Meet the SQUAD: An Interview with Beverley Cheng
An interview with Beverley Cheng
...on self-confidence, beyonce + why she was born to sweat
Beverley Cheng is the definition of an entrepreneur. As a 20-something athlete living in Toronto, Canada, Beverley has a lot going on for herself. She is a freelance creative, writer, personal trainer, fitness model, and social media influencer, all while working a full-time job and creating content for her fitness blog Born to Sweat. Her balanced approached to health and fitness is a totally refreshing perspective in a world saturated by strict approaches.
So I wanted to check-in with Beverley on what she does to get back on track, her go-to workouts, and how the hell she stays so confident. I'm seriously stoked (like I'm talking fan girl, girl crush, lady boner type of stoked) to have Beverley on TWR as part of the SQUAD! I know you will dig her real, relatable vibe as much as me...
1. So, tell us, who is Beverley Cheng?
Hello! So my name is Beverley and I currently live in Toronto, Canada. I wear manyyyyy hats when it comes to working, but my full time job is actually in marine insurance (basically anything to do with boats haha). On the side I run my blog (borntosweat.co) and am a sports model as well as a personal trainer.
2. From start to finish, what does your normal day look like?
The summers are the best because I get to sleep in a littleeee bit longer than in the winters. So currently I’ll wake up at 7 am, make breakfast for myself (eggs and veggies) and throw that in a container. I bike to work and get there for 8 am. Usually I’ll have a coffee and then eat my breakfast around 10 am. I work till 4 pm, then I go straight to the gym afterwards – if I go home, then I’ll never leave again! I come back from the gym around 6 pm, shower, and then make dinner for myself and my boyfriend. I work on my blog basically from 8-10 pm, and then either read or watch a show until bedtime (generally 11 pm ish).
3. When did you realize that you were "born to sweat"?
I changed my blog name earlier this year from Sweaty & Fit to Born to Sweat. I felt that this name just resonated with me really well – I’m a SUPER sweaty person and I used to be so embarrassed about it growing up. Over the years I’ve slowly learnt to embrace this quirky flaw and accept that in everything I do, I’m going to do it pretty sweatily. I’ve had lots of people send me messages saying that they used to hate how much they sweat as well, until they saw how much I promote it and show it off. I love that it gives other people confidence in themselves.
4. Living in Toronto as a freelance creative, social media influencer, model AND blogger, how do you keep your health & fitness so dialed in?
Basically I know that if I didn’t stay dialed in, I would have very little credibility in a lot of the things that I say and do. Clients wouldn’t hire me for photoshoots, and people probably wouldn’t believe in my opinions or workouts as much. Fitness and sports have ALWAYS been a priority for me, every year of my life. It gives me something to look forward to, and it’s given me more confidence in myself than I would have ever imagined. When you look at exercise in that sort of light, it’s easy to stay focused.
5. You talk a lot about your past struggles with self-confidence. What advice would you give someone going through a similar situation?
I feel like anything I say to for this question will sound so cliché, but here goes nothing haha. For me, embracing my flaws (being ultra sweaty, having big thighs, or dark hair on my arms) was a big step in becoming more confident. You think so many people notice these things about you, but really, no one does. Everyone is so worried about their own problems. I also had a lot of self-confidence issues when it came to people who wouldn’t treat me well as a friend, so I quickly figured out that I had to cut those people from my life. As soon as I did that, I became much happier and much more focused on the things that matter. Don’t hang out with people who make you feel bad about yourself, and don’t focus on the negative small things that mean nothing in the long run.
6. What do you do to get back on track after one too many beers or a few missed workouts?
I just go back to my normal routine as quickly as I can – homemade lunches, working out 4-5 days a week, drinking tons of water, and trying to avoid anything that is too greasy, cheesy, or carb-y. I only will restrict myself like this for a week max, and then go back to my normal 80/20 routine.
7. Top 3 health rules you live by:
- Make working out a priority
- Always pack a lunch for Monday to Thursday (and treat yo'self on Fridays!)
- If you want pizza for dinner, order a damn pizza for dinner and don’t even think about feeling guilty
8. You're one fashionable fitness chick. What are your go-to brands for workout clothes?
Well thank you!! I’m pretty straight forward when it comes to workout clothing – Nike Pro shorts for bottoms, I love Lulu and Nike for sports bras, when I wear shirts they are usually from Adidas, Nike, or Lulu (again).
Gap has an amazing selection of active wear, so I have a couple pairs of leggings from there that I love and are super affordable.
And sneakers – well Nike sent me like 5 pairs in the last 6 months**, so you can guess what I’m wearing on my feet =P
**editor's note: can you say totally jealous??!
9. What's your favorite workout when you're short on time?
This workout I absolutely LOVE, and always do when I’m traveling and don’t have a lot of time or equipment
10. Biggest health/fitness myth and what to do instead?
Counting macros? I don’t know if that’s a myth, but I think it’s a waste of time and sounds like no fun. I eat super intuitively and listen to my body. If I ate carbs at breakfast, I try to cut down on them for lunch. If I’m working out in the evening, I’ll make sure to eat a lot of carbs and protein at dinner.
There is no need to be so strict about what exact calories you’re putting in your body when you can just be smart about it.
11. What goals have you set for yourself in the coming year?
I’m not really a goals type of gal, but I like to have things to work towards all the time. I’d love to be able to work up to a flag pole (holding your body horizontally on a pole like a flag, haha). I’d also love to be able to eventually quit working my full-time job and focus on training, modeling, and of course, running my blog. That’s a long term goal though and is still in the works :)
12. Words to workout by?
If you’re not sweating, you’re not working hard enough... at least that’s what I say to myself ha!
13. If you had to choose, would you rather complete a workout with Beyonce or get free pizza for a year?
Omggg why you do dis to me. Obviously Beyonce. I can buy my own pizza...or my boyfriend can ;)
