Published: Monday, March 28, 2016
Last Updated: Sunday, October 16, 2022
Hello, everyone! My name is Christina! I am a 30-year-old personal trainer who hopes to empower you to be the best you can be!
From a very young age, I have always been physically active by being involved in sports. Whether it was soccer, figure skating, or swimming, my mom always had to drive me to practice or a game. I have so many fond memories growing up and participating in sporting events, from winning my first swim meet to training for a soccer tournament in Spain.
Due to the amount of time I spent working out, training, and eating to fuel my workouts, I began to become known for my love for health, fitness, and food. Simply put: I have always had a passion for one’s personal health and wellness, as well as what we put into our bodies.
I always knew I wanted to help individuals obtain their most radiant self — inside and out. I began studying Food & Nutrition in university and within two weeks of entering my program I felt like there was something missing. Later switching programs to Psychology to better understand one’s motivation for success among other aspects of the psyche, I began to understand the connection between being healthy — physically and mentally. The gym at my university has since become my sanctuary, especially after my experience with body image dissatisfaction.
Briefly, while playing in a semi-final game for intramural soccer, I received a debilitating syndesmotic sprain. On crutches for 3 months followed by physiotherapy followed by the unexpected loss of a dear friend, I began packing on the pounds — 38 lbs to be exact. Typically, one would understand this is due to an injury and not take it too personally. But being known for my love of health and fitness, I found it difficult to grasp — later becoming so self-conscious to the point of panic attacks. It did not help that friends and those that I loved at the time were quick to mention that I put on some weight, one individual going as far to say that “[they] liked [me] better when [I] was skinnier.”
Although the above comment was rude and still resonates with me, I eventually learnt something important. My exterior appearance does not dictate my ability to be physically and mentally strong. If I could respond to this person I would now say, “I don’t like my body skinnier, I like my body strong and healthy.” Flash forward to today and I am down 34.2 lbs and counting. But I have learnt it is not about the number on the scale, it is about how you feel when you wake up every morning.
Everybody’s bodies are built differently, and I hope we can learn to appreciate that together. Once we realize that we can be radiant inside and out!
“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you’ve imagined….”
– Henry David Thoreau
