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

Hi Shabana, what’s the end goal, career-wise?
I think, for me, there is no real end goal. I think, as long as I am helping people achieve their fitness goals and feel welcome and wanted in the gym and fitness space, I’ve achieved my goal… but it’s not the end goal. I want the fitness industry as a whole to be inclusive of all people, genders, body types and fitness levels. Where, if you walk into a gym and you’ve never picked up a dumbbell before, you don’t feel like you don’t belong there. You feel like you can ask someone for help and be welcome into a community. Not this toxic elite fitness culture we see so much of right now.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
When I first started my journey to becoming a trainer, I looked into which program to take after thinking about it for quite a long time. I wondered if the fitness industry had space for someone who wasn’t “ripped” or “jacked” to be a trainer… That’s when my Friend Mia showed me Morit Summers on Instagram. Morit is an accomplished plus size trainer and owns her own gym in New York. Seeing her killing the game changed my perspective and allowed me to see that I too could take a step forward towards my dream of helping others move their body’s. I did some asking on certifications and settled on NASM and studied my butt off. It was hard with a 1 year old at home and a preschooler but I managed to pass my exam 3 weeks before CoVid hit. During CoVid, I took that time to work and train myself. There were a lot of highs and lows, as there were with the rest of the world. Since then I have taken the Nutrition course and Senior Fitness course as well. I have passed my own personal fitness goal of losing over 100 pounds. I am sitting at -110 pounds lost currently and working on building muscle at the moment. But it hasn’t been easy sailing. With Hashimoto’s thyroiditis hypothyroid to fight against, the struggle is harder but it’s not impossible. There has been literal blood sweat and lots of tears.

I currently work behind the scenes in social media part time for Lifting the Dream and occasionally write for the blog as well. I absolutely love what we stand for and stand behind the company 100%. I completely enjoy working here and love the lifting gear they sell. They believe in what I believe in- “ rebelling against the fitness industry’s standard of “fit””.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Oh, ha ha. I am a homebody these days but I say we would have to hit up some of the favorite gluten free restaurants like JustBe Kitchen in Denver, maybe go to Holidaily Brewing for a gluten free beer or two. You’d definitely have to take a day trip to the mountains perhaps and go on a hike or see Estes Park and do some shopping and eating.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are so many people I could put here really. My mom, Sheila. She always kept us kids active. My sister. My husband. My friend Mia for pointing me in the direction of plus size fitness trainers like Morit Summers. Who have been an inspiration since day one of starting my journey as a trainer. Jordan Syatt of Syatt Fitness for putting out hard facts it the fitness industry that no one wants to hear but needs to know. My friend and boss Malia of Lifting the Dream for believing in me and giving me a place to be me this past year.

Instagram: https://instagram.com/fiercelivingfit?utm_medium=copy_link

Other: https://instagram.com/sweetthings5280?utm_medium=copy_link

Image Credits
Before and after: Shabana Waheed Photographer for all professional photos : Trevor Knoll @rmk.visions Please notate all professional photos with photographer

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