I’m Dina and I’m thrilled to welcome you to what has evolved into a fitness movement unlike any other. The idea that an exercise class has the power to unite people and bring such comradery, particularly among women, truly blows me away. You see, I didn’t set out to create this, it grew organically into a powerhouse of a platform and I’ll tell you how it started.
The majority of my life throughout childhood and into adulthood was spent hating my 250+ lbs. body. I threw that number in there because that’s how I always described myself. I was often defined by my weight and focused on my limitations. It’s just how it was, for a very long time. I may be a certified fitness instructor today, but growing up I was the round, chubby kid who wasn’t able to climb the Styrofoam wall in gym class, or ride a bike, or run a lap around the school field. There was nothing “fit” about me. Growing up in a Greek home food was used as a coping mechanism in every situation. If I was sad, I’d eat. If I was happy, I’d eat. If I was loud and rowdy as a kid, my mom would settle me down with a spanakopita. These habits followed me through my entire life.
You know, people often talk about their “A-HA” moments, and I guess I had mine in 2015 when I was in my mid 30’s. Something just lit up inside me and I knew that I needed to make a massive change in my life and shift my energy into bringing my passion to life: Music and Dance. I shed the weight and threw myself into the fitness industry in the hopes of keeping myself accountable, while creating and building a place for EVERYONE to get moving. If I’m making this change sound easy, I assure you it wasn’t.
Those who know me often hear me talk about the importance of empowering women within your community, and the obligation we have as women to do our part and contribute to the movement that was started generations before us. I guess, KEFI Fit™ is part of that movement for me in a way.
We’re more than an exercise class and we’re not in the business of selling squats. We sell emotion and self love, and it’s priceless. If you’re looking for 6 pack abs or a weight loss program, this is not the place for you. I cannot guarantee you’ll achieve that with me. What I can assure you, with 100 percent confidence is that if you’re feeling blah, tired, if you need a place to clear your head and escape the reality of life for an hour, if you want to laugh, and sweat and look at smiling faces, then you’ll get that with our classes. THAT is how one empowers, by accepting, including and making one believe that they are able to do ANYTHING. KEFI Fit™ is a place where you can feel you BELONG and release your stress while incorporating a healthy lifestyle. If our classes do that for you for the 1 hour that you’re with us, then I’ve done my job, we’ve served our purpose, and this program has done what it’s set out to do.
Believe me when I tell you, we CAN do it all and STILL find time to take care of ourselves. You’re so much more than the roles that define you. Embrace your beautiful selves. You’re all that and a bag of chips!
INSPIRE. MOTIVATE. EMPOWER.
Dina Bastounis
Creator & Founder KEFI Fit™
YMCA F.I.T. Certified Fitness Instructor, Group Choreography
