👋 Hi! Tell us about yourself and your training
Hi, my name is Ciara Martinez. I am originally from Georgia but I now live in the big city of Dallas, Texas. I am a full time mom with two beautiful children. I am also an online health & lifestyle coach as well as a fitness trainer.
A little over 3 years ago, I was at rock bottom. I had 2 babies, was extremely depressed, heavily medicated and used food as a coping mechanism. Because I was depressed, I was on several medications daily. Before I knew it, I was topping the scale at 225 lbs. I knew something had to change. I could not live the rest of my life this way.
So I adapted a ketogenic way of living and began to learn how to properly train my body. Little by little, day by day, it got better. I slowly weaned off my medications and took back control of my life. I truly believe God had to put me through these circumstances so that I could find my purpose, which is helping women around the world to transform their lives.
Today, I am 145 lbs, fitness competitor, and a professional model. I love competing because it helps me push my body to new levels with every prep.
It is really incredible what you can do with self discipline and dedication. Other than fitness, I love fashion and cooking. I love creating new healthy delicious and keto-friendly recipes.
⏱ Describe a typical day of training
An average day starts for me at around 5:30AM. I will usually do something to get my body moving which is hopping on a bike for 10-15 minutes or going for a walk.
Currently, I am in off season and I’m doing 5 days a week in the gym with sessions lasting around an hour and a half. I do cardio twice a week. During prep, my routine will consist of 6 days a week for 2 hours weight training and cardio for 4 days a week twice a day.
My upper body develops fairly quickly so I generally only train it once or twice a week. My lower body is the area that needs most sculpting so I train it at a minimum of 4 days a week. I love all variations of deadlifts. This is by far my favorite exercise for transforming my lower half.
I use an Apple watch to track my workouts.
Daily supplementation looks something like this: I take a B complex, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, COQ-10, and L-carnitine. I make my own pre-workout drink that includes amino acids, beta alanine, creatine, and glutamine.
Check out my favorites here.
In my gym bag, you will find lifting straps, headphones, ankle cable cuffs, workout bands, and my post workout meal.
I prefer to train alone because my sessions are intense and I need to stay focused. After my workout, I love to foam roll and stretch.
👊 How do you keep going and push harder?
It is about finding your why. Your why is going to get you where you want to be, not motivation.
Motivation is a myth. Habit is where it is at.
Now, don’t get me wrong, sometimes I feel more excited to tackle my days more than others. What really drives me is the way taking care of myself makes me feel. This way of life makes me feel better than I ever have. It gives me energy to tackle anything life throws at me. It allows me to go to bed with satisfaction and wake up pain-free everyday. It makes me feel proud to set a good example for my children and others around me.
When you push through to one level, you have to take another step up. Momentum is everything. We have to keep moving and growing, constantly pushing through obstacles. That is where the real change occurs.
It is about finding your why. Your why is going to get you where you want to be, not motivation.
🏆 How are you doing today and what does the future look like?
I have so much that I will accomplish. I plan to become a professional athlete with the WBFF and a published model.
I will continue to grow my business and start new ones. Ultimately traveling the world while doing what I love, creating a culture-filled upbringing for my children.
How do I plan to reach these goals? Hustle every single day.
🤕 How do you recover, rest and handle injuries?
I am not going to lie, rest days are hard for me. And if you would have told me, I would feel this way 3 years ago then I wouldn’t believe you.
The gym has become such a big part of my life that it is hard to stay away.
I feel blessed to say that I haven’t had any major injuries. I believe that proper nutrition, technique, water intake and adequate sleep play a major role in this.
I shoot for 7-8 hours a night and always make sure that fueling my body is a priority. I take Natural Calm magnesium and use Specktra CBD oil at night and this really helps with muscle recovery and a quality sleep.
🍎 How is your diet and what supplements do you use?
I have eaten a ketogenic diet for the last 3 years. This way of eating works for me because it leaves me feeling satisfied, eliminates cravings and provides me with sustainable energy.
Many people believe that you can’t build muscle without carbs but i am proving them wrong left and right. Currently, I am eating around 2,000 calories a day and maintaining a body fat at 12%.
During prep, my calories will slowly drop to around 1100 calories. I do get hungry often with lower calories but I find that having 5-6 meals a day really helps with this.
I make sure to get plenty of protein so that my muscles are able to repair and grow.
There is no need to cheat when I have the ability to create amazing keto friendly sweet treats when desired.
Social interactions are never an issue for me because you can find a way to make your lifestyle work anywhere you go if you really want to.
👍 What has inspired and motivated you?
Every day is a new chance to do better than the day before.
Just like the body, we have to train our minds everyday. Mindset is a muscle. From the moment I wake up in the morning, I listen to personal development to get myself in the right mind frame. Lori Harder and Elizabeth Benton are always extremely inspiring.
The first 20 minutes of your morning sets the tone for the rest of the day. I love listening to podcasts while I’m driving and listening to rap music while I am training.
Some of my biggest fitness inspirations are Hattie Boydle, Stephanie Ayala, and Lauren Simpson.
Every day is a new chance to do better than the day before. I can’t remember where I heard this, but I live by this philosophy. It doesn’t matter what happened yesterday, it doesn’t matter what happened last week. All that matters is what you do today. It’s just about focusing on doing the best you can with what you have today. Every step counts.
✏️ Advice for other people who want to improve themselves?
Every step in the right direction counts no matter how small.
Every step in the right direction counts no matter how small.
I think where a lot of people fail is that they try to do everything all at one time. Then they mess up, and give up. You have to give yourself grace. Does a baby learn how to walk the first time they try? No. They fall down over and over again but they never stop until they get it. Fail forward.
I think having a plan will ultimately set you up for success when it comes to nutrition and training. Hiring my Coach, Silvio Zarate, was the best decision I ever made.
I will be competing in the WBFF PROAM April 2020 and will be working with him and Team Dynasty to bring my best package ever to the stage. Even coaches need a coach lol.
🤝 Are you taking on clients right now?
It’s about creating healthy habits that will legitimately create long lasting results.
I haven’t always been fit. I know what it feels like to be extremely overweight and how it feels to move that body around. It’s so hard. I know what it feels like to have so much on your plate, that you don’t want to get out of bed in the morning. I know what it feels like to have to push yourself when you don’t want to. I’ve been there.
I can truly identify with many different circumstances. I also know what it feels like to turn all of that around and I am so blessed to be able to help others achieve this feeling.
I only take a limited number of clients as to make sure that I properly help them. I know that with accountability and consistency, anything can be achieved.
Attacking your goals with a proper plan is the best way to achieve the lifestyle and the body you have always wanted. All it takes is a little spark, something inside of you that wants to make the ultimate change. That’s where I come in.
My ultimate goal is to help others change their entire lifestyle. I design personal programs, macros, and most of all aim to change the mind.
We become what we believe, and I can show you how to do this. It’s about creating healthy habits that will legitimately create long lasting results.
The majority of the training that I do is online however, I do still take a limited number of in person clients that are serious about transforming their bodies. Its ultimately up to you. Are you ready to make the change? Let’s get started.
📝 Where can we learn more about you?
My main platform is on Instagram and you can find me @ketogoddessmama.
My website is in production and will be up and running soon, sculptandshinefit.com. Be on the lookout!
