In The Gym with Cassandra Sawyer

FFFC:  Please introduce yourself to our readers.

CS:  My name is Cassandra Sawyer.  I am a 34 year old, honored mother of two impossibly perfect children.  I work full-time as a Director of Human Resources, while running my own Personal Training business and working as a part-time Coach for RoxStar Fitness.

FFFC:  How did you get started in fitness and working out?

CS:  You know, I don’t really remember.  Like most women, I’ve been on and off every diet and workout craze there is.  I got serious about fitness, shortly before my son’s first birthday when I realized I couldn’t use the excuse that I “just” had a baby, anymore!  I was doing one of those popular fitness DVD’s when I dislocated my knee.  It was then that I went in search of ways to exercise that wouldn’t have any joint impact and I discovered bodybuilding.  I picked up a dumbbell and never looked back

FFFC:  How and why did you make fitness your career choice?

CS:  Being an HR professional, for many years, I have been intimately involved with the creation and maintenance of corporate wellness programs and love every second of it.  I then discovered bodybuilding in my personal life and felt uniquely blessed to have these parts of my life align.  This harmony has spoken to me and leads me to believe I have found my calling.

FFFC:  What motivated you to go IFBB pro?

CS:  Well, I’m not an IFBB Pro….yet!  I’m an all or nothing kind of person.  I’m either on or off.  There is no dimmer dial on me.  So, after my first show, I realized I loved this sport and decided to continue to compete.  I don’t see any option other than to follow this through until I go pro.

FFFC:  How do you balance making time to get in your workouts with the demands of your career and personal life?

CS:  Well, I get up at the crack of stupid o’clock and half past insane….otherwise known at 3:30am, every morning.  I like to start my day off with my workouts, so that it sets the tone for everything else.  After that,

 While, some people may think that sounds boring or crazy, I find it liberating.  I try to live as much life as possible every day and by sticking to a schedule, I get to squeeze in a lot of  life!

FFFC:  What do you like most about working out?

CS:  My alone time.  De-stressor. The constant challenge.  The way it makes me feel.  The feeling afterward.  The affect it has on my body.  The mental clarity.  Get to eat more. Shall I continue?  LOL…

FFFC:  What is your favorite form of exercise?

CS:  I love old fashioned bodybuilding.  Picking up and putting down really heavy weights.  I love isolation exercises that allow me to really focus on the muscle I’m working.  It’s not the trend right now.  Most people are into compound and cardio-esque exercises.  I like to keep things simple.

FFFC:  What do you consider the most useful piece of workout equipment?

CS:  Hhhhmmm…..that’s a good one!  I’d have to say a dumbbell.  You can work ANY part of your body with a dumbbell.  They can be found and taken almost anywhere.

FFFC:  What do you think is the biggest misconception about fitness and bodybuilding and what you do?

CS:  Hands down the biggest misconception is that bodybuilding will make women bulky.  When the truth is far from it!  Lifting heavy will give a woman curves, lean muscle and the tightest body she could wish for.  The second misconception is that you can eat anything you want because you work out.  Well, I guess, technically you can, but you just won’t lose any fat!

FFFC:  What tips can you offer a woman trying to balance family, career and a fitness program?

CS:  

 Second, make them ALL a priority.  You aren’t being asked to sacrifice one for the other.  And believe it or not that making sure fitness is a priority helps you with being better at the rest!  Third, make a plan and stick to it.  No matter if you’re tired, grumpy or PMSing, just do what you said you were going to do and watch the results pay off!

FFFC:  Do you have any words of wisdom to share with our readers who continue to struggle with poor diet choices?

CS:  My epiphany was when I understood that our health starts at a cellular level.  Our cells crave nutrition and what we consume either feeds or starve those cells.  I realized that most of the “food” we eat is not grown by a farmer or cooked by a chef.  It’s created by a chemist who is paid to make it look and taste like real food.  It’s then preserved and processed into bags, boxes and cans as “food”.  No wonder, I didn’t look healthy and fit….because I wasn’t.  My cells were craving real nutrients, but getting fake instead.  They were starving, malnourished, weak and sick.  Eating healthy became easier after understanding that.  It changed everything.

FFFC:  What new projects do you have coming up (i.e. events, appearances, shows, etc.)

CS:  Well, I’ll be competing through the end of July…a total of 4 shows this year.  I have a couple of exciting projects in the works that I hope to have fully finished by Fall.  Overall, it will be a very busy year, but I wouldn’t have it any other way!

FFFC:  What would you say is your biggest accomplishment to date in the world of fitness?

CS:  While I’ve won awards and had great placings, I believe my greatest accomplishment was making the decision that I could do it.  Not only making the decision for myself, but having the guts to tell people I was doing it.  The fear of failure and judgment was very real, but I wouldn’t let it debilitate me.  And now, not even 2 years later, I cannot imagine my life without fitness.  THANK GOD, I didn’t let fear get the best of me.

FFFC:  Who is your fitness idol?

CS:  I don’t have just one.  There are so many phenomenal women in this sport that I look up to for different reasons.  Another reason I love it.  The most awesome of awesome women are bodybuilding competitors and I’m learning from them all, daily!

FFFC:  Where can our readers find you online to read more about you?

CS:  Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/NaturalFitMom

Instagram – http://instagram.com/naturalfitmom

Pinterest – http://www.pinterest.com/naturalfitmom/

You Tube – https://www.youtube.com/user/NaturalFitnessMom

Twitter – https://twitter.com/NaturalFitMom