The Fitness Guru Who Knows A Thing Or Two About Body Positivity

There's a lot to like about badass health and fitness goddess Christmas Abbott. Speaking of likes, her Instagram page aptly gets a psychotic onslaught of them—after all, she boasts 400K+ followers. And what's not to like? (Answer: nothing.) The proof is in the posts: there's the non-eye-rolling-inducing inspirational but with a high-kick mantras (Highlights include "Instant stress release: airplane mode." and the very on brand "I should probably kick some ass today.") as well as many an amazing abs/triceps/tattoos on display posts. (She better work!) But if the Crossfit superstar's Instagram somehow isn't enough to motivate you to become your best self, then get help. JK. But you might wanna/you absolutely should get her new book, The Badass Life, which is a day-by-day guide designed to teach you how to slay (in a good way) your mind/body/spirit/life.

For Abbott, becoming your best self isn't all about hitting the gym 24/7. (Thank God!) The key is balance. Spiritual awareness, positive thinking, healthy eating, brainpower-boosting, fun. It's all happening. In short, whether it's her Instagram posts or her The Badass Life challenges, Abbott makes everyday feel like Christmas. Well, minus the candy canes. And who doesn't love Christmas? We surely loved Abbott even more after our recent chat.

Q: How did you first get into body fitness and awareness?

A: I was working in Iraq and realized I needed to take better care of myself. I wanted something more for myself. I drank and smoked as a teenager and into my early twenties. I was able to start deciding what my life looked like instead of just letting life happen to me like I had been doing. I made a month commitment to myself to stick to a (relatively easy) workout program 2-3x a week, 20 minutes each time. By the end of the month, I started to feel a difference and it created an excitement to keep going!

Q: In what ways can women inspire each other to be more positive about their bodies?

A: Embrace what makes you you! Find ways to embrace the "flaws" and make them into your power parts! Know that your body is yours and not everyone is made the same—this is a good thing! When you have confidence in yourself and your body, people see that as sexy. When someone gives you a compliment, take it! Don't undercut yourself in any way.

Q: What leadership and career advice would you give to other women who are pursuing their own personal brand?

A: Have a clear vision of what you want and what you want to provide. You shouldn't do it all by yourself either. Build your team of people who believe in your vision and will support you but also challenge you. A solid team who holds your core values as theirs is imperative to success.

Q: Would you consider yourself a feminist?

A: I believe in people. Whatever label that means it puts on me, then so be it. I want to see humans evolve to embrace more patience, understanding, and support with one another. Helping people find an improved version of themselves is part of my mission. I simply want to help people find that good person inside of them.

Q: What's your best motivational advice?

A: Do today what others won't so you can do tomorrow what others can't.

Q: What's been your biggest personal achievement? What would you like to achieve next?

A: My biggest achievement is an accumulation of the success stories of my followers. They are a huge reason I do what I do and their success is a personal win for me. I am continuously creating new goals for myself and my work. I believe as people we need to grow and evaluate our potential and what we want out of life.

Q: Tell us about your new book, "The Badass Life."

A: It is all about how to incorporate positive change without setting yourself up for failure. Each chapter is a different habit or lesson to learn. I give you my personal experience with that subject, and then I guide you on how to make positive changes to create your own path and experience. It focuses a lot on mental strength and positive outlooks. What we give attention to grows—it's the fuel. I want to teach people that positive fuel creates positive outcomes.

Q: Can you tell us about your partnership with Second Skin?

A:Second Skin is a new complete line of compression apparel made specifically for badass high-intensity athletes like myself and sold exclusively on SecondSkin.com and Dicks.com. I started working with Second Skin in April when they first launched because I am a huge fan of the products and really believe in what the brand represents–bringing high-quality compression apparel to overlooked athletes who are more concerned with performance rather than how they look. Whether you're a CrossFitter, triathlete, obstacle course racer, or just someone who loves high-intensity training, Second Skin was designed to adapt to the needs of an athlete's body regardless of how rigorous the activity. It keeps up with the high demand of performance from me!