Readiness Fitness

2017. The year that was all about me. I was turning 30 that summer and had a list of things I wanted to do before that big birthday came. A few of those things included losing some weight, running a 5k in less than 35 minutes and essentially getting my life back. I had put myself on the back burner since having a baby in the fall of 2013. I was focused on making sure my son was happy and in the midst of that, I forgot who I was before becoming a mom. 

In the fall of 2016, I saw a friend posting almost daily on social media about the challenge she was currently doing at this gym she was going to. I wanted to eat the delicious food she was talking about and intrigued about these workouts she said were amazing. I talked to my best friend and asked if she wanted to join the next round of this challenge with me, and she agreed! 

So, I signed up and impatiently waited for the challenge to start. I thought I was going to do a 6 week challenge, lose some weight, get back into shape and be on my merry way. Little did I know was that I wasn't joining a gym, I was joining a family. A home away from home.  

I went to my first class and afterwards I honestly didn't know how I was even going to walk to my car, let alone get through another class ever. I worked harder in that class than I ever had in my life. But I was hooked! The atmosphere and the energy that day was like nothing I had ever experienced in my life. I still look back on that class and can remember it like it was yesterday! 

I've done multiple challenges since then, and each challenge I learn a little bit more about myself. I've changed a lot since starting at Readiness, and not just on the outside, but also on the inside. I am a better mom, wife, friend, co worker and woman because of what I have learnt about myself since starting at Readiness. I have made life long friendships here, and can not thank Tracy enough for the community she has created here.

Owner/Founder

Certified Personal Transformation Coach

Certified Personal Trainer

Spartan SGX Level 2 Coach

I am Tracy Read, I am a wife, mother, and owner of Readiness Fitness.  I have two children, a son who is 25 and a daughter who is 13 and am a proud new Grandma! 

From 2009 - 2012 I had been attending different types of  Boot Camp & fitness classes.  One night a new member came to Boot Camp, the second she walked in you could tell she was feeling intimidated and very uncomfortable.  It was obvious that this was a whole new world for her.  She joined in and about fifteen minutes into the class she left the room.  After a few minutes, I went to check on her and found her feeling faint, defeated, and upset.  I told her about my own fight with my weight and encouraged her to come back into class.  She did!  

I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason.  That night I sent my trainer an email, along with my before and after photo, to send to his new client. I wanted her to know that I was truly speaking from experience and that I had once been very overweight as well. 

I decided that night that this was the opportunity I had been looking for, this is what I wanted to do, I wanted to motivate other women during their journey to health and fitness. I wanted to create a place where women felt welcomed, safe, encouraged and motivated. Where they could start their fitness journey and then strive for even more. Where they would feel like they belonged regardless of their shape, age, size or fitness level.

I decided I would develop a program specifically for women, using my personal experience as the foundation of the program. A spark was lit in January 2012.

Readiness Fitness came to life in June 2012 and has been growing rapidly since.

Readiness started with just 26 female members when we opened in June 2012. We now have over 300 active clients, including women, men and children.  We grew very rapidly because we are different, fun, and supportive! 

In April 2018 we moved into our beautiful new location. Our goal with this new location was for it to feel and be “elevated”.  Above everything we had done before, I think we accomplished that.

My passion and my purpose in life is to help people be the very best possible versions of themselves, inside and out. At Readiness we are TRANSFORMING lives through fitness, nutrition and self-awareness.

My fitness journey started slowly after being severely overweight for over 20 years.  I started with 1 yoga class and a low impact cardio class per week.  I started making better nutritional choices and had lost about 25lbs.  I started feeling stronger and better and noticed some physical changes.  Our resident “Dancing Queen” Lynn suggested I try this new gym she found.  She said I would love it and she was right.

I joined Readiness as a client in May 2014.  I was so nervous.  I had just turned 41 and felt slow.  I thought I might look weak or out of place.  I thought for sure I’d stick out as a newbie.  What I found was so much more than a gym or fitness studio.  I found a community of women that have changed my life.  A supportive environment for everyone to flourish.  A place where all levels of fitness all ages and all sizes are working together but for their own goals. You must commit to yourself.

Since joining Readiness I have found tremendous success in my weight loss and fitness journey.  I have lost 65lbs. taking me to 90lbs in total.  I have repeatedly gotten out of my comfort zone and tried things I never imagined myself trying let alone crushing.  In May 2015 I became the Readiness Fitness Ambassador.  I tried every class offered.  I joined every challenge and even signed up for Spartan.

August 2017 I took my Fitness Instructor Specialist course and started teaching Combat Cardio and ASS n Abs in September soon adding Cardio Kickboxing to my schedule.  February 2018 I took the PiYo Live certification.  November 2018 I certified in Strong by Zumba and December 2018 I took my Barre Above certification also.  I teach the above mentioned classes as well as Rep It Out, Boot camp, Wave and fill in where ever needed.

I feel so proud to be teaching at the very place where it all started for me.  It is so inspiring to watch people progress and find success in their own journeys.  I’m so proud to give support to those who need it just as I received.

Certified PTS (CanFit Pro)

Yoga Alliance - Basic Asanas, Power Yoga for Athletes

Spartan SGX Coach, Spartan Obstacle Specialist

I first walked through the doors at Readiness Fitness as a client in June 2014. I had just come off my maternity leave with my second son and was looking for a place to get back to being active on a more regular basis. In short, I was hooked after a couple of classes. I loved the community, the people and the support I received from trainers and fellow members.

After a year as a client, I pursued my Personal Training Specialist certification through CanFit Pro and joined the Readiness Fitness Training Team in the summer of 2015.  In the last three years, I have also become certified to teach beginner yoga and Power Yoga for Athletes through Saskatoon’s Namaskar Yoga Studio (an Internationally Registered Yoga Teacher Training School with Yoga Alliance).

I joined the Readiness Fitness Spartan Racing team in January 2015. Since then I have ran in almost a dozen Spartan races (three trifectas!). I also qualified and raced in the Obstacle Course Race World Championships in 2016 and 2017. In 2018, I took the next step and got my Spartan SGX Coaching and Obstacle Specialist certifications. I run Readiness Fitness’ Spartan SGX Program and a run Club.

I teach Monday and Tuesday’s at 5:30 a.m. (BodyBlitz30), Wednesday’s at 7 p.m. (a 75-minute Restorative Stretch class).

I am thrilled to be a part of such a diverse and incredible training team at Readiness. I am a firm believer that small incremental changes over time can lead to amazing results. All you have to do is show up, focus on what you can do, and do your best!

Outside of Readiness, I am the CEO of Blossom Communications Inc. – a marketing and communications company that helps businesses and organizations flourish. I have been married since 2004 and am a mom to two active boys who love kids classes and camps at Readiness. I love to cook, garden and run.

See you at the gym!

Certified SPRA Fitness Leader

Certified Turbo Kick

HIGH Fitness Instructor 

I developed a love for fitness early in life. It started with my love of dancing, which I did growing up. In my teens, I discovered a new way to enjoy fitness when my mom bought me a Kathy Smith workout video. 

I got my group fitness certification in 1996 and have been teaching fitness classes ever since. I have taught a variety of classes including Low Impact, Hi/Lo, Step, Interval, sculpt, Boot camp & Circuit. I love music and choreography and having fun while working out.

I joined Readiness Fitness as a client in April 2014 and am happy have joined the team of trainers at Readiness to share my enthusiasm for fitness with the Readiness family.

Hello, my name is Natasja Barlow and I am thrilled to be a part of the Readiness Fitness Training Team!

From as far as I can remember I have always struggled with my weight, food and body image. I could count the times on one hand when I have looked in the mirror and said WOW… you are FABULOUS, you look BEAUTIFUL, and I LOVE YOU!  

In 2014 my neighbor asked if I wanted to join a little black dress challenge at this ladies gym and immediately I rolled my eyes and said, “a ladies gym?” I judged it WAY before I even knew anything about it. But my armor was up and I really wasn’t looking to make friends or get involved in a community. At the same time I was struggling every day watching my oldest son take on the battle of his life with Crohn’s disease. I had never felt so out of control and helpless as I did in 2014 and I was starting to go back to old habits of eating my feelings and not paying attention to my own health and wellness. I really had nothing to lose at this point and figure why not just give it a try.

I walked into my first class at Readiness October 2014 and I liked it, it was ok, and  I figured I would finish the challenge and then head back to my regular gym where no one knew me and I just showed up when I could. But along the way I started to feel that I needed Readiness and that was the game changer. Seeing the other ladies with the same struggles, knowing I wasn’t alone, cheering each other on, and having authentic relationships with people that just accepted me for me….it was this that kept me there and these are the same reasons I have made the choice to stay for the past 4 years.

Over the last 4 years I have become a member of our Spartan team, tried most of the classes, attended workshops, built amazing  lifelong friendships and my husband and my son Lennon also take part in classes offered at the gym – this truly is the community I needed. So when Tracy approached me around teaching P90X I was BLOWN AWAY…not only did I love that program but I was ready in my life to take on another challenge.

My transformation at Readiness has been both physical and psychological and my journey continues.  When I look at some photos of when I joined to photos now I see an ambitious, happy, loving , loyal person and I finally look in the mirror after 42 years and can truly say…You are FABULOUS, You look BEAUTIFUL and I LOVE YOU! This gift that I was given by Tracy and Readiness has changed my life, my attitude, my relationships, and my outlook of what I am truly capable of living.

I look forward to meeting you and hearing about your journey!

Jill started as a client at Readiness in 2016. She taught fitness classes, and fitness yoga classes for 15 years during and after university. She took some time off from the gym in 2018 to complete her 200-hour Hatha yoga teacher training and now she is back at Readiness teaching yoga.

Certified SPRA Group Fitness/Total Body Conditioning Instructor

Before joining Readiness, I had struggled with my weight my entire life. I would lose it on some “diet” or “fad” but soon, I would see it come back on. At my heaviest in 1999, I was 220lbs and could not see a way of getting it off. I did have some success along the way and lost the weight over the years, but I never really tackled the emotional side to my eating. Without understanding how to handle my anxiety, depression and stress, the weight would always creep up.

I had seen a few of the Readiness challenges advertised before and each time I wanted to join, I would always say to myself, “nevermind, you can do this on your own...you’ve done it before”. In the spring of 2017, I decided to try the challenge that Readiness was offering and became a client. I thought that I would complete the challenge and then be done. There was no way I would stay longer than that.

I went through my first challenge and followed everything by healthy eating, drinking water, resting and regular exercise. Things began to click. I also began to understand what my triggers for my eating were. But, it wasn’t until my second challenge that something incredible happened...I “changed”. My fitness journey became less about the weight and more on living the moment, understanding what my triggers were, and CHOOSING to live my life in the most positive way. I also opened up to the community and I am so glad I did because this “home away from home” is full of such inspiring people that I am so blessed to call my friends! I have become a better person because I’ve surrounded myself by these incredible people!

Through encouragement of the Readiness training team, I decided to try something new. They saw in me something that I hadn’t even realized I had. In the spring of 2018, I became a part of the Spartan racing team, where I ran my first obstacle course race in Red Deer, AB. Setting this goal and crossing the finish line has made me realize that I can do and be anything as long as I want it and work hard to achieve it! AROO! In 2019, I plan on running my first trifecta (3 races in 1 calendar year) in 3 countries: USA, Canada, and Austria!

In the fall of 2018, I decided to learn more about fitness and got my SPRA Group Fitness/total body conditioning certification. Tracy asked me to join the Readiness training team in January 2019!

I still cannot believe I am a part of this incredible team. I am excited to meet each of you and help you along with your journey. It makes my heart full to know that I will be able to share my passion for health and fitness with each person who walks through our Readiness home. You will find me teaching Bootcamp classes as well as filling in whenever needed.

Welcome!