#GORGOgirl: TracI Melgar

The Struggle is Part of the Adventure

Honored, humbled, excited, panicked.  Those are emotions connected with adventure. The adventure of sharing. The adventure of attending Camp Gorgo last year alone at 57.  The adventure to learn to be a better small business owner.

March 19, 2020: my 58th birthday
Struggling with the transition to online fitness training with my demographic as the vast majority are in the “high risk" category for no reason other than age. They are also not, for the majority, technologically versed or familiar.  Truthfully, neither am I. While I’ve dabbled, nothing has gone as expected. I over think, over plan and find myself exhausted trying to learn lighting, the view of streaming, and anticipating uncontrollable unexpected factors that present daily. What an adventure!

Let’s add that even though I am incredibly blessed and grateful to have my 9-year-old granddaughter flattening the curve with me, (her mom is single and a police officer) I have also put on the “at home, online teacher” hat.

Teaching has always been a passion regardless of the subject. Whether it was my years of traditional education by grade, Survival Spanish, ESL, Fitness, or how to help save Monarch butterflies, that is not the struggle. That’s the adventure that calls to me. This online, relying on technology, waiting for responses to email, receipt of lessons to accomplish our goals, that’s the challenge.

I have three amazing grown children. Two live about an hour away and the other resides in DC. Facing this birthday in a bit of a pity party as my husband is at work (essential workforce keeping UPS Aircraft safely in the air), I have to put in three hours of continued streaming with my fit groups, make sure my granddaughter gets her online lessons accomplished, and struggle with the idea of driving the hour to meet up with my three children. Yes my three children! An unexpected death of a close prominent friend has driven my oldest son to make a trip to Kentucky and it happened to coincide with my birthday. It will, if I choose to go, be the first birthday with all my children together in five years.

I am anxious, nervous, stressed. I am trying to be responsible but the Mother’s heart within wants desperately to be with her children on her birthday. My daughter calls needing to shift our gathering time a little earlier due to an unexpected mandatory meeting at the precinct. No more time to think. If I am going to go I have to just do it. Slightly exhausted and anxious upon arrival, I have  a myriad of emotions and thoughts running through my brain. I look old, I feel old, medical issues including debilitating chronic migraines have taken their toll on my weight and my energy. Why does it take a funeral to get my son home? Is my daughter safe or exposed as an officer posted at the official testing hospital for this virus. Am I endangering myself or my granddaughter?

 I get up to my son's room at the downtown hotel at which he is staying.  We knock, no answer. my stomach tightens. My phone rings. I hear my son say, “Hey mom where are you?”. I repeat the same as I am worrying how we will all be safely and comfortably in a hotel room. He tells me he is in the Lobby and to come back down. I am now worried my children are not taking this pandemic seriously. Once I return to the lobby, my son greets me with “Hi beautiful, Happy Birthday!” He leads me into an empty dining hall he has reserved for the afternoon with private meal and drink service.  Every negative thought and emotion from stress melts and I spend five glorious hours with my three children and granddaughter seated around a banquet table laughing, talking, eating, and drinking. I am thoroughly enjoying the adventure of my 58th birthday amidst the Corona Virus Pandemic!  I stepped out of fear, into the unknown and uncomfortable, to enjoy the adventure.

Adventure including struggle brought me to Camp Gorgo last year by myself. As a small fitness business owner I wanted to learn to be better at what I feel led to do. I wanted to learn that specifically from Women and certainly women in the business. A friend connected me with the Gorgo online group. I decided to dive in and commit to camp, as it was basically in my own backyard after all.

From last minute strangers welcoming me to be their roomies and having the exact same dress for formal night, to meeting one of the most outgoing friendly newbies at the Meet and Greet, embracing it “All In"  and accidentally getting into a car of the most hilarious Gorgo girls ever! (clown car travel at its finest!), one of two mermaids and yes again same dress different color at the formal.  

Absorbing, learning, experiencing and connecting with the strengths of so many incredibly amazing women.
Wow what an adventure!

Was I nervous and uncomfortable at moments? Yes, but every woman I had any amount of connection with erased them. The adventure made the struggle worth it. In the pressures and stresses of life, we might get so discouraged, and in our head, that we miss it. It is not about the struggle. It is about finding, owning, and finally beginning to understand our own story, struggles included. This in truth is our adventure. I will forever be grateful for the uncomfortable struggles that brought me to the blessed adventure of a Gorgo Girl.

Step out. Experience the uncomfortable and the amazing; the adventure. Just maintain a  safe social distance and flatten the curve till this adventure passes.

"Attitude is the difference between an Adventure and an ordeal"
- Bob Goff-Live in Grace Walk in Love

Habits: Reprogramming Yourself for a Habitually Healthy You

By Angela Hauck

Model: Natalie Davis

We can be habitually happy; habitually driven; and habitually supportive.

Just as easily we can be habitually judgmental; habitually late; and habitually lazy.

The body enjoys familiarity and routine. Take for example the route that you always take to get to work. Unless there is construction, we often stick to the same path every day.

The brain is no different. It likes to take the same route and altering the route or re-paving the road is not an easy task.

Moreover, although we are all well aware that our current health and body composition is a direct reflection of our everyday habits, changing those habits is not easy.

In hindsight, I can identify all of the habits that contributed to the person I used to be.

In college, I would get a massive slice of cheese pizza every day for lunch and lather it in a disgustingly thick layer of parmesan cheese.  

A bottle of pop would wash it down and I would often add a chocolate bar for dessert.

Every evening was filled with a few hours of television and online battles of tetris.

A few nights a week, I would engage in excessive binge drinking. Not long after was brutal hangovers and puking in the hallway garbage cans at school.

While living in British Columbia, I would consume Chicken Nuggets, french fries and a Coke from McDonalds and then go to Dairy Queen for a blizzard treat.

Every evening was filled with a long nap and a few unproductive hours on my computer.

Every weekend, booze took priority and Sundays were always a complete write-off.

I only bought fast-food or food that was on sale. I scarfed down meals manically and mindlessly.  

Water and vegetables were pretty much non-existent and it’s no surprise that as a result, I became unhealthy, overweight, unmotivated and lazy.

That very well could have been what I became forever. I could have stayed habitually overweight. Habitually lazy. Habitually fat.

In turn, I could have taught my kids unhealthy choices, habits and behaviours. And, they too could have come habitually overweight. Habitually lazy. Habitually fat.

Or not. . .

Although automatic in nature, habits are a choice, they can be temporary and they have the ability to change.

Take for example what is the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning?

What’s typically on the table for breakfast?

How do you decide what’s for dinner?

How do you deal with stressors in your life?

What habits are holding you back physically and mentally?

And then consider the effect your habits are having on those that are around you.

One of the coolest capabilities we have as human beings is the ability to influence other people, especially the people that we love.  

By demonstrating healthy habits, we can enrich and inspire our family members to better health. We have the power to shape a solid foundation and a solid future for our children.  

By getting them involved in healthy living at a young age, we can help prepare them for a future of maintaining a healthy weight and a future of avoiding health problems related to excess body fat.

I’ve put together my top 8 healthy nutrition habits that you can apply in your household.

1) Be a good role model, especially when you’re tired, stressed or busy.

It’s very easy to grab “junk” food when life gets challenging.  

It’s important to remember who is watching. Is this a habit that you would want your children to emulate?

2) Read labels – not to learn how many calories are in the item, but to find out the ingredients.

Teach your children (when they are old enough) how to identify hidden sugars. Teach them to make selections that are high in protein and high in fiber.

3) Sit down with your kids to plan out the meals for the week.

Listen to their ideas and work as a team. Perhaps your son wants to have spaghetti and garlic bread for dinner with a chocolate brownie for dessert.  

Come up with ways to include a vegetable and a good protein source into the meal then find a healthy brownie recipe that you can make together.

4) Make up a homemade trail mix full of raw nuts and seeds such as walnuts, pumpkin seeds, almonds and chia seeds and keep it on hand for a quick snack.  

Packed with omega-3 fats, having these on hand can help with cognitive development and the prevention of many chronic diseases.

5) Mix flavoured yogurt with plain yogurt to cut back on the sugar.

This also works with chocolate milk and juices. You can dilute with milk or water.

6) Let your children choose their favourite fruits and vegetables.  

When you are in the produce aisle, show them the many colourful options and explain why fruits and vegetables are important.  

When you get home, chop, prepare and organize them so that they are easily accessible.  

Involve them in the process – even young children can do things like tear up lettuce for salad and put lids on Tupperware containers.

7) Serve appropriate portions.

Teach your children what it feels like to eat until they are 80% full. Let kids stop when they are no longer hungry instead of when the plate is clean.

8) Take your family’s favourite meals and find a way to do them over!

Wonder Woman Fitness: Kiowana Phillips

By Jill Farr

Soldier, author, certified personal trainer, PhD student, wife, mom…Kiowana Phillips isn’t kidding when she refers to herself as a “Jane of All Trades”, but the usual follow up of “Master of None” doesn’t apply here—she attains goals, in addition to setting them.

“I love challenging myself,” Kiowana says. “There are many women that I look up to but none that do everything that I do. We are all unique. I love helping others and what makes me unique is that I have the motivation, support and drive to push people to reach their goals. Whether they want to maintain, lose weight, or just challenge themselves, I'm there every step of the way.”

As the wonder woman behind Wonder Woman Fitness, Kiowana brings her special brand of enthusiasm to her clients. A Beachbody Coach and certified personal trainer, she also has personal experience with what it’s like to be at the beginning of a long fitness journey.

“I've faced many challenges on my journey from gaining weight and not being able to lose it after giving birth to my now 2 year old, to not liking what I see in the mirror,” Kiowana says.

Although she believes in nutrition and a good program for fitness, Kiowana also credits drive with getting her where she is today, fitness-wise.

“I've always been a competitive person in spirit being in the Army but fitness is my passion,” Kiowana says. “I get a rush from pushing myself.”

Turning challenges into opportunities has meant more than making a business out of fitness, after getting fit, herself; Kiowana’s book, The Boy Who Smiles with His Heart, is a chronicle of the first nine years of her son Khaleb’s life with Moebius Syndrome, a condition that includes facial paralysis. (You can follow the book’s Facebook page to find out more about raising awareness of Moebius Syndrome.

In addition to strength training, Kiowana is an avid runner (20-40 miles a week, and about five races a month, ranging from 5ks to half marathons), and a competitive student of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, which she says comes in a close second to running as her favorite fitness pastime.

“There’s something about stepping on the mat with someone and knowing that both of you want to win,” Kiowana says. “It's all about who wants it more.”

Kiowana may have been blessed with an extra helping of drive, but she insists that the pursuit of fitness is a natural confidence enhancer, and that getting moving, physically, can have enormous effect on your mental wellbeing.

“Fitness plays a huge role in confidence,” Kiowana says. “When you feel better, you look better, you move better, you love better, you're better altogether. When you work out you're doing something for YOURSELF. That's YOUR time. Your time to yourself to work on you.”

For the women who wonder if they too can become Wonder Women, Kiowana’s response is a resounding yes.

“My advice to women who need encouragement would be to always think RESILIENCY,” Kiowana says. “Have the courage to keep pushing forward. Don't quit. It will hurt, you will be sore but change doesn't happen overnight. Situations are inevitable.”

“Life happens but keep going. Hold your head up and run the day, don't let it run you.”

Jessie Benson Takes Balance to the Next Level with SUP Fitness

By Jill Farr

Shortly after 29 year old FloYo© creator Jessie Benson was introduced to stand up paddle boarding (SUP) she found herself dreaming what many thought was an impossible dream; introducing East Coast inhabitants to SUP yoga.

“Stand up paddle boarding was still brand new, almost non-existent on the East Coast,” says Benson. “I had a vision for FloYo© but when I told people about the workout and the experience on the water people in my community thought I was crazy.”

“There were a lot of challenges to overcome--a very short SUP season, a perception of polluted waters that were unsafe to be on, to name a few—but I knew that once I got people on the boards they would fall in love with the SUP fitness experience. I just had to figure out a way to get them to take that first step and get on board.”

Benson’s love for fitness started early, and was encouraged in her home.

“I fell in love with fitness when I was in high school,” she says. “I was a bit overweight in middle school, but always played sports and was active. My parents went to the gym religiously and always instilled the importance of fitness.”

Before discovering SUP, Benson had another activity ignite her fitness fire; spinning.

“When I discovered spinning as a sophomore in high school, I fell in love,” she says. “I started to lose a bit of weight and gained so much confidence. I loved the rush I felt after a spin class. I felt as though I could take on the world, I could do anything I set my mind to.”

Benson wasn’t simply content to spin as a student; her excitement led her to want to share her passion with others as a teacher.

“As a freshman in college, I got certified as a spin instructor. I taught spin and other group fitness classes all through college and continued after I got a corporate job right after graduation.”

The business world may have beckoned right out of college, but Benson’s heart was solidly in the fitness world, and her characteristic drive and belief in pursuing what fulfills you led her to look for a path to change.

“I knew that fitness was my passion,” Benson says. “I felt so fulfilled when in the gym inspiring others to live up to their fullest potential. I dreamt of how I could make fitness my career and then when I discovered SUP, I knew I had found the answer.”

“It was a bit of a journey creating FloYo© and figuring out how the brand would develop but now I am able to travel the world doing what I love- introducing people to SUP yoga. It truly is my dream job and I couldn't imagine doing anything else!”

Now an ASI (Academy of Surfing Instructors) SUP Yoga trainer, Benson leads ASI trainings in addition to FloYo© trainings all around the world.

Benson not only has a penchant for taking the initiative and learning how to teach others when she finds something that speaks to her, she realizes the importance of gratitude as well, towards the mentors that have helped her shape her fitness future.

“I still keep in touch with my very first spin instructor,” Benson says. “I give her a lot of credit for where I am today. She ignited my passion and inspired me to follow fitness as a career!”

Inspiring a similar type of excitement in others and sharing the great lessons she learns from SUP is the icing on the cake for Benson; the true accomplishment is teaching women to overcome the biggest obstacle in pursuing that passion…fear.

Holding challenging yoga poses is a daunting enough task for many when standing on solid ground, but taking it to the water—while balancing on a board—is not only a significant physical hurdle, but a great metaphor for other areas of life.

As one of the pioneers of SUP fitness on the East Coast, Benson credits the fueling of her passion and drive to bring the pastime to others with the feeling that being on the water gave her.

“I loved the feeling of freedom I discovered while on a paddleboard in the middle of the water with nothing holding me back,” Benson says. “That passion is what made others want to come out and experience FloYo© for themselves.”

“I encourage strength in women in each and every FloYo© class- showing women what is possible. Women often come to class very skeptical, fearful of falling in the water, nervous that they will not be able to stand up and do yoga poses on the board. I have created an experience on a paddle board that encourages women to drop their fears, to get free and to have fun.”

“FloYo© helps women find freedom, and finding freedom is finding possibility. Once my students take that leap and sign up for a class they commit to surrendering their fear and finding their strength.”

Even if you don’t have the chance to get on a paddle board and try out your Warrior pose, Benson believes the essence of her program comes down to something any of us can do…test our limits.

“My biggest piece of advice for women is to step out of their comfort zone,” says Benson. “If they are always doing the same fitness routine- running on the treadmill or always taking the same yoga class- I encourage them to try something new.”

“Trying something that makes them feel slightly uncomfortable, something out of their realm of normal gives them the confidence they need to face any challenge in life head on. My favorite part of my job is seeing the joy and sense of accomplishment on women’s faces after a class--they come in thinking they will never be able to stand on a board and leave feeling like they could take over the world.”

“Fitness helps women find that sense of empowerment, and that’s what FloYo is what it is all about!”

(Visit www.FloYoFit.com and follow FloYoFit on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to learn more.)

Mind of an Athlete

By Priscilla Tallman

I’m in the middle of a battle between my mind and my body.

I’ve struggled in this department before maybe in a more traditional sense where the mind is the one I’m trying to overcome. In the past it may have been finding every excuse to stay under the warm covers instead of waking up to hit the gym, or perhaps letting the rowing machine spin out the last several seconds instead of getting in a couple of last pulls.

Situations like these are things I might consider part of my “mental game,” areas where my mind wants to quit and, therefore, so does my body.

That battle is all too common, but this current conflict is different. This time, it’s my mind that won’t let me off the hook. My body is saying “not today” but my mind is saying “get up, let’s do this.” Now, I’m not necessarily complaining, the mind is a powerful thing and, so, this works mostly to my benefit. But when I signed up for the CrossFit Open three months after tearing my meniscus and only two weeks after being cleared to full-range squat, even my own body was like “you have got to be kidding me.”

My brain? It’s all “aw, come on. You can scale it.”

It’s less mind over matter and just a full dose of only the mind matters. And it’s an interesting time for me because as my body feels less and less capable, my mind is calling in the big guns to keep me moving regardless of the excuses my body is trying to feed me, and believe me, I’ve got a few.

Honestly, I blame it on years and years of playing sports and I call it “the mind of an athlete.”

Starting in elementary school, I played competitive sports through high school, college and beyond. I learned some valuable lessons and developed character traits that are often only found in athletes, like mental fortitude, the ability to push physically when everyone else has given up, the persistence it takes to master a skill or movement and many other valuable life skills that have carried me through more than one season (literally and figuratively).

But as I grew up and lived through the ups and downs of my journey, my athlete brain was also doing some undercover work. It was developing neural pathways and creating mental memories I could cash in on down the road and all through my life. It’s these habits and memories, I believe, that won’t let me off the hook in my current season.

See, while my body may not be fully capable of doing the things I want it to do, my brain has been forming habits all my life. Teaching me that not every workout or training session is backed by my 100% undying motivation, not every practice or lifting session is enjoyable, nor do they always produce the desired results I am hoping for and despite these things my brain still tells me to show up and do the work.

What I love best is that when my brain is in charge, my body doesn’t really have a choice. So, I can continue through life (and the aging process) walking around with a list of things that are broken or failing and I can keep that list in my pocket as a reminder of what I can’t do or what I’ve lost…

…Or…

Or I can glance over at the list and say, “Wow. I enjoyed those things to their fullest and now look at all the new things I can try, play, lift and do. Look how much I have left!”

Look how much I have left.

That’s a much better approach to life, to fitness, to relationships or any other thing I hope to accomplish with my time here on earth than the alternative of giving into my excuses.

For now, I’ll thank my many years as an athlete. I’ll thank my brain for developing AND remembering the neural pathways that tell me to move my body because it’s better for me in the long run than focusing on what I can’t do. I’ll thank my brain for the ability to recognize and differentiate between soreness (keep moving), exhaustion (restore and recover) and pain (rehab).

And though I have the body and athletic prowess of a giraffe, I’ll be thankful I have the mind of an athlete.

#GORGOgirl: Angie Ecton

We love featuring our everyday GORGOgirls that are inspiring us to crush life and a balanced approach to fitness.

Meet Angie Ecton.

Tell us about yourself!

I have been married to the love of my life, Kent, for almost 31 years. We have three beautiful children and two granddaughters.  Interestingly enough, our kids are 34, 29, and 12 and our grandchildren are 14 and almost 3. I live in Brady, Texas with my husband, youngest son, and our Boston Terror… I mean, Terrier, Rev. (hahaha)

I am a High School Mathematics Teacher. I didn’t earn my mathematics degree until I was in my late 30s-early 40s. Currently, I am in graduate school and will graduate in May with a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction. I will be 54 years old on February 12; “Queen for a week, enjoying birthday afterglow in the following days,” as my mother used to say.

Tell us about your fitness life.

Let me just say that sometimes my fitness life is more like a circus. I am married to a coach (#coachwifelife), have a 6th grader at home (#middleschoolboymom), am very close to my older children and grandchildren (#thefiftiesareawesome), teach full-time (#teacherlife), and am a graduate student (#nevergiveup). Fitness is my “me time,” the thing I do for myself.  I LOVE yoga and hope to increase my practice and become a certified instructor. I also love group classes and I have finally found a gym in my new hometown (we moved to Brady in June 2019). In addition to all this, I will again be training for the Susan G. Komen 3 Day this year. I took last year off and missed it so much!

I have recently begun working out in the mornings. I attend two group classes a week, try to practice yoga at 2-3 times a week and fill in the rest when I can make time.

What are your hobbies?

My favorite things are dates with my husband, family time, hiking, movies, and reading.

Any goals you’re working toward or have in mind for the future?

I want to get that girl back that had a fire in her before my husband and I started chasing coaching in 2016. Moving around a lot has made me yearn to find a home base to stay for a while. Settling in Brady has given me a new vision that starts with finishing graduate school and challenging myself to be physically active and pursue a healthy life for myself and my family.

Any struggles?

When my mother got sick (congestive heart failure) and passed away 14 months later, in October 2015, I saw what could happen if I didn’t start paying attention and taking care of my health. Since then, I have struggled to find a balance between family, work, and taking care of me as we moved from school to school chasing coaching. Even at 53 years old, I am still learning that it is okay and, in fact, better for everyone involved if I pay attention to what both my body and mind need. As the woman of the house, I know that I can’t take care of anyone else if I don’t take care of me first. And yet, I still find at times that I am doing just that. Don’t get me wrong, I have done ever so much better these last few years and I love my family. I’m a work in progress and probably always will be.

Favorite quote that inspires you right now in your life?

“Underestimate me. That’ll be fun.”
My life is, honestly, very chaotic. Yet, I have managed to stay married for over 30 years, raise three amazing children, and will have earned two degrees after the age of 40 by May of this year. My question now is, what’s next? I’m sure someone will challenge me soon…

Do you have any message you feel called to share about where you are at your life right now to encourage other GORGO GIRLS?

If I could share one message, I would say this, don’t quit. Don’t ever quit. When you feel alone, call a friend (queen).  When you struggle, get back up. When you fail, try again. Your only competition is the face you see in the mirror. Get up and show up. Stoke that fire. Be present. Life is real and hard and oh, so worth it!

What do you love most about the GORGO community?

I love all of the QUEENS in my life! Some of them were already there before camp and some of them are new sisters that I met at camp. The best thing is that, no matter what I’ve gone through, there is a woman out there who has had that same experience. They are willing to share and support me and each other if I just learn to ask for help.  I am accepted as I am and encouraged to be myself, flaws and all.

CAMP GORGO: Thoughts about your experience? 

Camp GORGO was one of the most life-changing and exhilarating experiences I have ever had. I cannot wait to go again!  I think my favorite part was just connecting with other strong women. It is an indescribable experience. I wanted to attend because I saw the changes it rendered in my friend, Morgan Green’s life. She invited me and, although I was anxious, I went and I don’t regret it one bit! 

Learning that my vulnerability and flaws are strengths, not weaknesses, has empowered me with the courage to continue my journey in search of health and peace.

Benefits of Yoga for Strength Training

By Christina Drew, Registered Physiotherapist, Yoga & Pilates Instructor

I was introduced to yoga in 2006, by a client who practiced regularly and consistently. She told me how yoga had transformed her body and mind, reduced her stress, and helped detox her body.

I was initially skeptical because I didn’t identify yoga as an activity I would consider a “workout”. My scepticism most likely arose from the fact that yoga differed greatly from the workouts I was familiar with as an athlete. Let me give you a little insight into my athletic background. I was an elite soccer player, basketball player and frequent gym goer, working out 6-7 times a week. My idea of a “workout” was anything that pushed my limits, it had to be extremely challenging, and leave me soaked with sweat! I finally found my way to a yoga class to appease my client, and wow what an incredible experience it was! I quickly discovered that yoga is very much in alignment with my idea of a great workout. What surprised me the most was all of the benefits I gained through yoga practice that left me saying, “I wish I started doing yoga a long time ago!”

Here are some of the many benefits of yoga for athletes and gym goers alike:

1. Breath:

Breath is a major component of yoga. The most common type of breath is Ujjayi breathing, usually translated as “victorious” breath. Ujjayi breath is performed by constricting your throat as you inhale and exhale through your nose, keeping the lengths of inhalations and exhalations equal. This breath helps focus on the task at hand, strengthens your diaphragm, increases the amount of oxygen you intake, thus feeding your muscles with more oxygen. Oxygen is valuable to performance, as it is used in converting glucose into energy needed by your muscles. As we workout the demand for oxygen increases, therefore our breathing must be efficient to deliver oxygen to the muscles to avoid glucose converting into lactic acid. Breath helps you focus on the exercise you are about to do, and helps you push through that last rep.

2. Balance:

There are many poses in yoga that focus on balance. Good balance is a key component in injury prevention. By working on balance, your body’s joints become more reactive to situations that predispose your joints to injury. These balance postures also help strengthen your core by challenging it to stay engaged during activity. A strong core will also keep your spine strong and posture in check in order to optimize your athletic ability. Balance is important for strength training, especially those exercises that are done on Bosu balls or single leg stance such as Romanian Deadlifts.

3. Flexibility:

Yoga uses both long held postures and dynamic stretching. Majority of yoga postures use eccentric contractions, where the muscles stretch as they contract, elongating the muscles. With regular yoga practice, you will notice your muscles are more flexible, however strong as well, so your joints are better protected. Flexibility allows you to go through a larger range when doing a strengthening exercise. For example, you can lower down further during chest press.

4. Core Strength:

Your “core” is a group of different muscles that help support your spine and pelvis, and create a powerhouse from which your extremities can move around with efficiency. Building core strength is major component of most yoga practices. One way is by utilizing Ujjayi breath, the simplest form of core activation, to help tighten your midsection. Another large contributor to strengthening your core is through postures. There are many postures such as plank, crow pose, boat pose, and many others that utilize the majority of the muscle groups that make up your core. Core strength is key for preventing back injuries while lifting, and allows you to lift heavier weights because it stabilizes your spine to provide more power to your arms and legs.

5. Strength:

Yoga, is a functional form of exercise, using body weight to help tone and lengthen your muscles. By using a form of exercise that is flowing through different postures that are usually not performed during sport or at the gym, you are working on strengthening all muscles in a new way. This form of cross-training, helps the body balance out any imbalances that occur from performing one type of exercise or sport. Balancing strength in our body also helps prevent injury!

So if you are asking yourself if you should give yoga a try, I strongly suggest you DO IT! You will be happy you started incorporating it into your workout regimen.

Model: Amy Rivera

#GORGOgirl: Stephanie Tell

We love featuring our everyday GORGOgirls that are inspiring us to crush life and a balanced approach to fitness.

Meet Stephanie Tell.

Tell us about yourself!

I am a visual/backoffice associate at my favorite store…Athleta! Born and raised in NJ!  Hubby and I are planning on selling our house in northern NJ this Spring and getting an apartment in NYC for the next 5 years or so.  We have a beach house at the Jersey Shore that we are going to keep  (that’s where I grew up) so I still get visit my home state very often. My husband and I met when he was 17 and I was 18, this year will be our 25th wedding anniversary.  We have two boys that go to college in Boulder, CO…one is a sophomore and one is a freshman.  It’s hard to have them so far away but at least they have each other.  

Tell us about your fitness life. 

Right now, I am doing Val’s Gals with Val Solomon and I am loving the program so much!  It is 3 days of strength and then added bonus of whatever we want to do.  It’s been a while since I did dedicated strength training workouts and I totally forgot how much I love it!  I am having a ball rediscovering my passion for it and my strength!  I love checking in with the gals from the group and gathering more strength and determination from them.  Other days, I attend Bar Method classes, which I truly love!  It is SO very different from anything else I do, or have ever done and it is so challenging.  In the classes we use muscles that I didn’t even know I had! When I am at our beach house, there is an amazing studio that I go too.  Their focus is more on cardio…truly amazing spin and cardio barre classes.  They truly kick my butt!!!!!  I am not a cardio junkie at all…but those classes I adore and wish I could do them more often.  

Do you have Any hobbies?

My favorite one is traveling with my family!  We’ve gone on many wonderful vacations..and on those we’ve mountain biked, went rock climbing and repelling, white water rafting, ice climbing, horseback riding, snowmobiling, ATVing, etc.  We LOVE active vacations!!!

Any Struggles:  

My struggles are that I love to eat and I love my cocktails! Thank goodness I love to workout…otherwise, I’d be in a whole head of trouble. One of my goals is to cut back on my cocktails because I know the alcohol is affecting my progress. It’s so nice at the end of the day to chill with a couple of glasses of wine, or a cosmo, or maybe a glass of wine and a cosmo!  I know I need to cut back…its just a matter of doing it.  

Fav Quote that inspires you right now in your life?

“You’ve always had the power my dear, you just had to learn it for yourself.” - The Wizard of Oz.  

This one resonates with me because I have always had the power.  I forget every now and then and have to be reminded…honestly, the GORGO community totally reminds me of who I am and who I have the power to be!  

Do you have any message you feel called to share about where you are at in your life right now to encourage other GORGO GIRLS?  

Make time for yourself. It is not selfish. Whether it’s working out, attending Camp GORGO, having lunch with your girlfriend, meditating, sewing, reading… whatever! Self-care is SO important! There is always something else that we could be doing…because we women do it all! LOL!  It is imperative that we make ourselves a priority. It is so important for our mental and physical health.  

What do you love most about the GORGO community?  

The camaraderie is amazing! The GORGO community is such a safe place for us to share very personal things. There is no judgment. There is understanding, advice, virtual hugs, and kisses, shared tears, etc. It’s such an empowering community!  

CAMP GORGO: Thoughts about your experience?

I had been wanting to go for the last few years but honestly didn’t have the courage. I used the age of my kids as an excuse… I couldn’t possibly leave them!  Well, I didn’t let that excuse fly this past summer…my boys were 19 and 18 and perfectly capable of taking care of themselves for a long weekend. In fact, they were rather overjoyed when I told them they’d have the beach house to themselves! I wanted to attend because I’ve “known” Val, Christie and Dani for years through social media. I had purchased all of Val’s online workout programs and really loved them!

I was definitely intimidated and wasn’t sure if I’d fit in at camp at all. I thought everyone would be so much more fit than I was and they’d all look down their noses at me. I couldn’t have been more wrong! There were all different ages, shapes, sizes, abilities, etc and it was such an amazingly inspiring weekend!  It was so much more than a “fitness” camp, it was very spiritual and I did a whole lot of soul searching that weekend. I had really awesome workouts, and a blast at field day… but the best times when we just sat in small groups and talked. We laughed, we cried, we shared… I let other ladies “in” and I don’t do that very often.  

I re-learned that weekend that I am a strong mentally and physically, that I have a right to love myself and to treat myself kindly.  It’s been a long time since I’ve felt that way!  I can’t wait to go back next year…I won’t be a newbie, won’t be so nervous and will hopefully be able to make newbies feel welcome and accepted like the Queens did for me last year.  

Self-Love: The Missing Ingredient in a Dieting Mindset

By Rosalyn Fung

“Wow! Have you lost weight? You look great!”

Does this compliment make anyone else’s day!? How do you feel when someone says that to you? If you’re like most women, that would have been the best compliment you could ever receive. I know, in the past, I certainly would have thought so!

In our society today, being fat is seen as a significant top fear in people. In fact, approximately 91% of North American women are unhappy with their bodies and resort to dieting to achieve their ideal body shape. Only 5% of women naturally possess the body type often portrayed by Americans in the media.  81% of ten year olds are afraid of being fat because they believe that “being fat is the worse thing in the world”.  I too, was caught in this fat-fearing diet mindset, at one point in my life.

Many of us get socially rewarded for dieting, from compliments about weight loss and being seen as more attractive in others’ eyes. Although it may seem harmless to compliment one for their weight loss, we have no idea how these social reinforcements are being taken to the person losing weight, as well as the reasons of why the person is dieting in the first place. For instance, when I was a chronic dieter and constantly trying to perfect my body, I was getting so many social compliments on how great I looked, how envious my friends were of my transforming body, and received a lot of attention from the opposite sex- but internally, I constantly had a running tape of “What can I eat? What shouldn’t I eat? Do I look bloated? How much do I weigh? If I eat this now…I can eat a little less later or tomorrow or I can do extra cardio”…blah, blah, blah – nothing but justifications and calculations in my head that eventually drove me nuts!

Dieting has become “the socially acceptable eating disorder”, or to put it another way, it is considered disordered eating, depending on the degree of severity when it comes the impact on mind, body and spirit and functioning in life.

Clinical Eating Disorders, such as Anorexia, Bulimia, and Binge Eating Disorder, meet the criteria in the Diagnostic Statistics Manual- 5 (DSM-5), a handbook used by healthcare professionals in North America as the authoritative guide to the diagnosis of mental disorders. Orthorexia, which is not currently recognized as a diagnosable eating disorder yet in the (DSM-5) is becoming a more prevalent eating concern as it pertains to being “health-obsessed” and the individual suffering may be creating an identity around healthy food.  At one point, I definitely suffered from Orthorexia, as my (false) self-esteem became wrapped up in the purity of obsessively only eating “healthy” food, which in turn made me feel (falsely) superior to those who would eat anything that I considered unhealthy.

Disordered Eating, in contrast, does not meet the criteria required to be diagnosed, however, the individual may still suffer from a mild form of that diagnosis. So in essence, disordered eating and eating disorders are just two ends of the spectrum.

Regardless the degree of severity, what really matters is our self-talk and reasons when it comes to weight loss, and how much space and time is dieting taking up mentally, emotionally, and physically in you? Are you trying to diet because you are consumed with:

• “Feeling fat” (and yet, you actually are at a normal, healthy weight range for your height)

• You do not like what you see in the mirror, you want to be a smaller clothes size just because you think you’ll feel more happy and confident, you think you and others would like you better if you had the ideal body?

• You believe the smaller the number on the scale, correlates with increased happiness.
  

  OR are you losing weight because:

• You legitimately have weight to lose for health reasons, or

• Weight loss is actually a side effect and your main focus is that you are learning to respect your body’s wisdom, and you still remain in positive self-talk no matter what size your body is?

I’m going to bet that many women are going to say they resonate more with the former set of questions rather than the latter. Most of us diet because we are trying to achieve a certain appearance. Now, professional bodybuilding athletes diet because this is very much part of the sport. However, if they are doing this for purely the sport aspect, their self-talk is realistic in accepting their body off-season as much as they accept their body on-season. Although, even many athletes struggle with their body image off-season because they compare themselves to their on-season physique.

For the rest of us women, why are you trying to achieve the perfect body? Our reasons are often not truly about food and weight. It’s about something much deeper- it’s about trying to “control” some part of us we dislike or are uncomfortable with, and it always boils down to our limiting core beliefs and feelings related to our beliefs. Limiting core beliefs may include “I’m not good enough”, “I am not lovable as I am” and “I’m not worthy”.  In most cases, perfectionist thinking is involved. Perfectionist thinking is black and white thinking such as seeing things as “all or nothing” and “good or bad”.

So in the case of dieting, women tend to follow rigid, prescribed way of eating, and “feel guilty (“I did something bad”) or shame (“I am bad”) if they eat foods outside of the prescribed diet plan. Certain foods are seen as either “good, safe” foods or “bad, unsafe” foods, depending on the diet. Self-punishment is often the consequence of falling off the wagon in the form of purging, restricting, over-exercising – all while engaging in self-bullying thoughts.

So what are some signs that tell you your diet has slid into disordered eating and warrants some (self)love, support and attention?

• You may find yourself spending more than half your time and energy planning out, justifying, feeling stress/anxious/obsessed about what to eat or not eat, and when to eat.

• You weigh yourself frequently to “stay in control” and if the number on that scale is not what you hoped, you feel devastated or deflated, you beat yourself up, your upset mood affects the rest of your day, and/or you get more obsessive about “being good with food” or finding ways to lose weight to “stay motivated”.

• You feel guilt or shame when you eat food outside of your prescribed diet plan, even if it was just a bite. Then you have the rest of the food anyway, and end up binging because you “ruined your diet” anyway.

• You find yourself more restrictive with food and/or exercising excessively to make up for the extra calories you ate the day before.

• You believe that once you reach your goal weight that you will be happier and everything in your life will be better.

• You view your day, week, and life through the lens of food and you judge yourself as having a good day or bad day based on how well you stayed on track with your diet.

• You feel obsessed and addicted to food.

• You constantly check yourself in the mirror for body flaws or you avoid mirrors at all costs.

• You believe that other people are focused on your “fat” or body concerns just like you are.

• You get highly anxious and stressed when you get invited out for social gatherings because you fear you will not stay in control of your diet, and you might even sacrifice spending time with friends so you do not lose control.

These are just a few of the “symptoms” that occur as a result of disordered eating. The diet mentality sets us up to view life from the lens of food, and to be quite preoccupied with food. The real reason why we feel like we have “no willpower” or we are “weak” is because we are restricting ourselves. Our biology is not meant to restrict. What happens when we are told “No, no, no” repeatedly? Most of us want to rebel! It’s just human nature.

So what are some things you could do if a friend, is suffering from disordered eating or an eating disorder?

Always, always, always be non-judgemental! Stay curious about their intentions of dieting – the reasons are always deeper than the food behaviors.

Approach them with love, sensitivity and support and mention that you notice they seem a bit sad/preoccupied these days, and that you are there to listen (and truly listen without interruptions or jumping into fix them!) Remember, it is never truly about the food or their body image!

Gently make suggestions to build their support system with resources such as a therapist, doctor, programs about healthy, normal eating, group therapy for body image and food concerns, and offer to go with them.

The bottom line is that your best approach has to be of genuine concern, curiosity, and love.  When your loved one who’s suffering can genuinely feel your love and concern, the chances of them opening up increase. Love from others is a vehicle to start the healing journey towards developing a healthy relationship with food, body image and Self-Love.

So, you may wonder, how do I answer people now if they ask me if I have lost weight? I simply smile, say I don’t know and I don’t really care, but what I do know and care about is that I feel great from the inside out, and that’s what really matters.

---

References:

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5. Washington, D.C: American Psychiatric Association.

Bellos, M. Why I am a Body Image Activist. Retrieved on October 23, 2015. https://youtu.be/EyJwlk8wJHg

Kratina, K. Orthorexia Nervosa. Retrieved November 19, 2015. https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/

(Re)Gaining Ground: Carissa Johnson on How Setbacks Reveal Strength

By Jill Farr

A “fit life” isn’t something that one achieves and then just sits back and enjoys; fitness is an ongoing pursuit, something that has to be maintained and cultivated. Setbacks occur, both large and small, and sometimes ground is lost, and has to be regained…and then surpassed, if we’re committed to progress.

“Setback” seems too small of a word to describe what happened to Carissa Johnson in May, 2011; she was struck head on by an SUV going full speed and pinned against a steel rail fence while working a promotional modeling gig in downtown Denver, CO.

She sustained bilateral tib/fib fractures and a compound left ankle fracture, and underwent surgery immediately; doctors inserted rods in both legs.

Carissa had just competed in her first NPC show the previous fall, and fallen in love with fitness competitions, winning 1st place in the Short Fitness Model class just a month before, at the WBFF Fitness Atlantic Championships. Before the accident, she had started training for the World Championships taking place in Toronto that August.

Although relieved to be alive, Carissa says that immediately, her thoughts went to how her world had changed.

“Not only were my legs destroyed,” Carissa says, “But my heart was broken. I wasn’t sure at the time if I’d ever be able to bounce back from this terrible experience.”

And she didn’t just “bounce back”. Progress was slow, and painful.

“My life post-accident consisted of 3 months on the couch,” Carissa says. “I was in a constant state of excruciating pain, even with medication. Even making it from the couch to the bathroom was an extremely difficult task. With both legs broken, even using a walker was challenging and painful as it felt as if I was crushing each leg with every step. I was essentially helpless, and never felt so low in all my life. I relied on my mom for assistance nearly 24/7.”

Despite the debilitating pain and the effects it produced on her outlook, Carissa was still able to break through the depressing circumstances by resolving to do whatever she could, whenever she could.

“Even though most of the time on the couch I ended up sleeping time away because being awake felt too difficult to handle at times,” Carissa says, “I had to do something. My solution became doing arm exercises with dumbbells off the side of the couch. Every morning I would spend 1 – 1 ½ hours simply lifting weights off the side of the couch and doing ab exercises. Even though my legs were smashed, and I wrestled with the idea of not having any hope of furthering a career in the fitness industry, I couldn’t accept defeat. I knew there was a possibility I’d be disabled, but for some reason I could never let go of my passion.”

The drive to maintain the level of physical fitness that she still had, coupled with the determination to do what was possible to do helped Carissa’s recovery, both mentally and physically, as did having health care professionals who were sympathetic. (Going back to the gym after physical injury should always be cleared with your doctor first, with an eye towards protecting your long term health.)

“Thankfully my PT at the time was a former bodybuilder and competitor,” Carissa says, “So he understood my undying drive to get back to normalcy. Even while my bones were broken, and I was still limping, I begged the PT to allow me to go back to the gym. I couldn’t move much, but I had to get back for my sanity.”

It was a slow process, but Carissa’s determination paid off; she finally made her Pro debut at the WBFF World Championships in 2012, just a little more than one year post accident.

“It's been a journey of epic proportions,” Carissa says.

And it’s a journey that’s still ongoing. Carissa underwent two additional surgeries at the end of 2013 to remove my hardware in each leg, and has struggled with PTSD, a battle that she says has been more difficult and paralyzing than she could have imagined.

As anyone facing a setback will discover, Carissa insists that maintaining her momentum came out of a desire to keep her dream going.

“In spite of the numerous challenges,” Carissa says, “I could never fully let go of my love and passion for fitness.”

Carissa also offers the viewpoint that we can embrace setbacks as challenges to our inner strength—similar to the way our physical muscles are broken down and built back up even stronger—and that we can not only overcome them, but look at them with gratitude, ultimately, as opportunities to see just what we’re made of.

“I’m so thankful for my journey,” Carissa says. “God has blessed me and strengthened me more than I could ever ask or imagine!”

“We all have our individual strengths that make us unique. We have no idea what we're capable of until we actually try - we are stronger than we think.”

“It's rewarding and incredibly empowering when you see how strong you really are.”

carissajfitness.com

Gym BFFs

by Katy L.

When I was young, I played on lots of sports teams. I was surrounded by girls who loved to sweat, eat, and spend way too much time together, so it came as no surprise that I grew up and became a Phys Ed teacher, trainer, and yoga instructor. As I matured (somewhat) and began replacing sports with fitness, I had a harder time finding those like-minded girls who loved to sweat. Apparently, not everyone's idea of having a good time involves getting the shit kicked out of them. I was confused. Didn't everyone think squatting to failure was fun? Who doesn't love comparing sweat stains and smelling each other's armpits? Wasn't running past the point of nausea everyone's favourite pastime? 

It will come as no surprise that I don't have many gym friends. Some would argue I don't have many friends in general, but I digress. I remember how often I'd tell people that I wanted a workout buddy. I wanted someone to hang out with at the gym instead of the 20-year old receptionist at the front desk who felt obligated to laugh at my horrible jokes. The other personal trainers were crazy jacked and only talked about protein powder, and the other yogis would just laugh at (not with) me when I tried to speak vegan. Really, I'd tell anyone in hopes that someone would take me up on it. The guy on the subway, a server, my taxi driver, my mom...

I got lucky when I finally met my gym BFF at age 30. Number one, she didn't run in the other direction when I called her my gym BFF after knowing her for one day. We started out as running buddies, and after only a few runs in, I discovered I was pregnant. I was terrified of losing my only gym friend, but didn't want to tell anybody I was expecting just yet. Our next run together, I swear I nearly died. I was beet red, drenched with sweat and panting while trying to keep up to our regular pace. My gym BFF was supportive and caring about my disgusting exterior and inability to run more than 100 meters. While on a walk break, she confided in me that she was pregnant! I jumped for joy (and believe I wet myself) and exclaimed that I was, too! We were at the exact same point in our lives, and both enjoyed active pregnancies by continuing to run, strength train (she would come to my fitness classes... Unforced!) and by taking prenatal yoga.

I won't lie, having a workout BFF made me up my game. I'm competitive in nature, so it helped having someone push me harder than I would push myself. She wanted me to do three sets of stairs, I'd do five, then pretend to take a drink while gasping for air. We liked coming up with new workouts for each other, whether we were tandem on the treadmill or supersetting. I'd try to impress her by sprinting a little faster or lifting a little heavier, all while trying to keep my sweat to a glow and not let out a fart.

My workout partner kept me accountable. Knowing she was going to be meeting me at the gym or on the trail forced me to keep driving even when my senses smelled McDonald's fries, and helped me get my ass off the couch even if the Bachelor was on. My workouts became so much more enjoyable!  I had a partner in crime to carry out some of my favorite hobbies: bitch about people, rate the guys at the gym, and people watch.

I don't know about you, but I'd think about my workout BFF when I picked my gym outfit. "Awe, man- Emily is soooo going to notice how small my gunt looks in these compression tights!" "Haha, Emily doesn't need an XS sports bra to hold up her non-existent boobs!" "I wonder what Emily will think of my lashes in this waterproof mascara?" "I'll just use a little bronzer to make it look like I woke up like this."

Emily has since moved away (reading this, it makes perfect sense) and I am left without a gym BFF. We talk a ton, still share workouts and have signed up for a half marathon together. I'm not sure she is replaceable, but I have hopes that I can find another gym BFF.

It just may take me another 30 years.

Chapin Schnick: Honoring Your Body Through Life's Ebb and Flow

By Jill Farr

To say that Chapin Schnick was “active” growing up is an understatement.

“In high school, I played volleyball, soccer, basketball, and softball, and I swam,” Chapin says. “And then I played college softball.”

For many people who are athletes in high school and college, finding the time and energy to be the level of active they were in their youth is difficult; the pressure of getting a job and maintaining an adult life takes a big chunk out of the time formerly devoted to sports. But Chapin stayed athletic.

“I dabbled in things after college, CrossFit, running.” Chapin says. “I stayed active. Even during a time when I was overweight, I was still running marathons.”

Some big events altered that trajectory, however.

“After two consecutive miscarriages and a debilitating wreck,” Chapin says, “I took an extended break from the gym and enjoyed a few years where I just focused on being a rainbow-wearing, donut-eating art teacher my students loved.” 

“In a sense, this was excellent, because it helped my career. I came out of it with a few important grants, including the inaugural InstaGrant from the Indiana Arts Commission, I presented at national conferences, and was named the 2018 Indiana Art Educator of the Year.  My mental and physical health suffered, though.”

This time, Chapin took a different route back to fitness. 

“In the spring of 2018, I began taking weekly hot yoga classes and going on backpacking trips with DNK Presents, a women-owned adventure company, which led into a summer of camping road trips. Coupled with a focus on intermittent fasting, I finally felt like me again. In addition to now working for the Indiana Arts Commission (IAC), I’m training to be a guide with DNK Presents.”

Instead of an intense, regimented workout schedule, Chapin’s fitness life is more organic.

“I focus on yoga and hiking, and natural movement in general,” Chapin relates. “Along with metabolic conditioning. If I have an upcoming hike, I’m preparing for it. I’m usually just focused on trying to get 30 minutes of activity, whether it’s weights, kettlebell exercises, or whatever. Today I did double unders..it varies.”

Another shot in the arm for Chapin’s fitness life has been Camp GORGO.

“I had been following Val Solomon on social media, along with Christie NIx, about six years ago, when it came up on FB that they were going to do a lifting workshop, and it was at my parents' gym. I was so excited to see it happening, and then after that they announced that Camp GORGO was happening in the same area. I’ve gone to every single camp since.”

“It’s not even so much the workout experience for me, anymore...I came out of the first camp with friendships and more of a holistic view of fitness. Every summer since has been about catching up with these women, setting new goals...I literally can’t imagine my year without a Camp GORGO in it.”

Chapin gives yoga a lot of credit for bringing her back into the fitness fold. 

“For about six months,” Chapin explains, “After the accident, I did nothing aside from the occasional walk. Yoga was what brought me back to the point of being able to get active again.”

Yoga is deceptively simple, and good exercise for someone who needs a gentle fitness beginning...but it’s also a very intense workout that can level up as your strength and ability increases. Studies have shown that there are several reasons why it has such a positive impact on the people who practice it, but Chapin has her own opinion.

“The reason I think it appealed to me so much--after having basically destroyed my shoulder in this car accident--was the notion that it’s infinitely accessible. People following the same flow can have very different abilities. I may not be able to do this intense version someone else is, but I can do it where I am, and get benefit.”

In addition to its gentle on ramp for beginners, yoga has the potential to build incredible strength, and Chapin has seen that, too.

“For the last two summers of Camp GORGO,” she says, “I’d only done yoga and hiking, going in, but was keeping up with everyone. I hadn’t picked up a weight for two years. It blew my mind.”

The mind/body connection can be experienced with any activity, but yoga’s origins give it a leg up, since it was designed with that symbiosis in mind.

“I always come out feeling relaxed,” Chapin says. “I prefer hot yoga and one of the reasons is that I just feel cleansed. It’s about more than the activity. Being into yoga for the last couple of years has gotten me into understanding chakras and things like Reiki. I always thought Reiki was crazy stuff, and now I participate in Reiki massage. It’s opened my eyes to more.”

Chapin’s love for hiking developed out of necessity, and is fed by the meditative quality of having the great outdoors as your gym.

“The hiking focus came about when I was prepping for some camping trips,” Chapin shares. 

“I knew we were going to be carrying 60lb backpacks, so I got into it. I’d avoided the outdoors for a while, but this got me back outside. As with yoga, I feel renewed afterwards. Now I’m an assistant backpacking guide for a women’s outdoors company. In October we’re going to Tennessee, we’ll have a bunch of beginner backpackers --women--and we’ll teach them about no trace ethics, safety, and how to poop in the woods!”

“I had always felt like, coming out of being a competitive athlete, that I need to keep up with running, I need to keep up with lifting, but I don’t feel the stress of needing to have a certain type of movement any more. I’m trying to honor my body, and if I feel like moving my body a certain way, I do. I don’t feel the need to have a certain structure with having to have four lifting workouts that last a minimum of an hour...my only focus is four days with 30 minutes of activity.”

When you look at the pattern of Chapin’s activity, going from the highly competitive mindset of organized sports, to the Zen end of the spectrum, with hiking and yoga, you might wonder if a part of her misses the competition. She wondered about that, herself, and the answer might not be what you’d expect.

“I thought I would feel lost, not having competitions coming up. When I had the wreck, I was training for a powerlifting competition. That hasn’t interested me since. And it’s freeing in a way. I spent probably 25 ish years always trying to focus on being the best at some pursuit, or supporting other team members, and now I just feel like...I’m just trying to be good to my body.”

And as far as the team aspect of sports being gone, Chapin says that she’s found the fix for that in Camp GORGO, with even more of the support, and none of the competition.

“I feel like a lot of folks coming to Camp Gorgo believe it’s going to be the opposite of what it is. They think, “Oh, it’s a fitness camp with all of these influencer types...everyone’s going to be catty...it’s going to be competitive, focused on looks...it’s the opposite. I actually feel so relaxed at Camp GORGO. We’re all trying to be the healthiest versions of ourselves. It’s freeing to be around women who have similar goals.”

The ability to listen to what your body needs and honor it as life changes those needs is the big message that Chapin believes her story holds. And that adaptability has served her well in finding happiness and contentment with the changes she’s had to navigate.

“I spent more than 25 years thinking being a mother was the one thing I was certain I was meant to be,” Chapin says.

“But as I close in on 34, I am happily content with my handsome hubby and our three furry boys, my goal of 30-min. of movement most days of the week, and supporting fellow artists and arts organizations in Indiana through my position at the IAC.”

Dig, and Push Through: Joyce Harrison

By Jill Farr

Joyce Harrison wasn’t athletic growing up, and carried some extra weight as a result, not unlike many kids who aren’t particularly active.

However, not many people have a clear idea about the “why” behind childhood habits...and Joyce does.

“I survived being raped and molested as a child,” Joyce explains. “So, from a young age, I already felt unworthy, broken and dirty. Looking back I think I kept my body hidden under layers of fat, ate my feelings, then hated myself even more in that vicious cycle.” 

“As an adult I worked through those feelings, or so I thought, and went on about my life and got married to an amazing man and started a family.”

While the trauma of her early years had posed a significant challenge, Joyce had no idea that an even greater one lay ahead.

“When our second child Olivia was 11 months old,” Joyce says, “She died of a very rare condition. We were devastated.”

The loss of a child is one of the most horrible things most parents can imagine, and Joyce and her husband Terrance faced it, and carried on.

But the heartbreak wasn’t over.

“Three years and three days later,” Joyce explains, “Our third child, 18 month old Samuel died of the very same rare condition.”

“I fell into a pit of grief so deep and dark and terrifying. Losing one child is tragic, but losing two? I begged God to help me understand. I was in a constant state of fear that something else bad would happen. The toll that grief and stress takes on the body, mind and soul is immeasurable.”

Joyce kept going forward, doing the things that needed to be done, and living, but finally the pressure of continually managing such a deep, underlying depression finally became unbearable.

“When my youngest son, Max was 6 months old,” Joyce shares, “My husband deployed for a year to Iraq. Within a month, I hit rock bottom. I felt isolated and alone. I didn’t want to die, but I didn’t want to live either.”

Friends and family stepped in, helping Joyce to take some initial steps.

“My mom took me to weight watchers and a friend took me to a spin class--my first ever.”

“Within a few weeks of lining up some nutrition and exercise, I saw some results,” Joyce says. 

“I also sought treatment for my depression and PTSD and started to feel like I was worth it. I felt like I was climbing out of the rubble and looking around at my life--in fact, the previous almost 10 years were a blur, I didn’t even remember how I got to that point exactly.”

Joyce decided that living her best life and being the best mom possible to her living children Gracie (now 18) and Max (now 9) would be a way of honoring Olivia and Samuel...not forgetting them.

The impact of exercise on a variety of types of depression is well studied and documented, and while those suffering should always consult a health professional for diagnosis and treatment, engaging in exercise is a meaningful way of helping your brain and body cope with trauma. Research has also indicated that the relief from depression that exercise can provide is long lasting, and Joyce is a believer. Once on the road of recovery, she made the decision to amp up her activity level.

“My primary fitness goal is to be healthy and strong,” Joyce shares. “Although losing weight seems to be all I can think about. The scale and clothing size has ruled me for as long as I can remember, but I’m trying to change that mindset and not focus on the numbers. One day I would love to walk across the stage in a fitness competition just to wear the sparkly bikini, but right now I’m still trying to learn my body and how to get it in the shape I want. Until then I will love it and honor it for giving me 4 amazing babies.”

“After I got started, I followed (stalked) some people on Facebook. People like Busy Mom Gets Fit, Sisters in Shape, Dani Get UR Guns, FitNix and my coach, Natalie, and then I read about this thing called Camp GORGO!”

Joyce’s initial excitement was temporarily derailed by old, negative thought patterns, though. 

“It was so close to my home! But I kept thinking things like, ‘Oh, but I couldn’t, I’m not fit, I’m not strong, I’m too fat. So I just sat and watched for two years as this amazing event was happening.”

But that didn’t last, and eventually Joyce’s desire to be a part of this event overcame her self-doubts...and the results were worth it.

“Camp Gorgo literally changed my life,” Joyce says. “Obviously from meeting these amazing women that I totally fangirl over in person, but also from them being transparent, open and vulnerable.”

“I connected with a tribe of women that are strong, fearless, full of grace and grit. I communicate regularly with my Camp GORGO roommates and even though it’s through text or Facebook, the strength, encouragement, and empowerment is palpable.”

In sharp contrast to the years of darkness and depression, Joyce now has joy in abundance.

“Sometimes I feel guilty for being so happy and sparkly,” Joyce says, “But God has restored my joy and I can find it anywhere! I have been an RN for about 20 years and I have just graduated from the University of Cincinnati with my BSN. I am very fortunate to have the support of a great husband and family.”

When asked what advice she would give other women, who are struggling with feelings of unworthiness, or crippling depression that feels as if it’s all-consuming, Joyce admits that it’s hard to share, but wants other women to know that they can take the reins of their mental and physical health.

“I struggle telling my story sometimes,” Joyce says, “Because I am not where I want to be; it’s messy and imperfect. But I have learned to take responsibility for my mental and physical health, become proactive and less reactive.”

“Have an honest discussion with yourself, ask yourself, what is the life you want to live, what does it look like and how would it make you feel? It is so liberating to discover your authentic self. Do one thing everyday that will get you to your goals. Change your inner dialogue, tell yourself how awesome you are and what a great butt you have! I was told that whatever you are going through, God has already put in you what you need to make it through, So dig and push through! It’s painful and it reveals parts of me I don’t like- but then I imagine the life I want to live to honor my children and it’s so worth it!”

How to Enjoy Your (Less) Healthy Vacation

By Erica Willick, Sisinshape.com @sisinshape

Summertime is in full swing and that means for many of you, vacations are part of your plans this month. If you have a vacation on the horizon, here’s a question to consider: How healthy do you plan to be on your vacation? This isn’t a trick question!

It may surprise you to find out that as a nutrition & fitness coach I don’t necessarily recommend you stick 100% to your healthiest plan on vacation. As you know, we believe in moderation and that also includes moderation on how strict you are with yourself. Unless you have a very special event that requires a top physique (you wedding day, competition etc.) coming up in a month to 6 weeks from your vacation, you don’t need to stick to your “plan” in order to still stay healthy.  I actually encourage my clients to be a bit (less) healthy on vacation!

When you go on vacation, one of the main benefits is rest, relaxation, and a time to get away for a while. Even with the best of intentions, if you decide to stick to your healthy plan in a regimented way, that won’t leave you as much time for spontaneous fun or the downtime that vacation is great for. Read on for my key tips on how to have a (less) healthy vacation this summer.

Should You Work Out?

The first question to ask yourself when trying to decide how healthy you need to be on vacation is often if you need to “workout”. While there’s no need to put pressure on yourself to follow your specific plan each and every day, getting movement and staying active is key to avoiding the ick factor that comes with being sedentary for a week. There’s no need to hit up the gym every day, instead think of doing active things like jogging along the beach, hiking, or swimming to keep your activity level up without throwing you off completely. As fit women, our lifestyle includes working out and eating healthy. If you completely throw that out the window during vacation you won’t feel good and it’s that the key to this whole lifestyle? But, if you don’t allow yourself to enjoy your vacation with less rules, you won’t experience the benefit of the vacation either. Plan to workout when you can, but don’t make any commitments to being in the gym every day if that won’t allow you to enjoy your time with friends and family.  

What To Eat

When it comes to eating on vacation there are two extremes to avoid. First of all, throwing all caution (and health) to the wind and indulging all-day-every-day is not going to be good for your health or wellbeing. When was the last time you over-indulged and felt great the next day? It just compounds if it’s a weeklong binge.  That doesn’t mean you can’t indulge in some things that you love though! In fact, we would recommend that you do splurge a little because it is a vacation after all! Here are a few thoughts on when to splurge and when to keep to your healthy routine.

Should you drink alcohol?

If you’re someone who enjoys an adult beverage here and there, your vacation is the perfect time to do so! There’s no reason why you can’t have a beer or glass of wine if you enjoy it, and it helps you relax. Of course, binge drinking for an entire night won’t help you feel good either. The key is to do an indulgence in moderation, so that you will feel good not only the day you’re partaking, but the next day as well (because who has a great day after a night of binge drinking?)

Determine your indulgences ahead of time

What is it that you just love? Is it ice cream? If so, plan to have it once or twice on your vacation. Do you crave a hamburger and fries? Make that part of your vacation plans. By setting your indulgences up in advance it will help you to say yes to healthier choices throughout the rest of the vacation. There’s no reason to deprive yourself of all the fun treats your family is enjoying throughout the vacation, but if you plan ahead, you won’t completely derail your progress either.

Have a kitchen available if possible

One of the greatest ways to set yourself up for success when on vacation (especially if you have little ones) is to have a kitchen available. This allows you to create healthy meals and have some of your staples available at all times, but doesn’t mean you can’t go out and enjoy a meal on the town when you feel like it. By having some staples like fresh fruits and veggies, and the ability to cook healthy meals, you won’t have as many situations where you need to indulge in less than healthy food when you may not even want to.

Breakfast can be your staple healthy meal

If you keep breakfast as your healthiest meal of the day, you will find that it sets a good for the rest of the day. Bring things like almonds, fruit, shakes and other items that are part of your healthy at-home routine to maintain some balance. Breakfast is a great choice for this healthy meal because it will set your day up to be a healthy one, instead of weighing you down with a lot of unhealthy carbs or sugars first thing in the morning.

Remember, a healthy breakfast includes: protein, carbs, healthy fats and fiber!

Have a “Recovery” Week Plan

When you get back from vacation it’s often a good idea to avoid indulgence completely for a week and get back to your “normal.” This can include having a cleanse day, avoiding all treats and alcohol, and getting back to your regular workout routine. By being a little strict with yourself the week you return from vacation you will be able to easily get back on track and back to your healthiest self.

What do you think? Will you have a (less) healthy vacation this summer and see it as all part of your amazing healthy life?

Joann Rivas: Finding Herself Through Many Facets of Fitness

By Jill Farr

For many women, the realization that fitness matters comes to them for the first time after they’ve experienced pregnancy and childbirth. Joann Rivas was one of those.

After her son was born in March 2012, Joann knew that her personal level of health was in question due to the weight gain she’d experienced during her pregnancy, but it wasn’t until she saw a family photo taken at an amusement park that she made the decision to make a change.

“I thought, ‘This is not me’”, Joann says. “This is not who I am.”

The journey to get back—or uncover—her true self ultimately led her to strength training with weights and competing in a figure competition, but that path was prepared with another pursuit; yoga.

“I started eating clean and making some weight loss goals in 2012,” Joann says. “After seeing some increased fitness and weight loss, I had a setback over the holidays, but made a New Year’s Resolution in January 2013 to get back in gear. A few months later, I began practicing yoga daily. I also began to incorporate a more plant-based diet into my life.”

Although you don’t hear “yoga” and “plant based” mentioned very often in the weight lifting world, Joann believes that both had a powerful impact on her fitness beginning.

“I definitely think it had an effect on my core,” Joann says. “After about two months of doing that and researching, I felt I was ready to start lifting weights.”

The flexibility that yoga practice brings is a positive, balancing force to weight lifting, Joann believes, and she points those who are curious to the Internet for inspiration.

“Instagram is great for yoga,” Joann says. “The monthly challenges you can find are great—some of my favorites are @beachyogagirl, @kinoyoga and @laurasykora—and you can get in contact with others easily.”

While yoga helped to create a foundation for her fitness, Joann credits weight lifting with the final result.

“The weight melted off,” Joann says. “When I started in May I weighed 150, and by July I had lost 20 pounds and was 10 pounds lighter than my pre-baby weight.”

Joann began charting her progress and sharing her research on a blog, (jox0fit.blogspot.com) and on Instagram (@jox0_fit). Her social media sites also became a way to chronicle her progress towards another goal she had set; competing in a figure competition.

“I did my first competition last year,” Joann says, “And I plan on competing again in February.”

While not for everyone, Joann says that the experience was an encouragement, and she thinks it can have specific benefits for those who are curious…and careful.

“I like the stage, I like the process,” Joann says. “I’d like to get in the habit of doing it once a year or so; I feel like it gives me an accountability, a reason to focus.”

For those who want to try it out, Joann cautions against getting too caught up in the competition itself, and extols the benefits of good coaching.

“I did have a coach for my first competition,” Joann says. “The first few weeks, I thought I could do it on my own, but there’s a lot of fine tuning beyond the basics. Find someone you trust, someone who either sees eye to eye with you on your goals, or respects them. If you want to do it naturally, if you want to not eat a lot of meat or use artificial means, find someone who will work with you, not against you.”

“You might get short term results if you neglect healthy choices for the sake of competition, but it’s not worth your overall health.”

When she’s not preparing for a competition, Joann still follows a predictable fitness schedule.

“I usually train two days, take a rest day, train two days, then take the weekend off to be with my son,” Joann says.

While that time to just relax and enjoy being a mom is important, Joann says that the workout time is just as crucial.

“It definitely helps my inner peace,” she says. “Taking that hour after he’s in bed or before he’s awake is beneficial. I’ve seen the benefits of it. As a mom, taking care of yourself benefits everyone in the long run.”

Joann also knows that the average woman will experience setbacks, and wants to be a realistic example of someone who takes life’s curveballs and still keeps going, and making choices that lead to good results.

“Take it one day at a time,” Joann says. “Don’t overthink the process. Fit it to your life. As long as you’re moving forward and doing the next thing right, you’re doing good.”

Running Coach Heather Albright and the Power of Pushing Yourself

By Jill Farr

Sisters in Shape online trainer Heather Albright has a wealth of knowledge to offer as a trainer; nutrition guidance, strength training help...but her speciality, both personally and as a fitness coach, is running.

“I’m more of a running coach,” Heather explains. “And I personally do about one marathon a year and some shorter things in between.”

Many people love running, both for its entry level ease and because all you need are shoes and space. While many teach themselves the basics, or just start running and never look back, Heather advises that there is a point where specific coaching about your running is valuable.

“I think the toughest part for people is getting over the initial hump with running,” Heather says. While she loves her chosen pursuit, she agrees that it gets a bad rap from those who aren’t immersed in it already.

“Running just kind of sucks for a while,” Heather admits. “It’s not fun when you’re starting out. But once you get to where you can easily run three miles on your own, then you can start looking at, ‘Okay, I want to get faster. I want to add miles.’ That’s when it’s sometimes helpful to get a coach. And a plan. I can evaluate how things are going, help you build in cross training so that you don’t get injured.”

That last part--injury prevention--is another facet of running’s killer reputation. It’s true that there are a host of ways you can hurt yourself, but there are also some basic precepts that can prevent the most common injuries.

“The biggest challenge for runners is getting injured,” Heather says. “You have to pay attention to the little injuries so that they don’t become big deals. You also have to do all the things--the stretching, foam rolling, recovery, sleep...all those things that balance you out as an athlete. Not many people understand that or have been taught that.”

Anyone who has taken up running as a pursuit has probably encountered some joking about it, or heard lines like “I don’t run unless someone’s chasing me,” or, “You know we don’t HAVE to do that, right?”

Running’s perceived (and actual) difficulty may draw a certain personality type, Heather admits, but she also believes it’s a natural desire for humans to move...and sometimes move fast.

“I was just at a women’s running retreat and that came up. Why do we do this? A lot of us are competitive; we want to show the world our times, but that’s not the only reason for it. Most of it goes back to...we were never designed to be sedentary. Running was one of the original ways we moved.”

That primal drive may fuel the famous “Runner’s High” that gets so much press, and Heather acknowledges that both the exhilaration it brings and the intensity that running requires are key aspects of why she loves it.

“There is something just so incredibly freeing about it. It depends on the day, sure; some days my legs are heavy and it sucks. But when you’re flying and you feel like you’re walking on air...that’s the best. We’re just chasing feeling good.”

The fortitude required is also a positive, and Heather alludes to running’s unparalleled potential for cultivating tenacity.

“I believe you develop a mental toughness when you run. A lot of people in this day and age just don’t have that. I asked on a Facebook post recently…”When is the last time you really pushed yourself?””

“My last track workout, it wasn’t great, I didn’t get my fourth tempo mile, but I pushed myself. It’s money in the bank. Not enough people go there. They don't push themselves. I do think runners push like few other people do.”

Coaching is a passion for Heather, but her first love was running, and it’s a love she still holds.

“Running has been such a source of confidence for me. I got into it as a way to lose weight, but I hit that first goal by actually doing a 5k, so I got hooked on the race thing early on. Then the times got shorter and the distances got longer. I’ve surprised myself by getting out there and doing better than I thought I could. That has bled over into other areas of my life, like training women.”

Lessons from Heather:

Change the narrative.

“I like to ask people...what story are you telling yourself about yourself? What are your limiting beliefs? I asked someone the other day, “What’s your biggest struggle?” and she said “Getting to the gym.” I knew her schedule, that she didn’t go to work until around 10 a.m., so I asked when she was going. She said, ‘After work’, and I responded, “Why don’t you go in the morning, before work?” Her answer: “I’m not a morning person.” She’s telling herself that she isn’t a morning gym person. But it’s pretty easy, once you identify that, to tell yourself a different story. Start saying, “I am a morning gym person.” Say it for as long as you need until it’s true. We all like to say, “I’m not a runner”, but unless you have serious challenges, your body is able to do it. Just ask yourself which limiting beliefs you’re telling yourself, and change them.”

Ease in.

“I like run/walk methods; Couch to 5k, etc. Start there. When you get to where you can easily run 3 miles, think about a running coach. If you come to me before that, I would just have you do something similar to that. It’s solid. That’s what I started with. It’s a smart way to build up.”

Don’t ignore recovery and form.

“Recovery is tough because no one wants to take the time off--but recovery has to happen. You have to take care of your body. That’s why there are so many injured runners. Not listening to warning signs, not strengthening, foam rolling, and recovering are not great. Understanding common injuries is important, too, so that you can recognize them.”

“If your form isn’t great, it heightens injury risk. Strength training is important, too.”

You can connect with Heather Albright at @halbrightfit

I Cannot Even. No, Really You Can.

Written by Priscilla Tallman

I can’t.

I cannot even.

I just cannot even.

I mean. I can’t.

We’ve all heard these expressions. Goodness, we’ve all said them. Tiny little word jabs we use throughout the day to express our disbelief in someone, some thing or some event. Social media has made our ability to can or can’t such a toss away expression anymore, we’ve forgotten those two little words (and the extra ones we tag on for dramatic emphasis) are rooted deeply in our ability to accomplish something.

I mean, can you even? Can you just even?

Yeah, you can.

One of my favorite sayings from my competitive sports playing days is one I stole from my husband, and he stole from his college volleyball coach. It’s super simple. Say it with me:

“Can you?”

That’s it.

Any time a ball was out of play or shanked, his coach would yell “Can you? Can you?” In the middle of a heated game or intense practice, no one had time to answer. You either could, or you died trying. Once we get out of our 20’s or we stop playing something competitively or we stop training for a specific event or sport and begin training for life, we start making excuses about our ability. We start not being able to even – way too often these days.

I get that. I really do.

I have to scale or modify prescribed workouts on a very consistent basis. Some days my body tells me “no” all together. I have 20 years of competitive volleyball on this body and sometimes I wake up at the crack of dawn, peek at the workout and say to myself “I cannot even.” Three little words before the sun comes up that determine my ability in the gym and as a result, my ability and attitude all day.

So, I changed my husbands’ coach’s mantra a bit to fit my life. I switched the words around and took away the question mark – that left these two words: “You can.”

You can.

Imagine beginning your workout, your day with those two words. You can scale or modify the workout. You can do yoga instead if your body says “no” to the weight room. You can just walk up to the bar and lift it without telling yourself that you can’t a thousand times before you get there. You can take care of your body, your mind, your spirit and your emotions without sacrificing one for the other. You can use this phrase to encourage other women in your life without compromising your own ability.

You can.

This phrase is now officially my favorite sports (and life) phrase of all time. As a teammate, I love pushing my tennis partner to take a few more steps to get that stray tennis ball “you can, you can!” In coaching, I love encouraging young athletes to try another time when they are ready to throw in the towel “you can, you can.” When my kids tell me they can’t find anything to pack for their lunches, I say “you can, you can.”

Our days are a series of choices. Sure, there is some level of serendipity, spontaneity and even chaos to any twenty-four hour period, but we can still choose how we approach the day and how we speak to ourselves about what we are able to do. Choosing to say to ourselves “you can,” before the world has a chance to tell us otherwise is strategic and powerful.

Guess what? You can be strategic and powerful. Now what?

You can.

Southern Comfort: Lessons on Loving Food Appropriately with Robin Shea

by Jill Farr

Southern gal Robin Shea has been known for her “Southern Fried” fitness approach for some time, but her relationship with food wasn’t always a balanced one.

“I’ve always been a fitness fanatic, fitness has always been a part of my life, but the relationships I had with food were very unhealthy,” Robin admits. “Dieting, not dieting. Dieting, not dieting.”

“I was tired of that yo-yo. I knew there had to be a balance that I could strike that was more rewarding and fulfilling. With the 80/20 method I found that, and a way to keep the passion I had for good food as well.”

The 80/20 method-- which encourages healthier food decisions 80% of the time, leaving 20% for more indulgent choices—is not only a practicality Robin lives…it’s also the theme for her television show, which airs on the Paula Deen network, Create TV, and PBS.

Cooking 80/20 allows viewers to see Robin bring healthy recipes to life (and enjoy her vivacious personality), and the show has featured her four sons, exhibiting the reality that this way of life can work with large families, as well.

Retooling recipes and replacing some ingredients with healthier alternatives was one key, but Robin also says that there was another factor that needed embracing; letting go of guilt.

“A lot of people don’t realize that psychologically, we introduce guilt as a factor,” Robin says. “It’s a double edged sword. We have to understand that guilt sabotages us on every level. If you can push the reset button every morning when you open your eyes, and truly embrace that, you can learn to let go of guilt, and you’re so far ahead of the game and headed for success.”

The 80/20 approach contains a lot of common sense, as a method of eating—there’s evidence that supports not engaging in super restrictive dieting, long term, if you want to maintain good habits—but there’s also one simple reason to save some room in your diet for the occasional indulgence; happiness. Robin believes that healthy eating doesn’t have to preclude happy eating, as long as there’s a reasonable balance.

“A very important point is that if you’re not enjoying every step of your process, you’re on the wrong journey,” Robin maintains. “I’m not saying you’re not going to experience trouble. Just find the approach that gives you a certain level of satisfaction every day. You should be having fun! If you’re miserable, it’s the wrong diet, the wrong approach…identify it and change it.”

“You should be enjoying it—every day should be rewarding in some way.”