On February 17, 2016 the Georgia State University chapter of Be You! 413 collaborated with the Enchanting Eta Mu chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. and Pretty Girls Sweat to host Pretty Fit, to celebrate National Love Your Body Month. Giving Georgia State women a chance to celebrate their body and share how they will be confident, healthy and fit.
Pretty Fit’s guest speaker Aeshia DeVore Branch is the Founder of CEO of Pretty Girls Sweat and the Teen Girls Diaries Foundation. Pretty Girls Sweat encourages women to “make fitness fun” and “sweat with purpose”. During the event, Aeshia shared with attendees how to have a healthy body image and how to make fitness a priority. Aeshia said, “Fitness should be fun. You should find an activity that you enjoy doing and workout for your body not someone else’s”.
Attendees had an opportunity to share what they learned by joining Be You! GSU’s #iwllbeconfident challenge. The ladies were asked to write how they will be confident and posted it on a wall for others to see. Not only did they ladies talk confidence and fitness but they were able to sweat too! Fitness Instructor and Founder / CEO of Be You! 413 Sydney Combs lead a fun instructional workout. Sydney explained, “Many women workout but do not know how to properly perform workouts to reach their goals”. Before the workout was over the ladies learned how to properly squat, lunge and plank.
Pretty Fit was a night of fun, fitness, and sisterhood!
After the event, Her Campus GSU got a chance to catch up with Aeshia and Sydney!
Her Campus: How did you come up with Pretty Fit?
Sydeny Combs: I wanted to bring a program to Georgia State that would encourage women on campus to love the skin they are in. Because February is National Love Your Body Month it was a great time to teach students body acceptance.
HC: How can fitness and nutrition help with confidence?
SC: Fueling your body with nutritious foods and staying physically activity will help you to maintain a healthy weight and boost your mood levels. You don’t need to strive be a size 2, instead strive to be your best.
HC: What advice can you give to students who are struggling to stay consistent with working out?
SC: Make fitness a priority and treat it like a meeting or class. Also, try to work out in the morning, not only will you get your workout done early but it will give you the energy you need to make it through the day.
HC: How can students get involved with Be You! GSU?
SC: Currently, we are offering students a free Spring Break Boot Camp series at Hurt Park that meets every Saturday at 10 am. We also have Be You! Runs, which is a running crew that meets every Tuesday at 7:30 am in front of the University Lofts. If you want more information about how to become a member you can follow us on Instagram @beyou.gsu.
HC: What does it mean to be Pretty Fit?
Aeshia Branch: Similar to Pretty Girls Sweat, the empowering words “Pretty Fit” mean that as a woman, you make your health and fitness a priority, no matter what, even if you sweat out your hair or makeup. It’s time that we change the narrative when it comes to healthy living. The obesity epidemic affects 23 million children and teens and over 52% of college women do not workout. By flipping the ingrained perceptions that sweat holds, fitness and eating healthy are becoming the cool thing to do amongst the most vulnerable demographic in the US.
HC: Have you every struggled with low self-esteem? If so, how were you able to overcome it?
AB: I was a confident kid until my pre-teen years. When I moved from the culturally diverse city of New York down south to Nashville, TN at the age of 10, I dreaded being the new girl in town and I was often ostracized by my peers due to my dark skin complexion. It was very tough for me because I had never experienced this type of division before within my race. As a result, I went from being a straight A student to a D student. My grades began to decline due to depression. Once I discovered my love for sports (volleyball, basketball, and track) in junior high and high school, my self-esteem did a 360. I began making true friends, excelling again in academics, and gained genuine popularity amongst my peers. It’s amazing what self-love and being a part of a team can do! #Iwillbeconfident
HC: How can college women make fitness fun?
AB: The best way to enjoy fitness is to find an activity that you absolutely love and connect with a group of girls who enjoy it as well. Whether it’s dancing, walking, running, or yoga, you will be more consistent with your workouts if you actually have fun doing it. Also, your group of friends, or as we like to call them “”Sweat Sisters” will be your accountability partners and help make healthy living a social activity.
HC: How can students join the Sweat Sisterhood?
AB: PrettyGirlsSweat.com is launching this Women’s History Month on March 1st, 2016. To join the Sweat Sisterhood of 20,000+ girls, text PRETTYGIRLSSWEAT to 22828 and follow us on Instagram @PrettyGirlsSweat for endless inspiration!