WOMEN WHO INSPIRE
MOTHER OF TEN
CULTIVATES FAMILY AND FITNESS
By Erin Williams
Juggling the responsibilities of a mother can
be a challenge. There’s playdates, permission
slips, getting everyone fed and clothed - not
to mention trying to make time for yourself.
When you’re the mother of ten kids,
however, you learn to pick up a few tips
and tricks along the way. Just ask Kathryn
Sansone - wife, mother, author, and allaround multi-tasker. The “Shape-Up Mom”
and St. Louis native rose to popularity
as an audience member-turned-guest on
The Oprah Winfrey Show, and was later
interviewed by O, The Oprah Magazine,
about how she does it all. Her words of
wisdom were chronicled in the book Woman
First, Family Always. Currently, she is
working on the development of a nutritional
protein product just for women.
“The effort to stay fit was instilled in me,”
Kathryn said. “I have had six C-sections,
and putting time in at the gym (Emerge
Fitness Training in St. Peters, Missouri), and
eating a healthy clean diet is what it takes to
stay in shape.”
In this interview, Kathryn sheds light on
the strong familial foundation her life was
built on, how she makes times for family
- and why it’s important to set attainable
boundaries and priorities.
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“Women are natural caregivers, taking care
of everyone except ourselves,” she said. “It is
not selfish to take care of yourself. Everyone
will benefit if you feel good, have more
energy, and are fit and happy.”
and realized early that I was gifted with
athletic ability - thanks to my parents. In
college, I walked on the SLU volleyball team
and played three seasons. My parents were
very supportive, always came to my games,
Kathryn: My first experience with physical
and go to my kid’s games today. My dad,
fitness was seeing my parents take walks and Dan Demmas, never talked about how great
jogs together. Growing up, I played sports,
he was during his football years. He went to
Erin: What was it like to grow up in St. Louis
as one of three girls with a father who was a
former football star at St. Louis University?
GAZELLE STL
school at night, worked in the day and played
football in-between. He instilled a hard work
ethic in us all that we will carry with us forever.
Erin: What made you realize that you could make
a career out of helping others get into shape?
Kathryn: When my husband and I went out