Lindsay Vastola is driving through Manhattan, leaving one fitness seminar and on her way to another. She is nine months pregnant and due in a few weeks, but that doesn’t slow her down. For this fitness specialist, it’s just all part of a day’s work.
Lindsay is the creator of Body Project Fitness, a workout and lifestyle program designed by her and for women like her. She calls her clients “the career-driven woman,” but here at HC, we have a different name for that type of female: the collegiette!
Lindsay creates fitness plans that go beyond dumbbells, squats, cardio and nutrition. Lindsay focuses on building mental strength: The kind of thinking that empowers her clients and has the ability to carry them closer to success. Not just in working out but across all aspects of life.
Lindsay brought her boot camp-styled workout and inspirational mentality to TCNJ a few weeks ago, as Her Campus and Delta Phi Epsilon joined together for a workout event in honor of National Eating Disorder Week.
Lindsay’s journey, though still in transit, is driven by her passion for helping others achieve happiness through fitness and health.
Judging by the energy that radiates from Lindsay when she talks about Body Project Fitness, her vast knowledge about physical activity, and the inspiring mindset that she’s made a career out of sharing with others, you would think her journey always traveled along a path heading towards her current business.
But her journey to Body Project fitness began on an entirely different coast and traversed across different continents. At one point, a career in fitness wasn’t even considered an objective.
Lindsay was born in Los Angeles and raised in Hawaii. College brought the West Coast native across the country to Washington D.C. where she majored in International Politics and Japanese at American University.
Lindsay spent a year and a half studying abroad in Japan, until finally returning to American University for graduation. Right out of college she landed a management job with an international translation and communication company in New York, and set roots in New Jersey.
But throughout high school and college, you could find Lindsay in the gym, athletic training rooms, or working in physical rehabilitation centers, immersed in the world of sports medicine.
“I loved helping people, anyone from the college athlete to the 89-year-old woman who broke her hip,” says Lindsay. “But I was skeptical of making a career out of it. I thought I had to do something ‘important’ like international politics.”
Her passion for fitness and health never went away. After six years spent working long hours in Manhattan, and traveling internationally and across the U.S., Lindsay unexpectedly quit her job. She calls the experience liberating.
“I thought it was a good time to follow my passion and help people,” says Lindsay. “I started Body Project Fitness a little over five years ago and the journey is still morphing and progressing.”
Lindsay’s approach to fitness combines personal training with a realistic, balanced, and healthy mindset. Both are fueled by her personal motto to “just own it,” a mantra that fosters success when applied to any obstacle.
“If you just own it, own your career, your health, your body, you won’t become consumed or overtaken by what you don’t have. Own the mindset before your expect any results.”
Lindsay treats her own mind like a turnstile, putting herself in control of the thoughts that enter and exit her head. She encourages her clients to do the same: Lock in the positive, but let negativity exit through the turnstile and refuse it re-entry.
“The conversation in your head is toxic, whether it’s about success in school, relationships or weight loss,” says Lindsay. “The conversation you have with yourself will have a greater impact on results than the amount of calories you consume.”
And what’s the remedy for an off day where frustration and body-bashing come storming through your turnstile? Lindsay overcomes the weight of negativity by appreciating the amazing things her body does for her.
Just like Lindsay’s career-driven clients, collegiettes everywhere can relate to busy schedules where time to work out is juggled with classes, exams, internships, jobs, and other commitments. The fitness specialist advises collegiettes to schedule workouts ahead of time, while setting realistic goals.
“If you say you’re going to workout seven days a week for an hour, you will burn out,” she says. “College is hectic, so look ahead at your week. Say, ‘OK I gave a paper due Friday. That means I’ll be up late Thursday, so I’ll schedule a thirty minute workout Monday through Wednesday and again on Saturday.”
According to Lindsay, one of the most important part of achieving a successful, healthy lifestyle is to understand that its not an all or nothing approach. Creating balance and setting realistic goals will pave the way for your own success…in working out, in relationships, in school, and in your career. Just own it!