Local Love: Fit 4 Two

Local Love is a monthly series featuring amazing Vancouver mamas doing incredible things in their businesses, lives and families.

This month I spent some time with the lovely Melanie Osmack of Fit 4 Two. We’ve run into each other many times over the past 7 or 8 years but this was the first time I’ve had a chance to really sit down and chat with her. Her energy is infectious!!! And she’s raising two pretty amazing little people.

I know the mamas and mamas-to-be in her classes adore her and I can see why!

On to the interview….

Tell us a little about you and your family.

Caden is my Labrador puppy – full of energy and affection. If he can climb it he’ll climb it. If he can jump off of it, he’ll jump off of it. He loves all sports but his favourites are hockey and baseball. Livy is full of personality. She likes to be in charge, play school, swim and write stories. After school park time is a non-negotiable. Leaving the park before 4:00pm seems to be the end of the world for my kids. I’m thankful my career allows for that.

Tell us about Fit 4 Two.

Fit 4 Two® offers pre and postnatal fitness and yoga classes on land and in the water across Canada and in the United Arab Emirates. Each franchise community is owned and operated by a Certified Pre & Postnatal Fitness Specialist who is also a mom or mom-to-be. We also offer certification and training for Pre and Postnatal Fitness Specialists (PPFS), both online and in class as well as franchise opportunities.

What inspired you to start Fit 4 Two?

I have always been a ‘birthie’. When I was a little girl I used to make umbilical cords out of tissue paper and scotch tape, attach the ends to Barbie and Barbie Baby, then attached Barbie Baby to Barbie’s tummy with an elastic band. I would insist on a full 40 week gestation. So in 2002, when I saw a course in pre and postnatal fitness, I registered right away. I had been teaching fitness on the side for a few years but now I had the opportunity to marry my two passions: birth and fitness. I launched Fit 4 Two January 2003, the same month I conceived my son Caden. Fast forward 11 years and I am happy to say I still love what I do.

What do you love most about your business?

When past participants let me know that the friendships they made at class are still thriving. I believe that social fitness is just as important as physical fitness so I encourage our participants to connect during and after class. I also love seeing women come back to prenatal fitness a second or even third time. More and more women are prioritizing their mental, physical and emotional health in subsequent pregnancies. It inspires me. Plus I get to see them again.

What do you love most about being a mom?

Cuddles……and feeling proud of my kids when they are kind to others.

I know balance can be a dirty word but how do you balance your family and work lives.

When my kids were younger I tried to do my office work around naps and sleep time. That worked for a few years but it wasn’t sustainable. My business was growing and they were sleeping less. I became one tired mamma. Looking back, I wish I had been more open to part-time childcare. Now that both my children are in school, we have much more balance. My current recipe for balance: Focus on what I am passionate about and good at while outsourcing and automating what others can do better and faster.

If you’re pregnant or just had a babe and are looking for a class near you, check out the many Fit 4 Two classes and locations.