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Studio Owner Spotlight: Karie Johnson
Karie Johnson is passionate about everything she does, whether it’s running barre3 North Scottsdale or raising her two girls. Read on to get to know Karie. Here she is in her words.
I’ve always been into yoga and hiking, with a little bit of pilates and tennis sprinkled in here and there. Once I got married and became a mom, I still tried to be as active as I could. But between working as an elementary school teacher, raising two girls and being a wife, workouts became few and far between. If it was a choice between spending time with my family or running off to the gym, I was going to choose my family.
I felt really conflicted by that—one was always at the expense of the other. I knew that working out was important and that taking time for myself actually would have made me a better mom. But the expectations we place on ourselves as women are so high—I had an idea of what the perfect mother should be in my head, but I couldn’t keep up with it in real life.
Then my friend Jackie Edlund (who owns barre3 Henderson), told me about barre3 Online and encouraged me to try. It was such a good option for me—now I could squeeze workouts in when my girls were napping or at play dates. I also really fell in love with the online community and all the warmth and support that I felt through the screen. I knew I needed this in my life and wanted to bring this amazing, supportive community to Scottsdale. Long story short, a year and a half later, barre3 North Scottsdale opened.
I’ve learned a lot since then. My team has taught me that I can’t do it all and that it’s okay to rely on others. My clients have shown me how to be present in the moment. We all have bad days, but these incredible women and men just leave their problems at the door and put all their energy into having a great workout. It always inspires me to do the same.
At home, I have to give props to my husband Adam because he’s the chef of the family, while I’m in charge of chopping and dishes. We usually make three to four barre3 recipes a week. I love the Sweet Potato Turkey Chili, and my 10-year-old daughter just inhaled the Ahi Tuna Summer Salad.
With summer coming up, we’ll be traveling a lot, but I still try to keep things healthy for my family. That means having nourishing snacks on hand like fruit or almonds, and making smart choices at restaurants. (Although if we do slip a little, I’m a big advocate of avoiding the shame spiral!)
We always try to find a barre3 studio in whatever town we’re in, and if there isn’t one nearby, I’ll bust out a few workouts on my laptop. My husband is an airline pilot, so he also does tons of online workouts when he’s traveling.
One of the things I appreciate most about barre3 is the balance it has brought to my life. It seems like a never-ending quest, but I’m learning how to balance work with exercise and being a wife and mother. I’m more able to focus on what really matters, like putting the phone down and spending quality time with my family. I’m also a better role model for my girls. Thanks to barre3, I’m showing them that a mom can be strong and active and have an exciting career she truly enjoys. For me, that’s the very best part of the job.
Karie Johnson is passionate about everything she does, whether it’s running barre3 North Scottsdale or raising her two girls. Read on to get to know Karie. Here she is in her words.
I’ve always been into yoga and hiking, with a little bit of pilates and tennis sprinkled in here and there. Once I got married and became a mom, I still tried to be as active as I could. But between working as an elementary school teacher, raising two girls and being a wife, workouts became few and far between. If it was a choice between spending time with my family or running off to the gym, I was going to choose my family.
I felt really conflicted by that—one was always at the expense of the other. I knew that working out was important and that taking time for myself actually would have made me a better mom. But the expectations we place on ourselves as women are so high—I had an idea of what the perfect mother should be in my head, but I couldn’t keep up with it in real life.
Then my friend Jackie Edlund (who owns barre3 Henderson), told me about barre3 Online and encouraged me to try. It was such a good option for me—now I could squeeze workouts in when my girls were napping or at play dates. I also really fell in love with the online community and all the warmth and support that I felt through the screen. I knew I needed this in my life and wanted to bring this amazing, supportive community to Scottsdale. Long story short, a year and a half later, barre3 North Scottsdale opened.
I’ve learned a lot since then. My team has taught me that I can’t do it all and that it’s okay to rely on others. My clients have shown me how to be present in the moment. We all have bad days, but these incredible women and men just leave their problems at the door and put all their energy into having a great workout. It always inspires me to do the same.
At home, I have to give props to my husband Adam because he’s the chef of the family, while I’m in charge of chopping and dishes. We usually make three to four barre3 recipes a week. I love the Sweet Potato Turkey Chili, and my 10-year-old daughter just inhaled the Ahi Tuna Summer Salad.
With summer coming up, we’ll be traveling a lot, but I still try to keep things healthy for my family. That means having nourishing snacks on hand like fruit or almonds, and making smart choices at restaurants. (Although if we do slip a little, I’m a big advocate of avoiding the shame spiral!)
We always try to find a barre3 studio in whatever town we’re in, and if there isn’t one nearby, I’ll bust out a few workouts on my laptop. My husband is an airline pilot, so he also does tons of online workouts when he’s traveling.
One of the things I appreciate most about barre3 is the balance it has brought to my life. It seems like a never-ending quest, but I’m learning how to balance work with exercise and being a wife and mother. I’m more able to focus on what really matters, like putting the phone down and spending quality time with my family. I’m also a better role model for my girls. Thanks to barre3, I’m showing them that a mom can be strong and active and have an exciting career she truly enjoys. For me, that’s the very best part of the job.
