Fit to Print Volume 25 Issue 1 March 2016 | Page 4

Cover Story

Interview by Paul Smith

Dynasty...
Eileen Jacinth: the NY Yankees of the Fantastic 4
Eileen Jacinth has been an integral part of Fitness Incentive since
2003, but her fitness journey progressed over the years on legs
considerably longer, legs that stretch back to the 1990s. Inspiration

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struck in 1995, and she became a Certified Spin Instructor. Her impressive list of
certifications would expand to include Group Aerobic Exercise Instructor,
Certified Personal Trainer, and Pilates Trainer. Never a strictly “by-the-book”
trainer, Eileen has created several innovative exercise programs for both adults
and youths over the years, most notably Fitness Incentive's FitKids program back
in 2003, a program which has just recently evolved into “FITeens.” In addition to
her dedication to the fields of health and wellness, Eileen has also enjoyed success
in other fields: she has been a real estate investor, a restaurateur, and a chef.
And, of course, there's another sphere in which Eileen has also enjoyed remarkable success:
Fitness Incentive's Fantastic 4 Fit For
Summer Challenges. She has amassed a
hugely impressive record training teams
in these annual fitness contests. Try these
numbers on for size: four teams trained
to first place finishes (including first
place in three consecutive years), three
teams to second place, and five teams to
third. She hasn't come up short in the
area of individual winners either. Under
Eileen's guidance, no fewer than five
contestants have taken home the big
check for first place, one for second
place, and four for third. No fewer than
fifty-eight – yes, 58! - contestants have
been photographed with a “big check”
thanks to Eileen's Fit For Summer
tutelage. It's quite plausible to view
Eileen as the New York Yankees of Fit 4
Summer…her run has been dynastic!
Recently Eileen made some time in her
busy schedule to talk about her life in
fitness and her impressive achievements
in our fitness contests over the years.

PS: Were you an athlete when young
(childhood through college)?
EJ: Although I played sports in high
school, I did not find my love for
exercise until much later in life. It was
not until after the birth of my third child
that I embraced exercise as a daily part
of my life and not something I just
dabbled in.
PS: When did fitness enter your life as an
important consideration?
EJ: Fitness took a paramount role in my
life in April 1995. I recall it clearly. I was
8 1/2 months pregnant with my third
child and was watching an episode of
Oprah. She was fed up with herself and

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Kristin at the Reebok Spartan Race

declared, "It's time to get moving with
Oprah!" Well, I was convinced…Oprah
was right, and I whole-heartily agreed.
At that moment I promised myself that
the following month, following my
son's birth, I'd get moving, and I did. I
spent more money tipping the nursery
staff to watch my three children while
I worked out than I spent on the gym
membership! I devoted an hour a day
for myself—my health and my level of
fitness—and it was the best thing I
could ever have done as a busy
parent. I returned to my family
rejuvenated and better able to be a
great parent.
PS: You were a chef and restaurateur.
Talk about this part of your working
life.
EJ: In 1996, I had four children under
the age of 5. Although the timing
wasn't great, I was presented with an
opportunity to buy a restaurant in
Babylon. With my youngest daughter
not even a month old, I weighed my
options and decided it was worth the
risk. I remember thinking, “Even if it
fails, I refuse to let the bank take my
house— I'll just work harder to
recover.” I took cash advances on all
of my credit cards at exorbitant
interest rates and pursued my dream.
My schedule was crazy. I remember
pushing a double stroller and dragging
a cart through Costco to get inventory.
One tough decision I faced involved
whether to open the restaurant for
lunch. There was money to be