Bedford mom Rhonda Layton did something last year that most of us only dream about: She quit a marketing job that made her unhappy so she could pursue her dream of helping others achieve their fitness goals. “I’m a big goal-setter, and I make dream boards and all that,” she says. “One of my goals was to quit my job, and I was able to do exactly that.” Now the mom to 8-year-old Jackson and 19-year-old Keelan works part-time at Luke’s Locker and is a full-time Beachbody coach (think P90X). Layton has run five marathons (including Chicago in 2011), is addicted to peanut butter and can do five pull-ups. Oh, and did we mention she makes a mean vegan sushi roll?
What exactly is a Beachbody coach? I coach people through their fitness goals and give them the tools to transform their body and their life. I also have private accountability groups. I’m a support system for people who don’t have the motivation or people in their lives to hold them accountable.
Running has been a big part of your life. Do you have a favorite local race? The Dallas Turkey Trot. That’s where my running got started in November 2002; just eight miles then. I even ran when I was six months pregnant – three miles that year. We have made it a family tradition. My husband and oldest son used to volunteer during the race, but when Jackson was born they all started coming out to cheer me on.
Tell us about your encounter with Troy Aikman. I’m a huge Cowboys fan, and Troy Aikman is my No. 1. He asked for a shoe and we didn’t have it – and I had to tell him we didn’t have it, but that I could find it at another store. He said, “OK, I’ll just give you my number.” He was an extremely nice person.
Top three songs to run to. Go! The theme song from Rocky. Rods and Cones, an instrumental from the Blue Man Group – it’s the best to finish a run to. Strong by Kanye West; it gets me motivated to run.
Fill in the blank: A perfect running shoe should … Feel like you don’t have anything on at all. You don’t have to think about your feet hitting the pavement.
You qualified for the Boston Marathon this year but were sidelined by a foot injury. Will you be there next year? I’ve run five marathons so far, and I don’t feel like I need to prove anything else to myself. My goal was to qualify for Boston, and I did that. I’m done with marathons – at least for now.
Are any foods banned from your house? I have a high influence on what my family eats. They do make good choices. Definitely no soda for Jackson. My husband [Cedric] does try to sneak in Twinkies; I have busted him for that. Cedric and Jackson do a burger tour every Saturday. They go to different burger joints around the metroplex and rank them. Keelan will join them [when he’s not away at college]. I can’t get mad about that, though, because it’s good bonding.
What motivates you? I have a lot of self-motivation. What motivates me is [my desire] to be healthy for my family. In order to help them, I have to stay healthy.
What’s on your summer reading list? I’m really into self-motivation books. Right now I’m reading Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us, by Seth Godin.
Biggest food weakness? Peanut butter. I could eat it with every meal.
How did you meet your husband? We met dancing one night, and I pretty much fell in love with him then. He had a presence about him; he’s very confident.
When do you find time for each other? We made a commitment that we’d have lunch together every single week. It’s an hour to spend time together and talk. We make that an absolute commitment.
What was it like sending your oldest off to college? It was very difficult. I had just started working at Luke’s, and I had all these moms coming in to get shoes for their kids and send them off to college. It was hard seeing him go and letting him have that freedom to grow up and be on his own.
What does family fun look like at your house? In the fall we like to go to football games. We just like things like going to the park or having a picnic at Jazz Under the Stars. We like being together and watching American Idol.
Proudest mom moments? My proudest moment for Keelan was when he graduated from high school and just to see the kind man he’s grown into. He’s very compassionate. I’m very proud of that in him. Jackson, he’s my little entertainer. When he gets on stage he makes me happy because he’s so happy. He goes to Theater Arlington camp every summer.
Have you learned anything about yourself recently? I’ve discovered I like to cook. I love the traditional aspect of it. We used to share the cooking duties, but [Cedric] is 100 percent better at it. I never thought I would make sushi and that I’d like it. It was all vegan with tempeh instead of fish.
What small change can busy moms make to get them on the road to a healthier life? Start with yourself. You’ve got to give yourself time. Give yourself 30 minutes a day for exercise or for making a good food choice. It’s a selfless thing to put yourself first for your kids.
