be.come turns one! ll victoria shares

Besides my endometriosis, my health is generally pretty good. While this is technically true and I something to be very grateful for, I don’t want to minimize the struggle of chronic illness, for myself or anyone else. Endometriosis affects 1 in 10 people with uteruses, there is no cure (the treatment options are limited), and it took me over a decade to be diagnosed. Last week I had what is probably the worst pain flare up I have had since the ovarian cyst that caused the endo-finding surgery five years ago. I was in bed for over two days, legs tingly and numb, knives of pain in my pelvis and back, nauseated. Pissed. Depressed. Feeling misunderstood, and definitely hating every bit of my body.

I have always had a complicated relationship with my body and self esteem. I used to start an exercise regimen. A diet change. Stop. Start. Stop. Beat myself up for every stop and figure I was failing in some way or another. Not as successful as this person or that person. A horrible cycle! My chronic illnesses do not care how much weight I’d like to lose or how much I’d like to enjoy a workout or how much I’d like to be more consistent, but I try and that’s enough. I’m enough!

The be.come project has had a huge role in my endo journey this past year. With this project, I have learned to mentally frame exercise as something to be appreciative of.- that despite my illnesses and bad days/weeks, my body can MOVE and be GRACEFUL and be STRONG. It is the first workout that I find enjoyable and fun (a huge mental hurdle in the past), and is an activity that I never feel that I “have to do,” or that I have failed myself if I have a bad day and don’t do a session.

These days I avoid the scale (it’s my enemy!), and overall I feel like I’m slowly but surely learning to love my body for probably the first time ever. I wore a bikini in public! I have a bikini body because I have a body!

My birthday is next week and in the past I have felt trepidation when approaching a birthday, focusing on things I didn’t do. But I feel that I’m looking at this next year with openness. I see opportunity, I see the results of my epiphanies and patience, I see personal growth, and I definitely see more be.come 🙂

my be.come favorites

Song – Truth Hurts by Lizzo (so fun!!!!)

be.come move – I love any lunge sequence that includes curtsey lunges

Thing to hear/see – laughter! you guys always have fun and therefore I have fun. Also appreciate the representation/explanation of modified moves.

Thing to wear – soft leggings and bralette

Place – in my room or in the backyard

Thanks to Victoria for sharing! You can follow them on instagram @life.to.come

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July 19, 2019September 21, 2021

be.come turns one! ll chelsea shares

In your initial email to be a model, you mentioned you were still building confidence in yourself and your body. How has that shifted in the last year?

I think that this is one of those things that will consistently be a work in progress. I actually really relate to the idea of body neutrality as a way to think in general terms. Day to day I try to check in with myself & feel good about where I’m at. Mentally, I would say that I have much more confidence in who I am as a whole. Therefore it has trickled down into being confident in my body because it is MY body & not because of the way it looks or the number on the scale (what are those anyway?).

Has this gain in confidence impacted other aspects of your life? For example starting your business ROBINHILL.

I can honestly say that as my confidence in myself grows so does my confidence in my abilities. I’m an artist & creative. I have always been that person. For years I used to try to run from that. There was always this stigma of the “starving artist” & I both resented that and feared it. I was afraid to crash & burn. Then one day it all sort of clicked & I realized that I could be using my talents for something that I care about. I could use my skill set that I clearly have for a reason or I could keep running from it and never know what would happen if I had tried. Truthfully, there was also something incredibly inspiring about this new program that I had been trying & watching Bethany build it up with such honesty. It was like watching another creative do their thing & just go after it. Seeing that kind of confidence sort of forced me to dig into my own. Because of that confidence I decided to start my own business, ROBINHILL Brand, and haven’t looked back. The company focuses on hand-painted pieces that are meant to inspire confidence & empowerment for the wearer. Bethany actually received one of my first pieces before the company was even up & running. I will always feel good about that.

Do you think because you feel strong in your body, that has helped you feel like a badass who can run her own company?

I’m going to be really honest about this one. I would say more than anything, what helps me feel like I can run my own company is the desire to make others feel like they are the badasses. Sharing that or inspiring that makes me feel badass in return. To make others feel empowered. To make someone see themselves in a different light than before. It’s something as simple as a jacket, yes…but it’s also about what that jacket says & represents once it’s on. And as strong as I do feel in my boy, especially when I’m doing these routines, be.come has built up my mental strength more than anything. For that I am so grateful.

Now that you’ve be.coming for over a year, what differences do you notice than when you were be.coming for a few months?

As I’ve said, there’s been a real shift in my mindset since I’ve been be.coming. In the beginning months I was purely doing the routines because I saw Bethany and thought they were incredible & wanted to look like them. I was working out to get skinny again. I was about to get married & felt so so low in my own skin. However, as time went on I started to notice that I was be.coming to relax when I was overwhelmed. Or I was doing it to wake myself up in the mornings. Or I was doing it because I knew that I needed that 30 minute outlet. I was doing the routines because I wanted to feel good physically AND mentally AND emotionally. I wasn’t using them as a means to a specific end or goal. Now, it’s all very much a part of my routine because it makes me happy.

I think there’s really something to be said about the way in which Bethany has been able to change the way that I think about the human body in general. I used to want to be a certain number on the scale or Jean size. I am very proud of where I’ve come now since be.come. I love seeing what my body can do within the routines & what it is capable of day to day.

my be.come favorites

-be.come routine

This seems like a trick question..I don’t have a favorite routine. Every time I think I do there’s another one that blows my mind.

-song we’ve used

Lizzo Good As Hell in that bridge series was SO damn good.

-be.come move

Favorite & least favorite at the same time are the twisted planks for sure. Burns so good.

-part of your be.come session

I would say the bridge is always good because it feels like a reset button. Also, the check-in afterwards is really therapeutic.

-thing you hear/see in a be.come session

The bodies! There are so many different bodies that are represented through this community & the sessions are no exception.

-thing to wear when you’re be.coming

Leggings and a t-shirt to start, by the bridge I’m usually down to a sports bra up top.

-place to take a session

When I’m visiting my mama I love to be.come on her back frack that overlooks our neighborhood and town. When I’m home I just have to be by a window and have light shining in.

Thanks to Chelsea for sharing! You can find out more about ROBINHILL Brand here, and follow them on instagram @robinhillbrand

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July 12, 2019September 21, 2021

be.come turns one! ll julianna shares

What was your relationship like with the gym/fitness classes before be.come?

I’ve always had a love/hate relationship with gyms and fitness classes. Gyms, in general, are not for me, I have yet to find one where I feel comfortable enough to attend frequently. I prefer classes and yoga studios although some feel cold and impersonal so I’m always trying out new places.

Has the be.come project helped you create a workout space where you feel comfortable?

100%! the be.come project has truly changed my relationship with working out. I love that it’s focused on feeling good, community and body neutrality. I like that there’s no pressure on perfection but rather simply moving even if it’s with modifications. Sometimes I’m super tired and I feel very discouraged to workout but even moving a little bit and modifying makes a huge difference and makes me feel good.

Can you tell us about your upbringing and why it was important to see yourself represented in fitness?

I was born and raised in Puerto Rico and I’m the oldest of three. In our culture, what’s considered beautiful is the Latina stereotype or anything foreign (the tall blonde blue-eyed especially since we are a colony and everything that comes from the US is considered to have a higher value). My ancestry is very diverse so I don’t fit either and always felt like an outsider. We didn’t really have a lot of fitness “role models” and those who came upon magazines were focused on dieting and “reducing” inches rather than embracing your body and curves (which Latinas typically have) and extreme routines that just didn’t resonate with me. After puberty, I was always in the group of the tallest girls, I was bullied because of it and also for being having long skinny legs which weren’t typical. I hated gym class because of that and I always dreaded wearing shorts or anything that showed my legs or body in general so for me, fitness was torture and not something I enjoyed. It wasn’t until my mid-twenties, after moving to NY, and facing the same stigma around body image by not being accepted as latina and being constantly questioned about my identity, that I started to embrace all of my body and I also started to re-learn what fitness and movement were for me, and I was never really interested in fitness until I found yoga which helped me find the perfect balance between body and mind. I’ve enjoyed trying other kinds of classes as well but I really dislike the use of language that is focused on the “perfect body” or the “bikini body” so my attendance to these classes was always inconsistent until I found the be.come project! I think it’s important for us Latinas out there to be represented as far as diversity, we all have such beautiful mixed backgrounds and yet the media only portrays us the same way. We are all enough even if we are curvy, skinny, tall, short, etc, we shouldn’t be boxed into just one stereotype.

Now that you’ve be.coming for over a year, what differences do you notice that when you were be.coming for a few months?

the be.come project has helped me with a lot of aspects not just from a fitness perspective. I’ve learned to listen to my body and to re-learn my relationship to modifications (the ego and ideas of perfection can be tricky!). I’ve learned that it’s ok to do a little bit rather than not moving at all even which is emphasized throughout the entire workout. I’ve learned that some days I embrace my body as it is and some days I don’t feel great about it at all and that’s ok, I still choose to move and celebrate it. I’ve learned not to obsess about the physical results but rather focus on doing something fun for myself that also happens to tone my body (I also love how my legs, core, and butt have definition now!) I’ve learned to celebrate the little victories and take this time to myself to give my body some love and I’ve also learned that I don’t have to beat myself up if don’t meet my weekly goal, sometimes life happens and we are all humans trying to do our best. 🙂

Favorites:

be.come routine: I have a few I loved the initial routine that included the “god is a woman” warm up, it is really empowering!

song we’ve used: Detune by Kaleida and I follow rivers by Lykke Li (The Magician remix) I had actually sent this one for the playlists and it made me really happy that it made it to the videos! I also love when reggaeton comes up it reminds me of home! 🙂

be.come move: the lunge with warrior transitions and curtsy lunge with balancing.

part of your be.come session: It depends on my mood but for the most part I really enjoy the lunge section and planks

thing you hear/see in a be.come session: a lot of inclusivity! The language that encourages to love yourself. I CAN DO IT!

thing to wear when you’re be.coming: undies, sometimes leotards and shorts (i’ve realized that I haven’t really spent much money in fitness clothes lately, it really feels good to workout in my undies lol)

place to take a session: at home in my room

Thanks to @julsrod for sharing!

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July 5, 2019September 21, 2021

be.come turns one! ll liz shares

This past year, the be.come project has been on a journey of finding body neutrality. We think you’ve had a similar experience. Can you tell us a little bit about that?

This year has actually been a bit insane for me and not to go too deep but for most of my 20’s I suffered from bulimia so dealing with the ebbs and flows of my now early 30’s (switching jobs, ending a relationship, and trying to raise awareness around my own side hustle The Anti Heel), led to a 15 pound weight gain. What held me together through it all was having the outlet to move my body in a way that made me feel good and strong. I did my best to not define myself by the extra weight or the fit of my clothes but by the commitments I made to myself on the mat. I’m not going to lie, it IS very hard – but it’s a practice of mindfulness and self care, and I really thank Bethany & the be.come project for giving me that space to just move without needing to feel like I was trying to get to a particular body type.

Tell us about your experience being a demo babe? (Were you nervous to shoot, how was the day?)

Oh my goodness, I was such a nervous wreck. I was nervous about everything from the outfits to my ability to actually do all the moves without asking for a 30 sec. break! Also, when I found out Claire would be doing the modifications, I almost cried. Inside I was like, “ummm I AM NOT IN SHAPE ENOUGH TO HOLD THE HARD POSES! K? THANKS!”

The outfits ended up working out fine (ha) and Bethany and the team were incredibly gracious & supportive. Bethany, in particular, really knows how to put their students at ease and they made sure Claire & I felt comfortable. But yeah, it was something so far out of my comfort zone but I knew it was something I needed to do for myself… just like the photo shoot months earlier. Personally, I’ve struggled with body confidence for most of my life and even though I kinda felt like I was “faking it ‘til I make it” I do believe in the moments we feel our most insecure, and we still push forward, we grow the most. And shit, I was so proud that I got through all 4 workouts! I’ve ran 13 mile races and did many a crazy workouts and I don’t think I’ve ever left a session as sore as I did that day. But it felt REALLY freakin’ good.

How did it feel working out to yourself when your routines came out on the app?

I’m a bad liar so I’m not going to say it was easy. I was very shy and was my least active on the app that month. I spent more time analyzing myself and in hindsight, I wish I had appreciated that I had just learned a routine in about 8 minutes and was performing it on live camera. But alas we can be our own worst critic.

Now that you’ve be.coming for over a year, what differences do you notice than when you were be.coming for a few months?

I’m proud to say I’ve been be.coming since 2017, when Bethany first did the test videos is their apartment! I notice that I now always check my breath because I’ve had a tendency to always hold it in. Even in my vocal lessons, my teacher always spent so much time with me on breathing. I also am pretty great at not slouching my weight onto the wrong side and of course keeping proper lunge form. It really is just about muscle memory. I watched the tutorials because I wanted to train my body correctly how to move and so even after taking a break from the app (which actually just happened), going back to it felt like second nature. It also felt SO good to come home to myself.

In a world full of workouts/movement options, why be.come?

Because it was about time a trainer approached “fitness” as a form of awareness of how to properly move your body without the goal of being thin or losing weight.

my favorites:

-be.come routine – oh gosh. I don’t remember episodes but there is one where we do the salute via “Salute” by Little Mix. I also loved a bunch of the winter ones. I hope one day all the episodes are just archived because I actually would love to go back to some of the older ones!

-song we’ve used – “Salute” by Little Mix, “Never Be The Same” by Camila Cabello.

-be.come move – I love a good arm series.

-part of your be.come session – childs pose for when it’s all over, ha!

–thing you hear/see in a be.come session – Bethany’s sass. I love it. Their outfits are also always super chic.

–thing to wear when you’re be.coming – booty short, sports bra and a muscle tank.

–place to take a session – my living room. I stream it to my big screen like a boss.

Thanks so much for @lizupke for sharing! You can find out more about The Anti Heel here.

Month: July 2019

be.come turns one! ll victoria shares

be.come turns one! ll victoria shares

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be.come turns one! ll chelsea shares

be.come turns one! ll chelsea shares

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be.come turns one! ll julianna shares

be.come turns one! ll julianna shares

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be.come turns one! ll liz shares

be.come turns one! ll liz shares

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