Hi! I'm Stephanie K. Gould, founder of Create // Balance
I know that I'm not the only one who struggles with trying to find a balance in life. We're often told we're not working hard enough, not dreaming big enough, not moving fast enough, we eat too much, don't eat enough, we're doing the wrong type of exercise, not enough exercise. We have grand plans of rest and relaxation, but everything else always gets in the way!
As a pre-teen I struggled with obesity weighing 183 lbs and wearing a size 18. I can remember as early back as kindergarten being fascinated by people who were skinnier than I was. Throughout middle school I wanted nothing more than to just be one of the skinny girls. This carried into high school, of course, as I tried everything my parents would let me to lose the weight: groups, meal plans paired with meal replacement shakes under the guidance of counselors, but never anything that was a fad or meant as a quick fix. For this, I have always been grateful to my parents. I didn't realize it then, but I learned that there is no quick fix to taking care of yourself and it's not just about being skinny. What matters is being healthy, strong and confident in your own skin. It requires time, commitment and creating a balance, what works for you, what inspires you.
Before and after incorporating Beachbody workouts into my daily habits.
While I had managed to drop most of the weight through high school and keep it off through nutrition and sporadic exercise, I still had yet to find anything that I could incorporate into an ever-increasingly busy lifestyle. In 2008, after moving to New York City, I found it difficult to schedule gym time or be able to afford it.
Enter, Team Beachbody. It started with Insanity. The passion grew through T25. I had finally found a wellness lifestyle that felt right! The workouts were easy to incorporate, provided variety to keep me on my toes, got me excited to workout, and integrated good food that was good for you. Team Beachbody made 'being healthy' realistic and sustainable. As a coach it has become clear to me is that I want to inspire others to create balance in their lives through practicing small daily habits that lead to big changes overtime.
Create // Balance is
- the reality that you cannot find balance, you have to create it
- making your well-being a priority so that you can tap into all other areas of your life that inspire and motivate you to be the best version of yourself
- embracing the reality that you're not always going to be perfect, and loving yourself regardless
- realizing that not everything is an either or choice. You can choose to live happily in the middle with 'and'
- using areas of your life that inspire you to move you forward in other areas
I'm excited to start this journey with you!