By Sally Tippett Rains
“I’m getting so excited for the 8-month journey kickoff….Can you tell I’m giddy?”
Local media personality Monica Adams posted that on her personal Facebook account on August fifth of this year.
It was a follow up to her earlier announcement: “Breaking News……Time to make a MAJOR Impact and it all starts today!!!”
Adams, joined KSDK as one of their new morning anchors, feature and traffic reporters six months ago after spending many years at KTVI on FOX 2 News in the Morning. The first time she saw her picture on the billboard was exciting.
She has created a lofty goal for herself. For her 50th Birthday, on March 19, 2021 she wants to be in the best shape she has ever been in—but beyond that she wants to bring as many people as she can on what she calls her Transformation Journey.
She had originally wanted to spend her birthday hiking Machu Picchu in Peru, high above the Andes Mountains. Once COVID-19 hit, she decided to shift her thoughts on how to celebrate this “milestone” birthday in a big way despite the pandemic. Still wanting to scale big heights she began thinking about how she could honor her training and get others involved. That was the birth of Monica’s Transformation Journey.
“I am so proud of this eight-month transformation program,” she said. “I have never had such an incredible response. I posted a video during a basement workout, saying I am going to kick off this amazing eight-month journey to be in the best shape of my life physically, mentally and spiritually.”
Her fans responded in a big way.
“Anyone who knows me knows I give it my all and nothing can get in my way when I have my mind set!”
She was blown away by the response she got to that post.
“I couldn’t believe it sparked so much interest,” she said. “There were 178 comments on the video, of people wanting to come along with me on the journey to better health and living THEIR best life!”
Her love of wellness is nothing new as she has been in the fitness industry for 22 years. She went to Mizzou, studying exercise science and athletic training, with the goal of going to medical school to become an orthopedic surgeon. Her path shifted when at 19, she developed a severe medical problem which forced her to come back to St. Louis.
“I had a massive blood clot and had to be monitored for two years,” she said. “it was during that time I turned even more to health and fitness.”
She had always been an athlete, having played soccer, softball and basketball as a child.
How did she get from hopes of pre-med to becoming a recognizable face on St. Louis television for so many years?
“After returning to St. Louis, I took all my electives in hopes of transferring back to Mizzou,” she said. “I had an extra elective to take and I took broadcasting for the heck of it– and my entire life changed. It is amazing how God leads you!”
Growing up, Monica remembers family members who experienced a lot of health issues on both her mom and dad’s side. Because of this she has always tried to live a healthy life knowing the role that genetics can play. She credits her mother for giving her the enthusiasm to live her best life.
“I had the most amazing role model growing up,” she said. “My mom has always worked out and still does every day at the age of 82! I am very blessed and hope parents realize the impact they have on their children.”
“I watched my mom workout every day,” said Adams. “I listened to her stress the importance of nutrition, so it is in my blood to want to always be healthy and to help others achieve their goals.”
Adams says she had a great childhood with two athletic older brothers and a sports-minded sister. Their father was a football coach for 25 years.
“Fitness and health were always swirling around which was a blessing,” she said. “I was always involved in sports activities with my brothers and of course they teased me as big brothers do.”
Seeing family workout and then joining her mother in her quest for good health has led Adams to where she is today.
During her time on FOX 2 in the Morning, she continued on the fitness path and did personal training. She is an energetic and optimistic person and wanted more of an outlet for expression so when KSDK hired her and gave her the green light she created a segment called Monica’s Motivational Moments.
She knew she had the platform with which to help people. Now along with the new station and TV segments as well as social media on which she is very active, she gets to see first-hand how much of an impact someone can make on others because she gets positive feedback.
She’s been doing the Motivational Moments for five months. When the pandemic started she said, “A major curve ball has been thrown at all of us – forcing many to work from home… Here are some tips on bringing the gym to your home.” Who knew people would still be staying home as much as possible and her tips for working out while stuck at home are helpful.
Through the segments, viewers have been able to see the gym in the basement of the home she shares with her husband of five years, Jim Quentin and their two dogs Tessa and Adelaide.
Adams likes to make the most of her time off and spend it with Jim and the dogs.
“Jim works mid-day to early evening so it is hard for us to spend time together Monday through Thursday but we get a chance to spend time together on the weekends,” she said. “He is my true soulmate.”
The way they got together is a true love story.
“We dated back in the early 2000’s but timing wasn’t on our side,” she remembers. “We found our way back to each other 13 years later and have been together ever since, that was on December 13th of 2012. God definitely blessed us.”
They are looking forward to their anniversary on October 3rd for a special reason.
“The cool thing about this anniversary,” she said, “Is we will get to open our wine box with our letters to each other and other surprises.”
When they got married, they filled a box with letters to them written by important people: her mom, Jim’s son and Monica’s two best friends.
“We can’t wait to read their wishes for our marriage and advice for a great marriage, Adams said. “We had a wine box love letter ceremony and picked our fifth anniversary to unlock the box and drink the amazing bottle of Italian Amarone that we chose for the anniversary.”
Jim is totally on board with her physical fitness regime and that is one thing that attracted them to each other.
“I am so proud of my husband as he serves our community proudly as a lieutenant with St Louis County Police,” she said. “He has always been in incredible shape. He just turned 57 and he works out almost every day before he goes to work, and has abs of steel. Our schedules don’t allow us to train together often but when we get the chance we love it!”
She is very busy with her work at KSDK, but she knew the media gave her the platform to help others. She is shown in the photo with KSDK colleague, Rene Knott.
Once she made the decision to open up her own private challenge she has had many follow her as well as several who have signed up to actually take the journey with her.
“There are about 25 people signed up for this journey,” she said. “I also have others who are doing drop-in classes from my current workout group I have been training for years. My schedule stays busy training my personal clients.
“I feel very blessed to have served in so many wellness roles over the last 22 years,” she said. My clientele runs the gamut from a 10-year old gymnast to a 94-year old who has biceps putting most 20-year-olds to shame.”
She works with Dr. Richard Lehman, well-known orthopedic surgeon in the St. Louis area as well as Dr. Charles Willey who runs Innovare Healthcare. One of the things she is proud of with her training is she has kept several people from having to have surgery by getting them into better shape.
Right now Monica Adams is having the time of her life balancing two things she is passionate about—working in the media helping publicize people who are doing good; and continuing her work as a physical trainer. She is actually having fun during a pandemic because she sees motivating others to succeed in fitness as a calling.
“I feel I will always be in this business as I am very passionate and care about every one of my clients, many of whom turn in to great friends,” she said. I believe the reason many are drawn to my programs is because I go above and beyond just physical training. I dig into the issues in the brain that cause many to beat themselves up mentally and how they lose their soul and become so depressed and have to work on the spiritual side. My coaching program covers all of those bases.”
Adams says those who follow her journey are either in-person or doing online classes twice a week. She does the online to be able to train people all over the world.
She also includes written programs which help with self-motivation; a basic nutrition plan working with registered dietitians; mental and spiritual coaching done virtually and inspiration in the mornings. She stresses accountability and has an open-door policy of answering questions within a 24-hour period.
Adams says she is proud of all of the aspects she has created to help those she coaches to succeed and “blast their goals.”
“I have a feeling this Transformation Journey group will grow over the next eight months as they become role models for others who know them and they will spread the word and will bring others onboard,” she said. “It is a natural flow, the student becomes the role model and it is a beautiful transition.”
Gratitude is a big part of her life and she appreciates that she can impact people’s lives in a positive manner both through working at KSDK and private training and the social media aspect of it.
Maybe someday she will use her newfound strength and fitness level to hike Machu Picchu, but for now she is just happy to be helping others scale to new heights by achieving their dreams of a healthy lifestyle.
“The health and wellness world is one I will always be proud of and will never leave.”
For more information or to contact Monica Adams: madams@ksdk.com
