My background
I had never done any sort of sports nor physical activity whatsoever
at a young age. In fact, I hated it..!
But growing up (post teenage years) I began to struggle with self-image, mainly with my body shape and lack of curves. I was skinny, weak and not fueling my body with the right foods for energy. Adding
to that, I was consuming alcohol almost daily and was a heavy smoker! My lifestyle choices but also my relationships were far from healthy.
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Knowing that something had to change, this led me to become obsessed with health & fitness and the endless possibilities it offers...
This was the best decision of my life, and I went all-in, yet it had some ups and downs... Because I chose the wrong coach, it pushed me to
the extremes of not only getting hurt while performing the workouts,
but first & foremost being so strict and restrictive in my eating habits that eventually I would ‘binge-eat’ and always end up feeling confused and out of control. ONE STEP FORWARD, THREE STEPS BACK!
...At one point I used to think that cardio and cutting calories was the only answer to reaching a lean, toned physique. Again, I was wrong.
The wrong guidance at the time only added to the confusion...
Long story short: I've seen it all.
My Transformation
I felt weak and limited to the things I should be doing or eating and even felt guilty if I ate something labelled "bad" or not "clean". All wrong once again... I even completely stopped exercising and dieting a few times (one time for almost a year) and I felt so bad all over again: gaining lots of weight, losing strength and muscle...it was so uncomfortable for the mind and the body to the point that I couldn't look at the mirror anymore.
One day I got fed up with feeling stuck in this cycle (yo-yo effect), and decided to get really educated on exercise and nutrition and aim for multiple certifications. I never looked back! The struggle was real, yet so was the grind and the rewards that come with it!
Fast forward many years and it feels like a distant memory. I have found and learnt how to live a healthy balanced lifestyle while reaching my goals and staying lean, strong and healthy all year round. I feel energized, empowered, healthy and strong. I finally love myself! I am finally comfortable in my own skin, not only how it looks but appreciate the things my body is capable of doing!
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The hardest part for me was definitely the mental aspect and changing my thought process + my obsession with ‘calories’, understanding that food is fuel, carbs aren’t the enemy (they are a valuable macro-nutrient) and understanding how much to be eating, from what sources and why. After being in the industry for just a short while I found that the issues I struggled with are so much more common than I thought, which lead me to get educated, start weight training the right way and including other disciplines in my routine like mobility, stretching, swimming, or yoga... This determination and new way of life pushed me to go on stage and achieve nothing but the best. And I will show you HOW.
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"Not only did I change my body composition but also my approach on fitness, habits, personal goals, and even my attitude and view on life has undergone a complete turnover".
MEET MAITE
My Mission
I am now a fully qualified Online Coach, Posing Coach and Fitness Model with more than 9 years of experience. I competed in
3 shows, the first being an amateur contest in some town in Belgium, where I placed first in my category, bikini. The second and third shows I competed in were in a big league, the WBFF. First in Miami (USA), where I placed 4th within a tough competition roster, and finally in Verona (Italy) one month later, where I got rewarded with the 1st place bikini title, national champion title and a pro-card!
My goal today is that NO ONE (out of my online community, my 1-on-1 clients or my Grow&Glow fitness app members) has EVER to go through the struggle and confusion like I had to. I want to share a maximum of all the knowledge I acquired and still am actively acquiring every day!
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I believe that applying knowledge is power and that there is nothing more important than understanding how your body works and of course WHAT WORKS BEST FOR YOU!
