She’s a researcher, mom of 4 and fitness instructor

Brianne Tomaszewski was pregnant with her second child when COVID-19 changed everything in spring 2020. A lifelong runner who had completed nearly a dozen marathons, she wanted to find a way to keep active during her pregnancy. That’s when she found FIT4MOM, a fitness and wellness program tailored to women in all stages of motherhood.

Tomaszewski joined virtual classes designed specifically for expecting moms with her local Chapel Hill FIT4MOM group multiple times a week.

“It was such an isolating and strange time for everyone,” said Tomaszewski, an assistant professor in the UNC School of Medicine’s psychiatry department and Carolina’s TEACCH Autism Program. “But we were all in it together. It gave me a community and a way to be physically safe during my pregnancy. We were really a tight-knit group, and that was when I knew I would have FIT4MOM in my life forever because it connected us and helped us get through our pregnancies.”

Tomaszewski teaches a variety of classes with FIT4MOM, including Stroller Strides, a class that combines exercise for moms and songs and games for their children. (Submitted photo)

As the world returned to in-person gatherings, Tomaszewski wanted to stay connected to her new community. She jumped at the opportunity to teach FIT4MOM’s Run Club and also led Stroller Strides. This class for moms with children in strollers offers a unique combination of exercise, kid-friendly music and games, and much-needed socialization during what can be a very isolating and challenging time.

A faculty member at Carolina and a principal investigator on multiple clinical trials focused on individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, Tomaszewski had never taught fitness classes before. But the transition to instructor was an easy one. Her leadership background and experience working with families and patients of all ages helped make this new role a perfect fit.

“I think my mission has always been to support those individuals and families and advocate for them and the lives they would love to have,” said Tomaszewski. “As a mom and knowing people whose children have been diagnosed or have different disabilities, FIT4MOM opened my eyes to the different experiences parents have as they navigate the services system, and it inspired me to want to provide more information and be a resource. It’s given me a perspective I might not have had before and allowed me to be even more empathetic towards research participants and communities we interact with.”

Tomaszewski has been instructing FIT4MOM classes for about five years. “It’s really added a sense of belonging and community,” she said. (Submitted photo)

For the past five years, Tomaszewski has worked FIT4MOM classes into her busy schedule — which includes raising four children ages 18 months to 7 years — by teaching on Saturdays and during the week when time allows. While she’s currently on a break from instructing fitness classes, she hopes to return this spring.

“Teaching is a lot of fun because I really liked getting to know the kids, singing the songs, being silly and connecting with moms and seeing moms connect with each other, too,” she said. “It’s really added a sense of belonging and community.”

After Tomaszewski had her fourth child in 2024, she experienced severe postpartum depression and was hospitalized. “My colleagues at UNC and FIT4MOM were the ones who stepped up and supported me during that time,” she said. “They brought food, came to hospital. It’s a sense of community that I really value.”

What would she say to women who are expecting or have a newborn at home but might be intimidated to try a class?

“Definitely go because it’s the most accepting place,” she said. “You can show up late and it’s OK. If you forget a diaper, someone’s got you covered. It’s the best place to go when you’re in the thick of it alongside others with small children. There’s just no other community like it.”