Sunday, 11 February 2018

12 Questions with Personal Trainer Taylor Stepan


1) Who is Taylor Stepan (where are you from, what do you do, a bit about yourself (hobbies, etc)

My name is Taylor Stepan, and I am from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Being a fitness and health fanatic is only the tip of the iceberg! I have proudly obtained my Personal Training and Fitness Nutrition Specialist certificate, am the owner of Tstepfitness, and am sponsored and a part of the amazing team Functional Flex Fitness.

I love being active and living a healthy lifestyle, and I do so by weight training, playing basketball, and getting outdoors as much as possible. Helping other people achieve their fitness goals and live a healthier lifestyle is my passion!

2) How many years have you been training?

I have been training consistently for the past 4 years.

3) What’s been the most challenging/hardest part of your journey so far? How have you overcome them (set backs, rejections, injuries, basically anything difficult that you have had to overcome)

The most challenging part of my journey so far has been finding what works for me and overcoming my mental battles. When they say patience is a virtue, they weren’t kidding! Being patient and trusting the process is always the hardest mental battle. As silly as it sounds, putting on muscle and weight has definitely been hard. It’s a rollercoaster, but man is it ever worth it!

4) What does your typical workout/diet routine look like?

I am currently doing a bikini competition prep under my coach, Ryan, at Functional Flex Fitness. We are focusing on building strength and muscle (gains, if you will) at this point in my prep. I am currently training 5 days a week. For my diet, I am following a flexible dieting approach, eating over 2300 calories spread out between 5-6 meals per day. I stick to mostly healthy, nutritious foods; some of my current go-to’s are oats, eggs, chicken, lean ground beef, lots of fruits/veggies, protein shakes, and the rare bowl of ice cream or slice of pizza. That’s the beauty of flexible dieting!

5) What new knowledge have you learned over this past year regarding training, lifestyle and nutrition?

Over this past year specifically, my business has grown significantly, so I have learned to balance my own personal training with training clients, and I have furthered my education in fitness and training. I am consistently reading articles on different training regimens and have been fortunate enough to personally try out various training methods. Flexible dieting has to be one of the top things I have gained more experience and knowledge in, as well as applying it into my own personal training goals and clients’ fitness goals as well.

6) What’s your favourite cheat/treat meal?

It’s a toss up! Definitely either ice cream or chocolate… or chocolate ice cream. Boom.

7) One supplement that you could not live without?: 

Whey protein powder. It’s a great way to reach my protein intake for the day, and I always have it on hand to make a smoothie when I am craving sweets!

8) If you had to start out from scratch with your physique what would you do differently and why?

I would train both for aesthetics and athletics. What I mean is I wouldn’t focus solely on the aesthetic (physical) part of training but also the athletic (functional) part, including more conditioning and agility routines. I believe that increasing your endurance and conditioning is also a vital part of being overall healthy! I would also put more emphasis on my chest, lower back, and core, as these are some things I have neglected in the past!

9) Who do you look up to in the fitness industry and why?

I look up to Ryan Milton at Functional Flex Fitness. He is truly changing the game when it comes to helping others and breaking the norm in the fitness industry. He is not afraid to speak the truth and has an insane amount of knowledge when it comes to training and nutrition. He has changed the way I look at the fitness industry and competing, and I can’t thank him enough for the ongoing support and knowledge that he has given me. If you’ve ever spoken with him or have seen his YouTube or social media posts, you’ll know that he is passionate at what he does and puts 100% into every client and individual to help them be the best and healthiest they can be! Being a part of his movement is amazing!

10) If you had to give one bit of advice to people starting out what would that be?

Be patient. Results are not going to happen overnight; these things take time. It is an ongoing process, and you’re not going to get there any faster by quitting! Trust the process, be consistent, and you will see results! Also to all my ladies starting out, don’t be afraid to get in there and lift some weight! Lastly, recovery is just as important as training hard! You need to listen to your body and allow it to rest and recover to avoid any injuries. Getting plenty of sleep, eating nutritious and nutrient-dense foods, staying hydrated, stretching, and utilizing rest days are great ways to help with recovery!

11) What new goals are on the horizon?

Bringing the best physique I can bring to the competition stage! I am so excited to see how far I can push my body and mind and to be able to go through my first competing experience. I love challenges, and I am so ready for this one! I am also now offering personalized programs on my new training app, so I am looking forward to working with current and new clients to help them reach their fitness goals and to live a healthier lifestyle both mentally and physically!

12) Where can people find you? (website, social media accounts)

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