Everyone has their own fitness journey and even though it’s important to be a trailblazer, sometimes you need inspiration from others along the way. Sir Isaac Newton said it best: “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” That is what I am encouraging you to do today… find some fitness gurus to give you a boost while you work towards your goals.

Here are seven women of color who are both IG fitness “giants” and ready to let you stand on their shoulders as you pursue your fitness, health and wellness objectives.

@FollowtheLita
Lita Lewis is my best friend in my mind and an exercise and overall fitness guru based in Brooklyn. Her IG posts cover everything from her inspirational apparel line, to videos of her workouts and photos of her protein packed meals. She also hosts boot camps all over the country and “fit-cation” retreats around the world so you can workout with her when she is in your area or when you need an excuse for a great vacation. Her feed is my go-to when I want to create a new workout focused on a specific part of my body.

@msjeanettejenkins
Her Majesty Jeanette Jenkins needs no introduction as she is fitness royalty! She is a celebrity personal trainer & nutritionist and all-around fitness goddess with over 25 years in the game. Her posts include a peek at her workouts, recipes for healthy meals, motivational words and a glimpse at what Hollywood elite are doing to get and stay fit.

@getbodiedbyj
Jenelle Salazar is a certified fitness coach and nutritionist with over ten years of experience who lives in Atlanta. She’s more than halfway through her pregnancy but that has not slowed her down!  She creates workouts for every muscle group and most of her workout routines are done in the gym.

@pita.grace
Fitness trainer Pita Griffin lives in New Jersey and has abs of steel. Her IG feed is littered with pictures of the healthy meals she eats and some of her workouts…include workouts you can do at home. Her website features meal plans and a 30 day fitness challenge to help you jumpstart your workout plan. Oh and she is an awesome dancer too.  

@brittnebabe
Brittne Babe is a certified personal trainer who offers fitness plans, detailed workouts, meal suggestions and lots of inspiration on her posts. Plus, she does a lot of collaboration with Jeanette Jenkins (women uplifting women….I love it!) so you will often see both women featured on each other’s feed. Plus, Brittne is a full-time college student and living proof that you can make time for any pursuit as long as you are passionate about it!

@massy.arias
Massiel “Massy” Indhira Arias is a certified personal trainer who was born in the Dominican Republic. She recently had a baby and her postpartum bounce back is incredible. She created the #MA30Day program which promotes clean eating to enhance weight lose goals and it includes vegetarian and vegan meal plan options. Make sure to follow Massy for adorable pictures of her new baby girl, delicious but healthy meals and approachable workouts that give great results.

@getfitwithnic_
Nicola B. is a personal fitness instructor living in Los Angeles who also hosts Fit Trips at some of the most beautiful tropical locales. Her IG posts feature some of her workouts, meal plan ideas and other helpful fitness tips. She even promotes a very motivating motto: “I can. You can. We can.”

Bonus Account: @blackwomendoworkout
While this account does not belong to a fitness guru, it is a great place to find posts of black women working out and getting fit. If you need some encouragement and inspiration on your fitness journey, this is the first account you should follow!