Today we’d like to introduce you to Diana Christadore.
Hi Diana, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I got into fitness in my teenage years for the same reason many young girls did in the ’90s: I wanted to be skinny. For years afterward, my purpose in the gym was almost entirely about shrinking my body. I tried diet after diet, attempted to follow increasingly strict meal plans, searched for the lowest-calorie versions of everything, and used exercise to “make up for” foods I considered bad.
I spent years chasing a smaller, more idealized version of myself. From the outside, I probably looked like someone who was incredibly dedicated to fitness and healthy eating. But internally, I felt trapped between unrealistic expectations for my body and a private battle with binge eating disorder. While my eating disorder was about much more than food, my approach to fitness and nutrition made healing and recovery incredibly challenging and kept me stuck in that cycle for many years.
Yet, the struggles I’ve been through are a big part of why I understand how difficult it can be to find a balanced, realistic approach to fitness and nutrition. We’re constantly bombarded with conflicting—and often overwhelming—information about what we should eat, how we should exercise, and what our bodies should look like.
I do this work now not only because I want to help women find their own flow with fitness and nutrition, but because I want to help change the way they think about both. I want them to recognize how strong they are and how much they’re capable of. I want them to set goals that aren’t about getting smaller, but about growth—about making choices that support their ability to become the strongest, brightest, most whole, and most authentic versions of themselves.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
One of the biggest struggles along the way has been learning to trust myself. When I first started personal training and coaching, I experienced a lot of imposter syndrome. I had the education, experience, and passion for what I was doing, but I still questioned whether I was “qualified enough” to call myself an expert or whether people would actually trust me to help them.
That feeling was especially complicated because of my own history with food and fitness. For so long, I had been trying to figure out my own relationship with my body and exercise, and stepping into a role where I was helping other women navigate those same things sometimes made me wonder if I had any business being the person in the room with the answers.
Over time, I’ve realized that my experiences don’t disqualify me from doing this work—they’re part of what makes me good at it. I know what it feels like to be overwhelmed by the noise, to believe you have to do everything perfectly, and to measure your progress by how small you can make yourself. I also know how powerful it can be to move away from that mindset. Learning to trust my own knowledge, experience, and perspective has been a huge part of growing both personally and professionally.
We’ve been impressed with PowerUp Wellness, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am a fitness and nutrition coach specializing in women’s strength training. I personalize my 1:1 training so that each client has a unique plan for progression and is met exactly where she is on her fitness journey. I offer in-person 1:1 training, virtual fitness programming, and nutrition coaching both in person and virtually.
I also am part of a team of great coaches at Reflex Functional Fitness in Locust Point. My Friday morning class is a mix of strength and HIIT and promises to challenge you and motivate you.
What sets my approach apart is my focus on realistic, sustainable fitness and nutrition. I’m not interested in rigid plans or an all-or-nothing approach. I want my clients to build strength, confidence, and the skills to make choices that support their goals while still allowing fitness and nutrition to fit into their actual lives.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
The most important lesson I’ve learned is that beating ourselves up for not being perfect gets us nowhere in the long run. I spent years believing that if I could just be more disciplined, more consistent, or make fewer mistakes, I would finally get where I wanted to be. What I’ve learned is that progress doesn’t come from perfection—it comes from learning how to adapt, give ourselves some grace. The ability to adjust when life doesn’t go according to plan is far more valuable than being able to follow a plan perfectly. It’s what allows us to keep moving forward and stay the course.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/powerup_wellness_llc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Dianachristadorecoaching/
