My name is Jacquelyn Son and I am a certified personal trainer from Vancouver, BC. Growing up, I was always the weak skinny girl and never cared too much about my health. I ate whatever I wanted and hardly exercised. Lifting 5 pound dumbbells was challenging for me. As I grew older and entered university, I noticed that my metabolism started to slow down. School was stressful and walking around the freezing campus just wasn’t fun. I dragged my butt to classes and spent the first half of the winter term eating banana bread and drinking hot chocolate literally every single day. It shouldn’t have been a surprise when I saw that I gained a few pounds. It was at that moment when something inside of me shifted and I decided that I couldn’t go on like that.
Changing my lifestyle was tough. In the beginning, I started following workout videos and noticed some positive changes in my body. However, I didn’t know much about nutrition or how to eat healthy. After I learned more about having a proper diet, I began to be very hard on myself when I ‘failed’ my diet. I went through cycles of being extremely restrictive and then binging like there was no tomorrow. I didn’t have a good body image, wasn’t happy and knew that my lifestyle definitely wasn’t healthy. It took me years to overcome those challenges and if I knew then what I know now, I could have sped up the process so much more. Being in the place that I’m in now, I want to help anyone who feels like they’re going through the same struggles I went through. Being healthy doesn’t need to be a grueling process!
There’s no point in trying to be healthy, but being miserable during your journey. Health and happiness go hand in hand. I’m all about being intense and focusing on your goals, but I’ve realized that you also need to love yourself where you are. If you’re not happy with yourself in the present, you won’t be satisfied when you reach your goals either. I’m grateful for what I have and proud of how far I’ve come. It’s important to celebrate every success, no matter how small. I don’t live a restrictive lifestyle anymore, as I’ve learned that everything in moderation is key. It took me a long time to build the habits that I practice now, but it’s not a race. I only need to be better than I was yesterday. It’s no longer difficult for me to choose to eat well or exercise often. However, I know that many people struggle with what I did, when I first started. So, I want to let you know that you are not alone! I’m very passionate about helping others achieve a healthy way of living. It takes hard work, but I’m not any different from the person beside me. We all have the potential to be great. If you want something as much as you want to breathe, then you will be successful. Being healthy is truly a lifelong journey, and I’m still learning! But I’m here to help and share what I know. If you’re in Vancouver, you can train with me at Crux Fitness (www.cruxfit.com) or you can reach me through email, social media or my blog at www.thestyleworthwhile.com.
