Official Bio:

Health and Fitness Coach Gillian Goerzen (she/her) wants you to ditch your diet and quit doing workouts you dread. With a degree in Kinesiology and over 20 years of health coaching experience, Gillian’s personalized lifestyle strategies have helped hundreds of clients redefine what health and fitness means to them, and bring that unique vision of health and fitness to their (real) life. From hating her body at the age of 5, it took more than 20 years, an eating disorder, an Ironman, and becoming a mom to finally uncover the kinder, more compassionate approach to health and fitness that she teaches today.

About My Philosophy:

My Story

I didn’t always love to move my body. In fact I didn’t even like it for the first half of my life! Growing up, I was the chubby kid in the corner who didn’t like PE (or her body). The struggle continued throughout my childhood and teens, my relationship with my body was contentious at best. I had a great life growing up, but there was always this “not enough-ness” lurking in the shadows, tainting my experience and holding me back. When I was 19 something began to shift. I fell in love with running. That year at my summer job I met a bunch of awesome people who ran for the love of running and the pursuit of personal goals (not to win the race or to lose weight). It was an “aha” moment for me.

I began running and before long I was hooked. Next thing I knew I was doing a triathlon, then a 1/2 marathon and before I knew it I was completing Ironman Canada (an ultra-distance triathlon). I surprised many people in my life – but most of all I surprised myself. I never knew what I was capable of until I stepped out of the box and went for it. It was transformative. I felt liberated! Once I had experienced the transformative power of getting active I had to follow my heart and my passion and help others find their love for movement.

I knew I needed the knowledge and skills to back my passion. At the time I was enrolled in Kinesiology at Simon Fraser University with the hopes of moving into a Masters in Physiotherapy at UBC. I continued with my degree in Kinesiology but with new found focus and inspiration. I was in awe of the human body and all it was capable of. With my Kinesiology degree and further training as a Registered Personal Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor, I began my rewarding career as a fitness professional. At first, working in Corporate Health and Wellness, then in 2013 starting Super You.  

I’ve been fortunate to work in the fitness industry for over 20 years. I’ve helped hundreds of people improve their fitness and redefine what “fit” means to them. Most importantly I’ve been blessed to help people discover the joy of movement! It’s been such a gift to witness the transformation that happens when people find ways to move their (awesome) body that truly light them up! 

Throughout my career while my relationship with my fitness shifted considerably, I still struggled with food and my body. In my eyes, my body still didn’t measure up. Not by society’s standards, and certainly not by the standards set by the fitness industry. I felt like I didn’t “look the part” and placed high priority on “fixing” what I viewed as “broken.” I demonized and moralized food and bought into every diet, plan and program you can think of. I counted, measured and obsessed. I called it “a lifestyle.” It wasn’t. It was all varying forms of restriction and disordered eating. And it was exhausting. And then I discovered Intuitive Eating. 

As I explored this anti-diet, Health at Every Size (HAES®) approach the sigh from my body was palpable. YES! This, this is what I’ve been waiting for. Integrating this work into my own philosophy and approach as a Personal Trainer and Health Coach has been truly transformative.  As a Certified Intuitive Eating Counsellor this work has enabled me to help people really reclaim their life from the clutches of Diet Culture and truly feel free around food and fitness. To experience Body Liberation!