Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Reynolds.
Hi Emily, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
At 45 years young I am proud of myself for what I have overcome in my life, and I continue to learn how powerful I am. I grew up healthy and fit, yet after college, I started noticing that I wasn’t feeling like myself anymore. I didn’t have the energy I used to and started experiencing ailments that could not be explained. Eventually, these worsened to the point that I could not get out of bed some days.
Every joint in my body ached.
I suffered from chronic headaches, my stomach hurt all the time and I felt as if I was allergic to everything. My life was in a downward spiral with no end in sight. This went on for many years. After countless doctor visits and several second opinions, all I came back with were more diagnoses, such as fibromyalgia, IBS, Crohn’s, lupus, diverticulitis, chronic fatigue, you name it. I was even told by one doctor that I should be put on disability.
I was left feeling utterly hopeless.
I finally found a doctor who accurately diagnosed me. I had Graves’ disease. Graves’ disease is an autoimmune disorder that leads to overactivity in the thyroid gland. The thyroid does many things in the body, one of which is regulating a person’s weight. Even though weight gain was the least of my concerns, in the 7 years that I was battling ongoing sickness I went from tiny to size 13.
Even my shoes jumped up 3 sizes due to all my inflammation and edema. I gained an unprecedented amount of weight, over 50 pounds.
The doctor’s orders were to have my thyroid completely removed. One specialist even told me if I didn’t, I would be dead from a heart attack by age 30. It worked; fear set in, and I had my thyroid radiated. I know today that wasn’t at all necessary. This procedure caused a whole host of other problems in my body as a result.
Things only went downhill, and my frustration grew rapidly. I was fed up with the doctors, and sick and tired of feeling so extremely sick and tired. I refused to end my search for answers, and I felt that doing so would be a death sentence. One day, I made a life-changing decision. I decided to fire my doctors and hire myself to take control of my health. I didn’t just want change; I needed change. There simply was no other option in my life. From that decision, my journey began.
I hired a personal trainer and a nutritionist and started to take wellness supplements. I worked with holistic practitioners, researched alternative medicine, and consulted with natural medicine doctors who taught me the power of the body to heal from the inside out when given the right food, supplements, and self-care. I was driven, dedicated, and determined to get back my health and my life.
During this time, I met someone who competed in figure competitions through a Body Building Organization. The transformation of her body was inspiring to me. I felt it would give me that extra push I needed to focus on getting well. I also was very determined to prove the doctors wrong as they had told me to immediately cease all exercise, especially weightlifting. They claimed Graves was a muscle-wasting disease and I could not gain muscle and if I tried, I would get even more sick.
I’m not going to lie; it wasn’t an easy journey. It was one of the most challenging things I had ever done. It took a lot of work, both physically, mentally, and emotionally. I made a vow to keep pushing forward and never turn back. At the end of my first 12 weeks of serious focus, exercise, and nutrition, I couldn’t believe my progress.
I had lost 27 pounds and dropped to 18 percent body fat. I then took that step I never thought I could or would; I entered my first figure competition at the NPC. I ranked fourth place in my first show. Figure and bikini competitions soon became another passion of mine. With my newfound focus on wellness, nutrition, and fitness, I had my life back and felt better than ever.
I spent countless hours researching, learning, and experimenting with nutrition and fitness. The more I learned about holistic living and the power of the body and mind, the more I realized everything we need is in nature and within ourselves. The pure power of a healthy, natural lifestyle is something I will never stop believing in. I knew I had to do something about my journey. I saw so many people suffering in silence as I once did.
As a fitness nutrition coach and trainer, I can share my knowledge with clients in person as well as online. My mission is to inspire and change lives through my experiences and my love for helping people discover the power within themselves to become their best selves. I love being in the fitness industry because I see people take charge of their bodies every day, empower themselves to make the changes they want in their lives, and experience incredible results. There is no greater feeling than the rewards of a healthy, fit lifestyle.
These rewards trickle into every aspect of your life because you can’t fake feeling amazing. To me, there is no greater reward than coaching people on this journey to health, wellness, and success. As a coach, I practice what I preach and passionately believe in what I do. Along with fitness, eating, and living clean, the power of positive thinking and believing in yourself is, hands down, the single greatest thing you can do to better yourself.
If I can turn my health and my life around against all odds, so can you. I am passionate about health because I know what it’s like to go without it. Each one of us has what it takes to get to the right to be. You have the power to live your life healthy, happy, and balanced. All it takes is a little push in the right direction.
I learned how to be my best myself and now pay it forward by helping others do the same.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way?
Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
There are smooth times, but I have learned that life is not meant to be easy. Challenges, as I like to call them, rather than “tough times”, are what push us to make us build ourselves up in different areas of our lives. If humans were not challenged, they would never grow. Evolve or die is a saying for a reason! During my journey, I decided to stop being in fear and allow labels such as Graves’ Disease to make me feel broken. Those fears are not reality, yet false beliefs when taken on, can destroy a person and that IS REAL!
I changed my mind and created a new synapsis in my brain, and this is where everything changed. With each struggle, I saw an opportunity to break my old self apart and rebuild the new me that I was meant to be. We are all so much more powerful than we realize, but first, we need to quiet the mind, be real with the current version of ourselves, and slowly build the life that we want. I still have challenges. I just know that there are opportunities now.
We’ve been impressed with Emily Reynolds Fitness, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do, and what sets you apart from others? Since 2009, I have provided in-person and online customized services as a Certified Personal Trainer, Fitness Nutrition & Weight-loss Specialist & Life Coach. I specialize in gut health and naturally with chronic illnesses naturally.
What I do that is different is that I treat every person I work with as the unique and very valuable individual that they are. I couple the power of nutrition and exercise with lifestyle detox regimens that help heal you from the inside out. I recognize the body, mind, and spirit connection in healing and that is what we all crave.
My passion is paying forward the powerful knowledge that I have gained through my years of struggling to regain my health and happiness.
I do this through my online app at www.EmilyReynoldsFitness.com, my Customized Online Program at https://www.emilyreynolds.net/
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success? Meeting people where they are and treating them with the compassion, honesty, and genuine care that they deserve.
Pricing:
- $99 per month ✓ Personalized Workout Program ✓ Personalized Meal Plan ✓ Home or Gym Workouts ✓ Track Your Progress ✓ Video Demonstrations ✓ Complete Shopping List ✓ Allergies/Dislikes Block list ✓ Dine In/Dine Out ✓ Facebook Group ✓ Priority Support ✓ Exclusive Mobile App
- $499 per month – Fast Track Coaching. Weekly one-on-one calls. Personalized Habit & Lifestyle Coaching. Unlimited Messaging & Support. Customized Meal Plan, Workouts, Cardio & Detox Plan.
- $299 per month – Customized Meal Plan & Workout
- $99 per month – Pick either a Custom Meal Plan, Workouts, or Detox Plan.
- $50 – One on one coaching call.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.emilyreynoldsfitness.com/ & https://www.emilyreynolds.net/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilyreynoldsfitness/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EmilyReynoldsFitness/ & https://www.facebook.com/emily.reynolds.921
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilyreynoldsfit/
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/Emilywbffpro
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/@emilyreynoldsfitness
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/personal-training-and-health-by-emily-freeport-6
- App: https://www.emilyreynoldsfitness.com/
Image Credits
Joe Mikoli and Mike Haytack www.mh-di.com
