fitness challenge | Body Conceptions

The Fit for Fall Challenge included six weeks of unlimited classes, weekly measurements, tons of wellness tips and fun prizes. Instructors worked very closely with the challengers and encouraged them to work hard and stay focused. Our 2015 Fit for Fall winner, Jackie, lost the highest percentage of total body inches – an impressive accomplishment! This was Jackie’s second challenge. Her team leader for the Spring Into Summer challenge just a few months before was Lauren Rodriquez. Lauren remained a huge motivator for her the second time around. Below, get both of their perspectives on how they faced this challenge and came out on top!

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Meet Challenge Winner, Jackie

Jackie grew up on Long Island and attended college in Boston. After graduating with a business degree in accounting and finance, she moved back home to New York. Now she lives in Manhattan and works at PwC, in the Real Estate advisory practice. She loves trying out new fitness classes, drinking red wine, eating ice cream, watching ridiculous reality TV shows and documentaries, and spending her summers in the Hamptons.

What is your fitness background?

I was an athletically challenged child who wasn’t great at team based sports, but I took ballet class through middle school and was a member of my high school dance team, which performed at the football and basketball games. During college, dance wasn’t a big part of my life, but since moving to the city, I’ve found that I gravitate towards dance-based fitness classes. To my family’s surprise, I have become a very fitness-focused person!

How did you find out about Body Conceptions and what is it about Lauren’s class that’s so fun?

I found BoCo through ClassPass while exploring different dance-based studios. I started going to more and more classes because of how intense the sculpting part of class is. I saw immediate changes in my legs and arms, which can get addicting! Furthermore, all of the instructors are amazing!!

Lauren and I started working together when I participated in the Spring into Summer Challenge in June and July. She was my team leader and helped me track my progress and stay focused over the eight weeks. I love taking her classes because of the great energy she brings, fun dance moves, and the killer burn in her Power Sculpt classes!

How do you make fitness a priority when you’re busy with your day job? Were there any moments where you wanted to give up?

Due to the nature of my job, I sit at a desk for the majority of my day, staring at a computer screen. I need an outlet to get up and move, so I always make fitness a priority! I’ll alternate working out before and after work. During crazier months at work, where days can be long, it’s definitely hard to find time for class. However, I’ve found that working out with coworkers is a great way to stay motivated!

What piece of advice would you give to other young professionals trying to achieve their fitness goals while balancing a day job?

I like to plan out my workouts the week before. If I’m already signed up for a class, it’s less likely I’ll bail on it! In addition, it was important for me to communicate my fitness goals with my coworkers. They have been really supportive!

Favorite song to work out to?

I love my Kygo station on Pandora!

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Team Leader, Lauren

Lauren is originally from Charlotte, NC and trained at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. She has been teaching dance and fitness for 13 years and has been a Body Conceptions trainer for 2.5 years.

Were there any moments when you thought Jackie wanted to give up?

Similar to most of our challengers, Jackie started to struggle at the halfway point. The first couple of weeks were filled with excitement and adrenaline, but by week three everyone’s body started to feel a bit fatigued. I was able to encourage them to persevere by reminding them of the many improvements they had made thus far and how much stronger they had become in just a few short weeks.

You train countless clients on a daily basis. What makes Jackie special?

Jackie’s positive attitude allowed her to overcome obstacles with a smile and have fun while working out. It also helped that she had competed in previous BoCo challenges that gave her a strong technical foundation. This allowed instructors to give her more refined modifications and really push her to the next level of her fitness journey.

What advice would you give to newer personal trainers about keeping clients motivated?

I think the best way to keep clients motivated is to give them a specific attainable goal. Whether it’s fitting into an old pair of jeans or something as simple as being able to hold a plank 5 seconds longer. Having small goals set on a monthly or even weekly basis really helps to keep them motivated and gives them a sense of accomplishment

What’s your favorite song to work out to?

There are so many choices! But right now I’m loving “How Deep Is Your Love” by Calvin Harris.

Interview and photography by Kathleen O’Neill

So – we’re about to launch our first official BoCo Spring Challenge! I’ve been thinking about fitness challenges a lot these days, and I felt like it was important to talk about their benefits here. After all, when people can take fitness classes and try to get healthy every day, why would they want to enter a challenge? What makes a challenge more effective than any kind of “resolution?” And what are we offering that might help people see great results?

Why a “Challenge” this time?

Since its inception, Body Conceptions has run a semi-annual “Intensive,” a 6-week program involving extended classes 2-3 times a week that everyone takes together. This format is great for creating a sense of camaraderie and obtaining results together BUT those of you who can’t come to our two extended classes during the week lose out on the experience. So many of you have work and other obligations during the day.

We recently expanded our schedule and welcomed lots of you to our classes who work during the week. We also decided to try something different for our spring fitness event. This time around, we decided to give you unlimited access to our class schedule. And unlike our last Intensives, we will be measuring your progress with objective data on top of providing you with some amazing perks. Now you’ll see that you’re truly making progress and getting healthier just in time for your summer beach days – and you’ll be having fun along the way, too!!

Why Is a Challenge Effective?

We’ve all made promises to ourselves to get fit. The problem is that we seem to be ok with breaking these promises to ourselves. We’re too tired, too busy, too distracted – we give up just as quickly as we start. …But what if suddenly we’re provided real evidence of our effort? What if we become part of a team that checks in on one another? And what if we can win contests? Suddenly the game changes.

We will be putting you into groups and giving you team leaders who will coach your progress. We all know that group camaraderie helps keep you focused. It makes you feel supported and encouraged. You tend to feel pressure to perform for the group and do what you can to help the whole group succeed. Also, if there is measurable data that shows you how you are doing, you start seeing the direct connection between your efforts and your progress. You start taking control of the process and also holding yourself accountable for that effort in a group setting.

Signing up for a challenge commits you to a program with a beginning, middle, and end. You are not promising to make a vague and endless promise to yourself to get healthier. You are essentially saying to yourself, “I am committing to this specific, finite program that will involve a bunch of other people in the same boat and will have very specific and doable steps I have committed to follow. I will do it!”

What if I Don’t Have Time to Take Tons of Classes?

Honestly, you’ll be surprised. We have classes that satisfy every workout schedule, and you can take your classes any way they work for you. You might find that you want to take all of our classes in a row one week, or perhaps you prefer late nights, lunch, and weekends. You can do whatever works for you. Use your results to motivate you to intensify your approach. Challenges like this help you cater your experience to your lifestyle, increase your power and stamina, and potentially inspire you to make fitness a more frequent part of your schedule.

What if I’m Worried About Doing the Workout Correctly?

Don’t worry – We have you covered!! We will be running a workshop to teach you how to perform BoCo exercises effectively. Our team leaders will also be on-hand to answer any questions or concerns, and our instructors value technique above all else. Even if you have never taken a BoCo class before, you will find yourself learning quickly with lots of support, correction, and encouragement.

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Whether or not you decide to join our challenge this time around, I hope this helps you consider the benefits of joining a group fitness program. If you ever find yourself having trouble committing to your own personal goals, perhaps becoming part of a larger group effort will help you shed your worries and excuses. Who knows? You might also see some amazing results, make some great friends, and win a fabulous in-home vegan dinner for 4!! (Just saying…)

Join our Spring Challenge, sign up though the Classes page at www.bodyconceptions.com and select the Event tab on the scheduling page!

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Meet Our Fit For Fall Challenge Winner & The Instructor Who Motivated Her!

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