Today we’d like to introduce you to Rawaa Patros.
Rawaa, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I was born in Baghdad, Iraq and moved with my family to San Diego at the age of 5. My ethnicity is Chaldean.
I was a tomboy growing up because in my culture being a girl/woman was a demand. I enjoyed being free and being active. I started playing basketball at the Boys and Girls Club of East County at 10 years old. I continued to focus on basketball as I grew older. My mother didn’t like the idea but supported it, and my father didn’t like it at all. I continued to want to explore my childhood, likes, interests, and grow. I was a chubby baby, skinny/boned youth, and then grew muscles as I indulged in all types of food with no filter in fulfillment. After I joined the basketball team at the Boys and Girls Club, I loved it very much.
Without my parent’s knowledge, I was signing up for certain activities. When I attended high school, I thought I had to pay to be involved in organized sports so I didn’t try out my Freshman year. Sophomore year, I learned more and tried out and made the JV team, then shortly, the Varsity team. Junior year, I joined track and field to help build my conditioning. I loved the idea of progressing my physical ability through my mind. Moving forward, I went to Cuyamaca Community College specifically to play basketball and still continued to participate in track. During my college years, I needed to choose a career choice and chose Child and Family Development to teach me to have patience in life and learn the development stages of a human being at such a young age. I then was able to transfer to San Diego State University and continue my education, but unfortunately, my basketball career ended at the community level.
Moving forward, I continued to play basketball faithfully in basketball leagues and open gyms as much as I could. Unfortunately, my bad eating habits continued without my discipline in organized sports no longer existed. I ate fast food daily and no cut off point of hunger. I ate for every occasion/feeling possible, I reached my highest weight at 180lbs and feeling the worst about myself. For three years of my life, I aspired to change my habits, but I lacked effort and commitment. After a day of never-ending eating, I ate beyond nauseousness. I came home and felt weak, depressed, self-pity, lack of self-care, everything possible to hate myself for letting me go. That night, I vowed to stop telling people of my change and make the change. The next day was completely different. I starting making my own chicken green salads and ate them 4 times a day with 3 snacks, I went to the gym and instead of being on the basketball court for 4 hours and waiting for games, I transitioned to the weight area and played around with the machines. That day changed my life.
I am currently 128lbs, I have went through depression and career change within 6 to 8 years of my transformation. I never gave up and I just dealt with obstacles in life. I currently have new goals for myself and continue to grow spiritually and physically. I worked with children for over 10+ years, gave that up after my job wanted to fire me for their mistakes, I had to accept it and walk away with my head held high. I want to help inspire others and change their lifestyles through personal training and worked on my own meal prep company in the last year. In the new year 2020, I plan on making Get Active Meal Preps official. I am a work in progress as any human being and strive in learning through mistakes and learning experiences. My goals is to be completely plant-based starting in January 2020, I have slowly started the transition since May of 2018. Through dedication, consistency and self-discipline I will make it happen.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Creating/having success is never a smooth road, it takes mistakes, headaches, lots of tears to overcome where we grow from. My struggles were gaining too much freedom when leaving my mother’s house and losing my father to taking alcohol as my comfort. I slowly abused alcohol and caught my self drinking daily before and after work. I’m very tolerated in taking alcohol and enjoyed the “ME” I was in that light. It turned out to become a habit that hurt me in many ways. I leaned to relationships to be loved as I wanted to love. However, every relationship I was used and felt abused emotionally and taken for granted. I was too nice, too loving, to willing and not ever accepting or learning how to demand my needs as they were important. I lost my job and with thinking, I came with my first brand of Active Love Aprons, then two months later, interviewed for a gym manager position.
Through my lifestyle and background, FEAR as always been on my shoulders, but I never wanted to allow it to stop me from my vision.
My advice for other women is to focus on the goals you imagined, you desire, you want. Only person to stop them is you. I stopped and wanting to give up so many times. But the fighter, the rage, the love in me never allowed it. I always talked to myself and my own motivator and talk myself through certain situations, I still do it.
When you start, write your plans, know why you are making those steps, accept those steps, visualize you in those steps, anticipate the possible failures and allow yourself to make mistakes and grow.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
I am a Gym Manager at Bombersquad Boxing Academy in El Cajon…
– Personal training starting at 3 years old.
– Basic boxing training for 3-5 years and adults.
– Aspire to be more educated in nutrition.
– Growing my own Meal Prep Company, “Get Active Meals” with a line of healthy smoothies, snacks, and vegan meals available.
– Basketball training.
– Personal home training.
– Nutrition Plans are available.
I am most proud of creating my Active Love Aprons when I felt like I had nothing to give, I am most proud of starting a meal prep company and not knowing how to cook, but teaching myself through the process. Jumping into training people, not a part of my plan, but had to think quick and trained outside of my garage. What sets me apart is my ambition, my inner strength that reminds me that I matter. I have a special answer for anyone with questions of not feeling worthy enough. I NEVER AND WILL NEVER GIVE UP. We all matter.
Finding a mentor and building a network are often cited in studies as a major factor impacting one’s success. Do you have any advice or lessons to share regarding finding a mentor or networking in general?
I feel like I am my own mentor, I also work with others who are like-minded like me. My Boss Berlin and co-worker Tez always push themselves to grow and being great. I am surrounded by positivity and success like-minded individuals. Instead of listening to music, I listen to motivational videos, instead of watching TV, I focus on catching up on life at home and reading.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bombersqudacademy.com
- Phone: (619) 956-6064
- Email: 1ativelove@gmail.com
- Instagram: _activelove_
- Facebook: Active Love
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