Today we’d like to introduce you to Maria Rodriguez.
Hi Maria, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I knew this day would come. This is what I tell myself every day when I write down my gratitude list. I am beyond blessed and I take nothing for granted because it wasn’t always THIS good. You see, it was harsh growing up in an immigrant household. There were times where we didn’t have power for weeks at a time. There were days where all we had was Kellog’s unfrosted corn flakes and a third of a cup of milk for a household of 6 children.
We went through getting evicted on several occasions. I recall the one day I woke up in the middle of the night, the light above the dining table was on and I saw my mother crying on the kitchen table with a notepad and bills. At the time I didn’t know what was happening but I just hugged her. She hugged me so tight that I could feel the pain in her heart and the knot in her throat as she held back tears.
My father was murdered three days after I turned 9, leaving her to become a pregnant widow and a mother of 5 small girls. Which left us living in a church. We did not have clothing and I remember getting blisters from wearing shoes that I had outgrown. I assure you none of us had an easy life. It was for her that I learned to work hard and be resilient.
Not knowing then what I know now, and my mother working 3 jobs, I began to hang out with the kids on the street. I would stay out past sunset and became a rebellious child. I was a true headache to my mother and those around me.
For most of my early tween and teen years, I was out experimenting with alcohol and marijuana. My life was a party and I thought I had it all figured out. In attempt to control my behavior, my mother would screw the windows shut so I wouldn’t sneak out. But that didn’t stop me. Soon she began weary of the headaches I was causing and she kicked me out. I began working at a beer drive-thru at the age of 14, which was the beginning of my adulthood.
I was sleeping in friends’ houses and bouncing from one couch to the next, and soon enough I ran out of places to crash in. I was making decent money for a 14 year old. I was young and looked much more mature than my age.
That is when I began drinking every day and experimenting with cocaine and prescription medications. My supply came from friends and acquaintances in the drive-thru. It was accessible and sometimes free. At the age of 15, I was living out of a motel. That year I met the father of my children.
After dating for 1 year, we became pregnant. Boy, was I up for a rude awakening. Not only was I 15 and pregnant, but I was also having TWINS. One boy and one girl. They are the reason why I am the extraordinary woman that I am today.
Parenting brings a wave of emotions and responsibilities. I made the choice to step up to the plate and keep the twins. As I navigated through pregnancy, I was also trying to figure out how to be a responsible adult. I had a strong desire to become better and figure out a way to be the best parent. I had to take on the role of mother and father. What best way to learn than to read books. I picked up baby books and magazines from the welfare office, and I was just intaking as much information as I could. I never saw this experience as a negative one. I truly wanted to be a mother.
From 6:00 am to 12:30 am. That was my daily schedule for 4 years. I juggled parenting, finishing high school, and work. That is around the same time where my spark for fitness began. I was a visitor and soon became a member, eventually, I was reading and researching anything fitness-related. I wanted to submerge in as much knowledge as possible. I strived to be a fitness trainer.
Life has a funny way of making things happen because as I continued to work in the restaurant industry, I was invited to a Gold’s Spinning Class by Susie. Susie was the head coach for the class and we became acquainted.
She asked me about my job, I told her I worked as a cashier for a local sushi restaurant but was hoping to get promoted to management soon. She then blurted out with excitement the words that would launch me into what I consider the moment that changed my life.
Susie’s introduced me to Monica. Monica and her wife own a restaurant in San Antonio, and they just happened to be in search of an assistant manager. I drove into town with hope and drove out with a new opportunity.
“You start on the 25th”, said Monica. I broke my lease, sold almost everything, and spent my last $250.00 on a U-Haul. I was all in!
I worked as a bartender and in the restaurant industry for 3 years and in the midst of all that kept learning about fitness. I was still in search of that path to fulfillment. 2018 is the year that I was sick of living a life without a purpose. Sick of being in the nightlife. Sick of living off of tip jars. Sick of living in emptiness. Worry settled in and I was afraid I had made a big mistake by moving out of my hometown. I was desperate to find purpose in life. I began to work on self-development and stumbled across a book by Barbara Stanny: Secrets of a 6-figure woman.
“Feel the fear, and do it anyway!”
This book helped me shift my perspective in life and my relationship with money improved. I learned to take risks, ask for more money and find my worth. This launched me into the next season of my life which is entrepreneurship. I began managing my finances adequately. The following year I quit my job. I had saved enough to live off of for a couple of months while I launched Girl Code: Fitness.
“Girl Code: Fitness is now open for business” -April 9, 2019.
I remember typing this in my first post as I opened the Facebook page for GCF. It was so incredible the way things happen and I was scratching the surface. The first year was rough, no one hired me except 1 guy who lost nearly 30lbs after that it was crickets. I almost gave up until Amanda Behnken from Green Tree Steamers hired me in 2020. GCF at the time GCF was one of the first in-home fitness services owned by a Latina woman.
I designed it with mothers in mind. Mother’s who struggled with weight gain. It is nearly impossible to leave home when you have small children. I would come into my client’s homes and work with them through strength training, conditioning, functional training, and agility. You’d be surprised how creative we got at home.
As 2020 unraveled uncertainty, GCF thrived. Later that year it earned its nutrition component, making it GCFN. Girl Code Fitness and Nutrition now offers in-home, online, and in-gym coaching for women, making it the one-stop shop. When I say I am committed, I mean it. I love helping women reach their goals. Every day I strive to transform one woman at a time. I do this in an effort to change women because we are the teachers of the next generation and I am certain that we can pass down these healthy habits to our children. I wanted to reach more women faster and that is when I met Daniel Gomez. Daniel invited me to the Sticker Shock Speaking Academy in March of 2021 and that is how I became a paid speaker.
Thanks to this opportunity, I have been able to connect with successful coaches who feed me knowledge and wisdom beyond my needs. I am now living a life with purpose and I have gained clarity. I mentor other coaches looking to build a fruitful brand amongst other things. Just knowing that I am making a positive impact in someone’s life every day, is far more valuable than anything I could’ve ever asked for.
I do not know who needs to read this but you can do this and there is a bigger purpose for you. It is up to you to find it. Do what you do but don’t give up.
I will leave you with this quote: “Ask not for a lighter burden, but for broader shoulders.” -Jewish Proverb
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I am a certified fitness and nutrition expert. I specialize in women, I am known for being inspiring and energetic. I would consider myself unique in the way that I am myself in any scenario. No one can do what I do the way I do it. Brand wise, I am proud to be Latina-owned and that I help change lives. Not only on the outside but also deep on the inside.
I want everyone to know that I truly care about my clients and that is why I don’t cut corners. I will change your life only if you put in the work. I offer fitness packages, 6-week transformation challenges, 90-days with Maria Challenges, and much more! How exciting!
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I was shy and curious. I was also very imaginative. I have always had a big imagination.
Pricing:
- $3,000
- $2,159.64
- $1,079.82
- $719.88
- $399.92
Contact Info:
- Email: MariaRodz@girlcodefitnesssa.com
- Website: Girlcodefitnesssa.com
- Instagram: @Girlcode_Fitness_Sa
- Facebook: GCfitnesssa
Image Credits
Transcendent Vizions by Amir Shareef, Celebratede Reflections by Suzanne Pack, and Daniel Gomez Enterprises
