The Team
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Fitness & Sports Performance Experts
Lindsay Boardman - Owner/Trainer
CanFit PRO PTS, CanFit PRO ADV PTS, Precision Nutrition Level 1, Poliquin PICP Level1 & 2, CHEK Holistic Lifestyle Coach Level 1, FMT Certified, Kinakin Muscle testing & Activation, TRX R4 & BOSU Integrated Balance, CanFit PRO TRAINER, CPR A
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Lindsay Boardman is a personal trainer and owner of Meraki Fitness & Sports Performance. With over 10 years in the fitness industry, she has gained experience through a variety of courses and as a presenter for CanFit PRO. Her personal experiences over the years with weight, stress management and making herself a priority when “life gets in the way” has allowed her personal insight into every day struggles clients may face. She embraces the philosophy of Meraki “Putting a piece of your heart, soul & creativity into everything that you do” and believes that no matter the goal, a personalized and balanced approach between lifestyle, movement & mobility will lead to success and improve overall health.
Chad Ryder - Trainer
CanFit PRO PTS, DTS Level 1, CPR A
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Growing up I was always active in a variety of sports but was always the “little” guy. When I first joined the gym in my 20’s I only weighed 125lbs and was looking to gain weight and add some muscle. By focusing on my nutrition, following a workout plan and changing my lifestyle I was able to achieve my goal weight of 165lbs and at the same time find my passion for health and fitness.
Now, being in my 40’s my goal is to show that health and fitness is a lifelong journey~ that it’s not just about weight loss or gaining muscle, but being able to move without pain, waking up with energy ready to tackle the day and most importantly being able to enjoy everything life has to offer! It’s never too late to start, make a change and start living!
Taylor Paterson - Trainer
CanFit PRO PTS, Muscle Activation Techniques Jumpstart Certification, Olympic Weightlifting Specialty and CPR-A
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I specialize in functional training (making you look, feel and move better). Throughout my career, I’ve worked with everyone from rep athletes and young people, to busy moms and dads, to seniors with limited mobility. Regardless of who you are, getting you to your goals as efficiently as possible and sustaining them is my commitment.
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Fat-loss, strength, conditioning, improving how you move, pain-relief, increased energy and confidence. These are just a few of the results that I focus on with the people I work with.
Fitness has become a major trend worldwide. However, Fitness is not a trend. It is an ongoing endeavor that is beneficial to everyone; at any fitness level. Life is too short not to live well and feel great. Regardless of your current health status, it is never too late to start your fitness journey!
Cassandra Galardo - Trainer
CanFit PRO PTS, Precision Nutrition Level 1, DTS Running Fundamentals, CPR A
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Cassandra has been a professional in the fitness industry for over 5 years, she has gained experience and knowledge through multiple certifications and workshops. Her focus is helping hard working individuals learn how to optimize their time and habits to better achieve their goals. She pursues strength and performance by mastering the primal movements, mastering the basics in body weight and barbell movements allows you to learn and execute advanced exercises more safely and effectively. She believes educating you to eat the proper foods and move your body effectively will help you become the best version of yourself.
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She is excited to be a part of the Meraki Fitness team and looks forward to helping both men and women of all backgrounds find balance with food, family, and fitness while enjoying life to its fullest.
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Joey Nemet- Trainer
Strength and Conditioning Coach, Canadian Olympic Bobsleigh Athlete, ISSA CPT, CPR A
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I have been fortunate to work in the fitness and sports performance industry for over 7 years, because it is truly my passion. I work with individual clients and groups of various ages, from middle school kids to older adults who range in pursuits from general fitness to amateur and professional level athletics. I utilize training methods learned from my experiences training and working with strength and conditioning experts in North America and Europe. Whether you are an athlete looking for an edge, someone looking to build muscle and get strong, or shed excess weight and body fat, I design programs and tailor training sessions to meet your specific goals.
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The drive to achieve goals is something that I know very well through my career as a Canadian bobsleigh athlete and, prior to that, the road to winning a Vanier Cup (Canadian university national championship) as a football player at McMaster University in 2011. In 2016, after experiencing an injury that almost ended my athletic career, I had to stop and re-examine my goals. Was I going to give up or figure out a way to achieve my dream of going to the 2018 Olympic Games? I decided to go for it but i knew that I had to make some changes. I started by closely examining my habits, changing the ones that were holding me back, creating new ones, and making critical adjustments to my process. “First you make your habits and then your habits make you,” is a statement I live by. Ultimately, my transformation brought me beyond where I had been, to become my strongest self so far, both physically and mentally. In January 2018, almost two years after my injury, I earned a spot on Canada's Olympic Bobsleigh team as an alternate push athlete for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. Maybe you are at a point in your life where you are struggling and your goals seem unattainable. I know how it feels to sit there and say “I don’t know how or if I can do this.” There is a way, and I’m here to help you realize that you’re capable of accomplishing so much more than you might think. www.acceltraining.com
Nicola Folino - Trainer/Back Pain Specialist
CanFit PRO PTS, Stuart McGill BackFITPRO Certification, CPR & FirstAid
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Having experienced debilitating back pain myself, I have a deep understanding of the profound effect it has on one's life, both physically and psychologically. My passion for fitness coupled with the crutch of recurring low back pain naturally steered my focus and education to finding a solution to end the cycle of pain.
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​​Dr. McGill is a world-renowned spinal biomechanist who dedicated 30 years researching the causal mechanisms of low back pain. He travels the world teaching his methods to chiropractors, physiotherapist, physicians, and other health care professionals and I’m proud to be the first in Canada to achieve certification in the McGill Method. This affords me the knowledge to administer Dr. McGill’s evidence-based, scientific approach for the rehabilitation of diverse low back pain injuries including the design of individualized programs to enhance both injury resilience and fitness/athletic performance.
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I continue to refine my craft with ongoing education including completion of the McGill Master Assessment course as well as collaboration with some of the leading clinicians in the field of spine biomechanics. I frequently receive referrals from local chiropractors, physiotherapists, osteopaths, and physicians, but my most treasured referrals are from clients themselves. To review testimonials or for more information, please visit www.invivospine.com. Training you from pain to performance.
Adrienne Lee - Osteopathic Practitioner/ Trainer
Canfit Pro PTS, TRX Suspension Coach, DTS Kettlebell Coach, Kettlebell Academics Foundation Coach,Neurotyping & Basic Program Design Certified, Fitness Kickboxing Instructor Level 1, CPR A
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When I was younger, I faced a lot of negativity about my weight and how I did not look like everyone else. It caused me to always put myself down and never feel proud of myself or my achievements. By the age of 18, I had enough. That year I decided to take myself out of that negative space and change how I felt about myself. First stop, the gym. With the help of a personal trainer, I was able to not only see how strong and good I felt working out, I saw how my differences made me who I was. I finally felt proud of who I was becoming. That event in my life really inspired me to go down the path I am on right now.
Since then, I have completed my degree in Kinesiology, became a personal trainer in 2014, and
a Osteopathic practitioner in 2020. My years of being a personal trainer has allowed me to help clients to not only achieve their physical goals of weight-loss and strength-gain, it has also allowed me to be able to help them have a better quality of life.
The clients challenge me to be a better coach every day and to keep educating myself to help them
progress. And with osteopathy combined with my training, it has helped me understand the balance
a body needs to be for them to perform at their best and hit goals they have set out for themselves.
I want to help people by using fitness and osteopathy as a way for them to have work-life balance,
better quality of life, and feel proud of our achievements together.
Lance Codner-Registered Kinesiologist/Trainer & Osteopathic Manual Practitioner
CanFit Pro PTS, Registered Kinesiologist of Ontario (R.Kin), Osteopathic Manual Practitioner
Lance is a Registered Kinesiologist of Ontario (R.Kin), and is currently enrolled at the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy to become an Osteopathic Manual Practitioner. He has a passion for seeing people progress with their fitness and health which he believes starts with quality movement and gradual consistent progress. Optimal exercise execution and consistency over time are the pillars from which his training business, Life Sustain Fitness was built on. Lance’s 10 years of training experience, and osteopathic studies give Lance keen insight into where clients’ movement limitations lie, from which he can help them improve upon to optimize their training routines and fitness progress through specific exercise cuing, corrective exercises, and/or manual therapy. In the future he looks forward to helping a wider range of people as an Osteopathic Manual Practitioner (M. OMSc). Osteopathy has shown Lance the significance of movement and the impact it has on those with chronic pain, looking to improve their health, and or increase their overall physical performance. His background in Kinesiology and Osteopathic studies allows Lance to support his clients’ and patients’ at any stage of their health and fitness journey. Lance works well with those looking to improve their fitness through building strength, however lacking the confidence or knowledge to perform strength exercises due to past injury or inexperience; as well as those with previous training experience, in need of structure and guidance with their training routine to optimize their performance. www.lifesustain.com
Branden Inata - Trainer
Can Fit Pro PTS, Exercise Therapy Level 1, DTS Kettle Bell Fundamentals, TRX Suspension Trainer, FMT Practitioner, DTS Low Back Pain Specialist
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With 4+ years of personal training experience, my goal is to bring out the best in everyone that I work with. By using my multiple certifications, workshops, and passion for mental and physical health, I strive to teach everyone the importance of mobility, stability, movement, power, and strength. To me, these are the most important building blocks to creating a healthy, happy, and most
importantly pain-free individual.
Not only am I health-conscious individual, I am also an avid golf enthusiast. I strive to perform not only in the gym, but also perform my best on the golf course. Fitness and golf are my passions because I love the physical and mental challenge they both provide me. They’re also the reason why I enjoy working with fellow golfers, athletes, general population, and people with special needs.
I’m excited to be at Meraki Fitness and Sport Performance where I can use my knowledge to help you achieve and maintain your goals while using innovative approaches to exercise. No matter how big or small your goals and challenges are, I’ll be there as your support system
Matthew Kumar - Trainer
Canfit Pro PTS, CPR-A
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From a young age, I’ve always been drawn towards sports such as soccer, football, kayaking. At 10 years old, I found my love for competitive sprint kayaking and went on to win 3 National Championships over the next 7 years. Through my exposure to multiple sports, I was introduced to weight training at 14 years old and it has always been a part of my life since then. For me training is more than just gaining physical strength – it was a way for me to build self-esteem, become self-disciplined, and gives me mental clarity. Due to my experiences as an athlete and the impact that training has had in my life, I want to show others how training can influence their life!
Karen Forrester - Bootcamp Instructor
Canfit Pro PTS, BodyShred Certified, CPR A
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My fitness journey started in my late teens. I was 19 and home from college when I realized I had also brought home the familiar “freshman 15”. I started running that summer - at first for only 10 to 15 minutes - gradually going further and further. When I returned to school that fall I had shed the freshman 15 and found a love for running that took me into my 40’s. I have competed in many 5k, 10k, and half-marathons and 2 full marathons - Boston and Mississauga. In my 30’s I started dabbling in strength training, gradually getting more and more comfortable around weights. These days strength training is my main focus with training with some conditioning and yoga thrown in for balance!! I have competed in 2 fitness shows in the last year in the figure category, placing in the top 3 in my last show!! I have experienced first hand just how powerful and transformative exercise is - not only for the body but for the mind. I truly enjoy working with clients on their own fitness journey to being the best version of themselves!!!
We are living longer and longer these days and I believe that if you want to have the best chance at a good quality of life you need to ensure you take care of your body from the inside out with nutrition and exercise. Utilizing a training program that encompasses conditioning, strength, and stretching is a great way to get a body that is strong and will take you wherever you want to go!!!
Daniel Warwick -Trainer
BIO COMING SOON!
Sonny Ciufo - Trainer
BIO COMING SOON!