We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Terri Ross a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Terri thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. How’d you first get into your field – what was your first job in this field?

I passed my ACE-CPT exam in July of 2019. I was so stoked! It was an online program and I had worked hard to complete it while I was working a full-time job and training 6 days a week for my first triathlon. 2019 was a big year!

I did a lot of searching at the big box gyms and well-known studios around my area. But it was difficult finding a place that really aligned with what I wanted to do. I was not attracted to the idea of walking the strength floor and interrupting members’ workouts so that I could sell them training packages. And I certainly didn’t want to be pedaling supplements either.

One of my good friends had made a suggestion that I join a Facebook Group for female business owners in Denver. “The Denver Boss Babe Collective”. It took me a while to follow up with her advice because I did not see myself as a boss babe. I only had dreams of a business and wasn’t truly a boss babe…yet.

One Friday night I finally said “Okay, fine. What’s the worst that can happen”? I joined the group and per the group rules put together an introduction post. (I’m such a stickler for rules and protocol). I was so nervous to put it out there. Believe it or not, it was a very vulnerable moment for me. I told the group all about being newly certified and that I was hoping to make a connection that would help me find a mentorship at a gym. My certification class was great on paper, but I felt like I needed hands-on experience. I wanted someone to look over my shoulder and tell me that I was on the right track. I needed affirmation that everything I had learned in my class, I was able to apply to the real world.

To my surprise, the owner of a small boutique gym in Centennial saw my post and was looking for new trainers to mentor! The timing was just amazing! I had an interview scheduled by the end of the night! That following Monday morning I had a typical interview, with the typical worries. What do I wear? Does she understand just how new I really am? What if we don’t mesh? The comparison game is always at play and something we need to learn to ignore. My soon-to-be boss was only in her twenties! She had already accomplished so much more than me. Anyway…the interview went well, and is standard for the industry, it was followed up by an audition where I got to lead her through a quick 15-minute workout. I felt very proud of myself for the preparation I put into planning for this audition, all the way down to the playlist. I think even she was surprised that I had the playlist ready. A few days later I got the email that she wanted to offer me the job. To this day, I am so grateful for Marshelle at MJ Fit. I was so new and didn’t even have confidence in myself. We worked on program design, spotting big lifts, social media and marketing, and so much more.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Have you ever gone to the gym and turned right back around because you didn’t feel comfortable working alongside other so-called “beautiful people” or it was so crowded you couldn’t find a piece of equipment you knew how to use? Have you ever been too afraid to work out because of cancer treatment and its side effects? Have you ever felt like you didn’t belong at the gym or in a fancy studio class?

That’s why I created Move Conquer Live. MCL gym is for women and cancer survivors who want to go to the gym feeling strong and leave feeling confident. They want a guide that understands the struggles of a cancer diagnosis.

Move Conquer Live is a shame-free environment. I remember several times when I had walked into a training session feeling strong and ready to prove it to my coach, only to be reminded it was measurement day. And then the scale showed all the “wrong” numbers. Let the shame spiral begin. The measurements then prompted conversations about what I had been eating that week and if I had “been good”. Just like that, I had gone from feeling strong to pushing back tears because everything felt so heavy. You never have to worry about that conversation happening when you train with me. Ever.

I offer personal and semi-private sessions out of a small gym in Littleton. It’s just you, me, and the weights. Your plan is tailored to your goals and the way your body moves. It’s all about you!

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I had to unlearn what “healthy” looks like. In 2016, somebody I care about commented on my body, and it wasn’t a nice comment. It was enough for me to decide my body needed to change. I immediately bought a pass to the local rec center and enrolled in a weight loss challenge. The challenge was an amazing value. We had help setting up goals, lots of nutrition advice, free fitness classes, and community. I was learning what to eat, what not to eat, and how to get into that fat-burning zone on the treadmill. I lost 30 pounds and got second place in the challenge!

But when I look back, I was learning how to starve myself with calorie restriction (for the love of God, please don’t try to live on 1200 calories), I was learning to feel shame after I had a cheat day. And I was overtraining. At the same time, I was proud of myself! I was being praised for all of these things!

Today I know that athletes come in all shapes and sizes. Exercising is about more than being skinny. It’s about feeling strong, making life easier because our body moves more optimally. It’s about sleeping well, and it’s about protecting our mental health.

Do you think you’d choose a different profession or specialty if you were starting now?

No way! I know deep in my soul that this is my purpose. It’s hard to find exercise resources for cancer survivors. I can’t tell you how many times I have heard “You do what? I didn’t even know that was a thing!”. Cancer survivors need extra care. They need someone who “gets it”. I’m honored to be the one in their corner.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mclgym.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mclgym.littleton.trainer/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MCL.Gym/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mclgym/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MCLgym/videos
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/move-conquer-live-littleton

Image Credits
Cindi Carlson and Lissa Sears