“We work out because we love our body, not because we hate it.” This is the first quote I remember from Alyssa’s cycle course and it made me keep going back week after week. Encouraging, motivating and challenging, Alyssa pushes everyone to be the best they can be. A senior Communication Studies major from Anaheim Hills, California, Alyssa has some big dreams when it comes to pursuing her passion for health and fitness. Keep reading to find out her favorite workouts and her journey to become a TCU cheerleader.
What got you interested in health and fitness?
Since I was young I was exposed to athletics. From cheerleading competitions to track meets, I found my passion. I didn’t just fall in love with the sports themselves, I fell in love with the journey and what it does for my body and mind. What interested me most about health and fitness was the process of it all; the challenge it takes not to just to perform and compete but everything else that it takes to get there. It is the process of having a positive mindset along with faith in yourself, the challenge of clean eating and proper sleep, and the discipline of waking up and training harder and smarter than anyone else. This is what sparked my interest and now passion for health and fitness.
What are your favorite workouts?
My favorite (and most effective) way to work out is to do a variety of workouts. I believe it’s important to change up and diversify my workout routine to allow my body to accept the challenges different workouts provide. I love mixing up my routine with interval sprints, long distance running, speed ladder drills, circuit training, core stability and balance, weight training, and cycling. Just do it all. Our body is meant to move and it will thank you!
What are your favorite healthy foods/meal?
The more colorful the better! I would say my favorite meal is an acai bowl. It is a nutrient dense whole food smoothie bowl. This bowl comes in different flavors but my very favorite consists of acai, banana, mango, pineapple juice, and coconut milk topped with bananas, strawberries, blueberries, coconut, granola, honey, and goji berries. It is unbelievably delicious and is my go-to meal when I am home in California.
Define confidence. How do you find your confidence?
Confidence is staying true to who you are and having full trust in the one true God. The way I find my confidence is through defining my beliefs and honoring them through my words and more importantly my actions. I believe in Jesus Christ, our Savior, and through Him alone I am able to live my life out in confidence.
Define happiness. What makes you happy?
Happiness is when you discover what you love, your passions, and live it out with your whole heart and soul. What makes me most happy in my life is knowing that everything I pursue, I do my very best. No one can ever take YOUR best away from you.
What else are you involved in on campus?
On campus I am a member of the TCU cheerleading team, a cycling and core instructor at the TCU Rec center, and a proud officer of Delta Delta Delta.
What is it like being a TCU cheerleader? How did you get into cheer?
Being on the TCU cheerleading team is an incredible experience. I love being a part of the spirit program and supporting the frogs. I love cheering at the athletic games and events, as well as reaching out into the Fort Worth community through leadership appearances. I have been a cheerleader from a very young age then after high school I decided to no longer cheer, but to pursue college track and field. After two years as a collegiate student athlete at the University of California, Santa Barbara I transferred to TCU. This is where I fell in love with the Horned Frog pride and spirit and wanted to be apart of it. After being a student at TCU for one year, I decided to try out for the TCU cheerleading team. Full of purple pride and energy, I became a member of the spirit program as a cheerleader. Go Frogs!
What are your favorite stunts/tumbling skills?
My favorite stunts we do as a team are pyramids. Pyramids are a lot of fun to perform and engaging to the crowd. The fans love our pyramids and it is exciting to hear the crowd get pumped when we do pyramid stunting. My favorite tumbling skill is a cartwheel back tuck. This is something I can do anywhere at anytime. I love this skill!
As a TCU cheerleader, some may consider you a role model. How do you feel taking on that role?
I enjoy being a leader and a role model in the TCU and Fort Worth community as a TCU cheerleader. One of my favorite parts of being a TCU cheerleader is to have the opportunity to be a leader and interact with young children and students at elementary schools, birthday parties, and at athletic competitions. The kids are full of joy and TCU pride and I am honored to be a role model to those in our Frog family.
How do you balance a busy college schedule, cheer and still manage time for workouts?
The key to balancing a busy college schedule is to enjoy everything you pursue. I am motivated to balance my schedule when I am passionate about what I am doing. I make time for my workouts because I make it my priority. We have time for the things we want to make time for. I choose training as priority as working out in itself helps me balance everything else going on in my life and helps me become my most productive self.
What is your advice to girls interested in pursuing health and fitness as a lifestyle or career?
My biggest piece of advice is to pursue your passions. Discover your talents and what you are most passionate about, then go after it whole heartedly. Learn as much as you can from other people and take the time to listen. Gain wisdom from others who know different information than you do and collaborate.
What are some of the day-to-day challenges you face?
A day-to-day challenge I face is over-committing myself. I find joy in “doing it all”. But sometimes we have to make choices and decisions that allow us to live a more balanced lifestyle.
How do you overcome these challenges?
I overcome the challenge of over-committing myself by pursuing what is most important to me. I do my best to make the best decision. I make these decisions by asking myself what should I do that is most honoring and glorifying to God.
If I saw you on a random Saturday what would you most likely be doing?
On a random Saturday morning you would most likely see me on a run or training at the track. Then in the afternoon, I would be spending time with family and friends.
You were selected as a Core Sweetheart because you inspire others. Who/what inspires you?
The people who inspire me most and keep me motivated are my mom and dad. I have the most incredible relationship with my parents, but what is most inspiring is their relationship with each other. Their balance of love, commitment, and passion is encouraging to me and everyone around them. I hope to one day be as caring, kind, and show unconditional love as a mother, the way my mother has shown me. As well as follow the example my dad has shown me through his faithfulness, encouragement, and hard work.
What’s next? What are your big dreams in life?
First off, family is most important to me. I hope and pray that one day God will provide me with an amazing husband and children for us to share our lives together. In regards to my career, I want to be an athletic performance trainer, coach, and owner. One day I will own a company for athletes to discover their talents and train for their passions in athletics.
Favorites:
Quote: “Things turn out best for those who make the best of the way things turn out” -John Wooden
TV Show: Friday Night Lights
Store: Lululemon athletics
Outfit: Any athletic clothing! Running shoes, lululemon shorts, tank, and sweater.
Phone App: Nike running
Current Playlist: Any song by George Strait
Fun Fact we don’t know about you: I have been playing classical piano for 14 years.
Dream destination spot: African Safari in Sun City, South Africa
For more Core Sweethearts, visit CoreExperienceBlog.com
