Best of Arlington 2019

Best Personal Trainer

Photo by Tina Leu

After he lost his mom and several other close relatives to cancer, Andrew Shin’s weight ballooned to 280 pounds. He was grieving and unmotivated, and his desk job as an auditor kept him sedentary. “I had self-esteem issues and ate my feelings,” he says. “I know the body. I know what your mind can do to you.” Today, the 31-year-old is a trim 220 pounds (he’s 6-foot-5) and holds multiple fitness certifications. But his emphasis isn’t so much on helping bros get ripped as it is on overall wellness. Many of his clients are over 40, he says, recovering from illness or injury, and looking to regain range of motion after surgery. Others want to stay fit during fertility treatments and pregnancy. Shin works out of Phoenix Fitness in Ballston, but he also offers online training sessions with customized home workouts that are logged on a shared app. “With any illness, it’s important to move,” he says. “You feel weak and tired because you’re going through a tough time. If you have a coach, you’re more likely to do it. You just have to start slow. I’m very patient.”

–Jenny Sullivan

andyshinfitness.com

Other top vote-getters:

Sheila Cordaro
Chauncey Graham
Dan Mahoney
Scott Smith
Ginny Wright