By By LYDIA GRIMES Feature writer
With the start of a New Year, many people make resolutions, especially about improving one's health by weight loss and exercise.
That's where Janet Peterman comes in. She is one of the latest additions to the staff at the Greater Brewton Area YMCA. Her job as a personal trainer is helping many get off the sidelines or the sofa and back into some serious training, not just to lose weight, but to strengthen the body so that is works like a well-tuned engine.
Peterman describes herself as a personal trainer for one-on-one or for small groups.
Getting in shape is a lifetime commitment, according to Peterman.
She practices what she preaches, too. She is a fitness coordinator and seems to be quite committed to her work. For those who comment that they don't have time to spend at the YMCA or in training elsewhere, she replies, "if it is important to you, you will find the time."
Peterman also is employed at a private resort in Sandestin and commutes there a couple of times a week. The family is new to Brewton and she had built a large clientele at the resort. Her hopes are to have her business grow in Brewton to the point that she will not have to make the commute.
She is also a spokesperson for Weight Watchers.
The number of people showing up for the program dropped in the weeks surrounding the holidays, but she is convinced by the second week in January the group will grow to include not only those who were coming before, but some new ones, also.
Much of her work will be done at the YMCA's new downtown facility in the courtyard behind The Cracked Pot.
Peterman was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., and moved to Maryland when she was about three years old. She lived there most of her growing up years and graduated from Bowie High School in 1974. She graduated from the University of Maryland at College Park with a degree in recreation in 1978.
She got a job with the U.S. military to run recreation centers for the Army.
But when her dad got sick, she came home and took a job catering. She was married soon after in 1988 to Randy Peterman. He was in the military and they continued to travel with his assignments. They were sent to Eglin Air Force Base and she got a job catering at the resort in Sandestin before becoming a fitness trainer. Her career plans changed somewhat when she became the mother of Bailey, now 8, and Donnie, 7.
The family moved to Brewton in July when her husband took a job with Boy Scouts of America. He is the local director and the family is adjusting nicely to small town living.
She is an avid scrapbooker which she says is totally out of her regular routine. She compares it to an old fashioned quilting party to get together and scrapbook.
She also loves to travel which is a holdover from her days in Europe.