About Candi

FITNESS TO FLIGHT ATTENDANT… SHE’S COME FULL CIRCLE

Hi, my name is Candi Nichols Acuff and I am a typical 50 year old female who fights the battle every day to keep weight off and feel great. Growing up in an athletic family I started working out in the gym at the age of 17. My interest in helping people to better health started then as well. I started teaching Slimnastics in the late 70’s and began teaching karate and high/low aerobics in the 80’s. After graduating from Ferrum College in 1980, I owned my own fitness center in Valdese, NC and managed the Nautilus Fitness & Sports Center in Hickory, NC until moving to Charlotte in 1985.

In 1988 I pursued my dream to become a Piedmont Airlines flight attendant. I flew for Piedmont Airlines/UsAirways for 19 years. Flying was a dream allowing me to see the world and all it had to offer. Living out of a suitcase 4 days a week had its advantages and disadvantages. The fit in-shape girl I once was had now become a 40 year old woman with high blood pressure and one who had put a lot of extra pounds on by grabbing a quick something from the terminal snack stand or eating at crazy hours in cities that boasted wonderful meals at terrific restaurants. I wanted to try them all!

From the time I was 20 I had always wanted to have the fit lean body of Rachel McLish, a female bodybuilder who became the 1st Miss Olympia. I truly did not think I could do it living out of a suitcase and crammed in a hotel room 4 days a week. Shoot…I just wanted to know WHAT she did to look that healthy! At 40, she was more beautiful than she was in her 20’s and you can see here that she continues to get better with age!

At 40 I wanted what she had. So I hired what she was, a bodybuilder. Rodney Gaines, a World Champion All Natural Bodybuilder was a professor at Virginia Tech and I asked him to teach me the ways of the All Natural Bodybuilder. As I trained under him I truly learned about eating clean and healthy. He told me from the very beginning:

 

1) You change your body thru what and when you eat

2) You eat the proper amounts of clean natural food

3) Do it with quality supplements if you do any

4) Drink your water

5) Work out smart, and

6) Get rest

It’s that simple. Later I hired Nancy “Stevie” Long, a 57 year old retired nurse who had become a competitor and judge in all natural bodybuilding at the age of 50! Wow, she looked awesome at 4’11”, 97 lbs. and a mother of 3 girls over 29! I wanted more of what was creating these wonderful bodies at advancing ages! I also searched out for the best doctors to keep my health in check as I explored this wonderful new health I was experiencing and milked them for every bit of education they would give me.

After all those years of working out, at the age of 40, I was now becoming a very knowledgeable and very competitive all natural bodybuilder. For the next 4 years winning became a reality. I had set my mind to do something I had always wanted to do and living out of a suitcase to boot. I was taking tons of trophy’s home to prove my hard work had paid off. Not to mention I was beating ladies ½ my age. I felt great!

After “bringing home enough brass” to fill anyone’s ego and trophy cabinet, my accomplishments being recognized by articles in Natural BodyBuilding and Fitness Magazine, numerous newspaper articles and being asked to judge all natural bodybuilding shows, I decided to share my success. Flying afforded me my career of making money and training people in my community gave me the satisfaction of knowing I was giving back helping others through the healthier lifestyle I was continually learning about and becoming successful in. Success was now about the people I was helping and not about me.

After the decline of the airline industry post 9/11/2001,  I decided to finally “give my last salute to UsAirways” and start soaring to new heights. It was time to start planning to train people on a more professional level. It was truly my 1st love as far as what I like to do and I felt it was time to return full circle and do what I was truly best at and loved. Helping people get to better health.

I have had the priviledge of living and training folks to their success here in the Ballantyne area of Charlotte now for the past 7 years.

Contracting  and training my clients out of the beautiful Ballantyne Hotel and Lodge and several other local private fitness facilities, I have watched local individuals like Mrs. Jeanne Puckett, Miss Shannon Maxwell,  Mr. Jerod Cymbalisty,  Mr. Jason Chilcot  and Mrs. Irina Yusufova take their dreams to a winning level. I have also enjoyed writing heath & wellness columns for local newspapers like The BallantyneTimes, The Carolina Gateway and NaturalBody Building and Fitness Magazine. For the past year I have enjoyed offering not only one on one personal training but classes & seminars in the wonderful Ballantyne Hotel and Lodge where my husband Jim and I were married on Valentines Day 2009! It is a wonderful facility and I hope you will come out and experience their wonderful wellness programs and spa services!!!!  As 2010 moves forward look to see how NaturalBody will continue it’s great relationship with the Ballantyne Hotel and Lodge ! It will continue to be exciting!

****MARCH 3RD, 2010!!!!  Candi Nichols Acuff Retires NaturalBody Personal Training! ****** Follow Jim and I as we explore the world and all it’s new opportunites!  See you at the Ballantyne Hotel and Lodge for a nice happy hour cocktail!