Our Team.

What inspired fitness coach Chelsey Tharp.

My name is Chelsey Tharp. I have a love for fitness and a passion to teach it! I was born and raised in Metairie, Louisiana. In 2015, I graduated from UNO with a degree in Health Promotion. I also obtained my CF-L1 in 2013 and USAW Strength and Conditioning Certification in 2014. I am currently the Strength and Conditioning Coach of East Jefferson’s mens and women’s soccer teams, women’s softball and women’s cross country as well as owner and trainer of Girls Gone Buff.

Even though I live a lifestyle of health and wellness now, I wasn’t always about fitness and health. I was the girl in high school that played enough sports so I never had to watch what I ate. When I graduated high school, I stayed on the same diet but wasn’t as active. I guess you can say I was the one who gained the freshman 15, but more like the freshman 50, which put me at 190 pounds! At that point in time, I thought I was active enough to spare Taco Bell here and there. I never really noticed my weight gain until I saw myself in pictures. At that point, I started exercising, but not seeing the results that kept me going.

I wasn’t losing the weight fast enough. I became obsessed with my weight and started using diet pills. Even with the diet pills, I still wasn’t getting the satisfaction I wanted. I tried the low calorie, low carb diet and I would lose some weight, but it would come right back. I still had a poor diet and ate fast food, soft drinks, and processed foods.

It wasn’t until I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer that I decided to make a lifestyle change and fix my poor eating habits. No one in my family had ever had any thyroid issues. I blame my bad diet for all of my problems. I ate foods that were filled with processed sugars and chemicals. With proper diet and exercise, I am now cancer free. It took years to get to where I am at today. Exercising is the easy part. Once I took control of my diet I finally saw the results I wanted. It just takes patience and dedication. It was the small changes along the way.

This is why I am here. I am here to push you. I am here to show you that you can do it! It is possible! And this is NOT a seasonal change, this is a lifestyle change. I am here to help you reach your goals. The first step is to believe in yourself. We ARE Girls Gone Buff! My fitness journey started back in 2013 when I started coaching at Metairie Crossfit. After 2 years of coaching, I decided to start my own women’s bootcamp, GIRLS GONE BUFF.

What inspired fitness coach Shane Quirk.

Hi, My name is Shane Quirk. I’m a lifelong resident of St. Bernard Parish and currently work at SBPH where I practice as a registered nurse. I graduated from Jesuit High School in 2006 and went on to OLHCC where I graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing in 2012. Since I was 9 years old, I’ve been active whether it was baseball practice, soccer games, or football. Once I finished up with football my senior, I started working out at local gyms. Like most globo-gym teenagers my routine started off with the typical biceps and triceps, chest and back, and leg days. After years of training and little results, I knew it was time for a change. In 2012 an old high school friend of mine, Michael Grennan, opened up a Crossfit gym in Metairie. Needing a change in my routine I went and tried it out. After the first high-intensity workout I was hooked. A year later I received my CFL1 and soon after went on to have my Crossfit Gymnastics, Crossfit Competitors, and Crossfit Endurance certifications. After two years of training at Metairie Crossfit, my girlfriend and I decided to start a mobile bootcamp in the St. Bernard and surrounding New Orleans Metro area.

Now I guess the next question is why St. Bernard Parish? Well, during my last semester in college I had to do a community assessment. Whether it was coincidence or destiny calling my name, I was in a group assigned to Chalmette. To make a long story short, our assessment revealed that St. Bernard Parish’s biggest issues where Heart Disease and Diabetes. After working in the Emergency Room at SBPH over the past 3 years, I’ve come to realize that this assessment was true, and our community is in dire need of a change. After countless discussions with patients over diet, exercise, and proper movement patterns, I decided it was time to take matters into my own hands and become more visible and proactive in the community. Together my girlfriend and I created Functional Health and Wellness LLC. and started Girls Gone Buff Bootcamp.

What inspired fitness coach Courtney Jackson.