Meet Katie Daniel of Ambition Fitness
As the founder of Ambition, Katie Daniel empowers women around Louisville to reach their health and wellness goals. Get to know this inspiring FACE of Louisville and pick up some of her favorite wellness tips!
Tired of society’s unrealistic beauty and diet standards, Katie Daniel discovered strength training — and realized that lifting weights not only transformed her physique but also her confidence and relationship with food. This led to her founding Ambition in 2018. Today, Katie’s thriving business is empowering women around Louisville to reach their health and wellness goals — and it will be helping even more women around the country when Ambition expands into a franchise model later this year. Check out her tips for looking and feeling your best in 2024.
How did your fitness journey begin?
I didn’t grow up an athlete, so I wasn’t super fit. I was that textbook girl who didn’t have body confidence. I didn’t know how to eat and never felt good about my body. I was part of the generation that was told to eat lettuce and do cardio, but that clearly doesn’t work for anybody.
When I was in my mid-20s, I discovered weights and started doing workouts from Pinterest; I would write them down and take them to the gym. It was the first form of exercise I liked, and that made me feel good. I started doing it often because I enjoyed it, and I also started to see my body change. I’d never felt so confident or empowered as a woman, especially since society tends to focus on flaws.
How did that lead to you founding Ambition?
I was actually working in medical sales; I wasn’t in the fitness industry at all. But I kept thinking about how working out had been so impactful to my life and my confidence — and really, my entire self-worth — that I wanted all women to have the same experience. But most women don’t want to go to the weight section in a typical gym; it can be intimidating and masculine.
At the time, CrossFit was the only kind of group fitness available that focused on weights. And while that works for some people, it can be intimidating for lots of women; that’s not necessarily how they want to work out. So, I contacted a friend who owns a franchise and asked for some advice. She pointed me in the direction of the Small Business Administration. I met with their director, and from there, things took off very quickly. Within about six months, Ambition was born.
What can people expect to find at Ambition?
We’re in the boutique fitness industry, so we offer group classes and personal training. It’s not like an open-box gym; we don’t have open gym hours. It’s group- and community-focused.
With traditional strength training, you want to split your workouts by different muscle groups; you have certain muscle groups working one day and then resting the next day. So, we stagger our weekly classes based on body splits. We have upper, lower, and full-body classes. We also have different versions of full-body workouts.
The classes certainly sound much less intimidating than an open gym! What are your tips for people looking to start a new workout routine?
Find something you genuinely enjoy. No matter how you move your body, you’re only going to stick with it if you enjoy it. Everybody will find a different modality they prefer, whether it’s running, weights, spinning, or yoga.
Also, there’s this expectation and pressure to work out as much as possible, be intense, and get results — but that’s not at all how it is. Slow and steady wins the race, so just listen to your body and move in a way that makes you feel empowered. You’ll naturally be able to increase the challenge as you progress. I’m actually pregnant at the moment, so I’m starting to feel a little restricted with my own movements — it’s been a good reminder that it’s OK to start small!
Do you have any nutrition tips to share?
Nutrition and diet are like fitness — anything extreme will not be sustainable. If you are super restrictive and not eating foods you like, you’re going to end up falling off the bandwagon. You have to enjoy it!
One of my main tips would be that you can find carbohydrates and fat in everything, so the one thing you have to look for and prioritize is protein. Protein is really great for building muscle, and lean muscle mass is beneficial for overall health. Also, out of all three macros, protein will make you feel the most full. It’s good for weight loss because eating protein helps you feel satiated. The vast majority of people don’t get enough protein, but even if you’re a vegetarian or limiting your meat intake, you can find good sources of plant-based protein and dairy products with protein in them. I like to decide on my protein first, then build my meal from there.
What is the best advice you’ve ever given or received?
Life is like a leaky ship; you plug one hole, and another one sprouts. So, don’t sweat the small things and focus on what needs your attention most.
When you’re not working out — or getting ready for the baby — what are your favorite places to eat, shop, and play around Louisville?
I love to eat locally at Joy Luck and LouVino. Best shopping easily goes to the Paddock Shoppes, and I love walking around local businesses in NuLu on a weekend afternoon.
Aside from faith, family, and friends, what are three things you can’t live without?
Dry shampoo, my Bose headphones, and a barbell!
All photography submitted by Katie Daniel.
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Lennie Omalza
Originally from Hawaii, Lennie Omalza is a Louisville-based freelance writer of over 18 years. Lennie is a yoga-loving foodie who travels as often as she can and enjoys writing about food, homes, and weddings. You can find more of Lennie's work at Eater, Hawaii Home & Remodeling, and The Louisville Courier-Journal.