principles that classical Mat Pilates places an emphasis on. Breath, control, concentration, centering, flow, and precision. In class I’m known for a great playlist and hands on corrections. I love talking about anatomy and finding a cue that will resonate with a client the most.
I teach a lot of traditional strength training in my private session and in my two group classes: Defined is a group strength class for women who want to get strong and gain muscle. I love teaching this class because it’s a relaxed and supportive environment where the girls cheer each other on and push to get stronger everyday. I’m known for breaking down the exercises and making sure you feel the exercise where you’re supposed to so you can make the most progress possible! I also teach “Lift & Lead” a strength class for moms where they can bring their kids if childcare is a barrier to working out. This class is traditional strength training with an emphasis on preventative injury exercises. This style of class is unique to Define. I don’t know of any other gym that offers a class where your kids can watch you workout and even join you if they get curious. I think this is the best way to normalize fitness in your child’s’ life, by having mom lead by example.
I am proud of having Define be a place where anyone can get a workout in. We have low and high intensity classes. There are classes where we use no weight and classes where you’re trying to lift as heavy as you can. Training can be one on one or as big as a group of twelve. We offer a consistent schedule of classes and also do fun once a month wellness events. Everything you need to live a healthy lifestyle can be found at Define.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Be open! By being vulnerable and open with anyone who I encounter it has allowed me to meet some really great people. Sharing my story, my mistakes and wins has allowed me to connect with some amazing people.
Pricing:
- Group Drop in: $25
- Private training: $40-70/session
- Lift & Lead:$30
Contact Info:
- Website: https://define.fit
- Instagram: https://Instagram.com/_definefit
