Today we’d like to introduce you to Rosalee Davis.
Hi Rosalee, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My parents passed away when I was a kid and I married young. I also divorced very young.
It all started after my divorce in 1997. I began dating a personal trainer while attending a local community college, before enlisting in the Navy. He encouraged me to enter a transformation competition under his guidance, and prepared me for bootcamp in 1998. This was my first exposure to bodybuilding and the fitness industry, although I had always wanted to be an athlete.
The Navy taught me to dig deep. They really empowered me as a woman. a single mother, and showed me my potential. I continued to lift and run long distance with fellow Sailors and Marines, but was inconsistent, and knew nothing about nutrition.
After the end of my obligated service with the Navy, I obtained degrees in Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences from Texas A&M University. I worked as a Medical Lab Scientist for several years while raising my two daughters without any support.
The stress caught up with me and began to manifest as severe chest pain. I was diagnosed with Achalasia Cardia in 2004 (right after I was honorably discharged from the Navy), which required a pretty significant surgery. My esophagus had spasmed completely shut, and I couldn’t eat or drink anything, not even water. I was chewing on ice and sucking Icees just to keep hydrated, literally trying to stay alive. The spasms became more frequent with stress and I was becoming severely depressed. I was still working out and doing yoga at my local gym. This led me down a path toward more yoga and meditation.
One day, after being laid off from work, the stress had become too overwhelming, so I booked a flight to Thailand to spend 30 days in an Ashram to learn meditation, Ayurveda, and obtain my Yoga Teacher Certification.
I spent some more time studying, practicing yoga, and attending seminars with authorized Ashtanga Yoga Teachers, such as Taylor Hunt and Rachel Nystrom. I was soon accepted to the Sri K. Pattabhi Jois Yoga Institute in Mysore, India, with his direct heir and grandson, R. Sharath Jois. I was accepted, twice, to attend for 2 months, in 2016 and 2018. I also attended the Ashtanga and Addiction Forum in 2017 hosted by Taylor Hunt in support of offering Ashtanga yoga as a tool to help people achieve long-term sobriety in Houston. This forum addressed how to properly teach a yoga class for students who experienced trauma or suffered with PTSD. I began volunteering my time teaching at the Michael E. Debakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center for Veterans in the Recovery program.
I was traveling frequently for work and had to part with the VA because I couldn’t commit to teaching, consistently. I began putting on weight and becoming depressed again. I was still running long distance, but my nutrition was terrible. I decided to hire a prep coach, I set a goal to compete in bodybuilding, and hired a photographer for a photoshoot to keep me accountable. I wanted to be in the “best shape of my life at 40.” I made 2 body transformations during this time but still wasn’t ready to compete. I hired a new coach and made that my priority.
Meanwhile, I decided to enroll at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and received my certification for Health Coaching in January 2020, and started my business for Integrative Health Coaching.
Eleven months later, after 2 hernia repairs, a severe car accident (which resulted in significant spinal injuries), and COVID lockdowns in 2020, I finally made it to the stage, where I competed at NPC The Texas Cup in Belton, TX, and was Nationally qualified my 1st show. Since then, I competed in 2 National shows for my IFBB Pro Card in 2021. I placed 2nd at my most recent show at NPC Masters USA in Scottsdale, AZ, in December 2021, and will be working toward my next show, later this year.
I am currently pursuing my MS/PhD in Holistic Medicine & Nutrition with a focus on Sports Nutrition & Physiology, and taking the Contest Prep Coaching courses through J3 University, created by Olympian John Jewett.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There have definitely been more struggles along the way than I can count.
In fitness, consistency is key! As an independent contractor for the healthcare industry, I can never plan anything in advance because I never know when I will be under contract. Traveling for work is an obstacle in itself, especially when you don’t get to reserve your own hotel or car rentals. Sometimes, I get a hotel with a refrigerator and microwave, and sometimes, I don’t. They rarely come with a kitchenette, at all. Sometimes, we get car rentals. Sometimes, we have carpools, and sometimes, we have to shuttle for work. This creates obstacles with having consistency with meal planning and getting to the gym after working 8-12 hour shifts, 7 days a week. Some contracts require I work weekends, and some give the weekends off. I am typically traveling for work 2-6 weeks at a time. This all makes being consistent with diet and exercise very difficult. But, I have learned how to overcome them with time and experience over the last 8 years.
I have learned that most Clinics and Hospitals have a break room with refrigerators and microwaves, so I typically ask to use them if I can use them, if my hotel doesn’t provide them. I am also familiar with several meal prepping companies that ship nationwide, and have a couple of favorites that I use, frequently. I always use the fitness equipment in the hotel for fasted cardio before my shift. I find that it’s easier to knock it out at the hotel and jump in the shower, afterward, to avoid missing my shift. If I don’t have a rental care, I will Uber straight from my work location to a local gym. If I go to my hotel room, first, I’ll never make it, so I don’t give myself the option to miss.
Another obstacle working in the healthcare industry, is that they don’t much care for my need to eat every 3 hours. and I can’t exactly tell the physician I’m working with to wait while I go eat. Once I get a feel for the staff that I’m working with, I can create my getaways to scarf down my meals when needed. Sometimes, I can express to them that I am a competitor and need to eat, frequently, and they’re pretty understanding and supportive. Sometimes, I have pull the “Achalasia” card and tell them I have to eat every few hours to keep my esophagus open (it’s not lying).
As I mentioned before, In 2004, I was officially diagnosed with Achalasia Cardia. I had to have surgery on my esophagus (Heller myotomy with Nissen/Fundoplication). It was a laparoscopic surgery that required several (6) small incisions in my abdomen.
Fast Forward to 2019, I acquired a hernia at one of the incision sites from that surgery (incision port hernia), and it needed to be repaired. The VA surgeon went in through the exact same incision to push it back in and close it up.
Two weeks after my hernia repair, I was recovering well and decided to go to the gym for some light cardio on the recumbent bike to get my blood moving. As I was turning into the parking lot, I was rear-ended at 50-60mph by a commercial van that threw me into a tailspin, and into the gate. He was texting on his phone, so he wasn’t paying attention. My car was totaled and I spent 4 days at the Michael E Debakey VA hospital with spinal injuries.
That car accident tore my incision open and required a 2nd hernia repair within 6 months. This time, they went in laparoscopically and applied mesh at the site. Now, I have approximately 17 small incisional scars on my abdomen (which you can only see if I point them out).
In less than one year from the 2nd hernia repair on Jan 10, 2020 (11 mos.), I still made to the stage (even through the COVID shutdowns) and competed at the NPC Texas Cup in Belton, TX, Dec 11, 2020. After becoming Nationally qualified, I’ve been able to compete at 2 National shows for my pro card in 2021.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a Medical Laboratory Scientist and worked for years in hematology, chemistry, blood bank, and serology. I advanced, quickly in my career, promoting from Lead, to Manager, to Regional Director, but transitioned into the Hospital IT sector, and currently work as an Independent Consultant as an Educator/Trainer for Epic EMR Systems. I travel to hospitals and clinics all over the US and teach Physicians, Mid-Levels, and other staff, how to document on their patients when they go-live with EpicCare Electronic Medical Records Systems (EMR), in both the classroom setting and on the floor (at-the-elbow).
I also work as a health and fitness coach. I really feel that my clinical background, combined with my yoga & fitness background sets me aside from most coaches because I can integrate all of my education, experience and passion to coach from a deeper level and empower other women. I feel more to offer than just a basic nutrition or workout program. I come from an incredibly diverse background but it all correlates to the human body, optimal health and performance, and learning to love yourself.
I am most proud of my time in service as a Navy Hospital Corpsman, and the path it led me to, but also proud of how far I have come in the fitness industry, and my position as a leader and guide in the local veteran community.
What’s next?
It has been my goal for the last 2 years to write my first book, so I intend on making that a reality by the end of 2022.
I will also be competing in another National Championship later in the year for the potential of winning my IFBB Pro Card to become a professional athlete in bodybuilding, Bikini Division.
Lastly, I have a goal to do more coaching this year, than traveling for work. I don’t know that I will completely transition away from medicine (I still have to pay my bills), but I will certainly be making that shift this year. I really look forward to working with and empowering more women this year, and knocking out more of the Holistic Medicine and Nutrition coursework for my Phd.
Pricing:
- 3 Month Program- $625
- 6 Month Program- $1497
- 12 Month Program- $2697
- NPC Bikini Posing- $50/session
- Build-a-Booty- $249/mo
Contact Info:
- Email: rosedavis@healthcoach.vet
- Website: https://www.txrosedavis.com
- Instagram: txrose_davis
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosalee.davis/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfgrjSmVOl8
Image Credits
Casey Withers
Jason Oliphant
Jonathan Day
Jon Lindsay
