There was a time, not that long ago, when Taos, New Mexico, native Anita Graves-Martinez came to a crossroads and decided continuing on the proverbial well-traveled road might not be best for her. It was a combination of things that forced her to reevaluate the direction of her life.
“I used to work in advertising,” recalled Graves-Martinez. But one day, she said, “It ended. I just didn’t have a job.” It was a job she’d begun when her daughter was barely two months old.
Out of a job and with no real idea of why, Graves-Martinez found herself in a mid-life quandary. But as focused and her spin slowed, she realized that losing her comfort zone and having to rethink the direction of her life, was both a sign and a blessing.
Today, Graves-Martinez is owner of Barreista Studio in Taos, a full-service health and fitness boutique that offers nutritional counseling, personal training, on-line sessions and a very holistic approach to better mental and physical health. Of course, the path from out-of-work ad professional to certified trainer/nutritionist was not as simple as going from ‘Point A to Point B.’
Before plunging into the health guru/entrepreneurial world, Graves-Martinez did a little self-maintenance—personal, professional and spiritual.
The personal was a matter of reevaluating who she was. While she wasn’t ill, she knew she didn’t feel as good as she could or should. Her path to feeling better started with walking. In no time, “my walks turned into hikes, then runs,” she said. Today, she gushes that “trail running is what I really love.”
The walking, while falling well short of life saving, was life altering and led to dramatic transformation of her own life. “I probably went from size 12 to size 2,” she said. Dropping pounds, of course, is not that difficult when a ‘walk’ entails periodic forays to nearby Wheeler Peak, New Mexico’s highest mountain. Today, a trek to the top of the 13,000-foot mountain is “no big deal,” she says, an understated confidence in her voice. She also hikes with her husband and two children.
In becoming the person she is today, Graves-Martinez also totally retooled her diet, eschewing what is normal fare to most people. First, she said, “I went off dairy,” followed by pork, beef, chicken and turkey. “I also really cut back on sugar,” while, of course, focusing on exercise and education. Now, fully vegan and certified in both exercise and nutrition, the New Mexico native said there are few days when she doesn’t feel at the top of her game, mentally and physically.
Surrounded by mirrors and, of course, ballet bars, Graves- Martinez takes enormous pride in the business she has built. The thousand-square-foot studio that she proudly describes as “absolutely beautiful,” was built entirely “by my husband.” The mirrors invite the Taos sunlight and give it an ‘infinity pool’ and welcoming quality.
But, beyond optics, of course, is the interaction Graves-Martinez has with her clients, many of whom are seasonal Taos residents. But even when they leave to return to their homes, many of which are scattered across the country, she remains connected, regularly ‘zooming’ with them, repeating exercise regimens, discussing nutrition or just spending time.
Her clients, she said, have been instrumental in her adventure. Many of them, she said, are no longer just clients. They have also become friends.
After dedicating so many years to working to improve herself and reaching a point where she’s happy with her life and business, her immediate goal now is to simply enjoy what she has built and, of course, continue adding quality of life to those who have had a hand in her amazing journey.
“I always tell my clients that it’s not always how you look; it’s how you feel.” As seasons change and loyal clients begin their long migrations back to Taos and to the comfort of her studio, Graves-Martinez knows that she is doing exactly what she was destined to do. And what she was always destined to do is not what a light years-ago advertising gig could ever provide.
For more information on Graves-Martinez studio, visit her website at Barreistastudios.com.
