top of page

My story and why I get you...

Natalie Upp in kitchen_edited.jpg

  • I get balancing the roles of mom/wife while working.

  • I get feeling like a taxi cab driver for your kids' activities.

  • I get feeling a sense of peace when you have a clean house.

  • I get frustrations with a changing menstrual cycle.

  • I get dealing with hot flashes and night sweats.

  • I get the "necessity" of splurging on face serums to decrease crow's feet or higher-end jeans to perk up your booty.

  • None of it is crazy... It's called the life of a MID-LIFE MOM.

Hi, my name is Natalie Upp, and I’m the owner of Fired Upp Fitness.

 

I’m married to my high school crush, and we have two busy teen daughters. I am so grateful to do what I’m passionate about daily -- Help moms over 35 look, feel, and live better. I didn’t start in the fitness world. I started as an Occupational Therapist (OT). Back then, I was in and out of working out and never even thought about what I ate.

Fast forward several years, I was a mom of two toddlers who had not moved her body with exercise in six years. I was exhausted and stressed out working long hours at a non-profit – where I had shifted from being an OT to a Development Director. I was in charge of all the fundraising, grants, and marketing, and little did I know that those marketing skills would come in handy for my own business.

 

I suffered from chronic migraines. My skin was dull. My hair was dry and brittle; My muscle tone was non-existent. I wasn’t overweight, but my clothes didn’t fit great, and I was “skinny fat.” Even after 8 hours of sleep, I was always tired and would have to drag myself out of bed in the morning and live on Diet Coke in the afternoon to stay awake.

At 35, I realized that how I lived in my 20’s/early 30’s, was no longer going to cut it. And unfortunately, my jiggly butt and thighs were not getting any firmer with the cellulite-firming cream I’d been using. (So embarrassing!) I was not taking care of myself and not setting a good example for my girls.

 

My husband had been working out for years. So, instead of continuing to resent him for his alone time at the gym, I finally decided it was time to get myself back, and we joined a new gym as a family. I’ll never forget my introductory session with the trainer, where I had to tell her what I usually ate. It looked like this:

  • Breakfast: Cereal with skim milk and OJ

  • Lunch: A sandwich or hotdog with some baked chips and apple juice

  • Afternoon Snack: Rice Krispie bar, fruit snacks, and a Diet Coke

  • Dinner: Two servings of pasta/casserole with 2 slices of bread and always dessert!

​

I lived off processed carbs and sugar and did not drink even one ounce of water daily!

Upp Family.jpg

My personal goal was to lose fat, tone up, have more energy, and feel more vibrant, healthy, and sexy again. So, as I do for everything in my life, I started researching everything I could regarding nutrition and fitness to learn more.

 

I’ll admit, I became a bit obsessed initially, but it turned into a wonderful passion. I decided to use my OT skills and break down each healthy habit I wanted to implement, and it worked. I even ended up competing and placed “Top-5” seven times in NANBF and NPC Bikini Divisions, training myself in all but one of them.

 

Friends and family kept asking how I was transforming my body, so I made a little nutrition and workout guide I’d send them for fun. I loved hearing their stories about how my ideas helped them! I knew I was on to something when my sister was one of these early guinea pigs, and I helped her lose 22 pounds. When competing, I did some pretty restrictive diets and put my body (and mind) through the wringer while trying to achieve a “perfect” body. (Which I learned does not exist!) I decided at 40 that I would compete in one last fitness show to prove that I could do it without such a restrictive diet.

 

My mission was to eat a healthy balance of all food groups (dark chocolate and wine included) and limit my workouts to no more than 4x/week (this was 2 days less than my norm at the time). By the time the show came, I’d never felt better and was finally embracing my “imperfections.” I was proud to earn 3rd place in the 40+ division.

 

That same fall I decided it was time to leave my non-profit job of 16 years to start Fired Upp Fitness. Several months later, I became a Certified Personal Trainer and, over time, added certifications as a Weight Loss Specialist, Behavior Change Specialist, Glutes Training Specialist, and Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certified Coach. I fell in love with learning all about nutrition and fitness and how to help other women via my online and in-home coaching program.

 

Over the last several years in my business, my focus has evolved from not only helping women (and specifically moms) figure out how to live a healthy lifestyle but also how to deal with their changing hormones in perimenopause and menopause successfully. I’m often judged for not looking overweight, so how could I possibly understand someone’s weight loss struggles? Well, I’ve experienced the other dozens of other invisible hormone symptoms. I’ve officially made it to menopause and, I’ve had to intentionally change my ways to keep my weight (and sanity) in check.  

 

Now 49 and keeping up with my daughters in high school and college, (on most days) I am confident, feel vibrant, and I can’t wait to rock my favorite jeans! However, I also keep working at it daily and I’m FAR from perfect - perfect is boring anyway!

 

I have spent countless hours on education, certifications, and research about this second phase of our lives that can be more annoying than puberty. This is MY PASSION! (Side note: I also have a passion for traveling and a fun dance party!💃)

​

Perimenopause is like going through a second puberty but it lasts so much longer (averaging 8-10 years)! In my experience, many traditional doctors suggest returning to birth control or offering women a prescription for an anti-depressant to help with symptoms. Instead, I would love to see them encourage women to adopt a healthy lifestyle that works with their aging hormones. It’s okay to get older, but we shouldn’t be suffering through symptoms or try to band-aid them with medications.

 

Through my own experience and continued education on research-based methods for hormonal balance, I created the Mid-Life Mom Bod Tune-Upp program.  When moms come to me wanting to feel “less tired, less stressed, and less frustrated with their changing mid-life body” I know how to help!  The Mom Bod Tune-Upp is the foundation of all my online and in-home coaching programs. I’ve helped women from all over, including Canada, California, Virginia, Ohio, Texas, Florida, Illinois, Missouri, and Kansas, just to name a few.

 

I'm not going to lie...  There may be some "tough love" here and there, but I am here to be your accountability and tour guide on your journey. We'll focus on the physical, mental, and emotional YOU. I would LOVE to share my knowledge with you and support you to age and feel the best that you can! 

 

I want to help you get excited about a healthy lifestyle, feel confident about how you look, and stick with it for life!

​

So, let's get you FIRED UPP! Are you in? 

bottom of page