Meet Amy Wearne, the founder and head coach of AIM Nutrition Coaching, a remote nutrition coaching company, and owner of a local CrossFit gym, Wildland CrossFit. Amy is the momma to Brooks and Isla, her 9-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter, and wife to Justin Wearne, a firefighter/engineer for the Coeur d'Alene Fire Department. Amy has a master's in teaching, in addition to several nutrition and CrossFit certifications that she has put into play since stepping away from elementary education in 2017. Amy is an elite CrossFitter herself, as well as a nutrition coach, CrossFit coach and business owner.

Generation:

My birth year (1985) lands me with the title of "millennial." I went to middle and high school during a time when you had to sit through the awful sound of connecting to the internet, and didn’t get my first cell phone until the day I moved to Florida for college. I grew up playing softball in the spring and summer, soccer in the fall and basketball in the winter; never having to pick one sport over another in order to get a college scholarship. Ironically, I was raised on EasyMac (mac n cheese) and frozen chicken tortellini... which is quite funny given my passion and profession as an adult.

Career and community involvement:

I started AIM Nutrition Coaching in 2017 with the hope of spreading knowledge and empowerment to anyone, within our community and beyond, with goals in which proper nutrition could foster progress and success. AIM has grown from one person (me) to a team of six coaches, helping hundreds of people reach their goals. Additionally, after being the manager for several years and members since its inception, Justin and I purchased Wildland CrossFit in June of 2020. Between our two businesses, we make it a point to infuse a healthy lifestyle into our community. From volunteering at local youth races such as Run for 271 and Spring Dash, to hosting nutrition seminars at Pilgrim’s Market and other local gyms, we’re dedicated to offering a place and a program that supports overall health and well-being.

Parental status:

My small humans are huge motivators for me to lead a healthy lifestyle, as well as serve and support others in their journey to doing so, too. Both Brooks and Isla are active kiddos, participating in CrossFit Kids classes at Wildland and playing the "sport of the season" be it basketball, soccer, wakesurfing, golf, snowboarding or baseball. They attend Dalton Elementary, our neighborhood school, and we’re very fortunate they’re growing up in such a supportive community.

1. How should we get going with health and fitness habits for 2021, and how do we keep in practice with them throughout the year?

Start small and aim low. You probably haven’t been told to lower your standards too often, but that’s exactly what needs to happen to commit to a sustainable healthy lifestyle. Oftentimes, people set big glamorous goals but fail to implement a system that will get them there and, more importantly, allow them to stay there for the long haul. For example, we want to lose 20 pounds but don’t recognize the importance of zooming in to educate ourselves on what we’re currently eating and aspects of our lives in need of growth. We fall trap to "quick fix" diets that promote an "all or nothing" mindset, which proves ineffective when it comes to maintaining progress. Additionally, instead of focusing exclusively on a long-term goal that is six to 10 months out, try adding small goals that get accomplished daily. Choose to eat one treat a day (instead of zero... or five), walk for 10 minutes or journal for three minutes. In time, we start to find these smaller healthy habits easy to accomplish thus making way for more effective habits that lead us to our long-term goals.

2. What do good nutrition and active lifestyles do for our bodies, minds and souls?

Aside from the obvious aspects of offering us the best possible chance at living a long and healthy life, I’d say that living a life that prioritizes healthy habits supports a happy and grounded life as well. It’s not a secret that a high percentage of our population suffers from some form of anxiety, but what is widely unknown is that being in control of our actions, demonstrating discipline and relying on a sound routine filled with quality habits can reduce anxieties. Most people thrive on routine and gain confidence when they’re able to make decisions that they’re proud of. The more we can demonstrate that type of control over our lives, the more grounded we stand, the happier we feel and the healthier we become.

3. What are a few of your favorite nutritious dishes and exercises that make you feel great?

Keeping things simple is key. We’re a very busy family and I’m often doing the "Momma Hustle" so keeping meals easy yet effective is a must. My breakfast is typically a ham and egg sandwich on sourdough, with Laughing Cow cheese and avocado (85g ham, 1 egg, 60g sourdough bread, 1 Laughing Cow, 30g of avocado). Lunch is usually a bagged salad with my own fixings added in. Use the salad mix, half of the add-ins, 20g of the dressing, and add in chicken or pork loin (or some other meat) and cottage cheese or leftovers from the evening before. Dinner is some combination of Traegered or baked protein, a starch or rice and vegetables. For example, baked salmon, quinoa, asparagus and a side salad for the win. I NEVER skip dessert because I believe depriving ourselves of anything we enjoy only leads to a bigger desire to overeat it, so I often round out my evening with a fudge bar and whipped cream.

As for exercise, I’m a CrossFitter and runner through and through. I went from being a softball catcher in college, to an Ironman triathlete, to a CrossFitter with a side of running. CrossFit stole my heart because of the variety and intensity it brought to my workouts as well as the camaraderie it fosters. I can finish a CrossFit workout in eight minutes and expend more energy in those eight minutes than I would have on a 5-mile run that took me 35 minutes. My happy place is doing some sort of workout with a group of friends that involves a barbell and running, for sure.

4. What is something people would be surprised to learn about you?

I probably already spoiled it but I have noticed that people tend to put a person who holds nutrition and fitness as a top priority, especially when you’re the coach and owner of these types of businesses, in a confined box. It’s not uncommon for people to assume that all I eat is plain chicken, cauliflower and black coffee, and that I spend every waking moment working out. I mean, I love chicken, cauliflower, coffee and working out, but just because I value quality food and movement doesn’t mean I don’t also enjoy life’s simple pleasures. In fact, I think most people would be surprised by how balanced my life really is when it comes to enjoying treats with my kids, a dinner out, a beer with friends or a lazy Sunday. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is all about having a bunch of small effective habits that we take part in every day, but it doesn’t mean that we don’t get to make room for the fun stuff. Because most of my day is dedicated to quality foods and movement, having a nightly dessert doesn’t weigh heavy on my conscience. It does the exact opposite and removes the stress of having a treat or drink or dinner out because I know that my "normal" is supporting my goals of living a healthy life.

5. What is your New Year's resolution or fitness goal(s) this year?

I’m sure I’m not the only one excited to put the dumpster fire of 2020 behind us, but I have to say, even in 2020 I was able to check off the goals I had set for myself. At the end of the day, we’re all given circumstances that may not be conducive to our goals but that doesn’t mean we can’t find a way to achieve them. In 2021, my goals span from family fun and business down to personal accomplishments. I’d like to get in some traveling (we missed out on that this past year), grow both successful businesses and see where I rank world-wide as a CrossFit athlete.

Specifically in regard to fitness, I am eager for the chance to jump up the ladder from 35th in the world (in my age group) to the top 25. Because there are many factors outside of my control in correlation to achieving this goal, for example, how fit the other women have gotten, I’ll focus my energy on my training and nutrition to make sure that I am the fittest I can be going into the CrossFit Open.

As for AIM Nutrition Coaching and Wildland CrossFit, I’ll continue to be a servant leader by offering value to our current clients so that they WANT to speak highly of our businesses to their friends and family. To my staff, I am determined to support our coaches as they continue to foster a culture of connection with clients working to achieve their health, nutrition and athletic goals. Our Wildland staff has high hopes of holding a CrossFit competition for the athletes in our community, in addition to hosting a couple of young athlete camps throughout the summer. Lastly, we are very eager to get back to offering our time to the local youth races within our community. Come on 2021!!