Each week, we’ll toss out six questions to a local health or fitness expert. Topics will range from new workout trends to healthy eating tips and everything in between. We all have fitness goals: Here’s to helping each other achieve them.

In the health and wellness industry it’s rare to find a professional that has developed such a specific niche regarding their fitness philosophy. Boston-based Jeffrey Siegel has discovered through his educational background that becoming healthy is much more than textbook techniques. His approach is a deeper one that has lead him to starting his own personal training, health coaching business.

So get to know Jeffrey and learn why he believes being healthy is more about the mind-body connection than your reflection in the mirror.

Caroline Earle: How did you get started working in fitness?

Jeffrey Siegel: I’ve been an educator most my life, but after years teaching in a traditional classroom setting, I became discouraged by how little of what I taught actually affected student’s well-being. For me, the embodied nature of learning and the unconscious habits that drive our lives was the missing piece of the education puzzle. So I went back to school to pursue a Masters in Education at Harvard to explore how to foster learning, wisdom and health in way that meets the demands of modern life.

Now, I like to consider myself one part mind-body educator, another part health nut, a dash of life coach and a touch of personal trainer all steeped in mindful approaches to personal development. The fitness industry happened to be the perfect place to put these different hats in service of people’s health and happiness. Therefore, I prefer to say that I work wellness, promoting the mastery of one’s physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing through regular practice of healthful behaviors.

CE: What is one tip you can give about staying healthy while traveling?

JS: Stay Active. See if there are any good walks or hikes to go on. Lots of cities now offer bike shares or bike tours, so ditch the taxi for some pedal power. Simply taking some free time to explore on foot is my favorite way to absorb new sights, sounds and smells while traveling. Another favorite is going to a local park spending some time moving and playing. Try some box jumps on a bench, pull-ups on monkey bars, bear crawls around the grass or just run around and have fun. Hey, you might even make a friend or two.

Finally, if you know you’ll be stuck inside with little time to get outdoors, bring some gear. A jump rope and TRX or gymnastic rings are great pieces of equipment that take up minimal space in luggage. Push the bed aside, set the TRX up in the door, put on some of your favorite music and get moving.

CE: Is there anyone in particular who has inspired you to stay active? 

JS: My parents are nearly 70 and both of them go to the gym every day to do cardio and resistance training. In the summer, I often do yoga with my mother and she has even challenged me to a push-up competition in the past. I must say my parent’s dedication to physical activity has been inspiring. My older brother also has turned himself into a fitness enthusiast after years of relative inactivity. Now we can workout together and push each other to stay at the top of our game.

It’s a blessing to have a family that supports each other to stay active and healthy.

CE: What is your go-to workout of choice?

JS: It totally depends where I am. If I’m in a gym, I like to use barbells for deadlifts and snatches. I also enjoy working kettlebell swings and get-ups. If I’m in a playground, I like to do dips, handstands and balancing holds on various bars. If I’m at a beach, I like to fill up a bag with sand and swing, throw and drag it around. Then I’ll do a few sprints across the beach and jump in the ocean to cool down. If I’m in an airport, I like to do push-ups and squats in the waiting area. I usually throw in a few yoga moves and stretches for the hips and glutes since I know I will be sitting a while.

As long as you’re having fun and not getting in anyone’s way, go for it. Just watch out for snarky security guards.

CE: The days are getting longer and the weather, warmer. What are you most looking forward to about summer in Boston?

JS: I ride my bike everywhere so this winter was brutal. Needless to say, I’ve been looking forward to ditching the hats and gloves for shorts and sunglasses. It makes riding so much more enjoyable when I can hear birds singing and don’t have to worry about snow in the bike lane.

CE: With all the fitness trends out there today, it’s easy to get caught up in the hype. What workout fad will we never see you doing?

JS: My first answer would be the easily ridiculed Shake Weight, haha.

I’ve done everything from Zumba to CrossFit to Acro Yoga and I think everything has its place depending on your goals. I like to try different activities, but I don’t become too attached or overly zealous about any one modality. That being said, I wouldn’t recommend doing HIIT training on a BOSU ball with a 40 pound kettlebell in one hand while wearing an elevation training mask.

Stupid things happen when the drive for novelty and exhaustion supersede functional specificity and appropriate movement patterns. I believe fitness should be in service of sustainable health, so training in the way that will keep your body and mind healthy today and years to come should take precedence over any fad WOD.

If you’re interested in working with Jeffrey, you can find him training at Brooklyn Boulders in Somerville. He also travels to clients in the Boston, Cambridge and Somerville area. You can contact him via email at JESwellness@gmail.com or visit his website for more information about his services.