From Engineer to Fitness Coach: Building a Business After Hours

Hey there. Welcome back to Leap Live and Lemonade. In this episode, I sat down with Suji Hao, who is a piping designer in the oil and gas industry. Yes, she is. She works on 3D modeling pipelines for refineries. But that's not what we're going to talk about. What I was curious to delve into with her is that beyond her day job, she is also a fitness coach who helps Latina women master their macros and build a healthy lifestyle. And if this to you sounds like, oh my God, how can she juggle that all? Let me tell you that she's also a single mom of two teenagers. Doesn't that blow your mind? How does she fit all that into 24 hours? This is what you're going to hear about today and how Suji, instead of taking her job as a limitation, transforms her situation into an infinite source of opportunities just by putting aside the belief that she needed to wait for the perfect time. If you are balancing a 9 to 5 job and you are in the place of doubting whether it's the right moment for your leap, this episode is for you. Are you ready? Let's dive in. This is the Leap Live and Laminate podcast. Hi, I'm your host, Esther Godor. Twelve years ago, I took a bold leap. I left my corporate role, I moved to a new country, and I built a business from scratch in my fifth language. This podcast is for new and aspiring entrepreneurs who are ready and eager to turn their ideas into something real and thriving while making a lasting impact. Whether you are contemplating on leaving your nine to five or you are already on your entrepreneurial journey, this is your go to place for honest stories and actionable strategies and real talk around building a business and life you love. Your best life and success story are still ahead. Let's write them together. All right. Welcome everybody to this new episode. Hi, Suji. Welcome to the show.

Thank you for inviting me.

Yeah, it's a pleasure. How are you?

I'm doing great. I'm doing good. Excited to be here and share more. My journey. Trying to be an entrepreneur. So.

Trying.

Out there. Yes.

All right. I appreciate that, that you decided to, to come on this show. You know, sometimes we think that only those people can talk about their experience who have already, like, made it and, and they, they are totally through on the sunny side of, of the story. But I truly appreciate that you are one of those people who said, I'm still in the journey. But I'm, I'm glad to, I'm glad to come on the show and share it with others. I think it's. That's what can bring the. The most value to people who are starting out or thinking of starting. So this is why, this is why I'm running this show, and this is why we're here today. So. So please tell me and tell our audience what you do and why you do it and who are you? A little bit about yourself.

Okay. So my name is Yuji and I'm from Venezuela, so my main language is Spanish, so that's one of my accents. I live in United States, and I've always been interested in, you know, working out and eating healthy. So when I first started the idea, actually I still have my regular job, of course, and I, I wanted like a side hustle. So I started selling leggings in a network marketing company because it was kind of related to something that I do every day. So once I started doing that, I kind of started, you know, going online and see how to do selling, because I've never done selling, so I have to do those parts. So it was kind of awkward for me. So I started kind of learning that. And then as I went into the online world, I discovered, you know, the possibilities that I had. So that start kind of getting in my mind, you know, like, maybe I can help people, you know, kind of do what I do. And I. During the pandemic, I had the opportunity actually to help some friends. I designed a fitness program for them. And I. I work with macronutrients for myself. I learned a lot on how to distribute and balance my foods with the macronutrients, proteins, carbs, and fats. And I use that knowledge to design menu plants for them. So they worked with me for about six weeks and they saw amazing results. And that kind of made me feel good, like, wow, I can help. So I started thinking, like, okay, maybe I can do this. So I knew nothing really about business online or I remember even Instagram. I was like, how do I post on Instagram? How do I go live? I had no idea. So I had to start learning about that. Every month was a new challenge. It was, okay, you need to have an email list. What is an email list? You know, like, things like that. So finally I, I kind of decided to, to invest on learning, and that's kind of what I've been doing. I've been going through different mentors and I, I've been struggling, of course, with the time because I still have my regular job while I'm still running. So I'm. I'm kind of in the trial and error that you try something and okay, it doesn't work. Let me see if I can do this. So to make this story short, I have created so far this program that I did during the pandemic. I kind of made it formal, like in a digital course. So I've been helping that way. But I now kind of want to scale a little bit and teach people how to really count macros and how to exercise effectively. So they can, they don't depend on anybody. They can just design their own fitness line, basically. So that's my idea. That's what I do.

Okay, and how did, how did you even, like, okay, before we go into. How did, how did this whole business come to life? Tell me a little bit about your, about your job. What's your day job? Because as I, as I, if I remember well, because we did an intro session, it has not much to do with, with fitness.

Yeah. I'm actually a piping designer, which. That is the 3D modeling design of the pipe to build refineries to have oil and gas, basically. So I mean, the engine side. Yes. It's actually, I make good money, you know, like, compared to the regular salary. So people will love to have my job. Like, wow. But for me, it. I start thinking like, do I want to do this the rest of my life and just wait until retirement? And that's it. Like, I felt like there was something more that I could do that will make me feel more passionate, you know, like, I do enjoy my job and it's challenging, but it's not that passion that I feel like that what I felt when I helped those people during the pandemic, it doesn't feel the same, you know, so it's totally different. It's like three night, so. And that's how I feel my daily routine. Like, I start my day with a piping job and then I turn off the computer and I turn around to my other computer. Okay, let's switch this. And I start doing my fitness stuff. So yes, it's so funny.

You even showed me your corner desk. But on the left you have the piping designer life. On the right you have your online fitness business business. And you just have to turn in and it all switches. That's amazing. Is it? Do you feel that, that this is how you gonna be managing it on the long run? Or do you have a, like a certain number in mind? That if I make this much with my fitness business, then I would leave the job? Or, or that's not in play right.

One is to make exactly the same I'm making. Like, if I can replace that income, I will definitely just do the change because I know that when I'm 100% with my job, I mean, with the business, I can scale it. So now my closest goal will be to replace that income. So I can just. Because I'm a single mom, so just one income in this house. So of course I cannot stop working. So I need to keep providing. So that's my first goal, really. And once I get that, I will.

Then onwards and upwards. Yeah, fantastic. Okay, so you're even a mom. So how does one manage two jobs and being a mother?

Wow. Yeah, it's hard. So my kids are teenagers now, which is good. However, I did train them, you know, like I've been since they were. Because I got divorced of their dad and they were like probably 3, 3 and 5. So they were.

So they were little.

Yes. So I've been teaching them how to be independent since then, you know, like at the beginning was more like a game. Okay, help me. Let's clean this here, let's do this. Or help me with it, you know. But how they grew all their. The. As they grew older, they will do, you know, like, pack their lunch for themselves. They will do the laundry, you know, so right now that's good for me because I don't really have to. Of course I have to. I still cook, but we all cook. Like, I cook something and my son does the pasta. My daughter does it. Right. You know, like, we all do work. My daughter is 17 now. My son is 14. He's fixing to be 15 in two months, in one month. So that part is. It helps. But still, you know, as a mom, like right now, before this, I have to go pick him up at school because he has something to do. So he had to leave early school, so things like that. So I have to, yeah, definitely manage the. The time. So I, I try to commit to one hour during the weekdays for my business. And then, of course, you know, have time with them because, you know, spend time with them. And I also have my own time. Like, I, of course I want to exercise and I. I go in the mornings before work to the gym. And I like to play volleyball too. That's not for exercise, still exercise, but I do it for fun and I do that like two or three times a week. So, yes, I feel this year my mindset is a little bit better to be able to do that. But it was a struggle. There was a time, I think the first year Where I feel like I was in this room forever. I wasn't seeing any friends. I was like, I need to do this, I need to do this. And. And it was draining me a lot. So I said, okay. I said, I need to start doing something different because this is not healthy for me or for my kids or my friend. Nobody. So I started kind of, okay, I need to have time with my family, I need to have time with my friends. I need to have time for me. And that's when I started delegating. I did get somebody from Venezuela. She's my BA now and I give her a lot of tasks. So that has helped me a lot. So I try to use my time just to creation. Sometimes I have to do things because I have to show her how to do it. What I've been doing, actually this month, I've started to record myself while doing things. So I can just send it to her and if somebody else, another VA comes, I can just give it to the other person so that, that will help. But yes, it's been hard. Honestly. Sometimes I feel like, how do I do all of this? You know, I swear I think that sometimes.

Yeah, it feels like there are multiples of you. There must be. So you said one hour a day. Is it that you dedicate?

The weekend is like full time. Like Fridays I work half day, so usually at noon I'm done with my piping job. So I take like probably an hour, two hours break. I do go eat and then after that I work probably four hours on Fridays and then Saturdays I do. Yeah, probably the afternoon and sometimes Sunday. So the weekends are more. Yeah, because if not, we don't have anything. So I need, Yeah, I still need to use the weekends to do my business. But during the week I try to do at least one hour because if not it's gonna be too much for the week. Plus I need to give stuff for my va. So she cannot wait all the way to the weekend.

Yeah, but it's. It's amazing when you have someone helping. It also. It also keeps you more on track with the things you gotta do because if you, if you give them nothing, then nothing is moving.

I know. Exactly. And I feel sometimes like, oh my God, she's probably waiting for me. So I feel bad. So that makes me, you know, okay, I need to finish this so I can send it to her. You know, things like that. So. Yeah.

Oh yeah. I. I work with a team of VAs and I'm constantly in this, in this feeling of, oh my God, they are waiting for me.

Exactly. Yes, yes. But it's a good problem to have, really.

But yeah, it's. It's amazing to. It's amazing to have them help because without them, I don't know how I would, how I would manage everything going back to the, to the start. When you, when you started out with the, with the fitness business, would you say that it was very organic? How did you know if this will work beside. On, on the, on the side of your job? Was it a very determined decision? Like, yeah, I'm, I'm going with this and there is no turning back. Or was it more like, I'm going to try? Like you said, you did have a few clients, but was it like a. Was there a moment when you knew that this is going to be it and this is going to go serious, or was it more organic?

Yeah. When I started, I never thought I will think of leaving my job. Never. It was always extra income what I was looking for. And that's actually when I started selling the leggings. That was the idea. Oh, I can have like $500,000. That's what I thought. So then of course, you know, in network marketing, there's people that started at the beginning, so they're making so much money and you're like, she's doing so. So you want that. But then it's very hard because you're already so many years. So. But then I, when I was in that, I start thinking that I was working hard to just make 20% of the sale. So if I will sell one legging, I will just get 20%. And I was doing a lot of effort, you know, like creating content and all that. So I started looking into people that were, they were teaching actually how to create content and how to, you know, for network marketing. I was like, oh, but they don't. They're really having another business. So that's kind of when I started looking at the possibilities of scaling and doing something where you can make it money from that product that you have. Yeah, that's what I started thinking. Okay, I can have a product, my product, and I get 100.

You see her dog snoring?

Yes. She's just like the French nerves. So, yes, all my podcast, you will hear her in the.

So sweet.

My brand. My dog in the background.

Thanks for her contribution to this episode as well. I will put her name on the show notes. What's her name?

Delilah.

Delilah. Okay.

So anyway, I start seeing the possibilities and then I start like listening to people giving their testimonies of things that do and how, you know, how they have changed their life. And even people that have been, you know, like, without a job, like, they, I don't know, the husband left her and she has a child, she's living in the car. And I'm thinking like, oh my God, I'm so blessed. I have a job and I'm making the money. I can, you know, provide for my family. So if they can do it, I can do it too. You know. That's when I started thinking, like, no, this is possible. So once you get in the online world and you start going with people that are with the same mentality, because that's a problem. I was with the people that is used to the 8 to 5. Yeah, they're just working until they get to retirement. And my family, my dad and my mom, that's their mentality still. They're looking at me like I'm crazy doing all this. Like, they think that this is a hobby. They don't feel like I'm doing it to replace the other thing.

Yeah. Do they live in the US or.

They live like 10 minutes from me? Okay, yes. So when I, I saw that, I was like, okay, no, wait, I. If I can do this and, and have my, you know, do something that I'm. I'm gonna do anyway because I love working out and eating healthy and I love eating, you know, like, I like to, to, to have the knowledge so I can have, I can decide what to eat without being in a diet. Like, I know I cannot eat this because. No, no, no, I'm gonna eat this and then I'm gonna change the dinner. You know, like, have that freedom. So I want to teach that. And if I can make money teaching people to do that, something that I'm gonna do the rest of my life and, and have that freedom of deciding my time. Because I, right now, like I said, I have to go to the gym at 5, 5:30 because I have to be at work at 7:30. So it's like, oh my God, you know that. So I, I started thinking, oh, okay, okay, if I can do this, then.

It'S 5:30 in the morning.

In the morning? Yeah. Because I start at 7:30 in the morning.

I was like, yeah, yeah.

5:30 in the morning.

Oh my God.

Sometimes it's hard. Sometimes, like, I want to sleep. But, you know, so I, I dream of that. Like, okay, when I want to be able to do my eight hours and get up, go to the gym. Because I love going to the gym in the morning. But you know, when I'm ready and then come back and, and do this work that I'm happy to do, you know, without thinking that, oh no, they're going to get mad because I know that on time, you know.

Yeah.

Or asking for permission, like, hey, I'm going to take some vacations. Can I go? You know, like, so I, I started looking at that differently because before I didn't notice that before that was my normal, you know, but now that I see other people doing, I was like, okay, this is not right. It's not the life that I want. So that's when it changed. So it was, to answer your question, I don't know if it was organic, but it was when I think the moment was when I started seeing other people success. And I was like, okay, I want that and it's possible because they're doing it. I wanted to.

Yeah. It's amazing how like you said, people who surround, who we surround ourselves with shape not just our, our thoughts, how we feel, but our whole reality. And that's actually amazing that you, you realize it, it opened your eyes to a different world, existing and, and being at reach. Because many people might think, yeah, there is them and this is me. And that's not for me because I. Coming from a certain type of world, but actually nobody. There are no concrete walls behind groups of people.

Yeah. The only thing is you willing to do it, you know, like, for me, like I said at the beginning, I'm from Venezuela and I never thought I would leave my country ever. You know, like, I was there with my friends, my father. That's what I always. I was used to. And then of course, the political situation made us leave. And now I'm here. And in probably two or three more years, because I've been here, this year will be 20 years here.

Wow.

So like in three more years or I'll be more in here that I was in Venezuela, you know, so this will be really my whole life, you know, so. But at that moment, I never thought that was going to be possible.

So was it a family decision by your. With your parents together, or was it like you making the move first?

Actually, so my brother, he was already here in the United States because he was doing his PhD, he was doing his studies, and then my parents were still in Venezuela and then the political situation got bad and they were. They were working with the oil and gas company from Venezuela, which was. It wasn't private, it was the government. The government just kicked out everything that was against him. So both of my Parents lost their job, so they left. And by then I was finishing my career. I was in the university, studying architecture. So I stayed there for two years in the house. My parents took everything. They just left me my bed and the. Because they move here, so they took all their furniture. But I wanted.

That's how you normally are when you move. Like you have nothing, just a fridge and a bed. But they left you with. With this.

Yeah. So my parents left first because they love their job because of the company. The oil and gas company belonged to the government, so the government just kicked out everybody who was against them. So they left, and I stayed behind and I finished my. My bachelor degree, and then I came here. So I was 25 when I came and I got married. I came with my boyfriend by then, and then we got married here and had the kids, and then, you know, divorced in 2015. But. But yes, it was like, a big decision, you know, to say, okay, I'm leaving everything behind and starting over. And that's kind of what I see with this shift that I'm doing with the business. Like, my. For me, when I. When my dad raised me, because my dad just retired last year. He's 72, and he. That's what he thinks. Okay, you have to work. You have a good job. Work until you retire, and then you'll be happy. I'm thinking, like, I don't want to wait until I'm 72. You know, like, no. So, yes, for me, it's like, okay, I'm going to try this new thing, Hannah. And even though I know I'm going slower because I have to balance it between family and my job, I know I'm going. Because if I compare myself right now with the CRG in 2019 that I started selling leggings, you know, like, it's so different. You know, I have accomplished so much, and I have helped people already. I want to help, of course, more people, but, you know, it's been a. At first, I needed to know how to help them, basically. Yeah, that's what I'm. I work on now. And now I've been helping them, and I've been changing stuff. Okay. I couldn't help you 100%. What can I change so I can help you 100%, you know, things like that. But, yes, it's possible. I see it, and I know it's gonna happen soon.

That's amazing.

Yeah. And I want to be an inspiration for people, that they were like me, thinking that they couldn't do that, that they have to Just stay with their job. I want.

Ah, you already are. You already are. Definitely, definitely, girl.

Because it is possible. It is, yeah.

When you thought about starting this. This whole project, was it 100% clear that you want to run it in Spanish? You know, I changed countries, so my mother tongue is. Is Hungarian. Then I started the business in Spanish. Then my main business now is in English, and it's kind of always, always around it. Now I'm very determined that English is the language. But how was it for you?

Wow, that was okay. So when I started with the leggings, I was doing it in English. I will do the YouTube reviews. You can see. If you go to my YouTube, you can still go and see those reviews. I still have them because I change now. It's everything about macronutrients, but if you go back, you can see. And it was everything in English. I will do the reviews of the clothes and everything. And I did some challenges to kind of bring people, but I was struggling between something that was completely new to me, like, you know, being on camera and talking to people. And plus, I have to do it in English, so it was, like, too much. So I said, you know what? And I started noticing because one time I did a challenge, and I have a group where they. I have both people that will speak English and people would speak Spanish. So I will do the recording, like, the live video in both. Like, I would do it first in English and then in Spanish. And I noticed that when I. I did Spanish, it was like, more. I was more myself, you know, laugh and do, like, more natural.

Yeah.

So I said, okay, I'm gonna start everything in Spanish. And maybe one day, once I have this machine running, I can still, you know, open it up for. For English now. Yes. But that was a decision that took me, I don't know, a good six months to say, yeah, like English, Spanish, I mean, you know, like.

Yes, okay. And. And the decision around the market, because you work with people living in the U.S. right? Or do you work with. With people in Venezuela and other Latin American countries?

Of course, I don't mind if I'm helping and they live in Spain or Venezuela, Colombia. I really don't mind. I usually said, well, I don't say it in my bio like, it's just only us. But the reason I. I feel like it's the US Because I talk, like, pounds, you know, like, I'm gonna lose 10 pounds. And other countries use kilograms. So, yeah, that's the only reason. And also because I know the struggle for Latinas that come to the US and they all gain weight because the food is different. And there's a lot of things that you can get that in your country. You can. So that everybody who immigrates the first two years are going to gain weight. Yeah.

Not just Latinas. I lived in Colorado for a year, maybe a little more than a year. In the first seven months, I gained 30 pounds.

Crazy.

Crazy. My family didn't recognize me when I went back to Hungary.

Wow. Yes, I know that. So that's why I kind of talk to that people. But it doesn't mean that I wouldn't work with anybody else. Of course I will, you know, like, it's the same culture. So that's the only difference. Like, I talk, like, imagining the person is that CG that came here, you know, in 2006, 2005. But. But. No, but I. Yeah, it's not like. I know it's Latinos because it's in Spanish, but that's it.

Yeah. Okay. So you're basically your ideal client is your. Your previous you. Would you say that it's almost identical?

Yes.

Okay.

My. My clients, usually me, probably, you know, 10 years back, you know, like, when I first started, because I. I will be in that cycle of, like, on a die and then again weight and on a diet and gain weight. And I. And I have always exercised, and I've always tried to eat healthy. But then, you know, if I gain weight, I'll be like, okay, which diet I can do to lose weight in two weeks. You know, like, it was everything. So restrictive. So even though people will not see it, because they will always see me. Oh, you look great. You know, but I knew the pants were. I was like, oh, my God, I need to lose weight. You know, So I was in that battle since I was a teenager. You know, I would gain £10 and then lose £10. I'm saying. So when I learned this way to not be so strict, you know, like, so just learn to create habits and understand, really understand my food and how to combine it. So, yeah, that was a great difference.

Quick sip of a lemonade. Time. Do you ever catch yourself wondering what the actual f I'm doing? Same happens to me at times. That's why I created a secret podcast series to get you out of the chaos and back into. I got this energy in just five days. It's cozy, it's actionable, and it will reconnect you to the version of you who already figured it out. Grab it for free@astrogolder.com WTF or click the link in the show notes. And now back to our episode. It's amazing that you can build a business basically on your own discoveries based on your own story. And I feel that with businesses that are founded on these. This ground there, it's so much easier with the messaging as well, because you just have to reach back to those memories. Right.

And one thing that I want to say with that, that you're saying is that. And it's normal for everybody who's listening that you feel. Who am I to do this? You know, like. Like, because I. I started learning because of me. So. And of course, experimenting with my body and trying this diet and trying this concept on this theory, but I never thought I was learning that much. So when I said I was gonna help, I was like, really? You know, like, they should know that, you know, like. But then when I talk to people and they ask me some questions, like, well, like you and me at the beginning, you say, I don't know anything about macronutrients. I'm like, that's true. That was me at the beginning when they told me that word, I was like, macro. What are you talking about? You know, so we forget, you know, like, all we have learned. And that's what put us in this position to be able to teach others. You're just teaching them what. It's like, the same. Like being a mom, you know, when I was first a mom, I didn't know anything. I had to learn with my. My daughter. I remember with my daughter, I had. It was her dad, my parents, and me, the four of us trying to give her a bath, you know, like, we were all. And then my son, I would just give it to. To him, like, here, you know, give him a bath. He was in the shower, just, you know, so it was. So we learned from her how to do stuff, you know?

Yeah.

Also the diaper bag, my daughter's diaper bag was like this, and my son was like this. His diaper bag had clothes even for my daughter, that she was two. Everything I need for him and for her in a tiny thing. But I learned my lesson. Yeah, the same thing. So when my friends start having kids, then I could tell them, hey, this worked for me. Maybe you can try.

Yeah.

So that's exactly what we're doing with the business. Exactly. I'm just teaching what I learned. And if somebody's interested on what I'm doing in my way, they can see what I did. So they don't do the. Make the same mistakes. Basically.

Yeah. Makes Sense. And how do you feel about. Maybe for you it's now natural, but for me, it wasn't at least until two years ago. I was running my business by then for eight, 10 years. And during those eight to 10 years, I did zero exercise because I thought I didn't have the time because I had to dedicate that time to running the business. But then that was in April 2022. It's actually three years ago when I. It was funny. I went to like a business conference weekend and we had to identify what's holding us back and it was all about business. But somehow it. In one exercise, we were looking at all our areas of life and I realized that it's my body that's holding me back because it is not able to keep up with the speed my mind is running at. Like, I want to, I don't know. I wanted to record podcast episodes. I wanted to record a course, which in the end I recorded it that year. It had 85 videos. And without any exercise, it was just like I was dragging myself. Like, drag yourself out of bed, drag yourself through the day. I was super passionate about what I was doing. So it did, it did get me through it, but it was always pushing myself, pulling myself. It was never natural, the energy. I also realized I was not drinking enough water and I was not sleeping at all. So these three things together were holding me back so much more than any other mindset thing, having to learn more about how to run a business. It was literally the, the engine that's here to, to run this all, which is mind, body, soul. It was working at the capacity of like 20, 30%, I would say. And since the moment I realized it and keeping up with it, I'm not saying I'm. I'm like 100% always doing as much activity, exercise I want to, but. But now I'm on the other side. My body is asking for it if I don't do it. Do you feel the same that running a business, you can't afford doing exercise?

Well, yeah, for. No, really, for me it's different because like I said, I. Exercises are now part of my routine. Like I, I have it as a priority. And, and yes, I. I don't know. I couldn't imagine me without honesty. Actually, sometimes I do too much. Like when I started doing the volleyball, I saw it like a hobby because I used to play when I was in high school. So I found this group of ladies and they get together weekly and they have games and I join. And that was last year, March I was doing my. My exercises in the morning and then going playing at night. And then I was doing my business and work and everything. And I was exhausted. So I was like, okay, wait, I need to balance. And that's why I'm saying these stories. No, maybe on my side. It wasn't the exercises doing it. It was the balance of everything. Because like you said, you have to. It's just. It's the physical, but the mind too. Like I said, my social life was closed down. Like, I was working, working, so I didn't talk to anybody. I was just, you know, so that also is a problem. And I wasn't sleeping good. And the other part that I, I didn't have balance is the. The spiritual part, really. I was. I've been. Of course, I'm in. I work in the engineering world. My dad is an engineer, my brother is an engineer. So for me, everything was logic, you know, that's it. So I. That made me, like, what I was trying to do the business, like, okay, how do I, I don't know, talk to. To people? Well, I have to give this measure, you know, it was very methodic, everything I was doing and it wasn't working. I was like, why is it not working if I'm doing everything like they say I have to do it, you know, and last year when I went to. To this event, to BBD, not 2024, 2023, and. And they start doing meditations and they did this activity about the spoon. And I saw people bending a spoon for me that was like, I have my spoon here. How do you. That's not possible. You know, for me, it was my scientific mind.

You saw it and still you were like, it's not possible.

No, no. At the beginning, when they gave it to us, I was, no, that's not possible.

Ah, okay. Okay.

I closed my eye and I tried to go in meditation, which I've never done, ever. I was like, of course. My mind was like, okay, they have to do this. The. I wasn't really in it. And then I opened my eyes and everybody's with this bed. And I was like, okay. So I realized. I said, wait a minute, there is something that I'm missing here, you know, that I need to just work. I thought I had everything, but I didn't, basically. So 2024 was more like I started going into meditation. I started. So that's when I started looking also at my balance and my life. Like I was doing too much exercise, like, if exercise is good, but everything. Oh, wow. So, okay. Not that much exercise. I need to do less, I need to sleep more, I need to be thankful. I need to meditate. So I've been. I work all of that in 2024. And I bet I went to the event again and I bent my spoon because I was like. And that also made me see how possible the things that you want to do, you can do it. You know, you just have to work for it. You cannot just wish. I wish I do the work. But if you do the work, you're gonna get there. And that also helped me see how to help my people with their fitness. You know, I need to let them see that it is possible, that it takes work. Yes, but it is possible because if they don't see it's possible, they're not going to do it. So, yes, it be that balance that. I think that also in the spiritual part, I discovered that deep inside I didn't believe in me. I was like, I. I was telling me, yes, you can do this, but really, I wasn't really believing that I could do it. So it was that also that work, you know, like, you know, like that subconscious saying, yes, you can, you know, so, yes, that will be for me. You know, exercising for me was just.

Yeah, wow.

Not zero. Yes.

Wow. That's amazing how different our perspectives are. And somehow we have to bring it all together. Yeah. How did you. How did you internalize or connect with this believing in yourself? Like, yeah, it's not enough to tell ourselves, yes, you can do it. It can keep you going, but not forever. Yeah. What made you make a true connection with that and what made you have a true belief in yourself?

Well, it was a process. Like, I've been, you know, listening to different people, you know, doing different quests on meditations. And of course, and I. All of them at the end say the same, you know, like, so the more you. It's like when I work out, you know, I go and I do, you know, squats at least once a week. I don't do it one time, okay, I'm done, You know, so it's the same thing. So I started doing. Okay, I went to my first meditation. And of course, you listen first to what they have to say, and then you do the meditation, like, you know, saying the words to you, affirmation, whatever. And I, at the beginning was kind of. I would drift away, you know, listening to the alec. So it was the repetitive work of doing it again and again and again that I started seeing the possibilities. And also that makes you notice things that are happening around you that you wouldn't have noticed before. Like, for example, my daughter said that I repeat this story all the time, but I like it. This event, you know, this bbd, the business event, I wanted to go. I went in 20, 23 and I wanted to go back. So the ticket is for 97 to go. And I didn't have the money in that moment, but a group of friends that they were going to. Are we gonna. We have to buy the ticket? I said, okay, I'll buy with a credit card and I'll see when I can. The money's gonna come. That's what I said. I remember. And the next day, I swear I got a check from the bank from a previous house that I had saying, hey, we miscalculated. And here, $500.

Wow.

I know. So I was like, okay, if I haven't been in the spiritual world that I'm right now, I wouldn't have noticed that. I would have been like, oh, yeah, 500, you know, like, good.

Yeah.

But now I did a connection. So I. I think it has always been there. I just wasn't seeing it, you know? So this awareness of the spiritual world that is only making me see the things that I didn't see before, basically. So with that, it makes me see the things in me that I didn't see before because I didn't believe in me because I wasn't seeing things that I already have, you know? Yeah.

That's amazing. I love that. How would you say it helps you on a. On a daily basis, just this, having found your center, this, this point to reach back to when things get tough? Because I, I imagine that you don't just dance through all the whole week blissfully with this knowledge that, oh, no, now I realize what is the. What's the daily work to. To keep this, this going, Change the, the.

The questions you're making to yourself, like if some, of course, things are going to happen to you. So instead of saying, why does. Is this happening to me? It's always happening to me. Well, I'm never gonna do this. You know, instead of doing that, you say, like, okay, this happened because. I don't know, because something better is gonna come, or this came to teach me this. So I try to see on the things that happens to me, like right now, like I said, I'm single, so I'm. Of course I've been dating and it hasn't worked. So what I try to see, okay, what did this person brought to my life for? I don't Know the couple of months that we date. So I tried to get the good things and then the bad things. I tried to getting that person mind and understand why he did the bad thing. Take what I can. And then the rest, I let it go. I don't put it like, oh, they don't like me because I'm not, I don't know, because my hair is black. You know, I stopped doing, blaming, blaming everything on me. It's not about me. They have their own thing. So that's what, that's the change that I do every day with everything that happens, you know, like, like this happened because of this reason, this came to teach me these. And also I'm now being thankful for the things that I have that before I was. And I just took them by granted, you know, Like, I have two amazing kids that they are very independent, they're, they're healthy, you know, and then they adore me. I have my, my dog Delilah, that she's, you know, so I, I, I'm thankful for those things that before I, I guess I was, but I didn't say it. I didn't, you know. Yeah, that makes me, you know, like, start the day differently, really. When I wake up and say, okay, thank you for being awake. Thank you for my kids, thank you for Delilah, thank you for this beautiful house. You know, and then you start the day different. So it's really your choice of how you're gonna see the things. Because I could wake up and say, I know that they have to go to work. I have to go to the gym. Oh, no, you know, I do that. It's gonna be bad.

It's gonna be suffering continuously. Yeah. All right, it's time we talk about macronutrients because I still don't know anything about them. I don't know what they are. I think I will turn on the light. Okay, just a second.

Okay, good. I don't want it to get completely dark around.

I don't know. I will ask my, my va to, to balance the. I wanted to say to montage a different face, but yes, to do something about this. All right, so let's talk about macronutrients. What are they?

Okay. Macronutrients is basically the nutrients in big quantities that your body needs. So that's why they word macro. Okay. Because you have the macronutrients and the macronutrients. The macro is the ones that your body needs in big quantities. And there are three proteins, fats, and carbs. And they come from food, of course. So each food Is gonna have, it can have both, it can have two or three of them, but it's gonna have mainly a one, one source. Like for example, chicken could have fat a little bit, but it's gonna be mainly protein. Okay. And you can have an avocado. Avocado could be, is more mostly fat, but you also have a little bit of protein. Okay. So your body is gonna need each of them for different reasons. Like the, to make like a summary will be the protein will be mostly for your muscles, your bonds, your hair, your nails, your skin. The carbs will be for. It's going to be the main source of energy. So if you're gonna do something physical, like if you're gonna go to the gym and you know, do something intensive, you need the carbs. Fat is like to help you regulate your hormones is. And it's also like a secondary source of energy for stuff like you know, like breathing and, and you know, doing the daily activities that you do. It's like more long term energy. So when you gonna decide what to eat? The idea is to have a balance and have the three things. Now if we talk about calories, each gram of protein, not the weight of the chickens or the grams inside of protein or in the chicken, each gram is gonna have four calories. For the carbs, each gram is gonna have also four calories. But for the fat is going to have nine calories. So that's why when we eat, you're going to have less quantity of fat because it's more dense. So I could have a whole piece of chicken, you know, a cup of rice for example, and maybe a half, half of a cup, you know. So one of the things when you don't understand the macronutrients is that people think they're eating healthy. Like I'm gonna eat a salad with, I don't know, I remember one of my clients, she showed me her plate and she had a salad with nuts and she had a piece of salmon. And the picture looked beautiful and very healthy. When we calculate everything that was in there, she had 800 calories mostly coming from fat. So when you start understanding your macronutrients, then you can make decisions based on that. So how she could balance that, she could have less fat and she can add actually the carbs because she was afraid of eating carbs. But she can have the carbs and have something more balanced and she could even make that plate 4 to 500 calories. You know, so that, that's basically the idea. So, and to start all of that you need to know also your numbers, because what we do, we get a generic diet with food first designed by somebody else. So maybe that person said, you have to eat, I don't know, peanut butter, and then you. I don't like peanut butter. What can I eat? You know, so that. That is also some restriction there because it's not exactly what you want to eat. Plus, usually people try to. The people that don't want to follow a menu plan, they just say, okay, I'm gonna stop eating carbs. I'm gonna stop having dinner. I'm gonna stop. But they're doing something that is not sustainable. Okay? They're gonna do that probably for eight weeks, and then they're gonna be tired or they're gonna do and have, you know, like four weeks. They got an invitation to dinner. So, oh, no, okay, I'll do it. I get crazy until Monday. I start back Monday, you know, so. But when you do know, you can still have your, you know, restaurant food, your birthday party food, everything. But you already know. So you can decide what to eat wherever you go, and you already know how to balance that food. Basic. And what I was saying about the calories is that each person is gonna need different kind of different amount of calories. Like, if I'm taller than you and if I do more physical activities than you, I'm gonna need more calories. That somebody that doesn't exercise, that. That is shorter, you know, so you need to know your target number first so you can decide how much you're gonna eat.

You know, does it change? Like, is it, like, I know my numbers and then this is what I have to eat? Or does it change by, I don't know, seasons or where I am on my period, whether I'm a woman or a man?

Well, so that it. It might change if you change your activities. Like, if you were very active so the exercise changes. You have an injury and you cannot move anymore. So then, of course, your body is gonna require less calories. That's when kind of you adapt. So usually what we do, we calculate something, and that's kind of our start starting point. It's not. You're gonna. You're gonna look at that and move it again. You're gonna start with that. You're gonna try, and then you're gonna measure your results and say, okay, this is what happened in two, three weeks. If it's going good, then keep it. But if it's not doing anything, okay, what can I change? So you go back to the numbers. Okay, let me Reduce this amount, because it's never gonna be exact, because the calculation is gonna be. It's a formula. But I need your age, I need your height, your weight. So I calculate that, and then I multiply that for the activity that you do. But these are like a factor number, like extremely active, moderately active, you know, active lightly. So it's kind of a factor number. So you and me could be in the same range, but maybe you do. You're in this. In this part, and I'm in here. But we're using the same factor number, you know, so the only way to see if this is giving you results is when. When you see what's the progress. So when I help people calculate their numbers is just to have a base so we can get gathered data and from there make decisions of the changes that you have to. But at least it's a start, because people will start without knowing anything that they have to do, and then they. They just fall off the wall, you know.

Yeah, yeah.

Anymore.

Yeah, yeah. And what is it typically that. Where. Where are people struggling when they come to you and what happens? What. What's their result after working with you for a while?

So they. They. It could be. I have two scenarios. So one, people that they already exercise and they already feel they eat healthy, but they're. They're in a plateau. They cannot, you know, they have, I don't know, 10 to 15 pounds that they cannot get rid of, and they don't understand why. So those people probably have. So actually, believe it or not, some people are not eating enough, you know, and. And that's. Oh, good. The body is just like, in an emergency state, like trying to survive. So that's why nothing is really happening. The body's just trying to get the. Save the calories for an emergency because you're not giving me enough. So I work with them to, hey, we need to. To kind of start balancing this. So you need to eat more protein, you know, or things like that, you know, more vegetables, more to kind of balance their place. And also they tend to do a lot of cardio exercises. And I work more in building muscle because when you build muscles, you burn more calories. You know, your body, your metabolism is more efficient. So I try to, you know, take them more in there in the resistant training, and you can still do cardio, but I recommend mostly strength training and the other scenarios. People that used to be healthy and eat right, but then, you know, life came, kids came work, and they just abandoned that. So they want to go back. So with Them, of course, I have to start more from a beginning stage, but the idea is, you know, give them the education so they can. Because I don't like to tell people that they're gonna, like, start something very drastic. Like, I want them to do it like step. Okay, what we're gonna do this week, and then once I implement that, okay, let's go to the next week. You know, so I. They. Actually, the program that I'm working on right now, which is gonna be a beta in March, is to work with a group and take, you know, for 12 weeks, give them all the tools so they can go from this point to this point. And that's going to include their nutrition and the movement. I want to teach them how to. To understand. To dominate their macros and how to start designing their own menus. Because one of the things that I get a lot is like, okay, I have, and I love doing that. They send me their picture of their player, and I say, okay, add these, change these. You know, I want them to be able to do that. Yeah. Because they're not going to have me forever. And also I want to teach them how to exercise using weights, starting from, you know, like, from 5 pounds weight, because that's how I started. And how to design their workout routine so when they go to the gym, they're not. I don't know if you ever had that ever happened to you. I used to go to the gym and I will do the classes because I was afraid to go to the weight training part because I didn't know what to do, you know?

Oh, I do that all the time. I only do classes and I do the elliptical trainer. Yeah. Now, it has changed a little, but I'm definitely the prototype of that person who is not getting close to a machine because I don't know what's gonna happen.

Use it. Right. So I was that person too. So I want to teach them, you know, what are the. The basic exercises that you need. And then from that, you. When you see the machine, you're gonna understand how to do it because you're gonna know the basics. And then from there, you can design your own routines. They say based it on the muscle that you're gonna work. So it doesn't matter if you go to the gym or you went to a hotel because you were traveling, you go to the gym of the hotel, whatever you already go. I know. Okay, I need this and this, this to do to. To work those muscles that I'm going to work today. So to have that ownership of Doing your exercise. So the nutrition combining with the movement is going to give you the transformation that the, you know, the possibility for that transformation of your body.

Cool. That's fantastic.

Working on that. I'm planning right now the outline and everything to. To take them from this point to this point. And I think it's going to be great. Yeah.

If someone is listening and they are like, wow, I. I'm really interested in this and. And they speak Spanish because I understand. This will be in Spanish, right?

It's going to be in Spanish, correct? Yes.

Where is the best place to find you?

Well, my website is latinasfit.com okay.

We'll put it into the show notes as well.

My handle and Instagram is latinasfitmacros. So I'm gonna be of course, putting information about that and you can message me on there and you will just reach out. I'm gonna of course, start with a free challenge for people to see what is everything about? And then we'll go from there.

Cool. Just out of curiosity, with this whole macronutrients approach, is there. Is there something that you can't eat? Are there foods that are banned? Like, I saw you making arepas and I'm like, how can you even eat arepas if it's a strict diet or something?

It's not strict. Oh, you can eat whatever you want. It's just the quantities and knowing what you're eating. Okay. So if I even decide to have ice cream with my kids, I. I know what I'm eating. I know. Okay. Ice skin is going to be mostly fats and carbs. So when I eat my next meal, then I balance that. So I have my target of the day and I just build all. It's like a puzzle. Okay. So I just take. Okay, take this. This is. And that. That's a good thing about macronutrients that you don't really. There is nothing is prohibited. You can eat whatever you want. But of course you're going to start noticing things with your body that you have to understand. Like, for example, one time we had my daughter did some croissants from. You know, they sell he here. Like the dough, like in a city.

Yeah.

Then put it in the oven and. And I wanted to take one for breakfast for the next day. So I put it in my law. I calculate my numbers and everything was perfect. I took the croissant with ham and cheese. But at work I ate it like I ate. And then at 10, I was like, I'm hungry. When is lunchtime? You Know, like, I couldn't, I couldn't wait for lunch. So I noticed that when I eat oatmeal or I eat a whole grain bread, I'm full, so I can wait until noon on it. So those things you start noticing, so you start making decisions based on that. Doesn't mean that I never gonna eat the croissant again. Yes. But when I eat it, I know that I'm gonna be hungry in two hours. So, you know, so it makes you make decisions with knowledge, you know, like, you know, you understand your body.

Makes sense. All right, cool. I hope that your beta and the challenge will go amazingly.

Thank you.

What's your dream for. Let's say we meet again in a year. What is the news you want to tell me about? Like, oh, Esther, I'm so glad because this happened. What would be the dream?

Well, I would like to have helped at least 50 women in my program. That would be very amazing and be very close to saying, I'm going to quit my job. I would love that. Yes.

Fantastic. Fifty. Cool. All right. So that's what I'm wishing for you for the year. 50amazing students. And I think then 50amazing life changes. Because it sounds like it's definitely changing lives, what you're doing. Thank you for sharing with such openness. And so naturally, I love your story and I will definitely keep an eye on how it's going for you. And, and I'm also gonna have a peek inside this macronutrient stuff. I, I do follow an intermittent fasting rhythm and I'm pretty good with it. But, you know, it's not. Sometimes it's difficult, but even, even within that, it would be nice to understand because sometimes it's your eating window and you eat up everything.

Some people tell me that they do keto or they do intermittent fasting. I say it doesn't matter. Whatever you do, you need to know what you eat. Because some people do fasting and then in the window they can eat, they end up eating more calories that they need or they end up not giving the nutrients that your body needs. And then you.

Yeah, exactly.

Telling you, hey, you know, so if you know your numbers, you have to make sure during that window that you're eating enough carbs, you know, fat and enough product. So it goes in everything. It doesn't matter if you are, you know, a vegan or whatever, you still need to know your numbers. And now how? Yeah, because it's the nutrients that you're giving to your body, so it functions better. So.

Exactly.

So it's not really. Macronutrients is not a diet. It's like a. Yeah. For you to understand what you should eat and what, you know, the amount of things that you need to inhale.

Yeah. Fantastic. All right, as a very final question to close off this episode, what would you say to someone who is at the very start of the journey? They are at a 9 to 5 job. They so want out of there, but they are hesitant to get started. What would be your message to them?

It will be that, first, believe that it's possible to do something outside of your regular job. Second, find something that you can imagine you're doing, you can imagine yourself doing forever, you know, until you're old, you know, something that really you're passionate about, you know, because, like, there is a lot of things that I'm good at, but I don't imagine myself doing that forever. Like volleyball, for example. I love volleyball, but I don't imagine myself teaching people how to play volleyball, things like that. So, yeah. Find that thing that you. That people ask you things about. You know, like people say, hey, how you did this? You know, there's always gonna be one thing that you're really good at, and start with that, and maybe you don't know things are gonna change. Maybe you. You. It doesn't mean that. That you're gonna have to do that forever. It's a good start. And then from there, you going to evolve and you're going to make the changes you need to do. But don't. Don't stop because you're thinking too way ahead, you know? So, yeah, that would be my advice.

Just get started and action. Creates clarity, Right. If you don't do it, you we will never find out.

Exactly. Exactly. Yeah. Like I did the leggings. If it wasn't because of that, I would have never been here. Yeah. So, yeah.

Fantastic. Thank you so much, Cuji. I had a lot of fun.

Thank you so much for this opportunity. It was very fun.