Brooke Ence, an actress and fitness trainer who gained fame as a fitness trainer/coach, is a beautiful and daring young American. Even though she has been a CrossFit athlete for only a short time, she has become famous more for qualifying for CrossFit Games, a feat she accomplished having only been to competition once before. A trainer at CrossFit West Santa Cruz in California, she currently works for the company.
Besides being extremely popular in the social media scene, she also has a large number of followers and fans. In addition to 1.4 million followers on Instagram, 45 thousand subscribers on Twitter, and a YouTube channel with 277 thousand subscribers, she has an impressive number of followers.Despite being still relatively young and in the early stages of her career, the rising star and actress has come to a great distance. Over the years, she has been involved in several activities, all of which have given her a very high net worth. As a result, Brooke Ence probably has a net worth above $1 million.As an athlete, trainer, and fitness coach, she has gained a considerable amount of net worth, not to mention the minor roles she had in movies like Wonder Woman and Justice League.In this series, we will talk about the fitness routine of Brooke Ence who has a humungous fan following that people look up to her for her fitness tips and tricks. We will cover everything related to her workouts as well as her diet that keeps her going throughout the day and makes her the powerful lady that she is.
Brooke Ence Body Statistics
- Birth Year: 1989
- Birth Date: August 10
- Height: 5 ft 7 in / 170 cm
- Weight: 150 lb / 68 kg
- Breasts: 35 in / 90 cm
- Waist: 26 in / 67 cm
- Hips: 37 in / 95 cm
- Body Measurement: 35-26-37 inches
Brooke Ence Awards and Achievements
Personal records
- Back squat – 320 lbs/ 145 kg
- Clean and jerk – 253 lbs/ 114 kg
- Snatch – 207 lbs/ 93 kg
- Deadlift – 365 lbs/ 165 kg
- Fran – 2:07
- Filthy 50 – 24:38
- Sprint 400m – 1:11
- Run 5k – 24:00
Brooke Ence Workout Routine
This is a short workout routine she suggests in the Naked Training App, which is her training program app. Below we have Brooke Ence's whole workout routine.Perform three rounds of elbow grease with three moves each. In the first round, do twenty-one repetitions of each move. For the second round, do fifteen repetitions, and for the third and final round, do nine repetitions.
You'll be surprised at how quickly you can complete all three rounds with the correct type.Brook says, “As you recover, you will get quicker obtaining through it and can be able to push a lot of weight.”These three exercises are listed below:
- Ring rows
- Dumbbell thrusters
- Burpees
The rings rows should be performed with TRX or sport rings. However, if you do not have access to either, you may still perform the modification with a durable table. Brook also includes some exercises he admires such as:-Push-Ups ( While maintaining a good posture)If you are attempting a push-up, the proper posture challenges your whole body and continues to work maximum on a body part that you are targeting, such as chest - it should work maximum on chest, or triceps - it should work maximum on triceps.Regardless of whether you believe it or not, this can be an exercise that can change your life for the better, and also help you to correct your posture.
- Ensure that your hands are on the ground a little wider than your chest, and your shoulders should be in line with your hands. Furthermore, your feet must be close to each other.
- Once your core is balanced, align your hips, and lower your body until the chest touches the ground, then raise your body immediately.
Do 15 reps.HIIT IntervalsCoaching using high-intensity intervals is known as HIIT. Performing a large number of exercises within a short time frame is the most effective way of training your muscles, and if you're looking to lose weight then you should try it. Brooke Ence's workout routine is discussed here.
DAY 1
GLUTES, QUADS, AND HAMSTRINGS• Back squat 4 x 8(SUPERSET 1)• Dumbbell Bulgarian split squat 3 x 10• Dumbbell staggered stance hip thrust 3 x 10(SUPERSET 2)• Kettlebell Romanian deadlift 3 x 10• Dumbbell sumo squat 3 x 10(GIANT SET)• Dumbbell curtsy step up 3 x 8• Stability ball hamstring curls 3 x 10• Lying banded glute lifts 3 x 15• Reverse duck walks 3 x 10CONDITIONING20-yard sled push x 10 completed every minute on the minute.
DAY 2
FULL UPPER BODY(SUPERSET 1)• Barbell overhead press 3 x 12,10,8• Bent over T-raises 3 x 12(SUPERSET 2)• Chin-up 3 x 12,10,8• Single arm dumbbell overhead press 3 x 12(TRISET)• Dumbbell incline bench press 3 x 12,10,8• Single-arm dumbbell row 3 x 12• Lateral raise 3 x 12CONDITIONINGLow-intensity steady-state cardio – 20 minutes.
DAY 3
HIGH REP GLUTE AND PLYOMETRICS(SUPERSET 1)• Barbell hip thrust 4 x 15• Banded lateral walk 4 x 15(TRISET 2)• Single leg dumbbell Romanian deadlift 3 x 15• Hip abductor machine 3 x 20• Goblet squat jumps 3 x 20(SUPERSET 2)• Dumbbell walking lunge 3 x 20• Bulgarian splits squat jumps 3 x 15(TRISET 2)• Cable pull through 3 x 20• Elevated single leg glute bridge 3 x 10• Cable lateral kick 3 x 15CONDITIONINGTrain with weights for four rounds of 20 goblet squats, run 400 meters and rest two minutes between rounds.
DAY 4
CORE WORK(TRISET 1)• Plank 3 x 1min• Bicycle crunches 3 x 15• V-ups 3 x 20(TRISET 2)• Wide mountain climbers 3 x 15• Leg lifts 3 x 15• Sit-up to press 3 x 15(TRISET 3)• Palo press 3 x 10• Plank toe touches 3 x 10• L-sit 3 x 30CONDITIONINGHIIT Sprints 4 x 100, 3 x 200, 2 x 300, 1 x 400.
DAY 5
GLUTES AND HAMS(SUPERSET 1)• Sumo deadlift 4 x 10• Banded dynamic side plank to clamshell 4 x 12(TRISET 1)• Elevated barbell glute bridge with band abduction 3 x 10• Lying hamstring curl machine 3 x 15• Standing calf raise 3 x 15(TRISET 2)• Deficit dumbbell side lunges 3 x 10• Single leg dumbbell Romanian deadlift 3 x 10• Wall sit band adductions 3 x 20• Seated frog abductions1 x 100CONDITIONINGTraining for four rounds of 20 Russian kettlebell swings, rowing for two minutes, resting for two minutes after each round of weight lifting"Brooke's Naked Training App" has become a global sensation. It was the combination of beauty and brains that compelled me to learn about the past, present, and future of this seemingly unstoppable woman. While speaking from her home in Santa Cruz, CA, Brooke created a perfect contrast between power and inner peace by using a cool, soothing tone.“Initially, I launched an eBook with my partner Jake which was a transformation program and that naturally grew into an app,” she tells.“You can move freely through the programs and there are home bodyweight and dumbbell programs available, so you can switch between gym and home. It’s been a lifesaver during the lockdown and it’s great if you’re traveling. The app is for men and women. We all have the same muscles and don’t need to train differently- it just depends on your goals and starting point.” Brooke, who calls herself a confessed macro-addict, insists that dietary data is of the utmost importance when striving to maintain a consistent training regime.
“Macro diets have become very popular and there’s a reason for that, but a lot of people don’t know what macros are and just jump on the bandwagon,” she says. “This is how macro diets first became a trend. Realistically, all you’re doing is hitting a certain number of carbs, proteins, and fats to structure your caloric intake. This is what helps me best to maintain my body composition and performance." Data is what macros are for, and that's what they do. For a coach, the ability to analyze data and make changes is much more effective than trusting someone's word. As a coach, you can predict that someone is 'accidentally' lying 99% of the time since you are more likely to do things mindlessly when you need help since you aren't doing things correctly.“Even as a professional athlete, I always enlist a coach to help calculate and monitor my macros. I was never over-consuming, but I am a total snacker, I love snacks, so to get someone to sit down and pay attention to what they’re eating helps to work on habits, and change not only what you’re putting in your body, but the way you feel about certain types of foods. There can be a lot of underlying connections or emotions attached to certain foods and we need to dig down and identify those by using data. It doesn’t matter whether your goal is to gain weight or lose weight. It’s very empowering for someone to know they can control the physical outcome of what they’re putting into their body. It can be so scary to feel you’re out of control with food and you need help. Consistency and slow changes give you the power and the understanding you need to change your diet for good.”Having competed as a figure competitor before she became engrossed in the CrossFit scene, Brooke has adapted her food intake to suit the needs of the sport.“I first tried CrossFit when I was in college in 2009, I was 19,” she states. “It was when the sport was first getting big. I found a CrossFit gym because I’m from Utah and had been asked to audition for a circus show in Vegas as a performer- I sang and danced growing up and wanted help brushing up on my gymnastics skills. A friend told me this gym might be able to help me. When I tried CrossFit for the first time, it crushed me. I’d tried the bodybuilding and bikini world and won two-figure competitions, but I had learned it was very hard to have your worth in sport be so subjective to whoever was judging you in that world. It took a long time to not look at myself and judge my body purely on aesthetics. By contrast, CrossFit was all about what you can do- not what you look like or your age. I liked that."
“Even as a professional athlete, I always enlist a coach to help calculate and monitor my macros.”
“I was teased a lot growing up for my strength and my arms and I was finally in a community where it was celebrated- not for my looks but for my ability. There’s so much equality- men vs women, it’s such a wonderful space and I’ve been doing it ever since!"“When I compete (in CrossFit), I eat a lot more, because I’m training a lot more,” she answers. “I don’t need to consume a ton of food in comparison to some of the other CrossFit girls. The most I’ve ever eaten was 2,000 calories a day. My coach said no one going to the CrossFit games should be eating less than that. I was strong and my weight went up 4-5 pounds, but I didn’t feel good for that little bit of extra weight. I perform and compete better when I feel good, so my coach got rid of the idea that I had to eat that much and I sat between1850 and 1950 calories. I wish I could eat more but I just didn’t need to. I was around 152-155 pounds at 5’6” 1/2. Now I’m not competing and I don’t eat that many calories. I sit at 149 pounds and I enjoy wine with friends. My lowest weight has been 146.”
Brooke’s CrossFit Prep Macro Split
150-160g protein 175-190g carbs 50- 65g fats“These could alter depending on where I was in my training. I’d carb load if I had a load of running or biking ahead of me. My body functions better with low fat because I don’t digest it super well,” she responds.Despite being tremendously successful on the circuit, Brooke has decided to put the games on hold and instead focus on her business endeavors and television projects.“Before quarantine, I was training to compete at the West Coast Classic,” she speaks. “I planned to compete again just to enjoy it and for everyone who enjoys watching me compete because it’s been a long time. It got canceled and gyms closed. It was very hard because I live by myself, but I was quarantined with my two best friends at my home. I had just gone through a divorce that took its toll on me and my focus was on the competition and my training so it was rough, but I got through it."“Now I have my YouTube up and running and I’m working on my vlog with a new videographer. I’m filming a new TV series and working on another new secret project that’s been coming to fruition for four years. I’m not training to compete but I’m training to be ready for anything."“I am starting a new female-owned business for women too that I’m super excited about. It’s a monthly subscription and I’ve been thinking about it for so long. I’m an ideas person and I finally have time to launch this one which is going to be awesome. I’m a real entrepreneur."“From a young age, I always wanted to do everything. I’m the youngest of four and my parents always pushed us 100% to do any sport we wanted to so long as we gave it our all, or they’d pull us out!”Brooke now has the time to concentrate on aesthetics, so she is working hard to develop each muscle group.“At the moment I’m committed to getting my butt bigger,” she tells.“I have big hamstrings and strong legs and I’m adding in butt exercises whenever I can!”
Brooke’s Top 3 Booty Building Exercises
• Squats• Bulgarian split squats• Barbell hip thrusts“I love this booty band trio of exercises,” she states. “It can be performed as a finisher, or in-between weighted sets or banded kickbacks and hip extensions. Great for home workouts!”
- The band should be placed below the knee and your butt should be down. Make sure your feet are slightly wider than your hips. Lean back and roll your feet out while doing abductions with your knees. Ensure that the band stays tensioned. Perform 30 repetitions per set.
- Do 30 sitting upright while sitting up straight.
- Put your chest above your legs while doing 30 with your torso facing forward.
That was all about the workout routine that is followed by Brooke Ence in her daily routine. Brooke Ence is quite a hardworking personality and she has many principles to abide by. Thus in the next section, we will discuss some of her workout tips and tricks that keep her stuck to her routine quite efficiently.
Brooke Ence Workout Tips and Tricks
Her path to where she is today did not come without a lot of sweat and hard work. In both the gym and out of the gym, the Californian athlete has put in many hours. Below, she describes how she starts her day.
Getting 'bulky' doesn't happen by accident
Even though Ence is proof that women can gain a lot of muscle while working out, she credited her physique to that of a lifetime of athletic activity. The typical person cannot expect to look like an Amazon from a few days of weight training each week.When asked how she found time to gain muscle mass while remaining relatively lean, she said it took years of hard work and dedication. She gained strength and muscle through training for serious athletic endeavors, including CrossFit."That doesn't happen overnight," she replied. "I'm the same weight and have been most of my athletic career, and I was training hard every day."
More muscle can help you burn fat effectively
One persistent myth is that you should stay away from heavyweights if you want to lose weight or become svelte. The shape of your muscles cannot be changed by toning them - muscles can get bigger or smaller, and they appear more apparent if your body fat percentage is low."If you want definition and tone, that's going to come from applying stress and hard work," Ence explained.As well as building muscle, weightlifting burns lots of calories since compound movements such as squats and deadlifts require several sets of large muscles to work at one time.It can be challenging to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time, but gradually gaining muscle will ultimately help you burn fat since the increased metabolism will help to accelerate your fat-burning efforts.
Bodies are unique, so focus on strength instead of a specific look
The genetic makeup of your body also has a significant influence on how it will look, which makes it a futile exercise to try to look like someone else, whether they are thin and svelte or swole and ripped.By lifting weights to become stronger, instead, you will naturally adjust your body to whatever athleticism you are comfortable with."Muscle has a lot to do with genetics," Ence told. "If I do what I'm supposed to do, my body has a muscular shape. I wasn't training to work on a specific body part. I was getting stronger."
Weight lifting doesn't have to be scary, even for beginners
Neither your experience level nor your ability to work out at the gym should intimidate you, Ence said. Even though people worry that lifting weights will hurt them or make them look foolish, research has found that weight-lifting is not riskier than other forms of exercise for either your physical health or your ego.If you've never worked out before, then your first step should be to find a good coach so you can get your form perfect. As long as you have the basics down, a solid plan and a schedule will help you achieve your specific goals.Naked Training, an app by Ence, is one such program, offering advice on nutrition, workouts, and mobility exercises that can both boost your performance and help you achieve your aesthetic goals."Everyone should be confident in their skin, that's the focus," she responded.
I eat something immediately
"I eat something as soon as I wake up. I’m starving. Part one of breakfast is some sort of peanut butter something, typically it’s a rice cake with peanut butter and maybe a little bit of honey or jelly and my coffee. Then I get ready to go to the gym and then I will have some sort of scrambled egg whites and bacon before I go to work out. I don’t know why I’m so hungry in the morning but eating is the first thing I do."
I hunt for coffee
"I go to bed excited for coffee.I need at least two cups. This is the order -- almond milk, flat white, or cappuccino, depends on where I am getting it, with a small black coffee backer."
I take care of my face
"I try to keep a pretty good, simple skin routine. I sweat a lot so I break out. I cleanse my skin. I have a daily facial cleanser from Athia, and then [apply] moisturizer. I am 28 and I’ve been using anti-aging products, like eye creams, since I was about 25. And then [I apply] SPF. It’s like tinted sunscreen. [Then] eyebrows, Chapstick and blush."
I head to the gym
"My relationship with the gym: we are not newlyweds. I do pretty much the same warm-up every day. It’s really important just to get your body temperature up. I get on the rower or the bike. From there, I’m going to open up all of my hips, my knees, my ankles, my shoulders, doing things with a band. I want to do some pushing, some pulling, body weight, maybe some stripped pull-ups, some stripped toe to bar, and make sure my core is open."
I tackle my most challenging workout move
"Then I start chipping away at a full day of training."Those were all the tips and tricks given by Brooke Ence so that one can get inspired and perform better in their workouts as she does. In the following sections, we will discuss her diet plan and know what kinds of meals does he have on a regular basis. So stay tuned to know all about it.
Brooke Ence Diet Plan
Despite trying various diets including Paleo and carb back-loading, Wells did not lose weight on her own. She ended up hiring a nutrition coach in order to lose 10 pounds for the 2016 Olympics. In order to achieve her weight loss goals, she limited her calorie intake to 2,300 per day. In an effort to lose weight, she tried calorie counting but found it too difficult, so now she eats a set amount of protein, fat, and carbohydrates each day. She consumes six meals throughout the day.
What to Eat
- Eggs
- Egg Whites
- Broccoli
- Spinach
- Sweet Potatoes
- Bell Peppers
- Bananas
- Apples
- Strawberries
- White Rice
- Chicken Breast
- Peanut Butter
- Avocados
- Oatmeal
- Fresh Salsa
What to Avoid
- Junk Food
- Sugar
- Soft Drinks
- Refined Foods
- Processed Foods
- Artificial Ingredients
She typically trains every Monday through Saturday, sometimes twice every day just on average. As a general rule, during this time of year, she coaches for about four to five hours daily. In terms of diet, she keeps a really even balance between fat, protein, and carb intake, which is important.
In spite of this, if she had to recommend only one thing that a person could do to help improve their coaching and diet or slim down, she might suggest that they limit intake outside and prepare meals beforehand. While eating out is one of the most fun things you can do, it is also the most deadly.It would be beneficial to partner with a company like Trifecta Opens in New Window that sends them food, too, so that meal preparation is made easier.Breakfast:As part of her breakfast, Brooke eats bacon and eggs that are packed with protein. The oatmeal is high in carbohydrates, and the veggies provide fiber.
• 4 Eggs• Bacon• Handful veggies• Oatmeal
Lunch:
• Grilled chicken or steak• Brown rice
With her lunch, Brooke alternates between Trifecta chicken and steak for protein. Additionally, she complements the meal with healthy carbs, such as brown rice.
Dinner:
• Grilled chicken• Sweet potato• Squash, Asparagus
In addition to veggies like squash and asparagus, Brooke packs nutrients into her dinners. A grilled chicken breast and sweet potatoes provide protein and carbohydrates respectively.
Snacks:
• Non-fat Greek yogurt• Protein bar, protein shake• Favorite Cereal
In addition to strategically timed snacks and supplements, Brooke gets additional protein and carbohydrates.Those were all the meals and foods that Brooke Ence adds and subtracts from her diet plan. Her diet plan is quite simple and she prefers to have wholesome and nutritious home-cooked foods. She tries to stick to it as much as she can. However, in the next section, we will also discuss some of the tips and advice she has to give on her diet.
Brooke Ence Diet Tips
Brooke Ence is a firm believer that one must eat according to their fitness level so that they can perform well in the gym and for their profession. Being an actress she knows the importance of foods in her daily lifestyle and keeps herself fit by sticking to them. So take a look at the following diet tips.
Carb Up
Wells claims that the Paleo diet did not work for her because it does not have enough carbohydrates.
Shake Up
Wells commonly eats a protein shake and bananas between events, sometimes with rice as well.
Load Up
It's the night before a competition, so Wells loads up on food the night before in case she doesn't have a chance to eat during the competition. Luckily, she eats a lot of fat to help slow down the digestion of all the extra carbohydrates.
Breakfast of Champions
Adding plenty of eggs, fruit, and oatmeal on the day of competition is the key to Wells' success.
Sweet Cheat
Whenever she feels rewarded after the Games, she's willing to try anything: In-N-Out Burger, pizza, ice cream, doughnuts, anything!
That was all about the diet tips that Brooke Ence follows in her daily life and even inspires her friends and fans to follow. In the next section, we will see that Brooke Ence also takes some supplements to support her crazy busy day! So take a look head.
Brooke Ence Nutrition and Supplements
Supplements are required for Brooke Ence to maintain the muscles mass and strength that she needs for her workouts and to maintain the certain look that she needs. Thus here is the list of supplements that she takes:
FISH OIL
Omega-3 fatty acids including EPA and DHA are contained in fish oil, supporting heart, brain, and overall health.
CASEIN PROTEIN
It allows you to feel full for a longer period of time thanks to its slow digestion. Casein protein helps support muscle growth and weight management.
BCAAS
The recovery process after workouts is made easier with branched-chain amino acids.
PROTEIN SHAKE
After working out, Wells almost always drinks a protein shake to help her recover. Sometimes she drinks a shake even before working out if she doesn't feel like eating.Brooke Ence Fitness Interview
Athlete Daily: You were a dancer growing up, right? Does that carry with it some weird relationship with food and body image?Ence: “When I was very, very young I got teased for having muscle. I danced my whole life. I was always very muscular. I had biceps and I never lifted weights until I was in college. Those things kind of stuck with me. I developed this view of myself based on the bullying I dealt with when I was really young. It was like the way I looked was wrong.
Then I found figure [competitions] and through doing that and being so meticulous about my food, I was learning how to work really hard at something.
But that world, everyone judging you based on what you looked like paired with my issues, made me even crazier about my self-image. I was more insecure. After I did my first show, my mom told me I couldn’t do any more until I learned to love myself. So, I took a year off and found CrossFit when auditioning for a Cirque de Soleil show in Vegas [in 2010].”
With CrossFit I was able to grow up and work really, really hard at something and be successful at it, I couldn’t be more grateful for myself and my body and what I can do. They don’t go away fully, but you grow up and realize you are a lot more powerful than your insecurities.”
Athlete Daily: What was your diet like when you first got into CrossFit? Did you get on the Paleo train?Ence: “Oh, of course! It was the fad. Carbs were the enemy. I didn’t realize how much fat I was eating [on Paleo]. I had like no carbs. I didn’t indulge in sweets or anything. I was training a lot. Athletes typically perform better on carbs and I don’t understand why a lot of people want to do keto (ketogenic diet) and want to function on fat.
I GET SO JUDGED BY THE WAY THAT I LOOK, I DO. BY CALLING ME A MAN OR [SAYING] I’M ON STEROIDS. IT TOOK A LONG TIME TO GET OVER THAT STUFF. IT’S SOMETHING I’LL WORK ON THE REST OF MY LIFE.
What I’ve realized and learned through working with someone is my performance and my body worked better fueling it with carbs and not fat. When I did cut down on fat I realized, ‘Oh my God, there’s fat in everything!’ my body composition changed. I only lost a few pounds but my body composition totally changed.I was feeling better. I wasn’t fat ever, I’ve never been fat, but I felt fluffy, softer. I was muscular, but I wasn’t cut. I was more inflamed and I think it was mostly due to my diet.”
Athlete Daily: You mentioned working with a nutrition coach starting last year. How has that helped you?
Ence: “I’ve been eating more than I used to! I work with one of my close friends, Adee, she owns Working Against Gravity (which is based on weighing and tracking macronutrients). I’ve stressed a lot about my body composition and weight and my numbers and she takes that stress off of me.Before that, I never really ate a lot of food. In my macros in 2015, I would do a high carbohydrate day once or twice a week when my volume was high. But my macros were probably 150 grams of carbs.A lot of my friends thought that I wasn’t eating enough. Adee also felt like I wasn’t eating enough.
I agreed to do what she said, so we upped my food. She kept adding more and more food until we got my bodyweight trending up. And it was tough at first. I was able to be OK being 155-lb instead of 150-lb and it was OK. It was nice to think about being able to give my body more fuel to perform better and watch it lean out. Now, I don’t want to gain or lose weight, I just want to maintain.
It took me a few years to re-wire my body to use food as fuel and I’m finally at a point where I can maintain the same body all the time with minor changes. But it did take me a long time to get my body to do that. I’m OK with the way I look all the time now.”
Athlete Daily: I would be, too. [Laughs.] Seriously, I think most people would look at you and wonder how did she ever NOT feel OK about how she looked?Ence: “I was a little bit crazy. I used to weigh myself every morning and every night because I needed to make sure that number stayed close to the same. I knew it was me but I was very obsessive and couldn’t stop. My husband told me he’d throw the scale away or hide it from me. This was years ago.Someone said to me, ‘Would you be upset at your weight if you won the CrossFit Games? Would you be OK being X amount heavier if all the things you were working toward you were achieving? I was like ‘No, I’d be fine.’
Over the past year and a half, I’ve used my weight and my numbers, and my measurements as data and it does not define me. People don’t just look up to me because of the way that I look.
And I realized that part because I don’t look up to certain people because of the way that they look. The reason I look up to people has nothing to do with their weight or measurements. If I’m inspired by someone it's because of who they are. Realizing that was very powerful.I don’t really care about the scale- it’s data. My goal is to be healthy and fit. And I’d love to win the CrossFit Games, but right now I just want to be training hard and PR’ing my lifts and all of that stuff. All that data has helped me achieve those other goals.I get so judged by the way that I look, I do. By calling me a man or [saying] I’m on steroids. It took a long time to get over that stuff. It’s something I’ll work on for the rest of my life. I’m in a different place than I was in 2014 training for the ’15 Regionals and when I got my very first sponsorship.I’ve been able to come face-to-face with my insecurities and figure them out. I’ve been able to see how great of a person I am and that I’m worth a lot more than my body.”
Athlete Daily: Earlier this year, you were sidelined for a while after undergoing neck surgery at the end of March. How tough was that and how did that alter your nutrition
Ence: “We dropped my protein by 10 grams and dropped carbs about 30 grams. (Before she was cleared for any activity post-operation, Ence was eating about 150 g protein, 175 g carbs, and 55 g fat.)
What helped me a lot through my recovery is Trifecta, my food sponsor. The food they have is clean, pre-portioned, and really good. It’s plain, which allows me to use it in different recipes at home. It’s made my nutrition a lot easier.
I will go out to eat for breakfast and get the same exact thing which makes it easy for me. I get four egg whites scrambled with turkey, mushrooms, peppers, and zucchini, three pieces of bacon, and three corn tortillas with black coffee. They’re really good breakfast tacos. Going out to lunch and dinner is trickier because you aren’t even sure what’s in things.My stomach has been temperamental for years. I have a hard time digesting fibrous foods- and gluten is also in there as well. I don’t totally cut all these things out, it would be a very limited diet. It’s not realistic because there are things on that diet I do like, so I deal with the consequences of having a stomachache.I will stay away from gluten if it’s an option. I don’t eat a ton of dairy and I don’t eat a lot of very fibrous veggies because they make me sick. And I found that out the hard way. I was trying to up my veggies and started eating a ton at every meal —I was roasting carrots and leeks and squash and brussels sprouts. I started to be so sick. Now, I eat them in very small doses.”
Athlete Daily: You have to have some guilty indulgences though, right?
Ence: “I won’t buy something if I shouldn’t eat it. People are like you need self-control. No, my self-control is I just don’t buy it because I’m aware I’m going to want it. Like with peanut butter. I have a hard time with peanut butter, I love it. I just won’t buy it all the time.I’d rather buy some cookies with friends, we all have one and the package is gone. What I won’t do is buy a package of cookies and put it in my cupboard. Even if I eat that food and make it fit in my diet, it’s still not good for me to indulge in that too often. If I don’t buy it, it’s not in my house and [I don’t] have this internal struggle.Or me and my best friend, we tend to ruin food. If we have something in the house —some of our friends have gotten very mad at us. if there’s something in the house we keep nibbling on, we’ll just throw it in the trash and get rid of it completely.
We’ll dunk it in the toilet and then throw it in the trash. I’ll do a similar thing out to eat. If there’s food on my plate, I’ll still pick at it even though I’m full or done. Sometimes we’ll pour salt all over it or cover it in hot sauce to ruin it so we can stop.”