Suzi Renaud

Whether she's in Down Dog or stretching a Dyna-band, beathtakingly beautiful Suzi Renaud adds a special oomph to each "Ommm." Spend a few minutes with The Yoga Room owner — she'll energize your chakras and unblock your chi!

Suzi Renaud, you are cute, cute, cute, no doubt about it! How did you get so gorgeous?
How did I get so gorgeous? I don’t think of myself as gorgeous, but thank you. I struggled for a long time with my self-image and had an emotional love affair with food. At one time, I was a size 14.

Get out!
Yes, I was about 20 years old, and I was a size 14. People can’t believe it. But I had a lot of mood swings and food was my cure. I can empathize with people who are overweight and trying to lose weight. I’ve been there!

So how did you lose it? You're so tiny now!
Food is not that important to me anymore, but I know I have to eat for energy and health. I just became a grazer, and I eat slowly.

Really? You graze and you stay so itty-bitty? What do you eat?
Usually in the morning, I have a banana, yogurt, graham crackers and English tea. Lunch is a spinach salad with tuna, nuts, cheese, carrots and an apple. One great coffee and Diet Coke a day is always on the agenda.

No meat, no fast food and every so often, onion rings and a chocolate shake when I really need to refuel. Of course, as you can see, I’m not a perfect example of a yogi eater. Life is too short.

Amen, sister! How did you get into fitness?
I’ve always been interested in fitness. Would you believe I used to exercise to Jack LaLanne! I’ve been told I’m a born teacher. I think it’s one of the things I do best. And I was always asked to sub for teachers when I lived in Dallas, so I learned about variety quickly.

I taught my first class at Bally’s President Health Clubs in Dallas. I don’t think they’re around anymore. I was in my 20s. I was always working out and I thought, well, I might as well get paid for it! I lived close, so I’d roll out of bed and teach a 6:30 a.m. class. Then, I dressed to the nines for my real job.

What was your real job?
I was a buyer for Phyllis Ann Accessories in the Apparel Mart at Dallas, then a manager for showrooms in the Merchandise and Men’s Mart. I also worked in the World Trade Center in Dallas. In fact, I worked in all the buildings along Stemmons Freeway except the Info Mart! These were all wholesale companies, so I traveled to all the shows: Denver, Atlanta, New York, etc.

In 1990, I moved to Aruba and worked for an Accessory Company in the Sonesta Hotel. I was very lucky. They don’t normally hire off-island. I still know a bit of the language: Papiamento. We were across the harbor where the ships came in.

I was back in Dallas for a short stint, then, in 1997, I worked a year for Holland America cruise ships teaching yoga and aerobics.

How exotic! So, hum. Er, I mean, om. Dallas, Aruba, cruise ships, then Paducah?
I was born and raised here. I graduated from St. Mary, went to Dallas in 1974 and never looked back. I was in Dallas for 25 years, with little side trips here and there. My father called me in 1999. He was dying of lung cancer and wanted me to come home for a visit. I came for a while with the intention of going back to Dallas.

He passed away six months later, and I was too depressed to do anything except stay on automatic pilot. At the time I was working at The Kapok Tree, which is no longer around.

And you decided to stay?
Yes, but I really missed Dallas and thought every day of moving back there. As I began to settle in to Paducah, I saw that there was a need for yoga. Every now and then, I'd hear a story about a lady who used to teach upstairs at the library and someone who used to teach at the old Gold’s Gym.

I beat down the doors at Baptist Family Fitness and the old Gold’s to begin a yoga class and could not get anywhere. Determined, I held a workshop at the old Westwood Country Club, sent out mailers and had about 10 people show up. Word spread.

I began leasing in places like Three Rivers Martial Arts Academy and Betty Esselstyn Dance Studio, which is now Ruth Johnson’s on 32nd Street. I also taught out of my old place, the Ellis Street Apartments on 9th Street. I had no furniture, so it was perfect.

Since then, I’ve taught at various places, like school health fairs, the Juvenile Detention School, Jackson Oaks, Jackson House, TOPS, Natural Healing Institute, Harrison Street Baptist Church and just about all over Paducah.

Then what happened?
Six months later, Baptist Family Fitness called and asked me to teach yoga. I think I started laughing. Like, you know — finally! That was in the spring of 2000. So the classes grew and grew and I taught and taught and continued to do workshops, until one day, I hit the steering wheel while driving home from Baptist, and said, “OK, God. It’s time.”

I looked up and saw a “For Lease" sign — it was the old Social Security Building at 546 Lone Oak Rd. The next day, I met Anita Haws at the building, we made an agreement and I leased the building for The Yoga Room for a year. The building sold a year later, and I rolled down the street to my present location at 3137 Broadway.

The Yoga Room is darling! Do you just love having it?
It is me, but it’s hard work, and sometimes I think I can’t keep this pace. But…I carry on…because it is so rewarding. The Yoga Room is like one big garden. I must tend to it constantly. You know how it is when you have a business — you’re always on.

Yep, it's constant, isn't it? What classes do you offer?
The classes I teach are Zumba, Yoga Flow, Cardio Sculpt and Tone with Mat Pilates, Gentle Yoga, Balletone, Tai Chi and Prenatal Yoga.

I also teach once a week at Birk Grove Life Centre, and I still teach for Paducah Parks.

I try to stay ahead of the curve. I’ve been to some major studios in and out of the country, and I try to offer the same big town studio in a small town. Problem is, there’s just one of me. I would love to have Hip Hop and other offerings. Maybe one day!

For folks just thinking of starting to exercise, what do you recommend?
Yoga, yoga, yoga! It’s the best place to begin, and it is an exercise you can practice the rest of your life. Everyone can do yoga. And it’s so relaxing!

What's your favorite pose?
I think it's the plow, headstand or tortoise. It depends on what the body is needing at the time. Then on some days it's the tree pose.

What do you say to folks who need a nudge?
Find what you like to do. Some people hate to sweat. So maybe swimming is right for them. Begin slowly, take it one day at a time and visualize. Think and see yourself performing the exercise in a meditation of sorts. Wear something that you’re comfortable in. Get into your zone and don’t worry about what others are doing or thinking. We have to get into our thoughts and turn the thoughts into positive action. Go, team, go!

And you have a line of cool new T-shirts!
Yes I have T-shirts! It’s hard to find yoga clothing anywhere in Paducah. The Yoga Room now has yoga pants, T-shirts, tanks and hoodies.

Chakra Ts is a cute new line of yoga clothing, designed by a woman in Louisville. Right now we have the tank and shortie for sleep, stretch or lounge in black or red. Each features a chakra design related to points of energy within the body.

Do the Chakra Ts have healing powers?
No healing powers! I wish! The other goodies at The Yoga Room are from Yoginistyle: yoga pants with built-in panties (no worry lines) and cute T-shirts with warrior, tree or triangle pose in lime, berry and pink.

You also have all those great soaps.
Yes, there’s the Organic Bath and Body Line from Indigowild called "Zum" and it’s Zumdelicious! I have sprays, soaps, lotions and more in lavender, lemongrass, patchouli and other scents. I also dabble in essential oils for aromatherapy. I use them so much myself, especially lavender oil. Peppermint is great for stomach problems.

And your 30 Minute Workout DVD?
Yes, it's two 30-minute segments of a cardio workout. One chapter is with hand weights and the other with a resistance band. The DVD comes with a band. It's $16.95 and has a money-back guarantee. I stand behind it, and everyone who has bought it loves the results. To order, just call The Yoga Room. I’ll deliver or mail or people can pick up.

I love watching you on WKCTC Channel 2!
I got the idea for A Better You with Suzi Renaud when I saw that so many people were out of shape and most couldn’t afford to go to the gym. So now the show can bring fitness into everyone’s living room.

But some people tell me they watch for entertainment. I get a few stares and get stopped sometimes by people who say, "You’re the girl on TV. I love to watch and see what you’re going to do next.” So, if they are entertained, that’s great!

The show is online now, so you can watch it or download it anytime. And it's free, so there's no excuse not to exercise!

And you always look so cute on it!
Oh yes, I get dolled up for it! I get spray tanned and do the TV makeup and get the hair and stuff done. Thank God I don’t have to do this every day!

And tell us about the beautiful artwork in your studio!
The paintings came in a dream and took me a year to express because I didn’t know what I was doing. I went into an art store in Dallas, told the woman about the dream, had sketches with me and she suggested acrylics and certain size of canvas. Six hundred dollars later, I ran home to my apartment, emptied the bag and screamed.

I then ran back to work and came home that night and began the project. It about drove me crazy and I was a recluse for a good year. After I finished, they hung in a Dallas Gallery. The owner wanted to sell one, and I just couldn’t part with it, since the 10 make a group.

They were also shown in a downtown Paducah coffee shop before the Artist Relocation Program started. Then when I opened The Yoga Room, they went on the wall. People like them — they find them a focus point. Kids especially like them for some reason. I look at them now and think my hand was led by something other than myself.

They're gorgeous pieces, no doubt about it! What do you do when you're not stretching and sweating?
I act like I’m on vacation and float. I love to go for a coffee and lounge, paint, write, water the plants, read, go to a movie, write a letter, play mahjongg or Scrabble, and I’m just now learning to play duplicate bridge.

And you're open to dating?
I don’t know. I’ve been around the block a few times. I think I’ll know when it’s the right time. I’ve never been into dating just to be going out. I’m too real for that.

Suzi with iList Paducah's Nikki May (left) at the Yeiser's PostSecret Secret Songs reception Saturday night.

What kind of fella are you interested in?
Well, is it too late for tall, dark and handsome? That’s OK. I’ve had that.

How about someone who speaks another language and has traveled outside the US? Now, don’t get me wrong, I’ve been to the rodeo with the best of them and have dosied, doed to the Cotton Eyed Joe. And I still can! Let’s just say I’d rather be listening to opera and drinking champagne!

Me, too! Well, the champagne part anyway! Does he have to be fit?
I think the fella may need to be fit to keep up with me — if not for a run, at least in conversation. And if he plays Scrabble, that’s another plus! Truly, just someone who is intelligent, kind, trusting, honest and knows himself would be a candidate.

But, I’m not actively looking. I’ve looked around the world in my travels, and I think he’s in a cave somewhere. Someone told me once, it happens when you’re not looking, and there’s a lid to every pot. Where’s mine?

I feel your chakras, beautiful Suzi Renaud. He's out there in the universe somewhere, waiting for your sweet spirit!

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