Name: Stephanie Pintas
Major: Human Health
Hometown: Lake Forest, IL
Extracurricular Activities: Yoga instructor, Personal Trainer, Supervisor of Healthy Eating Partners, Pre-health Peer Mentor, Founder and Co-President of Emory University Hellenic Society, Nutrition Research, and volunteer at CHOA
Relationship Status: Happily taken
Greek Affiliation: Kappa Alpha Theta
Tameka: What are three words that people use to describe you?
Stephanie: Outgoing, healthy, and optimistic
T: Who is your biggest role model and why?
S: My biggest role model is the Dalai Lama because he is always so joyful and giggly. When I studied abroad in India over the summer I got the opportunity to meet him in person and all of his words were uplifting and positive. He constantly emphasizes giving back to others to improve happiness and satisfaction within our own lives and I truly love, and try to live, by that message.
T: What has been your greatest accomplishment/memory at Emory so far?
S: My happiest memory of Emory so far is at the end of second semester freshman year when I finished my last final exam and my friend Harry and I made smoothies and laid in the grass in the beautiful spring weather. It made me feel so accomplished to have finished my first year of college, but also so grateful for all the friends I had made.
T: What does a typical day look like for you? Do have any daily routines?
S: Each day is pretty different, but a typical day for me involves making breakfast at home, going to my research lab in the morning before class, personal training a client after class and then teaching yoga at the WPEC! I try to meditate each morning for about 15-20 minutes and make myself at least one meal a day. I also try to do some type of physical activity each day whether it’s HIIT, weight lifting, an emory fitness class, or off campus yoga!
T: Can you tell us about how you first got involved with yoga and how it has shaped you today?
S: I first got involved in yoga in 8th grade because I wanted an activity that would challenge me physically and mentally. It really became my passion in high school when classes became stressful and it was a great outlet for me. I fell in love with it so much I decided to complete the teacher training the summer before Emory and then teach here at school! It has been such a wonderful experience to be both a yogi and an instructor and I love teaching and challenging my students.
Submitted by: Stephanie Pintas
T: What made you want to start your blog (stephaniewellbeing.com)? How has it grown throughout the years?
S: I decided to start my blog after dealing with a personal health issue. I tried all the solutions that doctors offered me, but nothing worked. It wasn’t until I focused on my nutrition and stress-relief (through acupuncture, yoga, and meditation) that I was really able to take full control of my health and completely heal. My blog progressed into a website about anything health-related that I found interesting enough to write about and most of my articles are backed up with scientific research. I hope to grow it even more and I have two new long articles I am working on right now!
T: How did you become a certified PT and what do you recommend for people interested in this path?
S: I became a certified PT through an AFAA certification program here at Emory in the fall of my freshman year. Unfortunately, all of the PT certification programs available have now been re-designed and most of the certification process is done online, including the exam. If you’re interested in doing personal training you definitely have to get certified to be able to work anywhere, but I would definitely recommend shadowing many different PT’s before you start doing it on your own.
T: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
S: In ten years I hope to be happily married in a sunny place, hopefully near the beach. I want to have a job that makes me excited to get up in the morning, whatever that may be. I hope that my job includes improving other’s health through nutrition, yoga, meditation, and preventive medicine techniques.