Linda Terlikar-Legras is an awarded Personal Trainer and Health & Wellness Coach. Years in Corporate Marketing with Blue Chip Companies, whilst fulfilling when younger, didn't translate to giving back to her community. Finding later in life a passion for triathlons led to a lifelong passion to keep fit and healthy. Opening her own studio with her husband (a Strength & Conditioning Coach for Australian Olympic Snow Sports) has led Linda to doing more than prescribing exercise. Her motto is for all to be fitter, health and happier and along with her Personal Training is now helping busy women lay a strong foundation for ageing well, through their 40’s, 50’s and beyond.
Linda Terlikar-Legras, Personal Trainer, Health & Wellness Coach
Was sport and health a part of your life growing up?
Growing up in Australia being outdoors playing with friend’s roller skating, playing tiggy or skip rope, was a part of life. Interesting health or what it meant to be healthy was never discussed, implied perhaps in ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’. Sport was something you just did growing up in the suburbs. We did eat very well, growing up in the 60’s and 70’s mum cooked everything from scratch, it was a time I call now as ‘the last of the unprocessed food generation’. We had a veggie patch, ample fresh fruit, vegetables and meat.
I did, however, always watch my weight as I could put it on easily. I never thought of myself as sporty despite always having, as a kid, been involved in some sort of activity be it softball, basketball, calisthenics, swimming, to water skiing and snow skiing. My love of sport really came about at age 35 after my husband, at the time, did the Corporate BRW Triathlon. I also went on a hiking trip to New Zealand and decided I needed to be fit so joined the local YMCA. After that trip, I came home to start triathlons much to my husbands and, all my family’s, surprise. This was the first time in my life I purposely and actively started running, riding and swimming. I even bought the first bike having never had one, and I loved it. I loved the feeling of being fit, I loved the camaraderie of training with other triathletes, I loved newfound friends, I loved travelling to events be it running, swimming, cycling or triathlons.
When did health become a priority for you?
A few major events happened within a few years. My husband when we first met had testicular cancer. After quietly celebrating 20 years cancer free and with then 3 year old twins, he was diagnosed with lung cancer. He underwent chemotherapy and radiation treatment which we faithfully followed the medical professionals advice which also led to kidney failure and dialysis. During this time one of my twins started having food and behaviour issues that resulted in a diagnosis of Autism. Neither nutrition, exercise or stress management were discussed once during all of this time.
After my husband’s death and years of learning how to help my son, I met a wonderful man, who is now my husband. He was a Strength & Conditioning Coach for Winter Athletes, a Personal Trainer and an avid health and longevity biohacker. This is when a whole new world into health, fitness and wellbeing opened my mind to the possibilities of healthy living interventions.
Coming from a background in banking and Corporate Marketing, I had a strong interest in continual learning. Such as obtaining a Masters In Marketing in my 30’s and becoming a Certified NLP Practitioner to better moderate and communicate with my son. I realised I had the capacity, curiosity and drive to resolve my child’s, my family’s and my own health. Hence the reading, researching and seeking out alternative therapies and solutions began.
When did you become interested in the Health & Wellness Industry?
It began when my husband and I opened our own Personal Training Studio, ALTA Fitness. I was already on the path that healthy eating and nutrition were key in helping my child to reach milestones and live a healthy, normal life. It also occurred to me that movement and exercise were crucial in his and our own physical and mental wellbeing. Having a Fitness studio also exposed me to the Health and Wellbeing of my community and beyond. What I found here, was that many people are unaware of what actually constitutes good health and how to achieve it. What they consume, the stress that often comes with having a family, a busy career, responsibilities, the last thing on their list is their own health. So began my passion in helping people reach a higher level of health and wellbeing.
From the very moment we opened our studio doors, I reiterated that our purpose was not to just prescribe exercise, it was to help our clients and our community beyond to be fitter, healthier and happier.
Other than helping my clients to be fitter, the next thing was to provide them with support in nutrition, sleep, stress and longevity information that they could incorporate into their daily lives. Watching clients changing their lives, step by step, be it little or hugely instrumental is so gratifying and rewarding.
When I started witnessing the changing from habits not serving them, to those that did, it inspired me to do more. One, to be the best Personal Trainer I could be which has led to being an awarded Personal Trainer in 2021 and a finalist in 2023 (to be announced Sept 2023 as I write this but very happy to have made it to the Top 10 in my industry).
What inspired you to take a particular focus into women’s Health & Wellness Coaching?
As a woman in her 50’s I’ve experienced, and witnessed, that there is a lack of awareness and information for a woman’s health and wellbeing. Particularly, women’s changing bodies in our 40’s, 50’s and beyond and laying a strong foundation to ageing well. Changes during Perimenopause, Menopause and post can be minimal and have little impact on our day to day lives, to major traumatic changes. Put simple, women need support and raising awareness and being part of the movement to create greater equity is powerfully life changing for everybody.
Setting up a program called Women’s 35+ in 2019 and ALTA Talks with my husband during Covid inspired me to do an interview series, The Unshakeable, Resilient Women Series, in 2022. With 24 women experts from all over the world and 1000’s of women listening in, I knew that my purpose to help women achieve optimal health and wellness was going to be my focus. There are, what I call, The ‘5 Pillars of Health & Wellbeing’ – Nutrition, Exercise, Sleep, Stress & Relationships that are core to living a longer, healthier life.
I am now also a Qualified Health & Wellness Coach with Wellness Coach Australia and registered with HCANZA. Starting Linda Legras Health & Wellness coaching alongside my business ALTA Fitness with my husband, I’m helping busy women to lay strong foundations for ageing well and living life with vitality and zest. With a motto of fitter, healthier and happier, my mission is to guide individuals through their 40’s, 50’s and beyond, supporting them in achieving their health and wellness goals.
What would you say to someone who was at the beginning of their health and wellness journey?
Sharing stories and helping all people to live fitter, healthier and happier, longer lives is my passion. It is never one thought, action or achievement that makes us whole. It often starts with one that becomes many to build the life you want. You deserve it. If you’re not living the way you want with health and vitality, then this could be your place to start.
