Today we’d like to introduce you to Diana Chaloux-LaCerte.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My story really began with my own transformation.
More than 20 years ago, I was working in the fitness industry, but privately I was struggling. I was unhappy, uncomfortable in my body, and using food to cope with emotions I didn’t know how to process. I struggled with compulsive overeating, low self-worth, and the feeling that I was smiling on the outside while hurting on the inside.
On July 5, 2005, I reached a point where I knew something had to change. I call that day my “Independence Day” because it was the moment I decided to stop abandoning myself and begin discovering what I was truly capable of. I ultimately lost 50 pounds, rebuilt my health and confidence, and began addressing not only the physical weight I was carrying, but also the emotional weight beneath it.
That journey changed the entire direction of my life. I went on to compete as a fitness athlete for seven years, win multiple competitions, become a two-time World Champion, appear in national fitness publications, and build a career helping other women experience their own transformations.
Through the fitness industry, I met my husband and business partner, Micah LaCerte. Together, we launched Hitch Fit in 2009, when online personal training was still a very new concept. Since then, Hitch Fit has helped clients in 82 countries collectively lose more than 750,000 pounds. We also opened Hitch Fit Gym in Kansas City, where our team continues to provide customized, one-on-one transformation coaching.
As our businesses and our faith grew, so did our understanding of what true transformation requires. Physical change is powerful, but lasting change often means going deeper. It means addressing our stories, past wounds, coping patterns, beliefs, relationships, and spiritual health. That realization led us to create SoulFIT Retreats, transformational faith and fitness experiences that bring people together in beautiful locations to strengthen their bodies, renew their minds, deepen their faith, and experience the healing power of community.
Today, Micah and I also co-host SoulFIT TV on the Christian Television Network, where we share powerful conversations and testimonies centered on faith, wellness, healing, purpose, and transformation.
The newest and most personal expression of my work is SoulSTRONG, a faith-rooted coaching community created specifically for women over 40. As I entered this season of life myself, I saw how many women were struggling with changing hormones, declining energy, weight gain, emotional eating, past trauma, and a loss of confidence. They didn’t need another extreme diet or impersonal fitness app. They needed a compassionate approach that addressed the whole woman: body, mind, story, and spirit.
Through SoulSTRONG, I combine menopause-smart nutrition, progressive strength training, Biblical and trauma-informed coaching, direct access to me, and an encouraging community of faith-filled women. My goal is to help women become strong again—not only physically, but mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
I’ve now had the privilege of coaching more than 10,000 women, but I remain just as passionate about transformation as I was when I first began. I know what it feels like to be stuck, ashamed, and disconnected from yourself. I also know what is possible when faith, the right tools, and a supportive community come together.
Everything I have walked through has prepared me for the work I am doing today. For women who are ready to grow stronger in body, mind, and spirit, I invite them to visit www.SoulSTRONGFit.com. They can also learn more about our customized transformation programs at www.HitchFit.com and watch SoulFIT TV for conversations that encourage healthier, more faith-filled lives.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has definitely not been a smooth road, but I’m grateful for what every difficult season has taught me.
My first struggles were personal. Before I ever helped other women transform, I had to confront my own unhealthy relationship with food, low self-worth, emotional pain, and patterns of coping that were hurting me. Losing the physical weight was important, but healing the weight beneath the weight has been a much longer journey. I had to learn that changing your body does not automatically heal your heart or change the story you believe about yourself.
One of the hardest and most freeing parts of my journey has been facing and healing from painful experiences and trauma in my own past. Healing required me to be honest about what I had experienced, how it had shaped me, and the patterns I had developed to protect myself. It was not always comfortable or easy, but it brought a level of freedom, understanding, and compassion that I could not have gained any other way.
Walking through my own healing has also better equipped me to guide others through theirs. I continued my education and became a Biblical Trauma-Informed Coach and a Trauma and Resilience Life Coach. That training gave me valuable tools, but my personal healing journey gave those tools greater depth. I understand how much courage it takes to revisit painful parts of your story, and I also know the freedom that can come when those places are brought into the light and surrendered to God. I do not lead women from theory alone. I can sit with them in difficult places because I have been willing to walk through difficult places of my own.
There were also many challenges in building our businesses. When Micah and I launched Hitch Fit in 2009, online personal training was still unfamiliar to most people. We had to educate people about what it was while simultaneously proving that it could create real, lasting results. We invested our time, energy, finances, and hearts into building something we believed in without any guarantee that it would succeed.
Like many entrepreneurs, we have experienced financial pressure, long workdays, ideas that didn’t work, unexpected setbacks, difficult decisions, and seasons when we had to adjust our vision. At one point, we had grown Hitch Fit to three Kansas City gyms. Eventually, we made the difficult decision to consolidate to one location so we could create space for the next calling God was placing on our lives. Letting go of something you worked hard to build can feel like failure, even when you know it is the right decision. I had to learn that growth does not always mean adding more. Sometimes growth means having the courage to release what no longer aligns with where God is leading you.
One of the things that has carried me through every demanding season is the fundamental understanding that I cannot fulfill the calling God has placed on my life if I am not taking care of myself. I am fiercely protective of my daily devotional time because my relationship with God has to come first. I am equally committed to caring for my physical health, not simply for an external appearance, but because fitness strengthens my mental health, emotional capacity, energy, and ability to serve others well. I know I cannot continually pour into the people God brings into my life if I am not also making time to be spiritually, mentally, and physically restored.
Moving through my own midlife and menopause journey has humbled me in new ways. The strategies that worked for my body in earlier seasons no longer produced the same results. I had to become a student again, listen more closely to my body, pursue additional education, and learn how to approach this season with greater wisdom. That experience deepened my compassion for women who feel as though they are doing everything right, yet their bodies are no longer responding the way they once did.
My faith has deepened through every difficult season. There have been times when I wanted a clear plan and God simply asked me to trust Him one step at a time. I have learned that setbacks are not always signs that you are on the wrong path. Sometimes they are preparing you for the work you are being called to do next.
All of these experiences are a major reason I created SoulSTRONG. I wanted women over 40 to have the kind of support I know is necessary for true transformation: practical tools for nutrition and strength, an understanding of hormones, a safe place to address emotional patterns and past wounds, Biblical truth, direct coaching, and a community that reminds them they are not alone.
The road has not been easy, but every part of it has added depth, wisdom, and compassion to the way I serve women today. I would not have the same ability to meet someone in her struggle or guide her toward healing if I had never been willing to walk through that process myself.
We’ve been impressed with SoulSTRONG Sisterhood, SoulFIT TV & Hitch Fit, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Everything my husband, Micah, and I have built is centered on transformation and helping people become stronger in body, mind, and spirit.
We launched Hitch Fit in 2009 as an online personal training company and one-on-one transformation gym in Kansas City. At the time, online coaching was still a new concept, but we believed we could use it to reach people who needed personalized guidance, regardless of where they lived. Since then, Hitch Fit has helped clients in 82 countries collectively lose more than 750,000 pounds. Even as the fitness industry has become increasingly automated, Hitch Fit has remained committed to customized plans, direct communication, real accountability, and personal connection.
As our faith and our understanding of transformation deepened, we created SoulFIT Retreats. These retreats bring faith, fitness, healing, adventure, and authentic community together in beautiful locations. We create safe spaces where people can step away from the distractions of everyday life, strengthen their relationship with God, care for their physical health, address deeper areas of their stories, and build meaningful relationships with others.
Micah and I also co-host SoulFIT TV on the Christian Television Network. Through the show, we share testimonies and conversations about faith, health, trauma, healing, relationships, identity, and purpose. We want people to see that wellness is about far more than physical appearance. True health involves the body, mind, heart, and spirit.
I am incredibly proud of all of those areas and the thousands of lives we have been blessed to impact through them. But what I would really love to share with you now is SoulSTRONG, because it is the most personal expression of my work and the culmination of everything I have learned over more than 20 years of coaching women.
SoulSTRONG is a faith-rooted transformation experience created specifically for women over 40. I help women navigate perimenopause, menopause, changing hormones, weight gain, declining energy, emotional eating, loss of muscle, and the deeper emotional patterns that can keep them feeling stuck. My goal is not simply to help a woman lose weight. It is to help her become strong again in her body, renewed in her mind, connected to her purpose, and deeply rooted in her faith.
What makes SoulSTRONG different is that we address the whole woman. Many fitness programs focus only on calories, workouts, and the number on the scale. Those things matter, but they are only part of the picture. A woman can know exactly what to eat and still find herself turning to food when she feels stressed, lonely, overwhelmed, or emotionally exhausted. She can change her body without changing the beliefs or patterns that caused her to struggle in the first place.
Inside SoulSTRONG, I teach through my S5 Framework: Science, Strength, Story, Scripture, and Sisterhood.
Science means helping women understand hormones, metabolism, sleep, nutrition, macros, recovery, and supplementation in a way that feels practical rather than overwhelming. Strength focuses on progressive strength training for every fitness level, whether a woman exercises at home or in a gym. Building and maintaining muscle becomes increasingly important as we age, not only for our appearance, but for our bones, metabolism, mobility, confidence, and quality of life.
Story addresses the weight beneath the weight. As a Biblical Trauma-Informed Coach and a Trauma and Resilience Life Coach, I help women compassionately recognize the past experiences, stress responses, survival patterns, and beliefs that may be influencing their present-day behaviors. This is not about blaming the past or living in it. It is about understanding our stories so we can stop repeating patterns that no longer serve us and begin moving forward with greater freedom.
Scripture is woven throughout the SoulSTRONG experience because Jesus is the foundation of this work, not an addition to it. We use Biblical truth, devotionals, prayer, and faith-based encouragement to help women renew their minds, strengthen their identities, and invite God into every part of their transformation.
Sisterhood means women no longer have to walk through this season alone. Inside the SoulSTRONG Sisterhood, women receive strength training programs, hormone-supportive nutrition guidance, meal plans, devotionals, courses, challenges, direct in-app access to me, twice-monthly live coaching calls, and a private community of women who encourage, celebrate, and pray for one another. There is also a self-guided SoulSTRONG option for women who prefer to move through the resources at their own pace.
Another important difference is that SoulSTRONG is not based on shame, punishment, or extremes. Women are often incredibly hard on themselves, especially when their bodies begin changing in midlife. They assume they need more discipline, fewer calories, or harder workouts. I want them to understand that they are not broken and that this season is not the end of their strength. They may simply need new tools, greater understanding, and a more compassionate and sustainable approach.
What I am most proud of brand-wise is the environment we are creating. SoulSTRONG is a place where truth and grace can exist together. We can be honest about what needs to change without tearing ourselves down in the process. Women receive practical coaching and accountability, but they are also seen, heard, prayed for, and reminded that their worth is not determined by a clothing size or a number on the scale.
I want readers to know that it is never too late to become strong again. Your 40s, 50s, and beyond can be some of the healthiest, most purposeful, and most fulfilling years of your life. You do not have to navigate this season alone, and you do not have to choose between caring for your body and deepening your faith. SoulSTRONG brings those pieces together.
Women can learn more about SoulSTRONG and explore both the Sisterhood and self-guided options at [www.SoulSTRONGFit.com](http://www.SoulSTRONGFit.com). They can also explore customized online transformation coaching at [www.HitchFit.com](http://www.HitchFit.com) and connect with our broader mission through SoulFIT TV and SoulFIT Retreats.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
My best advice is to stop thinking of networking as collecting contacts and start thinking of it as building genuine relationships.
The most meaningful connections in my life and career have developed when I approached people with curiosity, generosity, and a sincere desire to know them, rather than immediately thinking about what they could do for me. People can sense when a relationship is transactional. I believe the strongest networks are built when you consistently show up, encourage others, share what you can, celebrate their success, and stay connected even when you do not need anything.
When looking for a mentor, I encourage people to look beyond accomplishments and pay attention to the fruit of someone’s life. A person may be very successful in business, but are they living with integrity? Do their relationships, faith, health, and character reflect the kind of life you want to build? I do not want advice only from someone who has achieved impressive results. I want wisdom from people whose values align with mine and who have built success without sacrificing the things that matter most.
I also believe different seasons may require different mentors. One person may help you grow as a business owner, while another may strengthen your faith, marriage, leadership, health, or emotional resilience. It is unrealistic to expect one mentor to have every answer. God often brings different people into our lives for specific seasons and purposes.
What has worked well for me is being willing to ask thoughtful, specific questions and then actually apply the guidance I receive. Being mentored requires humility and action. If someone generously gives you their time and wisdom, honor that by listening, implementing what is useful, and following up to let them know how it helped you. People are much more willing to continue investing in someone who is coachable and committed to growth.
It is also important to respect a potential mentor’s time. You do not always need to begin by asking someone to formally become your mentor. Start by building a relationship. Support what they are doing, attend an event where they are speaking, read their work, listen to their interviews, or ask one meaningful question. Sometimes mentorship develops organically through consistent connection. Other times, it may come through a paid coaching program or a structured group, and there is tremendous value in being willing to invest in access to someone’s experience.
In networking, showing up has been one of the most important things for me. Attend the event. Introduce yourself. Join the conversation. Follow up afterward. Some of the most meaningful opportunities in my life have grown from relationships that began with a simple conversation and continued because both people made an effort to stay connected.
I also pray about the relationships and rooms I enter. Not every opportunity is the right opportunity, and not every connection is meant to become a close relationship. I ask God to bring the right people into my life and to help me recognize when I am also being called to mentor, encourage, or open a door for someone else.
Ultimately, mentorship and networking should flow in both directions. We should remain humble enough to learn from those ahead of us, connected enough to walk alongside our peers, and generous enough to reach back and help those coming behind us.
That belief is also part of why Sisterhood is one of the five foundations of SoulSTRONG. Transformation becomes more sustainable when women are surrounded by people who understand their season, encourage their growth, pray for them, and remind them of who they are when they forget. The right relationships do not simply expand your network. They can expand your vision, strengthen your faith, and change the direction of your life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.SoulSTRONGFIt.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dianachaloux
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dianachaloux
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianachaloux
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@soulfittv
- Other: www.HitchFit.com and www.SoulFITRetreats.com
