Meet FRÉ Ambassador Alyssa Olenick, Coach & PhD Student

@littlelyssfitness

About me: I was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and now live in Athens, Georgia. I'm high energy and sassy. I love movement and sharing it with others!

"My PhD research focuses on exercise and metabolism. In particular I’m looking at sex differences and the female metabolism."

My fitness journey

I always worked out. I grew up dancing and cheerleading. In Junior High I started playing Lacrosse; this was my first “real” sport and loved it. I decided if I was fitter I would be a better athlete so I started running, and then got into lifting. Once I left college sports, I started to get really into lifting and doing trails and races, and basically fell in love with fitness.

I’ve been coaching for 2 years now. I coached sport a bit while growing up and did group and individual coaching at college but I’m coaching online now. I started at the beginning of my PhD. I wanted to make extra money and I wanted to share what I had learnt with others. My PhD research focuses on exercise and metabolism. In particular I’m looking at sex differences and the female metabolism.

"Levels of estrogen and progesterone play a role in the amount of carbs and fats we need and burn."

Science backed tips on lifting, running and eating

I have a Masters in Exercise Physiology and am currently a PhD student. Here are my tips:

1. I recommend resistance training 2 days a week in a progressive manner. 3-4 times is also great but 2 is enough. This can be with barbells, dumbbells or kettlebells.
2. Eating enough protein and calories to support your activity is so important, we have to feed our body to meet our fitness goals. We shouldn’t be afraid to feed ourselves, and to embrace food and how it supports health.
3. People get hung up on high intensity workouts but it’s more important to do a polarized workout. This means a lot of time building your base of sub maximal work and a small amount of time doing high intensity activity.
4. Women have a menstrual cycle and whether or not they take birth control their hormones change across the month, and across their life. Levels of estrogen and progesterone play a role in the amount of carbs and fats we need and burn. When you are menstruating your hormones are at their lowest point. After this your estrogen builds up and you ovulate. Gym wise, this is when you can push yourself more. After ovulation you tend to crave fat. You are burning a couple hundred calories more. Women often think they want chocolate but really what their bodies need is more fat. If you plan carbs before and after a workout strategically, that can really help with the negative effects of PMS.
5. Click HERE to get my 5 free at home workouts delivered to your inbox!
6. Click HERE for ENDURE, my running ebook with 12 different plans that teach the science behind running

Body positivity

A big part of my message is rewriting the narrative. People have been told one version of fitness but I want women to see a world where they can live and be fit in many different shapes and sizes. If you cycle or run or lift you put on muscle in your thighs and that’s normal. Embrace the fact you are strong! I always say don’t try and make your legs thinner, just get better shorts. You need to work with your body, not against it.

Skincare

I am in the American South and work out a lot. I had cystic acne issues that I dealt with in high school, but unfortunately these issues came back. I’m always trying to keep my skin happy while working out and sweating in the sun. I’ve been using FRÉ for 2 years now and the products stop me from breaking out while protecting my skin. My favorite FRÉ is PROTECT ME, it protects my skin when I run in the summer, doesn’t run into my eyes, keeps my skin hydrated, and makes my face feel soft!

Rapid Fire:

• Favorite exercise? Weight training
• What does sweat mean to you? It’s my life symbol!
• What comes to mind when you think of FRÉ? FRÉ allows me to sweat and be a women at the same time
• What are you most excited about in life right now? I’m excited that my gym is back open. I’m excited to run in the mountains, and to lift and work in a way that is slower paced
• What’s something you’d still love to learn? I honestly can’t learn enough about human physiology and exercise - the great thing about science is you are a student forever
• If you were a hashtag, what would you be? #demandbetter
• What is your mantra? How you do anything is how you do everything. Everything matters and it all adds up.
• What’s the best advice that you’ve ever received in your life? My undergrad advisor told me people are always going to doubt you, but don’t let them stop you from doing what you believe in
• What is an issue that you wish we spoke about more often? All the misinformation on health and fitness! I wish there was a broader public platform to bring more attention to these issues
• What does women’s empowerment mean in 2020? It means showing women that they can be who they want to be