Fitness: 11 questions with Charlotte trainer Cristina Gillespie

Name: Cristina Gillespie

Profession: I am the lead trainer at MADabolic Charlotte.

Favorite way to sweat/sport of choice: Needless to say I love to sweat at MADabolic Inc. Intense Intervals ~ Insane Conditioning.

Rocking my new @shoppinksocial shirt today and Teaching 4:30p tonight @MADabolic Who’s joining me?

A photo posted by Cristina Gillespie (@28tolife) on Dec 12, 2014 at 11:24am PST

(1) What’s the soundtrack to your workout: One of my favorite things to do is create my playlists for class. You can find anything and everything on my playlist (Indie Rock, Rap, Electronic). I use Spotify to develop my playlist for class.

(2) What is your diet like? I eat real food. Nutrition is a passion of mine that has become a side job of sorts. I experienced a major life change when I changed my eating habits. It was such a major transformation in the way that I looked physically that my friends wanted in on my secret….real food freedom, it was that simple. I now have a website where I post recipes and other people’s success stories about finding freedom with real food 28tolife.com.

(3) What’s one food you can’t live without: I go through different food phases and right now I have to have my avocados. They are so delicious and I start my day with one EVERY DAY. I have major issues if I slice open one to find it over ripe and brown but experience such joy when I slice it open to find the perfect shade of green. Yes you can call me crazy!

(4) How do you stay motivated to show up and train day in and day out? I believe we have some of the best yoga instructors, hands down. I love jumping into a class at FlyWheel or at one of our barre studio’s here. I just never let myself get bored or set into a routine.

(5) Were you always athletic growing up? I played soccer growing up but was never a star athlete by any measure. I just liked to move and be active. I have a B.S. degree in Exercise Science from USC and have always been fascinated by movement and the human body.

(6) What has been one of your biggest disappointments as an athlete?

My biggest disappointment was letting that lifestyle slip away until one day I looked in the mirror I was 205 pounds and not living the life I wanted. I was tired, overweight and unhappy.

(7) What has been one of your greatest accomplishments as an athlete?

Coming back from that, losing 85 pounds and living the life I wanted for myself and my family.

(8) Favorite way to cross train? Yoga. I love it and wish I had more time for it.

(9) Who would you say is your “biggest fan” and why?

My family! My children, I love to see them live by my example and how they make choices in their own life. Eating well and being active is such a part of their life as well. My husband too…he has embraced this lifestyle and built his own new habits that has lead to a 40-pound weight loss that he maintains.

(10) What was the best advice you were ever given?

Make yourself happy first. Make time for yourself. When you are happy and healthy you can spread that to the people around you.

(11) Do you have a saying or motto that you live your life by?

Eat – Move – Live. It is a hashtag I use for social media and it really is what I live by #EatMoveLive. Eat – real food and nourish your body. Move – often and find things you like to do. Live – enjoy your life!

Answers lightly edited and photos courtesy of Cristina Gillespie.