A Conversation with Heike Yates, Midlife Fitness Expert

Heike Yates is a Midlife Fitness Expert, speaker, podcast host and author of Pursue Your Spark. She helps midlife women build strength, energy, and confidence through fitness, nutrition and mindset strategies that fit real life—no extremes, just habits that last. After leaving the 9-to-5 grind and moving to Washington, D.C., Heike found her spark through fitness. What began as a personal transformation turned into a lifelong mission. She lost 50 pounds after her first pregnancy and rebuilt her life as a single mom, raising two kids on just $300 a month. Fitness became her lifeline—grounding her through life’s toughest seasons. In 2010, she developed Pilates with Resist-A-Ball, a joint-friendly, strength-focused program designed for individuals who want to feel strong without experiencing pain. With certifications in Pilates, strength training and nutrition—and real-life experience as a bodybuilder and Ironman triathlete—Heike brings over 35 years of lived and professional expertise to the women she serves. In 2012, she founded Pursue Your Spark, a mission-driven brand that helps women in midlife reclaim their energy, confidence and joy. She’s also the host of the Pursue Your Spark Podcast, where she shares real talk and practical tools to help women stop spinning their wheels and finally thrive. Heike believes midlife isn’t a breakdown—it’s a breakthrough. Through simple, sustainable strategies and personalized support, she helps women feel strong, energized and fully themselves again. Learn more and follow Heike: Website: https://heikeyates.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pursueyourspark Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heikeyates/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heike-yates/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQIeOesGLGAOD5RhI2KYjcA Podcast - Pursue Your Spark: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pursue-your-spark-midlife-fitness-nutrition-mindset/id1231586317 Book - Pursue Your Spark: https://amzn.to/4mD5xL7