Category: Health

  • Inspirational Interview with Guest, Chicago Fitness Instructor Haley Gunst

    Inspirational Interview with Guest, Chicago Fitness Instructor Haley Gunst

    “The Curve Confessions by Kenzie is a movement inspiring women to find happiness in ourselves, no matter our size or shape; rock the skin we’re in with confidence; openly discuss body image issues we see in the world; and create a safe space where we all feel accepted.”

    I started this new interview series featuring stories from incredibly inspiring women; in hopes of inspiring others in their own journey of fitness, motivation, and life in general. Today’s guest is Haley Gunst, who recently came back to Chicago after finding her love for fitness and the outdoors in Seattle. Let me tell you, we are lucky to have her in Chicago, and I loved interviewing her! Check out the interview and check her out on Instagram @haleygunst.

    CC: Thanks so much for doing this interview, I’m so excited! Let’s cut to the chase. When did you become a yoga teacher and why? 

    Haley: I started my yoga training out in Seattle in October of 2017 and was officially on the teaching schedule in January of 2018. I had been nudged a couple of times by instructors to become a teacher and honestly brushed them off. Yoga was the one place I could go and feel like I could let my mind relax and wander, and I was scared to have that taken from me if I started knowing the ins and outs of teaching. However, I was living in Seattle, in a new stage of life and really needed a positive extra hobby. That same week of feeling a little lost, a teacher nudged me again and I decided maybe it was time to get out of my comfort zone and try it. CorePower was also one of the main places I went when I first moved to Seattle and knew no one. They gave me a sense of community when I felt really alone and I wanted to give that back to my community. I am in the midst of expanding my horizons and really wanting to invest more time into my fitness career. I also just tried out and earned a spot as an instructor at the Equinox Fitness Club. My good friend Lauren currently teaches there and knew they were opening up a new location and needed teachers, so she put me in touch with Julie Bellis, my new trainer and manager at Equinox. To say I’m excited would be an understatement. 

    CC: That’s amazing, I can’t wait to take your classes at Equinox soon – and of course love your yoga classes already. If someone wants to try you out, what are your class times?

    Haley: Right now I teach at CorePower Yoga at the Gold Coast, Chicago location at 6:45 pm Friday nights and 9:30 am Saturday mornings. I am currently getting on-boarded with Equinox and will have to go through a training before I am officially put on their schedule, but be on the lookout! They have a very wide range of classes, but I will be focusing on the strength and toning classes as well as the HIIT – High Interval Intensity Training classes.

    CC: Amazing, I hope people reading can check you out! So what would you say motivates you, and what is your biggest piece of advice to others looking for motivation?
    Haley: Oh wow, that’s a loaded question and sometimes it just depends on the day, haha. However, I have always been a very competitive person, and I think my biggest competition is myself. I am constantly trying to break my own personal PRs or see how much further I can push my body; mentally, physically, based on strength, endurance, anything really. Honestly the feeling of accomplishment after a tough workout, a race, or a new certification is reflecting back and realizing “wow, my body just did that, how much more can it do?” I can’t tell people what should motivate them, it should come from within and whatever their story is, however, your motivation should NOT be for anyone else. Yes a “revenge” body is great, but at some point that motivation will fade. It shouldn’t be to make your parents proud or to get attention from a guy, or even worse, for social media or the pressures that come from social media. These days it is REALLY hard to decipher what is real and what isn’t – don’t even get me started with the topic of FaceTune – but focus on yourself and what makes YOU want to be better, and that motivation will not fade.

    CC: That is amazing advice and I couldn’t agree more – doing things for others won’t get us anywhere. Why is fitness so important to you, and when/why did it become that way?
    Haley: I would say moving to Seattle really changed my life and my health. I got really active and really into the outdoors and my yoga practice and started feeling what it was like to make my body and health a priority. I felt amazing inside and out. However, I have faced some of my hardest personal life challenges this past year and taking care of my health mentally and physically has been extremely important. I cannot stress enough how important it is to take care of your mental health. What that looks like for each individual is different. For me, professional therapy, yoga, long talks with friends and family, journaling and fitness helped clear my mind and regain my self-confidence and mental strength. Physically I try to do some sort of activity whether it be CorePower Yoga, Orange Theory Fitness, Barry’s Bootcamp, Equinox Classes, long runs/walks along the lakeshore path, or trying a brand new class (shout out to that one boxing class I tried when I was holding in a TON of anxiety) at least 5 times a week. When I was going through the thick of some of my tougher days the hour or so of physical activity was honestly the only hour of the day that I could see and think clearly, so I really leaned on it to help me push through each day and slowly I got stronger and stronger, both mentally and physically. It may sound corny, but I am beyond thankful for all of the instructors and trainers I have come across in the last few years because they have truly changed my life and in a lot of ways; they saved my life as well. I hope to have that impact on my students as I grow as an instructor.

    CC: I love it, that’s great you got that new perspective out there (and we’re thankful you brought it to Chi). And I couldn’t agree more about that hour being so sacred and needed. So, random, but what would your ideal way to spend a day look like?

    Haley: Human connection, the outdoors, and exercise. If I get these three things each day, it is usually a pretty damn good day. Human connection is something I would like to transform my daily routine and career towards a little more. A lot of my day is spent sitting at my desk cranking out numbers (shout-out to my fellow nerdy math brains out there), and while that is great, I do crave more human interaction. That is kind of where teaching fitness classes comes into play, and obviously getting together with friends – new and old – always makes the work week a little less stressful. If I could build some mountains out here in the Midwest, I would. I think that’s the thing I miss the most about Seattle… seeing and exploring the outdoors and how much it has to offer, however, I often walk 35 minutes to and from work each day and will jam out to music, listen to my podcasts, or call my parents/friends. These 35 minutes at the beginning and end of my day have almost become necessary, I take that time to decompress the craziness going on in my life because the craziness never ends…

    CC: I love it, and agree on the human interaction part girl. How do you recommend others get into fitness or a side hustle, based on your own experience?

    Haley: I would say first evaluate what you want to do and why. Don’t get into fitness because you read this interview and felt like you had to. However, once you have a desire to change your routine or start something new, OWN IT. Start telling people what you’re doing so that you hold yourself accountable, start prioritizing your schedule to fit in whatever you need in order to make that change, and plan ahead. Goals are much easier to accomplish when there is a very clear game plan – it doesn’t have to be perfect, but for example, if you want to start incorporating more fitness into your life, maybe that means an early wake up call to get it done – start small – plan which day (yes, start with one day) of the week that will be and make it happen, no excuses, and then grow from there. Habits, positive and negative, are created by ACTIONS. You and only you hold the control to those actions.

    CC: Great advice. Another thing I love asking; who inspires you? 

    Haley: My grandma, who isn’t here anymore, but I always think about her, and I think that living your life hoping to impact people so that they continue to remember you after you’re gone is a great way to live. A lot of decisions I make, or the way I choose to treat people is based off of that motto. Give love and positivity, receive love and positivity back. Also currently obsessed with @MarenMorris and @iamCardiB (yes, I said it) and their bad-ass woman power vibe, both of their albums got me through some tough stuff, @averagefashionblogger who literally cracks me up every single day and is un-apologetically herself, @JasonLoebig who was able to take a leap of faith from his 9-5 desk job to follow a passion and is absolutely crushing it and motivating others along the way, and my dad, because my dad just simply rocks. If you know him, you know. 

    CC: Love all those people. So as you know The CC talks a lot about body image, would you say you encourage all shapes and sizes to take your classes? Why? 

    Haley: YES. When I invite people to my classes the first thing majority of people say is “I’m not good at yoga” or “I haven’t worked out in so long, I wouldn’t make it”, or something of the sort. NO MORE. The person next to you in class at one point in their life had never taken the class before either. Everyone starts somewhere. Also, I promise you that everyone in your class is focused on themselves and themselves only. We are all in this together and just need to continue supporting each other.

    CC: Great for all my readers to know! Well, that’s a wrap. Any other notable things to say about your journey to fitness, side hustles, motivation, etc.?             
    Haley: No one is promised tomorrow, so what are you going to do with today?

    Love that quote & thanks again for taking the time, so inspiring! If you’re interested in checking out Haley in action, look her up on Instagram @haleygunst and DM her for a spot in class! 

    Keep inspiring, Hales! Xoxo.

  • Inspirational Interview with Guest, Chicago Fitness Instructor Lauren Zerante

    Inspirational Interview with Guest, Chicago Fitness Instructor Lauren Zerante

    “The Curve Confessions by Kenzie is a movement inspiring women to find happiness in ourselves, no matter our size or shape; rock the skin we’re in with confidence; openly discuss body image issues we see in the world; and create a safe space where we all feel accepted.”

    I can speak to the fact that fitness is a way to find happiness and confidence in ourselves, and that’s not just for our physical appearance, but for our overall emotional well being, inner strength, etc.

    Lauren Zerante is someone who helped me find my love for fitness again and is an inspiring instructor and fitness connoisseur in Chicago. She also happens to be my best friend of over a decade. Read our interview to get inspired and learn more about her side hustle and motivation (if you get to the end you can find a way to try her classes, too)!

    CC: Thanks for joining me Lauren! So let’s cut to the chase, when did you become a group fitness instructor and why? 
    Lauren: Thanks for having me! I received my yoga sculpt certification from CorePower Yoga in April of 2015. I had been going and taking class religiously after graduating and moving back home, and one day I thought about taking the plunge and doing teacher training. I had been looking to fill the void my college volleyball career provided and this seemed like the perfect opportunity. I love being around people, leading groups, and it’s no surprise that I love working out. Fast forward a few years later and I found myself wanting to focus on studying more forms of exercise, specifically HIIT- high intensity interval training, outside of the yoga studio. I decided to get my NASM personal training certification and later pursue group fitness at Equinox. I started teaching classes there in April of 2018.
    CC: Amazing, obviously I love your classes 🙂 Can you tell my readers where/when you teach?
    Lauren: Yes! Here they are.
    Corepower Yoga Sculpt schedule: Monday mornings at CPY Old Town 5:45 am, Thursday evenings 5:45 pm at CPY River North
    Equinox: Saturday METCON3 11:45 am at Equinox Lincoln Park
    CC: I hope some readers can make it to your classes! Can you tell us what motivates you, and what is your biggest piece of advice to others looking for motivation?
    Lauren: It sounds kind of cliche but, myself. I am a super competitive person but I’ve found that I get the most gratitude when I see myself improving in things over time vs doing ‘better’ than someone else. I like to run and usually run 1-2 half marathons a year. My biggest motivation for those is doing everything I can to beat my last race time or learn something new in the training process. My biggest piece of advice would be to find something that you truly enjoy. Motivation will always lack if you view something as a chore. In today’s fitness world there are sooo many studios and different ways to stay active. My advice would be to explore all those options until you find something that clicks.
    CC: I can definitely vouch for that and totally agree. Tell us, why is fitness so important to you, and when/why did it become that way?
    Lauren: It’s the best ‘me time’ that I’ve been able to find. When I’m working out, no matter what the workout is (alone or in a class) I’m able to completely disconnect from what’s going on in my life and my (usually) long to do list. Teaching group fitness is just as important for me because it’s a way to connect with others on a really unique and special level. Seeing people come back each week and put in the work, transform their mind and body, and do things they didn’t think they could do in the past has been extremely rewarding. I know that for a lot of people, that one hour in their day is as special for them as it is for me so it’s definitely a big deal to be leading that time.

    CC: Absolutely agree girlfriend. Random question for my readers; what would your ideal way to spend a day look like?

    Lauren: I love working out with friends, so my ideal day would be either teaching a class with friends in it or taking one with them! Catching up after over coffee/dinner/drinks is always an added plus. Now that it’s warm out in Chicago my ideal day would be hanging out on some kind of roof top/patio or taking a walk along the lake. And my ideal day would probably end with ice cream… duh.

    CC: Sounds like a fun day hehe. How do you recommend others get into fitness or a side hustle, based on your own experience?

    Lauren: Community is the biggest thing that comes to mind when answering this question. The Chicago fitness community is pretty unbelievable, and I know a lot of other cities have similar dynamics. Take classes, don’t be afraid to introduce yourself to fellow classmates or instructors. Research fitness events- there are tons. ASweatLife is a great resource and way to meet people who have a passion for fitness as well as check out the many studios around the nation.

    CC: That’s great advice. Who inspires you?
    Lauren: Oohh this is tough. I have a lot of ‘favorite’ instructors in the Chicago area the list would be very long. One of my favorite ‘insta inspirations’ is @rksolidnyc. She’s a former Barry’s Bootcamp/current Peloton instructor and I find her approach to fitness to be authentic, dedicated, and relatable. I also enjoy following @ashwilking, a Nike Trainer and Rumble boxer trainer in NYC. She’s a total bada** and I absolutely loved taking her class in person at Rumble in NYC recently.
    CC: Inspo to the max, I’m following now! So on the topic of body image… Do you encourage all shapes and sizes to take your classes?
    Lauren: Absolutely. All shapes and sizes, all ages, and all fitness backgrounds. Modifications are always an option in my class and I will never force someone to do something they are a) not comfortable with or b) have physical limitations doing. One of the most common things I hear from people prior to doing my class or really any workout class is “I’m not good at x”, whether that be yoga, running, lifting. Group fitness classes aren’t about being “good” or “bad” at something. And in my classes, being “good” at yoga sculpt or “good” at HIIT will never be a thing. It’s about showing up, being around others, and pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone. I say this a lot in my classes but you have to “trust me and trust yourself”.

    Thanks for the inspiring interview, Lauren!

    Readers: if you want to try Lauren’s class, DM her on Instagram at @lzerante. You won’t regret it!

  • Why I Never Want To Hear The Words “Summer Body” Again

    Why I Never Want To Hear The Words “Summer Body” Again

    “I need to get my summer bod!”

    “Man I want to lose a few before summer starts.”

    How many things like the above have you heard, or even said yourself? The weather’s getting warmer which means summer is on everybody’s minds. And you know what summer means; swimsuits and baring it all.

    But summer also means the dreaded comments from friends and family about how they need to lose a few, get abs, get in the gym… the list goes on. Since I’ve started my blog I notice WAY more of these conversations happening and try my best to intervene telling people they look great now; no summer body needed.

    So that’s what brings me to this post. The fact that we all need to calm down over our bodies morphing into some “new season” body. Do you have a body? Do you have a swimsuit? You have a beach body then.

    I’m not going to sit here on my high horse and act like I don’t think about myself in a swimsuit either. I definitely do. But I think we owe it all to ourselves to let it be. Get in the gym and feel good, but don’t kill yourself for some unattainable summer body or to look like your favorite influencer in their string bikini. Instead, I challenge you to start looking in the mirror and saying “damn I look good!” Or buying a new swimsuit that you feel confident AF in, no matter what size or style it is.

    Let’s get rid of the term summer body and love ourselves how we are now. It will only save us from wishing for something unattainable and being disappointed later – and there ain’t nothing to be disappointed about.

    XOXO

  • How Trying New Workouts Can Boost Your Confidence

    How Trying New Workouts Can Boost Your Confidence

    Working out can be an intimidating thing – whether it’s at a gym or specific workout studio – we’ve all felt “gym intimidation” before. By trying something new and unknown, you’re putting yourself out there; where you’ll be around people you don’t know, around people who have different bodies than you, and who might just be more experienced than you at this specific workout. But what I’ve learned recently is none of that matters – and trying new workouts can actually build your confidence.

    Almost two years ago I was beyond afraid of trying high intensity interval training workout, Shred415 (Read: The Workout and Positive Mindset that Changed My Life). My best friend kept convincing me I should try, and I always turned her down out of fear. I would use excuses like “I’m not a runner” or “I don’t think I can do a workout like that.” Two years later, I’m still regularly going and it’s a workout that helped me immensely on my weight loss and health journey – and even helped me complete my first triathlon (another thing I thought I couldn’t do). It did take months and months of going completely out of my comfort zone to get there – but it’s ultimately helped my confidence for the better.

    And that goes the same for other workouts I’ve tried over the years, too – Barry’s Bootcamp, Yoga, Cycling, Barre – and there are still new workouts I want to try. Every time I walk into a new studio, I may start out of my comfort zone, but I end the class feeling so accomplished. And hell, I grew to become a regular at a place I thought I could never try!

    My point is – don’t count out a workout because of a thought or fear in your head. Grab a friend (or yourself), check out a studio, and build your confidence! It might end up changing your life. 😉

    Now what workouts are you going to try?

  • Lessons From My First Triathlon

    Lessons From My First Triathlon

    For years, completing a triathlon has been a dream I thought I couldn’t physically achieve – but just over a week ago, that all changed.

    I am so beyond happy to say that I completed my first triathlon just over a week ago in Chicago. Today, receiving the photos of me from race day really put it into perspective – I did it! I swam for .47 miles, biked 15 miles, and ran 3.1 miles.

    One year ago today, and many years leading up to that, I watched my mom complete multiple triathlons and always wanted to do one myself. But like a lot of us do, I told myself I “could never” and wrote it off year after year. One year, I even told people I was doing it then backed out.

    So I thought I’d write a post to share my experience, but also speak to the people reading who think they could never do a triathlon, think they can’t complete that half marathon race, or whatever that doubt is. I’m here to promise you that you can.

    But what I also promise you is that you have to get to a place (mentally and physically) that you may not have gone before – which again, you can. Just last year, not only was I saying I couldn’t run, I was also saying I couldn’t do the triathlon, and probably so many other terrible, negative things. Looking back, I can’t even believe all the things I shut out of my life just because I thought I couldn’t.

    This year has certainly proven my theories wrong. I’m running every single week – but it has nothing to do with my weight – I could run when I was 50 pounds heavier, too. Everything it has to do with is my mindset. The second I started telling myself I could do things, shit just started happening. That’s not a coincidence – not in my book anyways.

    Getting to the point (physically and mentally) where I felt confident and strong enough to compete in the triathlon took about a year. It took a year of regular Shred415 classes, which included strength training and cardio that absolutely kicked my butt. It took 3 months of training and getting ready to swim, bike, and run – all in a row, using muscles I probably hadn’t used in a while. But it also took a mentality of “I CAN do this.” And that last part is more important than people may think.

    I trained diligently, but I also told myself day in and day out that I had this in the bag. And come race day, that mentality stayed the same – I believed in myself and I crushed my first race (because I finished, which was my goal!). I never wavered from my positive thoughts, and it had me smiling through race day – including 90+ degree heat (and trust me, I am not a heat person).

    If you’re reading this post – I encourage you to go sign up for that workout class you thought you couldn’t do, sign up for that race – do that thing that you’ve always told yourself you couldn’t. If it’s a longer term goal, sign up early and make a game plan. I promise, you will come out on the other side, stronger and happier than ever.

    And you know I absolutely love inspiring people, and the support I’ve received has been overwhelming, but it has by no means been an easy or perfect road. I’ve had my moments of doubt, anxiety, potential injury – you name it – but I made it through, and I know others can too.

    Thank you to everyone who supported me through this triathlon – I couldn’t have done it without you.

    If you ever want to chat about the triathlon, training, etc. please email me – I’d love to chat! thecurveconfessions@gmail.com

    XOXO, Kenzie