Chrissy Chard is an Assistant Professor with the Colorado School of Public Health at Colorado State University, with a focus in Community and Behavioral Health. She is also the co-founder of Smart Fit Girls, Inc., a non-profit adolescent girls’ empowerment program. She received her PhD in Human Bioenergetics in the Department of Health and Exercise Science at Colorado State University. Her research focuses on physical activity and psychosocial health in adolescent girls and community-based participatory research. She has much experience in health and wellness coaching, both in a clinical setting as well as with the general population. Chrissy resides in Fort Collins, CO with her husband, 2.5 year old daughter Lucille, and one-year old son Jack. She enjoys leading an active lifestyle through lifting weights (or her children) and family walks to the park.

IG: www.instagram.com/smartfitgirls and www.instagram.com/chrissy_chard

FB: https://www.facebook.com/smartfitgirlsinc/

Website: www.smartfitgirls.org

8:40 Chrissy's Background in Public Health

Expanding the vision of what health is and who is involved

Learning about “health equity” by intentionally engaging with communities

12:15 Food Deserts

Going into a community and thinking - “What can we learn from you?” and “What are your strengths?”

Mutually and equally coming together as one to raise everyone’s bar

14:00 A Non-Profit for Adolescent Girls

The beginning of Smart Fit Girls, an organization built to empower girls by embracing their bodies and gaining notable feelings of belonging and worthiness

21:00 Addressing Body Image

Acknowledging the systems at play in today’s society that are misrepresenting true body size, shape and color

“If we don’t push for broader representation of body image in the media, we will never be able to feel good about ourselves.”

27:00 White Feminism/White Privilege

Paying attention to our first thoughts of stereotyping, questioning where that judgment came from and then correcting it

A reminder to stay uncomfortable: “My ability to walk through the world comfortably is one more example of my privilege.”

36:00 Impacting Smart Fit Girls

“The most important outcome from this program is that these girls come out feeling like they are worthy, period.”

Supporting the Self-Determination Theory of competence, autonomy and relatedness

41:00 Introducing Girls To Strength Training

Debunking stigmas by introducing girls to strength training as early as elementary school

Creating a progressive overload and benefits as the children continue to grow

48:00 How to Help the Development of Body Image

“The best thing moms can do is model loving themselves.”

Supporting Smart Fit Girls through upcoming events

51:00 Spirit Animal

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