Meet Caroline Geiger, exercise enthusiasts, lawyer by day, and co-founder of the latest social meets fitness App: "Groupiefit"
Caroline and I had some time to Q&A about her story, her body battle, and what led her to co-create the Groupiefit social mobile application.
Q. How did you first get into fitness?
A. I played team sports while growing up, I wasn't an all-star athlete and certainly wasn't going to be trying out for any Stanford teams while out there for college. I missed the camaraderie and extra push that came with working out with teammates, but I thought that group fitness classes were for people that didn't know what to do on their own in the gym and didn't want to commit to personal training (both good enough reasons but neither described me). I stayed relatively active with some recreational sports here and there and worked out on my own, but my workouts were pretty stagnant and certainly not going to counterbalance my mostly sedentary and frequently stressful job. After running out of excuses, I finally gave in to peer pressure and went to an indoor cycling class with a friend. Though I wouldn't realize it until years later, that was when Groupie was born. I bought a package of 5 classes, and when I finished those, I joined a big gym with an unparalleled group fitness program. I ran into old friends in classes; I made new friends in classes; I started to become friendly with my instructors; I would bring new friends to classes at every opportunity; and I would try new classes with friends on a regular basis. In the midst of all of this socializing I was getting fantastic workouts in multiple exercise formats. The gym became my community and my happy place, and my workouts became a religious practice.
Q. What is 1 fitness tip or health tip that inspired you to start Groupie?
A. It is easier to get fit and to stay fit when fitness is built into your social life. Knowing that a friend or instructor is waiting for you for a class or a run holds you accountable. Seeing a friend giving 100% through a workout challenges you to do the same. Having someone to high-five and to share the accomplishment after the workout provides great motivation to get through intense intervals together. The social approach to fitness is the foundation of Groupie and one that we think is essential in starting and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Q. What is the #1 thing you do to stay in shape?
A. I commit to my workouts, which means committing to showing up and committing to the workout itself. Scheduling a workout with a friend or telling an instructor in advance that I'll be in his or her class locks in my commitment to showing up for a workout and promises an extra push during the toughest parts of a workout. Making exercise a social experience, by going with a friend or by getting to know the instructor, holds me accountable and brings added motivation and a lot more fun.
Q.. When you hear the term.. Go Beyond...what does that mean to you as it relates to your own fitness?
I view every workout as an opportunity to get more fit and stronger and to have fun doing it. "Go Beyond" reminds me to think about where I am in relation to my comfort zone, to find the edge of it, and to see if I can run a little faster, bike a little farther, do another rep, and maybe even help motivate the person next to me.
Q.. What is the 1 thing you battle with as it relates to your own fitness goal?
A.I'm a lawyer at a big law firm in Manhattan, so my schedule can sometimes be quite intense. When I'm working long hours or have a lot of work-related events on my calendar, I often battle with finding time for myself and maintaining balance in my schedule. Fitting in workouts (whether a class or even solo) requires planning and commitment. My best defense on the workout front is scheduling workouts with friends to hold me accountable and to give myself the added benefit of social time.
Learn more and book your next class on the Groupiefit App below:
@groupiefit on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter
@therealcarolinegeiger on Instagram & @therealcpg on Twitter