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Meet Cheryl
Certified Fitness Trainer
and Personal Coach
Cheryl Keaney has led the way in empowering and
educating people in their health and fitness journeys.
She has put her knowledge and 25 plus years
experience into practice by helping countless
individuals learn how to become their happiest and
healthiest selves.
In 2009, she started Buff Bodies Bootcamp, a women’s
only fitness in Marysville, Michigan. Her “Have fun
getting fit” motto has helped inspire hundreds of women
to workout, helping them to achieve their health and
fitness goals.
One year later (May 2010), her “Matter of Fat” column in
the Times Herald debuted and featured articles on
health, nutrition, exercise and self-help topics. She
shared practical, realistic and inspiring knowledge in a
light-hearted and easy to read manner.
Her biggest and proudest achievement – getting her
motivating and inspiring book, “Mind Over Muffin Top”
published in May, 2021.
How Cheryl began
As a former natural competitive bodybuilder and athlete, she experienced first-hand what a significant difference the role that nutrition plays in not only developing one’s physique, but in athletic performance as well. Her love of fitness began at a young age. At 8 years old starting out in sports, then by the age of 10, sneaking down to the basement to use her brother’s weight set. Her grandmother was a big “health nut” and a distributor for Shaklee, a popular supplement company at the time. She often took her to the gym with her, had her taking vitamins and drinking protein smoothies. At a young age, she was already
noticing the huge effect that exercise and nutrition made in how much better she looked, felt, and performed in sports.
This winning combination of fitness and nutrition helped Cheryl to
excel in sports, especially on the soccer field. She received an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Cincinnati and major in food and nutrition. In order to focus better on her studies, she made the hard decision to hang up her cleats. During college she discovered bodybuilding and fell in love with it. It was a way to incorporate and apply her love of fitness and nutrition. In training for her first competition, she totally transformed her body and looked and felt better than she ever imagined. Bodybuilding and her passion for helping others led her to taking a job at a local gym.
Shortly afterwards, she got certified as a personal trainer and started her own personal training business. Her clients ranged from a 13- year gymnast training for competition, to a 90-yearold woman working on improving strength and improving balance skills. She helped people of all shapes and sizes, all walks of life. Whatever their goal, she strived to get them the best results possible.
BUFF BODIES BOOTCAMP WOMEN
Ten years later, she moved from her hometown of Cincinnati to Columbus, Ohio. It was there that she started doing some bootcamp style group training and fell in love with it. Opportunity presented itself a few years later, and she moved to beautiful Port Huron, Michigan. She started “Buff Bodies Bootcamp” at a local recreation center shortly after moving. It was a hit, and the ladies loved it. A year later, she found herself the owner of her own studio. Shortly afterwards, she started writing articles for the local newspaper – The Times Herald. It seemed that everything was magically falling into place for her, for
she loved being able to reach and help more people that both helped provide.
They say all good things come to an end, or is it just another beginning? Her mother,
who was still living in Cincinnati at the time, got diagnosed with dementia. Due to the
inability to care for herself, Cheryl decided to move her here to Michigan so she could
help with her care. With this huge extra load on her plate, she realized something had to
go. She was very blessed and fortunate that a great friend and co-trainer at her gym,
Jessica Verwys, offered to take over the business. It was a win win situation.
Unfortunately, due to the hardships brought on during the covid pandemic in 2020, they
made the tough decision to close the business. BUT not all good things come to an end. Both evolved their knowledge and expertise, and become certified Health and Wellness Coaches. Cheryl and Jessica have paired up once again in collaborating their wellness practices.
My Vision & Mission
To impact as many lives as possible by helping others become the happiest and healthiest versions of themselves.
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