Sweat Therapy: How Angelica Tyquiengco Owner of F45 UTC Found Her Calling

Send us a text

Angelica Tyquiengco, a passionate F45 gym owner and head coach, takes us on a deeply personal journey through her evolution from fitness enthusiast to business owner. With contagious energy, she explains how F45's functional 45-minute workouts combine resistance training, cardiovascular exercise, and hybrid formats to create a truly inclusive fitness experience accommodating everyone from teenagers to septuagenarians.

The conversation takes an inspiring turn as Angelica reveals how she and her husband made the bold decision to purchase their gym during a hectic summer, transforming their shared passion into a thriving business venture. "It has been one of the most difficult things we've done together," she admits, "but also one of the easiest decisions we've had to make because we believed in it."

What emerges throughout our discussion is a profound understanding of how physical movement serves as more than just exercise—it becomes a lifeline for mental wellbeing. Angelica articulates the direct correlation between physical and mental strength: "When you're overcoming your own desire to quit, that's you against your mind." This philosophy has helped countless members break through their limitations, including a military veteran amputee who initially joined with fears of judgment but was immediately embraced by the community and is now preparing for a bikini competition.

Beyond the workouts themselves, Angelica highlights how creating genuine human connection has become the heart of her business. In an increasingly digital world, her gym offers a sanctuary where people form authentic bonds, celebrate each other's victories, and support one another through challenges. This community aspect, coupled with expertly designed programming and nutrition guidance, creates a holistic approach to wellness that transforms lives.

The message Angelica leaves us with is beautifully simple yet powerful: don't wait for the perfect moment to begin your journey. "Start your next meal. Drive to the gym right now. If you do 1% more every day, imagine where you would be." Her story reminds us that true empowerment comes from taking that first step, finding supportive community, and believing in your own potential.

Thank you for joining me today. Please know that this podcast and the information shared is not to replace or supplement any mental health or personal wellness modalities provided by practitioners. It’s simply me, sharing my personal experiences and I appreciate you respecting and honoring my story and my guests. If something touched your heart please feel free to like, share and subscribe. Have a beautiful day full of gratitude, compassion and unconditional love.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
What's up everyone, welcome to this episode of
Crystal Clear.
Today we have a very specialguest, a local F45 owner head
coach.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
Yep, thank you.
Yeah, thank you for having meon.
I'm thrilled to be here, I'mexcited.
I've always seen yourpodcasting, seen you working out
, so thank you for having me on.

Speaker 1 (00:29):
Thank you, Angelica.

Speaker 2 (00:31):
No, thank you.

Speaker 1 (00:32):
So I'm pumped, Like you guys recently.
So for those of you who aren't,and I feel like at this point
everyone knows what an F45 is.

Speaker 2 (00:39):
Yeah, they're pretty popular.

Speaker 1 (00:41):
Yes, and they're everywhere, which I love because
it's like you kind of know whatto expect when you go in and
you know it's going to be areally great workout.
But for those of us who aren'tfamiliar, explain it to us.
Like, what is it?

Speaker 2 (00:52):
Um, it is functional.
45 minute training Um, I loveit.
It incorporates resistancetraining, cardiovascular
workouts, hybrid workouts Um,it's, it's the full gamut of
everything.
So back to front, 45 minutes,you get a warmup, you get the
one-on-one training from acertified professional coach in

(01:14):
a group setting.
So it's just, it's moremotivating, it's more consistent
training.
It's pre-curated by some greatfitness trainers.
Athletes Corporate has a greatstaff of people, professionals
that curate these workouts andit's kind of the marriage of

(01:35):
several different things.
So you have this beautifultechnology which you've seen.
Everything is on a TV,everybody is in kind of like
circuits or what we call pods,and so you're getting just so
much out of it.
Right, you're not getting lost.

Speaker 1 (01:52):
Or you just do your own thing.
That's right, you can modify.

Speaker 2 (01:55):
but that is the beauty of it.
It's um, scalable, it'smodifiable, it's um, it's truly
fitness for everyone.
And I think when I really sawit happening, saw it in action,
I saw the different types ofpeople I mean we have 16 to 73.
Right, and I saw the fact thatyou could be a professional
athlete in there, you can besuper fit or you could be a

(02:19):
beginner, right.
And I was like there, it isthat's what I love, yeah, and so
I just, from then on, I wasdone, yeah, I was like there, it
is that's what I love, yeah.
And so I just, from then on, Iwas, I was done, yeah, I was
done in my my fitness careersearch.

Speaker 1 (02:30):
Yeah.
So I mean I, I personally loveit.
I've been in the fitnessindustry a long time.
I feel like I've done it all.
I actually just saw this funnymeme that was like um an
aerobics like 1980s, like theyhad like legit aerobics
competitions, kind of like afitness competition, but like
two people performing aerobics.
I was like I'm like this lookslike so much fun though,
actually.

(02:51):
But I will say I feel like it'sso well-rounded because, like
you said, like well, there's acouple strength days, there's
hybrid days, there's cardio days, so you can kind of choose but
if, even if you were to go sevendays a week, you're still
training different muscles, itchoose, but even if you were to
go seven days a week, you'restill training different muscles
.
It's intentional.
And that's what really I loveand I'm sure from a coaching
standpoint, you love is youdon't have to do the workouts

(03:15):
yourself ahead of time.
It's like the program for you.
I actually love it becausethere's no mirrors.
Some people, I think, hate it.
I don't know if every gym islike that.
I love it because there's nomirrors, because the second I
have a mirror, I startcritiquing myself, I start
digging in there, like why, whyare we doing this?
So I personally love that aboutit and, like you said, it's

(03:35):
it's something for everyone.
I've even told my 15 year oldI'm like you should come with me
.
She's like I don't know, Idon't like classes Like you like
classes.
But I love classes because evenif you've been doing it forever
, you know all the things to do.
You want that motivation.
I love being around people,sorry guys, she's my favorite

(03:56):
coach.

Speaker 2 (03:56):
She's funny, she's real.

Speaker 1 (03:57):
She'll do it with you .
She doesn't care if you modifyI love getting in there, you
have personal connectionrelationships with a lot of your
members too, which is huge, soyou and your husband just
purchased this gem, though, sothis is new for you guys.

Speaker 2 (04:09):
Tell me a little about that it's been a super,
super cool adventure.
I really can't say enough goodthings about it.
It's been one of the mostdifficult things we've done
together as far as running abusiness and we've done together
as far as running a businessand it was uh.
It came about over the summer,which was like one of the

(04:33):
busiest summers we ever had.
We were going like on a familyvacation overseas and it was uh
and it it just kind of theopportunity came about.
I really just stuck my neck outand I was like I would like to
buy this.
I worked there for years and,um, and I said I would like to
buy this, and then we jumpedthrough all the hoops, we
started running it and then weended up closing.

(04:54):
We had a Christmas party 21stof December and we ended up
closing that night.
Oh, I love that.
I mean we were setting up for aparty and we had a notary come
to the party and we were signingthe papers and um it's.
it has been one of the easiestdecisions, I think, we've had to
make.

Speaker 1 (05:13):
Right.

Speaker 2 (05:14):
Because we believed in it.
We've seen it, it is.
They call it life changing.
Team training.
Right, I truly believe in that.
I mean a lot of a lot of peopleor things will tell something
like that Right, this is goingto change your life, this is.
This changes people's lives andI've watched it happen and I
believe in it.

(05:35):
Right, you know we're nottrying to sell you the magic
pill or the magic potion or themagic formula.

Speaker 1 (05:40):
Right, or membership to this or membership to that.
That's what throws me off withfitness.

Speaker 2 (05:44):
Yes, it's just you do the work, I'm, I'm here.
All you have to do is walk inthe door Right.
Do the work.
Give me, give me, give me thebest you have and I'm going to
help you along that journey.
That's all we want from you.

Speaker 1 (05:56):
Know the people that walk through the door, and I
love it and it's like you havethe crew too, Like I can go.
I could go on hiatus for acouple of months and be my
Pilates era, my walking era,whatever I come back, and it's
like same nine o'clock crew, 12o'clock crew.
Those are usually my timeframes.
I bounce back and forth fromnine to 12.

Speaker 2 (06:12):
And we have a phenomenal staff of coaches now
that I'm so blessed to have, Imean truly phenomenal physical
therapy backgrounds, cardiacrehab backgrounds, athletic
backgrounds.
I'm just, we have this core setof coaches who are on the same
wavelength as us.
It's their passion.

(06:33):
It's their passion.
We have people that want toquit their full-time job to work
there and I'm like I'll createours, I'll make it happen,
because you can't teach passion,you just can't.
No, it's not something, a skill, it's not something you learn.
It's that you either have itfor whatever you're in or you
don't Right, and I think it'ssuper rare to have this

(06:55):
collection of people nine, eight, nine people together that we
all just want to help somebodyRight.
Fitness we know the value offitness and I mean I'm thrilled
more than thrilled to be a partof it.

Speaker 1 (07:11):
And so, getting to that, well, last summer you had
like a big new well not really anew chapter, but kind of a new
beginning for you guys went onthis international trip but you
also like renewed, refreshedyour life.

Speaker 2 (07:27):
I remember this.
Yes, yes, we went to, uh, so,my husband's from Guam, um, we
went there for a couple ofreasons.
It was very interesting becausewe were closing a chapter and
then kind of going on a newadventure.
Um, we went there to bring mymother-in-law's ashes back to,
you know, her resting place inher home country, and we brought
the kids, we brought a bunch ofthe family, so it was kind of

(07:50):
like this going home trip forthem, especially to see people
they haven't seen in many years.
It's a long, 22-hour trip toget there.
It was.
You know what I mean whenyou're traveling with kids.
It's still, even though they'reolder.
It's just just difficult.

Speaker 1 (08:05):
That's almost more difficult than a little one
sometimes.
Yeah it's.

Speaker 2 (08:08):
You're wrangling people.
You know passports, thisluggage, blankets, um, and so
that was definitely closing abook.
And then we ended up having avow renewal.
We never had, um, a really bigwedding.
We ended up doing a vow renewal.
We never had a really bigwedding.
We ended up doing a courthousething.
And so my husband said, let'sdo the whole thing, let's do the

(08:32):
whole thing.
So we ended up we went toHawaii on the way back from Guam
and had a wedding ceremony, avow renewal, so it was really
cool.

Speaker 1 (08:46):
It was a really interesting thing.

Speaker 2 (08:49):
You know what I mean Coming full circle, going home
and getting remarried.

Speaker 1 (08:55):
I love that.
It's very interesting.
And now, how long have you guysbeen together?

Speaker 2 (08:58):
Over 10 years.

Speaker 1 (09:00):
Yeah, it's almost 12 now, yeah, yeah, that's amazing
and those renewals, and I thinkit's just such a fresh new
beginning.
Like you said, you kind of cameup with this idea around that
time and here you are in thisnew chapter, yeah, and moving
forward, stepping into this newspace.
And so what led you here,though?

(09:20):
Like, what is your passion?
Like, where did that develop inyou?
Was it childhood, was itadolescence?
Was it, you know, in adulthood?
Like, where did your drive andpassion for helping others, for
fitness, how did that all comeabout for you?

Speaker 2 (09:36):
I think that definitely started as a child.
My dad was a very into fitnessand um, and it just was a thing
that he did it.
I think when you see that, whenyou see your parents my mom was
a semi-professional ice skaterI think when you see your
parents are just it's not achore to them, it's just part of
their daily routine, right, ofcourse that becomes ingrained in

(09:58):
you.
And then I did sports growingup.
Um, it wasn't until later inlife.
I fitness was just always there.
Running was always there.
It definitely became like acoping mechanism the healthiest
coping mechanism I can probablyhave, and it was always there
for mental health.
So it was always just there.

(10:22):
But I think I didn't understandit until later on in life.
And then I it became a tool,right, it became truly a tool
that I recognized, I guess,because again, where you're just
doing it, I don't think youeven think about it, right, um,
and then I started to realizethis is something that could

(10:42):
help people.
I can use all the knowledgeI've accumulated over the years
in the education, um, to helpother people.
And so I started going backinto that fitness field and, um,
that is where I started to kindof see how it all culminated,
and so when you're confident andyou, you are knowledgeable

(11:03):
about what you're doingculminated and so when you're
confident and you, you areknowledgeable about what you're
doing, you can translate it topeople, and you can.
One of the big things is whenyou see it happen, when you see
it click for somebody, when yousee someone, it sinks in for
them.
You're like you feel this spark,right, like you know what I
mean, you're exactly, and you'relike this is why I'm doing this

(11:29):
, this is why I'm doing this.
When you see someone hit a move, when you see someone hit a
goal or hit a milestone thatthey placed for themselves
because you've helped them getthere, you've assisted them in
some way, you've given them theknowledge or whatever you have,
your skillset, I think, um, thatdoes it.
You're like okay, this is whatI'm going to do forever.

Speaker 1 (11:43):
I don't know about you, but for me, watching
someone do a legit pull up forthe first time is so symbolic
though Like, like I don't know,I guess I'm just one of these
like I give all metaphysicalwith with fitness, but it's like
being able to pull yourself up,it's more or do like a deadlift
and just put the heavy shitdown.

(12:04):
You know it is so symbolic forwhat we go through in life.
It is, and so you know, verymuch like yourself, I've just
not necessarily in myenvironment with my parents, but
it was almost opposite thanthat, like they didn't take care
of their.
I mean, my father died when Iwas younger.
My mom was just always blessedwith great genetics but didn't

(12:28):
really take care of her body atall when she was younger.
She was just blessed If any waywith the extreme opposite into.
You know, substances and allkinds of stuff, but I was always
like I'm never going to do that.
So I've actually taken mycoping mechanisms to the extreme
and made them unhealthy, butnow have a healthy balance with
it.
But I've seen firsthand howhaving that in my life

(12:49):
absolutely saved my life.
Oh, absolutely, a hundredpercent.
Like whether it was taking arun and not knowing why, just
taking a run and knowing.
Oh, I feel better now.
It just allowed me to breatheand also, I feel like got me out
in nature more before.
I respected being out in nature.
I feel like when we were a kidwe'd take that for granted.
It's like, oh you know, beingout in the trees, climbing the

(13:10):
trees, being barefoot, all thethings I think you know as a
child.
You don't realize why you loveit so much, but it's so great
for our nervous system.

Speaker 2 (13:18):
It is, and it's a sense of freeing, a sense of
freedom, but control Exactly youknow what I mean.
I'm in control of the direction, of where I'm going Right, the
freedom you feel from running.
I hope everybody gets toexperience that kind of joy.
I think everybody should go tryrunning.
I know people are so dead setagainst it.

Speaker 1 (13:39):
I don't understand it .
I love it.

Speaker 2 (13:42):
I don't care if you're bad at it, just go feel
that feeling.

Speaker 1 (13:44):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (13:45):
You know what I mean.
I'm I'll never profess to be agreat runner.

Speaker 1 (13:49):
I've run my whole life.

Speaker 2 (13:49):
I've made very little improvement, I've made very
little effort to improve, but itbrings you peace.
It's the sensation.
It brings you joy.
It brings me mental clarity andpeace.
Um, it brings me joy.
It I love challenge myselfphysically and um, and it makes
your legs look great.

Speaker 1 (14:09):
She's fantastic legs.

Speaker 2 (14:14):
I it is a, but I think overall it's been a mental
health, a sense of relief inthat area.
Absolutely I think, um, you gothrough certain things in life
and what I've noticed is thatrunning has always been there,
and even my husband.
There are days I'm just umthough I don't like to admit it

(14:34):
overwhelmed, overstimulated ahundred percent, and he's like
you got to go.
You know what I mean.
Like you got to go.
I was like, all right, you'reright, probably, you're probably
.
My husband does the same thing.

Speaker 1 (14:47):
I think they realize it's like they saves them from
the aftermath later maybe yeah,exactly text them in a way,
that's okay okay, but butknowing that you guys have that
connection enough for him to belike you know what?
I see you, I feel you, I hearyou Even though you might not be
feeling like just have a break,like giving you that, not that

(15:10):
you need permission, but youknow what that like.
Just go, Because sometimes asmoms, as wife, as business
owners, we have all the thingslined up and we have to do this
and do it.
So it's like running orexercise in general just allows
you to just be there and there.
And I think that that'ssomething that I've realized
over the years, especially morethan I've gotten to this mental

(15:30):
health realm the past five yearsof really being more self-aware
is it allows me to be present.
Yes, because you know if you'represent in your workout, you're
counting your reps, you'rebreathing, you're not thinking
about what you need to do lateror what summer camp you need to
schedule or your grocery list orwhatever it else.
You know something thathappened to you two weeks ago.
You're not thinking about anyof that.

(15:51):
You're in the moment, you'redoing your thing and you're
physically getting stronger, notto mention like all of the
hormonal balancing andeverything else that it does and
just brings you literally atpeace, and just brings you
literally at peace, and there issomething to being physically
strong that creates so muchclarity and personal inward

(16:12):
strength.

Speaker 2 (16:12):
Oh, absolutely.
I think there's a directcorrelation between mental
strength and physical strength.
Physical strength directlycorrelates to the fact that you
have the ability to go past yourcomfort zone Right To do
something that is hard.
It not only stimulates youmentally I mean, of course
you're getting physicalstimulation but mentally you're

(16:36):
overcoming Right.
You're overcoming your owndesire to quit, right.
That is the whole thing.
Behind physical strength is youcontinuously, and that's why
every time you hit a personalbest or you know you lift
heavier than you did the lasttime or you run farther than you
have lost time.
That's you against your mind,right.

(16:58):
That's you telling yourself I'mnot going to stop.
Right, there's no.
I love when people go past thatpoint where they think they're
done.
There's always a little more.
I love when people challengethemselves.
I love to see it, I love tohave.
I love when they're like oh, Ididn't think I could.

(17:19):
Right, don't ever think youcan't.
You know what I mean.
I love that.
And so when I?
I do believe there is thatdirect correlation between
pushing yourself past the pointof where you want to go, what
you're comfortable with, andyour mental strength, right.

Speaker 1 (17:39):
So yeah, it's interesting because I've always
been and, as we were discussinga little pre-podcast, I've
always been like very go hardwith exercise you witness this.
so for me the strength has comewith knowing when to step back,
balancing my hormones, doing alittle less high intensity, a

(18:01):
little more pilates and walkingto ship.
That for me and I think I'mjust built this way has been so
much harder than going in andgiving my 110% in a heavy
lifting, high intensity class.
So it's interesting because itgoes both ways and for me,
slowing down and lowering thatintensity it's like I've had to

(18:22):
overcome the mental mind F ofI'm being weak or I feel so
vulnerable and girly or I, andthere's nothing wrong with that
right, I'm a female, it's okay.

Speaker 2 (18:31):
Whatever, where does that come?

Speaker 1 (18:33):
from Right Well, and it comes from those like
self-limiting beliefs.
It comes from conditioning,because I conditioned myself
like yeah, that's like fitnessbadass, you have to do this and
this, but in also being afitness professional, yeah, you
know.
So it's like you're not lettingyourself down, you're just
switching it up, like I stillmove my body every single day in
some sort of way.

(18:55):
So I have had to really unraveland reevaluate my thought
process when it comes to fitnesswhen it comes to movement, when
it comes to fitness, when itcomes to movement, when it comes
to exercise, when it comes tobalance, when it comes and I
know you guys had someone on notlong ago, had you have guest
speakers come in and speak to?
Members and things like thatabout you know, balancing
yourself and your hormones andand how you know, there's

(19:18):
actually a Mel Robbins podcastout recently with Dr Sims.
It's like you know, womenaren't little men, so we have to
understand.

Speaker 2 (19:23):
Yeah, it's like you know, women aren't little men,
so we have to understand.

Speaker 1 (19:25):
Yeah, it was really good it resonated with a lot of
people.
Yeah, like the bro, sciencebehind working out and stuff
like that, and like you canstill be high intensity.
But women it's all right to doit differently than men do and
we're supposed to like.
We're different beings.
We have a completely differenthormonal cycle.
So that's what I love aboutlike an F45, because it gives

(19:46):
you the ability to do that.
Oh yes, it's not like a onesize fits all.
This is where you have to do it.
It's.
You know, even last time I wasin I was telling your husband
like yeah, he's like where youbeen.
I was like, oh, I've beenbalancing, I'll be here here and
there.
I've been working on hormonesis like okay, I get it.
Like yeah, you've said enough.

Speaker 2 (20:03):
Yeah, but you know hormones.

Speaker 1 (20:05):
Yeah, right, but just knowing you know what my
limitations are not evenlimitations like just knowing
what I need to pivot and when Ineed to pivot it.
And now I'm feeling like,because I know myself, I know my
body, I really miss the heavyweights and so even if I do go

(20:25):
to a strength class and it'slike, okay, well, if I'm going
to lift heavier today, I don'thave to go balls to the wall.
High intensity endurance, I canjust go in for the strength oh,
absolutely.
And that's the great part aboutthe different dynamics and the
versatility of the workouts thatI really appreciate oh,
absolutely.
Plus, I was a really big MarkyMark fan when I was a kid.

Speaker 2 (20:45):
Yes, and there is a little tie to Mark Wahlberg on
this.
Yeah, I think that's one of thethings I do love is the we
really hone in on specificmovements.
One of my specialties a lot ofthe coaches or specialty is a
corrective exercise, right.
We really emphasize is itfunctional?

(21:06):
One of our my specialties, alot of the coaches or specialty
is a corrective exercise, right?
Um, we really emphasize is itfunctional, right?
All right, um, we want you tolift heavy to the best of your
ability, right?
Our main goal is injuryprevention and building strength
functionally.
A lot of people we?
Um, the workouts are curated inphases, so you'll have a base,

(21:29):
a build and a peak phase, andthat base phase is really honing
in on those specific movements,making sure they're correct.
Then we build on that movement.
So you may be going from an RDLor a Romanian deadlift and so
is your form correct?
Are your shoulders pulled back?
Are you hinging correctly?
So when we go through that room,we're with you and we're like

(21:52):
you need to back down on theweight until this form is
correct.
And then we scale it up.
And then you go into your buildphase and we're like now we're
putting on weight.
And then we go to that peakphase four weeks later and we're
like you wanted to go crazyeight weeks ago.
Now's your chance, right?
So now you've got your formlocked in, you've built up the

(22:13):
weight, you want to go hard, youwant to go heavy?
Now's your chance, right.
But that's the functionality ofit and I think that, um, that's
why I just I believe in theprogramming, right, you know it
goes through these cycles ofphases, we hone in on specific
movements and it's built toyou're able to do seven days of

(22:34):
working out.
People go don't you need tohave a rest day.
You can do our workout sevendays a week pretty comfortably,
mm-hmm.
And I say comfortably becauseideally you're not going to be
super calm, right?

Speaker 1 (22:48):
You know what I mean, it's okay, in one week you
might.

Speaker 2 (22:50):
in one week you might be sick and you know what I
mean, depending if you'rechallenging yourself.

Speaker 1 (22:55):
Exactly Well, and it does all different chains of the
body, not just the anterior andposterior, and that's what I
love.
It's like it's an exercisethat's really built for the
lateral chains that you know,everything has worked, which is
which was what gives you thatwell rounded extra, because I
know when I go to the gym and Ilift by myself, I'm not doing my
lateral chain as much as Ishould be.

(23:17):
I'm doing most anterior andposterior.
So that's why I love a goodclass, because, a, I don't have
to think about it and write myown workout and, B I'm working.
I'm doing a more well-rounded,absolutely full circle 360
workout and working my entirebody.

Speaker 2 (23:31):
I mean, we all love it, we're all getting in.
I sometimes I I don't likecoaching a class cause I want to
be in it, Right.
I'm like oh, everybody's havinga good time, Right.

Speaker 1 (23:41):
You're like, I want to be.
I want to be doing it.

Speaker 2 (23:43):
I do I do.
Once in a while I'll slip inand I'll do a thing Um and again
.
That's what I love about it isyou can like just hop in and
really motivate someone to keepgoing.
But the workouts I mean, likeyou said, they're programmed in
every plane of motion.
They're scalable.
We have athletic based workouts.
We'll have stability basedexercises.

(24:06):
It's, I mean, the way it'sbuilt and it's definitely
improved over the years.
It's truly curated, I think,beautifully.
Yeah, and I think you rememberyou know, when you're a personal
, you start being a personaltrainer.
You're developing your ownprogramming, right, which number
one takes hours.
Oh my gosh.

Speaker 1 (24:24):
People don't understand.
I'm done.

Speaker 2 (24:26):
I know the hours you put in just for programming to
program one workout for oneperson, I know and so then you
have to start tailoring it.
And then, if you want to excelin your in your fitness, you're
doing research and you're umlooking at different types of
workouts, looking at differenttypes of workouts, you're

(24:48):
looking at plyometrics, and thenyou go down these rabbit holes
because you want to accumulate,as if you're really passionate,
you want to accumulate as muchknowledge about as many fields
of fitness as you can.

Speaker 1 (24:57):
Right and depending on each individual and that was
always my thing with personaltraining is people don't realize
like okay, it's X amount persession, that's my time, that's
my energy in person, but it'salso behind the scenes, Like I
don't think people understandthat.
Like it is you and your bodyand your genetics and your

(25:18):
eating habits and everything I'mworking around and tailoring
these, like I know that ifyou're going to leave here and
go get a coffee and a donut, Ineed to tailor your workout
differently than the personwho's eating their protein ahead
of time, you know.
So you really need tounderstand not only that person
and their goals, but also what'srealistic for their lifestyle.

(25:39):
So that's, just a plug forpersonal trainers out there.
It is worth it.
Trust them, it is worth it.
They are doing way more than youcould ever imagine it's not
like a one-size-fits-all andtaking you through the circuit
at the beginning of the gym typething.
It is very tailored.
I mean, I spent 20 years of mylife doing that and I'm happy to

(26:01):
say I'm done, I'm retired.
That part of my life is over.
I'm happy to say I'm done, I'mretired.
That part of my life is over.
Now I am just working out formyself.
But it was beautiful.
It's such a beautiful experience, like you said, to really watch
someone take those strides,take those leaps and achieve
things in their life.

(26:21):
That goes way beyond fitnessand I'm sure you hear that all
the time from your regulars.
It's like, wow, I did this, Idid this.
And and I'm sure you hear thatall the time from your regulars
it's like, wow, I, I did this, Idid this, I took this.
Like it gives you that courageand the stamina and the
endurance for life, not justphysically.
Oh yeah, so what is you know?
I'm curious to know, like, whatare some cool testimonies
you've had from members, fromguests?

Speaker 2 (26:42):
from friends.
I'm sure there's millions.
I've had so many.
I'll never get tired of them,by the way, Not ever.
All the same feeling andsensation every time someone
tells me something.
Someone lost 9% body fat.
Huge, that's a lot.
Somebody was able to dopush-ups like 10 pushups today.

(27:06):
Um a client was said they wereable to do 13 pull-ups
unassisted.
That's hard.

Speaker 1 (27:12):
People have lost weight.

Speaker 2 (27:13):
They've met weight-based goals.
Um, it's, I mean, tremendous.
I've had people, uh, not beable to get through a class, so
we'll, we were like we'll kindof portion it out.
Do a little bit today, do alittle bit more, than you know
what I mean.
And they got through a fullclass.
They did a second class.

(27:34):
They did a five 30 and a six 30.
We were all I mean that went inthe group chat Right.
When I'm telling you the, Imean the crew we have, we're
texting about you.
We're like so-and-so did thistoday, you know, and it's all
the emojis going off yourphone's blowing up Over a person
, just as a fitness person.

(27:55):
You're in there cranking outwhatever you're doing pull-ups,
push-ups, all this.
But when we see somebody andtheir goal was to do just like
five push-ups with no knees andthey accomplish it, we're all
celebrating.

Speaker 1 (28:08):
It's huge and it really puts into perspective
some things that we can take forgranted.
Oh, absolutely, you know, thatwas always something that was
super humbling.
It's like, oh, let's do it.
And then it's like, wow, okay,like we're all genetically
different, like I must be in myown little world here, because
this is a gift it is.
It really makes you puts inperspective that, like our
bodies, our minds, our spirits,our ability to get up and go to

(28:33):
a class or to a workout, it's agift, it truly is.
And or to a workout, it's agift, it truly is.
And I think that a lot of usprobably most of us, take that
for granted sometimes.
Oh, absolutely, I know, I do.

Speaker 2 (28:43):
I mean, you've talked to my husband and he's one of
those people who had it, lost itand got it back Right.
And you don't appreciatesomething more until you've had
it and lost it Right and you'retrying to go back to it.
Yeah, and then, um, a goodexample one of our members, um,
ended up losing a limb.
Um, she's a veteran militaryveteran.

(29:04):
She lost a limb overseas in anexplosion and um, she came to
our gym and it was just she wasstill experiencing trauma from
that event.
Um, she was still experiencingtrauma from that event.

Speaker 1 (29:25):
Um, missing a limb obviously hinders you in a lot
of ways, um, especially in thegym, and one of our things was
it was?

Speaker 2 (29:28):
it was so, so many things.
You know.
It was like a fear being judged.
It was our people looking at meand it spoke to the community
number one because people foldedher in immediately right, you
know what I mean.
So I think that brought her alot of comfort to keep coming
right.
And then, of course, we didevery modification we could

(29:51):
think of banded workouts.
We ended up getting her adevice um to um it was a limb
assist device so that she couldlift barbells, dumbbells, things
like that um and it, but againit spoke to her, just her mental
perseverance to keep coming um.

(30:13):
She was tough, she's a toughchick, so now she's actually
going into a bikini competitionoh my god, I love that, and
she's so cute.

Speaker 1 (30:20):
I tough chick, so now she's actually going into a
bikini competition.
Oh my God, I love that, andshe's so cute.
I know what you're talkingabout.
She's adorable.

Speaker 2 (30:23):
She's adorable.
I love her.
I love that for her.

Speaker 1 (30:26):
See, that's like I need to come back just to tell
her I'm excited for her.

Speaker 2 (30:29):
This is my, why I need to get back in.

Speaker 1 (30:39):
So we love you.
But that's a perfect example ofshe could have had every excuse
and A.
Not only did she show up forherself and ask for help,
despite all the things her mindwas telling her, but something
drove her in those doors and youguys welcomed her.
And now I mean the result ofthat is amazing and it's just
like an over and talk about.
I mean, I do a lot with traumarecovery and it's like there's

(31:01):
nothing better for that mind,body, spirit connection and just
flushing out the shit, thangetting in alignment with
yourself, moving your body, youknow, because, like we were
saying, it's the mental strength, it's the physical strength,
it's all that comes with that,that just boosts your spirit up
and gets you ready for anything?

Speaker 2 (31:23):
Oh yeah, I mean, and she was a tough, um, real tough
person, um prior and after youknow that incident and um, we're
just so proud of her.
But again, the community at ourstudio is just phenomenal.
People have made friends, we doa lot of get togethers, we

(31:44):
support each other, we haveseveral group chats and Facebook
pages and things.
It's just makes you feel peopleare just comfortable, right,
and that's what you want.
When, when you're going after agoal or you're kind of
self-conscious or things likethat, this is kind of people's

(32:04):
home, home away from home.
Their tiny little family,people have their little little
groups, their 5am group or their12 noon group, and you know,
then we do these big gettogethers and you know, then we
do these big get togethers and Ilove it.
I love that feeling that peopleare there to help each other,
cheer each other on.

(32:24):
It's just it gets so chaotic inthere and I throw.
I kind of thrive on that and Ijust again, I keep saying I'm so
blessed to even just be allowedto be a part of it.

Speaker 1 (32:38):
Right, and what you've done is you've created
community and connection.
And what is it that humans eventhough in the world we live in
today, I feel like we're gettingfarther and farther away from
this?
Oh, absolutely.
But it's more important thanever to continue to have this
hands-on, this personal,interactive, community and
connection.

(32:59):
Absolutely, we need it now morethan ever.
You know you have teenagers,you have children.
How many kids do you have?

Speaker 2 (33:07):
We have three.

Speaker 1 (33:08):
We have three.
So yeah, yeah, I mean, you knowand it's like my daughter says
all the time like mom, I likeyour generation, like I just
turned 40 in February.
She's like you guys knew whatit was like before you had cell
phones.
You knew what it was like tolike hang out with people and no
one knew where you were.

Speaker 2 (33:27):
You knew what it was like to have real connection.

Speaker 1 (33:29):
No, and it's like, and it's become crazy, not to
mention overstimulating, and youknow we're not built for all
that.
But what you've created withthis community is like a safe
place where people can just letloose, disconnect but connect at
the same time exactly and Ithink that's a.
I mean, it's a beautiful thingand a great opportunity for

(33:51):
people, and so for people whoaren't local to sarasota,
because we have a lot of peoplethat listen all over the world
actually.
So where can we find you onlike Instagram or Facebook, just
if people want to like you loveyour vibe and want to follow
your page and your motivationbecause I know you guys post a
lot.

Speaker 2 (34:08):
So what are your handles?
So our Instagram is F45training, sarasota UTC.
You'll get a really good senseof of what goes on in there.
Um, you'll see how fun it is.
And, of course, you could lookat us on Facebook at 45, sarah.
So do you TC?

(34:28):
Um, the Instagram gives ageneral, really good vibe.
Um, that's what's been craftedover the years, right?
Um, people are going to comework out either way.
People are going to come dotheir 45-minute workout.
Is it going to be fun?
That has always been my passion, even in personal training.

(34:52):
The minute somebody startshating fitness is the minute
they quit.
You know what I mean.
You can't do something you hate, partading fitness is the
minute they quit, right?

Speaker 1 (34:58):
You know what I mean.
You can't do something you hate, right?
You just can't.
Well, and we and I think thatthat sometimes gets in our head
too it's like people torturethemselves with exercise and
it's like, well, are we doingthis because we love our bodies
or are we doing it because we'repunishing our bodies?
Exactly, and, yes, it's goodfor it, but your mindset going
into it matters Exactly, itmatters a hundred percent, and
people don't realize that.
I think, especially, like youknow, when you get into the

(35:20):
trainings of, like, the fitnesscompetitions and the
bodybuilding, like a lot of thatstuff can be redundant if
you're doing the same thing allthe time, if you're eating the
broccoli and boiled chicken, ifyou're, you know, sometimes you
can kind of get a little off.
So it's like re revamping andrebalancing and re energizing
yourself, ohizing yourselfaround the concept of being
healthy and what that might looklike so for you and your

(35:42):
lifetime.
What different avenues have youkind of explored with that Like
, what is your personal fitnessand exercise journey been?

Speaker 2 (35:51):
like, well, like I said, I grew up doing sports.
What sports did you?
Did you play?
High school?
I did swimming, softball, and,um, I always wanted to do I
really wanted to do crosscountry, not for me, tried it
out, didn't care for it, um, butthose are the two I mainly did.
And, um, I was a runner, justby my nature.

(36:15):
It was it's free.
It's free and you can do italmost anywhere, anytime.
And where did you grow up?
Um, I've grown up mainly herein Florida, lived in Texas and
Georgia, so I'm just a.
I'm a Southern girl, firstgeneration American.
Um, so, yeah, where's yourfamily from?

(36:36):
So, my mom's from Japan and mydad was from Cuba Awesome.
So they both immigrated hereand they met here, and this is
just kind of where I alwayswanted to stay in Florida.
I've been all over and it'sbeautiful, but Florida is
definitely where my heart is at.

(36:57):
Always loved the beaches.
We used to live on the otherside and I did some surfing over
there.

Speaker 1 (37:04):
The other coast is really beautiful.
My husband and I were in VeroBeach this weekend.
Oh yeah, you don't realize howbig Florida is, by the way.
Three hours just to getstraight across the state, just
to go across.
I'm like that's how long ittakes to get to Miami and
Gainesville, but just to getliterally Sarah Road 70 all the
way across, which, by the way,it's beautiful.
It's just so different.
I don't think people realizehow different the Atlantic side,

(37:26):
east coast of Florida and thewest side of the Gulf is.
Like our beaches are morepowdery and white and shelly and
then you go to the Atlantic andit's like the sand's a little
darker but there's not as manyshells.
The waves are incredible, likeI'm like, can we just?
sleep with the door open, so Ican listen to the waves.

Speaker 2 (37:42):
It's awesome, it is beautiful oh yeah.
I miss it a little bit, but Idefinitely I'm glad we chose to
settle here.
You know we always mulled overwhere we were really just going
to plant roots and I'm glad.
I love the Bradenton Sarasotaarea and I'm really happy with

(38:03):
it.
It's just a little more calmRight, which is what you're
looking for when you're plantingroots and you're raising your
family and your kids.

Speaker 1 (38:11):
It's a little more retire-ish.

Speaker 2 (38:13):
I'm into it.
I'm into a retiree vibe, I feellike I'm semi-retiree.
I am very into that vibe.
They're doing it just right.
Like I can eat dinner at 5 pm.
Oh I love it, I love it.
I'm telling you there's nothinglike a 5.30 dinner.
Oh I love it.
People should try it.

Speaker 1 (38:29):
Seriously, I don't like eating late.
It keeps me up at night and Ilike a little intermittent
fasting.
But I can't skip breakfast inthe morning, so I much rather
stop eating earlier.
Bingo, then.
I mean it's better formetabolic insulin levels anyway,
Anyway.

Speaker 2 (38:46):
I interrupted you, so your fitness journey, let's get
back to that and so, like Isaid, I did some weightlifting,
but mainly cardio was my thing.
And it wasn't until I educatedmyself and I started exploring
other avenues that I reallybroadened my thing.
Um, and it wasn't until Ieducated myself and I I started
exploring other avenues that I Ireally broadened my fitness.
I did some more intense, alittle more bodybuilding, a
little more of this.
Um, I got very into hip fitnessand then, um it, just through

(39:11):
my sheer nature of just being um, curious, right, um, curious,
right, um, I fell into all thesedifferent pathways of fitness.
So I did fall in love with hitfitness.
My husband used to teachCrossFit many years ago.
I got a deep interest into that.
So I was kind of dabbling, kindof like everywhere.

(39:33):
And then I just came upon F45randomly.
I wasn't thrilled with thepersonal training I had been
doing with a big box gym.
I started my own conciergefitness, which I loved.
I was very passionate about it.
I was working with differentolder populations and I loved

(39:56):
that.
Right, I have a real soft spotfor um older populations who are
kind of like I've never donethis before and I'm like don't
ever think it's too late.

Speaker 1 (40:06):
Oh, a hundred percent .

Speaker 2 (40:08):
I mean, we, our oldest client is 73.
Don't ever think it's too late.
Start now if you haven't.
Yeah, I just I totally believein it.
And so F45, when I started tosee it in action, I'm like this
is super cool and that's kind ofwhat settled it for me.
So it's kind of this, like Isaid, amalgamation of different

(40:33):
elements of fitness.
So you have your HIIT, yourweight training, your cardio.
There's a little bit of likeCrossFit-ish elements in there
and it's all functional.
Though that was the one thing.
Crossfit gets this bad rapbecause, like everybody gets
hurt.

Speaker 1 (40:47):
I can't do it.
My body I flip for way too longmy joints don't like.
Crossfit, I just don'tparticularly love it because I
feel like for me it's toorepetitive.

Speaker 2 (40:57):
I love it.
Yeah, I get bored.
I have to bounce aroundSomething about the intensity.
Yeah, I love.
So you love intensity.

Speaker 1 (41:03):
I do love intensity, so it's just you what.
I think that's part of thereason I've always, kind of like
, created a boundary for myselfwith it, because I think I would
Go too hard.
I would go too hard.
I'm like at this point I thinkI would just break myself.

Speaker 2 (41:16):
Let it be known, crystal is famous at our gym as
being the woman that goes hard.
I am, so you are just you gavemy husband a run for his money,
and that's an athlete.

Speaker 1 (41:27):
He's an athlete he really is.
I mean, his legs are biggerthan our waist.
I'm like his quads have to belike 27 inches.

Speaker 2 (41:35):
He would be very happy to hear that.
He'll be very pleased to hearthat.

Speaker 1 (41:38):
Oh my God, I literally was.
I was like sizing up, I'm like,holy shit, he's a big dude.
Yeah, he's a big dude.

Speaker 2 (41:48):
So how did you guys meet?
Well, we met in Tampa a longtime ago.
We met on the internet, on adating app.
Oh my God, I love that.
I know 12 years ago.
Oh yeah, it was um, um.
So actually I had a friend Ihad.
I had gotten out of a badrelationship a couple years

(42:11):
prior to that and I was kind oflike, um, I was like I'm done,
I'm done, whatever finds me.
Someone wants to break into myhouse and date me.
That's who's going to get me.

Speaker 1 (42:22):
Sometimes that's the best attitude to have when
you're not seeking.

Speaker 2 (42:25):
And a friend of mine was like this, you're not.
He's like no, it can't be justme and you forever.
And he very much encouraged meto get on a dating app and so
what he would do is he would goon my phone and he was like I'm
just going to swipe throughthese people and I'm like please
don't do that, please don't dothat.
And he found this guy and hegoes.

(42:49):
I found a big Hawaiian man.
I said, oh OK, not Hawaiian,finds out he's from Guam, it's
different.
He's from Guam, it's different.
Um, and he definitely I'm notan easy person to date.
I think it took him three monthsfor us to kind of have a date,

(43:09):
because he was like I'll, let metake you out for pizza and I
said I don't want that, I justI'm not.
I'm so, um, it's like kind oftrying to date a cat, right, you
know what I mean.
So I, I finally was like, ohyeah, let's go, let's do
something.
And, uh, he made me dinner andI said I'll make dinner from now

(43:32):
on.
You tried your best.
I hope you gave your best, Ihope you gave your best effort
and I appreciate it.
What did he make?
Oh gosh, I think he tried tomake me a fish dish and it was
not um something I was thrilledwith.
It might have been salmon.
He's got three good meals.
He's got a spaghetti um abarbecue like ribs and something

(43:56):
else that I don't rememberPerfect.
So yeah, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1 (44:00):
So you're the chef of the family, but it worked.
You really do it somehow.
Every man knows how to cook arack of ribs.

Speaker 2 (44:06):
It sounds like survival for him, exactly, and
spaghetti, you know, I was like,all right, man, good job,
that's awesome, yeah, and so itstuck, it stuck.
He's a good dude.
Um, he is a good man.
And so when I kind of um, hehad, uh, been in the military

(44:28):
and incurred several injuries,different things, so he has been
fit his whole life, and when hegot these severe injuries, you
know, that kind of went down andF45 was his way back.
So that's, I think that's whyhe is so passionate.
He sees my personal passion forit and, um, he saw what it could

(44:50):
do, how it could change yourlife, and he's back in better
than ever.
Right, you know, I am, and I'mso proud of him and I think it
speaks to his, his loveliness asa husband, when I bring to him
an idea and I say, um, I want tobuy a gym so I can be with all
my friends and it's not a goodsell, so, uh, but he definitely,

(45:15):
he was on board a%.
He supports me.
So whatever I bring to him, hesupports me and he goes.
As long as this is somethingyou believe in, I'll support you
.

Speaker 1 (45:27):
Oh, and it's your passion and it's like and to be
doing something that brings thatout in you makes all the
difference.
Oh yeah, absolutely Like all thedifference.
My husband and I haveexperienced this in our own
journey.
It, oh yeah, you know, like allthe difference.
My husband and I haveexperienced this in our own
journey.
It's like, yeah, you could bedoing one thing, but if it's not
fulfilling you, if you don'tshift that, it can easily bring

(45:48):
you down, oh, absolutely Intothe.
You know the depths of thethickness of the yuck, oh yeah.
And so it's like it's constantreevaluation and collaboration.
And you know finding andsupporting our partners and what
their passions are, and youknow what their dreams are, and
you know, in this day and age,it's better to own it than just
go there and work.

Speaker 2 (46:10):
Let me tell you it's good to be the boss, it is Like
it's one.

Speaker 1 (46:15):
It adds value.

Speaker 2 (46:32):
You know, it adds value to yourself, it adds value
to the situation.
It adds was kind of his.
He always had this dream, manyyears ago, to either own a gym
or run a gym or something withthat you know, and so this was
like a full circle moment forhim as well, and I felt amazing

(46:54):
for us both.
I feel like we make a difference.
I think we're a great team andwe've built this community.
I mean, the community is right.
You know what I mean.
Um, we've done so much with thesupport of our people and our

(47:16):
members and our coach and ourcoaches and staff, and the fact
that they're behind us a hundredpercent is it makes you feel so
good?
Right, they're like we love theideas and they share ideas with
us, and they're like here's howwe can make this better.
Here's how we can do more forthe members.
And it's kind of like, wow,this is how everything should go

(47:40):
.
You know what I mean?
The fact that it's so naturaland people are so comfortable
and people are so engaged withus and they love him.
And I'm like, okay, I love this, I love that.
You see, all the great thingsthat I see in him.

Speaker 1 (47:55):
I feel like you guys are kind of like me and my
husband, like he's like the calm, gentle rationale to.
You're crazy.

Speaker 2 (48:01):
Am I wrong Like?

Speaker 1 (48:03):
that's definitely me and my husband.
He's like the logicalstatistical like forward
thinking like gentle soul to mylike.

Speaker 2 (48:15):
Oh yeah, cause I'll be.
I mean, mean, I'll be honest,I'll be ape shit in there
sometimes yeah, and he's likebut that's the energy.

Speaker 1 (48:21):
You know what I mean.
It's a great balance, becauseyou can't both be one way or the
other and I can see him acrossthe room.
He's like this is you right,right, well, just having that
space where you can just be you,oh, you know, and there's I'm,
I don't know, I just I.
I'm being so pulled lately andthe whole intention of this
podcast was like, oh, I'm goingto talk about my healing journey

(48:44):
and but now it's more aboutlike, let's empower people to be
their authentic self, becausehow many people out there are
living a fricking lie?
They're lying to themselvesabout being happy in what
they're doing.
They're living from like a dayto day, like just doing it to
get paid or doing it becausethey have to, whether it's
necessity, whether it's a choice.

(49:04):
And who is that for Right?
Who is that for?
And it's like it makes you feellike a lawyer in the matrix of
the situation, like how do webreak that?

Speaker 2 (49:11):
How do you break that cycle?

Speaker 1 (49:14):
of just doing it, rather than being it like being
there in it.

Speaker 2 (49:20):
And I think our generation, I mean we're dubbed
now the cycle breakers A hundredpercent, and I love that for us
.
I hate that we have to.
We're not the beneficiaries ofit, necessarily, and that's okay
, but that's okay.
I love that now we are in the,we have an authenticity mindset,

(49:40):
right.
You know, who am I doing thisfor?
And it's not just you're doingthings to please yourself, no,
but you certainly can't liveyour life to please others, no,
and there's something very, just, very tragic about that.

Speaker 1 (49:57):
I think, and I think we're breaking through that.
Oh, absolutely.
Because I think so many peoplewere conditioned from a very
young age to do what theythought they were supposed to do
.
Oh, absolutely, Like we're atthe age where we actually just
signed two leases to send one ofour kids off to college this
summer.
Oh yeah, and my husband and Iwere talking and we're like, oh

(50:18):
yeah, what do you think theboy's path is going to be?
And I'm like you know what Iwas like.
I don't care what they do, Iwant them to do something they
love.
Oh yeah, Like I, looking back,I'm thankful for my education.
And then I chose to go toschool for exercise, science,
nutrition and learn all thesethings.
And neuromus, you know, go toschool for exercise, science,
nutrition and learn all thesethings.
And neuromuscular massagetherapy.
Never used that, but like, Igot out of college and I had

(50:42):
$35,000 of student loans andthat was my first salary.
It was my very first salary ata corporate fitness gym and it
was like, oh God, like I didn'teven need to do what I did, Like
I could have just done the ACSMpersonal training that I did
when I was in school anyway andbeen totally fine without the
debt.
You know, thank goodness Ifinally paid it off.

(51:04):
But it's like I didn't need todo that to do what I loved.

Speaker 2 (51:07):
Oh yeah, and it's interesting to me that like and
I do think that we're openingthis- up a little bit more, even
with my five-year-old, like Idon't even want to send him to
regular traditional publicschool.
I don't think it serves, likeyou know no offense.
I think it's a lot ofmemorization and stuff like that
.
Yeah, it's a lot of testing,it's a lot of um.

(51:27):
I think it's much.
I think we grew up where theybegan all that testing, right
and um, so you had all thesethings.
But I feel like my youngest,that's all he does.

Speaker 1 (51:37):
And it's like, it's so sad because we're not
teaching them and empoweringthem to bring out their gifts,
and so, as parents, obviouslythat's our real job and our
purpose, and it's not just theschool system or whatever.
So that's like been my intention.
But you know much, like yousaid, like you learn from the
example of your parents.
We're teaching our childrenfrom our examples.

(51:57):
You know, sadly enough, I think, that our children are
influenced by way more than justtheir parents at this day and
age, more so than we were, whichis not a bad thing, it's a
great thing, but it can also bea very overstimulating and
wishy-washy thing as well.
But just really instilling thatfollow your heart, what makes

(52:18):
you feel good, and that's justthe way I like.
Even like every day I wake up,I'm like, well, what, what feels
good for me today?
Like I used to be that personthat planned out like everything
in advance, Like I'm going todo this workout this day, this
way, and I still kind of likeget my frame around it based on
what my schedule is.
But then again I wake up andI'm like I am so tired and so
depleted and what time in themonth is it?

(52:38):
And maybe I'll just take a walktoday.
And it's like before that wouldhave, like I would have gone in
spirals of.
I skip this and it's intuitive,it's more about and I feel like
that's the great thing that'sgoing on now in the authentic
movement.
We're getting to be more ofthis intuitive society, which I
think is very, if you can staytrue and figure out from within

(53:03):
and kind of block out theexternal, because I think that's
really what it helps and andexactly like we've talked about
is just creating that connectionand community of people who get
you, who are on your samewavelength, who are your vibe
tribe, you know, and that is thegreat thing about who are on
your same wavelength who areyour vibe?
tribe.
Oh yeah, you know, and that isthe great thing about you.
Know, one thing what I loveabout you is you're just fun and
funky and you know it's justmotivating and all the things.

(53:26):
And you know, and I wasthinking about like you know,
who do I want to bring on forthis season of empowerment?
I'm like, oh, my God, this isperfect.
I'm like I can't tell, like itwouldn't be perfect.
And then I went and you werelike I bought the gym and I'm
like, oh, let's talk about that,let's talk about this
experience Nothing moreempowering than buying your
workplace Right Exactly.

(53:48):
And, you know, maybe you'llmotivate someone to do the same
in their life.
Because, like we said, this ismore than just fitness.
This is more than just you know.
It's about following your heart, what feels good, doing what
feels good for you in thatmoment and honestly giving
yourself the grace andcompassion that that may change.

Speaker 2 (54:05):
Oh yeah, absolutely, and I really I never anticipated
this move Right, I reallydidn't, and those are the best
kind.

Speaker 1 (54:12):
It is the best kind and it was a very it just so
happened to be this uh uh crosssection of being confident in
what I do knowing I could run itand me just doing that thing
where I make an impulsivedecision because, yeah, I sent

(54:33):
that, it's like sending thatrisky text.

Speaker 2 (54:34):
That's what I did, I, you.
I texted the owner and I said,hey, it looks like you're
selling this gym and I wouldlike to buy it there you go, you
know and I I and you never knowuntil you ask and like
sometimes it takes those boldmoves never don't ask never
don't ever don't ask rightyou're, what's the worst thing
that's gonna happen to you?
Somebody's gonna tell you nopeople tell you people tell me

(54:57):
no every day.

Speaker 1 (54:58):
That's okay, that's all right it hasn't hurt me once
, right, and it's like, okay,well, that wasn't an alignment,
what else is exactly?
And?

Speaker 2 (55:05):
I, I.
What would have happened if Ididn't?
You know, right, I, just you, Ino regrets, I love that.

Speaker 1 (55:12):
No regrets.

Speaker 2 (55:13):
I'm thrilled with it and it gets better and better
every day.
Memberships are up, just thechallenges are going, so we run
kind of like a challenge acouple times a year.
Challenges have been moresuccessful than ever.

Speaker 1 (55:28):
And what are talk about those challenges for a
minute?
What do those look like?

Speaker 2 (55:31):
So, what we really honed in on with these
challenges.
We run like a six or an eightweek challenge, um, about three
times a year, okay, and it'sbasically we base it around our
workouts and it got a littleconvoluted in the past.
So when we honed back in on thebasics, which are the workouts,

(55:51):
which are your lifestyle habitsoutside of the gym, which
included just um, just movingyour body more, and nutrition we
have great nutrition coaches onstaff, which is huge.

Speaker 1 (56:04):
Which is huge, knowing what to eat, when to eat
it especially tailored, andthis is important about having
them in your facility.
They know what you're doingphysically so they can better
coach you on how to fuel yourbody for that activity.

Speaker 2 (56:21):
One of our things that we focused on for this
particular challenge waspersonal acknowledgement.
Acknowledge your behaviors.
Acknowledge what's triggeringyour behaviors.
Acknowledge your eating habits.
We make people track their food.
Acknowledge your eating habits.
We make people track their food, your food intake.
Do it for a couple weeks.
It will change your life Ahundred percent.

(56:42):
People always go I don't knowwhat's happening.

Speaker 1 (56:45):
You don't know what's happening because you don't
know what's happening Right Likeare you getting enough protein?
Are you getting enough sleep?

Speaker 2 (56:50):
Which are we?

Speaker 1 (56:51):
ever.
Are you getting enough water?
No, and then you start trackingand it's like, oh wow, I
thought I was getting plenty.
I'm eating 500 calories lessthan I should be.
I'm working out, so my body'sstoring the fat that I'm working
so hard to burn off, but you'renot eating enough to fuel your
body to burn it appropriately.
And that was huge.

(57:11):
I mean, that was one of thereasons I went to school for
fitness is because I struggledwith eating disorders after
gymnastics and I wasn't eatingenough or I was running all the
time and not feeling my bodyappropriately and I got super
frail and thin and then I feltvulnerable because I was thin
and not muscular anymore and Idon't like that.
And then you know, and it'slike an adjusting to shifting

(57:31):
your body back and you know,increasing those calories but
also tailoring your exerciseprogram to where you're not
going to have the fat gains youknow.
So I have, like since day one Ithink, from my own personal
experience, understood theimportance of tracking your
nutrition.
So that is one thing, huge.
You can work out all the time.

(57:53):
But I mean even something assimply as starting your day off
with a coffee and creamer withnothing else in your belly and
realizing how many like whatcalories are coming from what,
and then exercising withoutprotein in your system and you
know, I mean it's just, it'scrazy.

Speaker 2 (58:09):
It was a huge wake up call for a lot of people.
It totally changed theirmindset about how they were
working out.
Because when you tell somebody,if you're not doing X, y, z,
you're going to negate thisworkout, or if you do do what
you're doing and it's not right,that is a wake up call.
They don't want to waste theirtime, they don't want to waste
their energy.

(58:30):
They're working hard towards agoal or for a purpose and so
just honing in and it veryholistic, right, we're not
trying to change your life, justbringing awareness and
accountability.

Speaker 1 (58:41):
And that's huge, and that and that for me is
empowerment.
Oh, exactly when you can teachsomeone to have acknowledgement,
acceptance, empower like thatis empowerment, like in
compassion, like we're humans.
We're all having this humanexperience.
We've all been exposed to thecrazy diet cultures, of all the
things.
But it really drops down tolike food science and what works

(59:04):
for your body, Because whatworks for me is different than
what works for you, what worksfor you is different than what
works for your husband and myhusband.
You know it's like we realizeand so I love that you guys have
that on hand that personalcoaching.
It is huge and just one of thehuge things I always really
advocate for for people gettinginto a new routine or if they

(59:28):
have to ebb and flow and nothave as much movement in a
certain timeframe, if they haveinjuries, but you can still
sustain your gains with propernutrition.

Speaker 2 (59:37):
Oh yeah, so it's.
I think that's why it's justsuch a well-rounded program and
that's the challenge wasphenomenal and, um, I just
people were just so surprisedwith the people that won are
always surprised, you know, andI'm like, why are you surprised?
This is the, you did the work,you worked really hard.
I mean, um, so those are alwayssurprised, right, you know, and

(59:59):
I'm like, why are you surprised?
This is the, you did the work,you worked really hard.
I mean, um, so those are alwaysbig thrills.
I love those challenges and, um, we're doing a Spartan race
together as a community.
It's um May 10th and we hadpeople last time who'd never
done a Spartan race.
So I love that.
I love when people are goingoutside of their comfort zone,
challenging themselves justphysically and mentally, and we

(01:00:21):
love to see it Getting back tolike our nature instinct roots
like getting dirty climbingthings jumping over things.
Yeah, I loved it.
I love that kind of stuff.
And um, it's just, it's reallycool to see people be excited
because they've never donesomething.
I love it and I'm just so proudof my people.

(01:00:42):
I really love them.
That's why I told you I wantedto buy this gym.
I think everybody in there islike my friend.
It's a great community.
We support them.
They support us.
You know, and there was alwaysa little bit of apprehension
when I was going to buy the gym.
I didn't know how it was goingto be received and it was, um,

(01:01:04):
gangbusters, it was awesome.
Yeah, people loved it.
They loved the fact that wewere going to take it over.
Yeah, and um, you know, coacheswere super on board because
they knew I was coming in withthat coach, that mindset of what
can I do to better take care ofthe coaches, the people and the
business.

Speaker 1 (01:01:22):
Right, and your passion and your authenticity,
and you're bringing all that andgiving them permission to have
it for themselves.
Oh, absolutely, and as businessowners and community leaders.
That's our purpose, right?
That's why we get into this,and not even intentionally, I
think.
Sometimes we just stumble uponit and it's like this is where
I'm supposed to be, so you knowwhat tidbits, piece of advice,

(01:01:49):
mindset like.
What would you like ourlisteners to take away from
today?

Speaker 2 (01:02:01):
listeners to take away from today.
Oh my gosh.
I think I think overall peoplehave this mindset of you.
Know, I'm going to start Monday.
I'm going to start January 1st.
I'm going to start starttomorrow.
Start your next meal, start thenext thing you put in your
mouth, start the next place.
Drive to the gym right now, getin your car Right, go, take a
step, go for a walk outside.
Don't, don't put off thisjourney and I know it's very

(01:02:25):
cliche, People go where wouldyou?
be, if you stopped stopping.
But it's so true.
Yeah, where would you be if you, if you started right now?
And they go.
Well, I always hit theseroadblocks or I always have a
thing Go again, go again.
If you have an injury, gethealed up, go again.

Speaker 1 (01:02:43):
Or focus on the progress.

Speaker 2 (01:02:45):
If you've got a roadblock, if you've got an
obstacle, overcome it, go aroundit, go over it.
Don't let something in yourlife stop you.
There's no person in your lifethat is good for you that's
going to stop you from doingsomething that's good for you.
I'm going to tell you thatright now.
Right, um, if people aren'tencouraging you on your health

(01:03:08):
journey or your wellness journey, those aren't your people.
If people, somebody wants tostand in your way of you being
healthy and a whole human being,that's not your person.
Find the people that want tosupport you, because you should
never go to somebody and be likeI think I want to start going
to the gym and being healthy anddoing that, and they're like

(01:03:28):
why now Don't be around that?

Speaker 1 (01:03:30):
person Right and if you honestly, if you feel like
and I know I have a lot oflisteners that are going through
mental health journeys andstuff like if you feel like you
don't have anyone like that inyour life, reach out to her.
Reach out, let's give them thehandles.
Reach out, she will be yourlong distance coach.

Speaker 2 (01:03:47):
You message me at 45 trains, sarasota UTC.
I'll message you back.
Yes, I message a stranger everyday.
Yes, I don't have a problemwith it, I'm.
That was one of my big thingstaking over the gym was people
need a support system, right,people need somebody and there
are people out there with nobody, right, you know, there are
people out there alone and theydon't know what to do and they
don't know where to start.
Follow our workouts, yeah.

(01:04:09):
Follow our Instagram.
Start from your house, right.
Start a walk tomorrow, right,all right, it doesn't.
You don't need some fancyequipment.
You don't need anything.
We incorporate so much bodyweight stuff into our workouts.

Speaker 1 (01:04:21):
You could do it all.

Speaker 2 (01:04:22):
I just you can do.
Start moving your body.
Don't let your brain tell youno, you know, don't?
You have to overcome thesemental barriers, these physical
barriers, and do a little.
If you do 1% more every day,imagine where you would be.
You're 1% better than you wereyesterday.
It adds up.
It's a journey.

(01:04:43):
It's truly a journey.
It's a marathon.
But at the end of that marathonand it doesn't ever really end,
which I love it's just what abreakthrough, what a
breakthrough.
I love when people take photosof themselves month after month
and year after year, and you'relike look at where I've come

(01:05:03):
from, right, and I, I have amember who their goal was to be
under a certain amount of weightand they far surpassed that
goal.
Right, and they're.
Now they have a new goal andit's just, it's not impossible.
Don't ever let somebody tellyou no.
Don't let people tell you youcan't do something.
Don't let yourself.

Speaker 1 (01:05:23):
That's often the biggest roadblock is ourselves
Right, our self-sabotage, mentalthoughts and conditioning.
And really, and one of thethings I like to stress to
people and I repost it every,every time I see it is we're all
having this human experience,yes, and we need to give
ourselves permission to rest,restart, revamp, yes, recollect

(01:05:47):
as many times as we need to.
It can be every day for 60 days.
You need to do somethingdifferent.
Yes, whatever, but findingsomething that fuels you, that
completes you, that connects youto something higher.
It's like that gets you thatdrive and determination and
motivation to keep going forwardwhether it's physical, whether
it's mental, whatever it is.

Speaker 2 (01:06:10):
And you don't have to do what's popular.
You don't have to know whateverybody else is doing.
I've always been against thegrain.

Speaker 1 (01:06:16):
Yeah, I was going to say I've always been a little
outlier like that.

Speaker 2 (01:06:25):
Exactly, and it's I.
It's just part of our nature.
But, um, I've always lovedbeing against whatever, and I'll
tell you this, I've never beeninto group fitness.
I never wanted to be in a class, I've always wanted to be alone
.
I've done team sports and I'venever.
I've always, I've always wantedto be alone.
I've done team sports and I'venever, I've always.
It's been a struggle, and myhusband will tell you it's um,

(01:06:45):
I'll be on a team.
I'll be on the outside of ateam, right, I'll be with you,
but I'll be over here Right At45 has been the only team that
I've truly been just thrilledwith.
I love to be on that team everyday.
I love it.
I'll call myself a part of thisteam, love it.

Speaker 1 (01:07:00):
But you've come out of your comfort zone, but I've
come out of my comfort zone.

Speaker 2 (01:07:03):
Absolutely.
But then I think there was ahuge testament to how great it
was Right, how great the peoplewere.
I'm proud to be on this team,I'll be on this team, but I
think, just overcoming your ownagain, self-sabotage, like you
said, it's overcome that thingin your brain that tells you you

(01:07:25):
can't or you don't think you'llbe good at it.
Just try, just try.

Speaker 1 (01:07:29):
And the worthiness starts to build each and every
time from the inside out.

Speaker 2 (01:07:34):
If you think you can't do it, or you think you
can't do this or that, just try.
And it's not about theaesthetic.

Speaker 1 (01:07:40):
You don't even know what's possible.

Speaker 2 (01:07:43):
Until you put yourself out there, are you
going to be uncomfortable ashell.

Speaker 1 (01:07:48):
Absolutely Right.
But if it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you.
And if you want to change, youhave to challenge If you want
change.

Speaker 2 (01:07:53):
You are the only catalyst in your life that is
going to make that changepossible.
Nobody's going to break intoyour house and make you fit.
Nobody's going to break intoyour house and date you.
Nobody's going to break intoyour house and make you exercise
.
You got to go do it.
You have to be the catalyst foryour own change, and you are.
People are absolutely capableof it.

(01:08:13):
I think there's no limit to whatpeople are capable of, and I'm
I'm very passionate about that,and so when I I love when
somebody new comes through mydoors and they're so nervous,
yeah, I'm like, get in, right,this is, this is for you.
This is where you're supposedto be Well.

Speaker 1 (01:08:31):
I love it and I love that it led me to you and, yes,
I can't wait to be back in thereand what you guys are doing
creating, you know, contributingto not just Sarasota, to all
your followers all over theplace and now my entire audience
, you know thank you.
Thank you for what you're doingand for coming on today and

(01:08:51):
sharing that with us.
It's huge.

Speaker 2 (01:08:53):
I'm thrilled I was.
Um.
I told you I'm not reallynervous about a whole lot.
I was nervous to come here,which is weird, not once we sat
down.

Speaker 1 (01:09:00):
You weren't, though.
It's just me.

Speaker 2 (01:09:02):
No, and I appreciate it so much because that's the
overall thing Even if you don'tgo to F45, you get out there and
get some kind of fitness.
It's so good for you,physically, mentally.

Speaker 1 (01:09:18):
It's just you need it .
Yeah, it's one thing.
We're made that way.
We're much more built for thatthan we are sitting in front of
technology.
I can tell you that it's justso, it's so good, get out there
and move your body.

Speaker 2 (01:09:28):
It is.
It's like breathing air anddrinking water.

Speaker 1 (01:09:30):
You need it, you need it for your body, for your
brain.

Speaker 2 (01:09:34):
So I just thank you so much.

Speaker 1 (01:09:37):
You're welcome.
It's been a pleasure.
Of course, of course, we'llhave to put some tidbits of
workouts in our segment when Iput it out Absolutely, send me
some fun stuff.

Speaker 2 (01:09:47):
Oh, absolutely, I will Definitely Thank you,
you're welcome, I look forwardto seeing you in the studio
again.
Yes, ma'am, you in the studioagain.
Yes, ma'am, back at it.
Yeah, my husband needs hisworkout partner.
He's the one that willchallenge him.
His legs are as big as my waistAwesome.

Speaker 1 (01:10:06):
Well, thank you so much, it's been a pleasure.

Speaker 2 (01:10:08):
Thank you very much.
I appreciate it very much.