By Samantha Kupiainen
After moving from Seattle in 2019, Carmel resident Debra Sexton knew she needed one thing — community.
“I knew I wanted to do something that included my kids and was conducive to stay-at-home-mom life, but also a career that would work with both schedules,” said Debra Sexton, owner of FIT4MOM North Indy and mother of three. “So, I bought FIT4MOM. I didn’t know the area, I didn’t know anybody here, but I just knew this is going to bring me community and all the things that I know I need to know.”
FIT4MOM is a franchise that has roots in San Diego starting in 2001. It offers fitness classes for moms at every workout level and stage of motherhood. Sexton started out as the only employee for FIT4MOM North Indy, but now the franchise has 12 employees.
“All of our instructors are certified pre- and postnatal fitness instructors for group fitness,” Sexton said. “That means they are all qualified to teach moms at any stage of pregnancy and postpartum and provide all of the most current up-to-date guidelines for what is approved for each trimester, as well as the fourth trimester.”
Sexton said even though new moms can be cleared to return to fitness by their doctors, it’s important to not jump right back into high-intensity interval workouts.
“You really have to do modifications for that stage of motherhood,” she said. “We are really aware of pelvic floor injuries and diastasis recti. Our instructors meet the mom where they’re at. And every workout is meant to empower those moms and make them leave feeling like they’ve achieved something and that’s been the best hour of their day.”
FIT4MOM North Indy also offers a stroller fitness class called “Stroller Strides,” a 60-minute total-body workout that incorporates cardio, strength and core training while engaging young children in the stroller.
Sexton and her team have dubbed May the “Month of Mama” and have special events planned.
“At the end of the month, we’ll finish with Mamapalooza, which is one big party where we’re going to work out together, and then we’re doing doughnut decorating from Crack Daddy Donuts,” Sexton said. “We have a stretch lab coming, giving complimentary stretches to the moms and complimentary iced coffees and tons of giveaways. So, all month I’ve been reaching out to all the local stores that I really feel are like-minded businesses that love to give back to the moms in the community.”
Mamapalooza is set for 10 a.m. to noon May 28 at Coxhall Gardens, 11677 Towne Rd. in Carmel.
Learn more at carmel.fit4mom.com.
