1 00:00:02,600 --> 00:00:07,120 Speaker 1: Hello everyone. If you are listening to this, you have 2 00:00:07,240 --> 00:00:11,360 Speaker 1: major way to the second ever episode of Hurdle. If 3 00:00:11,360 --> 00:00:14,079 Speaker 1: you're new here, let me introduce myself. My name is 4 00:00:14,120 --> 00:00:17,440 Speaker 1: Emily a Body Baseball card Stats. I am a writer 5 00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:20,479 Speaker 1: and editor living in New York City. I am a 6 00:00:20,520 --> 00:00:24,400 Speaker 1: fitness fanatic, a certified trainer, a run coach, a spin coach. 7 00:00:25,000 --> 00:00:28,280 Speaker 1: The list goes on. If you want to know a 8 00:00:28,320 --> 00:00:30,520 Speaker 1: little bit more about me up front, feel free to 9 00:00:30,560 --> 00:00:33,840 Speaker 1: head over onto my social channels at Emily a Body 10 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:40,519 Speaker 1: Abbat and now a little bit about Hurdle. Hurdle is 11 00:00:40,560 --> 00:00:43,680 Speaker 1: a bi weekly podcast that features people who got through 12 00:00:43,720 --> 00:00:47,839 Speaker 1: a tough time a hurdle of sorts, by integrating wellness 13 00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:51,040 Speaker 1: into their routines. In this modern world we live in, 14 00:00:51,280 --> 00:00:55,320 Speaker 1: filled with so much anxiety and pressure and obscene amounts 15 00:00:55,320 --> 00:00:58,880 Speaker 1: of competition, wellness in all of its forms is an outlet. 16 00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:03,480 Speaker 1: Some of the biggest, baddest, most inspirational humans and top 17 00:01:03,560 --> 00:01:06,520 Speaker 1: CEOs got to where they are today because they found 18 00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:10,479 Speaker 1: themselves with the help of things like yoga, running, juicing, 19 00:01:10,920 --> 00:01:14,120 Speaker 1: a new approach to eating, meditation crystals. 20 00:01:14,360 --> 00:01:15,319 Speaker 2: The list goes on. 21 00:01:16,120 --> 00:01:19,640 Speaker 1: Hurdle brings you their stories, the lessons they learned and 22 00:01:19,720 --> 00:01:23,679 Speaker 1: hopefully gives you the push you need to live a healthier, happier, 23 00:01:23,920 --> 00:01:40,360 Speaker 1: more motivated life. Today on Hurdle, I'm here with Alex Silverfagan, 24 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:44,600 Speaker 1: Nike trainer, Wilhelmina model fitness entrepreneur. 25 00:01:44,680 --> 00:01:47,880 Speaker 2: I love that designation fitness entrepreneur. 26 00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:51,720 Speaker 3: When you asked me to explain what I did that 27 00:01:51,880 --> 00:01:55,080 Speaker 3: is I feel like I do so much that fitness 28 00:01:55,160 --> 00:01:59,120 Speaker 3: entrepreneur is just such a good umbrella term for all 29 00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:00,680 Speaker 3: of the things that we do, and there's so many. 30 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:03,920 Speaker 3: Everyone's a fitness entrepreneur. Everyone's an entrepreneur nowadays, Like we're 31 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:06,240 Speaker 3: all trying to figure out what we want to do 32 00:02:06,440 --> 00:02:08,400 Speaker 3: while working on something that we already know what we 33 00:02:08,440 --> 00:02:12,160 Speaker 3: want to do, and exploring and talking and all the things, 34 00:02:12,160 --> 00:02:14,200 Speaker 3: so that that's all the things. 35 00:02:14,160 --> 00:02:14,760 Speaker 2: I'm about it. 36 00:02:14,840 --> 00:02:17,760 Speaker 1: I feel oftentimes it's hard to designate what I do exactly. 37 00:02:18,520 --> 00:02:20,000 Speaker 2: Also a founder of Flow into Strong. 38 00:02:20,040 --> 00:02:22,000 Speaker 1: Talk to me a little bit about Flow into Strong 39 00:02:22,040 --> 00:02:22,880 Speaker 1: and welcome Alix. 40 00:02:23,120 --> 00:02:24,320 Speaker 2: Thank you thanks for having me. 41 00:02:24,880 --> 00:02:29,680 Speaker 3: Flowing is Strong simply is a class that combines yoga 42 00:02:29,760 --> 00:02:34,160 Speaker 3: and strength training, but deeper, it's understanding the connection between 43 00:02:34,200 --> 00:02:37,680 Speaker 3: your yin and your yang and your fire and your vulnerability, 44 00:02:37,720 --> 00:02:41,240 Speaker 3: and being able to know when you should tap into 45 00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:45,040 Speaker 3: each and when it's appropriate, and also understanding a little 46 00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:46,960 Speaker 3: bit more about yourself when you can see how the 47 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:50,000 Speaker 3: two combine. So it's a long version and then a 48 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:52,040 Speaker 3: small version of what is strong is. 49 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:53,200 Speaker 2: Well, I'm interested in it. 50 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:55,679 Speaker 1: I think that what we should do first and foremost 51 00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:58,880 Speaker 1: is kind of rewind sure and talk a. 52 00:02:58,880 --> 00:02:59,840 Speaker 2: Little bit about who you are. 53 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:01,720 Speaker 1: Why are you giving me a little bit of information 54 00:03:01,880 --> 00:03:04,120 Speaker 1: of what I should know about Alex silver Fagan? 55 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:10,240 Speaker 2: What you should know? Oi? Oi? Yes? What should you know? So? 56 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:11,840 Speaker 2: I am twenty five. 57 00:03:13,080 --> 00:03:15,720 Speaker 3: I have lived in New York for eight years going 58 00:03:15,760 --> 00:03:20,079 Speaker 3: on nine, which is wild. I grew up in New Jersey, 59 00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:22,400 Speaker 3: so not far from the city, and I've always felt 60 00:03:22,440 --> 00:03:24,000 Speaker 3: like I was going to be here. I went to 61 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:27,120 Speaker 3: college here, and I guess what you should know is 62 00:03:27,160 --> 00:03:29,359 Speaker 3: that I work in fitness. My whole life is fitness, 63 00:03:29,400 --> 00:03:32,720 Speaker 3: but my whole life was not fitness beforehand. 64 00:03:32,919 --> 00:03:36,040 Speaker 2: I didn't really know what I wanted to do. When 65 00:03:36,040 --> 00:03:37,960 Speaker 2: I was growing up. I was running around all over 66 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:38,320 Speaker 2: the place. 67 00:03:38,360 --> 00:03:42,800 Speaker 3: I wasn't an athlete though I'm not sport based at all, 68 00:03:43,360 --> 00:03:46,600 Speaker 3: which is pretty funny. But I loved running around. I 69 00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:49,800 Speaker 3: loved moving, and I loved connecting with people. And I 70 00:03:49,840 --> 00:03:52,080 Speaker 3: also loved being in front of people. So I was 71 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:56,720 Speaker 3: obviously big in theater, which most I think people in 72 00:03:56,800 --> 00:03:59,760 Speaker 3: our industry are, because they like being in front of people, 73 00:03:59,800 --> 00:04:02,160 Speaker 3: they like telling a story in a different way. So 74 00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:04,680 Speaker 3: I was in the drama club, president of the drama club. 75 00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:08,240 Speaker 3: And then when I went to school, I started studying 76 00:04:08,280 --> 00:04:11,000 Speaker 3: acting in psychology because I've always been fascinated with the 77 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:15,760 Speaker 3: human psyche and understanding why we do certain things. 78 00:04:15,840 --> 00:04:19,800 Speaker 2: And from then on I moved into kind. 79 00:04:19,720 --> 00:04:24,560 Speaker 3: Of a rough phase of nightlife in New York and 80 00:04:24,680 --> 00:04:28,520 Speaker 3: all that, and then that actually led into fitness. Fitness 81 00:04:28,520 --> 00:04:33,040 Speaker 3: was almost like my savior. 82 00:04:33,320 --> 00:04:36,320 Speaker 2: And you said you went into night life, Yes, so 83 00:04:36,360 --> 00:04:37,040 Speaker 2: what were you doing? 84 00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:41,039 Speaker 3: So I started my junior year of college working at 85 00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:43,800 Speaker 3: a club and bar in the Lower East Side called 86 00:04:43,920 --> 00:04:46,240 Speaker 3: two A five club. It's underneath the Whiskey Bar called 87 00:04:46,240 --> 00:04:49,800 Speaker 3: the Rose Shells. Great life, Ben, Yeah, love all of them. 88 00:04:49,839 --> 00:04:52,279 Speaker 2: I love that. Yeah, it's a great place. 89 00:04:52,680 --> 00:04:55,840 Speaker 3: I definitely have nothing against working in nightlife. 90 00:04:55,880 --> 00:04:58,440 Speaker 2: It just wasn't for me. It's a really hard lifestyle. 91 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:02,200 Speaker 3: I was working ten pm to six am and then 92 00:05:03,480 --> 00:05:04,920 Speaker 3: had to do it all over again at the same 93 00:05:04,960 --> 00:05:07,640 Speaker 3: time studying and being a trying to be a kid, 94 00:05:07,680 --> 00:05:12,120 Speaker 3: and also trying to be healthy. And I when you're 95 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:17,000 Speaker 3: thrown into this city as an eighteen year old and 96 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:19,719 Speaker 3: going out is not just going to a frat party, 97 00:05:19,760 --> 00:05:22,080 Speaker 3: it's going to a club and then trying to get 98 00:05:22,120 --> 00:05:26,640 Speaker 3: into the VIP section and trying to cut lines and cut. 99 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:28,920 Speaker 2: Lines at the door, but also other lines. 100 00:05:30,160 --> 00:05:31,880 Speaker 3: As I said that, I was like that act makes sense. 101 00:05:33,440 --> 00:05:36,839 Speaker 3: You're just you're thrown into a world where you think 102 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:39,640 Speaker 3: you should be doing certain things just to live up 103 00:05:39,640 --> 00:05:42,280 Speaker 3: to this standard. And I was in that for a 104 00:05:42,360 --> 00:05:45,080 Speaker 3: very long time, which is how I met the people 105 00:05:45,120 --> 00:05:48,200 Speaker 3: that then became my coworkers and bosses at two five 106 00:05:48,240 --> 00:05:50,560 Speaker 3: Club and Michelle's. And nothing against them if they ever 107 00:05:50,640 --> 00:05:52,279 Speaker 3: listened to this, Like I love all of them. 108 00:05:52,400 --> 00:05:53,279 Speaker 2: It just wasn't for me. 109 00:05:53,600 --> 00:05:55,720 Speaker 1: Okay, So when did you get to the point where 110 00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:58,680 Speaker 1: you were working there and you knew you needed out. 111 00:05:58,839 --> 00:06:00,000 Speaker 2: I got incredibly skinny. 112 00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:02,000 Speaker 3: I was down to like ninety pounds, and I remember 113 00:06:02,080 --> 00:06:05,200 Speaker 3: going to Florida to see my grandma, which she lives there. 114 00:06:05,200 --> 00:06:07,520 Speaker 2: I'm not from Florida, but that's where home is now. 115 00:06:08,200 --> 00:06:10,080 Speaker 3: I went down to see my grandma and she threatened 116 00:06:10,080 --> 00:06:11,960 Speaker 3: to send me to a hospital if I didn't do something, 117 00:06:12,800 --> 00:06:17,440 Speaker 3: And so I went online and I found bodybuilding dot 118 00:06:17,480 --> 00:06:21,000 Speaker 3: com and very strange, how I guess, I just found 119 00:06:21,080 --> 00:06:21,719 Speaker 3: like how. 120 00:06:21,560 --> 00:06:24,839 Speaker 2: To get strong or that's what I looked up a research. 121 00:06:24,880 --> 00:06:27,240 Speaker 2: So it's interesting that you immediately went to how to 122 00:06:27,279 --> 00:06:30,440 Speaker 2: get strong? Yeah, not like how do I get healthy? Yeah? 123 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:32,159 Speaker 2: How do I get because you didn't. 124 00:06:32,200 --> 00:06:33,760 Speaker 3: I didn't want to gain with I didn't want to 125 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:37,599 Speaker 3: gain weight, and I didn't want to start eating because 126 00:06:37,600 --> 00:06:39,839 Speaker 3: that was what I was scared of. I just knew 127 00:06:39,839 --> 00:06:43,240 Speaker 3: that I needed to get strong and get better. But 128 00:06:43,279 --> 00:06:45,360 Speaker 3: I never thought of healthy, like because I didn't think 129 00:06:45,400 --> 00:06:46,440 Speaker 3: that I was unhealthy. 130 00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:48,640 Speaker 2: I just knew that I was weak like I was. 131 00:06:48,640 --> 00:06:51,600 Speaker 2: I was doing something wrong when you're in it, Yeah, exactly. 132 00:06:51,839 --> 00:06:56,279 Speaker 3: So I found a basic how to lift weights for 133 00:06:56,360 --> 00:07:00,800 Speaker 3: dummy type of trainer or program on bodybuilding, and I 134 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:03,400 Speaker 3: started going to the gym while I was still working 135 00:07:03,440 --> 00:07:05,960 Speaker 3: at the club, and I started noticing that ten am 136 00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:09,400 Speaker 3: to six pm hours and then waking up trying to 137 00:07:09,400 --> 00:07:10,640 Speaker 3: go to the gym and then having to go back 138 00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:12,720 Speaker 3: to the club to do it all over again. Wasn't 139 00:07:12,760 --> 00:07:16,200 Speaker 3: lining up, and I just I didn't feel good and 140 00:07:16,280 --> 00:07:19,440 Speaker 3: I at This was when Instagram started to kind of 141 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:22,040 Speaker 3: pick up, not the way that it is now, but 142 00:07:22,080 --> 00:07:24,160 Speaker 3: it was just I thought at first it was like 143 00:07:24,160 --> 00:07:27,000 Speaker 3: an editing app for photos, but then I realized there 144 00:07:27,000 --> 00:07:29,400 Speaker 3: was actually a feed, and I started searching things and 145 00:07:29,440 --> 00:07:34,960 Speaker 3: I found hashtag fitspo, which most of that was bikini 146 00:07:35,000 --> 00:07:37,640 Speaker 3: competitors and bodybuilding, and so now all of a sudden, 147 00:07:37,640 --> 00:07:42,600 Speaker 3: my mindset of healthy and fitness was bikini competitions and bodybuilding. 148 00:07:42,840 --> 00:07:46,080 Speaker 2: So I decided to go from zero to I want 149 00:07:46,120 --> 00:07:47,320 Speaker 2: to do a bikini body company. 150 00:07:47,360 --> 00:07:49,920 Speaker 3: That's my personality and that's my biggest problem. 151 00:07:49,960 --> 00:07:50,240 Speaker 2: I am. 152 00:07:50,440 --> 00:07:54,000 Speaker 3: I'm all or nothing, and it's why finding balance is 153 00:07:54,080 --> 00:07:56,080 Speaker 3: so difficult for me, and it is for a lot 154 00:07:56,120 --> 00:07:58,600 Speaker 3: of people. I'm really good with being at the club 155 00:07:58,680 --> 00:08:04,000 Speaker 3: and going crazy or weighing my food and going to 156 00:08:04,040 --> 00:08:08,080 Speaker 3: the gym twice a day. I'm now finally in a 157 00:08:08,120 --> 00:08:11,200 Speaker 3: place that feels balanced. I'm not one hundred percent there yet, 158 00:08:12,560 --> 00:08:15,400 Speaker 3: but I live in extremes and that's been the hardest part. 159 00:08:15,520 --> 00:08:17,800 Speaker 3: So that's why I went from zero to one hundred, 160 00:08:17,800 --> 00:08:20,120 Speaker 3: Because there was no other way to do it, and 161 00:08:20,160 --> 00:08:23,120 Speaker 3: so I quit the club on New Year's Eve. I 162 00:08:23,120 --> 00:08:25,280 Speaker 3: think it was before. 163 00:08:25,160 --> 00:08:28,000 Speaker 2: Or after the New Year's Eve party situation. It was 164 00:08:28,080 --> 00:08:29,240 Speaker 2: I worked New Year's Eve. 165 00:08:29,480 --> 00:08:32,880 Speaker 3: I worked New Year's Eve and it was twenty thirteen, 166 00:08:33,200 --> 00:08:36,200 Speaker 3: like it just became twenty thirty. No, it just became 167 00:08:36,200 --> 00:08:40,480 Speaker 3: twenty fourteen. Sorry, all over the place, and I I 168 00:08:40,920 --> 00:08:43,679 Speaker 3: that was my last night, my last shift, and the 169 00:08:43,720 --> 00:08:47,600 Speaker 3: next day I started researching bikini competitions. 170 00:08:47,720 --> 00:08:48,680 Speaker 2: It's a three month. 171 00:08:48,480 --> 00:08:52,280 Speaker 3: Prep twelve weeks I and if you don't know what 172 00:08:53,080 --> 00:08:57,960 Speaker 3: prepping for a bikini competition is, it's essentially you cut 173 00:08:57,960 --> 00:09:00,200 Speaker 3: your calories, so you end up weighing and measuring all 174 00:09:00,240 --> 00:09:02,720 Speaker 3: of your food. You use a tracking app on your 175 00:09:02,760 --> 00:09:05,360 Speaker 3: phone to make sure that you're eating the specific macros, 176 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:09,360 Speaker 3: so specific number of proteins, spetific number of carbs, specific 177 00:09:09,480 --> 00:09:12,719 Speaker 3: number of fat, very low in my case because I 178 00:09:12,720 --> 00:09:15,199 Speaker 3: had to cut a lot of body fat. And then 179 00:09:15,200 --> 00:09:17,160 Speaker 3: you're also going to the gym in the morning for 180 00:09:17,200 --> 00:09:19,840 Speaker 3: a fasted cardio and then you're going back to lift 181 00:09:19,960 --> 00:09:23,360 Speaker 3: in the afternoon. And it's all for aesthetics. It's not 182 00:09:23,800 --> 00:09:27,040 Speaker 3: functional movement. It's just let's make your butt look big 183 00:09:27,160 --> 00:09:30,040 Speaker 3: or let's like, get your shoulders to be round. And 184 00:09:30,559 --> 00:09:32,800 Speaker 3: I thought I was being healthy. I really did. And 185 00:09:34,120 --> 00:09:37,800 Speaker 3: those three months were miserable. The only people that I 186 00:09:37,840 --> 00:09:41,520 Speaker 3: was talking to was my family and my roommate because 187 00:09:41,559 --> 00:09:45,960 Speaker 3: I wasn't going out and I wasn't socializing. You don't drink, obviously, 188 00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:48,720 Speaker 3: which isn't it wasn't the worst thing, but you literally 189 00:09:48,720 --> 00:09:51,720 Speaker 3: just have no social life. And the only energy that 190 00:09:51,760 --> 00:09:54,520 Speaker 3: I was putting out was at the gym, and I 191 00:09:54,640 --> 00:09:59,439 Speaker 3: was just a zombie. I was miserable, but I looked great. 192 00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:01,160 Speaker 2: How did the competition go? 193 00:10:01,440 --> 00:10:03,720 Speaker 3: So my first one, I did two back to back 194 00:10:03,760 --> 00:10:07,840 Speaker 3: because I got seventh place in my first one. It 195 00:10:07,880 --> 00:10:10,280 Speaker 3: was a giant show called NPC Atlantic States. It's like 196 00:10:10,320 --> 00:10:12,760 Speaker 3: one of the biggest shows in New York. I got 197 00:10:12,800 --> 00:10:15,160 Speaker 3: seventh place, which means I didn't get a trophy, and 198 00:10:15,200 --> 00:10:18,040 Speaker 3: that was not good enough for me. After three months 199 00:10:18,080 --> 00:10:21,120 Speaker 3: of not eating, not talking to anybody, I was not 200 00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:22,600 Speaker 3: cool with seventh place. 201 00:10:22,800 --> 00:10:24,880 Speaker 2: So I signed up for a competition three weeks later, 202 00:10:24,920 --> 00:10:27,360 Speaker 2: and I won and got my trophy. And I won 203 00:10:27,480 --> 00:10:27,880 Speaker 2: and I won. 204 00:10:27,960 --> 00:10:32,280 Speaker 3: I got my trophy. But then with competitions you get 205 00:10:32,280 --> 00:10:34,800 Speaker 3: into it's almost like an addiction. I was like, all right, 206 00:10:34,800 --> 00:10:38,080 Speaker 3: when's the next one? And I was going to do 207 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:40,960 Speaker 3: a national show because I had one, which means I 208 00:10:41,000 --> 00:10:43,480 Speaker 3: was qualified for nationals. And I was like, I can't 209 00:10:43,480 --> 00:10:45,920 Speaker 3: do this prep again. I just can't do it. So 210 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:50,600 Speaker 3: I was like kind of half can I say okay? 211 00:10:50,760 --> 00:10:51,319 Speaker 2: Sorry, okay? 212 00:10:51,360 --> 00:10:53,679 Speaker 3: So I was half asking my I don't know what 213 00:10:53,800 --> 00:10:54,120 Speaker 3: we're in. 214 00:10:54,240 --> 00:10:56,840 Speaker 2: I think you file it as explicit. You just like 215 00:10:56,920 --> 00:10:59,280 Speaker 2: roll with it. We're on an explicit podcast. 216 00:10:59,360 --> 00:11:04,520 Speaker 3: Amazing, you just opened the doors. I was half assing 217 00:11:04,520 --> 00:11:07,679 Speaker 3: this prep, not really in it. But I had also 218 00:11:07,920 --> 00:11:12,920 Speaker 3: seen on bodybuilding dot Com a competition for their spokesmodel 219 00:11:12,960 --> 00:11:15,080 Speaker 3: search like an entry, and I was like, might as 220 00:11:15,120 --> 00:11:18,520 Speaker 3: well I use bodybuilding dot com spokesmodels or sorry the 221 00:11:18,920 --> 00:11:22,000 Speaker 3: body space, which is basically like a MySpace for bodybuilding 222 00:11:22,040 --> 00:11:22,600 Speaker 3: dot Com. 223 00:11:23,040 --> 00:11:25,360 Speaker 2: So I entered. Didn't really think about it. Do you 224 00:11:25,400 --> 00:11:28,120 Speaker 2: talk to other people on this like body building? You 225 00:11:28,200 --> 00:11:30,560 Speaker 2: can do people like Walls? I didn't. Do you like 226 00:11:30,559 --> 00:11:32,640 Speaker 2: hook up with people on bodybuilding dot Com? 227 00:11:32,720 --> 00:11:35,760 Speaker 3: I did? Well, I mean I have, but I have 228 00:11:36,000 --> 00:11:39,640 Speaker 3: through like the competition, I'm not because it's just my space. 229 00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:44,160 Speaker 2: I was just you know, I haven't. My space was 230 00:11:44,160 --> 00:11:45,800 Speaker 2: a thing when I was like thirteen. 231 00:11:46,080 --> 00:11:48,600 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, wow, I just like went to a whole 232 00:11:48,600 --> 00:11:51,560 Speaker 1: different thing right thinking about it, And did you like 233 00:11:51,679 --> 00:11:54,640 Speaker 1: code your own Oh? I like learned HTML just to 234 00:11:54,720 --> 00:11:55,600 Speaker 1: like make it look cool. 235 00:11:55,679 --> 00:11:59,640 Speaker 3: Honestly, it was pretty great for young adult or like 236 00:12:00,040 --> 00:12:01,600 Speaker 3: kids to learn how to code. 237 00:12:01,440 --> 00:12:05,520 Speaker 2: Pre coding with COLOSSI yeah, I was just class there. 238 00:12:05,440 --> 00:12:09,959 Speaker 3: Was yeah, so I guess yes, so you could talk 239 00:12:10,000 --> 00:12:12,120 Speaker 3: to people. I didn't really talk to that many people, 240 00:12:12,520 --> 00:12:17,320 Speaker 3: but I entered the competition. I gotten to the first round, 241 00:12:17,320 --> 00:12:21,280 Speaker 3: which was top forty. Then you had to enter like 242 00:12:22,000 --> 00:12:24,400 Speaker 3: more information. You had to show like photos of your 243 00:12:24,440 --> 00:12:27,040 Speaker 3: current body because you would then be competing if you 244 00:12:27,040 --> 00:12:29,560 Speaker 3: got to the next round. And I ended up making 245 00:12:29,600 --> 00:12:31,480 Speaker 3: it to the next round, and then I made it 246 00:12:31,720 --> 00:12:34,600 Speaker 3: to the ultimate next round, which was top ten. And 247 00:12:34,640 --> 00:12:37,560 Speaker 3: what's funny is the top ten or top five girls 248 00:12:37,600 --> 00:12:41,880 Speaker 3: top five guys was announced the day of my grandfather's funeral, 249 00:12:41,880 --> 00:12:44,760 Speaker 3: which was December twenty ninth. He passed on the twenty seventh, 250 00:12:44,880 --> 00:12:51,160 Speaker 3: and ever since he passed, my entire career has just 251 00:12:51,280 --> 00:12:55,800 Speaker 3: like taken off. So I'm pretty spiritual. I don't know 252 00:12:55,800 --> 00:12:57,120 Speaker 3: if a lot of people are, but I do think 253 00:12:57,120 --> 00:12:59,120 Speaker 3: that my grandpa is a part of the reason why 254 00:12:59,160 --> 00:13:01,160 Speaker 3: I've done well in such a short amount of time. 255 00:13:01,200 --> 00:13:04,400 Speaker 3: But so December twenty ninth it was announced, which meant 256 00:13:04,400 --> 00:13:08,360 Speaker 3: I had like a month and a little over a 257 00:13:08,400 --> 00:13:11,439 Speaker 3: month to prepare to go to LA to compete February 258 00:13:11,520 --> 00:13:16,520 Speaker 3: third for the winning title of spokesmodel like of that 259 00:13:16,640 --> 00:13:21,880 Speaker 3: year twenty fifteen, and I went to LA. I didn't win, 260 00:13:21,920 --> 00:13:24,160 Speaker 3: I got third place, but they sign everybody, So all 261 00:13:24,200 --> 00:13:26,000 Speaker 3: of a sudden, I was a Bodybland dot com athlete. 262 00:13:26,120 --> 00:13:28,760 Speaker 3: I went from a girl studying marketing and business and 263 00:13:28,840 --> 00:13:31,160 Speaker 3: fashion to working in night life, to all of a 264 00:13:31,160 --> 00:13:35,920 Speaker 3: sudden studying to be a personal trainer, entering competitions for fitness, 265 00:13:36,440 --> 00:13:43,120 Speaker 3: and training to teach group fitness, which was wild. Yeah 266 00:13:43,240 --> 00:13:45,760 Speaker 3: that's I guess that brings you a little closer to now. 267 00:13:47,600 --> 00:13:50,480 Speaker 3: I stopped doing bikini competitions after that show. 268 00:13:50,640 --> 00:13:55,120 Speaker 1: But so after you got this gig with bodybuilding dot Com, 269 00:13:55,240 --> 00:13:56,520 Speaker 1: what happened for you with them? 270 00:13:56,559 --> 00:13:57,880 Speaker 2: What were you doing with them? What? 271 00:13:58,480 --> 00:14:01,280 Speaker 3: So as an athlete, you get a lot of supplements, 272 00:14:01,320 --> 00:14:04,720 Speaker 3: you get a lot of products, but it gives you 273 00:14:04,800 --> 00:14:08,160 Speaker 3: a platform. I'm not with them anymore, so let me 274 00:14:08,200 --> 00:14:10,680 Speaker 3: just start with that. I working with them was great 275 00:14:10,720 --> 00:14:13,040 Speaker 3: because I got to go to expos and I got 276 00:14:13,040 --> 00:14:15,000 Speaker 3: to meet a lot of people, and it also introduced 277 00:14:15,000 --> 00:14:17,120 Speaker 3: me to a company called cellu Core, which is a 278 00:14:17,160 --> 00:14:20,440 Speaker 3: supplement company, and they were the first company to sign me, 279 00:14:20,840 --> 00:14:22,880 Speaker 3: which means I now had a salary and I was 280 00:14:23,080 --> 00:14:26,000 Speaker 3: on top of personal training and teaching classes. I was 281 00:14:26,040 --> 00:14:28,640 Speaker 3: making money for just being me, which was pretty cool, 282 00:14:29,920 --> 00:14:35,040 Speaker 3: a weird concept, but very cool. And then after them, 283 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:37,240 Speaker 3: I now work with a company called Performance, which I think, 284 00:14:37,960 --> 00:14:40,560 Speaker 3: actually I know one hundred percent lines up with more 285 00:14:40,560 --> 00:14:43,560 Speaker 3: of my beliefs than sell a Core or bodybuilding ever did, 286 00:14:43,600 --> 00:14:48,360 Speaker 3: which is performance, like Performance Performance Performance. They care about 287 00:14:48,560 --> 00:14:52,280 Speaker 3: how you move, why you move, and moving well and 288 00:14:54,360 --> 00:14:56,560 Speaker 3: all of this just it kind of put my name 289 00:14:56,560 --> 00:14:59,200 Speaker 3: out there. So I was then teaching at Cidero and 290 00:14:59,320 --> 00:15:01,880 Speaker 3: on my birthday, a lot of things happen on like 291 00:15:01,920 --> 00:15:06,040 Speaker 3: pivotal days. March third of twenty fifteen, a month and 292 00:15:06,120 --> 00:15:09,280 Speaker 3: a little bit after coming back from LA the global 293 00:15:09,360 --> 00:15:12,440 Speaker 3: head of fitness for Nike ended up in my class 294 00:15:12,920 --> 00:15:16,640 Speaker 3: and then invited me to audition for Nike. So it's like, 295 00:15:16,640 --> 00:15:19,600 Speaker 3: like I was saying, I literally just got wrapped up 296 00:15:19,640 --> 00:15:23,120 Speaker 3: in this like one, it was not. I never like reached. 297 00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:25,400 Speaker 3: The only thing that I reached for was entering myself 298 00:15:25,400 --> 00:15:27,920 Speaker 3: into a competition, and from there I've worked hard at 299 00:15:27,960 --> 00:15:29,880 Speaker 3: what was in front of me, and I've been really 300 00:15:29,920 --> 00:15:32,280 Speaker 3: fortunate that the next thing just kind of walked around the. 301 00:15:32,240 --> 00:15:34,600 Speaker 1: Corner and you felt for sure, without a doubt, that 302 00:15:34,800 --> 00:15:36,840 Speaker 1: stopping competing was the right thing for you. 303 00:15:37,040 --> 00:15:37,560 Speaker 2: Absolutely. 304 00:15:39,360 --> 00:15:42,640 Speaker 3: Like I said, I have trouble with all or nothing, 305 00:15:42,680 --> 00:15:46,760 Speaker 3: and I have. I'm I also have trouble with competitions 306 00:15:46,800 --> 00:15:49,320 Speaker 3: in general, Like being compared to other people is tough, 307 00:15:49,360 --> 00:15:52,040 Speaker 3: and it's why as a model, I really don't enjoy 308 00:15:52,160 --> 00:16:01,240 Speaker 3: castings or being put up to be judged. And that 309 00:16:01,400 --> 00:16:05,680 Speaker 3: is that's the life of competing. It's you work, You 310 00:16:05,800 --> 00:16:07,720 Speaker 3: work so hard for so long to then be put 311 00:16:07,760 --> 00:16:09,440 Speaker 3: up on a stage for somebody else to tell you 312 00:16:09,480 --> 00:16:12,040 Speaker 3: that you're good based on what you look like, not 313 00:16:12,120 --> 00:16:15,440 Speaker 3: for what you've done, And that just didn't work with me, 314 00:16:15,600 --> 00:16:16,920 Speaker 3: and I didn't. 315 00:16:17,400 --> 00:16:18,000 Speaker 2: I wanted to. 316 00:16:17,960 --> 00:16:21,720 Speaker 3: Live like I wanted to have a burger if I wanted, 317 00:16:21,920 --> 00:16:24,600 Speaker 3: or or eat all the healthy food that I wanted 318 00:16:24,600 --> 00:16:27,280 Speaker 3: and not have to weigh it. Like I literally couldn't 319 00:16:27,280 --> 00:16:29,360 Speaker 3: go into a salad because I couldn't measure what was 320 00:16:29,400 --> 00:16:31,920 Speaker 3: in it, which is that's how is that healthy? 321 00:16:32,440 --> 00:16:35,240 Speaker 2: So I've not I love salads that are just like 322 00:16:35,320 --> 00:16:39,360 Speaker 2: beyond full. Yeah, just all of them, but the bread. 323 00:16:39,480 --> 00:16:41,760 Speaker 3: And then like if they if at sweet Green, there's 324 00:16:41,760 --> 00:16:43,800 Speaker 3: like extra in that bowl, give me another little bowl. 325 00:16:44,120 --> 00:16:46,880 Speaker 2: I'm the same way with smoothies, like if they give 326 00:16:46,920 --> 00:16:48,800 Speaker 2: me a give me a little cup, let me drink 327 00:16:48,800 --> 00:16:51,800 Speaker 2: the ax. Let me drink it. Yeah, but with competitions, 328 00:16:51,840 --> 00:16:53,520 Speaker 2: you can't do that. You can't drink the X. You 329 00:16:53,560 --> 00:16:57,520 Speaker 2: can't have the extra healthy smoothie. That's not okay. Wait 330 00:16:57,560 --> 00:16:59,400 Speaker 2: what do you put in the smoothie? Though? What do 331 00:16:59,480 --> 00:17:01,000 Speaker 2: I put myself? They talk to me about what you 332 00:17:01,040 --> 00:17:01,720 Speaker 2: put in the smoothie? 333 00:17:01,760 --> 00:17:05,800 Speaker 3: Okay, So I'm I sticked like a Staple three breakfast. 334 00:17:05,880 --> 00:17:09,200 Speaker 2: It's like either eggs, yogurt, or smoothie. So good thing 335 00:17:09,240 --> 00:17:11,320 Speaker 2: that you asked. Smoothie. Always a good. 336 00:17:11,200 --> 00:17:14,640 Speaker 3: Protein powder obviously performance because that's who I'm with. Good 337 00:17:14,680 --> 00:17:17,920 Speaker 3: protein powder. All the greens either kale or spinach or 338 00:17:17,960 --> 00:17:23,200 Speaker 3: even like a greens powder, berries, frozen banana. I add 339 00:17:23,280 --> 00:17:25,240 Speaker 3: maca powder because it kind of tastes like caramel. 340 00:17:25,320 --> 00:17:26,199 Speaker 2: If you've ever had it. 341 00:17:27,400 --> 00:17:30,399 Speaker 3: I put collagen protein also because I want like that 342 00:17:30,520 --> 00:17:36,120 Speaker 3: goodness almond milk, cauliflour, frozen cauliflour, bulx it up. 343 00:17:36,680 --> 00:17:37,760 Speaker 2: I don't know if you've ever done that. 344 00:17:38,280 --> 00:17:41,280 Speaker 3: And then blend it and top it with purely Elizabeth 345 00:17:41,280 --> 00:17:44,040 Speaker 3: granola and some almond butter and you're good to go. 346 00:17:44,240 --> 00:17:47,560 Speaker 2: Is it? So? Are you saying this is a smoothie bowl? Oh? Yeah? Sorry? 347 00:17:47,600 --> 00:17:50,040 Speaker 1: Okay, See like you, I knew when you got to 348 00:17:50,119 --> 00:17:52,720 Speaker 1: the I'm putting granola on top and almond but on 349 00:17:52,760 --> 00:17:54,440 Speaker 1: top that we were no longer in just smoothie. 350 00:17:54,600 --> 00:17:55,119 Speaker 2: No, no, no, I. 351 00:17:55,080 --> 00:17:56,879 Speaker 3: Don't drink things with a straw. It's got to be 352 00:17:57,400 --> 00:18:00,920 Speaker 3: everything bowls for life. I eat everything out of a bowl. 353 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:01,400 Speaker 2: That's all. 354 00:18:01,960 --> 00:18:04,280 Speaker 3: Dinner out of a bull, eggs out of a bowl. 355 00:18:04,400 --> 00:18:07,200 Speaker 3: Come me, just fill it and then you know, let's 356 00:18:07,200 --> 00:18:10,560 Speaker 3: just spoon everything else. Get everything out of it, eat 357 00:18:10,640 --> 00:18:11,719 Speaker 3: life with a spoon. 358 00:18:11,920 --> 00:18:15,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm into it. Okay, So why don't you go 359 00:18:15,080 --> 00:18:16,919 Speaker 1: ahead and tell me a little bit of what a 360 00:18:17,040 --> 00:18:18,439 Speaker 1: normal day is like for you? 361 00:18:18,840 --> 00:18:19,280 Speaker 2: All right? 362 00:18:19,440 --> 00:18:23,879 Speaker 3: Well, a normal day, so every day is different, but 363 00:18:23,920 --> 00:18:26,120 Speaker 3: I'll give you kind of an example of what the 364 00:18:26,119 --> 00:18:29,800 Speaker 3: most consistent schedule would be I usually have clients six 365 00:18:29,920 --> 00:18:32,560 Speaker 3: thirty am and then seven thirty am. After that, I'll 366 00:18:32,560 --> 00:18:35,480 Speaker 3: get my own workout in. I'll then head back to 367 00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:40,840 Speaker 3: my apartment and have my smoothie bowl recipe earlier in 368 00:18:40,920 --> 00:18:43,960 Speaker 3: this podcast. Then I will send on my computer either 369 00:18:44,040 --> 00:18:49,560 Speaker 3: answering emails, responding to article requests maybe from Emily Abattel, 370 00:18:51,200 --> 00:18:54,399 Speaker 3: or writing programs for the classes that are coming up 371 00:18:54,440 --> 00:18:57,840 Speaker 3: throughout the week. And then possibly I'll have a meeting 372 00:18:57,840 --> 00:19:00,720 Speaker 3: that I run to or a casting for a fitness 373 00:19:00,720 --> 00:19:02,640 Speaker 3: modeling job. And then I go back to the gym 374 00:19:02,640 --> 00:19:05,320 Speaker 3: in the afternoon and I teach either one to two 375 00:19:05,320 --> 00:19:07,040 Speaker 3: classes or train an evening client. 376 00:19:07,560 --> 00:19:08,879 Speaker 2: So every day is different. 377 00:19:08,920 --> 00:19:12,160 Speaker 3: But that's a pretty good example of how it's kind 378 00:19:12,200 --> 00:19:15,480 Speaker 3: of sandwiched with the gym, like my business stuff in 379 00:19:15,560 --> 00:19:19,679 Speaker 3: the middle, other people's workouts on the end, all of 380 00:19:19,680 --> 00:19:21,879 Speaker 3: the fitness all of the time, All the fitness all 381 00:19:21,920 --> 00:19:23,560 Speaker 3: the time, and smooth bulls. 382 00:19:23,320 --> 00:19:24,159 Speaker 2: And smooth bulls. 383 00:19:24,280 --> 00:19:25,919 Speaker 1: I want to ask you a little bit, what is 384 00:19:25,960 --> 00:19:28,520 Speaker 1: it really like, you know, being so ingrained in the 385 00:19:28,520 --> 00:19:29,920 Speaker 1: fitness scene here in New York City. 386 00:19:29,920 --> 00:19:33,360 Speaker 2: You know, it's different here than a lot of other places. 387 00:19:33,400 --> 00:19:36,280 Speaker 3: In the fitness industry, you feel that you need to 388 00:19:36,359 --> 00:19:38,600 Speaker 3: keep hustling, which is the same mentality that you have 389 00:19:38,760 --> 00:19:41,399 Speaker 3: in New York in general. But because it's fitness and 390 00:19:41,440 --> 00:19:45,960 Speaker 3: it's mentally exhausting, it's physically exhausting, it's every single part 391 00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:50,199 Speaker 3: of you, it's just so much more intense, and I 392 00:19:50,240 --> 00:19:53,520 Speaker 3: think there's all of these expectations to live up to 393 00:19:55,480 --> 00:19:58,400 Speaker 3: this persona that you create and you build. So that's 394 00:19:58,440 --> 00:20:00,080 Speaker 3: one of my hurdles that I'm still working on. And 395 00:20:00,119 --> 00:20:03,400 Speaker 3: it's am i alex Olverfigan on Instagram. Like I wasn't 396 00:20:03,400 --> 00:20:07,120 Speaker 3: an athlete. Fitness was just kind of it just kind 397 00:20:07,119 --> 00:20:08,840 Speaker 3: of happened for me. It was an escape for a 398 00:20:08,880 --> 00:20:10,760 Speaker 3: little bit, and now it's become my whole world. And 399 00:20:10,880 --> 00:20:16,800 Speaker 3: I'm having trouble matching that to what I really enjoy 400 00:20:16,840 --> 00:20:18,400 Speaker 3: and what I'm really passionate about. And I'm not saying 401 00:20:18,400 --> 00:20:21,679 Speaker 3: that I'm not passionate about fitness. I love movement, but 402 00:20:21,720 --> 00:20:24,720 Speaker 3: I don't know. I don't know. If I would have 403 00:20:24,760 --> 00:20:26,880 Speaker 3: sat down, like a few years ago, and you asked 404 00:20:26,880 --> 00:20:28,959 Speaker 3: me what my passions are, fitness probably wouldn't have been 405 00:20:28,960 --> 00:20:31,840 Speaker 3: on the list. And I think we're all kind of 406 00:20:32,200 --> 00:20:35,080 Speaker 3: growing up with these expectations, which is great. It's turning 407 00:20:35,119 --> 00:20:37,359 Speaker 3: me into this amazing person that I'm proud of, but 408 00:20:37,960 --> 00:20:41,000 Speaker 3: I don't know who that is, and New York Fitness 409 00:20:41,160 --> 00:20:42,480 Speaker 3: has definitely led to that. 410 00:20:42,840 --> 00:20:42,919 Speaker 2: Well. 411 00:20:42,960 --> 00:20:45,520 Speaker 1: I also think, as we've kind of talked about here, 412 00:20:45,600 --> 00:20:48,160 Speaker 1: so much happened in such a short amount of time, right, 413 00:20:48,240 --> 00:20:51,000 Speaker 1: Like I was just thrown into this urbal wheel totally, 414 00:20:51,119 --> 00:20:54,760 Speaker 1: and something that you're touching on obviously, this social media 415 00:20:55,080 --> 00:20:56,160 Speaker 1: Instagram situation. 416 00:20:56,840 --> 00:20:59,760 Speaker 2: I you know, sometimes I feel crazy. 417 00:20:59,480 --> 00:21:03,040 Speaker 1: Vulnerable and I've got god knows what sixty four hundred 418 00:21:03,160 --> 00:21:04,280 Speaker 1: Instagram followers. 419 00:21:04,440 --> 00:21:07,159 Speaker 2: How do you handle it? It's weird. It's grown very quickly, 420 00:21:07,280 --> 00:21:07,919 Speaker 2: I think I have. 421 00:21:08,280 --> 00:21:12,320 Speaker 3: I think it's like eighty three zero point five thousand 422 00:21:13,640 --> 00:21:20,600 Speaker 3: followers on Instagram. And it went from like I remember 423 00:21:20,680 --> 00:21:22,840 Speaker 3: starting Instagram when I was doing my bikini competitions and 424 00:21:22,880 --> 00:21:24,760 Speaker 3: then posting, and then I started working with all these 425 00:21:24,840 --> 00:21:26,480 Speaker 3: companies and solely it started building. 426 00:21:26,760 --> 00:21:28,160 Speaker 2: And as it grew. 427 00:21:28,000 --> 00:21:32,000 Speaker 3: I felt the pressure to post, I felt the pressure 428 00:21:32,080 --> 00:21:36,800 Speaker 3: to share, and I felt the pressure to maintain this 429 00:21:37,480 --> 00:21:41,040 Speaker 3: status of being an influencer when I honestly was just 430 00:21:41,080 --> 00:21:44,119 Speaker 3: posting to keep myself accountable. To start my life is 431 00:21:44,160 --> 00:21:44,840 Speaker 3: on Instagram. 432 00:21:45,280 --> 00:21:45,720 Speaker 2: I am. 433 00:21:45,960 --> 00:21:48,640 Speaker 3: I am Alex Silverfagan on Instagram, and I'm still trying 434 00:21:48,640 --> 00:21:51,960 Speaker 3: to figure out who Alex just in life. 435 00:21:51,760 --> 00:21:55,919 Speaker 2: Is, which is normal at twenty five, very normal at 436 00:21:55,920 --> 00:21:56,440 Speaker 2: twenty five. 437 00:21:57,240 --> 00:21:59,679 Speaker 3: It is normal, but it's also it's never been This 438 00:21:59,760 --> 00:22:04,359 Speaker 3: is no the normal where you're you're growing into a 439 00:22:04,440 --> 00:22:08,359 Speaker 3: digital personality, right, That's never been the case. And now 440 00:22:09,200 --> 00:22:11,159 Speaker 3: so many people, even if they don't have a big following, 441 00:22:11,160 --> 00:22:12,960 Speaker 3: feel like they need to keep up with some sort 442 00:22:12,960 --> 00:22:17,720 Speaker 3: of online persona and do things because it seems cool 443 00:22:17,920 --> 00:22:20,760 Speaker 3: or it seems like or it seems trendy or it's 444 00:22:20,800 --> 00:22:22,840 Speaker 3: part of New York fitness, when that may not be 445 00:22:23,040 --> 00:22:24,480 Speaker 3: somebody's interests or goals. 446 00:22:25,560 --> 00:22:27,520 Speaker 1: And I think it's important to touch upon, you know, 447 00:22:27,560 --> 00:22:30,280 Speaker 1: the other things. I mean obviously, yes, you're Alex Silverfigen 448 00:22:30,359 --> 00:22:33,480 Speaker 1: on Instagram. You're also Alex silver Fagen an author, which 449 00:22:33,520 --> 00:22:35,080 Speaker 1: is something we haven't kind of bridged. 450 00:22:35,200 --> 00:22:39,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, I am. I'm holding this book right now. It's legit. Oh, hey, 451 00:22:39,800 --> 00:22:42,119 Speaker 2: you're doing all the things. I'm doing a lot of 452 00:22:42,119 --> 00:22:42,880 Speaker 2: the things in the book. 453 00:22:42,960 --> 00:22:47,160 Speaker 3: So this book is it's called Get Strong and Dkay 454 00:22:47,200 --> 00:22:53,080 Speaker 3: Publishers or Dky Books were amazing and reached out to 455 00:22:53,119 --> 00:22:56,760 Speaker 3: me back actually like a year ago and asked if 456 00:22:56,760 --> 00:22:59,520 Speaker 3: I wanted to write a training program and I said absolutely. 457 00:22:59,520 --> 00:23:01,360 Speaker 3: And this was actually coming off of the tail end 458 00:23:01,640 --> 00:23:04,280 Speaker 3: of releasing my first book, which was my ebook that 459 00:23:04,359 --> 00:23:09,240 Speaker 3: I self published, put all my money and time into. 460 00:23:09,960 --> 00:23:13,760 Speaker 3: And for me, it's funny because you're holding a physical book, 461 00:23:13,800 --> 00:23:16,240 Speaker 3: which does make me an author. But the ebook that 462 00:23:16,280 --> 00:23:20,480 Speaker 3: I wrote initially called Flow and Strong, which basically explains 463 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:25,640 Speaker 3: my approach to flow and Strong and why I'm connecting 464 00:23:25,640 --> 00:23:28,640 Speaker 3: to this yen and this yang, the fire and the vulnerability, 465 00:23:28,920 --> 00:23:32,679 Speaker 3: that book feels like a book for me. And on 466 00:23:32,720 --> 00:23:37,240 Speaker 3: that note, I think it's actually really cool to realize 467 00:23:37,240 --> 00:23:39,080 Speaker 3: that you're holding a book that was published. It's in 468 00:23:39,160 --> 00:23:42,000 Speaker 3: Burnes and Noble, it's on Amazon. But to me, something 469 00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:45,000 Speaker 3: that I just put out online is more important. And 470 00:23:45,520 --> 00:23:48,320 Speaker 3: people forget about that little bit, right, like people strive 471 00:23:48,440 --> 00:23:53,080 Speaker 3: to reach the top of the top without realizing that 472 00:23:53,119 --> 00:23:56,760 Speaker 3: maybe you can get there without you can get there 473 00:23:57,000 --> 00:23:59,119 Speaker 3: in a different way and still put your heart and 474 00:23:59,119 --> 00:24:00,439 Speaker 3: soul and energy in something. 475 00:24:01,520 --> 00:24:04,560 Speaker 2: So but yeah, I did. I am an author now, 476 00:24:05,800 --> 00:24:07,760 Speaker 2: which is awesome, And I think what's really interesting. 477 00:24:07,760 --> 00:24:09,600 Speaker 1: And I know we talked a little bit before about this, 478 00:24:09,840 --> 00:24:12,960 Speaker 1: is that when you had this desire at first to 479 00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:15,440 Speaker 1: be an author, you like weren't really willing to wait 480 00:24:15,440 --> 00:24:17,560 Speaker 1: for a publishing company just to be like, let's do this. 481 00:24:17,840 --> 00:24:19,840 Speaker 3: No, I wasn't I and I didn't even think that 482 00:24:19,880 --> 00:24:21,840 Speaker 3: was an option or ever going to be an option. 483 00:24:22,040 --> 00:24:23,560 Speaker 3: I just knew that I wanted to write something and 484 00:24:23,600 --> 00:24:25,119 Speaker 3: I wanted to put it out there. And this was 485 00:24:25,359 --> 00:24:27,800 Speaker 3: before I started teaching Flown to Strong, So I really 486 00:24:27,840 --> 00:24:33,360 Speaker 3: wanted to get my thoughts and my message out there, and. 487 00:24:33,359 --> 00:24:34,040 Speaker 2: I just did it. 488 00:24:34,440 --> 00:24:36,760 Speaker 3: And then I got an email asking if I wanted 489 00:24:36,760 --> 00:24:40,399 Speaker 3: to write a real book. So it's with everything that 490 00:24:40,440 --> 00:24:43,399 Speaker 3: I've done and what I continue to preach to people, 491 00:24:44,160 --> 00:24:45,919 Speaker 3: if you want to do something, do it, and the 492 00:24:45,960 --> 00:24:47,960 Speaker 3: next thing will be there one hundred percent. 493 00:24:48,119 --> 00:24:50,440 Speaker 2: You're already putting that energy out there into the universe. 494 00:24:50,640 --> 00:24:53,040 Speaker 1: Before a little bit earlier, you were saying like things 495 00:24:53,080 --> 00:24:54,879 Speaker 1: just started to happen for me, and it all happened 496 00:24:54,920 --> 00:24:57,240 Speaker 1: really fast, and you felt like you you had to 497 00:24:57,280 --> 00:24:59,719 Speaker 1: work for that first bikini body competition, but after that, 498 00:24:59,760 --> 00:25:01,400 Speaker 1: like an all just kind of fell into place. Well, 499 00:25:01,600 --> 00:25:04,160 Speaker 1: this is a great example, like that first book didn't 500 00:25:04,240 --> 00:25:05,240 Speaker 1: just fall into place. 501 00:25:05,440 --> 00:25:07,440 Speaker 2: No it didn't. It took a lot of time. 502 00:25:07,760 --> 00:25:10,320 Speaker 1: And I mean it's it's modest. It's modest to say 503 00:25:10,359 --> 00:25:11,760 Speaker 1: that things have just fallen for you. 504 00:25:12,160 --> 00:25:12,480 Speaker 2: Thank you. 505 00:25:12,560 --> 00:25:15,919 Speaker 3: I appreciate that I say that, but I know that 506 00:25:16,000 --> 00:25:18,560 Speaker 3: it's because I've been working on what's on my plate 507 00:25:18,600 --> 00:25:22,160 Speaker 3: and really focused on doing the best that I can 508 00:25:22,200 --> 00:25:26,639 Speaker 3: in the moment. And my anxiety comes from worrying if 509 00:25:26,640 --> 00:25:28,159 Speaker 3: the next thing is going to come around the corner, 510 00:25:28,160 --> 00:25:32,919 Speaker 3: and I need to check myself quite frequently and be like, 511 00:25:33,119 --> 00:25:34,600 Speaker 3: you're good, worry about what you're. 512 00:25:34,400 --> 00:25:38,760 Speaker 1: Doing, something I think is important. As we're on, you know, 513 00:25:38,840 --> 00:25:41,879 Speaker 1: the beginning of this new year, someone is scared and 514 00:25:41,920 --> 00:25:43,760 Speaker 1: it's a new year and they want to start over, 515 00:25:44,000 --> 00:25:47,119 Speaker 1: Like how do they even begin? Because it's so overwhelming 516 00:25:47,160 --> 00:25:49,880 Speaker 1: for some people, and in any aspect it doesn't necessarily 517 00:25:49,960 --> 00:25:52,800 Speaker 1: need to be a fitness program, but you know, there's 518 00:25:52,800 --> 00:25:53,440 Speaker 1: a lot of things. 519 00:25:53,600 --> 00:25:58,960 Speaker 3: I think starting just is like you said, starting is overwhelming. 520 00:25:59,119 --> 00:26:02,439 Speaker 3: But when you I hate New Year's resolutions. I hate 521 00:26:02,880 --> 00:26:04,840 Speaker 3: and I've said this before, I'm not a big fan 522 00:26:04,880 --> 00:26:09,200 Speaker 3: of big goals or like big dreams because they're very 523 00:26:09,240 --> 00:26:11,880 Speaker 3: hard to it's hard to see the steps when you're 524 00:26:11,920 --> 00:26:16,040 Speaker 3: looking at something so big. So I think breaking it 525 00:26:16,080 --> 00:26:19,240 Speaker 3: down and maybe if you're going to look bigger picture, 526 00:26:19,359 --> 00:26:21,919 Speaker 3: maybe think of something that's a theme. Right, It's like, 527 00:26:22,920 --> 00:26:24,560 Speaker 3: how do you want to feel on this journey? Or 528 00:26:24,600 --> 00:26:26,600 Speaker 3: what do you want to accomplish from this? Rather than 529 00:26:26,840 --> 00:26:29,840 Speaker 3: what you're accomplishing, how do you want to feel or 530 00:26:29,880 --> 00:26:31,280 Speaker 3: what do you want to do to get you there? 531 00:26:32,440 --> 00:26:37,080 Speaker 3: I think when you then connect to that almost more 532 00:26:37,080 --> 00:26:40,640 Speaker 3: emotional side to anything that you're starting, it's much easier 533 00:26:40,680 --> 00:26:44,520 Speaker 3: to start and to stay disciplined on whatever you're working 534 00:26:44,520 --> 00:26:46,120 Speaker 3: on because you know how much it means to you, 535 00:26:46,200 --> 00:26:48,760 Speaker 3: rather than just saying you need to do something because 536 00:26:49,160 --> 00:26:51,800 Speaker 3: you feel like that's what society is saying. 537 00:26:51,640 --> 00:26:54,120 Speaker 2: Or you're expected to do it. How do you feel 538 00:26:54,160 --> 00:26:56,720 Speaker 2: about it? That's what I would say. 539 00:26:56,840 --> 00:26:58,840 Speaker 1: I mean, yeah, I mean when I apply this to 540 00:26:58,840 --> 00:27:01,320 Speaker 1: my own experience, I think when I wanted to lose weight, 541 00:27:01,359 --> 00:27:03,280 Speaker 1: and I just knew I wanted to be happier than 542 00:27:03,280 --> 00:27:05,760 Speaker 1: I was when I started, and so it wasn't like 543 00:27:05,800 --> 00:27:08,720 Speaker 1: when I sat down, you know, the day after I 544 00:27:08,800 --> 00:27:10,440 Speaker 1: kind of had this come to Jesus moment. 545 00:27:10,760 --> 00:27:11,520 Speaker 2: It wasn't like. 546 00:27:11,520 --> 00:27:14,280 Speaker 1: I sat down and I was like, you are going 547 00:27:14,320 --> 00:27:18,000 Speaker 1: to lose seventy pounds, You're going to start running profusely. 548 00:27:18,119 --> 00:27:22,000 Speaker 1: You're going to one day run god knows all the marathons. 549 00:27:22,040 --> 00:27:23,840 Speaker 1: Like that wasn't something that was even in my head. 550 00:27:23,880 --> 00:27:25,840 Speaker 1: What was in my head was I need to make 551 00:27:25,880 --> 00:27:28,800 Speaker 1: myself happier, right, And I think what you're saying about 552 00:27:28,840 --> 00:27:32,760 Speaker 1: making these smaller, more actionable goals is super super important 553 00:27:33,160 --> 00:27:36,240 Speaker 1: to be able to make progress and then be able. 554 00:27:36,080 --> 00:27:38,240 Speaker 2: To check things off along the way. Yep, for sure. 555 00:27:38,600 --> 00:27:41,360 Speaker 1: Okay, So then what advice do you have for those 556 00:27:41,400 --> 00:27:44,600 Speaker 1: resolutioners who really are like, Okay, I need to drop 557 00:27:44,600 --> 00:27:46,560 Speaker 1: some weight, I need to get healthy, I need to 558 00:27:46,600 --> 00:27:47,240 Speaker 1: get strong. 559 00:27:48,119 --> 00:27:50,680 Speaker 2: What are you telling them? Well, I would tell them 560 00:27:50,800 --> 00:27:56,440 Speaker 2: to have a plan, like have an actual plan, because. 561 00:27:56,200 --> 00:27:59,480 Speaker 3: It's and I'm not going back to I'm not going 562 00:27:59,480 --> 00:28:01,840 Speaker 3: back to my work and saying like, have this giant goal, 563 00:28:01,880 --> 00:28:03,560 Speaker 3: but you need to have a plan, like step by 564 00:28:03,560 --> 00:28:06,159 Speaker 3: step plan. And I also think that you need to 565 00:28:07,480 --> 00:28:09,199 Speaker 3: you need to be able to give yourself a break, 566 00:28:09,440 --> 00:28:12,879 Speaker 3: like take a break in that plan, evaluate how you're feeling, 567 00:28:12,960 --> 00:28:14,920 Speaker 3: how it's going, and if you need to make changes 568 00:28:15,640 --> 00:28:18,760 Speaker 3: and that's for a specific plan or even just a 569 00:28:19,000 --> 00:28:21,320 Speaker 3: day by day kind of routine. 570 00:28:21,440 --> 00:28:23,600 Speaker 2: How tough is that? I feel like all the time. 571 00:28:23,720 --> 00:28:25,520 Speaker 1: If you're going to like a big box shim and 572 00:28:25,520 --> 00:28:27,119 Speaker 1: you go in there and you just see people like 573 00:28:27,200 --> 00:28:29,720 Speaker 1: dawdling around, there's wasting their time. 574 00:28:29,840 --> 00:28:32,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, I was wasting my time for a little bit, 575 00:28:32,520 --> 00:28:34,680 Speaker 3: like I. I mean, when I spent so much time 576 00:28:34,680 --> 00:28:37,800 Speaker 3: on writing this book, I the last thing, honestly, the 577 00:28:37,840 --> 00:28:39,200 Speaker 3: last thing I wanted to do was go into the 578 00:28:39,240 --> 00:28:41,000 Speaker 3: gym and do my own workout. So I ended up 579 00:28:41,000 --> 00:28:43,200 Speaker 3: just taking a bunch of classes. I was running around, 580 00:28:43,320 --> 00:28:47,480 Speaker 3: I wasn't focused, and I didn't feel strong anymore. I 581 00:28:47,560 --> 00:28:52,080 Speaker 3: wasn't I wasn't hitting any goal because I wasn't. 582 00:28:51,720 --> 00:28:53,240 Speaker 2: I wasn't on a program. 583 00:28:53,280 --> 00:28:56,320 Speaker 3: And I've now been on an actual program again, and 584 00:28:56,600 --> 00:28:59,000 Speaker 3: I see the changes and I see the progress, and 585 00:28:59,040 --> 00:29:00,880 Speaker 3: it doesn't need to be a lifting program. 586 00:29:00,920 --> 00:29:03,400 Speaker 2: It can just be your. 587 00:29:03,200 --> 00:29:06,680 Speaker 3: Goal is to be better with gymnastics, and you start working. 588 00:29:06,840 --> 00:29:08,840 Speaker 3: You just need to be You need to have a focus, 589 00:29:09,280 --> 00:29:11,080 Speaker 3: and that's with anything in life. 590 00:29:11,080 --> 00:29:13,960 Speaker 2: You need to have a focus. You need to look 591 00:29:13,960 --> 00:29:15,719 Speaker 2: at what you're doing right now, and if it's going 592 00:29:15,760 --> 00:29:16,560 Speaker 2: to benefit you or not. 593 00:29:16,960 --> 00:29:18,960 Speaker 1: What do you think is something that you are doing 594 00:29:19,040 --> 00:29:21,160 Speaker 1: right now that's really benefiting you. 595 00:29:22,080 --> 00:29:25,040 Speaker 2: I am journaling a lot. Yeah, this year and. 596 00:29:25,080 --> 00:29:27,480 Speaker 3: These past few months have been more introspective than they've 597 00:29:27,480 --> 00:29:33,000 Speaker 3: ever been. And I've also been incredibly open about being introspective, so. 598 00:29:34,440 --> 00:29:38,600 Speaker 2: Being vulnerable but also reaching out to other people. 599 00:29:38,680 --> 00:29:40,400 Speaker 3: So I've been thinking a lot, but I've also not 600 00:29:41,000 --> 00:29:44,040 Speaker 3: held back in reaching out for help. I've been seeing 601 00:29:44,040 --> 00:29:46,520 Speaker 3: a new therapist, Like, I'm not ashamed of any of 602 00:29:46,560 --> 00:29:49,680 Speaker 3: those things. And I think mental illness, not that it's 603 00:29:49,760 --> 00:29:53,720 Speaker 3: mental illness, but just mental being in general should be 604 00:29:53,840 --> 00:29:57,800 Speaker 3: discussed more frequently than it is. And I think that's 605 00:29:57,920 --> 00:30:00,640 Speaker 3: what I've been doing most that's been best. 606 00:30:00,680 --> 00:30:01,600 Speaker 2: Those are great things. 607 00:30:03,160 --> 00:30:05,680 Speaker 1: We're on this advice tip, So I guess the last 608 00:30:05,720 --> 00:30:08,160 Speaker 1: piece of advice I kind of have really interested to 609 00:30:08,280 --> 00:30:12,400 Speaker 1: know is what kind of offering would you give that 610 00:30:12,720 --> 00:30:16,640 Speaker 1: eighteen nineteen year old girl that's, you know, back working 611 00:30:16,720 --> 00:30:17,520 Speaker 1: at Rachelle's. 612 00:30:18,080 --> 00:30:20,760 Speaker 2: You look back on that experience now you have learned 613 00:30:20,800 --> 00:30:23,720 Speaker 2: so much. If you could tell her anything, what would 614 00:30:23,720 --> 00:30:27,960 Speaker 2: you tell her to not worry about what other people think? 615 00:30:28,400 --> 00:30:32,280 Speaker 3: Yeah, or that's one of my uh one of the 616 00:30:32,320 --> 00:30:34,560 Speaker 3: things that I'm trying to work on in twenty eighteen 617 00:30:34,640 --> 00:30:38,760 Speaker 3: would be to not care about people pleasing as often. 618 00:30:40,120 --> 00:30:42,680 Speaker 2: I love giving. 619 00:30:42,480 --> 00:30:44,320 Speaker 3: Energy and helping people around me, but I also get 620 00:30:44,320 --> 00:30:47,600 Speaker 3: so wrapped up in and making everybody happy, and you 621 00:30:47,680 --> 00:30:53,120 Speaker 3: just simply can't do that. I would also tell her that, 622 00:30:54,040 --> 00:30:59,560 Speaker 3: I would tell her to stop comparing herself to the 623 00:30:59,680 --> 00:31:01,880 Speaker 3: cool of the moment. So back then, the cool of 624 00:31:01,920 --> 00:31:03,920 Speaker 3: the moment was working clubs and doing this and that, 625 00:31:04,040 --> 00:31:06,920 Speaker 3: and now it's being healthy and drinking green juice. And 626 00:31:07,640 --> 00:31:10,560 Speaker 3: the cool is always going to change. So don't waste 627 00:31:10,600 --> 00:31:11,640 Speaker 3: your time worrying about it. 628 00:31:12,720 --> 00:31:14,200 Speaker 2: Waste your time or spend your time. 629 00:31:14,320 --> 00:31:16,840 Speaker 1: I don't spend your time, spend your time thinking about 630 00:31:16,920 --> 00:31:18,480 Speaker 1: what you want, what's cool for you? 631 00:31:18,680 --> 00:31:21,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, and you may not know, And that's the cool journey. 632 00:31:21,240 --> 00:31:23,080 Speaker 3: Like I still have no idea, and I'm sure in 633 00:31:23,080 --> 00:31:25,400 Speaker 3: another twenty five years, I still will have no idea, 634 00:31:25,440 --> 00:31:28,360 Speaker 3: but I've I will have continued to work through and 635 00:31:28,560 --> 00:31:33,080 Speaker 3: jump these hurdles and figure out maybe getting closer to 636 00:31:33,120 --> 00:31:34,480 Speaker 3: what I want or what. 637 00:31:34,480 --> 00:31:35,440 Speaker 2: I know who I am. 638 00:31:35,800 --> 00:31:39,800 Speaker 1: Well, I mean, I think we've said before here. It's 639 00:31:39,800 --> 00:31:41,640 Speaker 1: not like you jump one Hurdle and you're done jumping 640 00:31:41,680 --> 00:31:45,040 Speaker 1: hurdles forever and that I think we might wrap it here. Alex, 641 00:31:45,080 --> 00:31:47,440 Speaker 1: thanks so much for sitting down with me. I feel 642 00:31:47,480 --> 00:31:47,920 Speaker 1: so happy. 643 00:31:48,240 --> 00:31:49,160 Speaker 2: Thanks for having me. 644 00:31:49,200 --> 00:31:55,200 Speaker 1: Oh, if you are still listening, thank you. Please take 645 00:31:55,200 --> 00:31:57,360 Speaker 1: a moment to leave a quick review by clicking the 646 00:31:57,440 --> 00:31:59,959 Speaker 1: link with the description to this episode. 647 00:32:00,920 --> 00:32:03,680 Speaker 2: We all face multiple hurdles in life. I want to 648 00:32:03,720 --> 00:32:04,520 Speaker 2: hear about yours. 649 00:32:04,600 --> 00:32:07,520 Speaker 1: Reach out to me at Emily at Hurdle dot us, 650 00:32:08,120 --> 00:32:12,040 Speaker 1: connect with the podcast on Instagram and Twitter at Hurdle Podcast, 651 00:32:12,120 --> 00:32:13,720 Speaker 1: and of course feel free to. 652 00:32:13,680 --> 00:32:15,720 Speaker 2: Stalk the both of us a little bit too. 653 00:32:15,840 --> 00:32:19,080 Speaker 1: I'm at Emily a body abbat e Alex. 654 00:32:19,120 --> 00:32:21,920 Speaker 2: How do they find you on social at Alex Silverfagan. 655 00:32:22,080 --> 00:32:25,200 Speaker 2: Just my name, just the names, just the name. 656 00:32:25,720 --> 00:32:28,520 Speaker 1: On the next episode of Hurdle, we have Fred Santarpia, 657 00:32:28,640 --> 00:32:32,120 Speaker 1: the chief Digital officer over at Conde Nast. Fred's going 658 00:32:32,160 --> 00:32:34,880 Speaker 1: to talk to us about a bullying experience that landed 659 00:32:34,960 --> 00:32:37,800 Speaker 1: him in the hospital and how he leaned into wellness, 660 00:32:37,920 --> 00:32:41,960 Speaker 1: building a serious fitness situation in his parents' basement in 661 00:32:42,000 --> 00:32:45,840 Speaker 1: his late teens to restore his confidence and make necessary 662 00:32:45,880 --> 00:32:48,480 Speaker 1: life altering changes that not only got him out of 663 00:32:48,520 --> 00:32:52,480 Speaker 1: a bad situation but propelling him into this extraordinary career. 664 00:32:53,080 --> 00:32:58,440 Speaker 1: It's good stuff. That's all for now, guys, another hurdle conquered. 665 00:32:58,960 --> 00:33:15,080 Speaker 1: Catch you next, Timeta