I met Christine aka Chrissy K. when I lived in Chicago. The AFFA and SCW-certified group fitness instructor taught many of my pole dancing classes at Flirty Girl Fitness. She also teaches strengthening classes, sculpting, cardio dance, interval training with plyometrics, and fusion classes at various fitness facilities around the city. Chrissy is the type of instructor that you’d want to be friends with. She’s knowledgeable, fun, friendly, supportive, and all of the above is why I continued taking her pole dancing classes and occasionally stretch classes too.
Her newest endeavor is “Chrissy K. Fit,” a series of YouTube videos where she provides quick workouts that can be done while watching TV. Get this: It was inspired by Scandal. I caught up with her to chat about how she stays positive, in shape and motivated to spread joy through an active and healthy life. She’s fly, down-to-Earth, wise and snatched! Get into her!
What inspired the launch of your YouTube page, Chrissy K. Fit?
Every Thursday night I would be conducting classes at the gym and the numbers were always lower than on other days I taught. I remember saying to myself, “I wonder if they’re all at home watching Scandal. “ I then thought, well if they’re going to be at home at least they could work out on the commercial breaks, and that’s how Chrissy K Fit on YouTube got started. With every Quick Fit Tip segment I try to add a skit of humor attached along with helpful fitness information. I like to add the laughter because getting fit and exercising should be fun and something you look forward to.
How did you get involved in living such an active lifestyle?
I have always been athletic. I was a major tomboy growing up, and was involved in many sports. I ran track in high school, was a part of the cheer leading team and have been a professionally trained dancer since the age of 17. I was a dance instructor for various different schools in the city of Chicago when one day, a friend of mine needed a substitute for a class she was teaching at a fitness facility. She called me in, I taught the class and was hired that day. I became exposed to a different side to fitness and have been in love with health and fitness ever since. That was over eight years ago.
You teach many types of fitness activities but how did you get into pole dancing?
It’s funny you asked. I had no desire what so ever to teach pole dancing. I just simply wasn’t interested. The gym that I worked at needed more pole instructors that knew how to dance, so they asked me to learn. When I started learning I was shocked at how incredibly strong and fit you had to be to execute some of those gravity-defying moves. With my natural competitive nature, I began to train hard just to prove to myself that this was something that I could do.
What’s your diet like?
About 80% of the time I eat clean. Fresh fruits and veggies lean meats and protein; I don’t eat pork and very little red meat. I drink water all the time. The other 20% I have my carbs, sweets, etc and even then there are good carbs and dark chocolate.
Do you have any food weaknesses? Is there any particular thing that you absolutely have to eat, even if it’s bad for you?
Yes, my weakness is carbs. I love breads, pastas, doughnuts you name it. I try to eat those things in moderation and substitute pastas with spaghetti squash, and breads with nuts like, cashews or pistachios. All things in moderation! I believe in having self-control over daily urges. Get a hold of your self [laughs]. But when I do from time to time give into those urges you better believe I hit the gym extra hard that week!
In terms of getting a fit body is it more important to workout or to watch what you eat?
They go hand in hand. It is 100% important to work out consistently and 100% important to eat clean consistently to get and maintain a fit body. You can’t have one with out the other. Granted some people are naturally fit, but for the average person they must do both.
In terms of mental wellbeing, you’re very friendly, cheerful and peppy. What keeps you in a happy head space?
I received great advice from an older woman a long time ago. She seemed very much at peace and content. I asked her the same question and she told me to not let anyone or anything get me so upset that I couldn’t function or live my life. Ever since hearing that I applied that advice to my life and over all don’t take things to seriously. It doesn’t mean I don’t have to deal with things, but I refuse to let it dictate my own personal happiness. Plus I do things that make me happy and surround myself with positive forward thinking people.
How do you take care of yourself whenever you feel sad or doubtful?
I address those feelings and allow myself to feel them, after about no more then an hour I say “ok time to move on” and I begin to think of solutions and answers as to why I feel that way and ways to pick myself up. It’s not fair to your self to ignore your emotions, but you also have to come up with a healthy solution to pick yourself back up.
What advice would you give people who want to start a fitness journey but may be apprehensive?
My advice would be to simply just do it. I would tell them that I met so many wonderful people and made great friendships along the way when I just went for it. No matter what is holding you back size, motivation, time, it’s all an excuse and you will be so proud and happy that you got started. You can do it!
Fun Facts About Chrissy K.
1. Starting on March 7, 2014 and every Friday afterwards she is teaching a 5p.m Cardio Dance class with current hip hop and billboard music and a 6p.m class called “Late Night” Chair Fit at a gym called Vie Custom Fitness. The first class is free at Vie, and anyone can register at Vie Custom Fitness.
2. She has partnered up with a company called Unicity that offers natural products that help lower cholesterol, with controlling blood sugar levels and Diabetes, and Natural Energy and Natural Focus Products. She takes these products and speaks highly of them. Two of her favorites are the Unicity Matcha for natural energy, and Unicity Matcha for Focus. Find out more at chrissykfit.myunicity.com.
3. Chrissy’s favorite get ripped foods are lean meats (she eats no pork and very little red meat), protein shakes with flax, veggies, all natural oatmeal, very little sugar, lots of water, eggs and nuts.
Instagram: Chrissykfit1
Twitter: Chrissykfit1
Facebook.com/ChrissyKFit
*Want to be a Grunty Girl? Send an email to Starr@gruntsandglam.com explaining why you’re grunty in a few sentences, along with your social media networks for consideration. There are no other rules. You can be short, tall, skinny, thick, black, blue, wide as all outside, a newbie on a new journey or as advanced as an Olympic athlete, as long as you’re an inspiration. You can also nominate friends.
