About me
My story
I'm Alex Golodriga (formerly Alex Navarro) and I’m a mom of toddler, a health and fitness enthusiast who has a love for food, for lifting heavy things, flipping upside-down and who has a passion for helping women uncover their limiting beliefs around what it means to be "fit".
Fun facts about me...
- My favorite foods include burgers, sweet potato fries, ice cream and steak!
- I find cooking therapeutic – especially when I’m trying a new recipe or making a creative meal.
- I love being upside down – whether it’s in a handstand or back-bending – I like maintaining my kid-like antics and skills – it’s part of how I express myself and enjoy life!
- I’d rather sit on the ground than in a chair – I find it comforting to be close to the earth.
- I’m an extroverted-introvert. I can be “on” and engaging when I need or want to be. That means I can be on stage competing in front of hundreds of people, but, afterwards I desperately need solo time to unwind. Following big events like conferences and competitions (even friends and family events) I need several days of quiet with minimal interaction to fill my energy tank back up. If I don’t answer messages instantly, that’s why!
- I have a mild obsession with taking care of my skin and hair. I blame it on my younger years when I suffered from eczema and then worked in a beauty salon for 6 years.
- I’m an Enneagram 9 – peace is my driving force.
What motivates me…
Being of service. Helping others with the skills, tools and experiences I’ve gathered in my lifetime. Using my quiet nature to hold the space for others as they look deep into themselves in order to flourish and grow through movement and fueling their bodies.
Fitness and food happens to be the way I express being of service. It’s my goal and mission to share anything and everything I can with those who are ready to receive it.
Where it all began…
I started flipping and turning upside-down at a very young age so it made sense to be a competitive gymnast for most of my youth. I later dabbled in high school sports – including the wrestling team! I was athletic and a tomboy at heart, so I fit in well wrestling with the boys.
It wasn’t until 2005, during my last semester at San Francisco State University, that I decided to take on the challenge of competing in my first fitness and bikini competition. My friends and family were surprised to see me hit the stage, to say the least. No one, including me, saw that coming!
I got hooked. I continued to compete for the next 6 years, placing top 5 Nationally and Internationally, being featured on Fox Sports and gracing the inside of Oxygen Magazine – a dream come true! Yes I had success and great experiences, but, there was also an ugly side to the conventional competition scene which proved both ineffective and detrimental to the health and well-being of myself and my fellow competitors. I was eager for more knowledge and desperate to find a better approach to getting stage-ready. For the first time I questioned why I was competing and whether it was worth it.
That all changed when I was introduced to “The Carb Nite Solution” – my world was forever transformed.
Gone were the days of 6-mini meals every 2 hours. No more endless cardio sessions. The all-or-nothing, no-pain-no-gain mindset was finished. I found myself taking my own fitness competition regime to a whole new – and enjoyable – level! My life – personally and professionally – has never been the same. My next logical step was to share what I learned and had successfully applied. Drawing on my extensive fitness and competition experience, I began coaching women to compete on stage using the new sound nutritional knowledge I gained. This allowed me to provide, for the first time, a BALANCED approach that had never before existed in traditional programs.
Over the last ten years I’ve expanded way beyond just coaching competitors. This transformational approach to nutrition and exercise works in “regular life” and is not only for the stage! I’ve had the opportunity to work with a wide range of women from all walks of life with varied fitness levels, body types, lifestyles, and exercise goals – even locations (thanks to Skype and FaceTime). Every client inspires me to continue researching, experimenting, and building upon every ounce of new insight and I look forward to finding more ways to teach and support women who are looking to be the best they can be!
HER Body
what I’ve learned in the past 2+ years and how clients benefit
In a nutshell, I learned to open the door to BALANCE.
When I first met my now husband, I didn’t know the meaning of true balance. I was quite skilled at maintaining my nutrition and training along with serving clients, but, after adding a marriage and new emphasis on personal life into the mix – I realized I didn’t have the balance I needed. I found myself wanting to experience more of life with my new partner and while we both enjoyed eating well and staying active, I had to loosen the reigns a little – not be as regimented – while still maintaining the aesthetics, strength and functional movements I’ve gained over the years.
Implementing this balance of a fit-healthy-happy life was tested when I became pregnant with my son in 2017. I was even more dedicated to eating well – for both of us – and to remaining active in ways that felt good and kept me sane and strong till the end. Happily, I learned even more about balance which resulted in a healthy pregnancy and a beautiful baby boy.
Of course the next challenge was applying balance during my post-partum journey and juggling a family. Again, I learned amazing techniques – sometimes through trial and error – but clients benefit because they know I’ve “been there – done that”!
I so enjoy helping women through different chapters and stages life brings and I have the “lived experience” to prove how balance is achievable.
*Be sure to check out HERBody podcasts where I share the nitty gritty details of each pregnancy trimester, my post-baby body approach and much more!
Competition accomplishments and achievements:
1st Place
1st Place
2nd Place
4th Place
3rd Place
3rd Place
1st Place
1st Place
1st Place
1st Place