Ashley Darr’s career was born from her love of fitness while attending Newcomerstown High School.

 “I discovered my love for fitness while running track in high school,” she said. “While I was not particularly competitive, I loved conditioning and pushing myself. During my senior year of high school, if I did not have to work after classes, you would find me in the gym.”

In August, she opened Ashley Darr Fitness.

She started teaching group fitness a few years after high school and in 2015 obtained her personal training and yoga certification. “Women would approach me with questions, tips or even asking about my personal workout regimen. I wanted to be sure I was guiding these women wisely,” she said.

A few years later Darr discovered her body was responding differently to her workouts.

“I was running miles a day and doing/teaching high intensity interval training workouts daily. I was still gradually gaining weight and fatigued.”

Then she was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, an autoimmune disease which causes the immune system to attack the thyroid gland. It can cause weight gain and fatigue. “It turns out our bodies respond very differently to different styles of exercise when we have an autoimmune disorder,” she added.

“After relocating two times in the last few years and taking a break from coaching while getting settled, I really started to miss the community. I wanted to help women on a more personal level than group classes and use the knowledge I gained through my own struggle to help them,” she said.

That’s when she opened her business and has since worked with more than 70 women. “I feel blessed these women have trusted me to be a small part of their journey.”

Ashley Darr Fitness is located inside Shades of Sommer at 113 W. Main St. She can be reached through Facebook or by calling 740-610-5423.