our story
I kind of stumbled across turning my baking into a business. I've been baking since I was 11. Basically, since I took my first home economics class. The idea of making all these yummy treats and getting to bring them home was so cool to me. My dad was my biggest fan. No matter what I made, good or bad, he ate and always encouraged me to continue perfecting my recipes. He had his favorites, and I still make those to this day. But up till about 6 months ago, it was really just a fun hobby. I would have my "Sunday cheat days", and bake the craziest things I could think of. Because I ate so clean during the week, I would find a way to incorporate and indulge in all the bad food I wanted. My friends, of course, loved this hobby of mine. They all got to partake in the treats. Sometime earlier this year, I started cooking for a friend of mine and her family once a week. I would bring over healthy treats for the kids as their dessert or snack. One day, I posted one of the healthy kid friendly cookies I made, and suddenly people started hitting me up asking what I sold my treats for. It was then that I realized this could actually turn into a business for me. So baked by sha sha was born, making clean and cheat treats.
I wanted to stick with keeping everything gluten free - for both healthy and non - with varieties of vegan, paleo, or nut free. I like to take concepts and ideas that remind people of a memory. Something that puts a smile on their face and either make the best version of it, or turn it into a healthy version that they don't feel guilty indulging in. Things like chocolate chip cookies, carrot cake, banana bread, pb&j sandwiches, etc. Eating is something we all enjoy. My goal is to make something that you've had before but better or show you a different way of eating it. And if it all makes you smile and rub your belly, then I've done my job. I also think it's important to make healthy food taste good. A lot of people struggle with finding foods, especially snacks and treats, that are good for them and actually taste good. I wanted to make food that was good for you and that you really wanted to eat, even crave. I don't like to use preservatives or anything that's artificial, in both the clean and cheat treats. It's better for your body's digestion and all around health.
I think my company is different and stands out from others because of my history of having an unhealthy relationship with food and my body. It's allowed me a unique perspective. It's given me a deeper understanding and appreciation for the value of nutrition and how it affects us. I want to show that balance is important. That it's ok to "cheat" once in awhile and allow yourself the reward when you're living a clean and healthy lifestyle.
Fitness has always been a part of my life, in one way shape or form My path to becoming a trainer was not only driven from a physical point, but from an emotional one as well. I was a really athletic and active kid growing up, from swimming to tennis to basketball. In high school, I became very involved in sports and was part of the varsity teams in soccer, basketball and softball. But as athletic as I was, my knowledge of health, fitness and nutrition was quite scarce. I ate whatever I wanted and didn't really workout except for the daily practices. As a result, I was considered "overweight". I was teased and made fun of a lot. This caused a lot of insecurity and I developed a hatred for my body. Then it was off to college, where I gained the famous "freshman 15", or in my case closer to 20-25. I wasn't playing sports on a collegiate level, so I became quite inactive. I remember going home for Christmas my freshman year, and being told that I was the biggest I'd ever been and my weight gain was shocking. As always, so great to hear for the ego. I went back to school and developed your typical eating disorder. I starved myself. It wasn't till some friends sat me down for my "coming to jesus" moment, that I realized the damage I was doing to myself. I finally decided to join a gym. It was at this moment that working out became a staple in my life. I worked out almost everyday. My knowledge in nutrition was still not developed, so I experimented a lot with different ideas and philosophies. I was starting to feel good about myself but I wasn't ready to be a trainer yet, regardless of what everyone was telling me.
Long story short, it took me almost 10 years to finally take training seriously. I finally felt comfortable enough in my knowledge of fitness to be able to help others. I started training at Crunch Fitness a little over 10 years ago. I was one of the top trainers in the company for a few years, till I went on my own. I now run my own personal training business side by side with the baking. Along the way, I've learned a lot about nutrition. I used myself as a guinea pig. I tested everything. That way, I could honestly tell my clients what I felt worked for me and what didn't. And I could pass on any information I had learned first hand. A couple of years ago, I developed digestive inflammation, which really drove the idea home that there isn't one perfect way to eat. We're all different and what works for me, may not work for someone else, and vice versa.
I'm really excited about what's to come. It's definitely a learning process, but I'm happy to take in any information, critique and help that comes my way. I know it won't be easy and it takes a lot of patience and perseverance, but I've never been known to take the easy route. I love what I do. I love the world of fitness and health and I truly believe it shows in what I do. One of the biggest compliments I've gotten is when someone couldn't tell the difference between my clean and cheat treats. If I can convince everyone that being healthy tastes good too, then I feel like I've made a difference.