Many people have a negative perception of exercise. Perhaps past experiences felt too hard, or they didn’t see results, so continuing felt pointless. Laurena Mitchell wants to change that perception, and she has created something unique at Lakoa Fitness. She wants to meet people where they are at and create realistic plans that help them reach their goals.
Laurena’s love for fitness and nutrition began as a child. Her mother provided healthy food and encouraged her shy daughter to step beyond her comfort zone and lift weights at the gym. Laurena’s confidence grew, and soon she was taking other fitness classes. Later in life, after working 15 years at a desk, Laurena could feel her body stiffening. Around the same time, she lost her mother to cancer. These experiences help Laurena understand that time is precious, and she wants to feel good throughout her life. Now she wants to help people regain their vitality and do the activities they are interested in, from playing with grandkids to climbing mountains.
Laurena has decades of experience as well as formal training that helps shape Lakoa Fitness. She holds a NASM certification with specialization in women’s wellness, mobility, and hormone-informed training. She also holds certifications in yoga, metabolic health, and strength programming.
Laurena used to live in Hawaii and still feels very connected to the island’s energy and harmony. She combined two Hawaiian words, koa (warrior, strength, courage)and lokahi (balance, harmony, unity), to create Lakoa. “Together, they embody my philosophy: strength with balance, power with peace.”
Laurena designs personalized training programs for strength, mobility, and flexibility, as well as nutrition guidance and macro coaching. She offers in-person coaching at a private 24/7 Stone Oak area gym, as well as online coaching. Fat-loss programming with hormone-supportive strategies and daily accountability are also part of what she offers.
Everything Laurena does is tailored for each of her clients’ individual needs, based on their schedule, needs, and goals. Most of her clients lead busy lives with multiple responsibilities, so structure and sustainability are the keys to her customized plans. Every client gets a weekly schedule to help them stay on track, along with efficient workouts and the option of micro-sessions for extra busy days. Laurena wants her clients to focus on doing what works for them.
Laurena told me that the biggest wins for her clients involve making changes in their lives that help them reach a goal and feel good while doing it. One of her clients wanted to climb Enchanted Rock after a knee replacement. It was a goal that felt impossible at first, but with a focus onmobility, foundational strength, and movement patterns, she made it to the top happily. “It was a great reminder that fitness isn’t just about aesthetics. It’s about reclaiming your life.”
Laurena says it’s hard to describe what it feels like to watch one of her clients transform, because it’s never just physical. There’s always a change in their confidence as well. “And when they feel good, I feel good. Sharing that transformation — witnessing someone reclaim their strength, their presence, and their belief in themselves — is one of the greatest privileges of this work.”
Fitness is not punishment. It is the path back to feeling alive.
My favorite transformations are the ones where a client realizes their life just opened back up. When movement feels good again, everything feels possible.