"I was born to move!" says Tanja Djelevic, who started her life's work in fitness at a very young age when she started dance lessons. She's never looked back and now enjoys an enthusiastic following - from celebrity clientele including Matt Dillon and Rachel Weisz, to students who flock to her high-energy classes at Gold's Gym, Crunch Fitness and Equinox Fitness Club in the Hollywood, Calif., area. Tanja studied at the prestigious Swedish Academy of Fitness Education and holds a masters in psychology with emphasis in stress management therapy and behavioral life coaching, as well as fitness certifications from Reebok, AFAA, ACE and Powerhouse Pilates. Tanja's Gaiam workout DVDs draw on her range of expertise in disciplines including Pilates, BalanceBall / stability ball, kickboxing, aerobics, interval training, body sculpting, functional fitness and more. Born and raised in Kristianstad, Sweden, she was a resident fitness columnist at Swedish Cosmopolitan and coauthored of the health coaching book "Livskraft" (Life Force). The work closest to her heart includes founding the Loud Teenz health education and self-esteem program for pre-teens and teens. View a Tanja-in-action video.
Tanja Djelevic
Week 6: Water, Good for Your Body Inside and Out
Summer is coming and this week I would like to invite you to put your focus on water. Whether that water is on the inside or outside of your body -- it’s going to do you tons of good. Drinking enough water when starting a new exercise program actually helps you burn more fat, and ... read more
Week 5: Hit the Weights!
Its time to hit the weights and get into some serious resistance training and stretching! These two go together like peanut butter and jelly (organic natural peanut butter and sugar free jelly, of course). A few days ago, a dear friend of mine, and an amazing nutrition coach who works with my personal training clients, called ... read more
Week 4: Feel The Love and a Better Body Image
Love is one of the most powerful forces. I find that women who are most critical of their bodies are missing a degree of self love. Do you find yourself looking in the mirror and having negative thoughts about certain parts of your body? Do you find yourself saying things like “If my thighs were ... read more
Week 3: Make Fitness Fun — Again!
I had a client who was struggling with his weight but, unfortunately, felt about as excited about exercising as he did about doing laundry. We looked into his athletic past, and found that he had been discouraged with his physical abilities, which turned into almost like a fear of moving his body. We both knew ... read more
Week 2: Better Body and More Energy Challenge
Diet. I shiver just hearing the word. Don’t you? How many have you tried? Most importantly, how many have failed you? Food is always a part of our life experience. In my country, Sweden, we socialize a lot around food, and it becomes a nice time to meet with friends. In the healthy world of fitness, ... read more