I’ve always been somewhat active, but I didn’t start routinely lifting weights and cardio workouts until 2014, 3 years ago. I was working full time as a registered nurse at the time, and I decided I needed to do something to get back into shape. I worked long hours at the hospital during the night shift and I started to feel out of shape, exhausted often, and stressed in general. In January of 2014, I signed up for my first fitness competition, which I would compete at in April that year. I took a little over 3 months to prepare losing a total of 20 lbs and gaining at least 5 lbs of muscle mass. I had to follow a strict diet and workout routine but seeing my body transform in such a short period of time got me instantly addicted to the lifestyle. I went on to compete in 5 other consecutive shows (6 in a 12 month period of time), finally won my WBFF Pro card and placed 4th at my first WBFF Pro show. During this first year, I started to document my progress and post pictures on my Instagram as a way to demonstrate my progress and hoped to inspire others to the fitness lifestyle. I grew from several hundred followers to a little over 3 million the past 3 years (on Instagram). My social media was just a hobby at first, but then I had the strong desire to train others so I got my NASM certification. I began training clients who gave me such amazing feedback about their transformations that I became addicted to helping other’s achieve their life and body goals. Nursing was still a huge part of my life, but I began to see a very strong correlation between living a fit and active lifestyle, avoiding the early onset of diseases, increasing vitality and longevity as well as improved aesthetics. In this regard, I strongly believe that this lifestyle is a form of preventative healthcare.

What is the number one thing that keeps ‘Lauren Drain’ motivated?

I often get asked what keeps me motivated. I cycle through different motivators. Some days it’s the desire to have a better butt. Some days it’s because of the incredible adrenaline and endorphin rush I get from lifting. Some days I get satisfaction from becoming stronger and stronger. Some days my own clients inspire me back. Some days I feel so full of energy and happiness I could explode. Most of the time, I head to the gym because the pros SEVERELY outweigh the cons of missing the gym. It’s my time to focus on improving myself. It’s my time to decompress from the stresses in life. Other days I need to get shredded for a photoshoot. My best advice is to keep listing all the positives of why you do it and why you got started and focus on those.

What is your training routine like, and what does it involve?

My training routine varies regarding my isolated workouts but it generally looks like this: 5-7 days a week of weights at 1.5 hours a day. 3-5 days of cardio a week at 20-35 minutes a day to maintain my leanness. 5-7 days a week of high intensity interval cardio 1-2 weeks before I need a more shredded appearance. I train shoulders and calves once a week. I train glutes 2-3x/week. I train legs 1-2x a week. I train back & abs 1-2x/week. I usually do about 5 workouts per muscle group.

Your own physical feature that you are most proud of?

I would say I have had to work the hardest on building my glutes. I started with what I call “white girl pancake syndrome.” I have had to lift very heavy consistently for 3 years to develop rounder fuller glutes. When my diet is on point, my muscle development is rather quick but as soon as I skip meals (eat less than 5 or 6 meals a day), my muscles diminish in size again and the booty shrinks. :(

Is there any KEY diet or training tips you could share with your fans?

It sounds cliché, but you MUST fall in love with your diet. You must play around with foods and find the combination that meet your daily macronutrient requirements otherwise you will fail or not reach your full potential. I design custom programs for my clients to eat the foods they prefer so that they maximize the likelihood of meal prepping or ordering the right foods when eating out that meet their body goals. If you find eating as a chore, you will not be able to sustain it. You also need to know which macronutrients you need to fulfill your body goals. It wasn’t until I truly stuck to my diet 80-90% that I understood the difference between success and failure. Training is the easy and fun part.

What’s a day-in– the-life for Lauren like? Give us a run-down of how you eat, train and move daily.

I love my sleep ha-ha. I think I love it much more after having worked 5 years on the night shift at the hospital. So I get a good 9 or more hours of sleep every night. I get up, make myself a healthy nutritious breakfast, take my vitamins, drink my tea and water, and start my day. I answer my custom clients and 6 week challenge clients daily regarding their programs if they have questions. I find time to train 1.5 hours a day. I try to eat 4-6 meals a day to maintain my physique. I gather content daily for my social media pages whether it’s a photoshoot, workout video, YouTube video or snapchat content, I always try to provide motivational content for my followers and clients. Lately I have been personalizing posters and calendars that I sell on my website as well which is super fun. I also love to research new workout variations and supplements to use to maximize muscle growth and progress.

What supplements do you use if any?

I currently use all natural supplements and vitamins from www.sportsresearch.com They do NOT contain any preservatives, shellfish, wheat, fillers, or magnesium stearate which all can be harmful to the body. They are also infused with coconut oil already so they are easily absorbed by the body. Examples include: krill oil, biotin, CLA, L-theanine, astaxanthin, MCT oil, and collagen peptides.

Finally, your favorite quotes?

My personal quote I use often on my social media and to my clients is “Progress Not Perfection.”

My favorite quote which is an excerpt from biblical scripture is “perfect love casts out all fear” from 1 John 4:18