Stronger with It

The desire to make this my opening attempt by next competition is real ⚪️⚪️⚪️

📸:

Golden hour hits best with the right people✨

It’s taken what feels like a month to recover from going on vacation and immediately starting a new job…. But what’s life without a little crazy!

I’m ready to get back to posting all things fitness 💪 Currently prepping for a competition in 13 weeks!

Anything health/fitness related you want to see?! ⬇️

Food is ALWAYS a hot topic 🔥

Learning what works best for your body takes time and it is hard to sift through all the noise (nonsense) around diets!

Let’s start by focusing on balanced nutrition - filling our plate with carbohydrates, protein, & fats. Eating each macronutrient with each meal is a great place to start. Also, remembering to “eat the rainbow” helps get in extra fruits & veggies!

Once balanced nutrition has been established, you can start to enhance your performance by
fueling your body correctly before, during, & after a workout.

Before a workout 🍚🍎
🔹focus on increasing carbohydrate intake as this will be an easily accessible fuel source during a workout
🔹limit fatty foods as they take longer to digest
🔹try PB&J sandwich, rice & veggies, oatmeal & fruits, smoothie

During a workout 💧🧂
🔹stay hydrated with water - try to drink small sips after each set or every 15 mins
🔹if your workout is longer than 1 hour & you are losing a lot of fluids, refueling will be important - fruits & sports drinks
🔹longer than 3 hours - be cautious of sodium intake, having more salt will help retain water to avoid dehydration

After a workout 🍗🍳🍝
🔹EAT within 2 hours of working out - I love a good egg sandwich
🔹refuel with carbohydrates & protein
🔹continue to eat balanced meals until your next workout

What is your fav pre or post workout meal?! ⬇️⬇️

Hormones are a huge part of female physical health!

Birth control comes in many forms and is used for a variety of reasons. There is some research examining the effects of birth control on gaining muscle and strength:

🔹long-term use (1-2 yrs) may decrease muscle mass
🔹more muscle mass is often added in groups not taking birth control (depends on type of birth control)
🔹doesn’t seem to be acute effects on strength
🔹dulling of menstrual symptoms can be beneficial when training

REMINDER: the research is not clear cut, there is still lots to be done! It is likely that taking birth control down regulates or interferes with natural androgen production (such as testosterone) which is helpful in building muscle mass. However, hormonal changes are often NOT tracked when conducting studies involving females which impacts the ability to make any definitive statements.

Understanding that birth control can have effects (good or bad) on your body is important. Acknowledging that you feel changes when on or off birth control is a way to become more in-touch with your body.

Use the current information to advocate for your health and find professionals who support your concerns and goals!

Don’t let anyone tell you what is “best” for your body 🙅‍♀️

Leave some questions or comments about birth control to discuss in an IG Live on Friday!

Do you know when your last period was?!

Whether it’s old school with pen, paper, & a calendar or flashy on an app… tracking your cycle is very helpful!

It allows to predict things like:
🌸 when you are ovulating
🩸 when your next period will begin
⏳ how long your cycle is (average cycle is 28-45 days)

These are all good pieces of info to know for personal use and also very helpful if you need to seek the help of a professional.

SAVE this resource to try out these apps!

SHARE with your friends and get the conversation going because female health is important 🙌

Follow & for more on female health

Does your menstrual cycle get in the way of physical activity? Don’t let it anymore 🙅‍♀️

There are 4 phases of your cycle. Each have various hormone levels which can effect energy levels, mood, bloating, water retention, etc. These changes can impact the types of activity you feel like doing throughout the month!

MENSTRUAL PHASE ❄️
🩸Estrogen & progesterone are lowest during your period, but slowly increase each day of your period
🩸 Use these rising levels to release negative energy and start fresh

FOLLICULAR PHASE 🌸
🩸Estrogen levels rising quickly & energy may also rise
🩸 Use this upswing to boost creativity & productivity

OVULATORY PHASE ☀️
🩸 Estrogen peaks, but quickly decreases as progesterone rises which can make you feel more sluggish than usual
🩸Use exercise here to boost energy levels and shine

LUTEAL PHASE 🍁
🩸Estrogen & progesterone levels are decreasing in the week before your period
🩸Use this time to make decisions as clarity is highest

This does not mean you have to stick to certain types of activity because of your cycle. It does give you the permission to learn about and listen to your body throughout your cycle to make activity more enjoyable!

Your period should not be a burden. It is a natural and healthy bodily process. Embrace it, celebrate it, and enjoy it more with this knowledge 💪

LIVE WORKOUT!

7 am est on Instagram

Bring a band and yourself 💪

See you bright and early with and myself 🏋️‍♀️

Are you joining us??

Did you know that 1 out of every 2 women is likely to develop osteoporosis at some point?

Evidence indicates that exercise can delay the onset of osteoporosis and decrease fracture risk

Let’s talk about the plethora of exercise benefits unrelated to weight and appearance!

💗improved heart health and reduction of health risks associated with cardiovascular disease
💪increased strength and bone density which aids with mitigating against risks associated with osteoporosis
☺️reduction of symptoms associated with depression
⚡️cognitive benefits such as alertness, focus, & energy

Striving to reach the exercise guidelines is a great place to start! Focusing on improving your overall health through exercise takes the pressure off exercising to look a certain way.

What benefits do you enjoy from exercise? ⬇️

Join us Wednesday, July 21st for a LIVE workout with bands to get going with resistance training 🏋️‍♀️

I can’t wait to get back to the gym and feel strong again 💪⁠
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A few goals slipped away from me in 2020 due to the lack of consistency, but I am ready to get them before 2021 closes! ⁠
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I want to: ⁠
1. Deadlift 300lbs ⁠
2. Bench 62.5 kgs ⁠
3. Get my squat back to feeling comfortable (it has really been lagging) ⁠
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Follow along with this journey back to strength and confidence in lifting 🏋️‍♀️⁠
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Do you have any gym re-opening goals? Happy to help you reach them with personal training or just a conversation 😌

GET EXCITED!

For four weeks, & I will be collaborating to bring you what we are calling the “Female Physical Health Series.” We are ready to empower and educate others about female health 🙌

This is great for all who identify as female, work with people who identify as female, or those who are looking to gain knowledge on female physical health 📚

Make sure you are following & so you don’t miss any infographics/reels/IG Lives around these topics! DM or comment with any questions you may have ⬇️⬇️

On this rainy and gloomy day, with little motivation and a lot of annoyance around something that happened earlier this week, I am focusing on the fact that there will be sunnier days ahead 🌞⁠
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This is a reminder that when things aren’t going your way, you have the power to change course. ⁠
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Never stop learning and never settle. ⁠
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Choose you. ⁠
Choose to be authentic. ⁠
Choose to have your voice. ⁠
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Sending positive vibes to anyone who needs it this week 🥰

Stronger with It updated their business hours.

One week until outdoor group fitness classes begin!

Update on spots still available. Message me if you have any questions or want to register 🙂

Just start & don’t look back!

Outdoor Group Fitness classes are starting soon... spots are filling up quick

Here’s what is available for the first 4 classes:

Wed. June 23rd - 2 spots left
Sun. June 27th - 5 spots left
Wed. June 30th - 4 spots left
Wed. July 4th - 4 spots left

Register now - visit www.strongerwithit.com or message me!

See you there 🌳🏋️☀️

JOIN NOW!

Outdoor Group Fitness now available every Wednesday & Sunday ☀️

Starting: Wed. June 23rd
Location: Thorold
Cost based on how many classes are selected

I will be providing equipment for each individual, so just bring yourself to get going!

Spots are limited due to current restrictions.

Link in bio to fill out a form and register.

Message me if you have any questions. I am looking forward to (finally) helping you reach your health and fitness goals 💪

🌳☀️🏋️‍♀️🏋️‍♂️🏋️💪

Been working on something...

Announcement this Wednesday...

Starts 06/23/21

Let’s get physical(ly active)

My goal for the month of May was to hit 10 thousand steps everyday 🚶‍♀️

I noticed that I had been averaging 3-4 thousand steps/week. My life had become sedentary despite working out 5x/week...

I wanted to make a change, so I used a few tactics:

ACCOUNTABILITY
👉 I made the challenge public and promised to post my steps at the end of each day

SUPPORT
👉 I asked people to join me!
👉 Friends and followers hopped in on the challenge, it was nice to have others as motivation and accountability
👉 Went for many walks with others (walk & talk)

REALISTIC
👉 I knew that 10k steps/day was something I could achieve
👉 Set a goal not far out of reach, goals often fail for being unrealistic

PLANNED
👉 I had a timeline with a start date (month of May)
👉 Knew exactly how to measure goal-achievement, the goal had a clear success measurement

Although I wasn’t perfect (missed 2 days), I remained consistent. I boosted my average steps from 4,000 in April to 9,212 in May 🙌

What is one thing you want to commit to in June and HOW are you doing it? (hold yourself accountable below ⬇️)

The May edition of Sunday STRONG 🧠💪⁠
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"Let’s talk about supplements. ⁠
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The supplement industry is valued at over $100 billion worldwide. Supplements are a large industry that are not regulated by the same standards as pharmaceuticals. Supplements are regulated like a food product. ⁠
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Just think about that for a second… If a product is claiming to do more than food from the grocery store, why are the regulation standards the same?"⁠
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This blog discusses (link in bio): ⁠
💊 What are supplements?⁠
💊 Creatine, BCAAs, & Protein powder ⁠
💊 What to look for when choosing quality supplements⁠
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Don't fall for the marketing and claims surrounding all supplements. Learn how to be an informed consumer when it comes to your health! ⁠
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Build. Expand. Learn.

Mental health MATTERS ⁠
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Your feelings are valid ⁠
Your emotions are “normal” ⁠
Your thoughts deserve a voice ⁠
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It is okay to not be okay. ⁠
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It is also okay to be okay. ⁠
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Give yourself the chance to feel what you need (happy, sad, joy, anger, resent, grief, frustration, etc.) ⁠
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ALSO, give yourself the permission, tools, and support to get where you want to be ⁠
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Mental health is not merely the absence of illness. It is a journey through good and bad. It is your journey ✨⁠
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In honor of Mental Health Awareness Week, tag someone who gives you support or someone who needs support 💕⁠
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Do you warm-up before a workout? ⁠
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I used to think warming up was a waste of time and very unnecessary. A couple of empty bar sets seemed good enough to get going 🤦🏻‍♀️⁠
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Now, I use the warm-up to prep my body and mind for the workout or competition about to happen. ⁠
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Take an extra 10 minutes to: ⁠
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🔺 get your blood pumping ⁠
🔺 mobilize your joints ⁠
🔺 activate your muscles ⁠
🔺 ZONE IN ⁠
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Your workout is your time. Get prepped by being fully present in the moment 💪

Have you gotten trapped in ALL or NOTHING thinking & OVERGENERALIZATION before? ⁠
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🙋🏻‍♀️ I have. ⁠
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This week has been full of thinking that nothing has changed in the past year. It feels like everything is the same as it was this time last year...⁠
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And, because nothing changed, I felt defeat with a side of poor motivation. ⁠
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I took a few days to wallow. I allowed my thoughts to really influence my (lack of) behaviour. ⁠
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When I finally gained the courage to challenge this thinking, I realized that, yes, Ontario lockdown is in the same place as last year. But, personally and professionally, I am not!⁠
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Just because one aspect is the same does not mean it generalizes across every aspect. Take a moment to examine the facts surrounding your maladaptive thoughts. ⁠
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Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is rooted in the practice of challenging cognitive distortions such as all or nothing thinking & overgeneralization. ⁠
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I challenge everyone to take one maladaptive thought and find evidence in their life for and against it. ⁠
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Is what you believe based in fact? ⁠
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How does this influence your behaviour? ⁠
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Does changing the thought change your behaviour?

Lose 10 pounds in 10 days. ⁠
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Get abs with this one simple trick. ⁠
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Click here for this 100%, science guaranteed, exercise toning program. ⁠
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No. No. And no 🙅‍♀️⁠
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Gimmicks, marketing ploys, pseudoscience. Call it what you want, but it’s all just flashy FALSE info to make you feel bad about what you are currently doing. Ask people promoting these gimmicks why and how they really work. ⁠
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Don’t fall for the 100% guarantees. Stop looking for the quick fix or the easy way out. Start by making small, meaningful changes: ⁠
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👍 adequate sleep (7-9 hours/night) ⁠
👍 drink water/stay hydrated ⁠
👍 fill your plate with a colourful variety of foods ⁠
👍 celebrate the small wins and learn from the big mistakes ⁠
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And above all... ⁠
Be consistent 💪💪⁠
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Find something that works for you, stick to it for more than a a few days, assess how you’re feeling, and change accordingly. Take the long road and take it at your own pace! ⁠(swipe right to see what it looks like when you take the long path to success😁)
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My challenge to you is to find the gimmicks and call them out! Tag those friends who try all the gimmicks 🙌

New collaboration for Sunday STRONG 💪🧠⁠
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"Getting back to the gym after a long break can seem like a daunting task. Whether you have taken time off due to an injury or unforeseen pandemic, returning to the level you were at is no easy feat. It is going to take some blood, sweat, and tears. You must grit and bear the pain, muscle soreness, and overall fatigue just to pick up exactly where you left off… ⁠
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Wait, wait, wait."⁠
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Confused where to start now that gyms are starting to open? ⁠
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Think you need to make up for lost time? ⁠
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This week's blog includes (link in bio): ⁠
◽ breaking some common fitness myths ⁠
◽ examining how less can be more⁠
◽ how recovery fits in ⁠
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Many thanks to for contributing to another blog post 🔥⁠
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Have you been able to get back to the gym? If so, what does your current gym routine look like? Comment ⬇️⁠

Build. Expand. Learn.

Glad to be back in the gym with a barbell in my hands 💪⁠
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Kept volume and intensity low for the first week to ease back into things. Slowly ramping it up while getting technique and positioning back! ⁠
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Even though I was able to workout at home during lockdown 2.0, there is just something so mentally refreshing about being in a gym. The atmosphere, the people, the equipment ✨⁠
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At-home workouts will never replace that for me. ⁠
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Curious to see how others feel about this! Do you prefer working out at-home or in the gym? ⬇️⬇️

Feeling fatigued, sore, frustrated, or plateaued with your current exercise routine? ⁠
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Have you tried a deload/low stress/pivot week? 🙃 ⁠
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The basic premise is that volume (reps x sets) and/or intensity (weight) decrease to give the body a chance to recover from a buildup of stress. It is a good way to change things up ever couple of weeks and avoid reaching a plateau or getting injured. ⁠
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I didn’t know that deloads were a thing when I first started lifting and didn’t change anything for the first year. Exercises remained the same and weights just increased. I hit a major plateau and was really discouraged until I began to regularly switch things up. ⁠
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Now, I incorporate a deload every 4-8 weeks. ⁠
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Use deloads to: ⁠
▫️wash out the accumulation of stress ⁠
▫️keep things changing ⁠
▫️start fresh 🔥⁠
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Don’t use deloads to: ⁠
▫️take a week off ⁠
▫️slack off for a week with really low weight ⁠
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How often do you deload and do you have a preferred method? Comment below, I would love to learn ⬇️⬇️

HEY YOU 👈👇👆👉

Yeah, you!

Take a look in the mirror & smile

✨ You are beautiful
✨ You are enough
✨ You are crushing it
✨ You are worthy

This is your reminder to get up and do that thing you’ve been dreaming about... because you can!

Tag a friend who needs to hear this. Let’s spread positive vibes and support 🥰