29/08/2026
A Little Re-Introduction π
Iβm Latoya β owner of LB Health Fitness & Wellbeing.
With over 10 yearsβ experience as a Personal Trainer, Iβve trained a little bit of everything, taught more classes than I could ever count, met hundreds of people and learned a huge amount along the way.
As we head into a new month and a new term at LB, it feels like the perfect time to reintroduce myself, especially for anyone who has recently joined us, and share a little bit about how LB came to be. π
Sport was always a huge part of my life. From a young age, I played Gaelic football with Ballygarrett RΓ©alt na Mara GAA Club and soccer with Killenagh Wanderers. I loved being active, being part of a team and everything that came with sport. Looking back, that's really where my passion for health and fitness began.
After finishing my Leaving Cert, I headed to Tallaght IT, where I completed my BSc in Sports Science & Health. From there, I went on to qualify as a Personal Trainer, Gym Instructor, Spinning Instructor and Step Aerobics Instructor.
I was then very lucky to begin my career at The Fitness Tailor in Gorey, where I spent five years gaining invaluable hands-on experience.
Those five years taught me so much.
I worked with people of all ages, abilities and fitness levels. I learned very quickly that fitness isn't one-size-fits-all. For some people it's about getting stronger or fitter; for others it's about confidence, health, getting back moving after years away from exercise or simply having an hour in the week that's for them.
That's probably still one of the things I love most about what I do.
Somewhere during those years, the dream of having a place of my own started to grow.
At the end of 2018, I decided to add another string to my bow and qualified as a Pilates Instructor. Little did I know just how big a part of LB Pilates would eventually become. Today, it's one of the most established parts of our timetable and something I'm incredibly proud to have developed over the years.
Then, in February 2019, I took the leap.
LB Health Fitness & Wellbeing was born. π
It started small and grew little by little.
There were early mornings, late nights, long days and plenty of sacrifices. Like anyone who runs their own business will know, there is a huge amount that goes on behind the scenes that nobody ever sees.
And here we are in 2026...
There are STILL early mornings, late finishes and long days π β but I wouldn't change the journey that got me here.
Of course, that journey hasn't always been straightforward.
Then came March 2020.
Like so many businesses, everything suddenly stopped.
I had to close the doors and, at first, genuinely believed it would only be for a couple of weeks.
When it became clear that wasn't going to happen, I knew I had two choices β sit back and wait or find a way to keep LB going.
So, LB went ONLINE.
I threw myself into learning Zoom and began delivering LIVE classes.
I specifically wanted the classes to be live because accountability has always been a huge part of how I train people.
You booked your class.
You knew someone was expecting you.
You showed up.
It wasn't the same as being together in the studio, but during a very strange time it gave people a reason to move, connect and take an hour away from everything else that was happening.
What started as a way of keeping LB alive became one of the most important chapters in our story.
We survived lockdowns, reopening, closing again, restrictions, Zoom classes and plenty of uncertainty.
And through it all, LB kept going β and kept growing.
Fast-forward to today and a lot has changed since that girl decided to take a chance on herself back in February 2019.
I've trained hundreds of people, taught thousands of classes, continued to learn, added new qualifications, introduced new programmes, tried things that worked, tried things that didn't π and gained experience that you simply can't learn from a textbook.
And LB has continued to evolve with me.
From Personal Training and Circuits to Pilates, Small Group Training, Power Pilates, Power & Pace, challenges, events and plenty more along the way β there's always something happening behind those LB doors.
But underneath all of that, the reason I do it has never really changed.
I genuinely love helping people.
Helping someone walk through the door for their very first session when they're nervous and unsure.
Helping someone get back exercising after years away.
Watching someone become stronger.
Watching confidence grow.
Seeing friendships form through classes.
And seeing people realise that exercise doesn't have to be about being the fittest person in the room β it's about looking after yourself and your health.
That's what LB has always been about.
It's more than just workouts.
It's the people. It's the laughs. It's the friendships. It's the challenges, the achievements, the events and the community that has grown around it.
There have been plenty of highs, a few setbacks, some very long days and a LOT of lessons.
And I'm sure there are plenty more to come!
So, whether you've been with me since the very early days, joined somewhere along the way, came through the Zoom era π, recently walked through the LB doors or are thinking about joining us for the first time...
Thank you. π
Every person who has supported LB, booked a class, trained with me, recommended us, shared a post or simply encouraged me along the way has played a part in the story.
I'm incredibly grateful that all these years later I still get to wake up and do something I genuinely love.
Here's to the next chapter of LB Health Fitness & Wellbeing β and hopefully many more years of training, learning, growing and helping people along the way. π
"A dream doesn't become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work."
And one quote I've always loved...
Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon." π
Latoya x
LB Health Fitness & Wellbeing
Bsc Sports Science & Health
Personal Trainer
Pilates Instructor