LA Boxing Baton Rouge – Burn up to 1000 calories per class in Baton Rouge

Audrey Horn – Knockout Momma!

Wednesday, June 8th, 2011

Recently, we were able to sit down with LA Boxing Fitness Coach, Audrey Horn, and discuss her return to the fitness industry and competition. Audrey, a new mother, wasted no time trimming the excess weight and realizing new, personal levels of fitness. Learning to juggle her professional life with family, Audrey is a testament to what’s possible when integrating nutrition and fitness into your daily routine.

Profile
Hometown: Parsippany, NJ
Lives In: Baton Rouge, LA
Age: 23
Weight: 113 lbs
Height: 5’3″
Body Fat: 13.7%
Degree: BS – Sports Marketing with a concentration in Communication
Certifications: Personal Training through Fitness Forever Training Academy, Nutrition Counseling through American Fitness Professionals & Associates, Qualified Dementia Care Professional through the Dementia Care Professionals Association
Awards: Emerald Coach for Beachbody, Events coordinator of the year focusing on fitness and nutrition for the elderly
Fitness Experience: Age 4-9: soccer, Age 10-17: running and basketball,  Age 18+:  triathlons, marathons, fitness/ figure competitions
Years in Fitness Industry: 3

LA Boxing Q & A

LAB: How and why did you first get involved in health and fitness?
Audrey: My parents have always encouraged my sister and I to do everything from dancing and piano to playing sports and participating in various clubs in order to be well rounded. I’ve always enjoyed sports and became very active at a young age. My mom was an incredible cook, and healthy at that. So growing up full of energy and an active lifestyle, I never paid much attention to my weight.
Nevertheless, entering college in August of 2005, things changed quite a bit. Apparently, loading fried buffalo-chicken pieces and blue cheese dressing on salad pushed it right outside of the “healthy” category. In 4 months, I gained a total of 25 pounds of anything but muscle. I knew a change was necessary. Quickly adjusting my diet and following routine exercises, I was able to lose 10 pounds. Experiencing these results only fueled my motivation for more! I really immersed myself in nutrition, exercise physiology and learning more about my body. Kody, my fiancé at the time and graduate of kinesiology, really helped me understand all the intricacies that go into diet and exercise. Often working out together, he would give great tips on proper technique, interval training, and monitoring your body.
I continued to exercise with Kody over the following months and eventually transitioned into more intense training. Following the footsteps of my cousin, Kerri, a coach and competitor in marathons and triathlons, I began racing in 5k and 10k races and actually winning! Seeing her passion for the outdoors and especially competition, I felt a desire to push my boundaries even farther. On August 6, 2006, I received a phone call that became my driving force to continue the path I started. Kerri, 2 weeks shy of her birthday, had been struck and killed by a car while making one of her regular runs. Kerri was beautiful both inside and out. Her coaching ability for all of her athletes was truly inspiring. I made it my goal to continue training in honor of her and strive for excellence in all aspects of my athletic ability.
In February 2008, Kody began working at Bally Total Fitness in Baton Rouge. There, he met an amazing group of women who all competed in fitness and figure competitions. Feeling this would be a great opportunity to challenge myself, both mentally and physically, he suggested I look into it. Wasting no time, I dove right in! Enthusiastically researching the various events and learning as much as possible about obstacle courses, skill drills and stage presence, I knew this was something I could be competitive in. Once again, I revised my diet and routine and vigorously prepared myself to step onto the stage for the first time in May of 2009. I’m very pleased to state that I finished 3rd out of 11 girls. Needless to say…I was hooked!
Today, two years later and following a wedding, a baby, and two business start-ups, I still have the same passion and drive I felt from the beginning! It was my goal to stay in shape throughout my pregnancy by continuing to exercise and watch what I eat. My beautiful daughter was born on August 20, 2010 but momma now carried an additional 30lbs. Because I followed a good routine through pregnancy, I was able to shed all of the baby weight plus an additional 13pounds. My goal is to show other moms that you still can look and feel great even after having a baby and maintaining a hectic life like I do. It’s all possible. I’ll be competing for the first time in 2 years on June 11 with three other events to follow throughout the summer. I can’t wait to hit the stage again!

LAB: With such an active lifestyle, what changes were you forced to make once you became pregnant? Daily routines, eating habits, etc…

Audrey: I tell everyone pregnancy is humbling. It really shows what you CAN and CANNOT do. For example, as an avid runner, I wasn’t comfortable when I hit my 12th week of pregnancy. It was awkward, heavy and just plain uncomfortable. It was upsetting that I could not push my body as I had in the past. However, I maintained my light lifting and began power walking for cardio. It’s really tough to continue monitoring your heart rate and hold back on specific exercises, especially during classes at LA Boxing. Fortunately, I stuck with it and simply modified various moves in order to participate with the group. For instance, when the instructor would work the core and have the class doing sit-ups, I would do the same exercise standing. Core muscles are crucial to having a great delivery, but more importantly it helps when the muscles contract after the baby is born. The stronger you are, the easier it will be for your body to return to its original state or even increase strength. I never let pregnancy be an excuse to not exercise or veg out. The health of a child begins at conception, so I made it my goal to eat right and work out every day. My baby is 100% healthy and so active now that she wears me out more than when I push her on our 10-mile runs together!
Of course diet during pregnancy is a major topic of discussion. Kody and I took the liberty of celebrating food a little too much during my first 6 weeks. Freshman 15 became Eating For Two 25. Cleaning up my diet, once again, became priority. The only real problem I encountered with food was grilled chicken. It was nauseating to me. I had to prepare it with mustard or drown it in a no-sugar, no salt sauce.
Did I have cravings? Absolutely! My favorite snack during pregnancy was non-fat plain yogurt with fresh fruit, specifically strawberries, blueberries and bananas, mixed with fiber one cereal. The baby loved it too! I was also a big fan of breakfast foods; egg whites with limited yolks, turkey bacon, and buckwheat pancakes on the weekends.

LAB: Describe your fitness level after having the baby.
Audrey: Since I had a C-Section, recovery was a little different. Three days after surgery I started doing yoga to loosen up the muscles. I can’t say enough about how important yoga is for all fitness levels. It helps muscular tissue become stronger. After having the baby, it was almost as if I were starting from square one all over again. During workouts I felt sluggish and short of breath. I saw this as an opportunity to really kick start my fitness all over again. Slow and steady wins the race, and I was no exception to the rule. It was surely a snail’s crawl at first, but seeing improvements in my ability each week remained a driving force.

LAB: What steps did you take to begin your road back to peak shape? How long did it take for you to really see change; mentally and physically?
Audrey: I immediately started working out as soon as I got out of the hospital. Doctors will tell a woman not to workout for 6 weeks, but I feel otherwise. My doctor and I always joke back and forth. She knew I couldn’t sit still so she simply had to trust I would find a safe way to stay active. Ladies, you know your body best. Learn about it with every move you make both physically and nutritionally. I find that, often times, the 6-week rule becomes an excuse to not workout in the future, and I didn’t want to feel like I had wasted time.
I worked into fitness slowly, doing yoga once per day for 20 minutes followed by a one-hour power-walk. Four weeks after delivery I was back on the streets…with the running stroller of course. Fantastic investment! Weights were incorporated with all of my activities, but there was very little structure. It wasn’t until January 1 of this year that I really focused on a structured fitness routine and nutrition planning. I allowed myself no cheat meals, but instead found ways to make healthy foods taste great. After one week of eating super clean and following a strict workout plan I had written for myself, I began feeling recharged and energized. Experiencing such incredible progress, there was no other option but to forge ahead and reach new goals.

LAB: Tell me about the challenges you experience today?
Audrey: Challenges I face today are trying to be and do everything 100% for my husband and daughter while still making sure to take care of myself. I strongly believe that a mother/wife must take care of herself in spite of feeling selfish or low on time. Without hesitation, I make sure to set aside time every day to workout. The more I execrise, the more changes and improvements I see. It really drives me to become better and stronger.

LAB: Do you have any upcoming events?
Audrey: I’ll be competing in The Red Stick Classic, Saturday, June 11 at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Baton Rouge. My division is Bikini – Short Class.

LAB: How long have you prepared for this competition?
Audrey: I’ve been training for 5 months in preparation of returning to competition!

LAB: Describe your daily routine. What does the average day consist of from breakfast to tucking the baby in at night?
Audrey: 4:45/5am: Wake up, get all bottles and food ready for the baby for the day, pack Kody’s lunch and dinner. Eat breakfast
6am: Arrive at LA Boxing to workout: 40minutes of cardio.
7am: Train LA Boxing clients.
8am: Arrive at Anytime Fitness. Snack #1 and train clients.
10am: Personal Resistance Workout.
10:45am: Snack #2.
11:15am: Teach Plyo class.
12:15pm: Errands/ Pick up baby from daycare.
1:15pm: Baby down for a nap/ Lunch/ Office work for personal businesses.
3:15pm: Tummy time with baby/ Snack #2.
4:30pm: Feed baby dinner.
6:00pm: Give baby a bath.
6:30pm: Put baby to bed/ dinner.
7:00pm: Train my neighbor in my house.
8:00pm: Complete 20minute ab routine/ Continue to work on personal businesses/ Put dinner together for Kody/ Light snack of protein if still hungry.
9:15pm: Straighten up kitchen.
10:30/11pm: Bed

LAB: What is your favorite healthy meal? What is your favorite cheat food?
Audrey: Healthy Meal: Grilled chicken or lean steak with grilled peppers and onions, avocado, pico de gallo made without salt and brown rice OR my kitchen sink tuna salad made with tuna, canned chicken, relish, jalapenos, avocado, sweet onion, tomatoes and occasionally pinto beans. All ingredients are thoroughly rinsed under water to remove all excess sodium.
Cheat Meal: Chile Relleno with grilled chicken and sides that come with the dish, queso with beef, chips and salsa, frozen yogurt with rainbow sprinkles, cookie dough and oreos.

LAB: What keeps you motivated to follow a healthy lifestyle?
Audrey: I love the way I feel! I’m motivated to keep pushing forward because I want to set a great example for other women. I want to empower women and make them realize that they are all beautiful and can/will feel amazing after giving birth if they stay focused.
It also goes without saying that my husband has been an incredible supporter and motivator for me. I can’t thank him enough for his advice, understanding, and patience while coaching me when I felt like I couldn’t push through. People tend to get feisty and share a few choice words while pushing their bodies to the limit. I, certainly, was no exception. But he knew the direction I wanted to go and kept me going.

LAB: What advice would you give others trying to discover a healthier way of life?

Audrey: Find any type of physical activity that interests you and DO IT! Whatever it may be, you must stay active. I tell my class all of the time, “Just keep moving.” You always want to change up your workouts so they don’t become stale. If you aren’t sure what to do, simply ask a trainer for some pointers. Find someone you can workout with and feed off of their energy. Working together helps you stay motivated, but remember, don’t make it social hour.
As far as dieting is concerned, stay away from the word diet. The word diet should only mean a way of eating, not briefly starving yourself. Instead, use the phrase, “I’m maintaining a healthier lifestyle.” Focus on eating clean for at least 5 weeks. The body needs a few weeks to adjust to eating nutritional foods. By following healthier eating habits, you’ll find that you get the most benefit in the long run. Discover new ways to turn your cheat meals into something healthy, and when you do have a cheat meal make sure you don’t overindulge. Learn to eat in moderation by eating slower, regardless of the kind of meal. More likely than not, you’ll feel sick when you do cheat because you’ve become more accustomed to eating healthier. Also, I couldn’t stress enough the importance of gaining support from your family. They can really provide a backbone during times of weakness.

Tags: diet, exercise, fitness, LA Boxing Baton Rouge, Red Stick Classic, weight loss
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