OCTOBER CHICK OF THE MONTH
Hey Chicks,
Each month we love to celebrate one of our fierce FIT CHICKS bootcamp members who really shows what it means to be a FIT CHICK! This month we are honoured to feature the fabulous Joanna from our Annex location, who was nominated by her amazing Chick Sergeant Megan.
Joanna has lost about 10lbs since starting FIT CHICKS bootcamp, as well as about .25” off her all of her measurement sites!
Not only that, her numbers on her fit test have definitely gone up, particularly the push ups. When she started she could do 25 – 30 pushups on her knees and is now up to over 40 on her toes!!!
Read on to hear more about Joanna’s journey:
What made you decide to join FIT CHICKS?
I had started getting pretty lazy with my solo gym workouts, feeling very unmotivated and had been noticing a lot of back pain and was struggling to get rid of it, as I knew a lot of it could be remedied with strengthening my core, so when I was told about FIT CHICKS by some friends who had done a few bootcamps before, I jumped at the chance to try out a trial class with Megan. After that I signed up for the 8 week session and never looked back! In addition to exercises, find your chiropractic clinic for achieving natural wellbeing.
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What is the biggest change you have seen in your life since joining FIT CHICKS? How has fitness and nutrition changed your life for the better?
I have found that I have much more energy and it has improved both my sleep and my mood as well as helped to eradicate my lower back pain. I believe attending a center for chiropractic care in Jacksonville FL and they recommended a natural supplement called Nerve control 911 that helped me a lot as well. It has inspired me to be much more conscious of what I am eating and I have kind of rebooted my nutrition over the last several months as a result. Check out more of these erase my back pain reviews to read more on how you can get rid of back pain.
Joanna and Chick Sergeant Megan
What do you find is your biggest challenge to continue to choose to be active? How do you overcome it?
I think we all go through fits and starts when we are in a fitness routine. You get a cold, or something comes up in your life that disrupts your routine, and it is so difficult to get back on track sometimes. I find that you just have to push through to get back on the horse, doesn’t matter if you’ve missed a week or if you’ve missed 6 months!
What are 2 – 3 tools you use to keep you on a healthy track outside of class?
I started to use a calorie tracker recently, less to actively try to lose weight and more to try to identify and kick bad eating habits that I know that I have. You can’t hide from it when you put it down on paper.
I also try to cycle everywhere as much as possible, and will try to keep that up until it gets too cold and I wimp out. I have found that meal prep has been HUGE in keeping on track, nutrition wise. I try to spend at least one day every two weeks just cooking like a crazy person. I’ll stock my freezer to bursting with meals, so I know that even if my schedule gets insane I will still have something healthy and filling and delicious to eat when I get home that I won’t have to put a lot of effort into.
I also find that having a support system has helped. Having other people to inspire you or work out with can really help keep you on track, and I’m lucky that I have fellow chicks to go to bootcamp with, as well as a supportive partner who also has also been making an effort to get healthy and fit as well.
If you could give one piece of positive advice to a chick just starting on her fitness journey, what would it be?
I’d say don’t beat yourself up if you fall off the metaphorical “fitness and nutrition wagon”every once in awhile. All of us have had a weekend where we overindulge or a week when get really busy and have to miss a few classes in a row. I feel like it’s important not to wallow in it or feel too guilty about it, just get back on track the next day that you are able to and just go forward from there. It’s ok to occasionally splurge or to take a break.
Do you have a healthy “go to” recipe that you use for a meal that you take with you? Please share
I found a great turkey meatball recipe a few years ago that has become integral to my freezer meal prep. It’s a recipe by Jessica Alba, and it is super healthy! This is a slightly modified version that i use:
Turkey Meatballs:
- 2 pounds lean ground turkey
- 1 cup panko (japanese breadcrumbs)
- 1/4 cup finely chopped carrots
- 1/4 cup finely chopped zucchini
- 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3/4 cup homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken broth
Instructions:
- In a large bowl, mix turkey, panko, carrots, zucchini, onion, eggs, Italian seasoning, and salt until well combined; form into 1-inch balls.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add meatballs and cook, turning, until browned, about 7 minutes (or put on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 350 for 20 minutes, turning meatballs occasionally).
- In large skillet add 1/2 cup chicken broth; cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until liquid is almost completely absorbed, about 7 minutes. Add remaining 1/4 cup broth and increase heat to medium; cook, uncovered, until liquid is absorbed. Either serve now, or let cool on a parchment covered baking tray to cool, then transfer to large freezer bag so they are in a single layer, and freeze!
I often will just throw a few of these into my lunch alongside a veggie side or to add a protein hit to my veggie pasta or something. Here’s the link as well.
What are 3 things in your gym bag and/or kitchen could you not live without?
In the gym bag I don’t think I could live without a really good sports bra and good supportive running shoes. In the kitchen I think one of the things I use all the time now is my spiralizer! I thought it was a bit silly when I bought it but since I discovered spiralized sweet potatoes to replace pasta, I use it all the time!
What is your fave FIT CHICKS Signature workouts & why? Is there anything that is different about your experience at FC than at other gyms or classes?
FIT CHICKS is the longest I have ever stuck with a group fitness program in my entire life. I think the combination of workouts that consist of micro goals and high intensity intervals appeals to me, and the fact that every single class is different. The fact that it is women from all walks of life and all age ranges and fitness levels gives it a sense of camaraderie and support. I find that group fitness at other gyms can be kind of intimidating and quite impersonal, and that’s something I haven’t experienced with FIT CHICKS.
Weirdly enough, I really enjoy tabatas days. Truth be told I thought Megan was saying Ciabatta for a long time, so that was fairly embarrassing when I finally asked why they were called that. But I love them. They are so hard, and while you are doing the exercises you feel like it’s impossible, but the class goes so quickly and you feel like you have had an insanely good workout afterwards.
Being fierce is about healthy inside & out. How do you stay motivated and thinking positive about fitness and health? What do you do to nurture your soul and celebrate your fierceness?
I think being kind to yourself is important. It’s not all about pounds on a scale, or even inches lost, it’s how it makes you feel in your own skin. I look forward to the classes every week because it adds some positive consistency in my life, something that I am doing just for me. Even if everything else in my life is chaos, I try to make a point to make it to bootcamp because I always feel better after going. I also find having support in my fitness journey has really helped in my motivation.
Joanna, thank you so much for sharing your inspiring story! We are all super proud of you!
FIT CHICKS xo
PS- If you are ready to get in the best shape of your life before 2017 is over, our 6 week “Countdown to Xmas” Bootcamp is starting November 6&7! Spaces are limited so sign up today!
