Calling all Chicago natives + visitors to try out some of our favorite restaurants in the city! Do you ever find yourself searching through Yelp for a good, healthy place to eat? Sometimes we’re a little indecisive on where we want to go just because there are so many amazing places to try. Check out the restaurants with incredible plant based menus [+ organic meat options ; )] below + don’t forget to try out other ways to #ReCHAARG!   

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#1] Alice and Friends — A yummy vegan kitchen in Rogers Park [shoutout to #LUCCHAARG] that serves plant-based burgers, Asian-inspired dishes, homemade desserts + drinks. They have the best vegan crab rangoons! 

#2] Lyfe Kitchen — Lyfe wants you to “Love Your Food Everyday.” They have a variety of foods including breakfast, flatbreads, greens, poke bowls, quinoa bowls, tacos, smoothies, + sweet treats! If you want a big selection, Lyfe is the place to go. 

#3] Sweetgreen — A #CHAARG favorite. You can make your own salad or order one of their house salads. They serve seasonal + warm bowls too! 

#4] Real Good Stuff Co — Real Good Stuff is known for their organic + locally-sourced smoothies. They also make Noyo Froyo + juicy pops that you can pair with toasts, sandwiches, ++ bowls! 

#5] Blue Door Farm Stand — A farm-to-table cafe with American-style food, cold-pressed juices, + pantry items. They also have amazing cocktails if you’re of age! 

#6] Fare — They serve breakfast, avocado toast, vegan banana bread, make-your-own bowls, + a wide range of smoothies! 

#7] Protein Bar + Kitchen — Initially Protein Bar started out as fast fuel shakes that are delicious, nutritious, + protein-packed. They then started to make protein bowls, breakfast scrambles, oatmeal, salads, wraps, soups, bowls, + bar-ritos!

#8] 3 Greens Market — Another #CHAARG favorite that has a hot + cold salad bar, gourmet burgers, the best fries, a coffee lounge, + table tennis. 

#9] The Goddess + Grocer — An American cafe with sandwiches, salads, pastries, prepared foods, gourmet gifts, + seasonal dishes ++ drinks! 

#10] Native Foods Cafe — A fast-casual vegan chain that serves sweet treats, soups, salads, burritos, bowls, tacos, burgers, house-made beverages, + kids meals! 

#11] True Food Kitchen — A hip spot with options for everyone — GF, vegan, paleo, you name it, they have it! If you go you have to try the cauliflower appetizer ; ) 

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Have any new places for us to try? Let us know in the comments!

Hi there, my name is Colleen Bordeaux, I’m a management consultant, author, writer ++ speaker [+ first-time guest on The CHAARG Podcast]! When Elisabeth asked if I wanted to write a blog post for the CHAARG ladies, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to share a bit of what I’ve learned since I was where you are in life.

My 22-year-old self was trapped in a foggy cloud of self-doubt + indecision about her future, terrified at the abyss of life after college without the predictable milestones + consistent feedback that she was doing it right. She was insecure, anxious, + unremarkable for years – until she did this one simple method to structure her thinking + everything changed.

That girl would be shocked at what she went on to do thanks to taking the time to do that simple exercise: she become a senior manager at an elite management consulting firm, quadrupled her income without any special degrees or qualifications, developed the confidence to speak to rooms of hundreds of people, + created the kind of self-belief needed to put her ideas on paper + share them with the world in a book.

The story of my 22-year-old self might sound familiar to you, because it does to most students approaching the end of college. Everything about your life is suddenly up to you + defining what your purpose is + how to apply it in the world is not easy.

The tough thing about purpose is that there’s not a black + white answer, a specific career or entrepreneurial venture or particular path that wraps it up for you in a nice little bow. It’s the whole of your existence, of how you become a net positive in the lives of the people whose paths you cross.

The purpose of your life, + my life, + every single person’s life on Earth is to add value to other people, period.  Let me say that a different way: the purpose of your life has nothing to do with you, + everything to do with how your life helps to make someone else’s better, simpler, or happier. If you’re focused on fame or money or glory or pleasure, you will die unhappy, guaranteed. According to pretty much every philosopher, religious framework, + capitalism. The facts say so! The smartest scientist of the last century says so! “Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile,” according to Albert Einstein himself.

. . .

If you’re feeling uncertain about your purpose, not sure what path to take or struggling with how to move forward in your career, it might help you to do the same simple method for figuring out your purpose. I cover this topic in a full chapter of my book  [+ write more about the method in this post on my blog!].

#1] Get three sheets of plain white, eight + a half by eleven inch computer paper out of your printer.

#2] Label one page “Things that I dislike.”

#3] Set a timer for 60 minutes.

#4] Without judgement, list every possible thing that comes to mind in that hour when you think of your dislikes.

#5] Set that list aside. Take a second clean white page + label it “Things that I love.”

#6] Set a timer for 60 minutes.

#7] Same as with your dislike list, absolve yourself of judgement + list every possible thing that comes to mind in that hour when you think of things that bring you joy.

#8] Set that list aside + take a break from both lists for a day.

#9] After taking some space, get your “dislikes” list + a red pen. Go back through each item on your list + ask yourself: “Is this non-negotiable?” If yes, circle it in red pen. This is something you absolutely CANNOT have in your ideal career/life/relationship.

#10] Next, get your “loves” list + a red pen. Go back through each item on your list + ask yourself the same question: “Is this non-negotiable?” If yes, circle it in red pen. This is something you absolutely MUST have in your ideal career/life/relationship.

#11] After identifying the non-negotiables on each list, take your final sheet of paper + label it: “My Life Filter.” Draw a line down the center of the page. On one side, write “NO” + on the other side write “YES.” Copy each of your non-negotiable items from your “dislike” list into the “NO” column. Each of your non-negotiable items from your “love” list goes into the “YES” column.

You’ve found your life filter — the facts that you’ll use to evaluate any step in your life that you’re not quite sure about! It’s a structured way to understand yourself, your needs + wants, + eliminate some of the noise that tends to distract us into decisions that might not be quite right!

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If this post resonated with you, please feel free to connect with me on Instagram or LinkedIn for more ideas + inspiration!

Colleen, @cocobordeaux

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PS — Please check out Colleen’s “Freezing Woman” campaign, ASAP! You’ll be glad you did ; )

It’s no secret that most of our lives are experienced through our phones. So why not value taking proper care of that space we expose ourselves to every day? Decluttering our phones is one way to be proactive about our use of technology!

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IMPACT ON MENTAL HEALTH

Our phones contain a lot of power when it comes to influencing our mental states. They can be places to relax + de-compress. They can be sources of comfort + entertainment. They can be productive tools + an oasis of knowledge. But they can also be traps we find ourselves in. They can be unconsciously filling our heads with thoughts + doubts about ourselves. The world becomes one big competition filled with unrealistic ideals + misinterpretations of what our lives are or meant to be. 

Now completely deleting social media + other apps ++ only using phones for their original purposes of basic communication may seem a bit extreme for most of us in the technologically-driven world we are living in. So simply cleaning up our phones + tidying up our virtual homes can be extremely beneficial to our lifestyles + mental health. 

Decluttering our phones can reduce unnecessary stress that excessive content on our phones causes. Not everyone may care about how organized their phones are, but it is refreshing to know all the content on our phones has a purpose. Cleaning up our phones also helps us clean up our mental health. Whether we’re aware of it or not, our phones have an impactful influence over our moods + overall states as our phones can be seen as a representation of ourselves. We have the power to decide how we want to interact with our technology + what we expose ourselves to, but many times we just accept what we scroll past. 

If we aren’t motivated to declutter our phones for the sake of our mental health, we at least can declutter our phones for the sake of saving storage space more effectively.

. . . 

WAYS TO DECLUTTER 

#1] Delete Old Text Conversations

Sounds simple + to the point, but this tip on decluttering can easily be overlooked. We don’t realize how much storage is taken up by old text threads until we scroll through + can confidently delete threads from months or years ago. Personally, I am one to keep all my conversation threads until I can scroll back to conversations from years before. One reason may be because I’m sentimental, but another reason is that I don’t think about them. Holding onto old conversations can be helpful if we need the information in those texts, but otherwise, they serve no purpose + can even start to negatively affect us. 

Some conversations I have kept for years are texts from old friends some of whom I no longer speak to. While it’s nice to look back on those, it’s important to ask ourselves two questions if you also keep conversations like this: “do I actually look back at these +, therefore, have a reason to keep them?” ++ “does looking back on these old conversations impact my mental health positively or does it bring me down to hold onto a part of my life that has passed?”

. . . 

#2] Filter Through Photos

We’ve all had those “please buy more storage” notifications pop up at the most inconvenient times. Scrambling to figure out which pictures + videos to delete is always a struggle as photos are one thing on our phones that we attach ourselves to the most. But we can also hoard unnecessary storage in our photos as well.

One of the best ways to declutter our photos is to sync them into another area to be stored, like Google Photos or transfer them onto our computers. That way we can still save all our photos, but delete them off our phones, opening up a lot of storage! It’s simple + easy to do. But some of us may need to declutter a step further than just saving our photos somewhere other than our phone’s photo gallery. 

Sometimes having thousands of photos can be overwhelming, so it’s a good idea to filter through them every once in a while. Get rid of useless screenshots we no longer need, delete duplicates + those photos we all have that look exactly the same aside from slight movements that shift making a single photo be saved in multiple unnecessary copies. We just need to Marie Kondo our photos [this can go for decluttering every aspect of our phones, really] + get rid of anything that doesn’t spark joy.

. . . 

#3] Organize Notes 

This tip is one I started doing after I once lost all my notes when upgrading my phone. I’m one of those people who survive off their phone’s notes app. My to-dos are in there, random reminders, quotes, story ideas, workouts + more. At all times there are at least 50 different notes on my phone [meaning it can become chaotic very quickly]. The one time I lost them all was enough for me to realize I had to reorganize what I keep + where. 

Phone back-ups are always questionable, so it’s nice to have copies of our notes somewhere safe just in case. Personally, I have created a Google Doc filled with all my notes in the event I lose them again — it’s not the most organized, but they’re all there just to be safe. Also, having certain notes saved somewhere else like a Google Doc allows us to erase them off our phones if they aren’t needed daily. 

Aside from transferring notes to another source, one way to declutter them on our phones is to go through them one by one + decide if we really need to keep the information we wrote there or if there’s a way to combine multiple notes into one if they’re addressing similar things. I was surprised by how many copies of notes I had that dealt with similar things which were more effectively organized in the same note rather than scrambled in different ones. 

. . . 

#4] Keep Apps Used Daily + Delete Others 

Our lives are already busy + hectic why should our phones be too?! It may sound daunting to delete apps we don’t use daily, but it makes such a big difference! There are so many apps that are pre-downloaded on our phones that some of us have never even opened. If these can’t be completed deleted off the phone, at least putting them into their own folder can help organize + separate the apps into which ones are important to us. Making folders of our apps is a simple way for us to feel more organized and putting similar apps next to each other allows us to use the space more efficiently.

A step we may want to do before organizing our apps physically on our phones is contemplating which apps add to our lives + which ones negatively affect us. Some apps aren’t used every day, but we still need them. Which apps help us do tasks, be productive, etc? Which apps do we use the most? Which apps do we rarely open? Which apps brighten our day? Which apps have a negative effect on our mental health?

It’s important to evaluate how each app affects us + to be aware of how our mental state changes based on them. Do any apps prevent us from productivity? Maybe we should set time limits for ourselves for certain apps. Should we delete them altogether? If we don’t feel comfortable deleting apps that affect us negatively, we should at least focus on how often + how long we decide to use those apps. Social media can have both positive + negative impacts on our mental state ++ productivity, which leads to our last, but most important point!

. . . 

#5] Edit Who//What We Follow on Social Media

Decluttering within our social media is the most important + most effective way of decluttering our phones as well as our mentality. Sometimes we aren’t even aware of how many things or people we are following + we mindless take in the information posted. Scrolling through social media is a very routine + unconscious aspect of our lives, so it’s incredibly impactful on our mental health whether we are aware of it or not. Along with cleaning out our social media, adding time limits on our daily exposure to social media apps can be incredibly helpful to our productivity + our mental health as we don’t truly realize how often we reach for our phones ++ scroll through feeds.

We go through our lives in stages, but most of the time when we move on in our lives, our social media can tend to stay in the past. Going through our “Following” tabs can quickly be an easy way to declutter our feeds + follow what we want to be following now — not what we were following years ago. If it is difficult to decide whether to unfollow someone or something, take a look at their feed + decide how important that information is ++ if it is positively influencing our mental health. Is it motivating to us? Is it sharing useful knowledge? Does it make us smile or laugh? Is it making us unconsciously put ourselves down or in competition with others? Is it constantly spamming our feed? 

We have to be honest with ourselves about what we want to expose ourselves to every day. If seeing someone’s posts constantly makes us think negatively about ourselves // the world in an unconstructive way, it’s counter-productive to our self-care + healthy lifestyles. Even just changing our notification settings could make the biggest difference. Sometimes social media can help us take those extra steps to really move forward in our lives when we need that extra push. It could be time to unfollow people who are no longer involved in our lives or have negative impacts on our mental health. 

While we imagine decluttering our social media as us unfollowing people or things, sometimes cleaning our social media can mean deciding who or what we want having access to seeing our own posts. Blocking people doesn’t always have to translate to being passive-aggressive; blocking someone can be a step toward a healthier mentality when entering social media. No more incessant thoughts that dictate how we post + use social media just because of anxiety that certain people may see it or react in ways that we don’t want. We shouldn’t feel trapped inside our platforms that were made for self-expression.

. . . 

Decluttering our phones + social media is important just to maintain a sense of organization, but it is also a way for us to feel free in our own space — not held back by our pasts ++ useless old content. A healthy feed leads to a healthy mindset.

Our favorite way to feel inspired… mantras! Mantras are short, simple sentences that serve as reminders for whatever you are working on at the moment. There are tons of ways to use mantras, like it’s repeating them over + over as a meditation or writing them some place you see everyday. We collected our favorite mantras from the FitPlan to help keep you inspired.

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#1] I am becoming the best version of myself.

#2] I will be at ease + enjoy simple moments today.

#3] I embrace chaos + creativity.

#4] Everything I’m looking for can be found within me.

#5] I am the architect of my life.

#6] I am a magnet for positive energy.

#7] I am a priority in my own life.

#8] My body is more than its size or shape.

#9] My dreams are valid.

#10] I am proud of myself.

#11] I am vibrant + full of life.

#12] Where I am is exactly where I need to be.

Have a favorite way to use mantras? Let us know!

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Feeling homesick in college is something that is often not talked about because sometimes, people who experience it are embarrassed by it. Especially during freshman year, homesickness is very common + should be talked about more. It is completely normal + okay to miss your friends ++ family at home while you’re away at school, but it is also important not to let this take away from your college experience! Here are our tips for staying positive while dealing with homesickness in college.

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1] Don’t call home [or go home!] too often — This will make you feel worse! Distancing yourself a little will help you to feel more independent, + it will also help you to stay more present in your life at school.

2] Make your dorm room or apartment feel more homey — This can be as small bringing a favorite stuffed animal or other comforting object from home or you can go bigger by turning your room into a home-like sanctuary. Create ambience by using soft string lights + make your space smell good. We love candles for use in apartments + houses, but since they’re prohibited in most dorm rooms, we recommend an essential oil diffuser.

3] Declutter your space — This goes hand in hand with making your room feel more homey. Having a ton of clutter can stress you out + make your space feel like a place that feels temporary + not great to live in. Check out our favorite decluttering tips here! 

4] Hang up photos of your family + friends — Seeing the faces of the people that you’re missing when you walk into your room at the end of the day can be just the pick-me-up you need when you’re feeling homesick. Check out more of our dorm room decorating tips here!

5] Surround yourself with loving + supportive friends — This is the biggest thing that will make your transition to college easier. As well as providing a nice distraction, these meaningful relationships will begin to make your university feel a lot more like home. Still looking for your girl gang? Join CHAARG at your university or learn how to start a chapter here ; ).

Rooting for you always,

Happy October + happy #MidtermSeason ; ). This is undoubtedly one of the most stressful parts of the semester + it’s easy to get discouraged but we’re here with some of our favorite study tips, self care activities, + motivation for you to finish the semester strong! Check out our midterm survival guide below.

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STUDY TIPS

1] Get a study group together — But don’t just socialize! Utilizing your peers can be a great way to study, but it is important to ensure you’re staying on task. Compare notes, complete assignments together, + prep for your next exam, because you know what they say: two [or three, or four] brains are better than one!

2] Give yourself breaks — This is one of the best ways to stay productive + on task, whether you’re studying solo or with friends. We recommend trying out the Pomodoro Technique, in which you get a 5 minute break every 25 minutes, with a longer 15-20 minute break after about four cycles. This has been proven to increase productivity levels + there are many apps that can guide you through it.

3] Re-interpret them — that doesn’t mean just re-write them! Make charts, concept maps, or even a presentation of the material. If you master it so well that you’re able to teach it to someone else, you’ll be all set for your exam!

Check out even more study tips here!

. . .

SELF CARE

1] Snack smart — Don’t load up on junk food while studying, as tempting as it can be. A ton of sugar will only get you jittery + distracted. Try some more natural energy sources + some healthy snacks, such as trail mix, berries, yogurt, popcorn, or pretzels.

2] Study in a relaxing environment — Find a quiet corner in the library or at a coffee shop. Don’t overstimulate yourself by trying to study + retain information in a stressful environment, such as a busy dining hall at lunch time. 

3] Treat yourself afterwards — Do something passive that doesn’t require a lot of thinking like curling up to watch a movie, taking a bath, or simply slowing down. 

Want some more self care activities? Check out all of ours here!

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STAYING MOTIVATED

1] Stick to your routine [or create one!] — Keeping the same routine is the best way to stay on the path to success, even when it gets tough. If you don’t already have one, it’s never too late! Invest in a planner + get to work! For tips on creating + sticking to a routine, click here.

2] Make it fun — Continue study groups with friends beyond midterm season, create a great productivity playlist, or get some cute new school supplies to spice up your routine!

3] Focus on your goals — Or create some new ones! Remembering why you’re in school + what you’re working towards can be all you need to get motivated again. If you’re in need of some fresh goals to get excited about, check out our tips on goal setting here.

In need of some more motivation tips? Click here!

. . .

How do you keep a positive attitude throughout midterm season? Let us know on Instagram with #inCHAARG!

While many girls join CHAARG for similar reason [find the fun in fitness, learn a workout routine, develop healthier habits, + become a part of a community], their journey stories are all unique + empowering.

This Q + A post features Alicia’s #ChangedByCHAARG story + more about her journey!

Meet Alicia, @leesh_inchaarg

University:

Ohio University — join #OUCHAARG here!

Major:

Spanish Education + Spanish Language

One Word To Describe You:

Radiant

Reason You Joined CHAARG:

To broaden my horizons on the different types of workouts that exist + to meet like-minded women with a passion for health + wellness.

Favorite CHAARG Memory:

My first ever Welcome Party! I was so nervous about joining CHAARG [even a CHAARG skeptic if I’m being honest]. When I walked into the Welcome Party, I was greeted with the absolute best energy + met some of the most compassionate, caring individuals [some are even some of my CHAARG besties to this day], so I knew that OU CHAARG was the place for me

#inCHAARG Instagram Crush:

Bailey Ambrister | NCSU Secretary | @baileya_inchaarg aka my vegan queen! She is the sweetest person I’ve ever [virtually] met. I absolutely adore her + following along on her journey! We are always swiping up on each other’s stories +  we’re currently bonding over our love for the Impossible Whopper at Burger King.

Philosophy On Wellness:

Mental + emotional health are just as important as physical health

Favorite Self-Care Practice:

Reading or taking a walk outside

2019 Intention:

To keep on blooming, no matter what life throws my way

Ideal Morning Routine:

Coffee, breakfast, + yoga on my balcony while listening to a podcast

Book Every CHAARG Girl Should Read:

The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin.

Greatest Lesson On College:

Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there! Try a new style, talk to that cute person in your class, join a club [maybe CHAARG] you’d never thought about joining, etc. All of the best memories I’ve made have been from doing something I wouldn’t normally do

Advice To Your Freshman Self:

Don’t get disheartened when the school you’re at doesn’t feel like a home. Follow your heart + change your major, change schools, meet new people, join the clubs you want to + you WILL find your niche. Don’t compromise your happiness for the sake of keeping everyone else happy.

Being #inCHAARG To Me Means:

I think being #inCHAARG is different for everyone. For me, I think it’s about keeping my life balanced. I am the busiest human I have ever met. From working two jobs, taking 18 or more credit hours a semester, being involved in three student orgs, all while making time to see my friends, eat, hit the gym, AND sleep. It’s a lot. CHAARG reminds me to take time for myself. Miss an early meeting because I need more sleep. Take a study break to see my friends I haven’t seen all week, etc. Staying in shape is great, but if your emotional + mental health are suffering, you HAVE to remember that balance + take a break if // when you need it.

How have you been Changed By CHAARG?

CHAARG has changed my life in so many ways + all of them for the better. I’ve lived my whole life believing I needed to look a certain way. I spent my whole life pinching, prodding + hating my body for not looking the way society tells me it should. CHAARG has changed this mindset for me completely. Because of CHAARG, my eating habits are better [although I do still struggle on occasion with disordered eating], I work out for fun [+ not as a punishment], + I know that bodies are NOT a one size fits all. CHAARG has given me the confidence to go to the gym alone, to lift weights in the ‘guy’ section of the gym, to use more machines than just the elliptical. CHAARG has given me my best friends. CHAARG gave me happiness + it changed my outlook on life. It gave me a passion for health and wellness that I didn’t know was possible. I will always be grateful for how much I have been “changed by CHAARG.”

Learn more about your CHAARG Chapter here + grab your membership here! <3

While many girls join CHAARG for similar reason [find the fun in fitness, learn a workout routine, develop healthier habits, + become a part of a community], their journey stories are all unique + empowering.

This Q + A post features Lauren’s #ChangedByCHAARG story + more about her journey!

Meet Lauren, @lstizzyfit_inchaarg

University:

University of Cincinnati — join #UCCHAARG here!

Major:

Medical Sciences / Professional Writing

One Word To Describe You:

Persistent

Reason You Joined CHAARG:

Recovery from surgery in the most healthy way possible AND to meet more girls that were passionate about all things health + fitness

Favorite CHAARG Memory:

The CHAARG Tour!! I went to Columbus in Spring 2019 + it was so so lovely to meet so many gals!

#inCHAARG Instagram Crush:

@yijing_inchaarg def needs a shoutout for being my rock + encouraging me to be #inCHAARG always

Philosophy On Wellness:

Move every day…whether that’s a long walk or a heavy lift [+ everything in between], eat more veggies + be kind to yourself

Favorite Self-Care Practice:

Taking a night to myself to just lay, watch a movie, + reset

2019 Intention:

Move more in new ways — to try to workouts + accept myself + my strength

Ideal Morning Routine:

Waking up around 7 am + drinking a cup of coffee + working on work in the morning light

Book Every CHAARG Girl Should Read:

The Art of Racing In the Rain by Garth Stein [the movie is very good, too!]

Greatest Lesson On College:

Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there! Try a new style, talk to that cute person in your class, join a club [maybe CHAARG] you’d never thought about joining, etc. All of the best memories I’ve made have been from doing something I wouldn’t normally do

Advice To Your Freshman Self:

Hang in there.. .you’re going to be okay. And you’re going to grow a tumor + come out on top

Being #inCHAARG To Me Means:

Living every day in the best way possible to help curate my happiest + healthiest self

How have you been Changed By CHAARG?

CHAARG has changed me because it has given me the freedom to move in new ways, but also allowed me to always have a workout buddy. Our chapter is super active + I have made my best friends through CHAARG, honestly. What you get out of CHAARG is what you put into it — if you’re an active member + go to events, you’ll have way more fun than if you don’t. CHAARG gave me a safe space to be my healthiest self + to safely get back into shape after both surgeries

Learn more about your CHAARG Chapter here + grab your membership here! <3