When first meeting Army Spouse Andrea Dornelas, one can tell right off of the bat that she is a determined individual. Not only is she an Army wife to a Soldier in the 2nd Battalion 75th Ranger Regiment, but she also works full time, and cares for two kids at home. While this seems like a run of the mill Army household, Dornelas has also jumped back into the world of being a student, keeping her sights focused on becoming a certified personal trainer, as well as ultimately having a degree in nutrition.
Dornelas says, "I have been tossing around the idea of becoming a personal trainer for about a year and a half. I had bought the books to start studying for the certification test, but with two moves and a deployment, I had to put that on hold." Once the dust settled, she contacted the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), and told them what she wanted to do. "They helped identify the best options to suit my goals - within one week's time, I was registered for class."
Dornelas is not only juggling school and life in general, but is also an avid runner. She started three years ago and has not stopped, completing several races in numerous distances ranging from 5k's (3.1 miles), to full marathons (26.2 miles). Living here at Joint Base Lewis-McChord also gave her an opportunity to join the DuPont running group, Wear Blue:Run to Remember; a group who serves as a living memorial to fallen Soldiers. With them, Dornelas is currently training for three marathons, as well as a 52.4 mile ultra marathon in San Fransisco. When asked how she has the time to fit all of this in, Dornelas quickly to responds, "Planning. I always plan ahead and make sure that my training plan is realistic," also adding, "Second is my husband's support. He is very supportive of my running and helps me out tremendously."
Though the path to becoming a fitness guru may be riddled with the unknown, Dornelas is more than determined to achieve her goals. Ultimately, she wants to help those with very busy schedules, saying that "with small changes people can achieve their weight loss and health goals. In many cases, they just need the resources, tools, and guidance to get there."
