We had the good fortune of connecting with Tatyanna Barr and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tatyanna, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
Taking risks i’ve learned is what life is all about. When we were young we would get so excited and intrigued at the idea of trying something new and somewhere along the way we loose that, at least I know I did. When I was younger I was always someone who took risks and actually wore that on my chest pretty boldly. Going against the grain seemed normal to me and I didn’t care because intrinsically I felt whole. (Well maybe elementary school Tatyanna wasn’t thinking of intrinsic and extrinsic values but – in other words she did not care what others thought of her!)

Flash forward to 2022 Tatyanna. At this time I was pushing close to 300 pounds, I am a few years off of a back surgery, I feel like I failed at my college sports career, I hated my environment I was in, I felt like I couldn’t catch a break and because of that, the risks I had been taking for so many years just, stopped. I was scared. I wasn’t pushing myself out of my comfort zone. I was not trying to be comfortable in the uncomfortable. I was just, accepting what I had even though I hated every second of it. I needed to take a risk. When you get so tired of your own crap, thats when you know you are growing and to me that was the universe telling me to get up and get moving because something was calling trying to find me.

That week at the gym I noticed this amazing woman who looked so strong and powerful, I wanted to be like her. I talked to my now friend and teammate Nikki and got info for her coach regarding bodybuilding. Took a risk, called that coach, now almost 2 + years later and 100+ lbs down needless to say that risk of pushing myself out of my comfort zone is paying off.

I think that energy of taking a risk to trust myself with my own health has only benefited me when it comes to being a personal trainer. Everything is so naturally aligned and because of that I love what I do, and when you love something and are passionate you are so much more willing to bet on yourself. A major risk myself and friend/fellow trainer Sheena took was starting an all Women’s Bootcamp at the gym we work out of which we had a fire under us to do for a long time and finally went for it.

It can be intimidating going from going 1-1 clients for the majority of the week to transitioning to 10+ girls who you have to keep moving for a whole hour together. We marketed, we made the posters, we reached out to everyone, and our first class had almost 20 girls! That secured us a Saturday spot and now every week at 10am women of all ages, shapes, sizes, backgrounds, races, come together and laugh, smile, have fun, feel empowered, and have an amazing workout.

Taking the risks (:

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Honestly shifting my mindset and how I look at each day ( as simple as it sounds ) allowed my life to shift immensely. It really started when I got my first workout plan when I was starting out with my coach, and for bodybuilding you have to build a lot of mass. So that means a lot of repetition to get those muscles to grow, and that means doing the same exact thing every week over, and over, and over, and forces you to focus on the little things. When you transfer that to life, it’s like a whole new world. You start to realize how you talk to yourself matters, how you talk to other matters, who you surround yourself with matters, your environment matters, etc…nothing can grow in an environment it isn’t meant to be in.

I think with business it also allows me to have a really healthy flow when it comes to negativity. I look at things now more through a lens of being redirected for example if a client who I was really hoping would sing on ends up not. I feel like the old me would have gotten super down about it, in my head, and upset. Now that can happen and I can say let me turn that negative into a positive by finding a way to put that energy back into me then I know and trust that something will come back to me even greater.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Love this question, well the morning would start out by getting a decedent Iced Chai from Shakka Coffee (and lets assume im not dieting/training) I feel like Breakfast Republic or Potato Shack in Encinitas are Socal staples. Once the sun is out the beach is a necessity for me so we would be all along the coast. So many food spots to choose, but if its a beach day you have to pair it with shrimp tacos from Oscar’s Taco Shop. Seaport Village was always a staple for me as a kid so I would probably take them there! Moving a bit inland I would love to take them to some local plant shops I know a favorite for me is in Hillcrest called Green Fresh and Florals they have the prettiest bouquets. Wonderspaces is fun little interactive museum I love taking people too, and of course they would have to come by DC Athletics!!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want this shouted from the rooftops of San Diego. The gym I am SO lucky to work at, DC Athletics: The Lab, deserves the biggest shoutout.

Everyday I get to walk into a space and feel comfortable, safe, and free to do whatever I want. Not only that but it’s encouraged. Everyone else supports it AND they are all doing just that same thing. It creates the coolest energy, that on top of when clients come in and work hard, it’s just the coolest thing ever.

The owner Dorian Crawford has created such a neat space where you could see NFL players on one side and a family getting a group workout on the other. Everyone is welcome and I think everyone feels welcome which is so important. I know being a woman in a space like a gym can feel super intimidating whether you are a coach or client, it is super special to see a place where ladies can come at all hours of the day and feel comfortable.

Website: https://tatefitness.com/about

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tschmizzlee/?hl=en

Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@tschmizzlee_fitness?_t=8faxzzsdmtf&_r=1

Image Credits
Adela!! – @adl4b on instagram (:

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutSocal is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.