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Wellness

Girl Gains at FSU Empowers Women In and Out of the Weight Room

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at FSU chapter.

Florida State University is stacked with so many student organizations, and even more are created each semester. I admire the number of clubs on campus and the great work they do to bring people together. It can be hard to find a student organization that fits you and your passions, but I had the opportunity to talk to the co-presidents of Girl Gains at FSU about what the club is all about!

I’ve been following the club’s social media for a while, and I just love their energy. I’ve been interested in discovering more for a while, so I’d love to share information about this amazing organization that you can join! Thank you to the co-presidents, Larissa Pontes and Maia Medina, for letting me interview them about this remarkable organization!

Girl Gains at FSU aims to empower women to dominate in and out of the weight room. They want to provide a judgment-free, safe, and inclusive environment for women of all backgrounds and fitness levels. Although their organization is women-oriented, all gender identities are welcome as long as they support and embody their mission! They also have the cutest Instagram feed around!

Girl Gains at FSU has four core values: knowledge, strength, community, and body positivity. Through experience and education, they aim to provide factual information to promote nutrition, mental health, proper lifting techniques, and more. They believe that lifting takes physical and mental strength, and seeking those personal goals empowers and carries onto other aspects of life.

I love that Girl Gains at FSU believes every woman deserves to accept and love their body during every phase of their fitness journey. I feel like there’s a lack of organizations on campus that are women-oriented and were created to empower women. I’m so impressed with Girl Gains and the work they are doing to create this space!

Co-presidents Pontes and Medina co-founded the Florida State Girl Gains chapter and have loved watching their club grow. They experienced a “we made it” moment during their first GBM when over 50 girls attended. At the beginning of every semester, they host a general body meeting for anyone interested in joining (this could be you!).

Some events Girl Gains at FSU have hosted include vision board-making, playing “We’re Not Really Strangers,” and more. A popular event Girl Gains at FSU does is their Hot Girl Hikes! Last week, they met at J.R. Alford Greenway, and 30 girls attended.

Another event they host is lifting sessions at the Leach over the weekends. These lifting sessions are a great way for beginners to get into lifting or for experienced lifters to learn new exercises. Their vice president, Liv, is a certified personal trainer. They have also done Lifting Buddy Reveals, where they pair two people to lift together. Lastly, they have cute poster cutouts so the pairs can take pictures and picnic on Landis!

I had so much fun learning more about Girl Gains at FSU, and I hope you consider this amazing student organization! I love the values and mission to empower that this club holds, and I’m excited to watch it grow! These women are truly spectacular, and I highly recommend this organization.

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Delaney Reilly is a staff writer at Her Campus FSU, majoring in instrumental music education. Beyond Her Campus, Delaney is a part of multiple organizations in the college of music. She is in the world-renowned marching chiefs, along with the University Philharmonic Orchestra, NAfME, and ASTA. When she isn’t writing or playing her instruments, Delaney is busy watching movies and traveling! https://www.linkedin.com/in/delaney-reilly-64b64817b