Today we’d like to introduce you to Toni Gonzalez.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I have always been into fitness, even as early as middle school. When I was in high school, I took weight training as a class. Through the years, I would bounce back and forth after having my two children. About six years ago, I joined CrossFit. Every time I would work out, I would seem to get injured or my joints would hurt so bad that I would be down for three days until I could work out again. This kept happening over and over, so I decided to go see a rheumatologist to see if I had something autoimmune wrong with me. It was then that I tested positive for having rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis. My rheumatologist told me I had to stop working out except for yoga. It was during the next three years that I had completely stopped working out while I was starting my treatment.
During the last of my three years of not working out, I had fallen off the top of an 8 ft ladder and tore my labrum in my hip. This required surgery and non-weight bearing for six weeks! Week after I got off my crutches, I tripped on one of our dog bones in the floor and fell and re-injured my hip and had to have a 2nd surgery. This required six more weeks on crutches with non-weight-bearing. At this time, my leg was so weak that I couldn’t lift it without help. The muscle in my gluteal and legs were totally depleted. I was so sad. After I got off my crutches, I hired a personal trainer to help me rehab my leg strength. Turns out she was a pro bikini competitor. After a few months of working out with her, she persuaded me to do a bikini competition myself. I agreed to do 1. So six months of working out with her I did my 1st show and I won 1st place. (see purple bikini picture). I couldn’t believe it. I did a 2nd show two weeks later and I won 1st place again! I was so pumped. I went on to do four more shows, three of which were national shows and I placed 2nd, 2nd, 4th, 5th. I decided after that do become a personal trainer too so I could help people like she did me. I learned all you have to do is be better today than you were yesterday and you will see progress! I am currently training myself for my 7th bikini fitness contest coming up in eight weeks!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Having rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis have been my hardest struggles because some days, my body hurts so bad that I don’t feel like I can move. It feels super stiff, like my muscles are locking up. I just learned to push through and take hot baths.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a certified personal trainer. I specialize in getting you the body you want. I can help you prep if you are competing or wanting to compete for the 1st time. I think because I’m an athlete who has a devastating, crippling disease, I can motivate others to keep pushing towards their dreams and goals. I charge $50. per hour for personalized one on one training.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
Hopefully, I can continue to grow my business and become a specialized trainer for women who want to compete.
Pricing:
- $50.00 per hour
- $30.00 per month meal plan
Contact Info:
- Email: tonispersonaltraining@gmail.com
- Facebook: facebook.com/toni.belanger.92
Image Credits
James Allen
