Jennifer Lau Explains why CBD and Fitness go Hand in Hand

You don’t get much cooler than Jennifer Lau, a personal trainer at Fit Squad who knows a thing or two about helping her clients build confidence inside the gym. Read on to learn about all the stigmas she’s breaking, including her use of cannabis and how it helps her training.

Tell us about yourself, what’s your story?

I’m a personal trainer, holistic nutritionist and now the co-owner of a training facility in Toronto. I do a lot of strength training for females; it was something that came out of what I felt was a lack in the industry at the time. I was going to all women’s classes and it was burpees, knee tucks, skipping and I was like “where are all the weights?”. I just felt like it wasn’t fair that all the female classes were mostly conditioning and not strength-based, and that’s not how I typically train so I knew there was something to be done there.

Why do you think these classes are like that? 

I think at the time there wasn’t a lot of education around how important strength training is for females. There is still a stereotype we are trying to break that lifting weights makes you bulky. But I’ve been strength training for 15 years and have been training to get bulky and it’s a lot harder than people think. As females, we are more susceptible to osteoporosis so it’s important we do more resistance training.

What would you say about someone struggling with personal confidence in the gym, or self-esteem? How would you help someone? 

We use fitness as a way to address that. The gym can be intimidating, and you are vulnerable inside a gym. We are a very aesthetic based business, whether we like to say that or not, and you get judged by your physique and the way you look. But I think your confidence and energy will speak before that. We keep that in the back of our minds so that we are more compassionate when training with clients.

When you were training, did you ever feel that the playing ground was different because you were a woman? Was there a stigma? 

When I was training on my own and going into the gym, I did feel it. Am I picking up enough weights? Am I doing form properly? I definitely made it a point to learn proper technique to get stronger so that if I walk into a gym and pick up a 225lb deadlift, all of a sudden, I had respect from the entire room. That gave me confidence and I wanted to be able to share and teach that to other females.

What would you say our relationship with cannabis is like?

As a holistic nutritionist, I take supplements, I eat superfoods. My relationship with cannabis is similar. I use it to help with recovery or if I feel anxious or stressed. I know that if I use cannabis near the end of my day and I want to bring myself down, I can rely on it for that. And I also use it on heavy training days for inflammation and recovery.

“Especially in the health and wellness industry, CBD oil is very popular. Every other trainer will tell you they use it. It’s so much more accepted.”

And what is the history of that relationship? How did it start and evolve? 

Like my first experience? I was 12 and at the park with my 2 girlfriends. Is that the story? I can tell you. (laughs). I remember it very vividly. We got it from a friend’s older brother; we were at the park and we said we would do it all together. We thought “ok not a big deal” and we didn’t feel anything. We got back into my girlfriend’s house, and her mom came to talk to us and all of a sudden I couldn’t face her mom. I was head deep in the bowl of popcorn and she was trying to have a conversation with us. I don’t remember the conversation, but I was trying to stifle my laughter by stuffing my face.

It was something we were hiding from our parents and we thought we would get into so much trouble. We had to hide it from authorities, like our parents or anyone that would be upset that we were playing around with it or using it at all.

What do you think the difference is between your relationship to cannabis now versus when you were 12 

Especially in the health and wellness industry, CBD oil is very popular. Every other trainer will tell you they use it. It’s so much more accepted; there’s no stereotype that you’re using drugs. It’s more like “good for you because your recovery must be amazing and you’re able to manage stress and anxiety”.

The first time I tried CBD wasn’t that long ago. A friend, who is my coach, used it regularly and encouraged me to try a little bit, and if you don’t feel anything try a bit more. It was just education and having someone coaching me through it.

It’s almost like another supplement. What would you say to someone judging you for your use?

Mind your business! (laughs) Or what do you know about it? Where does your judgment come from? What is it about cannabis that you obviously don’t understand?

YeaH and I think you’re touching on a big thing. Stigma comes from a lack of education. 

If I told my mom I was using it, she would be my mom when I was 12 years old. She would think I’m getting high every day, what would her friends think and what would the family think. But it’s a lack of education because from what she remembers, it’s something you do to get high and it's illegal. But if I tell her that it helps with stress, anxiety, helps me sleep better, helps stop inflammation, then she would understand.

This interview has been edited and condensed. Follow Jen on Instagram @itsjenniferlau