She holds certifications from AFAA, Rep Reebok, PiYo and Turbokick. Ehlers has studied and attained CEUs in the areas of Exercise and Obesity, Fitness for special populations with an emphasis on seniors and children, Exercise Mechanics, Eating Disorders, Diabetes and Prenatal Fitness.

In December 1999, the mother of two conceived the idea when her youngest daughter was a year and a half. Not wanting to be away from her kids, a friend suggested to Ehlers that she create a class where parents and kids could work out together.

“This class is different than any other ‘mommy and me’ class currently out there,” explained Ehlers. “We simply play with our kids to get a workout. But we play hard. Almost one-third of the childhood population is considered overweight and the statistics are scary because we are seeing more cases of adult diabetes and heart disease in kids than ever before.

“Yes, this class is about getting parents in shape, but it's more than that. It’s about teaching everyone involved that exercise is a basic daily need, like brushing your teeth. You can find exercise anywhere, not just at the gym, and it needs to be fun -- not a burden or a chore. It's about people shifting their perspective towards exercise. Something as mundane as cleaning up at home can be seen as a fun way to work out and that's what we show people when they come to class. Life is a playground. You've got to play hard.”

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