WE ARE ALL ABOUT
authenticity & self-love
HEAR ME WHEN I SAY THIS
Authenticity and Self-Love are at the core of Anne Jones Coaching and Muscles & Mindset. I don’t believe that there is one way to eat, one way to get fit, one way to move, one way to stretch… I think the message that only one way is ‘right’ creates confusion and overwhelm for women cruising the web just looking for some guidance to reach their greatest potential. So for several years, my mission has been to share all I’ve learned about taking care of yourself in a way that works for YOU.
THIS IS US
Anne is a certified life coach, personal trainer, previously a Registered Massage Therapist, and the founder of Muscles & Mindset: a virtual community where women transform their lives through fitness, food and mindfulness.
She’s here to teach you how to fix your mindset and get fit and strong — without dieting or restrictions.
When she’s not bouncing around doing burpees, you can find her indulging in a Hawaiian pizza (with her daughter) and the occasional glass of red (with her husband).
Anne Jones
Muscles & Mindset Founder & Health Coach
Head Coach Taylor has a BSc of Science in Sports Strength and Conditioning and has been a certified nutrition and fitness coach for 5 years.
Her passion lies with helping people find a fitness and nutrition routine that allows them to successfully meet & maintain their health and wellness goals within their current lifestyle.
Taylor has been a hockey player for 17 years so she works out to skate faster, move better, remain injury free, and be an overall happier individual. Coach Taylor is here to help you find your groove and smash your fitness and physique goals!
Taylor Pilkington
Head Coach
Natalie is a busy mama of 2, a certified NASM CPT, a certified nutrition coach and has been privately coaching women since 2018.
Natalie believes that we find solutions to our health challenges by creating a focus on integrating sustainable habits, building strength through enjoyable movement, focusing on real, whole foods and creating and maintaining consistency in everyday life.
If Natalie isn't training for her next race, you can find her biking with her kiddos or trying to catch up with a good book.
Natalie Stratmoen
Certified Nutrition Coach & Personal Trainer
Laura is our Muscles & Mindset admin. She is a group fitness instructor, and really loves teaching Zumba classes. Laura has a background in psychology and counselling, wants to learn everything, and is always interested in your latest podcast recommendations. She loves coffee, yoga, and exploring with her husband and two kids.
Laura is your primary contact for billing and general admin and can be reached at musclesandmindset@gmail.com
Laura Taylor
Client Care Manager
Anne's Journey
2007
IN 2009, MY FITNESS PRO CAREER BEGAN
2015-2016
IN 2018, MUSCLES & MINDSET WAS BORN
2022
2023
By 2007, I was sometimes buying multiple giant Starbucks cookies in one day or buying boxes of cookies at the Dominion, eating half the box on the walk home and then hiding the box under my bed - they didn’t usually make it through the night.
That year, my roommate brought her leftover birthday cake home and I ate it all before she could have any. I was mortified. Ironically, she has now been my fitness client for three years now!) In the university common area, I saw one of those papers with the strips you tear off asking students to participate in a nutrition study. I don’t remember what it was on but I remember sitting in a dark room with the professor, she asking me questions about my binge eating and nutrition for the first time ever. After I finished the study she must’ve referred me for free nutrition coaching with one of the nutrition students, Billie Hermosa (I follow her on IG - she is a dietician in Ottawa and does CrossFit). Working with Billie, she had my track my food which I did diligently (I love to excel at a task!) She validated that I ate like a normal, active young person. She gave me permission to eat at 9:30 when I was hungry after our 6 pm dorm dinner ended. She taught me to feel my hunger cues and incorporate protein. She taught me how to eat intuitively and it’s never been the same.
I was a Journalism undergraduate student at Ryerson University, where I was the teacher’s pet in most of the group fitness classes at Ryerson University Athletic Centre.
Choosing my own food and fitness was a cold shower after being guided by my mama and dancing 10-20 hours a week throughout high school, but I began my journey from an unhappy, unhealthy place, insecure about my university weight gain of 30 pounds.
Group fitness became my sanctuary. It felt natural (logical, instinctive) for me to start group fitness.
I cut back on my classes. I prioritized yoga and began training the way I asked my clients to train - consistently and intentionally with weights, minimal cardio. By the time I got pregnant and had my daughter, it barely phased my body. I was more ready and strong for childbirth than I had ever been. Although I see no need for women to ‘bounce back quickly’ I bounced back as soon as I was cleared to do so, by intelligently prioritizing progressive mobility and strength training. I was back to my pre-pregnancy shape within a few weeks.
- 2019: I was a burnout mama, online fitness coach, RMT and yoga teacher, telling myself, “Overwhelm is my thing.” I had a one-year-old I was still learning how to parent, no family to lean on, a 5-month old online coaching business and a very busy massage therapy practice with a waitlist. I was working at a massage clinic 2-4 days/week, looking after my friend’s newborn baby two days/week, coaching my online clients during the two babies’ nap times, keeping up with my workouts while everyone else was sleeping, and somehow still maintaining a social life. And I thought this hustle was all normal and required - there was just something wrong with me that I couldn’t handle it and it felt overwhelming. That's when I hired my first coach, Andrea. She taught me how to identify limiting beliefs and manage my emotions, to make decisions faster, to let go of all that wasn’t serving me, to trust my intuition, and stop hustling for my worthiness.
I clearly remember sitting in the dark, on my couch, from 5-7 a.m. every day, while my husband got ready for work and our one-year-old daughter slept, creating my first online coaching program. I was looking after another baby half the week and working as an RMT the other half of the week.
I was tired of seeing massage therapy patients who wanted to be fixed by a massage therapy session with me. I needed my clients to realize that there was homework and activity changes to be carried on personally after their visit to maintain their results. I had a dream of coaching women holistically – fitness, lifestyle, nutrition and self-care – with the opportunity to help more than one client or patient in a room at one time.
I found my calling as an online health coach. My team and I can coach dozens of women across the continent, at one time, while still giving them one-on-one attention and coaching. Pinch me. I’m living the dream.
After receiving coaching, I could sleep alone at night, which was so freeing, but my nervous system was still often dysregulated. I could not focus on one task to completion, I had trouble shutting my brain off, being peaceful and present, and was easily triggered by certain things. I worked with a nervous system coach and it was transformational. She taught me how to identify a stress response, 1-5 minute tools to regulate the nervous system, how to identify unconscious beliefs and literally unblock them. I now use those tools with my 1:1 clients.
My body is not perfect. I am 35 and had a baby AND a doctor manipulate my abdomen and womb to manually flip her - that took its toll. Yet I am SO confident.I am strong AF. My hips and low back doesn’t hurt anymore. I am so consistent with my training that I don’t stress about missing a workout because I know that there’s another one coming. At the same time it’s very easy and normal for me to workout on vacation (if I want to). I literally don’t think about food until I’m hungry or planning my day of nutritious eating. I don’t feel strong cravings and if I do I honour them. I ENJOY food - on date nights, when I travel, whenever I am hungry. I feel calm around food. AND my clothes fit. It’s just easy. I lost 20 lb without caring or trying really hard.