ABOUT

Hello and Welcome! I'm Nicole, a certified personal trainer and nutrition coach in Calgary, Alberta, with 12 years (and counting) of experience working both in-person and on-line. I hold numerous certifications, and some of the areas I’ve specialized in over the years include pre & postnatal, peri & post-menopause, and most recently, a shift to helping those in their Golden Years. I'm a mom of two school-aged kids, a dog-lover, a University of Calgary Dinos track and field alumni (from many years ago), and an active person who’s been through injuries, recovery, set-backs and re-starts, many, many times.

If I were to sum up my main goal into one simple sentence for people I work with, it would be “to simplify exercise and nutrition as much as possible.” Many clients come to me for the same reason:

“I know I need to lift weights, I just don’t know where to start.”

“I have a back/knee/shoulder injury, and I’m scared/don’t know how to workout in a way that doesn’t flare it up.”

“There’s just too much information, I’m so overwhelmed with what, when, how much to eat.”

“It feels like the rules keep changing. Can you just tell me what to do?”

While I don’t give out one-size-fits-all “here’s what you should do” programs, I do absolutely take care of weeding through all the info and giving you only what you need. A workout plan that fits where you are at today - injuries, sleep, stress, nutrition, goals all included. Nutrition? Same deal - it’s tailored to what YOU need, TODAY. There are no meal plans, just small (but impactful) daily habits that build and grow and assimilate into your daily life in a way that lets you keep living, but with some direction towards your health goals.

Regardless of if it’s been for pregnancy, perimenopause, or someone in their Golden Years, we work a lot on body awareness, adjustments needed, and focus not only on the physical, but also the mental health benefits of movement. I am inspired daily by 70 and 80 year olds who have made their movement and health a priority, and the way it benefits their overall quality of life. I don’t believe it’s ever too late to start, nor a bad time to start. My role and desire is to help people meet their body where it’s currently at, and find ways to get them moving in ways that make them feel stronger, capable, and - here’s the most important part - in a way that they can realistically maintain in their current life and schedule. Consistency trumps intensity or perfection, every single time.

I’m there for clients in many capacities - to listen judgment free, to be their accountability partner, someone to sift through all the noise and overwhelming amount of information out there for training and nutrition, and someone to give them a little kick to get back on track when needed.

Sports and daily movement have been a part of my life as long as I can remember. The mental clarity, reduction of stress and anxiety, increased self-confidence, concentration, and feeling of belonging are what bring me back to training year after year. My workouts look much different than they did 20 and even 10 years ago, and while my focus and reasons for being consistent have altered as my values and insights have grown, the underlying benefits are what have consistently kept bringing me back. The life-changing benefits of what nutrition and physical activity has done for me, is what drives my desire to help others experience this for themselves. I believe what we put in our bodies and how we move our bodies have so much untapped power, and if I can help one more person see that and feel that for themselves, I’ve done my job.

On a personal level, I’ve also dealt with PPD, MCAS, POTS, SIBO, and have been through pregnancy, postpartum, and now perimenopause - all layers that have added to my personal skillset as a coach. In addition, I’ve been through many injuries and recoveries, and know what it feels like to be starting over (again). It’s been the gym that’s gotten me through (both physically and mentally) the recovery of the birth of two children, many minor injuries over the years, and currently a bigger knee issue. Knowing there’s so much I can still control and strengthen to help support these injuries or at the very least make the rest of my body more resilient, is a motivator in itself.

CERTIFICATIONS and CONTINUING EDUCATION:

I first really took sport seriously as a member of the Track and Field team at the University of Calgary (go Dinos!), and it was after university that I really started to tune into the mental health benefits I reaped from working out. My training education began with a personal trainer certification, followed up with Crossfit L1, then 200hr Yoga Teacher Training, 80hr Pre & Postnatal and 40hr Children’s Yoga Teacher Training, Precision Nutrition Level 1 followed shortly by Level 2, Spin, Postnatal Fitness Specialist (Jessie Mundell), Postpartum and Pregnancy Athleticism (Brianna Battles), as well as continuing education courses by Julie Wiebe, and Girls Gone Strong. I’ve completed the NCCP Weightlifting Coach In Training course. I have also studied under Dr.Sara Duvall’s Pregnancy and Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist Certification, Katie St.Clair’s Empowered Performance Program, and Menopause 2.0 by Dr.Stacy Sims. I’m currently in the process of completing my Board Certification for Nutrition, as well as CanFitPro’s Active Aging continuing education course.