Nashwa Krisht

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Nashwa Krisht holds several titles, from dietician to certified personal trainer to half marathoner to wife.

 

But to Krisht, the most important title that she has held is mom, with four children: Geenah, 26, Liana, 24, Ayah, 19, and Hasun, 17.

 

“I look at all of my kids with pride, and I feel like I can even look up to them. That tells me that I did a great job. They are my life. Thank God I have a great supportive husband. He is a very hard worker.”

 

Although Krisht was born in Michigan, she moved to Lebanon with her parents as a small child and was raised there. She studied nutrition and eventually married her husband, Ali Krisht, who she says is an amazing neurosurgeon. The two moved to Arkansas in 1994 and have called Little Rock their home ever since. 

 

Krisht talks about the importance of familial love and support, especially in trying times such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. 

 

“Behind every great man is a great woman. My husband tells me, ‘If you think about it, I could not have reached what I reached without you’. It’s nice to be appreciated. It makes you feel better.”

Nashwa Krist, her husband Ali and her children: Geenah, 26, Liana, 24, Ayah, 19, and Hasun, 17

Fortunately, she has been able to find an unexpected positive to the pandemic: spending time with family. 

 

“We cannot wait for this pandemic to be behind us, but one thing that I’m thankful for is that I get to see my kids more often,” Krisht says. “My heart is complete when I have them all in my nest under my wings.”

 

Krisht has also been soul searching for the last few months and took advantage of the time at home to receive a certification as a personal trainer. 

 

“I want to help people reach health goals and instill confidence in their lives. I’ve always helped my family, but I would love to extend that further.”

 

Krisht is hesitant to talk about her future goals and plans, as she is more determined to do things than say that she will do them. She speaks fondly of a quote that she follows: “You are what you do, not what you say you’ll do.” 

 

There was a mention of possibly creating “a gym for kids who don’t have the financial means to join a gym.” 

 

“It’s all cooking in my head, but I would rather do something than say that I want to do something,” she says. 

 

When asked what advice she gives to other women, Krisht says “when you get to the point where you see in yourself what others see in you, I think that’s a great accomplishment– I consider that success. Believe in yourself, that you’re smart and that you’re enough. If we undervalue ourselves, the world will do the same. If we love ourselves, that is what matters.”

 

Furthermore, Krisht points out that “women wear a million hats at one time, and I think that’s what makes us unique.” She says, “I feel like women carry the world on their shoulders, and do it with abundance and strength…One of my children once told me that I was the glue of the family, and I really do feel like a woman is the glue that holds a family together.”

READ MORE: Anna Beth Gorman Lifts Up the Voices of Women in Arkansas