FEBRUARY CHICK OF THE MONTH

Hey Chicks,

We are about to wrap up February (and kick off our awesome March sessions on March 2!) and we know a lot of us are feeling like we may need a little winter pick me up.  Well, happy thoughts = healthy chicks and Feb’s Chick of the Month, Sandra from our Calgary Dalhousie Bootcamp, is exactly the inspirational story to do just that!

Tara Jo, the fierce Chick Sergeant from the Calgary Dalhousie location, wrote in to nominate Sandra with such a passion and pride, we could feel it coming through the page. After being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, Sandra made a fierce decision to not let this disease control her life and is living proof of the power of healthy living, positive attitude and self love.

She leads by example and truly motivates everyone around her to do the same through her contagious awesomeness.  She truly is an amazing example to us all and we want her to share her story with y’all….take it away Sandra!

Sandy and Chick Sergeant Tara Jo!

What made you decide to join FIT CHICKS?

I saw an ad in our community newspaper and was looking for something new to keep things interesting in my fitness regime. The location is right up the street from home, so figured why not give it a try!

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 always been fit/active, and my nutrition habits are quite good (most of the time) Going to Fit Chicks though has given me 2 days a week where I can’t find an excuse (especially in the winter) to not go workout. It’s a nice change from my regular gym or at home workout regime and getting to know the other chicks has kept things entertaining 🙂

I have also seen changes in my body and fitness level in the last 4 weeks on my fit test including:

We love sharing healthy eating tips!  Is there anything you can share that helps you enjoy eating healthy?

For the month of January my husband and I decided to try Vegan and see how it made us feel. My husband has been struggling with energy, sleeplessness and weight gain to name a few symptoms – all of which there has been no medical diagnosis to help explain things. I was diagnosed with MS just over 3 years ago – when reading up on plant based nutrition and all the benefits it seemed to bring with it – we figured we wouldn’t be out anything so why not try. We are in our last week of the first month and are feeling pretty great! It has been fun experimenting with new recipes and new ways to cook to make things healthier ie: cooking without oil

Another tip – I always start my morning with a mug of hot lemon water – it helps to and get my metabolism fired up for the day.

What are your fave healthy eats? Do you have a healthy “go to” recipe?

I love kale – so I make a lot of kale salad variations – I will often add cherry tomatoes, beets, cucumber, protein (chick peas, hemp hearts, some nuts) pumpkin seeds for some crunch and then a balsamic dressing of some kind. One dressing I love is mixed berries, balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard – blend and serve.

What tools do you use to keep you on a healthy track outside of class? Do you use the FIT CHICKS Workout Map?

a)     My main ‘tool’ of measuring my progress is my clothes – if my clothes don’t feel good, I know I’ve been cheating diet wise or have slacked off on workouts or both.

b)    I do like having a goal or challenges ie: 30 day squat challenge with a friend kept me motivated

If you could give one piece of positive advice to a chick just starting on her fitness journey, what would it be?

It’s gonna be hard at the start, but don’t give up – find the right regime (fitness and nutrition) that work for you – it’s going to take some trial and error but lean on those you care about for support and accountability! This is a journey – make it lifelong and have fun doing it!

My life changed when I was diagnosed with MS, and after my couple weeks of ‘gloom and doom’, I made a promise to myself that I was not going to let this disease control me, I was going to control it. I do take medication to help manage relapses, but am also quite conscious of what I eat, and always do my best to workout regularly, get enough sleep, and spend time doing things I love to ensure my stress level stays down as much as possible. Anyone who doesn’t know me, would never know I have MS, and as happy as I am to share my story, I’m also happy that I’ve gained control over this disease and not the other way around. Not saying that every day is great, but keeping positive and making health one of my top priorities helps get me through even the rough days.

Chick – thanks for sharing your fitness journey with us!  You truly are an inspiration and proof of the power of healthy living and positive thinking. It not only inspires us, but sets a great example to all chicks who are looking to make a healthy change that they can do it too! Jump on the fierce fitness train with us with next session starting March 2nd (plus we have some awesome savings with up to $50 off our 2015 programs!)or if we don’t have a class near you, you can still get our FIERCE in 8 DVD System exclusively on The Shopping Channel…we can’t wait to sweat up a storm with you!

Have a fab day,

FIT CHICKS xo