“Starting this program, I figured it would be easy. Heck, I have an Exercise Phys Degree. I know what I’m doing. I just need some accountability and a little push. Never did I think I would work with Lindsey for over two years. I learned a lot about my nutrition, my habits, my body, myself, but the greatest lesson I learnt was hard work. I forgot the amount of time and devotion that hard work takes. It doesn’t take a couple of months. It takes years of practice. Literally. For things that you want the most in life, hard work doesn’t just end. Instead, your goals change, you continue to grow, and you continue to work hard.”
We always say that MN is so much more than a diet and tracking macros. This girl right here proves that.
I am so happy to have met Larissa through this program. It was bittersweet when she gave her final notice but I knew she was ready to go on her own; she had a great relationship with food, was able to manage weekends whether that meant packing food for a weekend on the bus and hockey rink with her team or whether she was out for drinks with her friends. She had learned and applied everything we talked about over many, many weekly emails.
I have become her biggest fan over the years. I am unbelievably proud of what she has accomplished in our time together…and that goes FAR beyond losing ~40lbs. I had the pleasure of watching her grow into the amazing, confident, badass woman she has become now owning her own business, GRIT Athletics in Lloydminster training young athletes and being a great role model.
You are an absolute gem, Larissa! Congrats on everything you accomplished this past decade 😉
Below is Larissa’s story in her words:
I joined CrossFit back in 2016. Like everyone else starting out, I felt intimidated, I quickly learnt I hate burpees, box jumps and my conditioning sucked. But I was slowly becoming a washed-up ex. hockey player. CrossFit allowed me to fill that competitive void that I was missing from playing hockey. It allowed me to compete not only against others but also myself.
I did my first CrossFit competition at CrossFit Lair in Unity, Lift For Lymphoma. It is where I learned I was missing an important puzzle piece and it was also where I met Lindsey and discovered Mission Nutrition.
I remember feeling strong AF going into that competition, but I left feeling defeated. I
remember seeing pictures of me and instead of feeling accomplished, I felt ashamed. I
never struggled with poor body image, but it was the first time I felt negative towards my
body. Why do I feel so strong, yet look so out of shape? Something was missing.
I reached out to Mission Nutrition, hoping that was the missing piece. From there I was matched with Lindsey as my nutrition coach. She understood me and my goals. Like anyone, I wanted to have abs by the end, like ideally in 3 months. But overall, I wanted to understand what, how much, and when to eat. I wanted to continue to get stronger and compete more. I wanted to feel comfortable in my skin again.
Fast forward 2.5 years and you have me today. I have put in the work consistently, and enjoyed long weekends, unplanned days, holidays, and trips in-between. I may not be ending Mission Nutrition with visible rock hard abs, but instead, I am ending with a better understanding of my nutrition, a positive relationship with food, and a body that I can feel strong and confident in.
Starting this program, I figured it would be easy. Heck, I have an Exercise Phys Degree. I know what I’m doing. I just need some accountability and a little push. Never did I think I would work with Lindsey for over two years. I learned a lot about my nutrition, my habits, my body, myself, but the greatest lesson I learnt was hard work. I forgot the amount of time and devotion that hard work takes. It doesn’t take a couple of months. It takes years of practice. Literally. For things that you want the most in life, hard work doesn’t just end. Instead, your goals change, you continue to grow, and you continue to work hard.
This year has been the biggest year for me. I took the plunge and left my secure and safe job to start my own business and dream job. Mission Nutrition took me further than my clothing fitting better. It gave me the confidence I never knew I had. I question if I would be where I am today without MN. Lindsey said it best, “Post Lift for Lymphoma uncomfortable in her own skin Larissa” to current Larissa, “Business owner and total badass”. It was a transformation I did not see coming!
Don’t get me wrong though, I had my struggles along the way. I remember starting and crushing it on weekdays and weekends crushing me. I remember feeling defeated. I remember not wanting to go to workouts. I remember epically failing when I said, “I’m not going to track this week and just listen to my hunger cues”. Apparently, I was hungry all day and didn’t know what a cue was. I remember comparing my check in photos to reflect back and give me the motivation I needed to continue.
Last winter, I even took my Precision Nutrition Certification and I still didn’t know it all. I still needed Lindsey. I still needed that accountability and mentor to tell me what I already knew, or to give me an added outlook. Without her weekly check-ins to keep me accountable, I would have given up hard work a long time ago.
Going forward, this won’t be the end for me. I plan to continue with my own nutrition journey. I also don’t think this will be the end for myself and Lindsey. There are times in life when we need coaches and mentors. But for now, I feel confident in what I have learnt, and I am happy at where I am at. I plan on continuing being the badass business owner Larissa and helping others reach their goals.
If you are contemplating investing in your health and nutrition, I highly advise it.
Through it all, there is not one thing I regret.
-Larissa Scott
