Snatch 100lbs
Clean & Jerk 135lbs
Deadlift 250lbs
5K run 23mins
2K row 8:10mins
125 miles biking in 8 hours
CrossFit Level 2 Certification
CrossFit Scaling Course
CrossFit Judges Course
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
PhD in Human Nutrition – focused on investigating the relationships between sleep, nutrition, and health outcomes; assisted in building and validating a cognitive behavioral therapy based sleep program.
Chen is passionate about health and helping others reach their health goals to pursue a quality life. She incorporated sleep into her wellness practice over the past several years with the belief that sleep, nutrition, and physical activities are foundational to health. In 2021, Chen discovered CrossFit and was astonished by the methodology of CrossFit and the results that it provides. Chen felt she has never been so fit in her life after only 6 months of CrossFit experience. Chen digs deeper, learns, coaches, and contributes to the CrossFit community. She hopes to share what she learned with other athletes. Chen has invested over 10 years in learning nutrition and helping others with their nutritional and health needs. Chen holds a B.S. in Dietetics from Iowa State University, a master’s in public health from Baylor University, and a Ph.D. in human nutrition from Michigan State University. In addition, Chen worked as a registered dietitian in clinical settings for 5 years taking care of a variety of patients with acute and chronic illnesses, and she also served as a personal dietitian for Chong He, a Chinese Diver and Olympic Game Gold Medalist.
Chen grew up in a family that put emphasis on academics. Therefore, her family did not allow her to participate in sports. However, Chen has always been active in nature and loves sports. She would skip lunch to squeeze out some extra time to play basketball in middle and high school with her classmates. Given her family background, she was never trained as an athlete or played sports growing up. The sports dream never died in Chen. She immediately jumped into the Iowa State Triathlon Club the first year she went to college. Even though she was the slowest one on the team, she never gave up. She believed that this is the way to develop her athletic skills and pursue her athletic dream. Given their perseverance, she grew fast and became an endurance athlete and competed in two statewide triathlon races. She also holds a personal record of biking 125 miles in 8 hours. Life throws curveballs at you when things are going well. Injuries started coming from the impact of miles and miles of running for Chen. She had to stop running in order to recover from a substantial injury in her right leg. Chen was frustrated at times and thought of never being able to pursue her athletic dream again. However, their passion for the athletic pursuit did not die once again in Chen. She was in physical therapy for months, discussed her fears and feelings with friends and family throughout for mental health, and finally, she was able to persevere through this challenge. Later on, Chen discovered CrossFit, a sport that trains for functional movement. She started CrossFit out of curiosity and soon the sport of CrossFit became her passion. Chen was an endurance athlete during college and never knew she could develop both strength and metabolic endurance until she joined CrossFit. She is addicted to CrossFit ever since she started it. She is becoming better and better daily and would like to help others to do the same. Chen is in CrossFit to show the world you can make your life whatever you want it to be, despite all the disadvantages you have. Chen is setting her eyes on the CrossFit games, despite not playing sports growing up, having multiple injuries, and starting the sport in her early 30s. Do you think she can make it?
My primary purpose for coaching is to help athletes move better, move safely, make progress, and reach their goals in fitness. I am also motivated to help athletes with their sleep and nutrition in order to improve their quality of life and training.
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