Today we’d like to introduce you to Lindsey Marie Greeley.
Hi Lindsey Marie, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I first got started in the fitness industry at 16 years old. I was training for my first NPC bikini competition that I did later that year. Oddly enough, I was working at planet fitness, an anti-bodybuilding gym hah! After competing in my first show, I fell in love with the process of changing my body, going into the gym headphones on noise canceled out. I ended up competing from 2010 until 2017 going from the bikini category to figure as time went on. Over my competition career, I ended up making poor choices when it came to my body putting my health at risk thinking I was helping my career, I almost ended up hurting myself. After my last show, I ended up in the hospital. I was so weak, felt nearly paralyzed because my body was so badly dehydrated. I needed over 10 IV fluid bags to get me to feel “normal” my muscle enzyme level was over 1500 and I was close to going to liver failure or even worse kidney failure. See the problem was I never knew after dabbling with steroids there was a proper “cycle off” protocol, my coach found out I didn’t place and went missing via email. But that’s how it goes in the sport of bodybuilding athletes become just another number. After laying there in my hospital bed, I remember talking to the doctor as I had tears running down my face saying, “but I’m healthy. I take care of myself. I don’t drink alcohol, don’t go out, I don’t eat fast food” He looked at me and said, “Kid there is nothing healthy injecting steroids into your system, you are lucky you are here. If you keep going, you can die before you’re 30″. I had a wakeup call; fell into a depression. I didn’t know who you are here. If you keep going, you can die before you’re 30”. I had a wakeup call; fell into a depression. I didn’t know who I was without bodybuilding. But I was thankful enough to steer towards the fitness industry, I asked a friend of mine who’s an insane athlete for a gym reclamation without hesitation he said, “Tone House”. Man, that workout made me realize I was not an athlete, lol! I seriously didn’t think I was going to make it past the warmup.
Anyways I was hooked on a new goal, challenging my body beyond what I could do and become an athlete. So, I drove from Long Island, sometimes I would take the train for well over a few months. They really pushed my “fitness career” and made me believe in myself to become a better trainer. So that’s what I did, I trained really hard. I also started to study more to train differently. Then one day I decided to apply for a training job in the city. I got the job, I thought this was my dream job at the time I really worked hard to get that job. It for sure got my foot in the door in the fitness industry I met some of the coolest people from that gym! But after couple of months, I was let go. I was devastated. I felt like a failure almost “I wasn’t enough to get my pro card, now am I not a good month, I was let go. I was devastated. I felt like a failure almost “I wasn’t enough to get my pro card, now am I not a good enough trainer”. Again, I got depressed all over again, so I called my sister and decided to go out to California. On that flight there, I just cried and stared at my computer screen. I got curious and googled group fitness training jobs in Los Angeles. Which was weird for me because I’ve always done just one on one, but for some reason I really wanted to start over start fresh. Become a better version of myself go something where I can really make a difference in people lives. So, I decided to then update my resume “Would potentially move to Los Angeles”. My flight was about 5 hours long that trip, I couldn’t do anything but question everything I’ve known in New York and think maybe a fresh start isn’t so bad after all. That’s when I woke up from my nap, I still had 1 hour and 45 min left on my flight, I opened my email and I had eight gyms contact me. Three of those gyms offered me interviews, and two hired me on the spot. One of which is F45 DTLA, my current job that honestly changed my life and career. This job was the job that changed my perspective on fitness what it truly means to be healthy. I loved the workouts; I went from a bodybuilder to an athlete beast, haha. But what I love is the last two years, I really learned how to build my body, my mind and most importantly my emotional health. I found how to build my self-esteem back up have a better relationship with food, with working out. Then I learned over the last two and a half years, I impact so many people who come in and out of the studio.
To really make this a lifestyle, I teach women how to build their bodies teach them the importance of weightlifting in the proper way. I am a stickler for form and make a joke out of it so they can remember. My biggest thing throughout my years from 2010 to present in the bodybuilding industry, fitness industry is time is of the essence. You get one life, and we are so caught up on all the wrong things sometimes. I really love to target women to be the essence. You get one life, and we are so caught up on all the wrong things sometimes. I really love to target women to be the best versions of themselves. I remember some dark moments where the industry has taken a toll sometimes I forget I was 17, 18, 19 years old competing and posting pictures on the internet. I had a good social media following. I was at EVERY bodybuilding show and expo, it takes a toll on you mentally. I created a pressure on myself to try and be perfect 24/7 when honestly, I didn’t even live my life I chose to do bodybuilding. Which I loved so much but now looking back and having a better understanding of where I am today. I HATED myself back then, ugh I apologize repeatedly to my younger self. And that’s what I want to teach to people today is to love the body you are in. To live your life more, have an understating this is a lifestyle it’s okay to live. To lift more, ugh to lift as a woman is so empowering like “yeah I lifted those heavy a*s dumbbells”. Or nothing more amazing that a good ol deadlifting PR!! Finally, to LOVE more, we need to be nicer to ourselves, it makes me so sad for all these years. I hated my body, I was so broken and insecure all the time. I never was my true self like I am today. Now I just preach eating donuts and lifting heavy in the gym, challenging our bodies, taking care of our bodies is key. You get one life how do you want to spend it? So sad for all these years I hated my body, I was so broken and insecure all the time I never as my true self like I am today. Now I just preach eating donuts and lifting heavy in the gym, challenging our bodies, taking care of our bodies is key. You get one life how do you want to spend it?
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
No, it has not always been a smooth road, but to be honest the most rewarding things come from a struggle. Moving from one city to another and starting over while finding your path out here.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I work at f45 in Downtown Los Angeles, while running my own business LMfit here I train one on one clients in person and an app! I am a body recomp specialist, where I basically have a program I developed to burn body fat build muscle at the same time. You won’t come to me and loose 30 + lbs but you for sure will feel and look 120 but really be 150 lbs. My systole f training and methods set me aside, I really take more than a 45 min session for people I’m changing and adding value to their life.
What matters most to you?
Making others feel good, I can’t explain why but I was in a very tragic car accident this year, and it changed my life and perspective on life. I just wanted to give this positive light to people a little compliment or a “Hey how as your day” goes a long way. Also teaching people how to love the body they are in hearing I changed someone’s life really just makes my day. I can be having the worst day literally, walk through f45 and instantly feel relief. Weird because most people complain about their jobs, haha but not me.
Pricing:
- Session rate $75
- App $19.199 a month
- F45 free 7 day trial
Contact Info:
- Email: lindsey.mariefit@yahoo.com
- Website: www.lindseymariefit.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/lindseymariefit_
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/lindseymariefit
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/LindseyMarieFit
- Other: www.triller.com/lindseymariefit
Image Credits:
James Delany, Morgan Karr, Samuel