Brush Prairie native offers healthful food, fitness classes

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BRUSH PRAIRIE – The rain clouds have covered 90 percent of the sun’s rays on this dismal January afternoon, but inside Brush Prairie’s newest shop, Northwest Organic Nutrition & Fitness, owner Shay Stiles is bright and cheerful.

“I’m super excited to see people coming in and supporting us,” Stiles says, smiling as she halves an avocado for her 5-year-old daughter, Alexa’s late-afternoon snack. “It’s been awesome so far.”

A Brush Prairie native, Stiles says she’s excited to be home again, after many years of travel with her family.

“It’s so nice to be back,” says the 30-year-old mother of two young girls. “Brush Prairie has a real sense of community and the people here have been wonderful.”

A 2004 Prairie High School graduate, Stiles moved out of the area after high school to attend Western Washington University. There, she met her husband, Benjamin Stiles, and the couple married in 2006. By 2008, Stiles had given birth to the couple’s first daughter, Cailyn, 7, and Benjamin’s welding job was taking them all around the United States. In 2014, the family returned to Brush Prairie and Shay started thinking about her future.

“The girls were in school and I had to do something,” Stiles says. “I was going crazy.”

Before she became a mother, Stiles was on a path toward becoming a nurse. She studied anatomy and physiology and nutrition in college and had become passionate about health and nutrition after the birth of her daughters, but nursing would have been too time-consuming.

“I really wanted to be a nurse, but when I thought about the 12-hour shifts and about being away from my kids, I knew I didn’t want that,” Stiles says.

What she really wanted, Stiles says, was to work somewhere she loved and still be able to be around for her young children. Her new business, Northwest Organic Nutrition & Fitness, was a perfect solution.

“I had always loved the social aspect of fitness classes,” Stiles says. “And I am passionate about nutritious, organic foods, so I thought this would be a good fit.”

Located at 15317 NE Caples Road in Brush Prairie, the new business combines healthful foods with an abundance of fitness classes.



In one room, customers can order a wholesome, organic breakfast, lunch or dinner (think greek yogurt with bananas and honey; black bean soup; or Stiles’ favorite, the wild-caught tuna wrap on a whole wheat tortilla with special organic sauce, tomato and spinach), grab a cup of fair-trade coffee or tea or order one of Stiles’ specialty shakes with nutrition-rich add-ons like superfood greens supplement, aloe, mangos and sunflower butter.

“A lot of people think of low-fat diets or other fad diets when it comes to (losing weight), but I’m a strong believer in eating real food, food that doesn’t have preservatives or added ingredients,” Stiles says. “We are pretty much all organic here. I’d say more than 90 percent of the ingredients are organic … even our coffee is organic and fair-trade … and I’m trying to use seasonal, local produce whenever possible. I’m actually looking for more local, natural products to bring in, so if (farmers or natural food product producers) in the area want to come in or call or email me, that would be great.”

The other half of the business hosts the fitness classes. Here, customers of all ages – from toddlers to seniors – can find a fitness class that meets their interests and availability. There are boot camps, dance classes, yoga, circuit training and strength classes for the adults, as well as tumbling classes, mom/baby classes and an in-the-works special needs fitness class for the little ones.

“We have a huge variety of fitness classes – from little kids to older adults,” Stiles says. “I don’t think the fitness class schedule will change too much. If anything, we’ll add more classes.”

The fitness classes cost $6 for drop-ins or $50 for 10 classes. Children ages 5 to 13 years can accompany their parent to any dance mix class for free. To see a full class schedule, visit the business in Brush Prairie at 15317 NE Caples Road to pick up a paper copy, or go online tohttp://nw-organic.weebly.com.

For people who want to challenge themselves to get in shape, eat healthier foods and lose weight, Stiles offer five-week weight-loss challenge programs. Participants will keep a food and exercise journal and visit with Stiles once a week, for five weeks, to weigh-in and discuss their nutrition and fitness achievements and goals.

The next five-week weight loss challenge begins on Thurs., Feb. 25. There is a $50 entry fee to join the weight-loss challenge, but participants have a chance to win prizes for their weight-loss successes – the person who loses the highest percentage of weight will receive a four-night vacation package and Stiles says there are other cash prizes for participants who meet other achievements, such as “most inches lost” and “most pounds lost.”

Interested in learning more about the new Northwest Organic Nutrition & Fitness? Visit them at at 15317 NE Caples Road in Brush Prairie any time between 7:30 a.m. and 8 p.m., Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. on Fridays, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays or by appointment on Sundays. Or, visit the new business online athttp://nw-organic.weebly.com or on Facebook.

To contact Stiles about fitness classes, private lessons or personal training, email nworganic@hotmail.com or call (360) 600-7376.