It’s no secret that the “Freshman 15” affects college students as a result of increased stress, hectic sleep schedules, dining hall foods and a plethora of changes that accompany transitioning to a college lifestyle. While many of us want to exercise and live a healthier lifestyle, it can be incredibly hard to find the time to incorporate 4-6 gym sessions into our busy class schedule! Whether you’re a freshman or a returning student looking to make new friends, want to make exercise a part of your weekly routine, or are just looking for an uplifting group of inspiring women to take your life to the next level, CHAARG is the organization for you!
What is CHAARG?
CHAARG stands for “Changing Health Attitudes and Actions to Recreate Girls.” Their mission is to liberate girls from the elliptical and from the toxic mindset regarding the gym and weight loss, showing them that fitness can be both enjoyable and beneficial for your physical and mental health. As someone who used to struggle with major gym anxiety, I understand the comfort that comes from cardio machines, just hopping on a treadmill or elliptical for 45 minutes and calling it a workout. However, CHAARG encourages you to “find your fit,” and does so by offering an incredibly wide range of fitness classes and wellness opportunities to expand your fitness vocabulary past just running and weightlifting. This organization takes a strong and beautiful community of women and introduces them to feel-good workouts and health tips to have everyone feeling like their happiest and healthiest selves!
What can I expect from a membership with CHAARG?
CHAARG partners with a variety of fitness studios and instructors to give girls the opportunity to find different and unique forms of fitness that fit best with their interests and lifestyles, all while working out with friends and building deeper relationships. In addition to the chapter’s weekly workouts, you have the option to join a small group that fits with your schedule, in which you meet weekly to either workout or just share some bonding experiences. But, not to forget one of the most important aspects of the CHAARG experience: the InChaarg Instagram accounts! These are fitspo and health/wellness accounts created by the members of all the CHAARG chapters in order to have fun, hold ourselves accountable, and connect with and motivate our community. If you’re looking to see more of what #inchaarg accounts encompass, mine is @katelynflom_inchaarg on Instagram!
And, as if all of that wasn’t enough, a few times a semester CHAARG will hold a national fit plan designed by the executive team! These bring all of the chapters together in a fitness plan spanning over the course of a few weeks. For example, all girls in the fitness world know how hard it’s been with gyms and studios shutting down due to COVID-19, so in response to the home workout struggles, CHAARG created the #ChaargAtHomeStudio. This is a 5-week fitness plan that includes a huge variety of cardio and strength training routines as well as access to exclusive live classes every Friday! This, combined with health and wellness tips, and most importantly the amazing community, has changed the game for not only my quarantine routine but also my fitness journey.
What does a week in the life of CHAARG look like?
This is a typical week in my life as a UCF CHAARG member:
- Sunday: Today is a complete rest day from training, and my goal is to incorporate a little self-care, but I’m listening to The CHAARG Podcast Episode #42: Diets, Macros, + Gut Health.
- Monday: Mobility Routine and Recovery Run with the CHAARG At Home Studio.
- Tuesday: Abs and Arms baby! The upper body is my favorite to train, and the At Home Studio has my arms burning in the best way! (Tuesdays are also my chapter’s weekly workout nights; tonight is a live kickboxing class to let us punch and kick the stress away)!
- Wednesday: Today is a rest day, but on Wednesdays, I like to make it an active rest day. That means I’m giving my muscles time to recover, but I’m still getting active by enjoying a nice walk outside or a yoga class by Yoga with Adrienne on YouTube!
- Thursday: Today is a lower body day with the #ChaargAtHomeStudio, and I’m also reading a book off of CHAARG’s Reading List, The Defining Decade by Meg Jay.
- Friday: Live Workout Day! This week’s live class is Kristine Schumann’s Yoga Sculpt, a nice contrast from last week’s Hip Hop class!
- Saturday: I usually save Saturdays for whatever type of cardio I’m feeling like doing this week, which today happens to be the CHAARG At Home Studio cardio routine as well as a couple of MadFit dance party workouts on YouTube.
I hope you enjoyed my week in the life as a CHAARG member, and I hope you’ll join me in #TakingCHAARG of your fitness and working to develop a happy and healthy lifestyle!