I’ve been active (in some sense of the word) for as long as I can remember.
I danced when I was young, which grew into a love of fitness as I got older.
I regularly attended classes with my mom in Brampton, where I grew up. We had our favourite instructor, Lorraine – or, “the drill sergeant,” as we affectionately called her.
When I moved to Ottawa for university, I made a point of attending Lorraine’s classes whenever I came home.
It was my mom who suggested I get my certification in fitness instruction and train with the coveted Lorraine – I did that and fell in love with it.
It was great part-time work through university and while I’m now establishing a career in journalism, I still teach classes in my off-time and write about health and fitness whenever I can.
While I’d love to say I’ve been a die-hard fitness fanatic, always in shape and on the healthy train, sadly, I can’t.
My weight is something I always struggle with and, like anyone else, I’ve fallen off the wagon and lost motivation.
Moving across the country to Vancouver was especially difficult. It was hard being far from family and I struggled to make friends. I drank – a lot. My weight went up and I was wheezing through my own fitness classes.
What a model instructor.
It was the community at one of my gyms and a fellow instructor, Francarlos Leon, that helped me get back on track. Leon was motivating and his class boasted its own community.
I started to feel good again and coupled my new workout regime with a clean-eating plan. In a matter of months I dropped about 10 pounds – which some trainers say is unhealthy, but I believe shows just how unhealthy my life had become. I needed to lose that weight.
My struggles have helped me develop as an instructor and grow an amazing and loyal following in my classes. I’m dedicated to continuing education and always looking for the latest research in fitness and nutrition, to not only challenge my participants, but myself.
So here I am, finally starting a blog where I can share my passion for fitness, including the meal plans I’ve come across that work and my favourite nutrition tips and workouts.
CahuteFit 