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Nurturing A Dream [UPDATED]
Published 7:18am Friday, September 2, 2011 Updated 7:18am Friday, September 2, 2011In February of 2009, Natalie Knutson began cultivating her dream. Today her dream is a growing, thriving business which enriches the lives of many on a daily basis. Natalie is the owner of “Phatty Nattie’s” in downtown Fergus Falls.
Phatty Nattie’s is a fitness center with more than physical fitness in mind. Classes are deliberately kept small, and people do not become “numbers.” Natalie believes the heart of her business goes beyond physical fitness; she strives to help her clients feel mentally positive, connect with others, and reach for goals they never knew they could attain. And, why not? She did!
It all started when Natalie studied abroad while in college and gained about thirty pounds in six months. When she came home, she realized how miserable she felt and made immediate changes in her diet and exercise routine to address the problem. Since then, this entrepreneur has found exercise and eating healthy to be a priority, stressing the mental health benefits as much as the physical. She urges that “Staying mentally happy creates a positive atmosphere for yourself.”
Phatty Nattie’s was born two and a half years ago when Natalie was working as a personal trainer also at Athletic Republic. Although she enjoyed her jobs, being around exercise all day became somewhat of a turn off when it came to keeping up with her own fitness regimen. Additionally, she missed teaching fitness classes, which she had previously done. Natalie’s husband, Sam, encouraged her to consider opening her own fitness center. He was the one who found the space, which, at first, needed a lot of work. “We bought a ton of paint and just cleaned it up,” notes Natalie. The whole endeavor was a bit of a frightening venture at first. She remembers, “I was one year out of college and newly married and really had very little money to begin with. How could I do this? Who do I talk to about this?” Questions about running a business bombarded Natalie, who tapped into her family for advice. Finding a name for her new enterprise wasn’t difficult. While Natalie was in college, her aunt had joked that Natalie should one day open a fitness center and call it “Phatty Nattie’s.” Little did either of them know at the time that this would be exactly what would happen.
In the two-plus years Natalie has owned her business, she has learned a great deal about people. She says, “It is motivating for me to see people changing their lives. I get to see new sides of people. Everyone is different and has a personal story – working out for different reasons.” Natalie loves the authentic connections she makes with her clients, and how there is a support group amongst them. She notes that many people don’t understand just how deep the benefits of working out can be, but she has seen this success over and over. “Being fit makes you feel like you can do anything you want to do,” she notes. “People don’t realize how many things can be fixed by regular exercise.”
Natalie currently works out 12-14 hours per week. She knows when to ease off a little so her body doesn’t get overworked. Her personal goal is simple: to stay healthy and feel good. As for her business goal, she isn’t sure yet. She would love to expand, but is still learning the “ropes” of the business world, and finds herself still a little weary of the risks involved. Currently looking for more help, she says someday she would like to offer a “spa” experience in a relaxed atmosphere at Phatty Nattie’s.
Because she is such an inspiring (and fit!) entrepreneur, Natalie was encouraged (by some of her clients) to enter a contest last spring, submitting photographs and a short article about herself. The grand prize was a cover photo for the magazine, “Fitness.” There were about 3600 entries, and Natalie placed in the top 3 in the voting round. It was fun and exciting, and something she says she would consider trying again.
Learning about this exhilarating woman has no doubt brought your own motivation to a higher level. No matter what fitness level you currently have mastered, Natalie has some fitness advice for all…
Beginner
-Just do your best and keep your body moving
-Get through the first 2-3 weeks of a class or regimen – at first you will feel sore and uncomfortable, but soon that will pass and you will realize how good you are feeling
Intermediate
-Keep pushing yourself–lose some of the modifications you may have used as a beginner
-Become more aware of your nutrition
-Add a day to your workout regime (work up to 4-5 days per week)
-Set a personal goal – maybe running or walking a 5K, for example
-Now you have shown yourself you can do it – how far can you push yourself?
Advanced
-Variety is the ticket to keep you active
-Challenge yourself – think about where you were, are, and want to be
Natalie and two other instructors (who were once Natalie’s clients!), Maria Hanson, and Jessica Fosberg, currently teach several fitness classes, including Cardio Sculpt, Morning Blend, Drums Alive, Strength Training, Cardio Craze, and Traditional Pilates. You may even notice a class out at a park, or working out at some other venue. This enthusiastic Fergus girl is keeping things on the “cutting edge!”
Her husband found the space, her aunt came up with the catchy name, but Natalie Knutson brought her dream to life and nurtures it every day.
