Can you tell us about yourself and your fitness journey? And what was the biggest challenge you’ve faced on your journey? Dealing with and figuring out some odd gut issues.
Share your unique training/coaching methods I like to customize plans based on clients. There is no “cookie cutter” diet or exercise plan. I’m also extremely familiar with food allergies, intolerances and diets. I’ve worked with vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free diets to name a few. I have a passion for creating meal plans based on the client’s needs, goals and diet.
Training Plan: Depends on the client’s current situation, goals and timeframe.
Nutritional Plan: I enjoy customizing specific meal plans for each client. I am very nutrient-focused and believe, when possible, the majority of all nutrients should come from whole food sources, rather than powders or supplements.
Supplement Plan: Supplements are often needed for competitors, especially once calories are reduced. It’s often harder to get all nutrients from whole food sources when eating in a deficit. Supplements vary from client to client as well, and I rely heavily on bloodwork to create and modify a plan.
Do you prefer to take and recommend all-natural (no sugar, no artificial colours/flavours/sweeteners) supplements or supplements with artificial flavours and sweeteners? And Why? Yes; especially when in a deficit, our bodies have a hard time digesting anything artificial. I try to keep the toxin levels down as much as possible.
Please describe the importance of mental health Without stable mental health, it’s hard to have good physical health. Competing can be extremely stressful, and maintaining a sound mind is extremely important. I’m a huge believer in grounding as well as meditation and Gratitude Journals.
If you could ask Status Fitness Magazine Editor-in-Chief Rodney Jang any industry question, what would that be? Who has been the most motivational athlete you’ve had the opportunity to work with?
Status Fitness Magazine runs model searches across North America including the largest one at the Arnold Classic for the Status cover. As part of the Status family, you will receive a special participation invite. How excited are you for this opportunity? OMG wow! I would be honoured to go! Totally excited!
What does the future hold? My Pro Debut is September 30, 2023, in Phoenix, AZ. After that, I’m going to focus on getting healthy again and coaching others. I’m planning on taking a few years off before competing again, in hopes of bringing an even better package!
What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned? Listen to your coach! Also, I learned to really just be myself. Sometimes, we try to copy other athletes and attempt to perfect what they do on stage. I’ve found that to be extremely stressful. Instead, just go out there and have fun! Let your personality shine!
What does success look like for you? Setting goals and achieving them.
Connect with Danielle: IG Cover Photo By: Sean Nelson
I started my fitness journey over 15 years ago. I started off as a “cardio bunny” as some would say. I was afraid of weight lifting as I was under the misconception that lifting weights would make me bulky.
Age: 41
City/Country: San Francisco, CA
Occupation: Banking by day, and also in school pursuing my Psychology degree. I wish to specialize in PTSD and addiction and wish to incorporate holistic health and fitness into this framework.
Share your unique training/coaching methods. I approach my coaching style as tailored to the individual. Each person is unique, with unique challenges, habits, experiences, and even body types. I also focus heavily on the mental health aspect as I believe, real health results do not come from nutrition being 90% as it has been stated. The driving force behind it all is mental health. I also coach Flexible dieting. I don’t believe in cutting food groups or associating food as being good or bad as that contributes to unhealthy relationships with food and even, disordered eating.
Training Plan: My current training plan is lifting 4 days a week, yoga once and a daily step goal. I have 1-2 rest days a week.
Nutritional Plan: Flexible! My current plan is approx. 1800 cal, with specifically targeted macros. However, my goal to feel my best is to eat mostly whole foods and I allow myself to choose memories over macros when applicable. I enjoy friends’ birthday cakes etc! If one is consistent, balanced lifestyles and food freedom are achievable.
Supplement Plan: My current supplements are protein whey when I need more protein. I also take multivitamins, Fish Oil, Vitamin D and B12.
Do you prefer to take and recommend all-natural (no sugar, no artificial colours/flavours/sweeteners) supplements or supplements with artificial flavours and sweeteners? And Why? When I drink coffee, I prefer stevia. Just a personal preference. I feel that sugar is perfectly fine in moderation.
Please describe the importance of mental health. Mental health is the driving force behind every decision we make and ultimately can impact physical health. It is the most important aspect, I feel, of overall well-being.
If you could ask Status Fitness Magazine Editor-in-Chief Rodney Jang any industry question, what would that be? What was your most pivotal moment in both your personal fitness journey AND as an editor for Status Fitness Magazine?
Status Fitness Magazine runs model searches across North America including the largest one at the Arnold Classic for the Status cover. As part of the Status family, you will receive a special participation invite. How excited are you for this opportunity? I would love the opportunity!!! Was not expecting this opportunity, so I am very excited!!
What does the future hold? I have many goals! I wish to continue to inspire and help others through multiple channels including my self-improvement podcast “Getting Soul Fit”. I also wish to model more, write more articles, attend interviews on other podcasts, and currently, I am working on a TedX submission. The future is bright and I am beyond excited for it!
What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned? The biggest lesson I learned is, if you want to change for the better, do not wait. Do not wait for the perfect time, or anyone to come save you. You have to take advantage of the PRESENT moment because it is a gift and if you need help, absolutely ask.
What does success look like for you? Success to me, is doing what you love and helping others as a result. It is a piece of mind and true happiness in the freedom of living your truth.
I started lifting when I was 16 years old, but during my first years, I didn’t have much knowledge and made lots of mistakes. I did my first bodybuilding show when I was 18 and didn’t stop since then. Later I became an IFBB Pro. I’ve learned and still learning a lot about the sport, my body.
My current goal is to qualify for the Olympia, so I am taking some more time to build more muscle before coming back on stage again.
Age: 24
City/Country: Lithuania, Vilnius
Occupation Fitness Trainer, Online Coach
Share your unique training/coaching methods I hugely believe in the importance of mind-muscle connection, application of different intensity techniques and of course progressively overloading your muscles to challenge them and make them grow, and develop strength. The exact approach and exercise selection varies and should be unique to each person based on their body, goals, and training experience.
Training Plan: I currently lift 6-7 days per week and do 30 mins of cardio daily to start my day.
Nutritional Plan: I eat pretty much the same foods daily, current calories are high 2800-2900kcal to build muscle before getting back on stage.
Supplement Plan: I take pre-workout and pump products daily, mix EAAS in my water and drink them in my workouts, during the day. I love omegas, curcumin and vitamin D.
Do you prefer to take and recommend all-natural (no sugar, no artificial colours/flavours/sweeteners) supplements or supplements with artificial flavours and sweeteners? And Why? Depends on the person, but I don’t see anything bad in artificial sweeteners or flavoured supplements as long as it is reasonable. I use them daily myself.
Please describe the importance of mental health It’s everything. Without mental health, you won’t go far in Bodybuilding sports or simply in life. You need to be mentally strong, learn discipline and build the right habits to feel and perform well.
I really started focusing on my mental health more. Recently, I listen to podcasts that teach me new things and make me feel good. Walking and being with my own thoughts helps too. Journaling never worked for me, but I know people that love it. Many people don’t realize how important your thoughts, positive energy is. It can take a lot of work and effort at first, but this is how we will flourish in life.
If you could ask Status Fitness Magazine Editor-in-Chief Rodney Jang any industry question, what would that be? How did everything start with Status Fitness Magazine?
Status Fitness Magazine runs model searches across North America including the largest one at the Arnold Classic for the Status cover. As part of the Status family, you will receive a special participation invite. How excited are you for this opportunity? I am super excited about this. I love travelling and accepting new opportunities that life throws at me.
What does the future hold? LOTS OF THINGS. I’m always excited about the next thing and make sure to work my hardest to get where I want. Currently excited to get back to Vegas after summer is over and travel a bit more around the United States with collaborations, my work, training, and photoshoots.
Also super excited to get back on stage this year and show off all the improvements I was able to make during this building phase. It’s not easy- but I’m pushing really hard and keeping the brightest future in mind. So so so grateful for everything I have and will receive, and gain.
What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned? That’s a hard question because there are so many lessons learned in life and in Bodybuilding of course.
One thing that comes to mind right now is positivity and a positive attitude, the energy you have. It completely changes things in the best way possible and attracts opportunities and the right people in your mind.
It’s easy to get down and become demotivated when things aren’t working out, but if you start to change your outlook and start looking for positive things- slowly things start to go better. Worth the effort 100 percent. Good things happen to good people, this is what I’m trying to remind myself and reflect on when things get really hard.
What does success look like for you? Being genuinely happy and ability to live freely, while having good people around you.
When other 12-year-old girls were playing with dolls and makeup, I was sneaking into my Gramma’s townhouse complex gym. I would hold my CD player as flat as I could in one hand so it wouldn’t skip while I would lift a weight with the other. It created me, moulded me and has held me down during some of the worst times of my life and in turn provided some of the best opportunities of my life. Honestly, the biggest challenge has been running through the idea of retiring from competitive bodybuilding. So much of who we are as people and our perceived self-worth is tied up in our success as athletes.
Age: 35
City/Country: Calgary, Canada
Occupation? Hair Salon Owner & Mindset Coach.
On the stage of TNT Muscle Showdown 2023
Share your unique training/coaching methods Trust your Coach. Ryan Richardson from Team Ignite has been my family, friend and rock through competing. His expertise in nutrition, training as well as; for myself, making sure I am being accountable and open to criticism, as an athlete is crucial.
Training Plan: 5 days a week hypertrophy, 6 days a week cardio, 2 rest days and daily stretching custom built for me.
Nutritional Plan: 7 meals a day; custom. Pre/post/mid-workout supplementation and nutrition are key.
Please describe the importance of mental health Mental health, I would argue, is the most important part of fitness. Lifting gives us confidence, a safe space to ground ourselves, face ourselves and grow ourselves; to face and overcome our demons.
How has your hair business connected to the fitness industry? Weave Life specializes in show-day extensions. We create that polish for your show day look and have worked exclusively to sponsor, attend, compete at and do backstage services with the Canadian Physique Alliance at the TNT Muscle Showdown.
On the stage of TNT Muscle Showdown 2023
What is it like being the official hair service for the TNT show? Incredible. Working with the athletes and creating beauty for them brings so much joy to the whole team. The event has the best energy and is incredibly well run by the Promoter/CPA Director Tara Laviolette.
What are your thoughts on the show and how it’s run? It’s amazing. It’s run efficiently, the volunteers are fun, and it has a very high calibre level of athletes competing.
You were competing in the Wellness category at the TNT show. What were your goals? And what was your experience like at the TNT? This show was very different for me. A couple of months ago, I lost almost everything in my life. This show was my revival story and I am holding my head high, for the first time, not worrying about placing but simply honoured to step foot on that stage and proud to have made it.
The show was incredible this year. Highly organized, fun, great sponsors, athletes are always put first. So happy to be ending my bodybuilding career on that stage. Such a high note!
How has your experience been with TNT promoter Tara and her staff and volunteers? They have become family. Simple as that. Tara is an incredible leader, support system and wealth of knowledge. The team is a reflection of that as well. You’ll often find us making faces at each other after working tirelessly to set up and tear down because everyone is just genuinely happy to be around each other.
TNT Muscle Showdown 2023
Wellness was created for you. Can you talk about your prep? Wellness is such a beautiful look, and the category is so much fun as far as powerful, feminine posing. I am super excited to be re-qualifying and solely focusing on this category as I was competing in figure and wellness prior.
You looked phenomenal on stage. What does it mean to you to persevere in your prep and shine on stage? Thank you so much! For sure the best place to date! To me, it means holding your head high no matter what you are going through, having great sportsmanship, hugging the other athletes, being grateful for your coaches but most of all.. being proud of yourself for what you have accomplished.
If you could ask Status Fitness Magazine Editor-in-Chief Rodney Jang any industry question, what would that be? I would ask him if he would like another pastry.
What does the future hold? Love, so much love. And gratitude, for this sport, for what fitness has brought me, and to have the honour of working with TNT and the amazing athletes we get to.
What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned? Never give up. We only live one life, so when you do, make sure it’s yours, that you fight for what makes YOU happy, fight for what’s right and that above all else you never give up on yourself, your dreams or your heart.
What does success look like for you? Collaboration. As I rise, those around me do too. Nothing in this life we achieved alone.
I’ve been in the gym for over 21 years. I found my passion is working out, and it eventually evolved into a career as a fitness trainer & competitive bodybuilder. My biggest challenge was shifting my mindset out of competitive bodybuilding into business. As a bodybuilder, I got up to 300 lbs (not healthy). As I made the identity shift to prioritize my health that required many new alignments to facilitate the transformation. Lifted Mindset was created from my motivation to elevate my family’s generational health through healthier fitness, nutrition, & lifestyle habits.
Can you tell us more about your “Lifted Mindset”? Lifted Mindset is my fitness & nutrition coaching company. We elevate fitness & physique results for busy executives & business professionals while giving them back their energy & time.
Share your unique training/coaching methods We prioritize the value of strength training & proper nutrition to elevate our members’ results in & out of the gym.
Training Plan: Progressive resistance training programs that build strength, muscle mass, & metabolic resilience to burn out excess body fat.
Nutritional Plan: Our nutrition protocols vary for each client but are centralized around high protein, complex carbohydrates, & healthy fats to build up a strong & vital body. We prioritize minimizing inflammation and maintaining optimal internal function to better muscle gains, weight release, & improved energy levels.
Supplement Plan: My Lifted Mindset Community has been loving the Bioedge Science Products! Their Greens Complex, Gut Health, Multi-vitamin, Immunity Aid, & Plant Protein are an essential stack for our members. They absolutely love the 100% natural product line!
Do you prefer to take and recommend all-natural (no sugar, no artificial colours/flavours/sweeteners) supplements or supplements with artificial flavours and sweeteners? And Why? I 100% prefer all-natural products. The science is clear that they are better for a strong, vital, & truly healthier life.
Please describe the importance of mental health Mental Health is vital. Lifted Mindset believes that our physical & mental health aren’t separate. Maintaining a healthy practice of quality nutrition, exercise, & recovery is essential to a well-lived life.
If you could ask Status Fitness Magazine Editor-in-Chief Rodney Jang any industry question, what would that be? How do you see the industry evolving over the next 10-15 years?
Status Fitness Magazine runs model searches across North America including the largest one at the Arnold Classic for the Status cover. As part of the Status family, you will receive a special participation invite. How excited are you for this opportunity? Status Fitness has so many inspirational stories & fitness information. I am always excited when I get the opportunity to learn more from a prestigious publication.
Do you have a sponsor? List them and what they mean to you? My partnership with Bioedge Science has allowed me to share more valuable products to help our members achieve their best results in fitness & wellness. This means that I can educate them more on the impacts high-quality supplementation will have along their journey.
What does the future hold? More elevation & expansion as our community grows to new heights. We’re building a team to serve more members towards greater fitness, wellness, & physique results.
What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned? Serve others at the highest and you will always be successful.
What does success look like for you? Continuing to inspire others to dream more, do more, become more, and think bigger.
Occupation? Teacher, Personal Trainer and Bikini Competitor
Share your unique training/coaching methods I believe in the power of utilizing specific glute-shaping cardio and weight-training workouts for my female clients. Many times, trainers will give female clients ‘cardio’ such as basic running on a treadmill or straight elliptical work. If a client repeatedly performs these movements, the shape of their glutes becomes oblong in shape. I love mixing it up with treadmill work with lunging, kickbacks, walking side squats, side shuffles, jogs, walks and sprints – all on the treadmill at varying inclines.
Training Plan: I like to work my glutes 3-4 times a week, shoulders 2-3 times a week and back at least once. Core work 4 times a week. Vacuums and mobility daily.
Nutritional Plan: I am a raw vegan. I do not cook any of my food. I believe it helps me stay youthful, energetic and vibrant! There is NO raw vegan bikini competitor out there actively competing and I intend to transform that and be the first raw vegan IFBB Bikini Pro!
Supplement Plan: I take multivitamins, CLA, green tea, protein powders and glutamine/probiotics year-round – all vegan of course!
Do you prefer to take and recommend all-natural (no sugar, no artificial colours/flavours/sweeteners) supplements or supplements with artificial flavours and sweeteners? And Why? I prefer in my own diet and in the diets of others that no artificial flavours, fillers or preservatives are in any food or supplement consumed.
Please describe the importance of mental health Aristotle said: “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” He is talking, far more eloquently than I ever could, about the value of repetition, of our thoughts and words. We must choose them wisely and always be the captain of mindfulness.
If you could ask Status Fitness Magazine Editor-in-Chief Rodney Jang any industry question, what would that be? What is one quality that you see in aspiring bikini competitors that set them apart from the rest?
Status Fitness Magazine runs model searches across North America including the largest one at the Arnold Classic for the Status cover. As part of the Status family, you will receive a special participation invite. How excited are you for this opportunity? I am beyond excited to be a part of the Status Fitness Magazine family! I am outgoing, social, friendly and knowledgeable to speak, represent and promote healthy active living for a legendary company! #leveluptime!
What does the future hold? I am competing this year to level up and earn my Pro Card in Bikini. I want to be in the mix with the best of the best as I know my confidence, stage presence and shape have what it takes to be with the elite.
What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned? The biggest lesson I have learned is that you cannot out cardio a bad diet.
What does success look like for you? Success means giving my best effort to each task I’m working on and also striving to learn and improve steadily. It is that feeling of satisfaction when you lay your head in bed at night and know you did all you could to tackle your goals. It means working hard, being kind and enjoying the journey to your long-term goals each and every day.
I’ve been involved in fitness for a lot of years. I started lifting weights when I was 15 for the first time and it became really consistent by the time I was 17. I loved how quickly I became stronger and could see results. I used to smoke in high school, and I had a lot of unhealthy habits that I needed to overcome. I decided to compete to really clean up my life and get more structure to my diet and training. At the time, I kind of thought I already knew everything. I entered my first competition when I was 27 well past the average age of being a model. I was inspired by the older fitness models I saw in fitness magazines and wanted to live up to my own potential.
I wanted to be in my best shape. I was always at a healthy body weight, but the diet was challenging for me because I love food so much! Eating out and socializing were a big part of my life, and the extra calories add up.
I wanted to compete to see how far I could push myself and since 2007, I’ve competed in 7 fitness competitions and learnt so much with each experience.
I’ve had many challenges over the years. Most recently, I hurt my ankle at work in some work boots and blew out my ankle. I was unable to barely walk for more than 20 mins for almost a year. Going grocery shopping was even a struggle! I didn’t do cardio for a year and a half and had to modify my diet and training to maintain my physique.
I started to shoot a booty challenge series for my YouTube because I could still do exercises on my knees and seated weight exercises for my upper body or legs. I did a 6-day split, and it worked really well. I focused a lot on the booty workouts, and I grew my glutes substantially. I learnt that the specific exercises I was putting in my challenge in fact do grow the glutes more than squats or any standing exercises along with limiting cardio and a clean diet. I guess when you get lemons you got to make lemonade?!
Age: 42
City, State/Province: Fort McMurray, Alberta
Country: Canada
Occupation: Fitness coach, Author of The Bikini Model Cookbook and Business Owner of The Ultimate Physique & The Bikini Model Challenge / Commercial ATPL Pilot.
Many people struggle with losing weight. Is it a fitness issue or a health issue? A lot of my clients do have underlying minor issues. Almost no one is 100% healthy. There’s always something, and that goes for me too. So, it’s important to assess people to determine what they are capable of and work around it. That’s why customizing the programs per individual is so important.
When people follow my program, they lose weight. So far, it’s been all dietary and lifestyle changes that made that possible. People do make up a lot of reasons, for why things are the way they are but a shift in mindset is important to see that we hold ourselves back from our true potential.
What would be your top 3 tips you would provide to someone trying to lose weight?
Clean up your diet and switch to whole foods more often
Watch your cheat meal calories. Actually, add them up each week so you see how much junk food you are really consuming. (Aim for 1000 calories max for women typically)
Cut out alcohol those empty calories add up.
If you have 100 tokens in total and you could apply them to the following categories, how many would you apply to each?
Fitness level: 50
Health level: 50
Share your unique training coaching methods I train people to believe in themselves with mindset techniques and positive affirmations. My programs are customized to the individual and I make changes as needed on each coaching call, so they never plateau. My training methods and techniques are changing all the time and I like to mix things up, so they don’t get bored and keep them guessing!
Training Plan: For the last year or so I’ve been doing The Bikini Model Challenge workouts with my challengers and designing 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 workout plans. So, I do the workouts as I need to shoot the videos or just keep cycling the days of the week I’m on. Typically, it has been a 4-day split with cardio ranging from 20 to 60 mins of cardio 4-6x per week.
I’m currently decreasing my cardio and upping my lifting days to 6 days as I’m developing the ultimate physique workout training program and playing around with new ways of training which are working well!
Nutritional Plan: Right now I’m doing The Bikini Model Challenge with my clients so I’m eating whole clean foods. My calories range from 1500 to 2000 calories per day depending on how hungry I am.
I change my diet up somewhat around PMS which is to higher carbs with high-volume veggies and fruits and it’s been working really well. My diet along with my training does change up through the year depending on my goals. Right now, I just focus on whole clean food most of the time with 1000 cheat cals a week and that works pretty well for me.
Supplement Plan: I take greens powder, fish oils, Vitamin e, Vitamin d, multivitamin blend, calcium magnesium, probiotics, coq10, collagen, and protein powder.
Do you prefer to take and recommend all-natural (no sugar, no artificial colours/flavours/sweeteners) supplements or supplements with artificial flavours and sweeteners? And why? I’m actually sponsored by Nutrishop USA so I use their supplements! Typically, I use protein shakes and occasionally a protein bar. I do top my waffles with maple syrup but if I was in prep, I’d do frozen blueberries boiled into a warm sauce up until about 6 weeks out. I like to keep my diet clean and the Nutrishop sups have been working well for me.
Please describe the importance of mental health Mental health is so important. I saw in a documentary with a psychologist that 75% of his clients were cured of their mental ailments through diet and lifestyle changes. That really hit home with me. I had a client go off anti-depressants within 2 weeks of doing my program because she felt so good!
When you are eating the wrong foods, it can affect your mental health. She was eating a lot of food from fast-food restaurants with low nutrients, and it was affecting her. I really do believe in the power of fruits and vegetables they are so powerful.
What separates Status from other fitness magazines? I’ve been reading Status for over 14 years now! I remember having this Status calendar with all the top fitness models in it on my wall in 2009 with the IKONS of fitness. It was so inspiring to me to see their physiques motivate me to keep pushing myself to higher levels of fitness. The name “Status” features models at the highest level and it seems to be very focused on competition fitness models which have been a fascination of mine for years. I love that!
If you could ask Status Fitness Magazine Editor-in-Chief Rodney Jang any industry question, what would that be? Are you looking for a recipe creation writer for the magazine? I have lots of fun recipes to share!
Status fitness runs model searches across North America including the largest one at the Arnolds classic for the status cover. As part of the status family, you will receive a special participation invite. How excited are you about this opportunity? Yes, that’s great! I would be so honoured to be on the Status cover! I can’t wait to hear more details. I know the Arnold is usually in March so it’s coming up! I competed at the Arnold a few years ago so I am familiar with it. Can’t wait to hear more!
Describe your coaches and the impact they have had on you I have worked with a lot of the top coaches in the industry. I worked with Annette Milbers, Paul Anthony, Mark Anthony Flex, and Kim Oddo to name a few. I find that hiring a coach to motivate me and push me past my normal boundaries has been so impactful.
Do you have a sponsor and what do they mean to you? My sponsor is Nutrishop USA. They are great to work with and the supplements are fantastic!
Can you share with us your goals for fitness and life? I am currently writing a couple of books. One of them is my men’s and women’s bodybuilding cookbook and another sweet treats recipe cookbook. Once I’m done with that, I am planning on competing again. A lot of exciting things are on the horizon for 2023 in my business that I am excited to share, and it will be interesting to look back at 2023 to see how it unfolds. I am looking to keep expanding my challenge and photoshoot retreats and making a bigger impact on people’s health and fitness.
I am also getting involved in some charities in the community of fort McMurray to help out with the devastation that the fires of 2016 still have on many locals. I’m looking forward to that especially as I was here for the fire and did see first-hand the impact that really had on the community.
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt? I’ve learnt a lot of tough lessons over the years. The biggest lesson is to forgive. And when in doubt forgive again. Nothing is worth your peace.
Who inspires you and why? I think watching fitness competitors and Olympia-level athletes really inspire me. It’s amazing to see the perfectly shaped bodies. I always feel extra motivated to clean up my diet n training after any events.
What’s your number one tip for people on their fitness journey? To be consistent. One bad day or week isn’t a reason to give up. Being consistent and consistently aligning back to the path is the way.
What does success look like for you? I think having the financial freedom to live anywhere and be anywhere at the same time is the ultimate success in my opinion. I enjoy travel so it’s a big part of my vision. Success is always ever-changing. I think success is about being content and happy with what you have and have achieved and the good friends and family around you. It’s more than business or health or relationships it’s all of it together and combined. Ultimately it’s being happy every day with your choices and your life path. I’ve been through a lot in my life, so I see it as a successful day just being happy and grateful for the life we have, the air we breathe and the ability to help others in a way that impacts the world in a positive way.
What’s your favourite quote to live by? If you fail to prepare, prepare to fail.
I have been an athlete all my life, so my fitness journey really began when my dad enrolled my sister and me in soccer. I started my athletic journey playing 10 years of Division 1 Soccer and 4 years of Varsity Lacrosse. My positions were center mid-field and goalie. After graduating high school, I enlisted in the U.S. Navy as a Hospital Corpsman in pursuit of a career as a Naval Physician.
While providing care to service members and their families in operational and non-operational settings, I found my passion in Bodybuilding. I knew very little about weight training and proper nutrition, but I wanted to learn more. I was a competitive athlete by nature and became captivated by the science and art of personal transformation in Bodybuilding. In 2018, I was on deployment with the USS MICHAEL MONSOOR (DDG-1001) and turned my newfound passion into a profession by winning 1st place at the OCB Pinetree State Championships and becoming a Professional Bikini Athlete. Competitive bodybuilding while on Active Duty was not ideal, but I was determined to make it happen as long as I could.
After 7 years in the Navy, I achieved my Bachelor’s Degree in Biology, Magnum Cum Laude and finished my enlistment. From there, I made the best decision of my life to switch my career path from medicine to fitness. From the moment I got out of the Navy, I immediately started my career to focus full-time on personal training and my bodybuilding career but the pandemic would not let me start in San Diego.
I immediately moved to Bellevue, Nebraska where gyms were still open and started taking clients at a small gym franchise called Blue Moon Fitness. I owe all the mastery of my personal training skills to my time in the mid west. While I was there, I focused on developing my skills as a trainer and training myself for my comeback to the bodybuilding world as a wellness athlete. I took 2 years off from competing to organize find myself and settle into the new roles I placed myself in and they were well worth it.
I became the #1 female trainer at Blue Moon Fitness and decided to move back to California in 2021, where I started training clients at UFC Gym Concord. After settling into my new career field, I was able to step back on stage in April 2022 at the Golden State Championships in Sacramento where I placed 1st in my class. From there, my business grew, and I became an independent trainer while setting my sights ongoing for my IFBB Pro card. I moved back to San Diego to be closer to Pete and focus more on my training and competed at Musclecontest’s Ultimate Warriors in October 2022 where I won 1st in my class and overall in the Wellness division. From there, Pete and I prepared for my first National show at NPC Nationals in Orlando, Florida, where I took 15th out of 26 incredible women.
The biggest challenge I have faced is a common theme that resonates with every part of my journey and still today and that is, overcoming self-doubt. At every step of my journey, I never thought I could do the next “thing”. Whether it was joining the Navy, getting out of the navy, training clients, stepping on stage in a bikini in front of people, let alone winning a show; I always thought I was incapable or undeserving. But what did push me to eventually achieve those things was this little voice in my head that said, “just try”.
Age: 29
City/Country: San Diego, CA, USA
Occupation: Personal Trainer, Content Creator, Model
Share your unique training/coaching methods? I am a lifelong learner and it reflects in my training and coaching methods. The base of my coaching methods comes from NASM but I also use techniques that I have learned from all my phases of life. As a soccer athlete, military service member and competitive bodybuilder, I use everything that I have learned along my journey to train my clients because it ALL works. I love the old-school bodybuilding training methods of Milos Sarcev, Dorian Yates and Arnold Schwarzenegger but I also love incorporating SAQ drills and plyometrics into my clients’ programming (depending on their goals of course) because I believe everyone is an athlete and the more athletic one can be in any facet only benefits them and their functionality throughout life.
Training Plan:
Monday: Shoulders/ Back / Abs
Tuesday: Back/ Shoulders / Calves
Wednesday: Legs–Glutes & Hamstrings focused
Thursday: Rest
Friday: Total Upper Body / Calves / Abs
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: Legs – Quad focused
Nutritional Plan: M1: 1+1/2 cup egg whites, 3/4 cup oats, 1 cup greens
M2: 5oz cooked chicken breast, 1 cup greens, 3/4 cup oats
M3: 5oz cooked chicken breast, 1/2 cup oats, 1 cup greens
M4: post-training shake (1.5 scoop Whey Protein Isolate)
Supplement Plan: Multivitamins, Vitamin D, Vitamin C, Fish Oil, 1st Phorm – Harmony, BCAAs during and after training, Glutamine post-training and before bed.
Do you prefer to take and recommend all natural (no sugar, no artificial colors/flavors/sweeteners) supplements or supplements with artificial flavors and sweeteners? And Why? Personally, I have no preference. I don’t mind artificial flavoring or sweeteners but I have them in moderation and I always drink lots of water so my mouth doesn’t feel so saturated.
Please describe the importance of mental health? Mental Health is extremely important. Mindset is everything. If your mind isn’t healthy, the rest of your body is not healthy. Prioritize your mental health above everything.
If you could ask Status Fitness Magazine Editor in Chief Rodney Jang any industry question, what would that be? Rodney, from what I’ve heard about you, you are a very intelligent, humble and hardworking guy and you’ve been with Status from its very beginning. How do you take care of your mental health in an industry that is always changing and looking for what’s new? And how do you keep Status Fitness the best magazine in the industry?
Status Fitness Magazine runs model searches across North America including the largest one at the Arnold Classic for the Status cover. As part of the Status family, you will receive a special participation invite. How excited are you for this opportunity? I’m incredibly excited. This opportunity means the world to me. Growing up in the Chinese culture, my athleticism was never really celebrated. My dad enrolled my sister and me in sports to keep us out of gangs because of his involvement as an immigrant to the United States. As a child, I developed an unhealthy relationship with food in part because my mom overfed us chronically. Because food was scarce when she was a child, food was a symbol of love and security. I have worked very hard to overcome these issues and I don’t blame my parents at all, but I am who I am today because of their love and how I was able to navigate my cultural values with the ones I uphold for my own life. So in short, this opportunity symbolizes my family’s achievements in thriving in America.
Do you have a sponsor? List them and what they mean to you? I don’t have a sponsor but my boyfriend IFBB Pro Bodybuilder Pete Ciccone coaches me. He trains me every day and does my diet. He’s not my sponsor but he means everything to me. Simply put, I wouldn’t be alive if it wasn’t for him and for that I owe everything I do to him.
What does the future hold? I don’t know haha! I know for sure I will be getting another certification from NASM as a Behavior Change specialist this spring and I will be finishing my MA in Performance Psychology towards the end of 2023. I plan on competing for my IFBB Pro card in the Wellness category at NPC USA Championships in Las Vegas and training my lovely clients in between.
What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned? NEVER count yourself out. You are so much more capable than you can imagine.
What does success look like for you? For me, success looks like getting paid to do something you love while being unapologetically yourself and enriching the lives of those around you with your individualized gifts.
Health and fitness goals: I decided to invest in my health because I want to be able to enjoy life in a healthy manner for as long as I can. Having two beautiful daughters, I would like to be there for them for a long time. I also want to feel confident and celebrate the person I am.
Why did you decide to register with TinyT Fitness? I decided to register with TinyT Fitness because a friend of mine was with TinyT at the time and still is, and I noticed that her method was working amazingly and I was noticing her transformation. My friend was very pleased by her experience and had only good things to say about TinyT, her method, and the lifestyle that she promotes.
What is it like working with Tinyt? Working with TinyT is without a doubt a life-changing experience. She has such a way of being an incredible leader and mentor. She has lots of knowledge, and she loves sharing it. It’s so inspiring when you have a mentor who is so passionate about her work. She has a community of women that follow her, and she devotes her time and energy to providing the best experience for all women who have chosen to embarrass that lifestyle. And I have to mention that I just love when women celebrate and cheer for each other because it just elevates us and makes us more powerful and strong. Her Facebook community gives us a safe space and a platform to do just that.
How has the experience been for you? I have been with TinyT since May 2022. During that period, I adopted lots of elements that are influencing my way of life. I changed my nutrition to incorporate a more balanced diet that is sustainable. I used to restrain myself from eating too many calories. I used to think that carbs were bad for you and that eating them would make me fat. I used to do lots of cardio, thinking that it would help me get in the best shape of my life. I used to look at all of those women on social media and dream of being just like them. Now, I can gladly say that I admire lots of women living their own lives, doing their own things, and inspiring lots of different women around them and on social media. But I also appreciate living my own journey, doing my thing, and living my best life, and mostly, I am proud of all of my little and big wins because I’m doing something that makes me happy, strong, and confident.
Please tell us about yourself I’m Anne. I say (or write) that because for a long time, I felt lost in all of the different roles in my life. I’m a woman because I identify myself as being one, and I’m also the mother of two beautiful little women. I’m also an elementary teacher in a French public school, a lover, a daughter, a sister…
I’m an authentic person. I love spending time with the people I love, I love being in nature, and I love seeing and learning new things. I’m a very good listener. In the last few months, I also discovered that I just love going to the gym, eating a healthy diet, and seeing my body transform. And let me tell you that it’s only the beginning.
In your opinion, is weight loss more of a fitness or a health issue, and why? In my opinion, weight loss is more of a health issue because if you have a healthy lifestyle and eat foods that are good for you, sleep well, manage your stress, and exercise with a purpose, you have a more probable chance of having a leaner and healthier body. I learned from my coach Tinyt that the right combination of all of those elements can and will be defining for your success in reaching your goals.
You can look as physically fit as it is possible to be and still have a poor image of yourself because you are not at the right place in your life.
What were the biggest challenges you have faced during your journey? I have to say that in the beginning, I felt overwhelmed by the nutrition plan I got. I had to use a balance to weigh my food, and that, to me, was a big adjustment. Also, because of the way my brain or my thoughts worked, I thought that eating all of that food and carbs would only result in me gaining weight. I’ve had and still have issues with my body image and the way that I see myself, even if it’s way better now than it used to be. I think that I had a blockage at that point. I also thought that continuing to do lots of cardio would help me lose weight. I used to compare myself to other women and think that I would never be able to reach that type of physics or like the reflection of myself in the mirror. I weighed myself multiple times a day to see my progress and felt discouraged if the number stayed the same and felt like a failure if it went up. I can happily say that all of those fears are behind me now and that I have learned to love the process and the journey.
Please describe the importance of mental health Mental health to me is so important. You can look as physically fit as it is possible to be and still have a poor image of yourself because you are not at the right place in your life. Health is holistic and should be viewed as such. The integrality of our bodies, inside and out, should be balanced for us to feel good and be in the right state of mind. If we suffer from a certain type of mental wellness, it has an effect on the rest of our bodies and, therefore, on our well-being in general. I think that we live in a society that is more prone to mental health issues. Our way of life, the stress that we have to endure every day, the food that we put in our bodies, the environment that we live in, and the toxins that surround us are all elements that impact us. We all have bad days or days that we don’t feel our best, and that is normal. It’s when it’s frequent or daily that people need to seek help. It’s so important to have a circle of people that we can rely on. We should be there for each other. And we should not be ashamed or afraid to bother people with what we are doing. We also have to remind ourselves to be kind to each other. We never know what someone else is going through, and therefore, we should be respectful and considerate.
Training Plan: At first, I used to go to a Crossfit gym about 5–6 times a week. Crossfit is amazing, and we have such a beautiful community. I learned a lot from my cross-fit coaches.
When I spoke with coach TinyT the first time, I told her that I wanted to be more toned. I wanted to have a definition but didn’t want to look masculine. She told me that to achieve my goal, I had to eat more and do mostly strength training. I was kind of surprised. This being said, after a few months, I started going to a regular gym 4 times a week to do strength training as prescribed by Tinyt and have been seeing results since!
Nutrition Plan: I have to admit that I had some concerns at first with all the food I was supposed to eat in only one day. It had been years since I had eaten so many carbs, yes, carbs. I, like so many other women, was afraid to incorporate them into my diet because I thought that they would make me gain weight and make me look fat. I didn’t know that you have to eat them in combination with other foods. I now eat more than 2300 calories per day on training days, and I feel great! I learned that she was the expert, and I now trust the process.
What does it mean to you to be published in Status Fitness Magazine and share your story? I can’t believe it! I am super excited and grateful. Never in my life would I have thought that I would one day be published in a magazine, much less a fitness magazine! I feel honoured and humbled by it.
If you could inspire one person, who would that be? Oh, I have to cheat for this one. It has to be for two. I would love to inspire my two beautiful daughters, and I say that with humility. They are two beautiful people, and I feel like I would love for them to be proud of their mother as much as I am proud of them. They bring so much love into my life. I love them deeply. I want their happiness, and I wish that they feel loved enough to feel confident and go after their own dreams in life.
Who inspires you? And why? My daughters, because I feel like I want to leave them a certain heritage of knowing that they can achieve their goals if they put their minds to it and work to attain them. My mother inspires me because she has raised, with my father, of course, five beautiful individuals, each with their own personality, their own challenges, and their own dreams. She is a strong and loving mother to me and to my brothers and sisters. She still has her own business, even though she is 71 years old. My family’s presence in my life inspires me to be a better person. My partner inspires me by challenging some of my insecurities and making me think about patterns that I have been doing in my life, sometimes to cope with different situations, and to palliate the fact that I have attachment issues, low confidence, and anxious behaviours. He does that in a very loving way. And last but not least, my beautiful coach TinyT, for her guidance and her mentorship. She is such an amazing person. She loves what she does, and we certainly benefited from it daily. She is authentic and passionate. She has turned her life around when so many people would have given up on their dreams. She’s a true inspiration.
What is your number one tip for people on their fitness journey? I think that you have to do it for yourself. You have to know that you have the power to achieve so much when you put your mind to it. You have to set goals for yourself and celebrate all of your wins, big and small. You have to surround yourself with people who will cheer you on and support you. You have to do what makes you feel good. Don’t wait for tomorrow, because you will be a day further from what you wish and want for yourself. And find a coach who has the same vision as you. Find someone who inspires you. And when you have a good one, or a great one, AKA Tinyt, listen to her because she is the expert, and trusts the process.
What does success mean to you? To me, success means being proud of who I am and who I am becoming. I don’t think that it’s about money or your social status. It’s possible for everyone. Be the best version of yourself and be proud!
What is your favourite quote to live by? I have a few favourite quotes.
“I have the power to create the life I want” is a quote that I like because we are all writers of our own stories. I truly believe that we have the ability to change our lives if we take action. And we have to believe in ourselves through the process.
I grew up with a family who owned a gym and to this day, get excited to visit new gyms when I travel-they feel like home! I competed after I started teaching and fell in love with the process. Fitness was a massive part of my life. I then had my two kids, completed my Master’s degree in Education and started my Administrative career. I stopped working out, got overwhelmed at overate due to stress and felt lonely. I put on a lot of weight and felt stuck. Suddenly what had seemingly come naturally to me was overly complex. I felt like I couldn’t stick to a plan for anything. Finally, I learned about macros and that shifted everything for me! I no longer felt restricted. I started lifting in my basement and then slowly built from there! Fast forward to now, I am competing again and coaching other women through similar journeys.
Age: 40
City, State/Province: Lethbridge, Alberta
Country: Canada
Occupation? Nutrition and Fitness Coach
Many people struggle with losing weight. Are the challenges as simple as a fitness issue or is it more of an underlying health issue? Personally, I find women are struggling to try and balance a myriad of different roles, and expectations and often turn to food for emotional support and stress management. Because of the stress overload and desire to support everyone else, they often don’t leave time for working out. On top of that, I feel a lot of women are led to believe that they need to survive on chicken, rice and veggie and spend hours working out to be in shape. Not true!
What would be your top 3 tips you would provide to someone who is struggling to lose weight?
Start SMALL! Even the smallest change will add up over time.
Track Macros-Why? This allows you to eat flexibly and ENJOY your life while getting results. You are likely to adhere to a plan that you like.
Lift. And lift some more! Weights are MAGIC.
If you have 100 tokens in total and you could apply them to the following categories, how many would you apply to each?
Fitness level: 30
Health level: 70
When we train and eat for health, we are making deposits into our fitness level and longevity.
Thoughts on HIIT, Powerlifting, TRX, Yoga, Bodybuilding, and others? I am a huge proponent of good old bodybuilding. I believe in focusing on the basics and doing them on repeat. In my opinion, especially as a woman in my 40s, this is the best investment towards building the body you want, and for your future health. I think yoga is a great addition to a fitness routine for mental health, flexibility and recovery!
How did your passion for fitness start? And what was the biggest challenge you faced on your journey? My passion started very early in my life. My dad was a power lifter, and I wanted to be just like him! In University I started to see more photos of women competing and felt pulled in that direction. For me, fitness has been the gateway to growth in multiple areas of my life.
Share your unique training/coaching methods? My method is working on mindset, macros and strength training. If you do NOT work on your mindset, you will likely continue to repeat the same patterns. Macros allow clients to shift their beliefs about food and how it can be used to enjoy AND support their goals.
Training Plan: I am currently in prep, so I train 5 days per week. 3 days are lower body focused, 1 upper body day, and one HIIT session. I could happily train my lower body every time! I do a mixture of stair climbing and treadmill walking for cardio. It’s higher right now for my show and much less frequent during my improvement season.
Nutritional Plan: I currently follow macros and my eating is really dialled in for my show. Typically, I will follow macros throughout the week, and eat more ‘fun’ food on the weekends when I am not competing. I do not track when I travel! Part of the bonus of tracking macros is that you start to intuitively build your day without needing to input it all.
Supplement Plan: I always take L-glutamine, Creatine, BCAAs, Greens, Collagen, Taurine and Carnitine.
Do you prefer to take and recommend all-natural (no sugar, no artificial colours/flavours/sweeteners) supplements or supplements with artificial flavours and sweeteners? And Why? When I am in prep, I keep my artificial sugars to stevia. This tends to help to reduce bloating. When I am not in prep, I have zero issues with artificial sweeteners. I am a huge fan of Diet Pepsi (even my students knew how much I love it!) I only eat sugar-free chocolate (Lindt Sugar-Free Milk Chocolate and Sugar-Free Reese’s Pieces are my favourites!) I personally do not think they are detrimental unless someone has specific issues with them.
Please describe the importance of mental health? Mental Health is one of the biggest reasons WHY we should focus on our nutrition and fitness. A workout can literally shift your entire day. I know it has absolutely helped me with my anxiety and stress. I would not be where I am without it. I am happy to see more people be willing to open up about their mental health.
Take us through a typical day in your life for you? The first thing I do is affirmations, followed by an audiobook, or podcast. I think we have to proactively frame our day. I then get my cardio and weights done first. If I am driving my kids to school, I do my cardio first, drop them off, and then head back to the gym for weights. I follow that up with posing practice. Right after that, I message clients and check over their data in my app. That is followed by 1:1 calls and programming. I do my social media posts, lives and other work-related tasks until I pick up my kids from school. I usually take a break at that point and then do more work! I stretch nightly before bed, have an Epson salt bath, and then listen to a meditation to fall asleep. I strongly believe in falling asleep listening to something positive.
What separates Status from other fitness magazines? I love that it is something that anyone involved in any aspect of fitness can read. You don’t need to be in the industry to get something amazing from it. I’ve also always loved the Status Model Search. Of course, being Canadian, I like that its home base is here in Canada!
If you could ask Status Fitness Magazine Editor-in-Chief Rodney Jang any industry question, what would that be? Was this the career you always thought you would have? If not, what other career path would you have pursued?
Status Fitness Magazine runs model searches across North America including the largest one at the Arnold Classic for the Status cover. As part of the Status family, you will receive a special participation invite. How excited are you for this opportunity? I have always wanted to participate in this! It just hasn’t fit in yet at this point!
Describe your coaches and the impact they have on you? My coach is the most wonderful person in the world. I stumbled across her on social media and after seeing her own weight loss journey; I knew she was the right match for me. Her journey allowed me to see what’s possible. I consider her not only a coach but a friend. We are both competing at the same show this December-she will compete as a Pro, and I will be in the amateur show. She has pushed me to challenge myself not only in the gym but in my life as well.
Can you share with us your goals for fitness and life? My goal is to turn Pro at my show in December in the Bikini 40+ category. From there, I want to win a Pro show. I love competing so much and don’t plan to stop yet.
What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned? The biggest lesson I have learned is that whatever you are scared to do most, is most likely the exact thing you are supposed to do. When you tackle that-incredible things happen for you.
5 most important attributes you see in a person?
Positive mindset.
Grit.
Generosity.
Empathy.
Passionate
If you could inspire one person, who would that be? And why? I would want to inspire a mom out there who literally doesn’t believe she is able to change. I want all of my clients to shock themselves at what they accomplish. A lot of my clients end up making major life changes along their fitness journey-I love that immensely.
Who inspires you? And why? Probably my dad-he has remained dedicated to his fitness for most of his life. He is not easily influenced by others and is a man of his word. He is extremely generous and humble.
What is your number one tip for people on their fitness journey? Be patient and consistent. Those boring actions will add up and pay off.
What does success look like for you? Success is living in your purpose and getting up every day to enjoy what you do!
What is your favourite quote to live by? “Stop acting so small. You are the Universe in ecstatic motion.” Rumi.
