Today we’d like to introduce you to Adi Shamir.
Hi Adi, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My story really started long before I knew wellness would become my career. I grew up as a competitive gymnast, so movement, discipline, and pushing my body were always a big part of my life. But professionally, I took a very different path—I became an engineer and spent years working long hours in a demanding corporate environment.
Years of gymnastics had also taken a toll on my body, particularly my back. At one point, my back pain became severe enough that surgery was being discussed. Before going down that road, I was encouraged to try Pilates and strengthen my core. That decision completely changed the direction of my life. Pilates helped me become stronger, understand my body differently, and ultimately avoid surgery. I fell in love with it and eventually became an instructor.
My second major turning point came after the birth of my second daughter, when I developed Hashimoto’s and suddenly found myself struggling with symptoms that I had never experienced before—fatigue, weight gain, hair loss, dry skin, and just not feeling like myself.
That experience pushed me to start asking a different question. Instead of only asking, “How do I manage these symptoms?” I wanted to understand why my body was struggling in the first place.
I began studying nutrition and eventually graduated from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and continued my education in functional nutrition, gut health, hormones, and women’s wellness. I made significant changes to my own nutrition and lifestyle, and over time my symptoms dramatically improved. That experience changed the way I looked at health—and ultimately changed my career.
Today, all of those pieces of my life have come together. I teach Pilates and strength, coach people in nutrition and wellness, and created Fit Food Feel Good, including my cookbook, because I wanted healthy eating to feel delicious, realistic, and sustainable.
My philosophy is built around three things: nutrition, movement, and mindset. I don’t believe wellness should be about perfection or punishment. I want people—especially women as we get older—to understand how powerful it is to build muscle, nourish our bodies, take care of our metabolic and hormonal health, and actually enjoy our lives while doing it.
Looking back, I never could have planned this path. I went from gymnast to engineer, from dealing with my own health challenges to helping other people navigate theirs, and from discovering Pilates because I was trying to avoid surgery to building an incredible community around it.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Definitely not a smooth road—and honestly, I think the difficult parts are what shaped the way I work today.
One of my biggest struggles was learning that being disciplined and being healthy are not necessarily the same thing. Coming from competitive gymnastics and later working as an engineer, I was very good at pushing through. Work harder, ignore discomfort, keep going. That mentality can make you successful, but eventually your body asks you to listen.
My back problems were one of those moments. Being faced with the possibility of surgery was scary, but it ultimately introduced me to Pilates and taught me that sometimes the answer isn’t pushing harder—it’s learning how to work with your body.
Then came my experience with Hashimoto’s after having my second daughter. I was exhausted, gaining weight, losing hair, and didn’t feel like myself. That was incredibly frustrating, especially because I had always considered myself healthy and active. It forced me to become my own advocate and start learning everything I could about nutrition, gut health, hormones, stress, and lifestyle.
There were professional challenges too. I essentially reinvented myself. I went from engineering to teaching Pilates and working in nutrition and wellness. Starting over in a completely different field takes courage, and building a business and a community doesn’t happen overnight.
But probably the biggest lesson I’ve learned is that health isn’t about doing everything perfectly. It’s about consistency, curiosity, and being willing to change when something isn’t working.
Every challenge along the way has added another layer to what I teach today. I don’t teach wellness from a textbook alone—I understand what it feels like to have your body force you to change direction. And I think that has made me a much better coach and teacher.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
My business really lives at the intersection of movement, nutrition, and community.
I teach Pilates, but my classes aren’t what people necessarily picture when they hear traditional Pilates. My background as a gymnast and my love of strength training have shaped the way I teach. I combine the principles of Pilates with strength, athletic movement, balance, and functional training. I want people to leave feeling challenged and strong—not just like they stretched for an hour.
At the same time, I’m an integrative nutrition coach and gut health specialist, so I don’t look at movement in isolation. Nutrition, muscle mass, blood sugar, sleep, stress, hormones, and mindset are all connected. That’s really the foundation of Fit Food Feel Good and the philosophy behind my cookbook as well: healthy food should taste amazing, make you feel good, and fit into a real life.
What I’m probably most proud of, though, is the community we’ve created.
People may initially come for Pilates, but they stay because they feel like they belong. We work hard, laugh a lot, support each other, celebrate each other’s wins, and genuinely enjoy being together. There is an energy in the room that is difficult to describe until you experience it. Fitness becomes much easier to stick with when you actually look forward to showing up.
I think that’s also what sets my approach apart. I’m not interested in quick fixes or making people afraid of food or aging. I want women to understand that getting older doesn’t mean becoming weaker. We can build muscle, improve our health, eat incredible food, have fun, and feel powerful in our bodies at every stage of life.
Brand-wise, I’m most proud that Fit Food Feel Good has always stayed true to its name. Whether I’m teaching Pilates, coaching someone on nutrition, sharing a recipe, or educating women about wellness, the message is the same: taking care of yourself shouldn’t feel like punishment.
It should help you fit, feel good, and live well.
Ultimately, I’m not trying to create perfect bodies. I’m trying to help people build strong bodies, healthier habits, and a lifestyle they genuinely enjoy—and hopefully create a place where they feel supported while doing it.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
maybe the biggest lesson is that consistency beats perfection. You don’t need the perfect diet, the perfect workout, or the perfect routine. You need habits you can actually sustain and a life you enjoy living.
I often say that when you’re healthy, you have a thousand dreams; when you’re sick, you have only one—to be healthy. I’ve experienced that personally, and it’s why I never take feeling good for granted.
I also learned that people are always looking for a quick fix!!! But guess what… they always have a price or that are only temporary !!!
Finding Ang healing the root cause of every disease or issue is and always will be the only right way for healthy living.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Fitfoodfeelgood.com
- Instagram: @adibarlasshamir
