Member since October 2024
Laura Williamson is a speaker, podcast host for Bare Speak and is the founder of Bare Fitness Pilates Gym. She has also been a collaborator on articles for the Boston Globe, Forbes, GQ, Verywell Fit and Women’s Health. It is due to Laura’s 20+ years as a fitness professional that she has been able to strengthen her message of empowerment and self mastery through physical movement. She gives instruction in self empowerment through personal training, Pilates, nutrition coaching and Reiki.
Laura’s passion for fitness began as an infant riding on a yellow bike seat on the back of her mother’s 10 speed. Her mother’s fitness pursuits ignited Laura’s admiration of the body and its mechanics. Her career in fitness began at the Sports Club LA (currently Equinox) in Boston, MA. She became certified in Pilates, nutrition, self myofascial release, integrated flexibility, boxing, functional training, weight loss, weight training and z-health. Laura’s curiosity, thirst for knowledge and deep desire to help her clients has made her a top professional in the industry helping hundreds of clients reach their wellness goals.
It was through years of experience, in depth conversations with clients and Laura’s ability to assess and intuitively understand her client’s needs that she recognized a common thread. Many had questions, about their health and their bodies, but didn’t feel confident or comfortable to address their needs and advocate for themselves. She recognized that people needed resources. Laura discovered that If people can take control of their wellness and fitness levels it would empower them to make meaningful changes with their health and in their lives.
When I was training to become a Certified Personal Trainer, one of the instructors told me and my classmates that people will be coming to us for help. “You’ll have a lot of power; use it wisely”. It sounds like something from a Stan Lee movie, but the message stayed with me. I want to be the person that tells my clients, “You can do this. I believe in you”.
Movement is about mastering the ability to maintain control over your body when needed. It’s also about empowering yourself to move on your own terms physically, without pain or interruption. It’s difficult to develop such mastery when you are injured or have an ailment or structural imbalances. I have trained different types of bodies with varying physical abilities. Working with such a wide range of clients has taught me how important the body is to our quality of life.
Yes, personal training is about helping my clients get fit, run faster, jump higher, and look fantastic in a pair of slim-fitting jeans. But training is also about helping someone find their inner voice. When my clients move the way they want, they start to access an inner strength. It’s this mind-body connection that helps us do the unimaginable, leaving miracles in our paths. Who doesn’t want that?
Some of my fondest memories occur around food. Spending time with my grandparents was the highlight of my year. Grandpa would take my cousin Sheri and I to the Hostess bakery. “Get what you want,” our grandfather would tell us. Sheri and I would split up in search of our favorite pastries. We selected delicious honey buns, mini white powdered donuts, mini chocolate covered donuts, pinwheels and fruit pies. And I can’t forget to mention breakfast! On some days, we ate traditional Frosted Flakes with milk for breakfast, but on others we’d have not-so-traditional Frosted Flakes…with vanilla ice cream. And on Sunday mornings, my grandmother's hot biscuits would be cooling on the kitchen counter. After church, we’d eat them as melted butter ran down our arms.
Summer would eventually come to a close. Some years, my jeans were so tight I could barely walk in them. I had always gained weight, but I wasn’t concerned about the physical changes of my body. I experienced a freedom that we seem to lose as we age. I was blissfully void of peer pressure—my own judgement and the judgement of others. Instead, I took away the importance of having an awareness of how our attitudes about food are shaped not only by our experiences but by “societal norms”. I cherish the beautiful memories of love from my grandparents that I will carry with me for a lifetime.
I decided to open my business on a dare. My husband and I were sitting on a bench at Lake Quinnapowitt. I noticed a building with a “for lease” sign in front of it. I mentioned that it would be the perfect location for my fitness studio. Without even turning his head to me, my husband said, “that’s what you always say.” I found myself annoyed by my husband’s nonchalant comment, but he was right. I needed a challenge. One year later I would open the doors to my Pilates Gym: Bare Fitness.
While working with my inspirational clients they’d share their health and wellness challenges with me. I could hear frustration in their inability to get health appointments, not having resources for personal, medical, mental health and wellness issues that would arise. Where could they go to get their questions answered? I found their stories to be troubling. I wanted to help. I would reboot my previously broadcast television program on community access television also named Bare Fitness. Later I would modernize Bare Fitness into a podcast named Bare Speak where I would invite experts in various fields to address current health, wellness, fitness and lifestyle topics focusing on personal development, connection and self-care.
In a modern world with technology, untenable standards of beauty and high pressure to do as much as possible within a 24 hour window of time it is expected that something will be sacrificed. It has become apparent that more often than not it will be oneself. As we run a race to an uncertain finish line our health and wellness will most certainly be compromised. We will gain weight, increase stress, have poor eating habits, have compromised sleep thus potentially compromising our health. What do we do? How can we control the narrative in our microcosm of the world?
The subject matter Includes providing tools along with thoughtful solutions to increase success in goal setting and reaching desired goals. I instruct on the benefits of taking small yet simple steps to build a foundation towards developing new habits to reach a successful outcome. The focus will be on the following:
After various conversations with strangers and clients, I felt compelled to address how we could be eating better. This topic is relevant to both men and women, from novice to expert. My intention is twofold: to inspire a decrease in self-criticism for behaviors around food and to provide a strategy to make the best food choices in vulnerable situations with shifting motivations.
As a fitness professional, it’s common for me to encounter people who believe that they are eating well enough to maintain and/or reach their fitness goals. While ‘eating well’ is relative from person to person, it’s important to recognize that how and what we eat can change based on what’s going on in our lives. There are times (e.g., life events or social occasions) when we’re more likely to get off track from our wellness or diet goals. In this talk, I provide information, then pose questions and situations to illustrate how it might be challenging to make the best food choices. I complete the talk by giving realistic life solutions that can be used to work in troublesome areas.
Some of my fondest memories occur around food. Spending time with my grandparents was the highlight of my year. Grandpa would take my cousin Sheri and I to the Hostess bakery. “Get what you want,” our grandfather would tell us. Sheri and I would split up in search of our favorite pastries. We selected delicious honey buns, mini white powdered donuts, mini chocolate covered donuts, pinwheels and fruit pies. And I can’t forget to mention breakfast! On some days, we ate traditional Frosted Flakes with milk for breakfast, but on others we’d have not-so-traditional Frosted Flakes…with vanilla ice cream. And on Sunday mornings, my grandmother's hot biscuits would be cooling on the kitchen counter. After church, we’d eat them as melted butter ran down our arms.
Summer would eventually come to a close. Some years, my jeans were so tight I could barely walk in them. I had always gained weight, but I wasn’t concerned about the physical changes of my body. I experienced a freedom that we seem to lose as we age. I was blissfully void of peer pressure—my own judgement and the judgement of others. Instead, I took away the importance of having an awareness of how our attitudes about food are shaped not only by our experiences but by “societal norms”. I cherish the beautiful memories of love from my grandparents that I will carry with me for a lifetime.
I decided to open my business on a dare. My husband and I were sitting on a bench at Lake Quinnapowitt. I noticed a building with a “for lease” sign in front of it. I mentioned that it would be the perfect location for my fitness studio. Without even turning his head to me, my husband said, “that’s what you always say.” I found myself annoyed by my husband’s nonchalant comment, but he was right. I needed a challenge. One year later I would open the doors to my Pilates Gym: Bare Fitness.
While working with my inspirational clients they’d share their health and wellness challenges with me. I could hear frustration in their inability to get health appointments, not having resources for personal, medical, mental health and wellness issues that would arise. Where could they go to get their questions answered? I found their stories to be troubling. I wanted to help. I would reboot my previously broadcast television program on community access television also named Bare Fitness. Later I would modernize Bare Fitness into a podcast named Bare Speak where I would invite experts in various fields to address current health, wellness, fitness and lifestyle topics focusing on personal development, connection and self-care.
In a modern world with technology, untenable standards of beauty and high pressure to do as much as possible within a 24 hour window of time it is expected that something will be sacrificed. It has become apparent that more often than not it will be oneself. As we run a race to an uncertain finish line our health and wellness will most certainly be compromised. We will gain weight, increase stress, have poor eating habits, have compromised sleep thus potentially compromising our health. What do we do? How can we control the narrative in our microcosm of the world?
The subject matter Includes providing tools along with thoughtful solutions to increase success in goal setting and reaching desired goals. I instruct on the benefits of taking small yet simple steps to build a foundation towards developing new habits to reach a successful outcome. The focus will be on the following:
After various conversations with strangers and clients, I felt compelled to address how we could be eating better. This topic is relevant to both men and women, from novice to expert. My intention is twofold: to inspire a decrease in self-criticism for behaviors around food and to provide a strategy to make the best food choices in vulnerable situations with shifting motivations.
As a fitness professional, it’s common for me to encounter people who believe that they are eating well enough to maintain and/or reach their fitness goals. While ‘eating well’ is relative from person to person, it’s important to recognize that how and what we eat can change based on what’s going on in our lives. There are times (e.g., life events or social occasions) when we’re more likely to get off track from our wellness or diet goals. In this talk, I provide information, then pose questions and situations to illustrate how it might be challenging to make the best food choices. I complete the talk by giving realistic life solutions that can be used to work in troublesome areas.
