We had the good fortune of connecting with Anastasia Kelly and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Anastasia, do you disagree with some advice that is more or less universally accepted?
For decades in the fitness industry, women have been expected to train like men. We’ve been taught to embrace the same training schedules, give 100% all of the time, and adopt identical periodization patterns. However in 1993, the FDA reversed an act implemented in 1977 that had banned women will child-bearing potential from being included in clinical research trials. Research inclusive of women from the last 30 years is now surfacing, reflecting that women should optimally be training with their menstrual cycles– their hormonal fluctuations. While not all professionals in the industry are yet aware of this ground-breaking research, I think it is absolutely essential that menstruating women learn to train with their bodies– instead of against them.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Anastasia Brooke Fitness LLC offers a holistic approach to fitness + wellness. My services include personal training and private yoga packages, free/donation-based yoga classes, menstrual cycle coaching, destination yoga + wellness retreats, workshops, and special events. I strive to stay up-to-date on research and new skills beyond routine CEU recertification requirements. It is imperative to me that individuals be open to change, new pathways of thinking, and listening to their bodies. My approach is not the industry-standard “go hard or go home.” Striving for perfection doesn’t happily and sustainably get anyone anywhere in the long run. It is my passion to help clients obtain sustainable results by building habits, establishing consistency, safely approaching transformational exercise, and tuning in with their intuition.

Building a business has been exhilarating. It is challenging, it can be frustrating, and sometimes it can even feel hopeless. Entrepreneurship is often parallel with a fitness journey. Progress isn’t linear. When things get hard, when you feel like giving up– you just have to take a breath and remember why you started. Companionship in business ownership has also been essential for me. I’m a social butterfly (particularly during my follicular and ovulatory phases, of course) and am grateful that Fort Collins + Northern Colorado are such active communities. Friendships I’ve built with fellow female entrepreneurs has been a game-changer for me. Like with any experience, it is a blessing to have someone who can relate to the wins, losses, celebrations, and challenges. I am especially grateful for authentic networking and connection groups in the area; Gather & Collab and Socialites have cultivated my favorite environments to meet new + innovative female entrepreneurs.

My intention for my brand is not for it to just be about aesthetics, top-notch athletic performance, and increasing lean muscle mass. All of those things have their value. My intention is for every client to dive deeper– to not just get physical results, but to have fun with it and experience renewed energy, confidence, freedom, and understanding of themselves.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Sat: Start the day with tea from Happy Lucky’s and homemade smoothies. Intuitively flow on our yoga mats in City Park. Grab a breakfast burrito with extra potatoes from Matador, pack up the outdoors gear and a cooler, head into Poudre Canyon for the day. Hike Young Gulch and cool off with tubing down the river. Enjoy a peaceful dinner alongside the sounds of nature on the Mishawaka’s riverside patio.

Sunday: Start the day with a sunrise hike to Arthur’s Rock in Lory State Park. Refuel with a protein-rich breakfast and pop into CityLight for a Sunday morning service. Grab a table at Silver Grill and devour a must-have cinnamon roll and hash browns. Spend the afternoon window shopping in Old Town. Pop into the Old Town Library to borrow a book or two to read during downtime throughout the week. Grab a fresh dinner at ND streetBAR. Wind down for the evening with the Flow & Restore class at Om Ananda Yoga. Old Town Churn is essential for dessert. Hang out in The Exchange.

Monday: Hike the A to Horsetooth Rock for a picnic. Eat lunch at Music City Hot Chicken. Shop at the Foothills Mall or Centera in Loveland. Complete the day with an energetic Buti yoga class in the Cafe Vino basement with Sarah Broussard.

Tuesday: Bike to Club Ten24 at sunrise for an arms and core workout. Drive into Rocky Mountain National Park to get the lactic acid moving around in our legs from the previous day’s Buti class. Grab some fudge from The Sugar Shack on the way out and enjoy a few bites while walking alongside the Big Thompson River. Head back to Fort Collins for charcuterie and pasta at RARE Italian. Grab a scoop of sweetness from Gelato & aMore.

Wednesday: Wake up early for a posterior chain strength session at Club Ten24. Hike Devil’s Backbone in Loveland. Dinner on the back patio at 415 off Mason. Enjoy a midweek besties massage at Living Arts Wellness. Grab the library books and lounge in Sanctuary Spa’s salt cave.

Thursday: Hike Horsetooth Rock at sunset. Grab a pita from Garbanzo. Try out an aerial yoga class at Live Beyond Limit. Complete the exciting evening with a round of mini golf at Fort Fun.

Friday: Pop into a Shake (lagree) class at GRIT to get the muscles fired up. Cool off by tubing in the Poudre River White Water Park. Wrap up the evening with a Girls Night Out between a four-course Melting Pot Dinner, and drinks from Elliot’s and Ace Gillete’s.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Cyclical alignment has transformed me, and it has also changed the lives of many clients I’ve worked with. I would like to give a shoutout to Omega Zumpano, an inspirational exercise physiologist who leads the Cycle Coach Academy. She has passionately taught me the majority of what I know about women’s’ menstrual health, feminine fitness, and cyclical periodization. Without her guidance, I would not be able to share everything I do with the women I coach.

Website: www.anastasiabrookefitness.com

Instagram: @anastasiabrookefitness

Linkedin: Anastasia Kelly

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/infradianfitness

Image Credits
Images by Lumen Creative Co/Rachel Cox + Anthos House Photography

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