The Wahkiakum County Eagle - Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891

On Monday, Kristen Stebbins, the owner of Embrace Fitness and Nutrition LLC, taught her first Zumba class in Cathlamet. By day's end, she'd taught two more, and she was feeling less nervous and more excited about her new venture.

Stebbins, who moved to Wahkiakum County with her family about a year ago, was from Rainier, Ore., and very active in the Crossfit community in Longview.

The move made it more difficult to participate. She bought equipment and tried to continue her workouts at home, but she was missing one of the key elements that makes Crossfit work. Community.

After considerable thought and some conversations with some likeminded people, she decided to take matters in her own hands.

Around the first of September, she took her very first Zumba class. A week later, she traveled to Bellevue, where she took an eight hour class to become a certified instructor.

"I've been practicing and practicing and practicing," Stebbins said. "Zumba is something I thought we could put together quickly and get people doing it. I think you should take it light heartedly. Have fun. I know what I think I look like while doing this, but the only thing that matters is that we are moving and making friends."

Making friends equals community, and when there is community, there can be accountability, which is something she learned with Crossfit.

Stebbins hopes to expand and is working on certifications for nutrition and personal training. She hopes to add a circuit training class by the end of the year and is on a wait list to teach a Better Bones and Balance class for seniors.

She is also thinking about having a group participate in a Whole 30 diet in January.

"It's more fun to do it with friends," she said. "It isn't as painful when you can't have cheese or sugar."

"The dream is to open a gym accessible for everybody," Stebbins said, "but we are on day one."

For more information on classes and prices, check out her Embrace Fitness and Nutrition LLC Facebook page or contact Stebbins at 503-308-3773.