Name: Julie Gordon
Year: Junior
Major: Humanities with concentrations in Communications, Digital Communications and Film
Hometown: Coral Springs, Florida
Relationship Status: Long distance relationship (two years and still going strong!)
Photo By: Annie Grafe
Her Campus (HC): Why did you select Humanities as your major?
Julie Gordon (JG): At first I wanted to go into Advertising, but I transferred to FSU from The University of Alabama and missed the deadline for the School of Communications. Luckily, I ended up being able to sculpt a major of my own through Humanities.
HC: Are you involved in any extra curricular activities?
JG: This year I was a social media captain for Dance Marathon and I absolutely loved it. I met so many great people and I loved being involved with the preparation of the event! I also currently hold position as a social media manager for Spoon University here at FSU. Follow us on Instagram to find out about the best restaurants in Tally!
HC: How do you spend your free time?
JG: This past year, I decided to try out Australian Trainer Kayla Itsines’s Bikini Body Guide, or BBG — and I absolutely fell in love. Not only do I love the workouts and the physical effects of them, but it has proved to be the most supportive and incredible community surrounding the guide via Instagram!
HC: What exactly is the BBG community?
JG: The BBG community is made up of millions of women across the world that all do the BBG workouts. They usually communicate via creating a fitness Instagram and use hashtags such as #BBG or #KaylasArmy to find and connect with each other. The community is all about supporting and uplifting each other on all of our journeys. The exercises are difficult, so it is extremely comforting to know there are people who might be struggling alongside you and they understand the struggle. The BBG community holds meet-ups, meaning girls in the same area who have met through social media can meet and workout together. I have been lucky enough to attend a few meet-ups in New York (where I got to met the Kayla Itsines), South Florida and Orlando — all since December! I fell so in love with the ones I attended that I decided to hold one here in Tallahassee. I made a Facebook group for FSU BBG girls and invited anyone I knew who would enjoy coming. About 10 girls showed up and we did a 30-minute workout in Cascade’s Park; it was so much fun! I plan to hold another one on Saturday, March 26.
Courtesy: Julie Gordon
HC: How has the BBG Community affected your life?
JG: This community has turned my life upside-down, but for the absolute best. I have made such a close-knit group of friends through this community that I talk to every single day. I could not be more grateful to have found them! We all support each other, not just in BBG, but every aspect of our lives. These friends I have made have truly turned into my best friends and I would not have the confidence or strength — both physically and mentally — if it weren’t for them.
Courtesy: Julie Gordon
HC: How long have you been a part of the BBG community?
JG: I made my fitness Instagram the week I got back to school in August 2015, but I started to meet and become friends with girls in the community around December.
HC: How are the workouts and diet guides?
JG: The guides themselves are easy to follow. Kayla sets it up so you know exactly what you should be doing. However, the exercises themselves are very difficult. The guide is 12 weeks and is made up of resistance and cardio workouts. There are three 28-minutes resistance workouts a week, each being broken up into two circuits lasting seven minutes and repeated twice. I have been doing the guides for about seven months and I still need to take breaks throughout the workout and struggle finished the circuits sometimes, so girls shouldn’t feel discouraged if they find themselves challenged! Kayla also has a diet guide that I have heard is extremely helpful, but it doesn’t quite work for me. I just do my best to eat clean, whole foods most of the time.
HC: What have your results been with the BBG workouts?
JG: I have never and will never be someone who follows the scale. I am not quite sure if I have lost weight, to be honest — but I know I have made progress. I am exceptionally stronger thanks to this guide. When I first started, I could not do a single push-up on my knees or a sit-up; now, I can do upwards to 15 actual push-ups in a row and different variations of sit-ups — which I am extremely proud about. I have without a doubt shed fat and gained lean muscle, which I love, but what I love more is the mental shift this guide has given me. I am so much more confident and happier now than I ever have been and I believe that is fully attributed to BBG and its community.
HC: Do you strictly follow the BBG workouts, or do you sometimes do your own workouts and have “cheat” days in regards to food?
JG: I do strictly follow BBG for workouts, as I have found it gave me the results that I want, but I absolutely have days where I indulge! I try my best to eat clean six days a week and allow a treat once a week for Insomnia cookies, pizza… pretty much anything I am craving. That being said, there are so many ways to follow a healthy eating routine that works for different people. It took me a very long time to find the balance I have now, and I still struggle with it from time to time. It is always important to remember that one cheat meal won’t ruin your progress just as one healthy meal won’t give you your dream body. It’s all about consistency and balance.
HC: Do you think this workout routine and community works for a busy college student’s life — and for that matter, a college student’s budget?
JG: Absolutely. The fact that the resistance workouts take about 30 minutes and the cardio days takes between 15-45 minutes gives no excuses! Anyone can try and fit that into their schedules if they truly want to. It can even be done at home — all you need are some weights and you can pretty much do everything in the guide in the comfort of your own room, which is amazing for girls on a college budget who can’t afford a gym membership. That being said, the BBG guides themselves do cost money. You can buy the physical guide in PDF or book form, which is how I started, or you can download her app Sweat with Kayla and pay a monthly subscription. I can tell you, however, it is worth every single penny.
HC: Do you have any advice for those who are seeking to become fit?
JG: My best advice would be to simply stick with it and do what works for YOU — and don’t do it for anyone but yourself. It took me about six months to finally stick with BBG after many failed attempts of completing week one. I can’t imagine my progress if I had stuck with it from when I first began, but I am very happy with where I am right now, so no regrets! Also, do not pay attention to others—change your lifestyle in a way that works for you and this will make it easier for you to stick with. Anything is better than nothing and even if it is baby steps. The more you try to better yourself, the closer you will be to your goals.
HC: As I always end my interviews with this: what is your favorite quote?
JG: “When you feel like quitting, remember why you started.”
Photo By: Annie Grafe