Fitgirlsrock!! Be Bold. Be Badass. Be You.

Fitgirlsrock

 Be Bold. Be Badass. Be YOU!

It occurred to me just now, yes just now, weird I know, that I have never explained the meaning of my logo or where it came from. Now with that being said, I guess it can be fairly self explanatory in one respect but I figured I’d break it down and explain it from my own perspective. 

Fitgirlsrock! That’s a given. I mean who can argue that!?! We just are. We are strong, confident and yes, we are badass. 

I recently saw this thing on Facebook that goes something like “anyone who knows me knows I love ______________” and your friends get to answer what they think you love. One of the first responses for mine after squats ( ;) ) was empowering women. I love, love, love this!! It’s absolutely true but I never realized other people saw me that way as well. 

To be bold is to be daring. To step outside the realms of your comfort zone and discover your limitless potential. To choose what you want from life, give fear a punch in face and not stop until you've reached whatever it is that you decided you wanted from this life of yours. 

I discovered my own boldness, my own limitless potential through weight lifting. In fact, I found myself through lifting heavy shit. Weight lifting has a special way of seeping into all other aspects of your life. It just does. There is just something to be said for that moment when it’s just you and the bar; completely focused, all other thoughts gone. You against you. That’s not to say it’s easy because it’s not but isn’t that the point? It shouldn’t be easy; the hard is what makes it great!

To be badass is to be confident, strong and passionate. To carve your own path. To know what you want and to be fearless of the hard work it takes to get it. It’s about caring less what people think of you and instead, just being yourself. It is that certain 'je ne sais quoi' that comes from being your own free self. Grabbing life by the horns and doing what you are passionate about.  

A few years ago while I was still working in the corporate world, I had a one-on-one meeting with a fellow colleague; another woman actually. In this meeting, this woman told me that I was overly confident and, not in these words exactly, but that I needed to be knocked down a peg. Now, I am not going to sit here and tell you that this didn’t affect me because yes, it absolutely did. It bruised my self confidence for a little bit and I even began to doubt myself. That is until I realized something, I am confident, I am bold and I am the master of my own ship. It was because of my bold attitude that certain people were resentful, even jealous. You will run into them in this life as well but don’t let them break your confidence. Exercise your boldness. Dare to be yourself! 

Lastly, to be YOU is probably the most important. Why try and be someone or something you are not? We were all created as wonderful, unique individuals and that is what makes us great. Learn how to be who you are, who you were meant to be. Accept yourself; your weaknesses and your strengths, they make you, you. Shine your brightest, be happy, embrace who you are, flaws and all, and love your ‘You’. Be proud of your very own uniqueness. It is beautiful!

And so, this is what it means to be bold, to be badass and to be YOU! 

Until next time,

New program - an update

In mid February of this year, I hired a new coach. A coach who specializes in metabolic damage and repairing it. I needed the help and the expertise. My own research was helping but even though I'm a personal trainer myself, I couldn't seem to come up with the right program that would fix it. In hindsight, it seems as though I really wasn't following a particular program at all or at least not for long enough. 

In the beginning stages with this particular coach, I was following a 4 day split push/pull program with 1 cardio day/week and 2 rest days. I was, and still am, eating a considerable amount of clean, whole food and I noticed differences in my energy levels, hunger levels and so on almost immediately. This stage of my program lasted for 16 weeks. In that 16 weeks, I counted no calories or macros but I did stick to a solid meal plan eating every 2.5-4 hours that included weighing and measuring all my portions, but DIDN'T include me giving up any one macro. Woohoo....lots of carbs!! 

Early May, at about week 12 of the phase 1programming, our city was evacuated & some of it destroyed by wildfire :( Homes & businesses were lost, everyone was displaced and we were all anxious and stressed. Almost immediately, upon being forced out of my home, my digestion was off, my appetite was all but gone, my sleeping patterns were off and so much more was out of sorts. To say the program was disrupted is an understatement. We were evacuated for a month; thankfully our home was ok but others were not as fortunate. Coming back to the city was also very traumatic, emotional, devastating, HARD but we are here and we are strong! #fortmacstrong

While evacuated I maintained the majority of my workouts and cardio. The biggest area of struggle for me was my food intake. I just didn't feel like eating; so although my nutrition was still good & clean, I was eating like a bird for the most part. After getting home and getting back to a somewhat normal lifestyle again, I continued on for another 4 weeks of the phase 1 programming. I lost a total of 8lbs (scale). I noticed some slight changes in my bodies leanness and my clothes fit better but it was the way I felt overall that was the biggest improvement during this phase. Energetic, so much hungrier, sleeping better and just that feeling of being healthier in general.  

At 16 weeks, my program was switched to a hypertrophy and conditioning style. 5 day muscle group splits with no cardio requirements. My nutrition plan hasn't changed at all and I am actually just starting week 11 of this phase 2 program tomorrow. 

What have I noticed so far during phase 2? Well I am getting considerably stronger & pushing myself to lift heavier weight all the time. I feel full of energy and I feel very healthy from the inside out. Other people are starting to notice and comment on my leanness and I can notice a little more myself as well. I weighed myself today, just because I was curious, but no change since in scale weight. I am now at a point in my life where I just shrug this off. It doesn't bother me because I am educated & happy enough with myself to know the scale means sh*t lol. My clothes fit better than they have in awhile and I'm happy with the programming, weekly check-ins and my meal plan.

It's been a tough road for me, dealing with this issue. Lots of tears have been shed, but for once, I finally feel like I am on the right track. Doing it the right way! It's been a slow process which I know is the best way to do anything & maintain it for the long term. These are the things I preach myself as a personal trainer. 

If you've been following my journey from the beginning, you know how much I struggled with this issue. If there is one thing I hope you've taken from my experience it is that you've learned to never give up, to be resilient and keep pushing. 

The difference between those who succeed and those who don't is the fact they don't quit. When faced with obstacles, figure out a way through it. Never throw in the towel. When our desire to succeed becomes stronger than our excuses, then we will do great things.

Until next time,

Health is a feeling not a number

Late September 2011 on our honeymoon to last week 2016. #fitgirlsrock

To some this will look like a before and after photo, some may not see that much difference, while others will, but to me, this is a process photo. A photo of a cardio only junkie to a strong, badass weightlifting woman. A woman who is still progressing, still working hard and still learning about herself. This journey; the journey of health and fitness shouldn't have an expiration date. It is an endless journey.

In the last 5 years, I've struggled many times. I've seen ups and downs and I'll be the first to tell you that it isn't easy but I'll also be the first to tell you that it IS so worth it.

For a long time, I was a cardio junkie. I would run 5 to 6 days per week and not lift any weights and I saw little to no change in my body. Sure I lost a few pounds on the scale but I didn't have any muscle, I didn't feel strong or confident, at least not like I do today.

Since October of 2011, I have significantly changed my physique and my outlook. I lost some weight initially and built some muscle, then dieted down for a fitness competition, then put on some weight and some more muscle. I tried leaning out many times since then to no avail, due to a damaged metabolism. Now, I'm working on repairing my metabolism with a coach, eating significantly more food, doing cardio only 1 day/week and feeling better overall than I have in months. Plus I've learned to listen to my body.

I'd also like to point out that in the honeymoon pic 2011 I weigh less than I do now. smile emoticon But, it is also not just the physical changes. It is the extra confidence. The lifting heavy and being comfortable in your own skin. The strength of a determined woman. It is the energy to do so much and feel so good from the inside out. The healthy hair, nails and skin. The feeling of health. No physical appearance can beat that feeling.

I am working on myself all the time both in the gym and out. Nutrition, workouts, rest, learning, reading and so much more. I have been working with this new coach to repair my metabolism for 9 weeks now and I'm already learning new things about my body. The changes I see physically aren't big ones but it's the ones that I can't see that I am focusing on. More energy, better sleep, hungrier more often and so on. I am currently lifting 4-5 days/week and doing cardio once.

It's important to remember that this journey is ultimately about health not a number. It is about feeling better in your own skin, having more energy, etc. Workout, eat well, track your food (journal everything), learn about your body; what works for it and what doesn't, take note of how you feel. Do these things consistently over time and things will fall into place. Health is a feeling not a look. xoxo

Until next time,

Transformation Tuesday- Christie's story

This is my client Christie and here is her story.

"I've spent my entire life being overweight. Despite being bigger, I stayed quite active with team sports and outdoor winter activities when I was younger. After I moved away from home for college, I became less active and the weight started to pile on quickly. At my highest weight, I was 245 pounds. In my family, food was for celebration, family time, and any other type of emotion. I didn’t learn how to listen to my body and focus on my nutritional needs. Due to carrying around all of the extra weight, I started to have pain in my lower back in my early 20’s and I aggravated the pain with a fall down the stairs. The doctor didn’t seem to have any cure for my pain so he told me I would need to learn to live with it. Rather than accepting that, I decided that losing weight and gaining core strength was something I could control that might help. I started eating paleo in 2014 and immediately noticed I had more energy and the urge to move more. After some work with a physiotherapist and massage therapist, my pain was under control enough that I could start working out. A personal trainer seemed like the safest way to learn how to lift weights and help me focus on my goals. In March of 2015, I met Melissa and haven’t looked back since. She has helped me with knowledge, motivation, and goal setting. I’m now down to 165 pounds and pain free. I still have my struggles day-to-day with eating clean and finding time to workout, but I remind myself of how far I have come and that this is a life-long journey. ☺ "

So proud of this girl. I see her work hard. I see her get out of your comfort zone and I see the confidence that she has built in yourself. Christie has come a long way. Her back pain is gone, her core and body overall are so much stronger. Way to go, Christie!! 

Until next time,

10,000 Kettle Bell Swing Challenge

To say I enjoy the kettle bell is an understatement. I love incorporating it into my routines and actually do so quite often.

Before I went on vacation in August a friend of mine was completing a challenge from T-Nation; The 10,000 Kettlebell Swing Challenge to be exact. It intrigued me so much that I decided to take it on right after I got back. My main goal here was to improve both my grip strength and my hip hinge with the hopes of improving my 1RM deadlift.

I started the 4 week program on August 10th. 500 swings per day, 5 days a week. 2 days on with 1 day rest and so on. The first 4 days of the week another exercise is incorporated with the swings and then on the final day of each week you just swing. The program recommends that women use a 35lb Kettlebell, however I didn't have one of that size so I went with the 40lb instead.

The first week was the toughest. I was sore every day but by the second week and every week there after it got better; my time was faster and so on.

At the end of the 4 weeks; I was able to complete all 500 swings in 18:27:22 compared to 28:58:57 in week 1.

Other improvements noted:
- Grip improved dramatically
- Power and strength both improved
- Endurance improved
- Accumulated lean mass
- Recovery improved
- Time improved as noted above
- Required rest between swing sets became less and heart rate recovered quicker

I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge and would consider it again in the future with a heavier kettle bell.   I am enjoying the kettle bell so much that I have decided to move forward with a Level 1 certification from Agatsu Inc. This certification is taking place September 26 & 27 :) I'm stoked!!

If you are at all interested in the kettle bell and/or an added challenge; you should definitely try it out.
Here is the link from T-Nation. https://www.t-nation.com/workouts/10000-swing-kettlebell-workout

Good Luck and let me know how you do if you try it!

Until next time,

P.S. You will get calluses and yes they may rip but it just makes the challenge and you that much more Badass ;)

Live your Passion

Hi fitness friends.

I know it has been a very long time since I have written a post but, well let's just say; I've been a little busy ;)

I have officially opened my own personal training studio out of my home and I have gotten super busy, all in a fairly short time, which is extremely awesome. I am so happy to be doing what I love, to be helping others in the process and to be living my passion.

Personal training/ nutrition are now my full time job/business. No more office work for moi! I am my own kick a$$ boss now :)

There is certainly something to be said for going after your dream, jumping in and living the life you always imagined. There is also something to be said about the power of prayer, in being patient and in believing not only in yourself but also your abilities and your destination. I finally believe that I am doing what I was put here on earth to do. Exciting!!!

Other kick a$$ benefits of being your own boss in your own home.
#1 Pure happiness as mentioned above.
#2 No alarms required. I have early clients but I never use an alarm clock because I am always happy and eager to start the day.
#3 Yoga pants. I haven't worn jeans in about 3 months lol
#4 I get my own workouts in throughout the day (whenever I want) or early in the morning before clients
#4 I don't have to leave the house and I still get to socialize and I get housework done between clients as well

So much awesomeness. Can you tell I am happy?

I have also since started and am half way through the Precision Nutrition Level 1 certification. I am working on a 300lb deadlift (I'm at 265lbs for 1 rep), I am also training for a 10 mile race that my sister asked me to do with her this coming July and I have even had some Fitgirlsrock tank tops made.

If these interest you; please email me at

fitgirlsrock.melissa@gmail.com to order

Until next time,

Healthy Planet: Health food and Supplements

Good afternoon fitness peeps.

I wanted to share with you a recent experience I had with the online supplement/health food store; Healthy Planet.

http://www.healthyplanetcanada.com has so many great products to offer and what makes it even better is that you can simply place your order and have it all delivered right to your door. I don't know about you but with my busy lifestyle that is a great bonus.

I decided to try it out for a couple of reasons
#1 I wanted to share the experience with all of you
#2 the convenience of having my supplements delivered now that I have officially opened my new business is of great benefit to me

So I perused the site, found my staple supplements as well as a couple of new things and placed my order. It was easy peasy to navigate the site and my supplements were all available. Yippee!!!

Now as most of you know, I live in Northern Alberta so typically it takes quite awhile for shipments to get here, however not this one, within a week I had my order and was enjoying my supplements.

If you haven't tried this site; I highly recommend it. Easy to use, has a huge variety of products, delivery to your door, and as an added bonus save 10% using code fitgirls10 until May 31, 2015.
Don't miss out; get your order in today. #healthyplanet

Now I bet you want to know what I ordered.  

My order consisted of my powdered BCAAs (Amino Energy), Greens powdered supplement (Vege Greens in blueberry flavour) and I also tried for the first time, Coco Natural...coconut seasoning sauce. My husband likes seasoning on his rice and this is a great alternative to soya sauce :)

oh and before I forget, another great thing about Healthy Planet is that they are a Canadian company. All products are in Canadian dollars. Yay! 

Happy Shopping!!

Until next time,

p.s. Don't forget code fitgirls10 saves you 10% on your order until May 31, 2015

Healthy Planet Store Offer

Good afternoon fitness peeps.

I am pleased to announce that my at home personal training studio is up and ready for clients. I actually have some bookings for tomorrow :) I am super excited about this new venture and following my passion of helping others achieve their fitness goals.

I have some other great news as well. This morning I was approached by Healthy Planet to offer all of my readers a 10% discount code to shop in their store. I just placed an order myself and this store has so much to offer.

The discount code is fitgirls10 and expires April 30, 2015 so don't wait; get your deal today.
Just visit: http://www.healthyplanetcanada.com/

Enjoy and comment below telling me what you order; I'd love to know :)

Thanks Healthy Planet!!

Until next time,

ISSA Specialist in Fitness Nutrition

Hi again.

Wow, twice in one week....I might actually be getting better at this blog again :)

I have news.

I registered for the ISSA Specialist in Fitness Nutrition certification in mid January and the course was honestly so interesting to me that I could hardly put the book down. I completed the course material within 3 weeks, finished the exam on Friday, Feb 13th and submitted it over the weekend.

Today, I got an email.

"Dear Melissa Shevchenko,
Congratulations on your successful completion of the ISSA Specialist in Fitness Nutrition (SFN) examination! We recognize that you put forth a tremendous amount of time and effort and we commend you on a job well done. If you continue to live the fitness lifestyle coupled with your newly acquired knowledge with regards to nutrition and dietary programming then I feel your career as an ISSA trainer will be long and lucrative. Overall you received a 92% final grade. Good luck on your endeavor as a Specialist in Fitness Nutrition."

I am so excited and so happy. The material in this course was extremely informative, useful and I am so happy to now be able to bring this to the table as well when helping clients.

Totally stoked to be able to add this to my list of qualifications and I may look at more courses as well in the near future but for now I need to get my personal training studio up and running to get clients rolling with programs and feeling great :)

Until next time,

Personal Development Reading and Book List

Hi Fitness Peeps,

I am a book worm.....I love to read and this morning I posted my latest book on my facebook page and since I got a lot of questions I thought I'd complete a list of personal development books I've read along with a brief review/explanation of them.

I am always looking for interesting books to read and I thought that you guys might enjoy the list as well. Feel free to add recommendations in the comments as I am always, always looking for something new to read or add to my list :)

#1 The 7 habits of Highly Effective People ~ I actually did a 2 day course on this book and I thoroughly enjoyed the interaction. I can be honest here and say that I am not sure I would of enjoyed the book quite as much without the course to go with it

#2 Devote yourself to an Ideal ~ Highly recommend. Very captivating and motivating (online only)

#3 Wheat Belly ~ Another good book especially if you are interested in the effects of certain foods on the body or are wondering about a food allergy/intolerance

#4 Metabolic Damage and the Dangers of Dieting ~ If you are concerned that you may have metabolic damage or are wondering what it is, this is a good read. (Online only)

#5 Burn the Fat; Feed the Muscle ~ Phenomenal book. I learned a lot and enjoyed the read

#6 The Love Dare ~ My husband and I are still working through this book as we chose to read this one together. After each chapter there are tasks to do and I feel the book teaches you a lot about yourself, your spouse and your marriage plus it opens up to some great communication

#7 The Compound Effect ~ Very well written, very captivating and motivating

#8 Spartan Up! ~ As you all know, I am a fan of Spartan races and if you are as well or if you are thinking about doing one, I recommend this read

#9 What on Earth am I here for? ~ If you are not a spiritual person this book may not be for you. It is a religious book about God and living your life the way he wants you to. I don't consider myself a highly religious person however I did enjoy this book and it certainly got me thinking

#10 The Fast Metabolism Diet ~ I bought and read this book as I have been having issues with leaning out and issues with my metabolism. I followed the plan and although I felt good energy wise, it didn't repair whatever is wrong with my metabolism as it suggests that it would. However I am just speculating that I have a metabolism issue as there does not seem to be any other explanation at this point. If you are curious about your metabolism, it may be worth a read

#11 The Big Picture ~ Another very motivating and captivating book. Recommended read

#12 The Power of Now ~ Although I enjoyed this book it took me awhile to really get into it. Once I did however it was very enlightening

#13 Wild ~ Although may be not a personal development book per say, it does get you thinking about life, love, loss, etc. I can't wait to see this movie and I loved the book

#14 The Burn ~ Another book by the author of The Fast Metabolism Diet. It is an ok book and an interesting read in some respects. I haven't tried any of the plans and I likely won't but she has different plans for when you seem to be doing everything right but the scale is stuck for what seems like no reason. Her plans are based on food for hormone imbalance, etc

#15 The 5 Love Languages ~ Loved this book. So easy to read, so enlightening and all about finding your love language vs your spouses love language, etc. Everyone has a different love language. My husband is reading this one next. Recommend

#16 The Gifts of Imperfection ~ I just finished this one last night. Another enlightening book that I would recommend

#17- You are a Badass ~ I'm just starting this one but I will say that I have heard nothing but good things about it

I have 1 other here in the house waiting to be read and that one is Push. There may be others that I have forgotten here but I think I have covered most of them :)

If you are interested in seeing some of the other books on my list or others that I will add for future reading I pin them on my "Personal Development Book Love" Board on Pinterest. See link below.
https://www.pinterest.com/mshevchenko/personal-development-book-love/

If you are reading a book or have any that you would recommend, please comment below and I'll be sure to add them to my list. I just love to read!! :)

Until next time,

Fitgirlsrock Personal Training Studio- Why?

Hi Fitness Peeps,

I wanted  to take the time to give you more details about my Fitgirlsrock pt services, studio and why I decided to go for it.

As the majority of you know, fitness has been my passion for a very long time. I played team sports in highschool and in my university years I became a runner and an occasional weight lifter. The running and occasional weight lifting aspects continued for years but I wasn't seeing the significant improvements in my body cosmetically that I wanted. I had goals.....I wanted to lift heavier but wasn't sure I knew how to do so properly, I wanted to compete and I wanted to feel good both inside and out, so in 2011 I decided to hire a trainer. I hoped to achieve the goals I just mentioned, to learn more about lifting/training in general and also about clean eating.

I actually achieved all of those goals and many more. I listened to my trainer, I asked questions, I trained hard, I learned what clean eating actually was, I became a gym rat and I loved it. In November of 2012, I stepped on stage....an amazing accomplishment for me and I haven't looked back. I actually created this page just after that competition and started my blog as a way to journal my journey to the stage. In June and every June following, a couple of friends and I complete in Femsport, I've completed many races over the years and started running Spartan OCRs in 2013 and in 2014 I achieved my Spartan Trifecta.

As you can probably tell, fitness is now one of my biggest passions in life. I have seen setbacks, I have struggled and still do but I have never, ever given up and I believe that I, like my own trainer at the time, walk the walk and talk the talk. I eat clean with an occasional treat, I lift heavy, push my body and I believe in doing things the natural way. It is amazing what the human body can do :)
In early 2014, I completed my ISSA personal training certificate and from there I was employed part-time by Gym Nation. In December of 2014, during a conversation with my husband, I decided to build my own gym and to use it as a pt studio to take clients and train them from my home. I did this for a couple of reasons #1 I, personally, wanted my own gym so I could work out anytime I wanted and to also make it easier for my husband who gets home from work a lot later #2 I had talked to many women who wanted to make a change and wanted to workout but are intimidated by the bigger gyms, are shy and would prefer one on one private services #3 By creating a gym and taking clients from here I can make it less expensive for clients as there is no membership fee just my pt rate #4 I want to make fitness my full time career.

Fast Forward to today and the personal training studio is almost ready. Construction will be completed this week, from there equipment will be moved in and setup and then final touches/decor and I'll be ready for business. While the space will not be huge, it will certainly provide everything I need to help clients (women only) workout and achieve their goals. I hope to be open for clients by late February (date to be confirmed).

I am also in the process of studying to complete my ISSA specialist in Fitness Nutrition Certification as another means of helping my clients. I actually just opened  my exam....eek!

In closing, I want to thank Andrew Bambury, who trained me and who I feel to be one of the most influential people in setting me on this path, to my hubby who always said "go for it; you can do it", to all my friends and family and to all my followers here on this page.

I truly believe that helping people with health and fitness is what I was meant to do and so here I am.
For more information on my pt services, opening date on my studio, etc please send an email to fitgirlsrock.melissa@gmail.com

Until next time,

Fitgirlsrock Personal Training Studio

Sorry that I haven't written or provided any updates in such a long time. It has been a hectic 2015 so far and I have already put some of my biggest goals into motion. Yay me!

Happy New Year!!!!

My biggest news of the year so far is that I have took the leap and am working on opening my own Fitgirlsrock personal training studio (women only) out of my home. I am hoping (fingers crossed) to open and start taking clients as early as mid to late February. I am renoing my basement and while it is not a huge space I am fairly confident that it will provide all my clients need as well as fulfill my own training needs as well. You may be wondering what happened to my position at Gym Nation.....nothing...I am still employed there as a trainer but I felt the need to do this for myself but also for all those women who #1 may not be able to afford both a gym membership and personal training fees together #2 may also be intimidated by the gym or just shy in general.

*Coming soon to Fort McMurray,AB*

So that's my biggest news. We are at the painting stage, flooring next, wall mirror install and then moving in the equipment. I have gotten all my stuff from the Fitness Depot so far, well that is any additional stuff that I didn't have before. What sorts of equipment will this gym have? I'm so glad you asked...lol

Power rack/smith machine combo complete with chin-up bar, cable system and attachments
treadmill
Olympic bar and plates
EZ curl bar
Hex bar
battle rope
Swiss ball
bosu ball
bench (flat/decline/incline)
kettle bells
power blocks instead of dumb bells to save space
TRX
lebert bars
push/pull sled
agility ladder
plyo boxes
medicine balls
skipping rope
ab roller
foam rollers
mats
chin-up/dip bar for doorway
big a$$ tire and sledge hammer

I'm super excited about this endeavour so if you are in Fort McMurray, Alberta or know anyone who is, please pass on the word. Contact fitgirlsrock.melissa@gmail.com for more info.

What else have I been up to? Another one of my goals for 2015 was to register and complete my ISSA Nutrition Certification. I just recently registered and so far I am finding the course very interesting and enjoyable.

Other goals are similar to other years; keep pushing on, keep beating PRs, some races will be had, some OCRs but I also want to focus this year on finding a good, comfortable balance.

So what are your 2015 goals? I'd love to hear them.

Until next time,
Stay fit and healthy.

Fighting the Battle

Sometimes I feel like I am constantly fighting. Fighting the battle. I’m tired. I’m sore. Track that. Take that supplement. Need more water. Shouldn’t eat that. Definitely eat this. Prep this, plan that. Train harder. Train less. Ahhhhh……..

We Struggle. We all struggle but our health is worth fighting for and giving up just means starting over. So we keep pushing, tweaking, tracking.

Some days ...are more of a fight then others. Some days I’m slower, some days I dwell too much on my metabolic issues and wonder what is the point of it all but I NEVER give up. I refuse to give up.

In the long run when you look back; you can think about all you have accomplished, both big and small. Those things truly make it all worth it. Remember when I used to eat that? Remember when I could only lift that or only run this far?

And you’ll be running these things through your mind while beating a personal best, running your best time or wearing your favourite outfit.

Do you know that I don’t remember the last time I ate a chocolate bar, bought a bag of potato chips, drank soda or even ate French fries? It is just who I am now. I don’t miss those things.

You see my body doesn’t function well on too many carbs and there are certain foods that really irritate by IBS so I stay away from those. Period! Even cheat days or cheat meals are a part of the overall plan. They are a conscious thought. As athletes that’s what we do. We plan, prep and yes, sometimes we fight. It is hard!

One quote has stuck with me and still to this day I repeat it to myself when I need a reminder. “Of course it’s hard. It’s supposed to be hard. If it were easy everyone would do it. Hard is what makes it great.”
So fitness peeps.
This is a reminder that We. All. Struggle.
But we still keep fighting the battle.

Stay Strong and never give up!

xo

 

Until next time,

 

**Cyber Monday Sale** 20% off Nutrition Snob Clothing

Hey Fitness Peeps,

I have another great sale for you today for Cyber Monday.

Nutrition Snob Clothing is offering all of my followers 20% off using code CMFITGIRLSROCK at check out.

You don't want to miss out on these awesome, super comfy tanks, tees, scarves, and swetashirts. I love all of mine and I have a bunch :)

Visit https://nutritionsnob.com?ap_id=FitGirlsRock to get in on the sale...

Happy Shopping!!! :)

Pictured here: Endorphin Junkie sweatshirt. One of my favs

Gym Girl Gloves- 10% Discount

Just in time for Black Friday and the holidays, Gym Girl has announced these awesome new black leopard gym gloves.

Click on the following link and enter code LEOPARDLOVE at checkout for 10% off

https://gymgirl.refersion.com/c/c5226

Until next time,

Winter Fitness Interview with Betty LIVIN

I recently had an interview with Rachel at Betty LIVIN about how I overcome the cold, dark winters and still keep fitness a priority.

Here it is:

http://bettylivin.com/2014/11/10/winter-fit-with-fit-girls-rock/


Until next time,

Endometriosis- a silent but painful condition

So here is something I don’t talk about much and that not many people, outside my close family and friends, know about me. I have Endometriosis.

What is Endometriosis? An often painful gynecological disorder in which tissue that normally lines the inside of the uterus grows outside instead. Endometriosis most commonly involves your ovaries, bowel or the tissue lining your pelvis. Endometriosis can cause pain, in varying severity, especially during and just before your period. Typically menstrual pain for those with Endometriosis is far worse than the norm and tends to increase over time. Other symptoms include excessive bleeding, fatigue, bloating, nausea, headaches, pain with bowel movements/urination, pain with intercourse, diarrhea, constipation and infertility.

Personally, I don’t experience all of the symptoms listed above and some months are far better than others for me. There are months where I am so debilitated by my period that it leaves me curled up in a ball unable to go to work, where my only relief from the back and pelvic cramps is a heating pad or hot bath and where I am so bloated that I can’t fit into my jeans or pants. I start to experience my symptoms about a week before my period. During this week, I generally experience the extreme fatigue, bloating, sometimes spotting, headaches, body aches and pelvic pain. I have been known to exude flu like symptoms, even a sore throat and to only get two really good weeks out of a month.

Just last week I had another episode where I had that same debilitating pain, missed a day at work and spent the majority of the day curled up in a ball with my heating pad. I started a discussion about it on my facebook page and received a lot of comments from other women who suffer as well. It is a condition known all too well to those who suffer but one that is not very well known at all to others. It is basically an invisible disease, and because no one can see it, it is tough to understand just how bad it can really be. Its effects are definitely widespread.

So why am I writing all of this now? Good question. I have recently been doing a lot of research about Endometriosis, as it seems to have worsened again for me this year, and have come across some interesting blogs on the topic. I thought that I would write a brief overview of my own story

I was diagnosed with Endometriosis in 2007 after I stopped taking the birth control pill. I then noticed differences in my periods and menstrual cramps as well as some IBS like symptoms. In 2008, a laparoscopy was performed and many of the endometrial polyps were removed at this time. The procedure did bring significant relief to the pain I had been experiencing. However in 2011, when I began my road to fitness and clean eating, I noticed some drastic changes in my symptoms for the better and although the majority of these symptoms will clearly never go away, the lifestyle I lead certainly helps.

As long as I keep my diet consistently clean (I tend to find gluten free works for me) and don’t stray too far from those clean foods, stay as stress free as possible and continue training as I do then I am able to at least minimize the bloating, headaches, IBS symptoms, etc. The other pain associated with my period, changes constantly, making some months bearable while others are extremely debilitating. Hence the frustration living with this condition overall.

This blog is a little more personal than the content I normally share here but I have been contemplating writing this one for awhile. If you live with endometriosis, have you noticed any improvement in symptoms through clean eating and fitness or has it had no effect on your symptoms at all?

Until next time,

Conquering the Beast!

On Saturday, September 27, 2014 I took on the Spartan Beast obstacle course race in Sun Peaks, B.C. This race was the last requirement to complete my goal of attaining my trifecta in 2014. The weather was beautiful and I was especially thankful for that considering the previous year they were running in snow.

 

We arrived at the host hotel and event site on Friday. I picked up a flu bug earlier and wasn’t feeling the best so as soon as we checked into the hotel I went to bed hoping that I would feel much better in the morning. Luckily, although my cold was still present, I did in fact feel energetic and in good spirits for the event.

After picking up my pre-race package, having a carb and protein filled breakfast and stretching I lined up with the others for the 9am heat. Next the customary chanting of “I am Spartan, AROO!!” and we are off.  First obstacle, the Over, Under, Threw and then onward to the continuous climb up the mountain for what seems like forever before any other obstacles at all. The climb is challenging to say the least and I am left wondering how I could have trained differently to make it easier. Uphill hiking, maybe? Although everyone started out in a run I see no one running now and we are all simply hiking up the mountain. Eventually we come to the log carry and then almost immediately thereafter the Hercules hoist. Good, I think to myself, some obstacles to break up the climb. No such luck however. We are on the climb again. A couple more obstacles where spectators can watch, my husband is there to cheer me on and lift my spirits, a water station and we are climbing again. This climb much like the start seems never ending and by now everything is hurting. Calves, butt, hamstrings, quads……B U R N I N G!!!

 

Finally I make it to “The top of the World” as it’s called and everyone including myself is thinking ok downhill from here. Argh…the downhill only lasts for a short time and we are going up again. Many short downs plus several climbs later and finally I can see the finish line, hear the cheers and am headed down the home stretch.

I can honestly say that the obstacles were the easy part of this race. I was terrified of the covered trench obstacle, being that I am claustrophobic, but with a pep talk from a couple of people near me, I took it on and was happy that I did. I honestly didn’t have the energy for burpees. A little over 14 miles (almost entirely uphill) and 27 obstacles concluded the race. I did have to complete burpees for a couple of obstacles……Always at the spear throw and the rope climb at the end.

This race is by far one of the toughest things I have ever taken on both mentally and physically. There were a couple of moments throughout the race that I wanted to cry, especially at the bucket brigade- it was such a long trek with that bucket full of sand, but I didn’t cry, several of us let out a few choice curse words instead. I jumped the fire after 4:58:40 with a sense of relief, got both my medals, grabbed some water, hugged my husband and then the tears came. Silly? Maybe, but it was an emotional, tough journey.

 

I am very happy to have taken on this challenge. I achieved my trifecta goal and once again have proven to myself that I am not a quitter but most importantly that I can certainly do anything that I set my mind too.

A huge thank you to my husband for cheering me on, giving me a pep talk before, during and after the race, for telling me how proud he was of me, for my trifecta sweater and simply for the awesome support and encouragement.  

He is intrigued by the beast so it looks like we will be conquering this one together in 2015.

 

Until next time,

Why I became a Beach Body Coach

Hey Fitness Peeps!

In June I took the plunge and joined the Beach Body team as a coach. I had completed a couple of their programs in the past with clear results and had thoroughly enjoyed them. So I thought why not get more involved, especially when you have a simple to follow product that you can believe in. I have a couple of facebook friends who are coaches and so I started asking questions, getting more information and learning all that I could about Beach Body. 

Even though I joined in June, I actually hadn’t announced it officially until August for a few reasons.

1)      I was focusing solely on getting my personal training business started

2)      It was summer vacation time….hey, I was on vacation too!

3)      I was still learning a lot of the basic coaching skills and so I wanted to  be more comfortable before I really jumped in

 

Anyone who knows me knows how passionate I am about health and fitness. How important I think it is and how much I believe in being active and eating healthy for a long, full life. This is why I became a PersonalTrainer so that I could help people reach their full potential, show and teach them how to work out and provide them with proper nutritional guidelines and principles as well.
 
So what made me decide to become a coach?

In just a few words; “I wanted to motivate and help people achieve their fitness goals and enjoy the benefits of a healthy, active lifestyle.”

I became a ‘Beach Body Coach’ so that I could also reach out and help people who want to get into fitness, but, perhaps cannot afford a gym membership, a personal trainer or who simply don’t have the time to make it to the gym, yet still want to work out. Beach Body programs are designed specifically for these people. They are economical, simple to follow and they can all be done in the comfort of your own home, with full support from your very own Beach Body Coach.

 

When I became certified as a Personal Trainer earlier this year, I was contacted by so many people from my home town that wished me well and also wished that I was closer so that they could work with me. Beach Body now allows me to be that for them and so many others. By joining my Beach Body challenge groups, you get me as a coach automatically, to answer any questions and concerns but also to help motivate, inspire and help keep you on track.

So whether you’re new to fitness, on the diet rollercoaster, or just need that little push to keep you motivated and get you through, as a Beach Body coach, I can help.

Until next time,