Kaylyn Gooslin, 21, also known as @k_gooseee to her 17,000 Instagram followers, is a Certified Personal Trainer from Cincinnati, Ohio and has been taking the fitness world by storm with her passion and knowledge for fitness and nutrition.
A two time nationally qualified National Physique Committee (NPC) figure competitor, a business owner, and a college student, Kaylyn, has been touching the lives of thousands every day with her training, workout tips, nutrition guidance, and body peace mantras.
Kaylyn’s business with her boyfriend, Chris Morford, called CK FITLIFE, offers month-to-month personal training as well as challenge groups.
I called Kaylyn to chat with her about her own fitness journey, as well as her personal training business and her advice to achieve a healthy lifestyle.
Q: Where did your fitness journey begin?
It was my senior year of high school in 2011. It’s kind of funny, I had just broken up with my boyfriend at the time, and he was really into working out. My homecoming dance was coming up, and I was like, “You know what? I’m gonna get in shape to show him!” I didn’t really know what I was doing, but I ended up losing 30 pounds in three months, and after that I realized I really love this! I started doing my own research, and it prompted me to go into Dietetics.
Q: Were there any moments on your journey that you doubted yourself and wanted to give up?
Yeah, at the age of 17 I was too young to join a gym. By me not being able to workout, I actually developed disordered eating. I don’t like to call it an eating disorder because I don’t think I ever crossed that line, but I definitely made some decisions during that time that had detrimental effects on my health. I was young, and had zero concept of the importance of eating, but luckily I snapped out of that. It’s not always a straight path and going to go the way you intend it to, and you will definitely hit speed bumps. But I always get back on. I’ve had my ups and downs with body dysmorphia, but you have to learn to accept your body at all stages. Body acceptance is definitely something I had to teach myself, and I want to help teach other people, and that’s why I love my job! And that’s actually something that I would like to do is work with girls who have eating disorders, because that is definitely something that doesn’t have as much exposure because you don’t usually openly talk about having an eating disorder, or having issues with the food that you’re eating
Q: Is this what made you realize you wanted to start your own business?
Yeah, so I worked at a gym and I didn’t like it because it upsets me when people tell me that they can’t be healthy because they can’t afford it. They can’t afford to come to a gym and pay for a trainer, and I don’t think money should ever be an issue of why you can’t be healthy. It really broke my heart that there were so many people I could be helping, and I felt it was my duty, if I had the ability to give someone a better quality of life, to do that. I think it helps that I’ve been through so many things because I can relate to my clients and say “hey I’ve been there” and it makes people have hope and realize they can do it too.
Q: What are your ultimate goals as a competitor?
I don’t want to be a professional competitor; I do it for fun. I want people who follow me to see where I started, and what I’m able to do. If you compare my first show to the last show I did, I’ve made huge improvements. It’s almost like a mile marker! It’s really a learning experience and it teaches you to be adaptable. I think it just makes you a more strong-minded person.
Q: What do you think your life would be like had you not decided to go after your personal fitness goals?
It’s funny because people I went to high school with always say they never saw me doing this. But honestly, I don’t know because I was never good at anything. It’s kind of scary thinking about that. I’m very thankful and happy I found this because I’d probably be living under a bridge or something!
Q: Do you think everyone has it in them to live a lifestyle like you do?
I think that everybody has good intentions. Everyone is capable, but whether or not they want to make that change is up to them. It has to be something from within. I don’t think you can actually motivate people; I think you can only inspire them. It just comes down to how important it is to you. It’s definitely a day-by-day process.
Q: What advice do you have for people who are struggling and want to make a lifestyle change?
I preach self-love and self-acceptance, but that doesn’t mean that you don’t have goals. You can love yourself where you are in this moment, but don’t be complacent. I want people to be able to understand that if you aren’t happy with yourself, you can change it. You have to love yourself enough to be willing to make a change. If you have cellulite, stretch marks, or whatever just embrace it. What you have to focus on is the things you can change, and that’s the only way you’ll ever be happy.
Photo credit:
Kaylyn Gooslin