Fitmark Ambassador Taylor Anderson is no stranger to working out and keeping fit. As an All Star Cheerleader for 10 years and an active kid who loved playing sports, she knew that exercise would remain a big part of her life. Now as an IFBB Pro and Fitness Model, she has a whole new appreciation for hard work.
I’ve always kind of lived my life trying to find the easy way out of things, but fitness has taught me that you can’t cheat the grind.
In the Beginning
Taylor loved sports as a kid and played just about anything and everything. But it was cheerleading that stole her heart and ignited her competitive side. She told us:
I’ve always played sports growing up. I tried almost every sport, but I was an all star cheerleader for 10 years. Being fit and active wasn’t something I wanted to give up as an adult, so I introduced myself to the gym in college. But I didn’t really get serious about it until after I graduated.
Stage Prep
Getting serious brought Taylor to the stage in 2013 with a first place win at her first NPC show. It was the moment that changed her life and launched a new career in fitness. She told us:
Competing in has totally made my passion for fitness grow and makes me feel like I am part of a sport again.
Fitness has the power to transform lives and change your perspective. It’s no secret that eating healthy and keeping fit elevates your mood, increases self-esteem, and alleviates stress. We asked Taylor how living a healthy lifestyle has changed her life:
Now I know what I am capable of. Both physically and mentally. I have complete control of my feelings, urges, etc. From something as little as controlling what I eat to CHOOSING how I feel that day. I CHOOSE to feel happy every day, because I know I can’t let things get the best of me or I’ll never get anything done.
Meal Prep and Fitness Goals
When it comes to staying on track, especially during prep, even the professionals recruit the experts to get the job done! Taylor told us:
I have a coach who is AWESOME! He is the brains behind everything I eat. When prepping for a show, we keep my diet pretty simple and to the point. I’m very well fed with 6 meals a day. I eat my carbs around my training, the rest of the day I eat my proteins & fats.
It’s Gotta Be Fresh
Taylor finds that staying on track with your meal prep and making sure you stick to the program means getting creative. She likes to prepare her food fresh and add a little spice. She told us:
I personally like my food fresh! If I have a minute to cook it fresh, I ALWAYS do!! If you aren’t enjoying the taste of your food and just hoovering down cold chicken with no marinade or seasonings, you really aren’t going to enjoy the journey of getting fit and you’ll start despising your meals.
That’s the secret to staying on track and keeping within your macros. It’s not until you start eating clean food that you truly start to appreciate the natural flavor of everything you eat. Taylor told us:
I actually crave the food I make! Healthy doesn’t mean tasteless.
Meal Prep Is in the Bag
Planning and having the right bag to store your meal prep and keep it fresh is all part of being successful in your fitness goals. Taylor told us:
If I know I have something planned for the next day where I’ll need food, I’ll make it and pack it the night before in one of my Fitmark Bags.
Taylor Anderson’s Favorite Fitmark Bags
- the Shield (shown above)
- the Envoy Duffel
When it comes to meal prep, everybody is different. Taylor has a unique approach that involves a lot of Ziploc bags! She calls it her “crazy method.” She told us:
I pack my food into Ziplocs; I have a crazy method! Each food gets its own sandwich size bag, then the sandwich bags go into a quart bag. Each meal gets its own quart-size bag, then we pack the meals into a gallon bag and label it for the day!
When she’s running around on errands, all Taylor has to do is grab one of her Ziplocs and pack it into her Fitmark Bag. She uses the Box SM for shorter excursions.
I use my smaller “lunch box” size Fitmark Bag every day, if I know I’m going somewhere where I’ll need at least one meal. Errands take me so long sometimes, I need at least a meal or two and the smaller bag fits perfectly into my purse! Discreet 😉
But on longer trips, the only bag for the job is the Shield.
I use my Shield when I travel! The Shield is perfect if you are traveling on one of those small express planes! The overhead space is so small on those planes and the Shield fits perfectly! It also fits all my meals for the weekend!
So, the true secret to success, besides putting in the hard work, is in the preparation. Planning your meals and your fitness goals is the only way to see change and results. Taylor told us:
We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.
You can find Taylor Anderson on Instagram @ifbbpro_taylor and at ifbbprotayloranderson.com
Sport Your Lifestyle
The Fitmark Team
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