Meghann’s Story
I often get asked how I ended up in the fitness business. One of my passions with this business is making an impact in lives like people made on me. So I thought I would share my story…
Rewind about 23 years, I was the poster child of couch potato. I LOVED TV and I loved living my life through the fiction of teen dramas like Saved by the Bell and 90210. I also loved Mac N Cheese, chips, ice cream and not so many veggies. I was a picky eater and an only child, so it was easy for me to get my way (sorry Mom & Dad) and hang out alone all day. To my parent’s credit, they tried EVERYTHING to get me off the coach. But to no avail. I became more depressed and more closed off from kids at school. I didn’t really fit in anywhere. I remember wearing leggings and baggy sweatshirts all through middle school because jeans didn’t really fit me. I was NOT cool! I made it to high school with little drama. I was never really picked on, just sort of invisible.
At the end of my freshman year, my high school announced the addition of a dance team (Poms). I somehow decided this was perfect for me. I brought my parents to an informational meeting. They couldn’t believe I was serious. They also couldn’t believe how much it would cost! We often joke about how little faith they had that I would stick it out. But low and behold, I tried out….and…I made the team. I have to thank Jen, our coach, because I am sure I was not that good. But for some reason she had faith in me and gave me a shot! So my parents and I fundraised dollar for dollar to get going. Our Coach, Jenni, always treated us as athletes and therefore we trained accordingly. It was a common joke that we had harder practices than the football players and it was true! But with my dedication came a new body. Weight began falling off, I was skinny and athletic, and “gasp” a Cheerleader. It was like all those years watching TV was coming true. I worked so hard, I took extra dance classes, I took athletic training, and I pushed myself. I wasn’t a natural dancer so my career was short lived. But what it did do was show me that I was STRONG and ATHLETIC. Two things I would have never classified myself as.
I continued to workout in college, I would go to the gym and do the cardio equipment while I studied. I gained some of the weight back since I was not working nearly as hard as I was in high school. I already had an obsession with food, I LOVED it and now I HATED what it did to my body. So I started cutting back. I would challenge myself to see how long I could go without eating. Easy enough when busy with classes and working full time. I became ashamed of food. Something I still struggle with today. It wasn’t long before my boyfriend and family caught on and put me in check. I continued working out as much as possible to counteract the food. But that desire to cut back lingers in my mind even though I KNOW it is the worst possible thing for a person and will likely make me gain weight
When I moved to Australia and got my first job, I invested in a Personal Trainer. Andrew Carroll trained me for 30 minutes 1x a week. It was the first time I tried boxing, weights, and my least favorite tool ever…the swiss ball. Oh man, I HATE that thing! After about a year and half in Melbourne, I suffered a heart wrenching breakup. Andrew and I still met, but most of our 30 minutes was spent with me crying or us working on deep breathing. I didn’t have much strength. It was the first time in my life, I was exposed to a trainer who cared more about me as a person than reps and kilos (pounds). I moved back home and got stuck into my workouts because it was 1 hour a day that I wasn’t sad.
“Meghann got her Groove back,” so to speak and I found an Adult Hip Hop class in Littleton. Not only was I dancing again, but I started taking TurboKick. Then the owner encouraged me to get certified. I asked my parents if they would give me a certification for my birthday. Again, there was a small eye roll, but they obliged my request. I loved teaching at the dance studio. Candice was instrumental in giving me a chance and learning how to lead a class.
In 2013, I met this guy named Corey. He was super fit, athletic, into martial arts, and a “doctor” (really a Physician Assistant, but I didn’t know the difference). He had these amazing ideas about bringing fitness to families and healing people with movement and nutrition. I fell in love immediately, with both him and his drive. About a month later, I lost my job. It was the best gift I could have ever been given. Corey had an opportunity to start Trivida at his Taekwondo School and I could help with the marketing. We taught classes together, I started a whole new form of training focusing on weights versus cardio, and I had to feed him healthy clean meals (sooooo much Chicken and Quinoa). My body began to change and I realized I cared way more about being strong than skinny. I still struggle with my weight, even if my clients think I am perfect. I know I am a good coach because I know what they are going through. I can empathize when results seem to moving in the opposite direction despite best efforts. I have been there and I am still there sometimes. I struggle with food, and constantly fight my pickiness, but every day I try really hard.
(I am working so hard to get these arms back!)
If you are on the fence about getting started, please know that I have been where you are. Many times. I was a size 14/16 at my largest. I know how scary it is and how hard it will be. But having coaches and a team that understands makes the journey so much easier! I credit all my coaches and people in my life for where I am today and I can’t wait to be a part of someone else’s journey!
Before (size 16)
Healthy and Happy at a Size 6 (don’t worry, Corey is fine ;-))
