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“A goal without a Plan is Just a dream”
~ Dave Ramsey
Welcome to Vital Nutrition and Performance
Thank you for taking the first step in researching some health and fitness options to make your goals become reality. Over the past six years of owning a gym I have watched many clients struggle with the constant battle of trying to out exercise a poor diet, under eat, under recover or just be so desperate for change they are willing to try just about anything. In the spring of 2014 I was lucky enough to be taken on as a client of one of the most respected nutrition coaches in the industry and through my own positive experiences and results, it really encouraged me to take on some certifications and put some of my spare time and energy into helping clients! The results you will achieve working with a nutrition coach will be lasting. It will take dedication and commitment but it truly will be the best investment in your health!
Everyone calls me Abby. I am the owner of Iron Age CrossFit in Olds Alberta. I have a very busy little girl and I married my high school sweet heart. I attended Red Deer College taking Kinesiology, Specializing in Health and Wellness. During my last year of college I attended my first CrossFit class and was hooked! I loved everything it offered! Challenges, competition and community. I have a great gym community and an amazing coaching staff which has allowed me the opportunity to follow a second passion nutrition coaching. I have been truly blessed to work with such a great coach myself that I really wanted to be that for someone else. I have experienced my own frustrations and set backs which really allows me to connect with my clients and build such a close relationship with them. I have been so lucky to have so many clients that allowed me to try different things with their nutrition giving me a lot of ideas and experience. Just as we all are unique so is our nutrition. I truly believe in finding a way to have balanced nutrition, a balanced social life and still be able to ROCK the body we have always wanted! Having someone help you and guide you can make all the difference! I hope you enjoy the blog posts and if you ever have questions or would love to see certain topics PLEASE reach out!
How I can help
Nutrition Programs
All of our nutrition programs are done on a one-on-one setting. If you live far away, No problem! All communication is done through emails and if needed phone calls or skype. Each program starts with our clients providing us with as much information as possible on current nutrition habits and lifestyle. From there, I build the start of your plan!
Fitness Programs
Needing some at home work outs? A gym routine? A competitive CrossFit program? No Problem! Sometimes it’s hard to find something that works into your schedule! I’ve got you covered! Customized programs will get your reaching your fitness goals!
Seminars
Interested in hosting a seminar for your team or athletes! Send us an email and we can discuss some options!
Stay Connected
Vital Nutrition and Performance
4 days ago
A little @vitalnutritionandperformance sale today!
Sign up today for either Nutrition program
đGroup coaching $95+gst/month
đ1-1 Nutrition Coaching $150+gst/month
And save $25 off your first Month!
đGroup coaching is all done on in a Facebook private group! Check in is once a week and I check in 1-2xWeek. You still receive individual macros and all the tracking sheets.
đ1-1 Coaching is done through email checkin ins, monthly calls if your like, and the ability to text and email your questions anytime! Itâs all through private emails!
Good on the nutrition but would like some individual programming!?
đŞđť12 Session is $135+gst, you can go monthly or just purchase one group of sessions.
đŞđťMonth to Month 5xWeek is $200+gst.
Sign up today and save $25 on your first month!
Whatâs better way to show yourself some love!!! The sale ends at midnight!! Also I canât only take so many spots so be sure to act fast! 10 Spots only!!!
Yes this is a huge deal because I never do sales or discounts because I donât believe in them! đđ
**The sale is for new client sign ups**
đ§ ba.bargholz@vitalnutritionandperformance.com to claim your spot!!
Ps: if you donât hear back from me right away donât panic I will touch base ASAP! As long as your email is in my inbox before midnight your good!
#vitalnutritionandperformance #vitalforperformance #healthylifestyle #fitness #vitalforlife #vitalforhealth #vitalforperformance
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Vital Nutrition and Performance
2 weeks ago
The scale can suck!đđť
Day after day you are making great choices! Your following your macros and your exercising, getting lots of sleep but there is little to no movement in the scale... your coach must be an idiot right??.... WRONG!
Check out the difference in what 5lbs of day looks like vs 5lbs of muscle! As your body goes through changes you will start to notice your body take a new shape! You should start feeling your clothes fit better and seeing more definition, but the scale might not move yet.
As you decrease body fat you can be working towards increasing muscle mass therefore because 1lb of fat weighs the same as 1lb of muscle you wonât see the scale move!
This is not a good time to fire your coach, itâs a GREAT time to stick it out, take progress photos and embrace the journey!
#vitalnutritionandperformance #vitalforhealth #vitalforlife #vitalforperformance #fitness #healthylifestyle #goals #eatclean #fitmom #fitchick #dadbod #crossfit #bootcamp #ironagecrossfit ... See MoreSee Less
Vital Nutrition and Performance shared Just Eat Real Food's post.
2 weeks ago
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Vital Nutrition and Performance
2 weeks ago
Take each day, each step towards your goal one step at a time.
When we feel that rush is motivations we see the end result. We envision what it will be like to feel confident and sexy in our skin. We see ourselves on the beach in a bikini, we see ourselves PRing our lifts and stepping on the podium, what we donât see is the journey.
We donât see the struggle, the obstacles and the consistency it takes. We donât see the frustration and commitment, and at the first taste of struggle we want to shut down and give up.
Why is that? Is our goal not worth it? It is not important to us anymore? Do we just not like feeling uncomfortable?
Whatever block hit you ask yourself, is this really a blockage or is this the excuse I was looking for?
Every day is an opportunity to progress and learn. I have learnt more about my body, and mind in the past four years then I ever thought would go into a simple âdietâ. Here are some ways to stay focused:
â¨Count downs. I like to time client cuts around important events for them, enough time to achieve it but not enough time to go off course. This keeps us both on top of the progress.
â¨Mini goals. Setting small goals through the week help you focus on whatâs in front or you and not that long far off Dream you have
â¨Tracking sheets: while Iâm sure clients find these annoying there is not denying when you can look back at your week or month and revisit numbers
â¨Small steps instead of BIG changes. If you have not eaten a veggie in the past five years probably going ALL in on veggies wonât be great idea! Start out with one or two a day.
â¨Reward yourself, just not with food... you are not a dog.
â¨Communicate your frustrations. Donât feel embarrassed we all feel them!
â¨Remember your why!! I keep my progress photos on my phone to look back anytime I feel discouraged! Try it out! Youâll be amazing at the changes your going through!
â¨Just keep going! Even if your only doing 50,60,70% better your still doing better!! Take it one step at a time!! đ¸ @mallorytoddphoto
@ironage_crossfit
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Vital Nutrition and Performance
3 weeks ago
Okay a little 12 week recap!
Cutting macros: 150p,200/220c,50/60f
Canwest Macros: 150p, 250/300c, 50/f
Trying to get pregnant.... Macros: 150p, 200c, 80f
Trying to survive all day puking in my mouth... eat whatever stays down. For me this was a lot of subway, which is really funny because I havenât had subway since I was in the hospital when Bentley was born!
Now that I am feeling good again Iâll be shooting for
150p,250c 80-90f around 2200 caps.
I have a sweet tooth so Iâll definitely be using about 200 cals a day for sweets! đ
As for training, I had to decrease the intensity of my training and put on some fat and eat some more fat as getting pregnant and my hormones were not happy, so focusing more on strength was actually pretty great. I like weight lifting so it felt good to put some PRs on the board. Sometime during December I hurt my left shoulder/bicep/tricep so badly holding a water bottle or washing me hair had me in tears. I have been rehabbing it which has changed my training other wise I would be still doing everything normally. The only thing I canât do already is pistol squats so Iâll change those out with weighted step ups or an elevated lunge with dumbbells.
As my shoulder gets better Iâll keep handstand-walking, handstand push ups, muscle up and pull ups all going until I am no longer comfortable doing so.
To be honest my training wonât change a ton for movements itâs about intensity. Keeping my heart rate under control is the goal so I currently play music I can sing along top to keep me from pushing so hard that I canât breath, that is what we donât want.
No I will not be doing the first 2019 CrossFit open, itâs not smart for me, I am a competitor and if I am put into a situation to compete I will.
I am however doing my in-house gym open with my crew!
Oh your all wondering about supplements. I am not taking any. I am taking vitamins yes but as for all my training and recovery supplements, through the advice of my nutrition coach thatâs a no go. I am missing them a lot as I have been very very tired.
Thatâs all for now!
đ¸: @mallorytoddphoto
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Vital Nutrition and Performance
3 weeks ago
Mental health is no joke.
Today is day 30 of my 30 day wellness challenge. A challenge I created because of this exact reason. Client after client I was seeing a trend. Putting themselves last, not feeling happy, not feeling deserving. I am not a doctor and I will never tell someone you are depressed, but I will constantly help encourage individuals to take control of their lives and happiness. Strong research is out there about exercise and nutrition healing depression and anxiety, but I get it, something new can cause those feelings but finding the right support system will help encourage you to stay committed.
Find a tribe that supports and encourages without judgement. Fight for your life, fight for your happiness.
You are 100% responsible for the quality of your life. There are professionals who want to help and friends who are willing to listen, you just have to ask.
Donât be afraid, fight.
You are worthy.
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Vital Nutrition and Performance added 3 new photos.
3 weeks ago
Nutrition Heals.
This very busy momma came to me because she was living in chronic pain. The kind of pain that keeps her awake and keeps taking her back to the doctors and not finding out many answers.
I was so excited when we started because I love when I know I am helping improve someoneâs quality of life.
She has been loosely tracking macros as her goal wasnât weight loss or performance, itâs about health.
As you can see her body has drastically changed with working towards eliminating inflammation of the body.
With each check in improvements of sleep, less/no pain, way less menstrual pain and migraines, and the list goes on.
She took on the elimination diet right away and through bringing foods back in she has now found her triggers for pain and inflammation.
I am so proud of her!! She is SO busy and has every reason to quit but she has found the benefits and has taken control of her own health! While weight loss was not her goal it is amazing how 10lbs of inflammation and pain can fall off the body with just the right foods for you!
#healthylifestyle #healthyfood #fitness #vitalnutritionandperformance #vitalforlife #vitalforhealth #vitalforperformance #health #takecontrolofyourhealth #momlife ... See MoreSee Less
Vital Nutrition and Performance
4 weeks ago
Quality vs Quantity.
Letâs talk training today! Before I had Bentley I was doing multiple sessions in the day. This was exactly what I needed to develop my skills and increase the strength I needed to compete at the level I like to compete at. Fast forward four years and I train 4xweek for one hour and am in the best shape I have ever been in.
Life can get busy and things can change but you can still enjoy your training. Understand what your body needs.
Now as an older athlete I know itâs much more important for me to fuel my workouts and fuel my recoveries. Working out on a tired broken body day in and day out will not give you the results you want.
If you want to train like an âeliteâ athlete you need to put the time into your fuel and recovery.
â¨Eating enough vs exercising to undo poor eating
â¨Massage, chiro and acupuncture are great ways to heal and keep things moving well.
â¨Having a generalized conditioning program is great, but chances are youâll need an individualize strength or skill work program if your missing a skill.
â¨Creating a focused and positive mindset and game plan for your training sessions.
â¨Vocalizing your specific goals to your coaches to help hold you accountable
â¨Moving better vs moving fast
â¨4/5 sessions giving your đŻ vs 6+ sessions giving only 70-80%
â¨Focusing on injury preventions and mobility so you can play the long game
â¨Understanding injury can be part of the game with competitive athletes.
Focus on creating a blend of all areas of training NOT just adding more volume! More volume without the others will not give you the success you need!
Quality > Quantity every damn time.
đ¸ @mallorytoddphoto
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Vital Nutrition and Performance
4 weeks ago
I have struggled too.
To the young teenage girl who doesnât quite feel accepted by other girls.
To the young 20 year old who wants nothing more then to conquer every goal despite feeling defeated.
To the mom torn between wanting a career and being home for your kids.
To the women who wants to feel proud of themselves and their bodies.
To the women who love being strong but also feel insecure in a sleeveless shirt.
To the single parents trying to fit it all in forgetting about yourself.
To everyone who feels like youâll never measure up,
I struggle too.
Social media paints whatever we want it to. We can get lost in the transformations and the success stories and wonder, why isnât that me?
Everything you feel, everything you do impacts your life. The ugly truth is you have to put your foot down and stand up for yourself.
Stop quitting. Stop giving up when it gets hard. Stop throwing your dreams and hopes away. Stop settling.
What would your life look like if you actually followed through with your actions?
For the longest time I had goals and every time I would get close to some of those goals I would back off and stay comfortable. I liked being comfortable. Comfortable doesnât let you grow.
Seek the uncomfortable feeling of new success. Seek failure as an opportunity to grow and learn. Seek new possibilities.
We all struggle. Just struggle for something that really matters.
Regret is worse than failure.
Take it one day at a time, and embrace the journey, the struggle and the uncomfortable.
To everyone who has ever struggled, I have struggled too...
đ¸ @mallorytoddphoto
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Vital Nutrition and Performance shared Paleo f(x)'s post.
4 weeks ago
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Slowly but surely, the mainstream is waking up.
That one's nutritional status would affect their mental health ought to be (pardon the pun), a no-brainer.
And yet......
Vital Nutrition and Performance
1 month ago
Smoothie cleanse, tea detox, wraps, and pills. All a bunch of garbage.
Ask yourself, if these things really worked donât you think weâd ALL do them and have reached our goals already!?
I am still blown away by the ânewâ hot money grab and the amount of people that go for it. I get it your âdesperateâ for help and change but hereâs the thing, time and time again exercise and a healthy diet has been proven to work. So why are we still wasting our time with the quick cure?
We want the easy route. We donât want to change the way we live our lives. We have decided that I âshouldâ be able to stay up late, not exercise and have a rocking body. Tell me this, who do you know that has this?
I spend a lot of time around really healthy and fit people, I also spend a lot of time around people working to become healthy and fit and not one of them is body wrapping, skinny tea drinking smoothie detoxing bullshit. They are busting their butts every day in the gym and the kitchen.
Are their real detoxes. Yes. Do some need them, yes. But I can promise you they are not marketed around losing weight. They are marketed around cleansing the liver and body after years of fatty processed foods.
If is sounds to good to be true, it is.
đ¸ @mallorytoddphoto
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Vital Nutrition and Performance
1 month ago
I donât know about you but this cold weather has me day dreaming about the summer!
Funny thing is if your wanting a wedding body, or summer body you need to start that shit now... for real though.
Last summer I turned down three brides because they wanted to hire me to close to their big day! Bodies can be unpredictable! Take the stress away by starting now! Crash diets arenât fun and donât work! Get lasting results and feel your best!
I have 4 groups coaching spots open for February and I only have 5 1-1spots left period!!
đ¸ @steve.barahona
#vitalnutritionandperformance #vitalforlife #vitalforhealth #vitalforperformance #summertime #malibu #wakesurfing #healthylifestyle #entrepreneur #fitness #weddingseason #weddingcut #beachbody #mombody #crossfitmom #ronix ... See MoreSee Less
Vital Nutrition and Performance
1 month ago
Are your creating a healthy lifestyle or an unhealthy obsession?
Ask yourself the following:
â¨What does the number on the weigh scale do to my confidence?
â¨Will I still feel successful if I can't properly weigh and measure my food for a week?
â¨Am I avoiding family functions and holidays because I fear the âsetâ backs?
â¨Am I trying to trick the scale by not eating late or eating the exact same thing everyday so I don't bloat aka put on water weight?
The reality of the situation is macro counting can be a stressor and cause some serious obsession with your body weight and foods. Breaking down the mental hold that the weight between your toes has on you should be a priority!
For example: if I tell my coach I think I should weigh around 150-155lbs and as I go through my nutrition logging and tracking and feeling so much better and my clothes fit better and I LOOK the way I want to look will it matter that the scale says 160lbs?
If I buy a pair of jeans that fit me and I feel confident in does it matter what size the tag says? Does it matter if I'm a size 6 or a size 10?
Everyone's bodies look very different at different weights! We use the scale to track fluctuations because right now this is the option we have! Not using your food scale and eye balling over holidays is still a great way to stay focused! Start focusing on sleeping better, exercising, fixing your mood and your attitude and I can promise you you'll find success.
I have been logging for the past 6 years, I take weeks or months off at a time but because I've done it for so long I have a pretty decent eyeball! The weight on the scale doesn't matter if I am able to clean 220lbs, muscle up and handstand walk on demand.
So find out what you want from that number on the scale. Self worth? You won't find it there. You find it in the things your good at and the things you love! Self confidence? Nope, it's not on the scale either, it's in believing in yourself! Self love??? No way!! You find that in taking time to eat good nutrient dense foods, exercising, reading a book, taking a hot bath, singing at the top of your lungs.
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Vital Nutrition and Performance
1 month ago
Focus on what you can control.
Currently I am dealing with a pretty massive shoulder injury, and some back pain. Itâs really been effecting how I have been training. Itâs changing the workouts and slamming me to the bottom of the leaderboard, a place Iâm not familiar with. Itâs super frustrating but itâs not the end of the world.
Today I finally was able to press a dumbbell over head with minimal pain and do some T2B! I was slow and steady but I kept telling myself âfocus on what you can do not what you canâtâ
Did this help my time? Nope! But it sure helped my mood. Sometimes we think we have control. We think we have 100% control over our training, sleep and nutrition and the reality is sometimes we donât! We canât predict injury but we can work around it! Sometimes we just donât have a good sleep or have kids waking up through the night! And sometimes we are put into a social situation or our job put us in a spot where we have to be flexible with your nutrition. All of these things are OK!
I have found itâs more important to be consistent and flexible then to be OBSESSIVE and controlling.
When I obsessed and focus on trying to control it all I feel constantly defeated leading me to really fall off the wagon and through my whole day away! For example âI might as well not train if I canât use my shoulderâ or âIâve already ate one cookie so I might as well eat them allâ
Those situations make you feel like your not successful. Like you have failed.
Try âany exercise is better then no exerciseâ or âman that cookie was good, and itâs not the end of the worldâ
Now your going to feel better about your choices and your going to continue on and now feel those âbumpsâ in the road.
Consistency and flexibility will provide you great results. Donât put the pressure of success or failure as a label on your journey.
Every day you are either successful or your presented with an opportunity to learn.
What have you learnt this past week?
đ¸ @mallorytoddphoto
#healthylifestyle #entrepreneur #fitness #motivation #fitnessgirl #vitalnutritionandperformance #vitalforlife #vitalforhealth #vitalforperformance #goals #crossfitmom #health ... See MoreSee Less
Vital Nutrition and Performance
1 month ago
You are not a victim you are a product.
A victim is someone who is harmed or killed due to someone elseâs actions or events. For example if you are in a car accident because someone else hit you, You are a victim.
A product is a thing or person that is the result of an action or process. For example every choice you make determines the result you will achieve as the âproductâ
It seems like more and more we all want to play the victim and not take responsibility for our actions. We blame things like our jobs, our kids, our income, our lack of âtimeâ, our hormones, our diseases, etc⌠for why we are the way that we are. We need to stop hiding behind the excuses and STOP playing the victim. We are the product.
We CHOOSE to have stressful jobs, we CHOOSE to have children and then put them in every sport, we CHOOSE how we spend our income, we CHOOSE to over-schedule ourselves. We CHOOSE hormonal birth control, we CHOOSE to sleep less and drink more. We choose all of these things while knowing the risk but still choose to turn our head and play the victim.
How you spend your time is up to you. You will never make any REAL change if you canât own up to the fact that everything you're currently dealing with was the product of the decisions you have made. Can you dig yourself out of the hole you created? Yes, will be it painless easy, and quick?⌠No. But when you stop selling yourself on the bullshit self pity party and you step up to the plate and take responsibility you will begin to feel like you are back in control. When we are in control we feel like we have POWER and when we use that power over ourselves we can start making that change we long for.
Spending another year playing victim will not change your life, but taking back your powerâŚthat will change everything.
đ¸ @whitecreekranchphotography
#motivation #vitalnutritionandperformance #healthylifestyle #fitness #fitnessgirl #crossfitmom #entrepreneur #vitalforlife #vitalforhealth #vitalforperformance #goals #noexcuses #ironagecrossfit #ironsharpensiron ... See MoreSee Less
Don’t Fall for it, A New Year will NOT Bring a NEW YOU
By Abby
It drives me so crazy when every year around Christmas and New Years you see all the NEW YOU Bull shit. Like how is that going to work? The clock strikes midnight and because you decided this year again you just turn into someone new?? How about you don't waste your time on that shit and set some real goals and intentions. Have you ever tried to create a new habit? Or break a bad habit? It takes some time and SERIOUS work. It's great to have that January motivation but hey, how about trying to … Read More
What my clients are saying…
âI have never felt or looked stronger in my life I now find this way of eating ânormalâ not hard or not fun! I am so happy with the results I have achieve from dialing in on my nutrition.â
~ Deborah McDonald
âI reduced my body fat and increased lean muscle mass substantially. My sleep, my mood, my performance and my recovery have all benefited from proper nutrition and supplementation.â
~ Tanya McDonald
âI don't believe any of this would have happened as quickly without my nutrition plan. After 3 months of watching my eating I lost fat, gained muscle, cleared up my acne and just felt better then I have ever felt before.â
~ Rikki Smith
âI can honestly say at 47 years of age I am the healthiest, happiest and strongest I have ever been thanks to good nutrition and CrossFit.â
~ Lexi Wright
âI have made BIG progress and itâs fantastic!! I am down 20lbs and competing in RX divisions! This is a full lifestyle change, not a 21 day fix, not meal replacements, and not something that will happen over night. The results are long lasting and worth far more when they come.â
~ Rheanne