Meet STAMINAPRO Ambassador Carolyn Christ! As a full-time special education school teacher and a certified personal trainer, Carolyn is constantly balancing her active and busy life with her husband, John, and her deaf dog, Zephyr.
“I remember thinking there's so many people, especially women, who are going through what I have gone through. Women who had this exterior look they were happy with but then get married, they have children, they put on this weight and now they're struggling. So I decided I wanted to help other people like me. I needed to make myself credible and really understand the science behind my transformation and that's when I went back to school to become a NASM personal trainer.”
Can you share a little about yourself and a fun fact?
"I'm a certified personal trainer. I have multiple certifications and specializations under the National Academy of Sports Medicine. I'm also a full-time school teacher, special education specifically. I have been snowboarding about 26 years. I also used to surf but I have two torn rotator cuffs so now I just paddle board. I have a deaf dog, Zephyr, and I'm very much involved with training him in American sign language. I've also enjoyed helping other people overcome their fear of working with special needs dogs. Zephyr keeps me busy!
I actually played for the Junior Olympics in volleyball when I was in high school. I moved on to college on a full athletic scholarship, NCAA Division II Women's Volleyball. And I’m a career changer. I have a dual master's degree in education but my original job straight out of college was advertising and creative services for Christian Dior.”
How do you balance your schedule as a teacher and personal trainer?
“It's definitely a balancing act! During the work week and school year, I work until 3:30 and I tutor students after school as well. I write fitness programs over the week. I have some weeks that are better than others, but when I get the feedback and the progress pictures of clients it makes it all worth it. I'm not a nutritionist, so I can't write nutritional programs, but I can offer advice. When you see your advice helping someone, it justifies all the long hours.”
What advice would you give to someone who wants to begin training?
“I say this to every single client: mentally you have to be ready. If you are not in the right frame of mind and thinking you might want to give fitness a try, don’t do it. You have to be mentally prepared because if your mind is on track and focused then everything else will follow.
I went through my transformation and I understand. When you’re hurt, either physically or mentally, it interrupts what you're used to and it's hard to get back on track. But once that mental component is in check and strong, the rest will follow. Make sure you are 100% committed.”
What's something that's on your bucket list that you haven't done yet?
“There is a lift at Breckenridge, Colorado called the Imperial Express, it's the highest chairlift in this continent. It's been a goal of mine to get up to that point, aside from being helicoptered somewhere.
Getting up there and seeing the view at the summit is something I've been wanting to do for quite some time.”
How did you discover STAMINAPRO and why is it a staple in your routine?
"Oh my goodness. I'll never forget. A few years ago, I had blown my calf out in a snowboard park in Utah. Three weeks later, I blew my back out. It was an L5-S1 herniation. I was searching on IG for products to help my injuries and I clicked on the link for a STAMINAPRO ad! I started reading about the product which led me to Tony Finau’s story about when he blew his ankle out. I researched how Tony had rehabbed and he used STAMINAPRO patches in his recovery! I remember thinking: “I have to try this!”
When I would wake up in the morning, I had difficulty walking heel to toe due to my calf injury. I had to shuffle on the wood floors. I couldn't flex my calf muscle. It was just so tight and achy from being in one position throughout the night. I slapped a STAMINAPRO patch on my calf and thought to myself, "Let's see what happens in the morning when I wake up and how my leg reacts to this.” Well I woke up the next morning and I was actually able to walk with no pain in my calf. It had been months and months before I'd even been able to do that!
Now I've got two torn shoulders, a tear in the knee, a herniated disk, and rehabbed calf, chest, and neck injuries. I wear these patches everywhere. I’m actually wearing a patch on my knee right now!"
Follow Carolyn on Instagram!
@ca_li14
