Who we are

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Who we are *

A woman with black hair and a tattoo of the earth on her shoulder, smiling and holding her shoulder in a modern kitchen with various vegetables and cooking ingredients on the counter.

ITā€™S TIME TO STEP INTO YOUR NEXT ERA OF GROWTH.

Iā€™ll show you how to get there.

Catalina

A woman sitting cross-legged on a wooden floor with books, a pair of high-heeled shoes, an open notebook, and a dumbbell. She is in front of a gray tiled wall decorated with four wooden wall art pieces.

GUIDED/ EMPOWERED / SUSTAINABLE

THE OLD WAY? Crash diets. Pushing through exhaustion. Feeling like your body is broken and no one gets it.

THE OLD WAY? Crash diets. Pushing through exhaustion. Feeling like your body is broken and no one gets it.

Woman lying upside down with her head on a chair and legs up against the wall, smiling while holding a black hat.

THE NEW WAY?

Sustainable, science-backed, and built around you. ā†’ Hormone-friendly routines that help you lose weight without burnout ā†’ Workouts that build strength in just 15ā€“20 minutes a day ā†’ A lifestyle that supports deep sleep, stable moods, and steady energyā€”naturally

Through The Flourish Forward Method, I help women reclaim their energy, rebuild their strength, and rise into a new season of life with clarity, confidence, and purpose.

A woman with black hair and light skin wearing a black wrap blouse and white pants standing in front of a bookshelf with framed artwork and books.

This isnā€™t just about feeling better. Itā€™s about stepping into your power.

Building real, lasting health.

Knowing that no matter what season youā€™re inā€”stress, hormones, setbacksā€”your body supports you because youā€™ve learned how to support it. Weā€™re done with forcing, chasing, and hoping for change. This is the new era of sustainable wellness, rooted in strength, clarity, and self-trust. Are you coming?

Woman in black tank top and jeans preparing a salad in a kitchen with fresh vegetables and condiments on the counter.

I AM CATALINA RUS

and I help women in perimenopause feel STRONG, BALANCED, and ENERGIZED againā€”without extreme diets, draining workouts, or hormone confusion.

I combine my expertise as a certified health coach, personal trainer, and yoga teacher to guide you toward sustainable, deep-health transformation.

A woman blowing a kiss toward the camera, standing in front of a black bookshelf filled with books and framed pictures, wearing a black blouse and white pants.
A woman with short dark hair, wearing a black sports bra and patterned leggings, is holding dumbbells while performing a lunge in a modern gym.

BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT I BELIEVE:

  • Your well-being deserves to be supported every dayā€”not just when life slows down.

  • Your energy should be consistent. Your progress should feel reliable.

  • Your transformation should be built to last.

A woman with shoulder-length black hair and a black blouse with puffy sleeves, posing thoughtfully with her chin resting on her finger in front of a black bookshelf with books and framed art.
A woman practicing yoga indoors on a blue yoga mat, performing a low lunge pose with her hands on her forehead, in front of a large window with a bright, sunny sky outside.

You didnā€™t start this journey to hustle harder. You started this to lead yourselfā€”to peace, to power, to the life youā€™ve been craving.

Hundreds of classes. Dozens of certifications. Years of experienceā€”and a lifetime of purpose.

For over a decade, Iā€™ve been in the trenches with my clientsā€”as a yoga teacher, personal trainer, and functional health coachā€”helping women rise from burnout, reconnect with their bodies, and finally feel strong, clear, and in control again.

MY JOURNEY

MY JOURNEY

A woman with black hair wearing a beige blazer and blue jeans sitting on a wooden floor, reading a book. A stack of books, an open book, a dumbbell, and a pair of high heels are nearby. The background features a gray wall with a grid pattern and framed wooden artistic pieces.

Has included seasons of burnout, rebuilding, and reimagining what ā€œhealthyā€ really means. I know what itā€™s like to give everything to othersā€”and still wonder if itā€™s enough. And Iā€™ve learned the truth: Itā€™s not about doing more. Itā€™s about doing what truly matters. Itā€™s about honoring your body, reclaiming your energy, and building a life that supports you back.

NOW, I HELP WOMEN CREATE A LIFESTYLE THAT DOESN'T JUST IMPORVE THEIR HEALTH-
IT FREES THEM TO FINALLY FEEL LIKE THEMSELVES AGAIN

Two women hugging and smiling in an office setting.
A woman with straight black hair wearing a black wrap top with ruffled sleeves standing against a black background.
A woman sitting on a kitchen counter with a mixing bowl, surrounded by fresh vegetables, in a modern kitchen setting.
A woman in a black tank top and blue jeans sitting cross-legged on a kitchen counter, holding a white bowl and wooden spoon, eating a leafy green vegetable from her hand, with a smile and her head tilted back.

HOW WE DO IT

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HOW WE DO IT ā‹†

THIS ISN'T ABOUT DOING MORE. IT'S ABOUT LEADING DIFFERENTLY.

A woman with shoulder-length black hair, wearing a black satin blouse and white pants, standing in front of a bookshelf with framed artwork and decorative vases.
A woman with black hair sitting on a stool near a window, wearing a black blouse and white pants, smiling softly with her hand on her face in a room with a bookshelf and framed pictures in the background.
A woman with black hair and a black blouse smiling and holding a yellow bell pepper in her right hand in front of a bookshelf with framed pictures and books.

  • Instead of jumping from trend to trend, we understand what your body actually needs during perimenopauseā€”and give it the precise support itā€™s asking for.

  • Instead of pushing through long, draining workouts and restrictive eating, we build daily rituals that nourish, strengthen, and energizeā€”without burnout.

  • Instead of trying to willpower our way through fatigue and cravings, we create sustainable systems that sync with your hormones, nervous system, and lifestyle.

MOST WOMEN WILL STAY STUCK

In a cycle of stress, inflammation, and burnout. Caught between doing ā€œeverything rightā€ and still not feeling like themselves. Exhausted from chasing quick fixes, only to end up back where they started.

BUT SOME WILL CHOOSE DIFERENTLY.

Theyā€™ll stop shrinking themselves to fit old expectationsā€”and start expanding into their full potential. Theyā€™ll build lasting energy, not just lose a few pounds. Theyā€™ll create rhythms and rituals that nourish their bodies, not punish them. Theyā€™ll become women who feel strong, clear, and deeply connected to who they areā€”at every age, through every season.

WHICH ONE WILL YOU BE?

HOW I GOT HERE

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HOW I GOT HERE ā‹†

  • THE JOURNEY THAT BUILT THE METHOD

    From Romanian roots to wellness revolutionā€”this is how it all began.

  • Before 2006: Rooted in Simplicity

    Born and raised in Romania, I was an active kid who loved sports, nature, and movement. My grandparents taught me the art of nourishmentā€”planting vegetables, harvesting fruit, and cooking everything from scratch. I didnā€™t know it then, but those early lessons in food and connection would shape everything I do today.

  • 2006: A New World, A New Chapter

    At 24, I moved to the United States with dreams of pursuing acting. But I was met with cultural shock, deep homesickness, and the real-life crash course of becoming an adult in a new land. The transition was anything but easy.

  • 2016: India + Inner Peace

    Yoga didnā€™t just change my bodyā€”it changed my mind. In 2016, I traveled to India for a 9-week teacher training that transformed my approach to wellness. I returned home ready to share that power, and for the next 8 years, I taught yoga in studios and cities across the U.S.

  • 2015ā€“2020: The Deeper Work

    During these years, I invested in becoming a well-rounded expert: Certified Health Coach Certified Personal Trainer Certified HIIT Instructor And a whole new mindset around sustainable wellness for women in transition

  • Today: Flourish Forward

    Now, I help women navigate perimenopause with clarity, strength, and confidenceā€”combining science, soul, and strategy. The journey hasnā€™t been easy, but itā€™s been worth every step. And now, Iā€™m here to walk beside you as you take yours.


  • 2025 Marks My Next Era.

    This year, everything shifted. I spent years guiding others through transformationā€”teaching yoga, coaching women, training clients, helping them reconnect to their strength. But 2025 marks my next era. Iā€™m no longer just the coach who helps you eat better, move more, or manage stress. Iā€™m here to lead a movementā€”for women in perimenopause to own their evolution, reclaim their vitality, and build habits that last for life. Pay It Forward Wellness was my foundation. The Flourish Forward Method is my voice. Because this isnā€™t just about feeling better in your body. Itā€™s about stepping into your powerā€”with clarity, strength, and self-trust. This is your time. And Iā€™m here to help you flourish forward.

A woman holding a bunch of kale in front of her face in a modern kitchen with a wooden cutting board, various fruits and vegetables, and bottles on the counter.

AND NOW

Iā€™M INVITING YOU TO STEP INTO YOUR NEXT EVOLUTION WITH ME

JOIN THE MOVEMENT