Shannon Collins, AKA The Gym Nurse, in Two-Piece Workout Gear Shows Off "Then and Now"

Shannon Collins is a fitness influencer. She is also known as The Gym Nurse. She shares a lot of fitness tips and her journey on social media. Collins shared before and after photos on her Instagram recently. She captioned the post, “My how times have changed. In turn, my body and mind has changed and more importantly feel better at age almost 45 then I did at 35. One of the biggest changes was in my self confidence (in all aspects of life) and a major decrease in anxiety which is something I’ve battled with since high school. For that, I’m so grateful.” How does she stay so fit? Read on to see 5 ways Shannon Collins stays in shape and the photos that prove they work.

1. She Plans Ahead

Collins likes to plan out her meals and schedules ahead of time. In the caption of this Instagram post, she says that this helps burn fat. “Meal prep. Especially PROTEIN!! It will be very difficult to meet your goals having nothing prepared and ready to go. This will make meal choice easier and less likely to hit a drive thru or just eat a bowl of cereal for dinner. Pre-plan and pre-log your day. The majority of people cannot just wing it every meal and expect to meet their numbers successfully at end of day.”

2. She Builds Muscle

Collins likes to lift weights and build muscle. In the caption of this Instagram post, she shared her muscle building tips. “I know I say this a lot, but just because you are lifting weights, doesn’t mean you are building muscle!! You need to be pushing yourself!! It’s supposed to be hard and uncomfortable. To be honest, I rarely see this from women at my gym 😢. This doesn’t mean we neglect form and execution and just throw the heaviest weight we can pick up around. But it should be intentional and controlled through the entire movement.

3. She’s Dedicated

In the caption of this Instagram post, Collins says that she is very dedicated to wellness. “The key is setting self up for success and also not putting self in a position where you get discouraged and disappointed. That comes from having realistic expectations and reasonable goals. Putting the weight of the world on your shoulders and then being upset with self when things don’t work out is not fair to you!! Frustration leads to giving up and quitting. Quitting will not get us closer to where we want to be.

4. She Walks

Collins loves to walk to stay in shape. She shared this video on Instagram of herself walking on a treadmill. Collins captioned the post, “Is there anything walking can’t do?! Only thing I would suggest is that it’s even better outside in fresh air, but hey when it’s negative degrees out. Inside works too. I’m committed to getting my walking back on track because I’ve realized it affects my physical and mental health so much! I was a lot more sedentary last week and everything felt off! The less I move, the more lethargic and low energy I feel.”

5. She Changed Her Habits

In her recent post, Collins revealed that she decided to change her habits, and how it has helped her. “Things can’t help but get better when you start changing your habits. I’m not perfect. I’m still building upon my goals as I feel comfortable and have mastered current ones even 8 years later. A forever student trying to just get a little bit better each day, all while having grace for myself as I enter a new chapter with changing hormones and aging.”

Maureen Blanquisco is modeling workout clothes. In a new social media post the IFBB contestant shows off her incredible body in a blue exercise set, driving her followers wild. “To all my baddies out there! This color makes your tan complexion POP,” she captioned the series of Instagram snaps. “So gorgeous 🩷🥰” commented one. “OKKKAAAY SLAAY SLAAY,” added another. How does she approach diet, fitness, and self-care? Here is everything you need to know about her lifestyle habits.

1. Swimming

When Maureen was younger she was a swimmer. “I always loved competing and performing. I usually call it “performing” instead of competing. Swimming was an individual sport. If I wanted to win, it all depended on me. I never liked depending on a team. If we lost because of them, I would get very frustrated,” she told Muscular Development.

2. Gymnastics and Cheerleading

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She then moved on to gymnastics and cheerleading. “Cheerleading was fine until one time we fell during a stunt, and it wasn’t my fault. I said, I think I work better alone,” this is when she discovered weights. “I started lifting weights at age 18. That’s around the time you want to look and feel good, putting on makeup. I was doing fitness training anyway, so I started to look for something I could do competitively that fit that. I had always wanted to compete in beauty pageants, but at 5 feet tall I was too short. Then I saw the Bikini Olympia on YouTube, and the woman who stuck out to me the most was India Paulino. She was my first idol! I thought it looked so cool. The women looked amazing, and this was the closest thing to a beauty pageant I could do. I thought I could just go compete in the Olympia. I had no idea you have to turn pro first, then qualify, the whole long process. But in my head, I only had one goal, to go to the Olympia.”

3. Here Is How She Preps for Shows

“I started prepping for the Olympia right after the Boston Pro in March, so that was seven months. It was a very chill prep because I was eating clean, but I was eating more than ever in a prep. I was still dieting, but it was more calories, and I did have one cheat meal a week. Now I see this is the best approach for me: a longer prep but with more food,” Maureen said.

4. Her “Breaks” Involve Cardio

When she does go on vacation, she still exercises. “I did go on vacation to Hawaii with my partner the week after the Olympia. That was on my bucket list. I did cardio every day, but I took five days off from weights. I had a couple of treats, but nothing crazy,” she says.

5. She Doesn’t “Gain Too Much” During the Offseason

Marueen avoids overindulging in the off season. “I have a very clear mindset that if I gain too much, it will be a lot harder for me,” she told Muscle & Fitness. “In Bikini, it’s all about condition, and while you could be ‘too’ hard, you certainly can’t be soft, either.”

Shaughna Phillips is sharing a body positive message – in her swimsuit. In a new social media post, the Love Island star shows off her gorgeous figure while opening up to her fans. “I’ve been meaning to post this for aaaagesssss, and I just kept chickening out which sounds ridiculous but it’s the truth,” she wrote. “This is not easy for me, it’s hard to just be yourself when social media can be SO cruel at times. Full disclosure, I’m not in the place I want to be physically, I have ‘baby weight’ to lose plus a bit more lol, but I’m not going to let my intrusive thoughts about how I look get in the way of me living my life,” she continued. “I really want to be the best role model I can be for Lucia, and I’m so determined that she won’t grow up with the same warped view on body image as I did, and that’s starts with me. I know it’s a bit late for New Year’s resolutions, but I’m sure we all have room for one more 🙋🏼‍♀️ Here’s to getting real in 2024, who wants to join me?” How does the reality star approach health and wellness? Celebwell has the details on her lifestyle habits.

1. She Took Drastic Measures to Slim Down for Love Island

Shaughna went to drastic measures to lose weight for the show, sharing about it in a 17-minute video on her YouTube channel. She wouldn’t allow herself to eat treats over the 2019 Christmas period and asked her colleague to "shame" her every time she tried to. “I think for me and the series that I was in, we had it the hardest... because the casting process was over Christmas,” she said. “Everyone and anyone indulges, but because we knew we were potentially going into the villa, I for one did not have one Quality Street that whole Christmas season... Now, that was a bad Christmas.”

2. She Worked Out 90 Minutes Every Night

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She went to the gym for 90 minutes every evening and her routine was “very, very strict,” she said. “I would do 20 to 25 minutes on the treadmill very fast at a high incline. I would do a few sets on the lat pulldown machine... and then I used to do a quick circuit on the mats. I used to use like free weights and stuff and that would literally be it every single day.”

3. Working Out Makes Her Feel Better

What motivates her to stay in shape? “Honestly? I become an anxious mess if I don't work out. It sounds cliche, and everyone always says, ‘Oh when you work out you feel better,’ but it’s actually true,” she told Bustle.

4. She Launched a Nutrition Plan

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Shaughna launched her own fitness, nutrition, and lifestyle plan, Be You With Shaughna. “No before and after shots. No guaranteed ‘drop a dress size’ promises. No get fit quick plan,” she writes. “What my plan does include? Dedicated work to improve your mental health. Workouts that go at your pace. Nutritional advice aimed at encouraging your relationship with food, and not how to restrict your food.”

5. She’s an “Early Bird”

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“I've always been an early bird. Ever since I was little, I've just always been up literally before the sun,” Shaughna told Bustle. “I don't like being rushed in the morning, so although I could probably easily get another hour in bed, I would rather just get up and start waking up gradually. These days, my normal morning routine starts at 6 a.m. I get up, make my breakfast, and have a cup of coffee, or tea, depending on my mood. I watch a little bit of TV before I head to workout at 8:30 a.m. I like to get it done and dusted because that way it means nothing like social media can impact my workout.”

6. She Takes Baths

“I'm definitely a bath girl. To the point where I miss having them in the summer because the last thing you want is to increase your body temperature,” Shaughna told Bustle. “When I used to go to the gym after work, in the days before Love Island, I remember the moments when I would see a text from my mum saying, ‘Your bath is running’ and it would literally feel like I’d won the lottery. Thinking about my bath is one thing I used to do to get me through the gym. Feeling that post-workout ache and being in the bath. There is nothing better! I've got to have a lot of bubbles, not bath salts – I can just feel the grains and it makes me feel like the water is dirty. Lots of candles. I like to have my hair up, out of my face, because I get very hot and bothered.”

Andrea Shaw, an accomplished and highly regarded bodybuilder, is back in the gym, inspiring her followers with another intense training session. In a recent Instagram video, Shaw showcases her impressive strength as she works through various exercises using hand dumbbells and machines. “Back to work with @k.j.kreates 🎥 💪🏾🙌🏾 and @mutantnation,” she captioned the post. Known for her dedication to building solid, shapely muscle, Shaw consistently shares her favorite workouts with her followers, offering a glimpse into the discipline required to compete at the highest level of bodybuilding. From chest presses to shoulder raises, her routine focuses on strength, symmetry, and muscle definition. Shaw also emphasizes the importance of patience and personalized training, noting that mastering your body takes time. Here’s a look at the exercises Shaw incorporates into her routine and the wisdom she’s gained from years of experience in the sport.

1. She Uses Weights

Shaw shared some of her fitness secrets with Muscle & Fitness. She says that she likes to lift weights. “I want to build as much solid muscle mass as I can,” she said. “And that means working with heavy weight all the time. But I want shapely muscle, not the kind of slab muscle you see with a powerlifter. So, I have always kept the reps high.”

2. She Works Her Chest

Shaw shares a lot of her favorite workouts on Instagram. In many of them, she focuses on a specific body part. Shaw shared her favorite chest exercises in this Instagram video. She captioned it, “Chest workout. 💪🏾 Hammer Strength Chest Press. Dumbbell Incline Press. Cable Incline Pec Fly. Seated Tricep Press/Pushdowns. 1 Arm Hammer Strength Chest Press. Low Pulley Pec Fly. Cable Chest Flys (Flat). Dumbbell Chest Press (Flat).”

3. She Works Her Shoulders

Shaw shared her favorite shoulder exercises in this Instagram video. She captioned it, “Today’s shoulder 💪🏾 workout: 1. Angled Deltoid Raises (Dumbbells). 2. Incline Bench Front Raises (Barbell). 3. Forward Leaning Front Raises (Barbell). 4. Side Lying Lateral Raise (Dumbbell). 5. Alternating Front Raises (Dumbbell). 6. Tilted Cable Front Raises (Cable Pulley)”

1. She Knows What Works For Her

Shaw talked about developing a specific training style with Muscle & Fitness. “I started out with a more conventional approach to training,” she says. “It was only after many years of working out that I developed my individual approach. It took a long time for me to learn my body. I may very well make changes to my routine in the future. I will go by how I feel and what progress I am making.”

5. She’s Patient

For Shaw, bodybuilding is all about patience. She advised other aspiring bodybuilders to be the same way in her Muscle & Fitness interview. “You can’t really peak that often,” she advises. “And when you try, it means you are slowing down your path to ultimate genetic potential. You can’t really grow when you are on a severe diet all the time.”