The superficial gains of a sculpted physique and an amazing body do not give a holistic representation of the life of a fitness entrepreneur. It requires unfathomable levels of discipline, dedication and commitment that is difficult to maintain over a specific period of time, especially during a pandemic. Candice Abraham-Santos exemplifies the true life of a fitness entrepreneur who is keen on encouraging women to care for their mind, body and soul.
Candice, who is currently pursuing the requisite certification needed to specialize in Sports & Fitness Nutrition, used 2020 as a huge stepping stone year despite all its inhibiting challenges. She recently completed her course to become an ISSA Certified Fitness Trainer in Trinidad & Tobago and is now optimistic that she can make systemic contributions to the improvement of wellness and self-care in her idyllic island.
If you’ve ever come across one of her workout videos on Instagram, or seen the evidence of her gym work in her toned physique, you see a confident and strong woman. You see a woman who has fallen in love with the process of becoming the highest version of herself, but beneath that confidence is a shy, unassuming charm. Candice is committed to helping other women blossom into the fullness of their femininity, but she herself isn’t one for the hype. Though she is fully cognizant of how her radiant smile can illuminate souls, her physical beauty is no match for the heart she has to elevate other women.
The way Abraham-Santos balances being confident with modesty is similar to the way she balances her creative expression with her business acumen. Being the Director Of Business of Abraham Distributors Ltd. has allowed Candice to garner tremendous experience in understanding how to effectively market a company’s services, enforced with efficient customer care – a skill she will use to her advantage in her fitness entrepreneurial ventures. Candice’s business skills are equally as polished as her dance moves and as a creative, this is her means of dynamic expression; one which she reveres wholeheartedly.
CARIB VOXX: Tell us a bit about Abraham Distributors and the scope of work that being the Director of Business entails.
Candice: “Abraham Distributors Ltd. is a distribution company which provides high-quality barware, food service, and janitorial products both locally and regionally. Being in a small family business, I managed to take on numerous roles which ranged from the company’s accounts, administrative work, social media management and customer care. I always believed we had great potential and have had a strong desire to grow the business, hoping to successfully manage a future branch in Port of Spain. Some of my aspirations are to eventually add my own independent line of kitchen/home accessories that are geared towards women who love to bake and entertain. Unfortunately, Covid has been quite hard on our business and the industry so it’s not the ideal time for growth. Due to this, I decided to take advantage of these quiet times to pursue knowledge in a field I have always been passionate about, which is Health and Fitness.”
CARIB VOXX: Where does your entrepreneurial spirit and drive come from?
Candice: “I have always been someone who is serious about self-growth and improvement and strive for it in my daily life. I look at development as an opportunity to make positive contributions, not only for myself but for the lives of others. This can range from my own daily routines to developing new business strategies that can help build and grow a business. When I am passionate about something, I pour my heart and soul into it. This drives me to educate myself, think outside the box and grow personally and professionally.”
CARIB VOXX: At what moment in your life did you realize that fitness was important to your holistic well-being?
Candice: “I don’t believe there is one specific moment, but many experiences that have shaped my outlook on the importance of living a healthy life. From a very young age I was always curious about fitness but had limited interaction with it. I frequently accompanied my mother to her aerobics classes, but more as a spectator rather than a participant. I didn’t think that I was eligible to participate because of my age but this soon changed as the instructor asked me to join; and from there, I truly fell in love with it! Staying active was important to my mother, as well as eating healthy. This became even more apparent when my father had to have open-heart surgery. We as a family had to change our lifestyle for the better and this greatly affected how I viewed the world of health. I truly understood at that point that there was a connection between eating right and staying active. At 15, I was diagnosed with scoliosis which required me to wear a back brace and do a lot of back and core strengthening exercises -Something I still do to keep the pain under control. With this, I realized that not all exercise is gym-related and can encompass a wider array of disciplines. I think that fitness and exercise, at the end of the day, can make you feel much stronger; mentally, emotionally and physically.”
CARIB VOXX: How do you hope to inspire and motivate other women with your discipline and passion for fitness?
Candice: “I want women to know that it’s okay to feel how you feel and to start wherever you are right now. I just want you to take the time to care for yourself, nourish yourself, love yourself, and make that effort every day, no matter how small. It all adds up! It all comes down to choices, and you have the power every day to make better choices by eating more nutritious food, becoming more active and allowing more positive self-talk. You can do this! Let us all try to be more kind to one another, more supportive, more uplifting, more loving. That is what I want my community of women to be. Remember that you are stronger, more capable and more beautiful than you know! I hope to inspire you through my own journey knowing that I have had my own personal setbacks, and I am here to support you every step of the way.”
CARIB VOXX: Tell us why you think it’s important for young women to let go of the desire to attain physical perfection and a bit about our own journey to self-love and self-awareness.
Candice: “I think us women can be too hard on ourselves, and to try to upkeep this image of perfection is unrealistic and even unhealthy. I believe that women should try not to be too competitive with one another, as challenging as that can sometimes be. We have to remind ourselves that everyone is on their own path and we should try to remain focused on our own unique strengths and goals. I believe it’s important to love ourselves throughout our journey and try to enjoy the process. I know some women don’t feel “good enough” and feel easily discouraged when they compare themselves to others and honestly, I have been there. I remember when I was diagnosed with PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) and gained a lot of weight and couldn’t understand why at the time. It was amazing how differently I got treated, by both men and women, and I had to make a conscious effort to be kind to myself and patient with my body. I realized that becoming healthy and feeling happy is more important than fitting into society’s expectations of who I am and what I should look like.”
