Name: Aiko Suyemoto
Year: Senior
School: Barnard
Major: Economics and French
Hometown: Leoninster, Massachusetts
Does your name mean something? Little loved one
Top three celebrity crushes: Matt Damon (hometown hottie), David Wright, and Adam Driver.
What are involved on and off campus?
On campus, I am an Arts and Entertainment editor of the Barnard Bulletin, for which I also write. I spend most of my time involved in activities off campus. I work three days a week as a corporate communications intern at a company called Intralinks and go to CrossFit six times a week.
How did you start CrossFitting?
I always wanted to try it and see what the hype was about, so I decided to take the free one-week trial at my local CrossFit when I was home for the summer. I was really skeptical at first, but eventually, was sipping the Koolaid.
Where you nervous about trying a new gym class?
I was nervous in particular because it is CrossFit and it’s very intimidating sport, but everyone at the gym was really nice and encouraging. I’ve gone to multiple CrossFits from home and in the city and met a lot of great interesting people. I have my own CrossFit family.
What are some benefits of CrossFit? How has fitness made an impact on your life?
I think it is especially important for women. It’s important for women to understand that being strong and confident is more important than being thin like our society is obsessed with. For me, it made me a lot more comfortable with my body and myself and I focused on my strength gains as opposed to comparing myself to other people. There are a lot of sweaty attractive single guys too. ;)
Has working out made you more aware of what you put into your body?
Yes, I definitely try to eat more protein, like having whey protein or a protein bar right after my workouts. I also make a lot of Stir-fry, baked chicken, zucchini noodles, and I’m obsessed with baked sweet potato fries. I like to scroll through Shape.com and Fitness.com for recipe inspiration as well.
What are some things that inspire you to get to the gym?
Definitely cute workout clothes! I love Lululemon and leggings from Bandier. Also, being able to justify my late night snacks is a total plus.
What advice would you give someone who is nervous about starting a new gym class?
Give it a shot, the hardest part is getting there and you never know what can come of it, so it’s always worth a try.