Extol Sports December 2017 | Page 14

THE ATHLETE NEXT DOOR Kelley Thomas Elizabeth, Ind. Nurse Anesthetist Where do you workout? CrossFit Covalence, 530 Barret Ave. in Louisville What is your weekly fitness routine? My typical fitness routine is CrossFit five days a week and usually an accessory day tossed in. On that day I usually go somewhere with machines and free weights. I always take a rest day for recovery. What about your diet? What’s it like? This year I was introduced to Renaissance Periodization (RP). They utilize nutrition templates based on your current weight and goals and are designed around what time of day you train. It’s pretty simple science when you begin to learn about fueling your body. For me, this has made all the difference. I’ve always heard “abs are made in the kitchen,” and it’s so true. For years, I’ve had the mindset that I can eat what I want, I’ll just train a little harder. For me, this didn’t work. RP goes thru cycles of cutting and maintenance so there’s a nice balance. I’m enjoying maintenance thru the holidays. I eat a lot of chicken, rice and a ton Photos by Anna May Photography 12 EXTOL SPORTS / DECEMBER 2017 of veggies, but the top of my list of indulgences are cupcakes. Tell us about your tattoos: When I found those words, I just loved them and thought it would make for a pretty tattoo piece. Now they are a source of motivation. Mid workout when it gets hard and I’m tired or about to give in, I remind myself that the words fierce and unstoppable are permanently inked on my body, so I need to buck up! What is Helo and how are you involved? Helo is basically a FitBit on steroids. It monitors blood pressure, heart rate, mood, sleep, and coming in January, it will have the ability to monitor glucose. It’s also able to remotely monitor these parameters on other family members that I could access from an app on my phone. It’s a pretty cool,wearable device. I liked it, so I decided to sell and market them. You can learn more about it at www.kelleyt. helo.life. Have you always been into fitness and being healthy? If not, what compelled you to change how you approached your health? I’ve always been active but had never found anything I really loved. I did boot camps, instructional classes and ran for several years. I would hear people say how much they loved running and how it was relaxing and an outlet for them. I wanted that so badly, but it didn’t happen. Not until I picked up a barbell. Training is the best part of my day. Who or what is your biggest motivation when it comes to being fit and healthy I’m one of the older females at our gym and I love it. I’m surrounded by many insanely strong and fit young women that keep me motivated. They like to call me their “gym mom,” but they also know I’m pretty competitive and often give them a run for their money. The feeling of being healthier and better at 38 than I was at 28 is my biggest motivator. Age means nothing. What is the greatest challenge when it comes to your health? Right now it’s sleep. I’m very fortunate that