Mandi has many different roles at Ignite Fitness – movement and nutrition coach, personal trainer, athlete, mentor, cook and caterer, even the occasional janitor – and she loves every minute of it! Mandi’s personal motto “always be thoughtful and kind to everyone you meet in life” influences a positive and upbeat atmosphere at the gym.
Helping others achieve health, wellness and happiness is Mandi’s passion. For Mandi, the best part of training is getting beginners passionate about working out and eating healthy. She was never an athlete growing up, so she understands the gym can be intimidating to a newcomer; it is her mission to make everyone feel comfortable in the gym environment.
She also loves getting others passionate about eating healthy, whole foods, as there is so much to learn and experience in the kitchen! Nutritious food can be beautiful, fulfilling and delicious. She is a firm believer that removing gluten, dairy, refined sugars, and additives can improve many ailments. She is excited to show people that they can find extraordinary health in simple, whole foods.
Getting passionate about fitness has truly changed Mandi’s life. Mandi says: “For years, throughout high school and university, I struggled with body image. I constantly thought I was either too fat, too soft, my butt and legs too big, or not toned enough. I counted calories like a crazy person, and then binged on pizza, burgers, wings, etc. I would go to the gym for a couple of weeks, work really hard, but then quit and fall into old habits. My life was a vicious cycle of hating my body and living life unhealthy and unbalanced. The gym, and functional fitness specifically, stopped all of my self-hate. Now, I truly do not care how much I weigh, I care about how much I can lift, how fast I can run, and how many pull-ups I can do. I love filling my body with nutrient dense, healthy, clean food, because without it my body doesn’t thrive and I do not recover as well post-workout. Because of this organic shift in thinking, naturally my body looks better and I am healthier than I have ever been in my life.