Nuts N’ Squats Wellness Story:
Like every “brilliant” idea, Nuts N’ Squats Wellness was born on the run. Similar to many novice athletes, we were trying to figure out how to… how to run with good form, to find a good training plan, to avoid injury, to eat well, and the list goes on. There was so much information, and most of it was confusing. It took much experimentation and lots of research to figure out what works for us before we started seeing results. Our goal is to simplify this information, as well as to change and motivate others perception of possibility. We are here to inspire and to help you on your journey.
Meet Marcella:
At the end of 2011, as a mom of four active home schooled children currently ages 10 through 24, I found myself totally burned out, gas tank most definitely on empty. Nineteen years of caring for others at the exclusion of all but minimal self-care had taken its toll on me. Not one to let things get the best of me, I vowed to do something to change that.
Happiness came in the form of an obstacle course race (OCR) in January of 2012. Suddenly I was a kid again, running, climbing and getting dirty. This single choice led me to do countless OCR’s, up to 24 hours in length, Ninja warrior based training, mountain biking, rock climbing and ultra running with the completion of a 100-mile race. I am currently training to run a 200-mile race in 2020. I have transformed my body and its ability to produce almost limitless energy through a keto vegan way of eating. I learned how mentally tough I was by pushing my body beyond what others believed to be humanly possible. As the challenges and miles added up so did the tribe of lifelong friends that are now my family.
As I raced closer to myself I discovered the same 10-year-old girl who was always covered in scrapes and bruises, running, climbing trees and getting dirty. Learning that it is not selfish to take care of yourself and find joy in life is the best gift you can give to your family, friends and yourself. As a mom, it is something that I struggled with. It is my mission to help my family and others to find their passions and paths back to themselves through healthy eating and physical fitness that is fun so they can enjoy a healthy and happy life.
Meet Rue:
On the night of my 32nd birthday, I woke up short of breath. I had a vivid dream that I was walking from my car after a day of work and collapsed a few steps from the entrance to my home. I saw my body being rushed to the hospital where doctors tried to save me, but could not. I died that day from a heart attack, just a few days shy of my 33rd birthday.
That day I decided to change the path I was on. I was over 300lbs, with hypertension and pre-diabetes. I could barely walk from my car to the apartment without getting out of breath. I was unhappy and unhealthy. That was the turning point. I made the commitment to change my life, and in the process inspire others who may find themselves on a similar path.
Since that day, I have lost over 130 lbs, ran marathons and ultra marathons with the longest distance of 100 miles.
Aside from running, swimming, biking, and writing, I work as a clinical psychologist. My ambition is to create a platform where I could help others and provide them with the resources they need to make personal changes. Together we can continue on this discovery of wellness.
