Training to excel in sport & in life.

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Individualized programs and coaching available both in-person and online. No matter what your goals are, I’m here to help you excel in sport and in life!

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Get the inside scoop on my life as a strength coach, entrepreneur & life-long foodie. You’ll find recipes, my own musings, health tips, workouts and more!

TRAINING2XL ON INSTAGRAM

let’s talk PURPOSEFUL MOVEMENT 👟
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purposeful movement is when you make a mindful effort to move more. example - taking the stairs, walking to your destination, standing up & stretching after sitting for a long time, etc.
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it’s the movement you do outside of your normal training session & it actually plays a huge role in our metabolism, body comp & overall health (for more info, look up NEAT - non-exercise activity thermogenesis)
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just because you workout for 1-hour doesn’t mean you don’t have to move the rest of the day!
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you’ll see other tidbits of info like this in the T2XL ADVENT CALENDAR available with the link in my bio 👊🏼
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how do you purposefully move everyday? 👇🏼| #training2xl .
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📸: @ess.and.elle .
#training #nutrition #lifestyle #healthylifestyle #movement #active #coach #whstrong

the T2XL ADVENT CALENDAR is back baby! 🎄
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after months of work (& getting excited about Christmastime in August), this 30-page labour of love is complete 👊🏼
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I know eating chocolate everyday leading up to Christmas is fun but this advent calendar is packed with workouts, recipes, goal setting exercises, holiday fun & much more!
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available on training2xl.com (link in my bio) & if you subscribe to my newsletter, I’m sending you a 50% off discount code🎅🏼
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not to mention there’s also a second ebook available #RESET2XL that’s to help you kickstart a healthy new year ... SO MANY THINGS TO BE EXCITED ABOUT!
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happy Sunday my homies, the #holidays are officially here ✌🏼| #t2xltheholidays .
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#christmas #holidays #holidayseason #lifestyle #workouts #nutrition #goalsetting

the almighty ADDUCTOR STRETCH🙏🏼
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your adductors are the muscles along the inside of upper leg (thigh area) & they’re used in many lower body exercises (squats, lunges, etc) so it’s important that we give them some love after our training sessions 👊🏼
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this is one of my favourites - from a tall kneeling position, outstretch one leg to the side pressing the sole of your foot flat to the ground & bring your hands to the floor. try to sit back towards your heel extending your arms foreword for a deeper stretch!
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keep an eye out on Sunday for the T2XL Advent Calendar because you know there’s gonna be lots more of this in there!🎄
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what are you stretching today homies? | #training2xl .
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📸: @ess.and.elle .
#stretch #recovery #strengthtraining #coach #whstrong

breakfast of champions 🍽
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the first meal of the day should be a stacked one - packed with both macro- & micronutrients 👊🏼 .
got some high quality sources of protein with eggs & @trulocal turkey bacon, avocado for fats & spinach for some colour & nutrients!
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quality food (like @trulocal ) makes for a quality meal which makes for optimal performance throughout my day whether it’s filled with coaching, meetings, work or running the city 🏃🏻‍♀️
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what are you fuelling with this morning? | #eating2XL #truLOCAL

#worldkindnessday 😌
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first person I think of? my dad. the kindest heart, the kindest smile & the kindest actions. he really practiced what he preached, loved unconditionally & encouraged others to do the same & pay-it-forward✨
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I made a promise to him to always be good to others & carry his legacy on wherever I go, in whatever I do in hopes that others will be positively impacted to do the same💛
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so here’s to my dad - may everyone continue to be kind to each other, give good hugs & pay it forward | #training2xl

Sunday morning breakfast bowl🥄
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I always start my day with a meal full of protein, healthy fats, fibre & lots of colour (micronutrients) to ensure I’m fuelled up for whatever the day brings & help my body recover on my rest day 👊🏼
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3/4 cup coconut yogurt + 1/2 scoop vanilla protein + 2 tbsp chia seeds + cinnamon + toppings of choice (crushed almonds, blueberries, raspberries, pomegranate, bee pollen)
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taking an extra minute today to appreciate & give thanks all the men & women that have given their lives to serve our country 🖤
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happy #Sunday my homies, do good things today! | #training2xl .
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#breakfast #sundayfunday #weekend #weekendvibes #healthylifestyle #healthyfood #nutrition

TEMPO aka TIME UNDER TENSION
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tempo is a key component to any program. you could do the same exercises but do them with a more controlled tempo & you will feel a difference 👊🏼
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I’m all about the basics which may not always seem ‘cool’ but it’s functional & incredibly important to progress into other movements - before switching every exercise in your program, try doing some with a slower tempo (allows for longer muscle engagement under load & forces you to focus on technique)
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example: push-up with 6-second count on the way down, taking the whole count to get from the top to the bottom of the movement 👊🏼
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anyone using specific tempos in their training? | #training2xl .
📸: @ess.and.elle .
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#strength #strengthandconditioning #strengthcoach #coach #trainer #workouts #strengthtraining #whstrong

today is a make-at-home matcha kind of day🍵
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matcha is an incredible ‘superfood’ as it’s packed with antioxidants & micronutrients, making it a great choice for a midday pick-me-up
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1 cup hot water + 1 tsp @organictraditions ceremonial matcha + 1 scoop @vitalproteins vanilla collagen creamer + 1/2 tbsp coconut butter + pinch of cinnamon + 1 pack @moonjuice brain dust✨
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blended it in my @vitamix & boom👊🏼
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spending the day focused & dialled in on finishing my ebooks; T2XL Advent Calendar & Reset2XL - both releasing on November 18th! .
happy #Tuesday my homies ✌🏼| #training2xl
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#matcha #matchalatte #healthylifestyle #work #workday #ebooks

happy😊
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happy that it’s #Sunday (my favourite day of the week), happy my new time slot at the Attic starts today (at 12:30pm) & happy that I followed my gut & chased the goals I once thought were out of reach ... cause it brought me here! .
happy Sunday my homies ✌🏼| #training2xl .
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#sundayfunday #weekend #weekendvibes #toronto #wearehappyplace #coach #entrepreneur

nothing like some apples, almond butter & cinnamon on cozy fall Saturday afternoon 🍂
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when you combo fibre + fat together it helps us feel more satiated (feeling full), so that’s why this combo is on the top of my list for go-to snacks👊🏼
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after a full morning of coaching, I’m not mad about hanging at home, watching @netflixca & snackin’🍏
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if you want a couple more #recipes & #workouts - check out the link in my bio for a FREE ebook👊🏼
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happy #Saturday my homies!✌🏼| #training2xl .
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#snacks #food #healthyfood #healthylifestyle #nutrition #healthysnacks

PULL-UPS - an excellent body weight exercise that compliments all the pushing & pressing we do👊🏼
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when you’re doing a pull-up, you want to ensure you’re activating the big muscles in your back like your LATS! to do this, try thinking about ‘squeezing a grapefruit between your armpits’ as you pull yourself up!
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some of my favourite progressions to help with a pull-up ...
▪️eccentric lat pull downs (slow on the way up)
▪️pull-up negatives (slow on the way down)
▪️banded pull-ups (working your way from a heavy tension to lighter tension)
▪️switching grips (chin-ups, neutral grip, etc) •
check out my ‘training’ highlights for the variations or feel free to ask! •
happy #friday my homies!✌🏼| #training2xl .
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#strength #strengthtraining #strengthandconditioning #coach #pullups #whstrong

PUMPKIN PIE SMOOTHIE 🎃
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pumpkin is full of fibre, micronutrients & it makes everything taste like fall - what’s not to love?!
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▪️1 cup almond milk
▪️1 scoop vanilla protein ▪️1/2 cup frozen cauliflower ▪️3 tbsp pure pumpkin purée
▪️1 tbsp almond butter ▪️1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
▪️1/4 tsp cinnamon ▪️pinch of sea salt
▪️handful of ice
blend & enjoy! •
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pumpkin-flavoured-everything is not done yet 👊🏼 happy #halloween my homies! | #training2xl .
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#recipes #smoothie #pumpkin #nutrition #healthyfood #healthylifestyle #halloweencandy

laughing at the doors I was once told were closed 👊🏼
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I know it’s important to always see the positive & ignore any negativity around you, but sometimes I kind of like a challenge ... like when someone tells you ‘you can’t’ but you do it anyways
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I went through a lot in my athletic career & early on as a young female strength coach being doubted for my abilities & laughed at for my big goals, but I believe that challenged me to develop in new ways & be confident in my unique coaching style •
moral of the story is to keep working at your craft despite what others may think & keep looking to develop your own unique perspective - that’s my #mondaymotivation for ya ✌🏼
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happy #monday my homies! | #training2xl .
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📸: @thebusysocial
#strengthcoach #strengthandconditioning #motivation #challengeaccepted

sundaze are for sleep-ins, long walks, rest, good coffee & better company 🌀
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this is how @rjlopes14 & I like to enjoy Sunday’s & we’re on a mission to try all the best coffee in #Toronto ☕️ (recommendations welcome)
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happy #Sunday my homies! best day of the week ✌🏼 | #training2xl

strength training is incredible for both your physical & mental health. it’s amazing to see what your body can do when it is progressively overloaded with some sort of external stimulus (i.e. weights)
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before you get too excited about the weights, make sure you’ve got the basics down ... •
▪️core strength
▪️stability
▪️good movement patterns (squat, hinge, lunge, press, pull, rotate)
▪️bodyweight strength •
as I’ve said before, QUALITY over QUANTITY, always. there’s no point in lifting a lot of weight if you’re not doing it well 👊🏼
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whether you’re an athlete in sport or in life - start simple, build the foundation, do the little things really well & then lift some weight 💪🏼
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what’s your favourite way to train? | #training2xl .
📸: @ess.and.elle .
#strength #strengthtraining #strengthandconditioning #strengthcoach

training to excel in sport & in life. 👊🏼
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I’m old school & love using an agenda but it’s because writing things down is a pretty powerful tool if you want to make sh*t happen. •
whether it’s goals or a to-do list, it’s important that we put pen to paper & not just thumb to screen (I also may have an irrational fear of my phone deleting my to-do lists 🤦🏻‍♀️)
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I want to help you excel in more than just your training & nutrition, but your everyday life as well! have a goal? write it down. an important reminder? write it down. •
what’s something you’ve been meaning to write down? write it below! 👇🏼 | #training2xl .
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📸: @ess.and.elle
#training #nutrition #lifestyle #coach #goals #goalsetting #journal #journaling

second half marathon is officially in the books with a PB of 1:51:48☑️
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didn’t train as much for this one as I would’ve liked to but it just goes to show that if you train smart in a variety of ways & consistently challenge yourself, it’s pretty incredible what your body is capable of 👊🏼
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HUGE props to my running team of @hiitwhannah & @rjlopes14 - would not have PB’ed without you both 💛
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also, please note the lean ... I could barely hold myself up at that point ...
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happy Sunday my homies!✌🏼| #training2xl .
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#halfmarathon #scotiabankhalfmarathon2018 #toronto #run #running #sundayrunday

pre-race meal of high quality carbohydrates + healthy fat + micronutrients is ready to go tomorrow 🏃🏻‍♀️💨
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roasted sweet potato + almond butter + banana + bee pollen + cinnamon + sea salt ... got all the things to fuel me up for 21.1 km🍽
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I’ve posted this combo before (thanks to @e_strate21 my speedy friend), but you can’t knock it ‘til you try it - tastes good & great fuel for prolonged activity👊🏼
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anyone else running the @scotiabank half marathon tomorrow?🙋🏻‍♀️ | #training2xl .
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#nutrition #foodisfuel #halfmarathon #preworkoutmeal #athlete #food

WEEKEND WORKOUT🤙🏼
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all you need is a set of DB’s & some open space! •
DB clean & press
DB RDL to row
DB reverse lunge
DB knee drive to push-up (knee to elbow & back into a push-up) •
complete 5-6 sets of 8 reps of each exercise, taking 60s rest between sets👊🏼
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always remember QUALITY over QUANTITY. don’t try to rush through the movements without doing them properly - focus on a controlled tempo & full range of motion
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happy sweating my homies✌🏼| #training2xl .
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#workout #circuit #strength #strengthtraining #coach #fitness

eat REAL food👊🏼
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this meal is not glamorous, but it’s simple, nutritious & provides my body with some of the essential nutrients I need throughout my day (spinach = greens, chicken = protein, olive oil = healthy fats)🌱
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spoke to a group of Peel board phys ed teachers last night & we discussed the importance of eating real food & how our body responds better to unprocessed, whole foods. •
focus on building each meal with protein + healthy fats + lots of colour (micronutrients) & a high quality source of carbohydrates to compliment your activity levels 🍽
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need guidance with your nutrition? I’m here to help! •

happy fuelling my homies! | #training2xl .
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#nutrition #food #wholefoods #eattherainbow