inspiration Archives - VFit Studio

12 Lessons Learned from 2020

January 7, 2021 by Maria Sogard Leave a Comment

Above: VFit Studio Founder and Trainer Rachele Jaegers

The year 2020 has come to a close.

Start your 80s era slow cap as we usher in a brand new year together.

While many want to push 2020 as far out of memory as possible, it is through our toughest times that we grow and learn the most.

We are here today to to look back at the last year , sharing our top 12 lessons of 2020.

There was a lot of good and light that came from the darkness, silver linings, and strength. We encourage you to take some time to reflect on your own lessons and just how far you have come.

You can read the highlights below, or press play on this workout replay of willPower with Rachele, where each lesson is woven into a 30 minute workout:

Replay of Willpower weaving in the top 12 lessons of 2020

Lesson #1: Dream Big

Right now you have opportunity in front of you in the form of a blank slate of a year. If 2020 taught us anything, it is that we can’t predict what may be coming, and to focus on what you can control.

Your dreams are all yours for the chasing.

Go forward and let yourself have those big dreams.

Find something that lights you up and try to soak some of that joy in as often as possible. Do your best to not let the past get you down and not to feel like all is lost.

Keep your faith and hope, and always remember: dreams are for everyone.

Lesson #2: Chase More Sunrises and Sunset

This lesson was personally experienced while I was at a retreat in February with my Todd Durkin Mastermind group. There was a special ‘optional workout’ each morning and the second morning’s workout happened to be a beach sunrise workout.

While it sounded amazing, the ocean is magical, it was also my first time away from my husband and 3 kids – I ad the opportunity to sleep in.

BEEP – the alarm chimes off at 6 am and with blackout curtains doing their thing, there was that voice inside my head that said, “why don’t you sleep in a bit?”.

Thankfully, I didn’t. In my gut I knew that it was going to be a magical workout full of energy, laughter, grit, sweat and the beautiful sun rising over Coronado toward the Pacific Ocean. I can still vividly remember that morning and just how magical the experience was.

At VFit, we always say, “If you beat the sun up, you have already won the day.”

If you aren’t a morning person “yet”, you can start slow and gradually start waking up 5 min earlier each day to create that earlier morning routine. Talk to yourself as if you ARE a morning person.

There’s magical peace in the quiet of the mornings. The early mornings are often the only part of your day you have full control over.

On the flip side, as the days come to a close at sunset, don’t forget to look out, take a deep breath in and look at the sun setting. Some of the most magical painted skies come at sunset and it is an opportunity to honor the day and your 100% record of making it through.

Lesson #3: Be the Coffee Bean

From the book The Coffee Bean by Damon West & Jon Gordon, this lesson we shared all year long at VFit.

The world is a pot of boiling water. Right now the water is boiling and as hot as can be.

In life, you can be three things: an egg, carrot, or coffee bean.

2020 taught us just how needed more coffee beans are in the world.

In the boiling water of life, the carrot gets soft, loses hope and structure.

The eggs harden and gets tougher, loses hope and becomes pessimistic.

The coffee bean, however, when it hits the water, it changes the water.

Even if you are walking into store with mask on, smile! People can feel your energy and one thing we can not lose grip on is hope and faith.

While there is much we can’t control, we will always control our thoughts, reactions and how we treat others. Be the coffee bean!

Lesson #4: Serve More

As humans we have service in our hearts.

When March hit last year and the world around us crumbled, we rose to the occasion and found an opportunity to serve more.

VFit had been open for over 4 years and knew that we could offer help so many were in need of. We pride ourselves on our community, so we opened our doors FREE TO ALL for an entire month with the VFITSTRONG initiative.

Overnight we doubled our class schedule, attendance nearly tripled to our classes, we added kids classes, cooking classes, Spanish, happy hours – we were doing everything in our power to bring light, love, sweat, smiles and shine to others.

Our VFITSTRONG mission tested every system we had built the past 4 years to the max. We could have easily crumbled had it gone wrong, but we didn’t even have time to “what if” ourselves.

Sleep was scarce, fear was high, trainers were working overtime, we were vulnerable, but we were called to serve and lead with our hearts!

We wanted to help create a sense of stability, community and sanity to a world that was just flipped upside down.

While this month of trying to navigate our own home lives being flipped upside down and opening our virtual doors to all, was one of the toughest months of 2020, we wouldn’t take it back for the world.

We stayed true to our mission of purpose, impact, change lives, save lives.

It may not always be at the perfect time, but find ways in your day to open your heart and serve others.

Lesson #5: Ask for Help

A tough lesson, but one we will all need to learn. You may have a hard time with this one too, but the thing is, if you don’t ask for help, no one knows you need it.

In 2020, we learned to lean on others more than ever and often times in more creative ways than ever.

I would have never made it without the help from my spouse, family, in-laws, trainer team, and friends.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Think of a swinging pendulum and don’t try to balance everything all at once. Work to be vulnerable and ask for help when you need it. Others want to serve as well, so you’ll be doing both sides a favor.

Lesson #6: Get Busy Living

It can be so easy to get caught up in fear, anxiety, and paranoia, that we can forget all the parts of our life we do have control over.

Do your best to connect with family and friends more personally. Do things that light you up – whether it’s dancing more, snuggling your pet, or diving into a hobby and passion of yours.

Say yes more and do what feeds your soul. Take the trip down the street, hike that mountain, swim in the lake, unplug more.

You don’t need to travel the world to get busy living. It is about being present and connecting more.

Lesson #7: Who Matters Most

Who are those people that truly matter the most to you? With quarantine, many restrictions and cancellations placed through the pandemic, we all found ourselves at home more.

Some suddenly had more family time than they knew they could handle and others are still counting down the minutes until they can hug their loved ones again.

In 2020, we were shown just who matters most in our life.

Or, perhaps in this last year you discovered that there were those around you that were casting a dark shadow and changing your thought process. You were able to let them go.

Find who matters most in your life and protect your space like it’s gold, because it is. You have the ultimate control over the energy you let in. Your life will be a reflection of the people you are surrounded by.

Lesson #8: Daily Habits Define Your Days

When the world was spinning out of control last year, it was easy to go into spring break mode, let loose and give up on many of life’s daily tasks and activities.

While that’s okay in small spurts, it clearly is not sustainable in maintaining a high quality of life.

Having structure is important.

Ask any VFitter and they will all be singing praises of gratitude for the structure, stability and support of the daily habits we continued to keep in place.

Some days it took every ounce of our energy to just show up, but those times when it is the hardest to show up and you still do – those are the times that build your resilence.

When we lose structure of our strong but powerful daily habits, we start to let our days control us and suddenly a whole month or year may fly by and you can’t remember a second of it.

Habits aren’t always the most fun word in the dictionary, but create good strong ones and you’ll have a lot more time to have fun and thrive in life.

Hone in on your daily habits to help you maintain structure and control.

Lesson #9: The Stick

We all carry ‘the stick’ around with us. The stick is what we use to beat ourselves up with and judge ourselves. Have you ever noticed that the voice in your head is harsher to yourself than you are to everyone else around you?

Stop beating yourself up with the stick.

Instead turn that stick into a back scratcher!

Use it to celebrate a win or compliment and change that mindset.

Same tool, two very different uses, choose wisely.

Lesson #10: Unplug to Recharge

Last year we were all pushed to our max. Oftentimes, this happened over and over and over again.

How do you recharge and get inspired? There were so many times in 2020 when I personally didn’t have inspiration or motivation to get it all done and keep serving with my many hats.

In 2020 I found the best inspiration come back to me when I finally stepped away to unplug. It is now on my 2021 goal sheet to take one weekend a month to fully unplug.

You don’t have to read everything out there and look for outside inspiration all the time.

Your true inspiration is from within.

Quiet your soul and dig into the whispers.

Lesson #11: Simplify to Amplify

2020 taught us, we can’t do it all!

You do not have to recreate the wheel in everything you do. Last year taught us all that there is a simpler life – because so much was taken off our plates.

Less commuting, being away from home, travel, etc. Getting in quality time with your family and things that feed your soul sometimes means simplifying your life and daily calendar.

Be intentional with what you choose to add back in and be sure to keep some of that quiet that 2020 brought to us.

Lesson #12: Community Matters

I am an only child and have worked hard my whole life to build strong communities.

Community is what gets you through.

We all had a story to write last year. We all made it. Don’t compare your story to anyone other persons’ story.

Make sure you are part of a community that TRULY wants the best for you and in the toughest of days they will pull you up.

You also have to lean into it as well and give to your community. Be a team player, share your lessons learned, reach out and offer a helping hand, don’t be afraid to speak up.

Without my family community and the VFit community I am not sure what 2020 would have looked like for me and I am thankful I don’t have to find out.

As human beings we need other’s, make sure to build strong communities in your life.

So that’s a wrap on 2020 – Those are my top lessons. Do you have any you would like to share with us? Let us know and comment below.

And always if you are looking for that team that truly wants the best for you, is there to lift you up, make you smile and keep pushing you forward in your health and wellbeing journey, we have room for more at VFit.

Check out our team options here.

Meet VFit’s December Member of the Month

December 16, 2020 by Maria Sogard 5 Comments

2020 is coming to a close and we’ve made it to the 12th level of the year – aka December – congrats to us ALL! If you are reading this, you have a 100% track record of making it to this very moment, no matter how tough some days got.

The entire VFit Trainer Team has been reflecting back on all that 2020 has thrown us and as we sat down to sift through the nominations for our December “Member of the Month,” we came up with a unanimous decision that brought us all to happy tears.

The heart of VFit is our community. The soul of our platform is the personal connection, authenticity, and passion that every VFitter shares with each other.

As we poured through the names of MANY deserving VFitters, there was one theme we kept coming back to.

In a year that has kept so many loved ones apart, VFit has been a rock solid catalyst for keeping families connected, motivated, healthy, and strong.

It brings smiles to our hearts to reflect on our journey this year – getting to see SO many families connecting each day through our live, face to face workouts.

Grandparents waving to their grandkids after a circuit class – from New York to Cali.

Mother daughter duo’s sweating, smiling and shining after completing their morning workouts together – from 2,000+ miles apart.

Entire families logging into Zumba and Cardio Dance to fill their homes with laughter and cheer.

Sisters taking Cardio Shred together every Thursday morning – from Florida and New Hampshire.

Cousins who grew up together, but now living far away, able to log into nighttime Yin classes to relax and unwind after long days of raising young kids.

We saw it day in and day out – families that were “apart,” still logging in together to say their hello’s, their “I love you’s” to one another, and get in an epic sweat sesh!

So many sisters, moms, grandparents, kids, cousins, in laws; all getting to spend quality time together, in this year that did all it could to limit how we got together.

Amidst the up’s and downs of 2020, there was no stopping VFit classes or our community from coming together.

For December we want to honor and celebrate the VFit Family Tree – over 100 of our members are accounted for here! That’s nearly 1/3 of our entire member base connected by blood or marriage

It truly makes our hearts sing knowing that through VFit, these families were able to connect, get stronger, and keep that special family bond throughout 2020.

Is your family on this tree? How many more branches will we grow in 2021? We can’t wait to continue to watch this tree grow.

In health,

The VFit Trainer Team

Repeat After Me “I DESERVE THIS!” -What is Your Fresh Pot of Coffee?

September 4, 2020 by Maria Sogard 3 Comments

We talk a lot about habits, especially morning rituals. What we do each day to start it off on the right foot.

Getting up early is my saving grace. The quiet of the morning is one of the most magical times of the day and sets the tone for the day.

I’ve felt very on top of my morning game for years now. It’s my time to shine.

That is … until I had two good friends, who also happen to be VFit trainers over last month.

What follows is a simple story about how my morning coffee ritual brought me to one of the most powerful mantra’s I now repeat several times a day and how my support system gave me a very powerful lesson.

My morning ritual actually begins the night before: I lay out my workout clothes, get my water cup out and set my coffee maker up to brew a fresh pot of coffee as soon as I am up at 5:30am. I always brew a near full pot of coffee as a security blanket (I’ve got 3 young kids and a puppy, you NEVER know how nightime will go!), but there is almost always at least 1/2 pot left by day’s end.

VFit Trainer Janelle – thank you for this lesson!

So there I am, hanging out with VFit trainers Janelle and Lauren a few weeks ago, chatting with them in the kitchen as I get my “stuff’ set for the next morning.

I skipped the getting the fresh pot of coffee ready part and they asked me why?

I replied, “Oh there is enough old coffee left, I’ll just reheat it in the morning, it’s easier and that way I don’t waste anything.”

To which they both gasped and asked, “Does it taste good reheated?!?”

We all know the answer to that, no way! It tastes like burnt day old coffee.

“WHY ARE YOU DOING?!” asked Janelle.

“You deserve a fresh cup of yummy hot coffee EVERY DAY! You do everything for everyone,” added Lauren. “

“Rachele, YOU DESERVE IT”, they both shouted at me.

VFit Trainer Lauren – I’ll always remember this morning thank you!

It sounded amazing to have a fresh, hot cup of coffee each day! Extra work, yes. Maybe a bit extravagant since I already had coffee in the house that I already made, ableit very old, but still – it was there.

And so for the next few minutes my good friends gave me a very powerful lesson that I’ll never forget.

YOU deserve fresh coffee if it makes you happy.

Now I know what you are all thinking! Buy a keurig, make less coffee each day, what on earth does coffee have to do with a fitness blog, I can go on!

But I share, because this lesson really hit me hard.

By changing the script in my head from “this is more work”, “it’s easier if I just….”, to “I DESERVE THIS!” changed my entire outlook from that day forward.

Say it! Say those 3 power words next time something feels like a chore or like you aren’t worth the extra effort.

I promise it will empower you and take you from a feeling of “I have to”, to “I get to”. And when something feels like a reward, you will do what it takes to keep those rewards coming, because you do deserve it!

For you, maybe it’s something like taking a daily shower, getting outside on a walk every day, or taking time out of the day to exercise.

What is your ‘fresh pot of coffee’ that you deserve that you’ve been neglecting?

Even if it’s a little extra time and effort, if it’s something that fills you up and will make you feel good – give yourself the license and grace to do it for yourself.

Then savor it. Enjoy it. Know you deserve it and are worthy of it.

What is your ‘fresh pot of coffee’ you’ll give yourself today?

Share below in comments once you do it and let us know how it feels.

What is YOUR Zihuantanejo?

February 21, 2020 by Rachele at VFit Studio 3 Comments

Always take the trip, a reminder I was in need of. It isn’t easy to step away from the hustle of everyday life, but we must remember to always take the trip!

Sometimes that may be simply unplugging down the street from your house, maybe that will be a cruise through the Mediterranean, or going away to a retreat that lights you up.

Earlier this month was an experience of a lifetime when I stepped away from work and family to attend a 3 day Mastermind Retreat in Coronado, CA.

I was in the company of 100 passion driven Fit Pro’s and there was some serious magic to take away from this experience.

Last year, I made the decision to up-level my professional career and joined a Mastermind Group, under one of the most influential mentor’s out there – Todd Durkin. And I finally I had the opportunity to come together with this group in real life. I had to take the trip!

“The only person who can put limits on you, is you!”

It has taken some time to process this experience. I was surrounded by some of the most heart centered, passionate and down right purpose driven people on the planet.

I am excited to share some of my top takeaways from this retreat in hopes that it inspires even one person to keep growing outside your comfort zone.

In no particular order, my top inspo bombs from the TD 2020 Beach Retreat:

Lesson 1: “Being Uncomfortable Pushes You to Be Better.”

It is one of my favorite quotes to remind myself of. And as much as we know this concept to be true, it takes A LOT of effort to keep pushing outside your comfort zone.

Heading off to this retreat was WAY outside my comfort zone. I was leaving all 3 kids for the first time, travelling alone and spending the weekend with people I had never met before.

Getting outside my comfort zone is what got me to SHOW UP!

Lesson 2 : “Success is small wins each day.”

I always say, “beat the sun up and you already won the day”. Meaning that when you wake up and start your day with purpose and a workout, you tend to do better at life.

Look at any successful mentor out there (and I don’t measure success by money in the bank, but rather purpose, impact and happiness), and they all have a strong morning routine, which includes some form of movement to get your mind up and ready for the day.

This was proven to me again by my fellow masterminder’s.

Here we were on “retreat” and yet 90%+ of us CHOSE to wake up before the sun was up each morning to get in a killer workout together.

Rise and shine, literally! Above is a picture of our day 2 workout watching the sun rise over Coronado Bay…. more to come on that magical morning in #7.

Lesson 3 – “If you are not growing, you are dying.”

Humans are the most complex species on earth. It is our innate desire to continue to grow and flourish, yet we tend to be our own worst enemy when it comes to letting fear, comfort and doubt take the wheel.

Investing in yourself to be around the right people and events is always a good idea!

Most of your personal and professional growth will happen outside of your “office”.

It is through the people and experiences that we put ourselves out there for, that we grow the most toward our full potential and purpose.

Lesson 4 – “What is your Zihuantanejo?”

One thing that I loved most about this Retreat was there was an overall “theme” and that was “What is your Zihuantanejo?”

Now just like most of you reading this, I had no idea what the heck that meant at first, but as we dove into the meat of the retreat this concept was the heart of everything.

Yes, Zihuantanejo is a place in Mexico, but what it symbolizes is so much more. The value of this concept is to center your life, work and the things you are “doing”; around creating experiences that light you up from the inside.

You know…….those moments where you heart is literally smiling!? We ALL need to focus more on creating lives filled with THESE kind of moments.

The tragedy of Kobe Bryant, his daughter and the others aboard that tragic helicopter flight are a prime example that nothing in life in more important than right now and who you spend you time with.

As a mom of 3 young kids, trying to run a business is quite the juggling act most days. This theme was a HUGE reminder of the truly important things in life and where to place more of my time and energy.

Lesson 5 – “Be the Coffee Bean.”

Damon West, Author of “The Change Agent” and co-author of “The Coffee Bean” hung out with our group for a day and also gave one of THE most powerful presentations I have ever heard.

Damon grew up in a nice middle class family, was a star quarterback, who had everything going for him, when he let addiction take over his life and landed himself with a life sentence in prison.

I’ll let you read the story or listen to his podcast with Todd Durkin, but Damon is an incredible person and has one of the most powerful lessons to share.

I have been sharing the “coffee bean theory” left and right with my members, kids and anyone who wants to listen!

You have 3 choices in life: be a carrot, be an egg, or be a coffee bean.

When placed in a pot of boiling water, aka “the world”, a carrot will become soft and weak. The carrot lets the hot water break it down and take it’s strength and grit away. Don’t be a carrot!

What happens to an egg when it is placed in this same pot? It becomes hard (and stinky as my kids reminded me!). The egg lets that hot water harden its shell and insides. The world has way too many eggs. Angry, resentful and negative people. Don’t be the egg!

Be the coffee bean! Be that bean who when placed in a pot of water, changes the water into coffee! The coffee bean doesn’t let that water change it, IT changes the water.

We have the power to change our surroundings and make a positive impact in this world.

Smile more at strangers, walk into a room ready to light it up, laugh more, live more, compliment more. Be the coffee bean!

Lesson 6 – “The power of a team”.

That is what a mastermind is. A TEAM!

It is the belief that being part of a team with others of like minded values, passion and purpose; brings more value to your life than any one person can do alone.

I found my people this weekend! People who believe in lifting each other up, not climbing on top of each other to get to the top.

People who believe so deeply that we are on the FRONT lines of healthcare and that is is going to take all of us working together , to have a chance at changing this world for the better.

Each one of us wake in the morning driven to spread positive IMPACT around us. Let me tell you, being in the company of such passionate, fun and amazing people was a true honor.

Lesson 7: “Regret and excuses take a lot more time and energy, than ACTION does.”

I talked above about the importance of a strong morning routine. Does that mean it is easy to bounce out of bed each day? No way!

The second day at retreat, I didn’t want to wake up and work out. I was tired…. I didn’t have my kids…. We had blackout curtains in the room…. I had every excuse in my head why I could miss this workout. It was optional after all.

But I know better! As usual, I had already put out my workout clothes the night before. I couldn’t let them go home fresh!

I knew if I missed that workout, I would spend FAR more time regretting it, than if I just got my tired booty out of bed and in action.

How often do you get to workout on THE BEACH with a bunch of other amazing, driven and FIT beasts?!?!

I’m never one to sugar coat that being healthy and feeling good takes effort. “You aren’t always going to feel like it, but you must always be disciplined.” I tell my team that ALL the time.

I am so glad I woke up and went to that workout! We ran on the beach, there was so much laughter and bonding, I taught a segment of the workout to a group of peers (back to getting uncomfortable!), we watched the sun rise over the day and we laughed some more.

THAT workout was a highlight of my weekend and PURE MAGIC! So many “aha” moments were had during that beach workout. Much more magic than any sleep would have been.

Lesson 8 – “Polar Bear Plunge” – the power of a motivated LEADER

This picture above SAYS it all – united and stronger together! Let fear fuel you and rely on the power of a team to push you outside your comfort zone.

It was actually really cold in San Diego this day, and if you have ever been in the Pacific Ocean in CA, it’s pretty dang cold in general.

I had told myself I wasn’t getting in the water. Thank goodness my heart knew better and I put my swim suit on “just in case”.

But when our fearless leader, Todd Durkin led us through a sunset pep talk and encouraged us to link arms, to go run into that water together and to release anything that is holding us back – you bet we knew we had to take this once in a lifetime opportunity!

That is what a good leader does. They motivate, inspire and push you to be a better version of yourself. And it was 100% worth the plunge!

Being around some of the best leaders out there over the course of the weekend was infectious. From that “plunge”, I came out of the water a stronger leader myself.

Lesson 9 – “Chase more sunrises and sunsets.”

This one needs no further explanation.

It’s simple – you either can get busy living or get busy dying.

Go out there and chase as many sunrises and sunsets as you possibly can!

In health,

Rachele, VFit Owner

10 Lessons Learned from the BIGGEST Challenge Ever Thrown At VFit

February 5, 2020 by Maria Sogard Leave a Comment

Watch the full REPLAY of Rachele’s inspo talk where she goes through the top 10 lessons learned from VFit Studio running it’s biggest challenge to date.

VFit’s Weekly Inspo

Last year, VFit Studio embarked on it’s biggest challenge we’ve ever run. We had all 8 VFit trainers lead our teammates through a 6 month LONG challenge, focused on goal setting.

The goal of this challenge was to get each member to hit a consistent class total for six straight months – from July to December.

A SIX MONTH fitness challenge that over half our studio signed up for and took part of. We had never heard of such a program, but felt it was important to find ways to work more closely with our members and help them stay consistent through the second half of the year.

As a recap, we came to find 10 top learnings from the challenge.

By sharing these lessons, we believe you can gain some added inspiration in your life and they can easily translate to all areas of life.

We have them summed up below, or you can hit play and watch the REPLAY of Rachele leading her talk.

1) The best inspiration and ideas come from when you step away from your “normal.”

True creativity comes from stepping away. Getting yourself out in nature with some fresh air and scenery. Whether its at a retreat or convention, or perhaps by water. Getting out of your norm can foster new ideas and innovation.

For us, four members of the VFit Trainer team were attending the fitness industry’s largest convention last June called IDEA WORLD and were all sitting around a fountain brainstorming about ideas to help members stay consistent with their workouts all year long. That’s when we created the #6monthsmatters challenge. Six months – from July through December – of consistent workouts, accountability, coaching and team building.

2) Embrace the power of a mastermind.

Create an environment where people are encouraged and feel empowered to share ideas and contribute. Gone are the days when one person has to have all the ideas.

The biggest ideas come from a collective. It took all 8 VFit Studio trainers working together to come up with the complete six month program.

By including all members of our trainer team with idea sharing, our ideas built off of one another and the end result was a program unlike anything any one of us singly would have dreamed up on our own.

3) RISK in going big.

Six months is a long time. This was far longer than any other wellness program we had created in our studio. Before the six month challenge, the next longest program we had spanned just one month. This was FIVE more months of teamwork, programming, consistency.

Would members get discouraged? How would we keep them motivated? What if one of our own VFit trainers fell off the wagon?

But, the risk of NOT pushing our team to do this was an even greater risk. The upside was just too incredible for us not to go for it. The fact that we could truly change some lives and habits was a risk we had to take.

4) Power of being part of a team.

People are okay with letting ourselves down at times. But put us on a team, there’s no way we would want to let an entire team down.

Having a team to compete with and where your goals and stats were public was huge reason why this program was successful for six straight months.

Members could have individual goals, but it took everyone holding up to their personal goal to advance together with the full team in tact.

5) The beauty of written goals.

Putting your goal on paper and out into the world is HUGE. Doing so, you have a tangible number to strive for and track.

We used goal setting as a major theme that held the entire of the challenge together. Each member committed to a personal class goal at the start of the challenge that they commited to hitting each of the six months of the challenge.

Miss a month? You were out of the challenge. Simple as that.

We had these goals literally ON OUR BACKS with team shirts that members wore with their class goal on the back. The goals were also on made public (to those in the challenge, that is) on a google drive that was shared by all members of the challenge. If you didn’t hit your goal, everyone on your team saw it. Talk about accountability.

6) Coaching to success.

We set each team up with a VFit trainer to serve as a coach each month. This extra bit of coaching from a VFit trainer helped the team stay connected, motivated, and loaded up with fresh inspiration.

Beyond being led by a coach, many teams had natural leaders arise in the team.

Do not underestimate the power of a coach. It’s always a good idea to have a coach to help push you and keep you accountable.

“You won’t always be motivated, but you must always be disciplined,” and good coaches help teach you the art of discipline and building healthy habits.

7) A shiny trophy at the end.

When was the last time you earned yourself a trophy? For most adults, it hasn’t been since we were children.

A fun part of this challenge was putting in some serious effort and EARNING a very real trophy at the end for all that completed the full challenge.

Who doesn’t love a fun prize or earning a trophy for hard work?

There was so much pride shared by our members once they received their trophy mugs. This was priceless. With every sip they take all year long, they will forever remember their six month commitment.

8) Building a community.

Why not have every person in the challenge (127 total members) be in one large supergroup? While we considered this, what really made this challenge special is breaking down the members into small groups.

With a smaller group of about 15 members, teams formed new bonds getting to know members and seeing themselves in some of the obstacles they had in reaching their goals. We had members bond over being new moms, rennovating homes, getting the flu. You name it, there were so many shared experiences for our members. Yet, through it all they forged through all six months and made it to the end of the chalelnge.

9) A few who didn’t meet their goal, silently faded out.

As a society, we put so much pressure to be perfect and when we don’t achieve this we feel shame. This perfection or failure black and white way to view the world is limiting.

We don’t believe this is how shit should be, but unfortunately that kind of fixed mindset is something many of us grew up with .

Sometimes, when you set high goals for yourself, you may not always reach them. Especially when a long time frame is in from of you.

But, reaching and stretching yourself is ALWAYS better than not trying at all.

Life is about improving yourself and focusing on incremental changes each and every day. We believe in working to adopt a growth mindset where you stretch and evolve and work to increase the size of your comfort zone.

We are so proud of the few members who may not have finished the challenge, but they have recommitted to VFit and their health and they believe they are ALWAYS worthy of another comeback.

If you fall down 99 times, the only number that matters is that you get up 100.

10) Heather’s Story – better late than never.

We call it “Heather’s story”, but this is a story that will resonate with all of us at one time or another in life.

Heather was 5 1/2 months into the 6 month challenge, on a team that had not lost a single teammate, she was 4 classes away from earning her trophy and crossing the finish life, when life rocked her world upside down.

She is a mom to 4 young kids, and her youngest baby was sent down 6 hours from home, to CHLA, where she ended up spending 2 weeks in the hospital with him (he is doing great now, thankfully).

During this time, her husband was travelling back and forth, as they were trying to keep a sense of normal going for the other 3 kids, and it truly became impossible for her to get her final few classes in. She did try logging in a few times from the hospital even!

So instead of skirting out quietly and ending the challenge for herself, Heather opened up to her team, asked for forgiveness and admitted that she was not going to make it – feeling she let them all down.

Her team was SO supportive of her and only cared that her baby and family were going to be ok and get through this tough experience. They were there to cheer her on and push her back up when she needed it most.

Heather didn’t get her final classes in by the deadline, but the trainers agreed to give her 2 more weeks to complete the mission and earn her trophy. That was enough to FIRE her up, so that when she got back home and into her “normal” again, she had the support to get back at it and she EARNED that mug in 4 days.

Sometimes you need to rely on our team and others to push you up and believe in you, when you don’t have it in you at the moment. We will all fall on tough times and letting others help you is so critical.

Heather may have earned that trophy 2 weeks late, but still earned it. She didn’t give up and so we didn’t give up on her.

In health,

Rachele & Maria

4 Years Celebrated with a Record Breaking Week

October 28, 2019 by Maria Sogard Leave a Comment

4 years of VFit celebrated with a 90 minute Fit Fest on October 26th, raising money for the Susan G Komen Foundation to raise awareness for breast cancer research

VFit’s Weekly Inspo

VFit is the ultimate start up story. We began four years ago by forging our own path in online fitness.

What makes us a start up? We started!

We had an idea for a need that was not being met out there and we crafted to the best of our ability a platform to deliver this idea to the world.

With that first week, we started something that had never been done before: an online fitness studio that maintains the personal connection of a real life gym by using a two way platform to connect trainers with members across the country.

Did we have a Business Plan? Nope!

Did we have investors and funding on hand to get up and running? Nope!

Did we have an idea and a whole lot of passion? You bet!

And that purpose and passion has been the fuel we place our feet on the ground with each morning, knowing that what we are doing is making a difference in so many lives, our own included!

When VFit opened, we started with 0 members, a free week of classes, 15 classes on the schedule and ended week 1 with 65 check in’s.

Fast forward through the journey and we now have close to 300 active members, 60+ classes a week and nearly 1,000 check in’s a week.

Our platform isn’t built on the fanciest lighting, clothes, or equipment.

We are a platform built on REAL lives. On taking every barrier away as to why you can’t make exercise consistent in your life, and delivering it to our team in a way that is fun, effective, relateable and uplifting.

Each class is a personalized workout, handwritten by our world class trainer team.

A full array of classes, many VFit exclusives, that pack functional fitness in for our members – in 30 minutes or less.

We’ve been celebrating all month long as VFit turns 4 because this is a HUGE milestone.

On Saturday, October 26th, we threw the ultimate birthday party called Fit Fest.

From owner Rachele moments after Fit Fest was over:

It’s hard to sum up what today’s party meant, but it was amazing! 86 rockstars coming together to sweat and smile and raise some money.
At the end, the kids started singing VFit happy birthday! VFit is such a big part of our kids lives.
They are often there watching (or joining) us in action as we show up to take care of ourselves. I’ve watched babies turn to toddlers, kids turn to teenagers, babies in the tummy to the real world and beyond.
I’m so proud to have a platform where we can be the real life super heroes for our kids. Where they want to take care of themselves, and be active, and exercise because they see mom or grandma or auntie loving it so much.
And the fact I’m probably MOST proud of… that in the 4 years of VFit we have never asked our team to track a calorie, a pound, an inch or a heart rate.
Sure some do this on their own, but to this day, THE only number VFit tracks is how many times you SHOW UP! Because at the end of the day, that’s the number that matters.
Rachele Jaegers, VFit owner

VFit has run 364 days a year since we opened our online doors four years ago.

In that time, VFit has made some serious IMPACT.

In just four years, nearly 5,000 VFit classes have been held online.

In just four years, 111,000 personal visits have been made to VFit’s live online classes.

That’s 111,000 times a mood was improved and a VFit member became healthier and happier! We may not be brain surgeons, but we sure are fighting for health on the front lines.

4 years ago when we created VFit, we had no idea what we were doing or where it would go. What VFit has become to so many of us is way beyond our wildest dreams.

VFit has truly become a way of live for hundreds. Simply the word ‘VFit’ means something.

VFit means taking your self care personally.

VFit means making your self care a priority.

VFit means taking on a no excuses mindset and finding a way to fit it in.

VFit is real life.

VFit means not waiting for the perfect conditions because there is NO perfect.

And VFit means, that’s okay!

VFit’s mission is “To break the barriers of time and space, making self care attainable for any person willing to commit to workout and improve their wellness.”

What better way to do that than to deliver world class workouts directly to our members? We strip away every barrier there is to fitness so that it only comes down to YOU.

Your will to step into class and take time out of your day for self care.

Last week, we broke a VFit Studio record with 909 check ins.

Imagine that … 909 times VFit delivered on our mission to improve wellness and making self care attainable for ANY person willing to commit to workout and improve their wellness.

This number far surpasses our first MONTH of check ins when we started out just 4 years ago. And we know this number is set to continue to grow as we spread our mission with the world.

Can’t stop, won’t stop. That’s a big motto around here, and we’ve only just begun.

Thank you all for being part of this MAGIC!! Here is to living your dream, reaching for the stars and surrounding yourself with the most incredible team to take the journey with!

In health,

Rachele, Maria, and the VFit Team

From Passion to Business – 10 Lessons I’ve Learned from my Journey

October 3, 2019 by Maria Sogard 1 Comment

VFit’s Weekly Inspo

Taking my passion for wellness and building a business has been an incredible journey over the past four years. One that has transpired into something so much more than I ever expected.

I recently accepted the opportunity to speak to a local group of Lady Bosses about my experience building VFit and the lessons I’ve learned along the way. While this kind of speaking engagement is a bit out of my comfort zone, I know that when we push ourselves beyond our comfort level, that’s where all the growth happens, so I had to say YES!

You can watch the full talk (link here) and of course we will outline the key highlights below. If you do watch the video, you can print and use this PDF to print notes.

This top 10 lessons list can translate to each of you for any task or dream you are working towards. In building a business from my true passion in life, I have learned to adapt and grow, learn from my mistakes, and continue to challenge myself each and every day.

Lesson 1: When opportunity knocks, be prepared to open the door.

Action is the foundational key to all success.

We each have a deep desire to do more of what we love, so when the universe brings new opportunities to you, you have to go for it.

Listen for those knocks in life. Sometimes they are so quiet, other times they are pounding you over the head. And sometimes those knocks come when it is time to close one door and open another.

While you may not always feel you are ready, the more you can say yes to what you know you truly want to do, you’ll bring more of that into your life and get closer to living the life of your dreams.

Lesson 2: NOT KNOWING what you are getting into is sometimes better than over analyzing every detail.

The key to success is to start before you are ready.

You’ll never know all the answers! None of us do. Think about it, having a child, getting married. Prep all you want and can, each and every experience will be unique and challenge you to grow from.

I joke often that I thank my lucky stars I had NO idea what I was getting into. But there is so much truth in that. I had a 2 ½ year old and 6 month baby when I started VFit. And a few years later another baby blessing was delivered to us!

If I knew all this journey would have entailed, I probably would have gotten overwhelmed and not have taken that first step.

You will always be learning and evolving, don’t be afraid to just take ACTION. Get out of your own mind of being perfect. Perfection will hold you back from greatness.

Fear of the unknown can paralyze you and you have to just take that leap of faith and learn as you go.

Lesson 3: There is no greater power than that of a well-connected TEAM.

The dream is in the team.

If you take one tip, take this one! Do not go it alone.

Your actual professional team, your family team, your friend team, your customer team! Have as many teams in your life as you can.

Heck, I consider my housekeeper my teammate because she saves my sanity every 2 weeks by helping unload some of my house work.

There’s so much more you can do and create with a team alongside you. Finding a group that shares your mission and vision is the key to success. Each person brings their own unique skills and expertise.

You learn from each other, support each other through the tough times and as the next lesson states………..

Lesson 4: You can’t do EVERYTHING. Know where you bring the most and least value – outsource as needed.

The steps you take don’t have to be big, they just have to move you in the right direction.

Find your lane and what you know you have locked down and work to find help in areas that are weighing you down.

While you should know how to do everything in your business to some extent, you can’t do everything for the long term.

I know we can’t afford to outsource or bring on help for all tasks, but if one is seriously draining your time/energy, work hard to shift that task off your plate.

While it may be a challenge initially to lean on others and take those steps, once you leave yourself free to do what you are good at and save the rest for others who can help, you’ll have more focus and energy to move your project along in the right direction.

Lesson 5: Have open lines of COMMUNICATION with your clients/team, be willing to ask questions and make changes.

Choose change before change chooses you.

COMMUNICATE and do it often. Most misunderstandings are simply a lack of communication both in personal and professional life.

It is important to focus on communication, to listen, be proactive, and when necessary, reactive when things do not work out as planned.

Your clients and team like to be heard. Their input is valuable and you should treat it like gold.

You need to be observant, analyze the results, and be quick to adapt when needed.

Lesson 6: Have SYSTEMS in place!!

This one isn’t as fun, but it is necessary. Have systems, automate some tasks, have funnels, get some structure in your life.

By definition, a system is: ‘a set of things working together as parts of a mechanism or an interconnecting network’ and ‘a set of principles or procedures according to which something is done; an organized scheme or method.

Systems are meant to make getting things done possible in an efficient, and repeatable way.

DECISION FATIGUE is a real syndrome. Having to make thousands of decisions in a day, no matter how big or small, can be overwhelming. And that often time leads to burn out and falling back on less than desirable choices or habits.

Lesson 7: Know your CORE values – live, sleep, and breathe them in everything you offer.

Fit is not a destination, it’s a way of life.

To enjoy the journey and to attract the type of people you want to be around, you can not waiver on this one! And it’s tough in the big ol world of business and opinions.

Hold true to what you believe in in everything you do with your project.

Live, breathe, and dream with your core values and you will feel good laying your head to bed each night.

Sometimes that takes making the tougher decision or taking the road less travelled.

Keep in mind that what grows from your passion will be reflected in how you do each and every step along the way. What is important to you? Walk the walk, be a living example of what you wish to achieve, and it will fall in line with your core values.

Lesson 8: You can’t be EVERYONE’S cup of tea and you don’t want to be.

Always being comfortable won’t get you to where you want to be, real change happens when you let yourself be uncomfortable.

Learn to be okay with negative feedback. You cannot please everyone, that is not your goal.

Hold true to your true focus and mission, find your target, and keep steadfast faith that if you do your best, you’ll reach those you are looking to serve with a high quality solution that you 100% stand behind.

Lesson 9: Fill YOUR tank as often as needed. Invest in yourself.

Make yourself a priority. At the end of the day, you are your longest commitment.

You cannot pour from an empty cup. Be mindful that you need to continue your own self care and remain strong as a leader in whatever you do.

Continue to take time to learn from mentors, be inspired, continue education, take breaks and vacations. Know when you are neglecting yourself and dial back in to what’s important to you.

It is not the quantity of time, but the quality of that time you put in.

Lesson 10: Be willing to work hard and not afraid to SUCCEED. There is no such thing as failure.

Don’t be upset by the result you didn’t get with the work you didn’t do.

There will be challenges along the way, fall forward and lean into mistakes as you take them as opportunities to learn and grow.

Even the greatest of basketball players Michael Jordan missed half the shots he took! But you have to take the shots. The only failure in this life is not doing what you are meant to do, not taking the risk, and not serving your purpose.

You cannot succeed if you do not start!

In health,

Rachele, Maria, and the VFit Team

Opportunity Will Knock, Prepare to Let it In

July 15, 2019 by Maria Sogard Leave a Comment

VFit’s Weekly Inspo

We are so amped up after our full house classes all morning long and are ready for some serious straight talk with you all today. The VFit studio was SO BUSY this morning, we actually had to double check our calendar that is was JULY and not January. But that is just yet another testament to this amazing team and platform. Being fit and healthy is possible ALL year long.

So now on to some straight talk, because to be honest, there are plenty of you reading this right now that truly need to soak this lesson in and than to take ACTION on what we are so passionate about, and that is…..

Each and every day, opportunity comes to you.

Today’s theme: “Opportunity will knock, prepare to let it in.”

There’s many many ways to live your life. There’s the route of comfort, doing the same thing – whether it’s working or not

– OR –

There’s the less traveled path with more unknowns, but with a huge upside! Living your life, spending time outside of your comfort zone.

Living in the growth mindset of wanting to do better for yourself, your family, this world. Rising up to things that scare you or make your arm hair stand up. Being able to make big changes in your life, when you know they are necessary. Knowing when it is time for a change!

Are you going on today, much like you did yesterday and the day before? Going through the motions of life, but living in the safe place where your pendulum is always in the middle? Never quite challenging yourself or changing yourself?

Feeling totally stuck at a job, in a relationship, with your own health? Lacking results? Wishing there was more to your day, but you just are not making any changes ?

So many of us stick with the above because of the fear of unknown. Yes, we may not be quite happy with where we are at, but we are comfortable with it, because we’ve been living in it for so long.

But what if, what if you started going about your days prepared to do one thing that scares you EVERY SINGLE DAY? Prepared to let opportunity in when it comes knocking to you. When we talk about something that scares you, we don’t mean you need to go sky diving or bungee jumping every day.

But what we do mean is that to thrive in this life, to enjoy the ride and to continue to grow as a person, you must get outside your comfort zone and let opportunity in when it is knocking! Sometime the knock is so whisper quiet, but it’s still there.

Maybe it is sitting down and having that talk you need with your boss, maybe it is asking your spouse for more help in an area, maybe it is saying NO to another event for your kids, maybe it is not doing the dishes before bed, maybe it is trying a new workout you are intimidated by, maybe it is actually scheduling YOUR SELF CARE………

Doing something every day that is out of your comfort zone truly is POWERFUL! Don’t believe us? Try it each day for a week and see how empowered you feel.

Life is going to be hard sometimes, it can be downright brutal in fact. But when you take the time during your everyday life, to train for the unknown, to continue to grow as a person, to get uncomfortable, to let opportunities in – you realize that most of the magic in this world comes from the journey and not the destination we all think we should be striving for.

What if you let go of waiting for ‘the perfect time’ to make changes or start a new exercise routine?

If you really think about it, every single day opportunity is coming to you. Your friend is asking you to meet up after work for a walk. Your husband is asking if you’d like to take time off from kid duty and have some me time. Your neighbor is telling you all about her new exercise routine that’s pushing her limits and making her feel so good and youthful again!

Are you listening to things like the above thinking about how it’s just not the right time for YOU to do it?

Guess what?! There’s never going to be a perfect time. You’ll always run into bumps along the way. There will be weeks when your workouts will be spot on and then you’ll get a stomach bug that may floor you for 5 days. It happens! But you know what, you continue on.. You don’t just stop working on yourself when you fall down. You get back, up. Even it’s not pretty, or the same it was when you were in your 20s. You do the best you can do today – for you.

Opportunities to take care of yourself come to you all the time, you can only change your life if you let them in. You are in control of your life, right here and right now.

Any excuse you plug into for why you aren’t taking care of yourself is just that. It’s an excuse. You have every right “not” to take care of yourself, but that is exactly what it is, your right, no one else’s. Life isn’t too busy that your own well being doesn’t matter – ever. We have a member going through her second round of CHEMOTHERAPY and she still shows up to 2-3 classes a week and does what she can. I can’t think of many stories more inspiring than that.

If you are ready to stop making excuses and take your own health into your own hands, you have to let opportunity in. You have to just COMMIT and go all in. You can’t half “arse” your health, you just can’t. You need to be consistent, dedicated, and give yourself a realistic amount of time to reap the rewards that come along with self-care.

If you let your health slide for the past 5-10 years, do you really think in a month or 2 you are going to be in peak shape? No! But you will be 2 months further in your journey, rather than 2 more months behind if you keep putting it off.

If there’s no time in the day, you set your alarm for 30 minutes earlier and get it done while the rest of the world is sleeping and hit the sack a few minutes earlier. Yes, it may sting to get up earlier, but NOTHING beats that top of the world feeling you get once that workout is done first thing in the morning!

Even breaking up workouts into smaller chunks, as small as 5 minutes, ADDS up. Every single time we checked, 5 is greater than 0. Every time. Start carving it out and let it build up. You’ll start feeling better moving that body and seek out more time.

Believe in yourself. Know that you are worthy of the time you take each day for self care. Say yes to your own success. Find your team that will support you.

Rachele, Maria and the VFit dream team!

The Dream is in the Team

July 2, 2019 by Maria Sogard 1 Comment

VFit Trainers Steff, Rachele, Maria, and Christine from left to right, with Todd Durkin center at IDEA World 2019, Anaheim California

VFit’s Weekly Inspo

Wow, just wow! We can’t even begin to wrap our brains and hearts around the image we are able to share with you this morning. What may just seem like a cute group shot means the absolute world to us. The world.

Is there someone you truly admire in this life that fires you up? We like to call them ‘spirit animals.’

This pic right here above is of us with our spirit animal – Todd Durkin! And if you aren’t familiar with ‘TD’ as he’s lovingly referred to, do yourself a favor and head over here to get a dose of inspo from someone that truly fires us up!!

Today’s inspo is all about the people and support you surround yourself around:

“The dream is in the team”

We ALL have dreams in this world. Whether spoken out loud, or quietly living in your heart, each person on this planet has a dream, wish, or desire to do more! To do things that excite you! Change you! Lift you up!

The NEXT part about having a dream, is the real meat of most of our inspo’s, it’s about how to make your dreams a true reality. And to do that, you need to set an action plan and surround yourself with a team.

No one can go along alone in this life. Show me one successful person that is truly happy, that did it all on their own. It isn’t possible! We are all connected, whether you feel it now, or not. Each action we take impacts and affects others. The energy you create spreads, and the energy of those around you makes changes in you as well.

If you are working towards a dream and do not have an action plan in place. Make one. And when should you do that? The answer to that question is YESTERDAY. So second best time to do it is today. Seriously. If you have a goal, wish, or desire, whatever you you want to call it, you need to make your plan TODAY and start taking action today.

Otherwise quite frankly, it’s never going to happen.

And with your action plan, the next biggest thing and focus today is on that team. You need the support and community around you to help guide you, support you, laugh with you, push you out of your comfort zone. Lift you up. Fall down with you. Open your heart to. Be vulnerable with. Explore with. Push limits. Engage with.

Fill in the blank, it all boils down to the importance of human connection to make your dreams come true.

If you are surrounding yourself around a community, team, and/or tribe that shares the same core values as you, you’ll feel the positive energy of the group and catapult yourself into a new sphere of possibilities.

No one can do the real WORK of your mission but you, but to get to your end goal, to create the changes and life you wish to lead, you’ll always be connected to others to make it happen. The sooner you find a team that moves you in the right direction, the better you’ll be feeling and more able to make some of the leaps and changes you need to to reach your goals.

And to this end, we do need to touch upon the less pretty piece of this puzzle …

If you carry around with you negative energy, or mindless allow time sucks like serial show watching in your life, it is time to really ask yourself: is this worth what it is taking away from in terms of my focus focus and happiness?

We took away a TON from IDEA World this past week, but one of the simplest ones was this:

“Hard choices, easy life”
Todd Durkin, IDEA World 2019

If you are able to make some of these hard choices, stop the excuses, and start taking actions today (because you cannot change yesterday when you really should have done it!), then you’ll be well on your way to make your dreams come true as you build up YOUR OWN personal dream team.

In health,

Rachele, Maria and the VFit dream team!

PS. If you are looking to be surrounded by a positive and inspirational group of teammates and trainers that will change the way you approach life, the VFit team has a spot for you! Don’t go at your health and fitness alone.

Fitness is a superpower that transfers into every other area of life.

Our passionate team is here to cheer you on, make you proud and show you that fitness is not a punishment. In fact, let us be the best part of your day!

Join the team for less than $2/day at https://thevfitstudio.com/join-vfit-team/

VFit Studio’s 7 Pillars of Wellness: Live Well, Fuel Well

May 14, 2019 by Maria Sogard Leave a Comment

The VFit Studio’s Core Philosophy on Wellness

“Fuel well – Live well!”

The VFit Studio is built upon our core philosophies of wellness based on 7 pillars. These “7 pillars of wellness” are at our core philosophy on how to lead life to the fullest. Once you’re able to dial in your pillars, you can reach unlimited potential and lead a well balanced life.

Finding true balance with your wellness pillars leads to a growth mindset. We’ve based our own personal lives on these pillars and have built our virtual wellness studio and community with each in mind.

Dialing in your 7 pillars of wellness means you live with intention each day and you put your energy into your own health and well being with focus on the following: food, hydration, sleep, fresh air, self-care, exercise, and gratitude.

EACH PILLAR MATTERS TO YOUR PHYSICAL AND MENTAL WELL BEING!

Yes, VFit Studio is a virtual wellness studio and that is the heart of what we offer to the world, but believe it or not, our wellness program focused on these Pillars of Wellness started well before we ran our first VFit class!

Just like your car, your body needs fuel to live. On a primal level, you can’t function very long without eating. The better you eat, the better you feel. Every person knows this at a basic level.

Usually, we look to and relate to fuel as just food and water.

In fact, 90% of the health and wellness industry is centered around telling you what to eat and what not to eat. Or trying to sell you on the latest fad diet, pill, or shake that’ll magically make you healthy without putting in the work or focus necessary.

Take a moment and think through your life. There are so many other facets of your life you must FUEL as well. This is your fuel with a pillar dedicated to the keystone wellness centers of a well balanced life.

In no particular order, we break down a quick recap of why fueling EACH PILLAR below can elevate your health and wellness to infinite levels:

VFit Studio's 7 pillars of wellness: exercise

// Exercise – Your muscles need fuel by way of fresh oxygen and movement. Work hard on those muscles, boost up your heart rate, and you’ll deliver this much needed nutrient called energy, blood flow, and life all throughout your body!

If you can move, you should be exercising your body most days of the week. Exercise comes in every shape and form and we believe in a well rounded routine of cardio, strength, balance/mobility, and restorative movement. We’ve developed a FUNctional Fitness Plan that outlays the recommended ratio of these four major categories of movement and have broken down our class schedule and formats in this plan our members use to schedule and plan their workouts each week.

Exercise, or movement, is where you can get the most bang for your buck, in the least amount of time. Begin to focus on fueling yourself up with 15-30 minutes a day and watch amazing things start to happen in your mind and body.

VFit Studio's 7 pillars of wellness: outdoors

// Outdoors – getting Vitamin D by way of fresh air to get yourself outside and away from the screens. To connect with nature and others. To feel the light breeze on your face and be present. We include this pillar because getting outside each day is critical to your mental and physical well being.

Your body and mind need fuel from fresh air and vitamin D by means of spending time outdoors. Vitamin D is crucial in cell repair, stamina, boosts to your mood, along with improving your immunity. Many illnesses are linked to vitamin D deficiencies as society has led to more time indoors. Take breaks from your time inside and even break it into 5 minute chunks to get some fresh air each day.

And even in those harsh winter months when you might not actually be getting direct Vitamin D, you’re still reaping many rewards. Being outdoors and fueling up from fresh air, stepping away from the hustle and bustle of the daily grind, taking some slow calm mindful breaths. This all will lead to more focus, productivity, and happiness.

Stepping outside exposes you to more negative ions will provide a host of health benefits. Just from being outside and being surrounded by these negative ions, you can help improve your sleep, experience revitalized cell metabolism, improve your immunity and detox your blood.

In today’s tech driven world, you can easily go days on end without spending a solid chunk of time outside. We’re willing to bet it’s impacting your health. Keeping yourself indoors leads to more stress, a feeling of isolation, keeps you on edge, and more reactive in your life.

We suggest instead to build in at least 15 to 30 minutes a day to set your phone down, unplug, and go outside. There’s no bad weather, there’s only bad clothing. This pillar alone can easily change your life if you are lacking in it.

VFit Studio's 7 pillars of wellness: water

// Water – We have run our wellness resets since 2014 and you want to know the #1 eye opener most of our participants learn about themselves throughout our process? They’re not properly hydrated. Living in a constant state of dehydration (be it mild, moderate, or intensive), causes negative effects on your skin, energy levels, sleep, recovery time, mental cognition, and more.

Your body needs fuel by being properly hydrated with water daily. Nearly every biological function of your body is dependent upon having those hydrogen and oxygen molecules at the ready! 8 cups a day is the minimum place to start. We have a great formula of just how much water you need that we love sharing with our team.

½ to 1 ounce of water per pound of body weight

Then, add at least 10 ounces per each 30 minute exercise session. Increase your water intake depending on elevation, temperature, humidity, and other health related issues such as medical conditions or drug side effects.

VFit Studio's 7 pillars of wellness: gratitude

// Gratitude – Ding ding! Another key pillar of health we see nearly every other program leave out. How can you truly be healthy if you aren’t living a life full of gratitude and celebrations?

Your heart, the very muscle that keeps you alive, gets its fuel by living a life full of gratitude and by celebrating even the smallest of victories. Being thankful for what you have, especially those around you, will continue to help you view your life in a more positive light and send ripple effects throughout your day. Your stress hormones will lower, your blood pressure will improve. Gratitude is some powerful stuff, trust us!

We have our team write down one reflection of gratitude and one small victory they had each day during the course of our wellness resets. Once this daily habit is created, soon instead of being a negative nelly, you start finding areas of life to be grateful for.

VFit Studio's 7 pillars of wellness: sleep

// SLEEP! – “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” is just about the worst quote out there. You’ll live a lot longer and at a higher quality of life if you get your proper zzz’s in!

Your body, mind, and spirit refuel when you sleep. The process of restoring and building happens overnight while you get in those blocks of rest each night. Getting a full night’s rest is important for your brain health, your mood, energy, and stress level as well. 7+ hours is the minimum that most need. While we know that during some stages of life, this Pillar may be out of your control, we still encourage you to prioritize sleep as a very important part of your life.

VFit Studio's 7 pillars of wellness: me time

// Me Time – Your mind becomes fueled when you stop, slow down, and tune into your own needs. Having a moment of calm in your day can be delivered by taking time for some quiet reflection and self care. For some, this may be reading a book, meditating, working out, gardening, sewing, you get the jist. There is no one size fits all “self-care” activity. Finding a small pocket of time in your day to take care of you isn’t selfish, it’s critical.

You cannot keep giving and giving to the world unless you fill your own up. The importance of self care cannot be overestimated and while each of the above Pillars could also be considered self care, we double down on this one to ensure each day you take time out just for you to fill your own cup.

So there you have it, our secret but oh so attainable recipe for creating your best life!

And like everything, you need to constantly be taking inventory and working on your weaker areas. As seasons change, so will your Pillars in Need of Repair. It’s the exact reason we come together quarterly to press the Reset button and make sure that no pillar is left out of whack for too long.

These are just some of the ways and areas you can choose to fuel your body better to live well. If you try and find shortcuts on any of these – or GASP! – skip some altogether – then you’ll be truly selling yourself short.

At VFit Studio, we believe that each of us deserves to live life well and not harbor regrets and guilt about taking care of our bodies. When we take care of ourselves, we are better suited to take care of the ones we love around us.

How do you check in with your pillars? Meet your Wellness Wheel

VFit Studio's Wellness Wheel Activity to dial in your 7 pillars of wellness

This Wellness Wheel is an activity you can easily do each week, or ad hoc, to ensure you’re balancing out the 7 pillars of wellness. Focus and maximize your pillars and your wellness wheel will run smoothly and your days will be fueled well.

At VFit Studio, it’s our core value that to live your best life, you need a well balanced Wellness Wheel that can rotate evenly and propel you FORWARD. This wheel requires that all 7 tanks are adequately filled. When balanced, your wheel spins forward most effectively.

Take an honest look into your own personal life in this current season, and rate each Pillar of Health from a 1 to a 5. Then color in the rings to get a perfect visual of where your wheel may need a little more air and energy given to it.

A rating of “5,” or the outermost circle, means you are at your best of where you could possibly be with this pillar and have it dialed in, with little to no room to grow or improve. This very well may be the case in some Pillars, so don’t feel bad ranking anything at a 5. If you are maxing out a few Pillars already, that’ll just create more space for another Pillar you may need to dive deeper into and flesh out some new positive habits.

The center of our Wellness Wheel is zero. If there’s no shading in a Pillar this means you currently have NO focus on it. Guess what? Seeing this plainly helps guide you on what areas to start working on.

This Wellness Wheel exercise can be done alone, or with those you live with to help improve harmony.

As you continue this exercise and dial in your Pillars, you’ll find you can map out your Wheel and check in with yourself quickly and diagnose what you need to work to improve your quality of life in the present moment.