Maria Sogard, Author at VFit Studio

The Only Decision is Action

July 29, 2021 by Maria Sogard Leave a Comment

We’ve been going through a special marketing case study program the last few months and working to further develop our core messaging and get to know our ideal clients better.

Through the process, we’ve been writing. A lot. We’ve been asking a lot of questions and we’ve been peeling back the many layers of what it means to run a wellness community and the true power of self care as a daily habit.

We’ve also been hitting the live videos more than usual on our social feeds to share more about the challenges we find are common among the women who find us when it comes to working out.

As we scour our last 45 days of social posts, we are identifying a major underlying theme that ties all of them together:

THE ONLY DECISION IS ACTION

Think about this for a moment. As you go through your day, any time you said YES to something, but didn’t actually do the thing you said yes to in that moment, you didn’t really decide anything. Did you? Many of us can fall into this trap and say, oh yes, I’ll do that later. I can get to that tomorrow. Yes I’d love to take a trip to the mountains.

But when later comes and you don’t do the thing. Tomorrow comes and you don’t take action. Or months pass and you haven’t booked that trip to the mountains…all you have here is a case of inaction.

The only real decisions you make in your life is what you do in the present moment. Present moment action is when you are – in the moment – doing exactly what you have set out to do. It can at times be scary, and also liberating! When you start doing more and more present moment action you can find yourself in a flow, continuously doing exactly what you want to be doing while you are doing it.

We get it though, there’s A LOT on your plate right now. But if you look at what you’ve put on your plate with a discerning eye:

// is your to do list lining up with your personal prioritities?
// are there more things to do than there is during your waking hours?
// is there a possiblity you are setting yourself up for failure by adding too much?
// have you blocked out any free time to be in the moment?
// are you afraid of what’ll happen if you cut your list down?

When you approach your day with a personal reset on what your priorities and goals are, and work to take action on what’s important to you in the moment, you’ll find that when your head hits your pillow at the end of the day that you’ve put yourself in a stronger position at the end of the day from the moment you woke up.

You can find strength and personal empowerment in your days if you choose to do more of what you love, more of what fills your cup, and take action in the present moment as much as possible.

BOTTOM LINE: ARE YOU GUILTY OF NOT TAKING ACTION?

If you’e been putting off starting a workout program or routine and saying you’ll start next Monday, or in the fall, or at the start of the New Year than we challenge you to start today. Just 5 minutes. 5 minutes of action today trumps all the other possibilities listed. You can only take action today, who knows what lies ahead? All you have ultimate control over is what you choose to do today. We encourage you to choose YOU and get in self care on the most important day of your life: the present.

July First Friday’s Wellness Cafe – Food Journaling & Hydration

July 7, 2021 by Maria Sogard Leave a Comment

Lauren and Maria share wellness insights on our monthly First Friday’s Wellness cafe each first Friday of the month. Tune in for the July full replay.

Summer is in full swing and the VFit Studio First Friday’s Wellness Cafe delivered on two special areas with it’s July session.

What is the First Friday’s Wellness Cafe?

The First Friday’s Wellness Cafe is a series presented by Maria and Lauren to provide our members valuable insights into wellness and open a dialogue around self care and nutrition. Each month the duo shares on topical themes centered around wellness and nutrition, oftentimes with topics requested by our VFit community. Ultimately, the goal of the Wellness Cafe is to be a resource for our community and provide positive messaging about self care, body image, and overall wellbeing.

July’s Topics

First up, Maria shared about her own personal experience after being diagnosed with ulcerative colitis 10 years ago. She shared why she chose to go into nutrition and personal training. Her intent is to help better understand how the human body works, and how the food we choose to eat makes positive (and negative) impacts on our bodies. Additionally, Maria urged those suffering from digestive related issues to work with a professional and also self-report with a food diary. For instance, food diaries can help begin to reflect and identify food triggers and how different foods digest and make you feel.

Next up, Lauren came in with a presentation on hydration and shared several different calculations for how to determine the adequate amount of water our bodies need throughout the day. A perfectly timed theme as it truly heats up across the country! She shares in her slides as part of the replay. As part of the presentation, Lauren shares those formulas along with foods with high water content and signs of dehydration.

And for those curious about how that morning cup of coffee factors into the hydration equation:

6 oz of coffee has 175 ml of water
240 ml = 8 oz = 1 cup

Lastly, if you are curious to dive in with one of our wellness experts one on one we have great news. Look for info to come out in the next few weeks on the VFit Signature Series for an opportunity to work directly with Lauren, Maria, and/or other wellness experts on the VFit Studio team.

May First Friday’s Wellness Cafe – Eating Well While Traveling

June 7, 2021 by Maria Sogard Leave a Comment

This month at the VFit Studio First Friday’s Wellness Cafe Lauren and Maria focused on eating well while traveling.

This year, many of us are planning for road trips and vacations over the summer months. Just because you are on the road and out of your home, it doesn’t mean your healthy eating choices need to go out the window!

In our full replay above (or click here for Google Slides), Maria and Lauren share tips and tricks to make your travel enjoyable so you can focus on the MOMENTS of your trips!

Some things discussed in this session of the Wellness Cafe:

Temperature controlled ways to travel with your food
Planning meals in or going out
Using your destination to inspire you
Forgetting the ‘beach body’ mindset
Embracing your vacation
Finding balance and focusing on the memories, connections, and the experience of your trip

Here’s also a great roundup photo of some healthy snacks for the road from Lauren:

Taking a road trip? Here’s a snapshot of some great snacks that will travel well with you.

Do you have any tips or questions about how to eat well while traveling? Comment below, we’d love to hear from you!

Linda’s Love Muffins

April 23, 2021 by Maria Sogard Leave a Comment

This delicious muffin recipe comes from VFitter Linda A of California. Chock full of nutritious ingredients, these moist muffins are perfect as a grab and go healthy snack, a quick bite for breakfast, or good enough to serve as dessert too! Time tested for family of all ages, toddlers to grandparents, this recipe is a surefire hit for you to make today.

The VFit #CRUSADE

April 13, 2021 by Maria Sogard Leave a Comment

Crusade – what a powerful word, movement, mission, whatever you may call it – that word packs some heat!

What follows is a heartfelt message from VFit Studio owner and founder, Rachele Jaegers:

This word represents a calling that was so electrically delivered to me from the universe over the past few weeks.

I eagerly invite you to click play on the message above and listen to my 10 minute call to action. I personally invite YOU to join this #CRUSADE we are on at VFit.

I simply cannot keep quiet any longer – there are some truths that must be brought to light now more importantly than ever as we shift back into a new season of life.

Please do not be so rushed to get back to “normal” that you find yourself in a place where your health and well being takes a back seat.

We have a duty to come out of this pandemic with the drive and dedication to take control of our physical and mental well being.

#CRUSADE – Coming out a year of a pandemic I feel rocked to my core to use our voice, our team, our passion to make a positive impact on the culture of health care.

I invite you to take a second to read out loud this powerful quote. Heck, stick it on a post it on your mirror like so many of us have done. This quote sums up about your personal ability to take control of your health:

“I make my health and well being a priority.”

We are more fired up than ever to empower the world that self care is not selfish, it is critical care.

We must stand together motivated, united and with the common value system that each one of us have so much control over our own health and well being.

You can not pass the power that you hold over your own health and well being to anyone else.

If this past year has taught us anything, it’s that self care is critical care – and it takes WORK to maintain.

As a collective we fear that so many have given up in their quest to put in the WORK to take care of their mind, body and spirit.

Yes it takes WORK to live a healthy lifestyle- a lot of work. But it’s the most important work that you will ever be charged with doing.

Don’t you teach your kids that anything worthwhile takes hard work, resilience and diligence. These very lessons are also the core of “health care”.

You can outsource much of your life, but getting in exercise – as our trainers like to continually remind and thank our members about – is NOT one of them.

You are in charge of your own workouts.

You are in charge of your own food.

You are in charge of what you allow into your mind, who you choose to engage with, what you watch on TV.

You are in charge of prioritizing sleep. You are in charge of what you feed your body.

You are in charge of so much more than we are at times left to believe.

So today we stand together at VFit ready to take on this #CRUSADE and we need as many to stand up and speak up.

DO NOT feel shamed for sharing your sweaty selfies, DO NOT worry what other’s think when you get excited and passionate about your fit fam. DO NOT downplay just how much effort and self respect goes into taking care of yourself.

To live to your fullest purpose and potential, it is not merely an option to take care of yourself, it is critical and needs to be a non-negotiable priority in your life.

It is never too late to take control of your own personal health and change that narrative in your head if you are not currently make YOU a priority.

You are deserving of taking control of your health and well being, please don’t discount the power that you my friend hold so much of!

This is our mission and our own personal crusade this season here at VFit and we can’t wait to see who rallies to the mission.

Please feel free to share this blog/video, comment below or send us a message.

And if you want to join the VFit team, the most powerful and uplifting community around, check out our current membership options here.

April Wellness Cafe – Recipe Rolodex + How We Talk About Food and Our Bodies

April 3, 2021 by Maria Sogard Leave a Comment

For the April session of First Friday’s Wellness Cafe we went over recipes from VFit Studio’s Recipe Rolodex with Maria and then Lauren broke down different ways you talk about about food and your body.

Maria first showed the free resource of VFit’s Recipe Rolodex in a live demo and then shared recipe lists. The Recipe Rolodex has over 250 real food recipes made with clean ingredients to help fuel you and your family. The recipes are simple and time tested with our own families. You can also access the Recipe Rolodex via the main menu on VFit Studio’s branded app from iTunes or Google Play.

During the upcoming Wellness Reset held April 12th – 25th, we will go over all 7 pillars of wellness with the food pillar being highlighted. During the 14 days, there will be information and group activities centered on each pillar: food, exercise, water, me time, outdoor time, gratitude, and sleep. You can learn more about the Wellness Reset here. Maria will share 3 more Rolodex Fav Lists during the reset which is intended to help spur new ideas and invite you to try new recipes.

Recipe Rolodex Fav Lists

Presented in First Fridays Wellness Cafe 4/2/21

Breakfast Revisited

Top 10 Biohacking Recipes

Once the Recipe Rolodex session ended, Lauren took over. Here are Lauren’s notes about her session on how we talk about food and our bodies.

Diet talk is all around us. Just think of the diet ads you see, fad diets galore, and friends or family members complaining about their bodies and their looks. The happy people you see in ads are thin, selling you the idea that thinness equals health and happiness. Although this is getting slightly better with more body diversity, it’s nowhere near where it should be. Think about the articles and headlines that get you confused about nutrition and create food phobia. We want to create an environment for ourselves and our children where all bodies are accepted and food is just food.

Think back to growing up… did your family talk about being healthy vs unhealthy, and what did that mean? Did you discuss what it mean to be fat vs thin? Did they discuss dieting and put a big emphasis on looks? Did you feel like your diet was restricted or controlled? Does that affect you now, and how you see food, fitness and your body?

Those ideas growing up STICK WITH US for a lifetime. You may have found that your relationship with your food and body stems from how your parents felt about themselves, or how they treated you. What messages would you like to send to your children?

This may make you want to shy away from talking to your kids about food, but don’t let it. It’s HOW you say things and what you do that have a bigger impact. The message we want to display is that all foods can fit and all bodies can fit, while avoiding negative connotation relating to eating and body size. It’s OK to say that different bodies respond in different ways to different foods. The only time it becomes risky is when we talk about weight loss diets with kids. When we do that, our kids may be less happy with their own weight and are more likely diet to lose weight. And when kids go on diets, they are at a much higher risk of developing an eating disorder or disordered eating. I don’t recommend talking about weight loss or diets with kids.

Weight is not a medical condition. If you have a medical condition such as high cholesterol, then you can talk about cholesterol and adding in fiber to your diet for it’s beneficial effects. You can discuss the way you eat while also taking weight out of the picture. Kids do not need to be scared to eat certain foods, or concern themselves with fat grams, calories or other potentially harmful information. Food talk and self-talk will be positive and non-critical.

Multiple studies have shown the effects of caregivers trying to control their children’s intake. The result? High levels of critical and restrictive eating messages from caregivers are associated with low IE scores and higher BMI. When parents attempt to restrict children’s eating, it backfires by disconnecting them from their natural hunger and satiety cues, ultimately creating the problem they were trying to circumvent. (Intuitive Eating, 4th Ed.)

What can you do to help create a more positive body image?

Don’t body bash yourself or others. Quit the body check game. Don’t discuss size or compare yourself or your children to others.

Instead of focusing on what you don’t like about your body, focus on your relationship with your body and how you can speak kindly to yourself.

– I love that my arms hold my loved ones

– I’m grateful that feet allow me to walk

– I love that my smile connects me to people

What if friends question you?
Lauren, registered dietician

When others start diet talk, remove yourself or have some good go-to phrases:

– Dieting leads to deprivation, deprivation leads to craving, and craving can lead to out of control behavior.

– I give myself permission to eat whatever I want when I’m hungry and find that I’m more easily able to stop when I’m full.

– When I feel satisfied with what I eat, I eat just what my body needs.

– I’m learning to cope with my emotions with kindness, instead of relying on food.

– I realized that my life is so much better when I don’t worry about food or my body.

– I have so much time to enjoy other things when I’m not preoccupied with food.

What to say instead of “This is Healthy” or “This is good for you.”

– “Purple and blue foods give you a strong brain. Orange food helps you see better.”

– Keep it simple – call foods by their names. “This is a carrot. This is a cookie. This is a potato.” Food is just food. It’s not a special treat, bad for you, special, or a guilty pleasure.

– Tips for dessert: Don’t make kids earn dessert by eating a certain amount of other food, downplay it by serving with a meal, use non-food rewards and bribes, use neutral language, give kids opportunities to eat as much dessert as they want occasionally. – You can discuss what’s in a food, what it does for your body, and how it makes you feel, but without judgment.

VFit Trainer Team Shares What the Last 12 Months Has Meant to Them Being a VFitter

March 31, 2021 by Maria Sogard Leave a Comment

A year stronger together we choose to celebrate with 12 days of celebrations here at VFit Studio with #vfitstronger. We’ve grown stronger together through the last 12 months and our entire community holds self care as a top priority. This is the tie that binds us together.

Below our VFit Trainer team shares what the past 12 months being a part of the VFit community has meant to them. What parts of being a trainer helped them through the past year, and what they have learned. Most importantly, our trainers thank our members for all that they have given them. The sweat, smiles, shine – something to rise up and get out of bed for. Thank you!

VFit has had such an unbelievable impact on my, even more so these last 12 months. When everything fell apart last year, when all of the sudden I was working from home during my busiest time at my job, and the kids were home, and we were living in an unfinished house, I knew I could turn to my workouts and this community as something constant and motivating.

Being able to go from the member side to the trainer side was such an exciting journey to take, and I was even more excited knowing how much VFit was a source of joy, happiness, consistency, and positive energy to our members. I couldn’t wait to jump on the other side of the screen and be able to pour that inspiration and motivation to others in the way the trainers and this team had already done for me.

As part of planning to be a trainer I switched using zoom in speaker view to gallery view. To be honest though, I didn’t just do that to get used to how it would be teaching, but because it brought me so much joy to get to see all your smiling faces each day, when otherwise I was stuck at home seeing no one. Knowing that I would get to see my friends and get up and get going each day with you all was seriously what kept my sanity.

The amount of friendships I have gained all across the country through this community and our challenge groups are invaluable. I always know I have someone to turn to and that I have such a huge community to lift me up and stand by me when times are tough.

VFit is not just about exercise, it’s not even just about our overall wellbeing, it is a family full of love and support. I will be forever thankful to have found this community and to get to call you my friends.

Thank you all for helping me be #vfitstronger and for being that constant positive energy in my life. You all motivate each of us on the trainer side probably more than you realize.

Looking forward to what this next year will bring and to how we will all continue to grow and be challenged together.

❤️ Bridget

Having my safe, happy, consistent and committed space in VFit this past year has been nothing short of incredible. Looking back to March 2020, when we didn’t have any idea what the next month- much less 12- had in store for us, I can’t believe what we have done. My family, the trainer team, YOU the members, the world as a whole. What we’ve lived through was nothing near what we could have imagined 365 days ago, yet here we are and strongER for it.

When my kids went virtual with school and my husband went virtual with high school teaching, there were two things I could count on- chaos and VFit. Who knew how to manage in a house, during the end of winter in Ohio, while trying to navigate so many complete unknowns and strange ‘newness’ of every aspect of life? Not me! And the emotions! Two adults who were scared, nervous, unsure helping two kids process the same things- it was all so much.

But, VFit. Just as it always is- the saving grace. The sanity. The constant in my routine (or lack of routine). That month of VFitSTRONG, it’s probably safe to say that I took as many classes as I taught. Knowing my people were there, their voices and smiles- that we were all in a similar boat. I could check out for 30 minutes and pretend life was how it normally was. I was burning anxious energy to create patient and positive energy for later in the day which was so desperately needed.

And from the other side- seeing SO MANY faces, logging in for the exact same reasons I was logging in. We needed the joy and I truly, 100% believe our team delivered that class after class. The trainers poured out all we had to fill these new members’ hearts with all the love and joy that VFit brings every single time. What a blessing to do that for so many- 50, 75, 100 people signing in sometimes to have that consistent, joy filled anchor. For myself, what I put into classes as the instructor came back to me tenfold. I needed your faces on my screen as much as you wanted to be there. And our members- our OG VFitters that opened their hearts and space in class to welcome others- you were and continue to be rockstars! Only our members would not miss a beat and keep logging in at 6am to sweat when we literally had nowhere else to be that day!

If you’re one of the OGs, have joined us these past 12 months or are thinking about how VFit can fit into your story- thank you- for filling my cup 30 minutes at a time with your energy, beautiful smiling faces and positivity. Its meant the world.

❤️ Christine

What a difference a year makes!! Wow looking back at being a member of the Vfit community in quarantine for the first 6 months was motivating and powerful. The positive, calming and inspiring uplift I felt every time I logged in was refreshing and helped me feel the power within as I worked towards taking care of my mind through movement.

I learned by logging in day after day that routine teaches perseverance through the unknown and each instructor kept reminding us to WORK FOR IT and NOT WISH FOR IT!

And then in September a real miracle happened, I was hired to be part of the DREAM TEAM to IMPACT and be the light to our community and help lift this community up through fitness. Words cannot express how much bright light, positive energy, and love this community has poured into my heart when I teach.

Week after week, I observe each of you give it your best and continue to work at taking care of your mind, heart, and body even as the seasons change for good and not so good, you keep coming to class to workout and get your minds right for that day. Truly inspiring to see the unstoppable, confident, dedicated men and women of Vfit.

Members, thank you!! I motivate and bring joy to class because each of you light me up and give me a smile when I see you log in!!

Thank you for taking care of yourselves and coming to class to SWEAT, SMILE and SHINE together!!

❤️ Janelle

Last year VFit was my rock, my bright light, my consistency and what I looked forward to everyday when there was so much uncertainty. I knew that every time I logged in, I would be greeted with a smile, a warm welcome, and friendly faces. VFit filled our empty days with positivity, hope and support.

During that time, thanks to Rachele, I took a leap of faith and quit my job and started a new journey. I wouldn’t have done that without you all. You’re a safe place; a place to grow stronger, inside and out. I felt at home.

And now, on the other side of the screen, I feel your energy, I see your smiles, your kids, and your workout spaces. What a blessing it is to show up and move everyday with friends across the country. To celebrate what we can do. Every time you choose to login, we notice you. We get excited to see you.

We hope that you walk away feeling better than when you started, because I know I do. Each class brings something different, but it always brings a smile.

We ALL make this a community. Thank you for showing up and cheering us on too. We wouldn’t be here without you. We are all VFITSTRONGER together.

❤️ Lauren

Over the last week I’ve seen lots of posts from members telling us how much VFit Studio has helped them over the past crazy year of COVID. It’s so great to hear this feedback!

But did you know that YOU, our members, also saved US over the last year? Last March and April, as everything was shutting down and the world seemed like such a scary and uncertain place, the classes we taught became our beacon in the darkness, the only time every day where we could block everything out and focus on our community and health.

Especially as we opened the studio to all and increased our classes. I can’t tell you how much it has lifted my spirits every day to get to see your smiling faces on the other side of the screen! It’s much less scary now, but even as things are getting back to “normal,” what would we do without our VFit classes to let us know what day it is??

All of this is to say that, reading your posts about the past year, please know that for everything we poured into YOU, you poured back into US tenfold. So, from the bottom of my (our) heart, THANK YOU!!” #vfitstrong #vfitstronger #sweatsmileshine #gratefulthankfulblessed #oneyearstronger

❤️ Leslie

These 3 sweaty selfie pics were taken in the last week.

First, let’s talk about how I look like a red faced Oompa Loompa after Cycle Fit. I even have Oompa Loompa hair, with the sticky Outly bits at the side. I’ve been getting a lot of survey comments that people like my “realness.” Sometimes you have to tell it like it is and own up to your Oompa Loompaness.

And then I turned 40 this week. Had to dress up for my VFit morning classes. I love my birthday. Thank you for celebrating with me. The other selfie was taken in the morning after Met Mash. 12 hours later I would be calling 911 because I thought my husband was having a heart attack. Turns out his heart was fine but he got food stuck in his esophagus. Our hospital could not get it out so the next day I drove him 6 hours to a bigger hospital. The pressure in his throat caused a tear in his esophagus and fluid got in his lungs. He spent 4 nights in the hospital last week and now has follow up appointments every 6 weeks to stretch his throat because his esophagus is smaller than a baby’s at the top. He has had trouble swallowing his whole life. He is still experiencing pain in his chest but is slowly healing. I got out for a few walks while he was in the hospital, but that was it.

I missed my VFit crew. Makes me realize that I like working out in the morning because there are fewer distractions and medical emergencies in my life before 7:00am.

After being a VFitter for about 3 years, I was honored last March when Rachele asked if I would teach some kid’s fitness classes. I have coached many youth sports over the years and love helping kids have fun moving their bodies.

My two craziest realizations as I started teaching were that I was welcoming everyone into my home via the camera. You all get a front row seat to my tiny condo and family of 3. Thanks for not minding the piles of books and Legos in the background.

Also, I realized when I started teaching, that it is weird to talk to yourself out loud for 30 minutes. And telling jokes when nobody is there to laugh is a weird situation. I sure hope you are laughing out loud at home. At least just to humor me.

Thank you for welcoming me to the trainer crew last year. It is a pleasure to guide you and encourage you to be the strongest version of yourself. You can do hard things and I am proud of everyone who shows up to class ready to work.

❤️ Coach Lindsay B

The last 12 months were filled with challenges but many more moments of community, strength, love and celebration. The VFit trainer team really stood up with grace and courage when the calling came for us to open our virtual doors to all!! #vfitstrong I feel so honored to have been a part of that. We tripled our schedule, we showed up for each other, we had fun and we did it all with joy! We held the light while the fear and unknown grew.

From gratitude happy hours to our giant schedule to Magic in the Mountains to meeting some of the members (in person!) to growing together and learning what is most important. These are the moments I will hold in my heart and memories. The community and support at VFit is such a gift and helped get me through so much this last year.

Thank you VFit team for showing up and being such a meaningful part of my journey! I adore your smiles, your courage, your strength, your hearts and your willingness. There is no greater team than this team!! Let’s celebrate each other and how far we’ve come with more fun and smiles!! #vfitstronger

❤️ Lindsay M

This past year getting to keep the one constant in my life that’s always kept me grounded – exercise – is what helped me thrive through the last 12 months since COVID hit.

While nearly every aspect of our lives outside of the home was stripped away, we were left to look within those walls, and internally, and create new pathways of how we would shape our lives.

I instantly became a homeschool teacher, as did millions of other parents across the world. I also became a Sunday School homeschool teacher. A homeschool gym teacher. You name it, it happened from home.

While I worked through how to navigate the new roles I took on with Shelter in Place, it was that consistency of getting to lead my live streamed classes every week, without fail, that helped me stay grounded, ensure I was taking care of my own personal health and wellbeing while balancing my new load of responsibilities, and know I was helping others across the world get in that crucial piece of the puzzle: self care.

Without the consistency of my VFit live streamed classes and support of the positive VFit community this past year, I would not be where I am today. Through the last 12 months we’ve managed a cross country move, I’ve taken on growing professionally with actively pursuing my Personal Trainer Certification, I’m physically the strongest I’ve ever been and can now do crazy crow to headstand flows, sailed through much of Long Island Sound this summer, I even picked up switching to skiing from snowboarding (an old dog CAN learn new tricks if he’s open to getting out of her comfort zone!), to new daily habits such as journaling and reading which have helped me better connect with myself.

Thank you to the VFit community for absolutely being my rock the past year. You’ve made me a stronger person, inside and out, through your sweat, smile, and shine each and every class. Whether I was leading you through epic tabata cycles, or taking class Met Mash live with you on the other end of the screen, it’s 100% because of this community that I am where I am today. Thank you.

My #1 reason to exercise is to get my mind right! Without some movement and routine in the morning, I can get overly anxious, I’m unproductive and I just can’t get motivated. Exercise fixes all of that!

As we move into this new season of life and pass the 1 year mark of COVID, I see a lot of people talking about going back to “normal”. And I get it!

We missed out on a lot this last year and there is much to be excited to get back to.

BUT don’t rush so quick back to normal that you lose track that we aren’t the same as we were a year ago. This last year challenged us all beyond belief, and in different ways for everyone, but today we are not the same version of ourselves we were a year ago.

And I believe that’s going to be one of the biggest #blessings to come out of all of this.

This last year has taught us who and what matters most in this life.

So as things feel like #normal is on the horizon, don’t rush so quickly back to everything you did before, that you fall back into over-scheduled, under nurtured, disconnected and burnt out.

We have a beautiful opportunity right now to create and live our lives with as much purpose and passion as possible. Your new “normal” has yet to be written, be mindful that you write the story you can be proud of.

And make sure you keep taking care of YOU! Exercise, eat well, sleep, go outside, be grateful, drink water, feed your souls – these are all things no one can do for you. #vfitstrong #createyournewnormal #selfcare #strongereveryday

❤️ Maria

OMG! This past year has been different in unimaginable ways, but the one constant that brought sanity to my life was logging in to VFit each day and seeing your smiling faces from all over the world. The VFit members and trainer team have brought joy and light to my life even during these dark months of uncertainty due to the COVID pandemic. I don’t have words eloquent enough to express how thankful I am for each and every one of you. VFit strong and stronger!

❤️ Shari

Reflecting on the last year, a year full of adversity for me, I am most thankful for having the VFit community in my life because it gave me the chance to continue wearing my hat as a fitness instructor. While so many colleagues in the industry were losing their job and livelihood, I was able to continue working, and that blessing was never lost on me.

Thank you for showing up even when it was hard. Your presence in class allowed me to continue wearing my fitness instructor hat and honor a part of my identity that is so dear to me. And thank you for never losing your patience no matter how many times my little Q interrupted class asking for snacks or when Luca would share the latest tidbit of info he learned in school. I am grateful.

❤️ Steff

❤️ Spread the Love: 28 Self Care Tips from VFit Studio Trainers

March 25, 2021 by Maria Sogard 2 Comments

For the month of February, VFit Studio trainers took to our special free Facebook Monthly challenge group and shared daily self care tips to help spread the love and dive into a focus on personal wellness. The collection of self care tips covers a wide variety of simple, easy to implement ways you can infuse more self love and positivity into your day. You do not need to block out an hour a day to get in more me time, as you will read on, our trainer team is VERY creative with ways to get in more time alone and find more beauty in the every day.

Your Daily Tips for Self Care

Treat yourself. Who knows what want and need more than you? No one. You are the expert in this department. Don’t be shy and treat yourself to something you want. From a new exercise top to maybe your fav bottle of wine. Give yourself a treat just for being you and enjoy it. – Maria

Sneak in some me time by hiding in your car. Take extra time for you, wherever you can find it. If hiding in your car or bathroom is the way to do it, go for it! You can take this extra time to check emails, meditate, or just take a pause in the day before you head back inside to your home. – Shari

Own your weirdness. Do you have an innate NEED to have all counters cleaned up before you can focus at home? If so, own it and take that 10 minutes to clean them off before you start you day so you can focus. Or maybe you gotta have your day written out or you feel frazzled. Own it – take that time to write out your list and feel good the rest of the day you did what fills your cup and gets you going. – Christine

Extra ZZZs. Once a week, plan a day to get in extra sleep. Make it a date with yourself, go to bed early and get that extra rest for your mind, body, and spirit. You’ll wake up feeling refreshed and energized. – Janelle

Listen to your favorite song. Turn it up and dance and sing your heart out! – Bridget

Time outs aren’t just for kids in trouble! Give yourself a personal time out. Hide in the bathroom, garage, backyard and breathe – Lindsay M

Instead of berating yourself and using unhelpful, negative self talk, flip the script and use kind words & self compassion. You’ll get closer to your goals by giving yourself grace – Lauren

Share the love. Take a moment in your day and tell someone you care about how much you love them today. Sharing your love and acknowledging those you care about is a special way to make sure they feel the love and know how appreciated they are by you. – Maria

Take recovery time for yourself. Whether it’s an epsom salt bath or foam rolling to extra stretching before bed, do what you can to focus on recovery time every day. – Shari

Reduce screen time and put limits on it for yourself. Work on being present. There’s many ways to do this, you can use an app that helps block out your screen time for set parts of the day or work to be conscientious with when you are on your personal screen. Work to be present – be where your feet are. – Christine

We give so much to our careers and jobs, its mentally and physically healthy to take a day off work when needed– and unplug to renew and refresh. – Janelle

Give yourself credit. It’s easy to focus on the negative. Take some time to look yourself in the mirror and congratulate yourself on accomplishments or thank yourself for things you’ve achieved. – Bridget

Change self judgement to curiosity. Observe your thoughts, notice when you judge yourself or others. Meditation is a great way to practice this! – Lindsay M

Get rid of clothes that don’t fit – they can produce negative thoughts and a constant reminder of not feeling good in your skin. Wear things that are comfortable & that you feel good in! – Lauren

Practice the art of forgiveness and let things go that no longer serve you. Storing negative energy drains your body and divides your attention. Focus on what matters and let that grudge go. – Maria

Don’t deprive yourself. Eat the chocolate! If we always deprive ourselves we will end up binging. – Shari

Acknowledge taking a break from your routine and give yourself grace. The world will NOT fall apart if you step back for a few minutes, hours, or even a day or two. Ask for help, step away, and come back refreshed and ready to focus on what you are working on. – Christine

Celebrate YOURSELF on your BIRTHDAY by doing what you LOVE – allows permission to embrace that you were uniquely and wonderfully made, their is only one of you in this world, celebrate your aging. – Janelle

Limit things that you may see that bring you no joy. Remove negativity from your day to day. – Bridget

Journaling to know yourself. Sit quiet, breathe, listen and journal your thoughts. – Lindsay M

We are all made uniquely – all shapes and sizes. Instead of looking at unrealistic body ideals, read books and fill your social media feed with body diversity & acceptance. Appreciate your uniqueness…we are not meant to be the same! – Lauren

7 pillars of wellness check in. Use VFit’s 7 pillars of wellness and do a mental check in with where you are at with all the pillars to dial in your present moment. Find a pillar that could use some love? Focus on that pillar today and one positive action you can do to change the script. – Maria

Tune into your breath. Simply take 5 minutes and just breathe. This meditation practice will get you tuned into the present moment and fill you with light and a clear head. – Shari

Go outside in the sun and soak up the goodness, or sit by sunny window. A dose of vitamin D is a mood booster and calms the mind. – Christine

When is the last time you did your routine health check ups? You are important, a valuable human and just like we take our kids, we too need to be scheduling preventative appointments. – Janelle

Stop focusing on glass as being half full or empty, focus on the fact that ‘the glass’ is always refillable. – Bridget

Take pause and collect your thoughts about the week ahead and schedule out your week, reflect, and work on goal setting. – Lindsay M

Spiral up. When you are feeling down, what is ONE THING you can do to feel better in that moment? It can be small.. drink water, take a deep breath, step outside, or reach out to a friend. Stop that downward spiral in its tracks! – Lauren

Try a tip today from the above and share in the comments how you felt afterwards! Do you have any tips you’d like to share? We’d love to hear from you.

March Wellness Cafe – Macros, Snacking & Mindful Eating

March 10, 2021 by Maria Sogard Leave a Comment

The VFit Studio March Wellness Cafe focused on three core areas: macros, snacking, and mindful eating.

Led by VFit Studio nutrition experts Maria and Lauren, the intent of the First Friday’s Wellness Cafe series is to educate members and the public at large about core areas of nutrition in a monthly series and help frame a healthier mindset around food, body image, and self care.

There can be a great deal of stress, judgetment, and emotion when it comes to nutrition. The Wellness Cafe series is our forum to bring us together and shed light on a more positive and less strict approach with the goal to help you feel more comfortable about the choices you make and enjoy the journey.

This month we put together slides which we have below you can go through at your own pace here, or watch the replay above and hear us talk through them.

VFit’s continued emphasis on total body wellness continues as next week we unite with another VFit Studio trainer and health coach, Christine, with a special one week group nutrition session. For more information on the session you can learn more here.

The next Wellness Cafe will be held Friday, April 2nd at 12:45 PM PST and is livestreamed through VFit Studio.

Kid Friendly “Pink” Beet Pancakes

February 14, 2021 by Maria Sogard Leave a Comment

We were honored to have Vfitter Misa host a special Valentine's themed kid cooking demo before Valentine's with our members. This nutrient dense and eye pleasing pancake recipe can be served year round - invite the kids and have some fun in the kitchen as you use some beets to help create these rose colored flapjacks. Recipe adapted from the Natural Nurturer