Introducing Lacey Arbaugh and the Buckaroo Barbie Body Challenge

OK Dolls, I am super excited to share this post with you. Remember the other day, I was teasing you all with exciting updates? Well, here's one of them! We've had some requests to do a Buckaroo Barbie Body Challenge and we're going to do it! Lacey Arbaugh is a mutual friend of a friend, a certified personal trainer and basically a BADASS!!! She is incredibly inspiring (I love her positive updates on Facebook), and is really nice, too! I find her story so encouraging because she faces setbacks and opposition to reach her dreams, and she doesn't allow them to stop her. They're just road bumps on her journey to where she is going, her dreams. How inspiring is that?? She's a total Buckaroo Barbie!

So here's how it's going to work. We're going to have a six week challenge with Lacey heading it up and encouraging us. She's involved in a 12 week challenge herself right now, and she is going to share her meal plans with us once a week and some work out ideas for us! HOW COOL IS THAT?!?! I'm really stoked! Here's a little question and answer with Lacey so we can all feel like we know each other before we get started on our challenge!

Q: So Lacey, tell us a little about who you are and what you do!
A: I am a Certified Personal Trainer trying to inspire the importance of health and fitness to the people around me. My plan as a trainer is to find your goal or dream and make it a reality one pound at a time.

Energy & Persistence Conquer All Things -Benjamin Franklin

I have been training in Idaho for over two years and have met and trained with the most inspiring people along the journey. I currently have three fitness certifications and am in the process of attaining my Bachelor Degree in Kinesiology and Nutrition.

Q: How did you get started in fitness? 

A:  My passion for fitness started in a dance studio at a young age, but when it really started to impact my life was when I decided to push my body further and compete in a natural body building bikini contest. I am not naturally an athletic person, so for me to gain muscle and lose fat, it takes a lot of time and dedication.

Q: What kind of set backs or struggles have you faced as a person/trainer/competitor? 

A:I was recently diagnosed with cystic ovarian syndrome, which limits how hard I train due to constant pain and discomfort. Working around this disease has shown me what the meaning of true strength is, in and out of the gym. It has been a hard struggle mentally, emotionally, and physically trying to find a balance between my down time dealing with the pain and getting back into the gym.

During my down time, I research new training methods and different foods that positively affect my condition so that the moment I can jump back into the gym, I am at my all-time best.

Q: How has that affected you and what have you learned from your struggles? 

A:I have also learned to listen to my body, and I now work around how I feel from day-to-day, adjusting my training program as needed. When I am able to train in the gym, I push myself as hard as I possibly can to keep reaching new goals. I decided that I would not let this obstacle stop my dream in becoming an NPC Pro Bikini Competitor. 

Q: What is your focus when working with a client? 

A:As a trainer, my focus is to promote a healthy lifestyle that will work around my client’s schedule and goals. I like to start by finding out what his/her obstacles and goals are and then build a program specifically for each person. I educate my clients about the many different components that fall hand-in-hand with each other to ensure that they strive to become healthier individuals.

Isn't she stunning? And I'm sorry but her bod is so inspiring!! I want to look like that in a bikini! And I know with hard work, clean eating and some guidance from Lacey, I'm going to get a lot closer to my goals during our Buckaroo Barbie Body Challenge! I hope you Dolls and Gents are excited and use this Body Challenge to encourage you and inspire you towards better health, or kicks you into gear about being serious about your health! 

Go "like" Lacey's page on Facebook please and show her some love! She's an inspiration! 

xo xo Liz