Hi! Tell us about yourself and your training
I’m Cindy Leach, a 46-year-old mother of four. We reside in Rosharon, TX which is basically Houston and I have a wonderful man in my life for 3.5 years now. My children are Maddison; 22, Ovarian Cancer Survivor (diagnosed at 13) – MY HERO! I have a 19 year old, Justin; that is currently stationed in Missouri – he’s Security Forces in the Air Force (oh yea, my Hero as well) – then I have 14 year old boy/girl twins that just started 9th grade!
In the past I’ve achieved things such as:
- Published Author
- Columnist for former on-line fitness magazine ‘Strengthadvocates.com’ (shut down few years back)
- Radio Host/Co-Host
- Fitness Model (local magazine when I was sponsored by NutriShop 2014)
- Ambassador of the Year Pearland Chamber of Commerce 2018
- Ambassador of the Year Alvin-Manvel Chamber of Commerce 2018
Covid-19 has turned many lives upside down and our home was not really much different so as of a couple weeks ago I now work for myself. For the last few years, I have done marketing/PR and with my own social media presence it has kind of taken me where I am; Cindy Leach Consulting. I consult from things to Marketing to Fitness to Public Speaking & I’m creative with an outside of the box mentality sometimes.
I began working out about the beginning of 2011, that January; when I joined a 21-day boot camp in order to get some of the post kids baby weight off (mainly the hips lol) and then I joined a gym from there and began studying and watching and then making fitness my own.
I began getting asked if I competed in which I had no clue what that even was…so someone directed me to a natural branch that she thought would be good for my 1st show and here we are now … 2 Pro Titles later….
Having a background growing up in dance; the stage just made me come to life! My achievements in fitness:
- 2013/May – 1st Show – Musclemania Galveston – Placed 2nd in Figure Open & 2nd in my age category Figure Classic.
- 2013/October – 2nd Show – Musclemania Ft. Worth – Placed 1st in Figure Open / Placed Overall Winner (Pro Figure Title) Figure Open.
- 2013/November – Musclemania/Fitness Universe Vegas – Made my Pro Debut in Figure Pro; only placing 10th out of 13, but the experience alone was well worth all of it.
- 2014 – I took the entire year off to bulk up to move up to Women’s Physique; a new category to our branch back then.
- 2015/May – Musclemania Galveston – Placed 1st in Women’s Physique / Placed Overall Winner (Pro Physique Title) Women’s Physique.
- 2017/Nov – Fitness Universe Vegas – Made Pro Physique Debut – Placed 2nd out of 3.
Current: Most likely retired from the stage due to major health issues in 2019/current aftermath
In the Gym: My training now is basically still at least five days a week – around 4:30/5am before I get my day going with work & the kids…. Due to my health stuff I have began researching other means of keeping my body well like cutting the gluten down, the sugar way down as well as the dairy – so far the results are amazing and are helping me slowly with internal inflammation due to my autoimmune issues I’m permanently left with.
Due to everything last year, I am now an advocate and survivor of Breast Implant Illness & am now helping educate women on the reality of how dangerous implants are & how to overcome anything! Many watch me & my journey and I was also on KHOU11 news with my story; one of the worst ruptures there could have been; completely smothering my chest cavity as well as in ribs – I am left w/permanent asthma as well as other issues like fibromyalgia symptoms, early menopause & I have a small lesion on my thyroid now too; all just since my emergency explant surgery Nov 5, 2019 – I WILL CHANGE THE WORLD SOMEHOW!
My hobbies are music, dancing & reading & just spending time with my kids, hubs and our deaf pit rescue AND playing in my Jeep – My Jeep is known around town – her name is SHE HULK – her lic plate SHEEHLK – she’s hyper green & lifted w/big tires & my grill insert is a photo of me flexing but someone made me green … even my tire valve covers are Hulk fist… so I’m pretty visible where I live & I LOVE it because I’m always out in the community helping or giving back & the kids LOVE the Jeep & climbing on her.
Describe a typical day of training
I have been training at a local gym – Dynamic Fitness/Pearland – where I was a personal trainer at one point & now they have me as their 1st Ambassador since I’m always there/always encouraging other women & I’m always posting from there nearly daily.
My typical day of training:
- 4:00/4:30am – Turn off alarm & get ready for the gym
- 5:00-6:00am – Gym then get back home to help get kids up for school & hubby for work
- 7:00/7:30am – Read Devotional, Get mind right & see what’s ahead for the day in the order I need to accomplish it
- 8:30am-6:00pm – GRINDING for my clients whether it’s working on marketing ideas, content creating or posting for my clients; my brain is always going!
- Evening time is kids, hubby, getting ready for the next day, etc….
In the gym: I typically start with about 15-20 min of fasted cardio – followed by a shake my last 5 min. or so of my cardio … then it’s the strength/HIIT – I breakdown my muscle groups as to not do them all on the same day … for quit awhile now I prefer opposing muscle work – I can go longer w/still maintaining decent strength for each set.
How do you keep going and push harder?
True Strength is Found Within.
THAT’S ALL I KNOW HOW TO DO!
That’s why I have the local following I have – I’ve been through numerous things in life yet I still push forward with a positive outlook and uplifting spirit.
Even with losing most of my own breasts as well due to the ruptured implant; I found a way to turn some humor out of it and keep other women encouraged that WE CAN OVERCOME ANYTHING.
I have a personal quote tattoo’d down my spine ‘True Strength is Found Within’ – no matter how strong we are on the outside; it’s the mental strength and FAITH that will keep you pushing forward – sometimes kicking and screaming BUT we’re still going forward
How are you doing today and what does the future look like?
I’m still battling some health issues such as autoimmune factors so there’s some days now I just can’t workout – whether my hands are crippled up in pain or my muscles aren’t recovering quickly enough so I’m working through that sort of change in life.
I’m working on trying to build up my name as well. An Agent/Producer has reached out and we’ll be working together on building my brand/name. He’s watched me just stay positive and keep others going even though I’m dealing with my own huge life change post surgery.
I’m excited for the doors God has opened and I hope I can just continue to make the world smile and laugh. I was asked my dream and I said my dream would be for me to be on SNL.
I LOVE making people laugh; my TikTok videos are a whole different persona of me: Big clown glasses and a tutu on my head. I began making them at a time everyone was in panic with Covid-19 going on. They kept people at least smiling and out of their head for a second. So now it’s just time to figure out the next level on keeping others inspired and encouraged.
How do you recover, rest and handle injuries?
Well, that would have to go back up to a couple other questions in that I’ve had to change my entire workout thinking due to all the health issues.
Last year, I could barely get my heart rate up or my “asthma” would kick in – I lost a ton of muscle and with not eating the heavy carbs, etc. I’ll now just be on fitness model looking mode AND I’m okay with that.
I’m still left with the asthma even though everything has been cleaned out; but we really have no idea if I’ve got silicone still in my body or for that matter even in my lungs some.
For the most part, I can do everything in the gym again w/no problems but during the night I still get asthma attacks every few days.
How is your diet and what supplements do you use?
I’ve began eating more for menopause – I was recently told after my breast removal surgery that I’m now perimenoupause and I’ve been having hot flashes, fatigue, etc. so I started researching how to eat for this new phase of life in ways that keep inflammation down as well as to help keep off some of the symptoms like the hot flashes and mood swings.
My supplements are more of the vitamin level – I don’t get too crazy with putting too many unknowns in my body now:
- Vit D
- Glucosomine
- Potassium/Magnesium/Zinc
- Vit C
- Multi-vitamin
- Iron (every other day)
- Pre-Workout for the early morning sessions
Since I’m no longer competing my diet stays the same – cheating typically at least once a week.
What has inspired and motivated you?
ME – I am my own inspiration – I love a challenge & I love knowing I DID IT …. my trophies are all in a box in the garage – the real reward IS THE FINAL RESULT OF ALL THE HARD WORK
Advice for other people who want to improve themselves?
Don’t allow others to make you feel less of yourself.
Do it FOR YOU! Don’t allow others to make you feel less of yourself. Do it because YOU want to be healthier or because YOU want a new challenge.
I also always tell people to baby step it … don’t worry about throwing all your pantry out to start … start to learn how often you should eat; then help teach your clients how to read labels and understand portion control.
Then little by little, replace the bad stuff with another alternative. You don’t want to overwhelm anyone and it takes time to change bad habits.
Are you taking on clients right now?
I got my PT certification and Nutritionist Certs from ISSA a few years ago & then I do lots of research and watching other trainers techniques, etc.
Right now, however, I only really have time for some consulting stuff for clients; I don’t do any physical personal training at the moment.
Where can we learn more about you?
To learn more about me, you can Google me: Cindy Leach AND Cindy Canas (was married name/divorce about four years ago).
Instagram: @fitchickjunkie
Facebook: Cindy Leach
TikTok: @fitchickjunkie
2 thoughts on “How Fitness Makes Me Stronger After Breast Implant Illness”
I’m truly honored you wanted to hear my story! Women need to encourage each other – life is challenging enough!
It was our pleasure. Thanks a lot for sharing your story!