How Shawna Peters Found Her Strength Again with Empower
As a natural health practitioner, Shawna Peters knew something was off with her body.
She was doing regular Orange Theory classes. While she enjoyed them, she was tired all the time, wasn’t sleeping well, her blood sugar was out of control, and she saw an increase in body fat and decrease in muscle. On top of that, her mental health was suffering.
“It was just getting dark,” she explained, adding that, at first, she didn’t link the way she was feeling to the workouts she was doing.
Eventually, the 48-year-old from Nova Scotia, Canada realized she was “nearly killing myself hormonally,” and knew Orange Theory had to go.
Discovering a Better Way
Peters quit Orange Theory and started listening to podcasts to learn more about women’s hormonal health and perimenopause.
In January of 2025, this led her to Dr. Stacy Sims, who mentioned Empower on one of her podcasts.
At first, Peters admits she was “really intimidated” by Empower because she had never done CrossFit before and had never used a barbell.
“I have always worked out, but at a much less intense level. I’m not the athlete in the family. I do it because I know it’s good for me. So yeah, I was intimidated,” she admitted.
Finding Support in Empower
“At first, I would send questions by email because I was too nervous to ask them in the Facebook group, and Annie and Katrin were so sweet and supportive and so kind and encouraged me to keep listening to my body.”
The approach spoke to Peters, who is autistic and says she deals with things “differently” than many other people. She says the supportive environment is a big reason she has been enjoying the program and why she has stuck with it.
“The support has made such a difference to me. They are always thinking about the people in the program, and wanting them to have their best health rather than pushing you until you drop. It makes me feel safe and comfortable,” she said.
Peters is enjoying it so much that she’s about to hire a local coach who can provide in-person feedback to check her technique and make sure her form is perfect.
Where She Is Today
Four months into doing Empower’s Flight program four days a week, Peters said her hormonal health “is much better,” as is her mental health.
Her mobility has improved, and her strength has increased in ways that carry over into her everyday life.
Most recently, she helped a friend move and was far less worried about hurting herself than before starting Empower.
“I’m more comfortable carrying things. I could have done it before, but I’m way more confident now,” she said.
Best of all, Peters is enjoying the process.
“I love how well-rounded it is…And I love that I can take it with me wherever I go, even on holidays,” she said.
Peters added:
“It’s interesting and challenging, and it’s so great to have the Facebook group. And I love that they provide education and information. I’m a very nerdy, academic person, so having this at this stage of my life, along with the workouts, has made a big difference.”
Shawna Peters’ story is proof that with the right training and the right support, you are not just turning your health around — you are building the strength, confidence, and energy to live fully for years to come.
