Start making space for you in YOUR life.
You don’t need to wait a day longer to start a lifestyle where you’re able to put yourself first and feel good about your health and body again. Our focused approach helps you start making small changes every day to reclaim your time and wellness.
First let me introduce myself— my name is Sarah Leal, and I am a Nurse Practitioner and certified Strength and Conditioning Coach with years of experience coaching and treating real patients in the SF Bay Area.
I specialize in helping busy women in healthcare create space for themselves and get control of their health.
And if there’s one thing that’s been reinforced in my mind over the years of working with hundreds of patients is that making big life changes is difficult! There is so much information out there that it is hard to know where to start. The key to long term success is to make change that is sustainable, build a mentality and process that helps you schedule/protect your self-care time and ultimately put yourself first every day.
What inspired me to combine my knowledge of medicine, nutrition, strength and conditioning was my own struggles with self care and burnout in the medical field during COVID. The constant pressure to work long hours, charting after work and feeling physically and emotionally drained once I got home. This left little bandwidth to make decisions on what exercise to do, let alone what to eat or how else to care for myself.
For me, there’s nothing more satisfying than seeing clients able to find time for themselves, create strong boundaries that create a space for their own wellness and help them feel healthy, strong and happy in their life and work.
Stress, poor sleep, erratic food choices and lack of exercise are all major contributors to chronic health conditions, particularly things like Type 2 Diabetes. If you’re working in healthcare, you know first hand how damaging Diabetes can be for someone’s quality of life and wellness.
But when you feel like you’re underwater and have no space for yourself, it can feel impossible to know how and where to start to get yourself out of an abnormal hemoglobin A1C.
That’s what I’m here for. I have seen this struggle firsthand through my clients and helped them find themselves again. And I can help you too.
Listen to what some of our best clients have to say:
Guthrie DundasFebruary 5, 2024I have been working with Zen for almost three years and it has been amazing. I have never had a more consistent practice to strength training which is entirely due to their constructive and supportive approach. I initial started working with them in person a few times per week, but quickly moved to a hybrid where I see them a couple times per month and follow their personally prescribed workouts in my home gym. I am now stronger and feel better than I have in decades but am also confident to live within my body and age. I couldn't recommend them more strongly to anyone at any fitness level.
Avi AtidFebruary 1, 2024Working with Mauricio is one of the best investments I can recommend. Finding a way to get and stay in shape as we age is truly ‘priceless. Mauricio and Sarah will help you do it. I am not an athlete. I have never lifted any weights or followed any exercise plan until I started working out with Mauricio. I found myself in my mid to late fifties tired a lot of the time, I was diagnosed with diabetes, and I was overweight. I needed to do something to reclaim my health. I needed to get in shape. I joined different gyms, tried different programs, nothing stuck until I made the decision to spend the money and work one on one with Mauricio. I found Mauricio to be an experienced, patient, and observant teacher that cares a lot about his clients. Working out with Mauricio made a huge difference in my life! The magic of Mauricio and Sarah is that they practice what they preach. They know their stuff. They understand the psychological hurdles. They know what’s important. They understand the importance of the long game. They will help you build a consistent training practice that will become part of who you are. It seems most of us, as we age, find it harder to workout. And if we do find some motivation to get in shape - deciding where to go, what to do and how to do it seems too daunting. For me. I will be sixty-four next month. I have been working out regularly for over seven years now. I am very pleased with my workout program.
Sharon CrawfordJanuary 7, 2024Sarah and Maricio are really knowledgeable and supportive. They really help you dial in on what you want to achieve and how to get there. With just steady workouts with them I have seen a lot of progress in how my body moves and feels. I am very grateful for their guidance.
SwirlyInkDecember 22, 2023I cannot even begin to say how great its been working with Zen Strength & Conditioning. I started about 6 months ago after getting diagnosed with PCOS and being encouraged by my therapist to pick up some kind of exercise to get more in tune with my body. I was really nervous to start, not at ALL confident with my abilities as I'd tried before to do some strength exercises and always felt like I was doing everything wrong. So for me this journey has been not only about lifting better and getting stronger, but also about confronting self consciousness, being overly critical, and sitting with a lot of uncomfortable feelings. Sarah has been an absolute ROCK. Wherever I'm at, she's been right there with me. She's really present with you and is taking stock not only of where you are physically, but mentally as well. I've cried during our sessions out of frustration, shame, sadness, and she's always there to take a pause and help me work through whats coming up for me in that moment. It's really helped me to work through some of my mental blocks around working out because she's able to pull me out of bad head space in the moment. Not only is she amazing moral support but as a trainer I don't think you could ever ask for better. There is no cookie cutter, no one size fits all approach. I've struggled a LOT with squats because of tight hips and poor strength/stability. When we were first trying them it just wasn't working great. Sarah reassessed, added in exercises that supported my areas of issue, and now squatting feels so much easier and stable. I've grown so much in that area alone its wild. Sarah is an absolute cheerleader and always celebrates my victories, points out how I'm improving, and gently corrects issues with form. I seriously cannot understate how life changing it's been working with Sarah. My confidence has improved, I feel stronger, I actually WANT to exercise now, it makes me want to improve my health in other ways. She's helped with my overthinking and inner critic. She helps me organize workouts at home or other gyms. Their setup is GORGEOUS and such a comfortable working space. If you are at all hesitant of starting weightlifting or you're dealing with any of the same feelings I was at the start, please do yourself a favor and sign up with Sarah and Mauricio, it's about the kindest thing you could ever do for yourself.
Sameer SampatMarch 31, 2023I’ve been working out with Zen S&C for the last year. This is by far the most consistent workout routine I’ve had. Prior to this, I did some jogging and playing basketball, but never had tried any weightlifting. I now feel comfortable doing exercises that I had seen others in the gym doing, but never really tried myself. Sarah is a great trainer. She is willing to meet you where you are, and give you just enough to push you but not too far. Given my hectic schedule with young children at home and a job that requires a lot of travel, I appreciate how Sarah customizes workouts (and food recommendations!) for me based on the other things going on in my life. I’ve briefly tried other workout classes that were all about pushing past your max with no regard to form - Sarah is the different, working with you to get your fundamentals strong so that the gains you make compound over time. Working out with Zen S&C and Sarah feel like a very worthy investment in my health and well-being.
Rebecca BoskovicNovember 17, 2022My story with Zen Strength & Conditioning began six years ago when I met Mauricio at a gym owners conference. In a room of hundreds of athletic coaches, Mauricio and I managed to connect. His kind spirit and skilled listening are what stood out the most. Fast forward to the spring of 2021 when I realized I needed a coach. My motivation had been waning since Covid and I knew (based on my own experience as a personal trainer) that accountability was the answer. I reached out to him and never looked back. Over the past year and a half, Mauricio has become so much more than my fitness coach. His skill as an active and caring listener coupled with an integrated life philosophy that encompasses everything from marriage dynamics and communication skills to client care and coaching strategies, have set him up as a key advisor in my life. I appreciate Mauricio as a friend and a peer. I respect him as a fitness coach and as someone to bounce ideas off. But above all, I value my time with Mauricio as he helps me remain true to my authentic voice … in my family and business. Thank YOU for being true to your vision for Zen S&C. The world is a better with you in it.
Lauren RiosAugust 8, 2022I love Zen S&C! I've been doing personal training with them twice a week for over a year. Previously, I was never able to stick with any type of exercise long term. Through working with Sarah and Mauricio, I am so much more comfortable with exercise that I really enjoy it! I'm achieving things that I had never thought possible and I look forward to every session. My endurance and strength have improved immensely. They are incredibly knowledgeable and supportive. They work with you to set and reach your goals- whether it's strength, nutrition, or just trying to lead a more active lifestyle. They are fun, lovely, and kind, such a pleasure to work with! I highly highly recommend checking out Zen.
Kevin CrawfordApril 2, 2022Sarah and Mauricio have been great to work with. They are both very knowable and kind people. The physical training and nutritional information I have received has benefitted me a lot. I feel better these days than I have in a long time.
Reddy ShristiFebruary 22, 2022I met Mauricio through a referral from my friend Robynn as we entered the start of the pandemic in 2020. I started working out with Mauricio virtually with the items I had on hand and where I was at with my fitness (no pressure to purchase any tools). We have been through quite the journey of going from virtual, in person outside, transiting to his new gym space, back to virtual, and now working out independently in my own home gym! Through it all, Mauricio has held me accountable, adjusted workouts to my needs and goals, and helped me get to a point where I am able to be more independent in my workout and use the skills we have worked on virtually and in person. This two plus year journey has been transformative for me as I have been able to push myself in areas I was afraid to such as endurance with longer and more challenging hikes, joining a cycle class, getting back on a bike, and in general knowing that I have the strength to get out there and try new way to move. Mauricio has made working out fun, interesting, and challenging!!
Jessica ThacherJanuary 10, 2022My husband and I have been training with Zen for more than six months now and we're super happy we made the leap. We're stronger every day! We've always been people who exercised, but it's been haphazard and mostly cardio, and any gym routine we did have was disrupted by the pandemic. Having a personalized program and some goals and doing strength training consistently is a game changer!! Mauricio is an exceptional trainer who is excellent at meeting you where you are, breaking things down into accessible steps, and helping you progress. The Zen model is also PERFECT for pandemic life. In addition to 1:1 workouts with Mauricio in open air settings, he's helped us set up a home gym in our garage, so we're able to do two of our workouts a week from home (with programming from Zen). There is a focus on building your independence as a weightlifter, so you're really creating a long term foundation for ongoing health/fitness. If you want some personalized health and fitness support that is very safe and effective, check out Zen.