Abby in her own words:
“I used to be a competitive ultra-runner. I competed in 100-mile mountain races and was pretty decent at it. In 2013 I competed and won (female division) the Grand Slam of Ultra-Running. This is 4 x 100 mile races in a 10 week span.
But too much endurance + too little calories and carbs= Burnout. Anyone that doesn’t believe burnout or adrenal issues are real is a liar. It’s real and it’s debilitating to your body and mind.
I was forced to stop running and I eventually found weight-lifting. I tried my best at CrossFit but really gravitated towards heavy lifting and fell in love with Powerlifting.
I worked with a Nutrition Coach and spent years reverse dieting to support my body and goals and un-do all the years of damage I did as an endurance athlete. My sole purpose was to lift as much as I possibly could in a weight class sport and I was pretty decent at it. In 2018 I competed in PowerLifting Nationals. At 138 pounds my best squat was 290 pounds, bench 190 pounds, and deadlift 325 pounds.
I ended up hurting my back while lifting in 2019. I eventually decided to walk away from all competitive sports and focus on living a normal life with food and fitness balance.
These days my goals include lifting weights to support health and hormones. I want to be fit and strong enough to keep up with Molly-dog and continue hiking some beautiful miles in the Colorado mountains. I enjoy eating all foods and consume over 2300 calories. I strength train for ~ 1 hour x 4-5 days per week. I walk 2.5-3.5 miles every-day with Miss Molly.
I am happier and confident with my body now than any time before. You don’t need to be extreme or restrict yourself to get results. I follow an all-foods fit approach. As a Registered Dietitian and Nutrition Coach my mission now is to prevent other athletes from making the same mistakes I made.
My purpose in life is to serve others (women) and help them fuel their bodies, improve their relationship with food + fitness, and body image.”
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Show notes
Who is Abby
Living in Denver, Colorado
Working as a Registered Dietitian and Nutrition Coach
What her early years were like
Being 1 of 4 girls
Being inspired by her older sister and getting involved in running from a young age
Running in college and being a mid range mid pack person
Post college getting into longer distances and finding her calling
Loving the people in the running community
Getting into the longer distances
Running her first trail ultra and building a solid foundation
Enjoying the mental side of the physical challenge
Why 2013 was her break through year
Putting in the hard work everyday
Entering the grand slam of ultra running 4x100 mile races and winning (2013)! (the Western States 100 in California, the Vermont 100 Mile Endurance Run in Vermont, the Leadville Trail 100 in Colorado, and the Wasatch Front 100 Mile Endurance Run in Utah.
Post season - and trying to recover
Struggling with insomnia, fatigue, blood sugar levels, being anaemic, and not having a menstrual cycle for 3 years
Trying to run through the symptoms
Getting support and starting to help herself recover
Adrenal Fatigue - HPA Access Disfunction
Why Abby started strength training
Having the goal to be as strong as possible
Running following a low carb diet - and following keto
Dr Stacey Simms - ROAR
Why low carb isn’t the best for women
Needing to step away from competitive sports
Having more balance in her life with regards to food and fitness
Starting her own business
Having balance in her life?!
What a typical week of training looks like
Loving and appreciating rest days
Her philosophy with food now - all foods fit
How to connect with Abby
Final words of advice
Figure out why you are making changes
Social Media
Instagram: @abbymcpabby
Facebook: @AbbyMcQueeneyPenamonte
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