Meet Shonda Lawary

Owner of Best Self Total Wellness

Home base: East Cobb

Family life: Two children, a daughter in 3rd grade and a stepson in college.

Work life: Owner of Best Self Total Wellness

Age: 45

Shonda Lawary is enthusiastic about exercise. She tries to work out every day and get in 10,000 steps a day — and she usually makes it to 15,000 steps. Shonda does at-home workouts, plus walks and runs outside. Her two favorite work out partners are her third-grade daughter and her new rescue dog.  

In high school, she was a competitive cheerleader and then went years without working out. After her daughter was born, Shonda felt lethargic and decided to make a change so she would be a role model to her daughter. Now fitness has become a part of her life. Shonda teaches elementary kids about fitness in an after-school program and coaches adults of all fitness levels to achieve their fitness goals.

How do you get your steps in?

“I do high intensity interval training in my home gym four to six days a week for 20 to 30 minutes. I walk my dog in our hilly neighborhood. My daughter and I make sure we stand up every hour. Even when we’re watching a movie, we’ll pause the show and run around the house for a few minutes. It’s goofy, fun and gets us moving.”

How many races have you done?

“My daughter has developed a love of running. She and I have done three 5Ks in the last seven months. We try to do one every few months. She came in first place in her age division in the last race. I’m proud of her and her love of staying active.”