Strength, Resilience & Growth, the SRG Fitness Way with Certified Personal Trainer, Sophia, Rose Gigante

Sophia Rose Gigante is a Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Sports Nutrition Specialist, and owner of SRG Fitness. She has recently added author to her accomplishments, with her book, “Strength, Resilience, Growth: How I Defied Physical and Mental Limitations and Took Control of My Future.” 

Sophia was born with a brain disorder and was told she would face multiple limitations in her life. But at  just 22 years old, Sophia created her own business, SRG FITNESS, which is a personal training and nutrition counseling wellness studio located in Westchester, New York.  

She builds training programs and nutrition plans that are specifically tailored to each individual. And brings all aspects of health and wellness into her clients’ lives. She has also expanded her business worldwide through virtual training.

Sophia believes that everyone is entitled to health and wellness. She wants everyone, especially the “underdogs,” to always feel strength, resilience, and growth when walking into SRG Fitness. 

Sophia has been featured on News 12, and in many publications including The Hydrocephalus Association Blog, which we will discuss in more detail in a bit. 

Sophia Rose Gigante put the SRG in SRG Fitness.

Get Sophia Rose’s book is available on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3wrIQ2N

Follow her success on social media: 

Instagram:  @srg.fit

Facebook:  https://bit.ly/3moKjCi

YouTube:  https://bit.ly/2Q0Va9B

Linkedin:  https://bit.ly/3sZmraR


Follow me on social media: Instagram: @avis.boone
Twitter:  @avisboone
Website: https://avisboone.com

Transcript

Hey there beautiful people. I'm Avis Boone. So glad to have you join me here on that's how we roll the podcast where we go behind the curtain up on stage or out in the world and talk with professionals, entrepreneurs, business owners, organization leaders, creatives and artists, about their business, their creativity, their goals, and about their lives. And hey, whatever else we want to talk about, so sit back, relax and enjoy.

I am so honored to have this incredible person as my guest today. So fear Rose giganti. She's a certified personal trainer, certified sports nutrition specialist, and owner of SRG Fitness. She has recently added author to her accomplishments with her book, Strength, Resilience Growth, How I Defied Physical and Mental Limitations and Took Control of My Future. Sophia was born with a brain disorder and was told she will face multiple limitations in her life. But at just 22 years old, Sofia created her own business SRG Fitness, which is a personal training and nutrition counseling wellness studio located in Westchester, New York. She builds training programs and nutrition plans that are specifically tailored to each individual and brings all aspects of health and wellness into her clients lives. She has also expanded her business worldwide through virtual training. Sophia believes that everyone is entitled to health and wellness. She wants everyone especially the underdogs to always feel strength, resilience and growth when walking into SRG Fitness. Sophia Rose has been featured on News 12 and in many publications including the Hydrocephalus Association Blog, which we will discuss in more detail in a bit. It is my great pleasure to welcome the woman who put the S-R-G in SRG Fitness. Sophia Rose Gigante. Welcome, Sophia, and thank you so much for being here with me. 

Hi, thank you so much for having me. I'm honored.

Thank you. I just want to say too, that your initials, the name of your business, the acronym for the title of your book, and the wonderful message that we should always have in the forefront of our minds is strength, resilience, growth. I just love that.

Yeah, I love it too. I think that you know, it's important. From a branding perspective, it's always, I think, important to put yourself into your brand. So that's why I wanted to utilize my initials. But then also, I just I didn't want my initials to just stand for myself, I wanted it to stand in what I believed in what I worked so hard for and what I I make my clients work towards and, and it just worked that it was strength, resilience and growth. 

And that is such a perfect message. And it can just carry over into so many aspects of everything. Because we always have to remember to do this and, and this past year was definitely a time for strength, resilience and growth. Yes, our words are powerful, a very powerful message. Your journey is such a perfect combination and package. And it is no stretch of the imagination, how this very mindset has led you to beat the success that you are. But this journey wasn't easy. You had three different physical and mental limitations in your life. Can you talk a little bit about that? 

Yeah. So, um, when I was first born, I was born April 5 1998. And my birthday is actually next week. So I'll be 23.

Oh, happy early birthday.

Thank you. I was born with something called hydrocephalus. It's a brain disorder. And I had my first brain surgery at the age of three weeks old. So that, you know, was very stressful for my parents as new parents. And you know, as a baby, I had to go through a lot my first couple of weeks of life. And because of the hydrocephalus, I was then diagnosed with hypotonia, which is like sort of a low spectrum of cerebral palsy. And I always had trouble walking, I had years and years of physical therapy, I used to have to wear our feet braces. And so you know, physical, the physical aspect of my life was never easy. And then on top of it all, when I was eight years old, I was diagnosed with a seizure disorder, which thankfully, today I have grown out of but I would say that out of the three health conditions that I have, the seizure disorder, for me was was the hardest growing up with because it was always kind of like walking on eggshells, like you didn't know when the next seizure was going to happen. And I've had a lot of, you know, bad experiences with it. So thankfully, now I've grown out of it. I will always have hydrocephalus. I'm always what's called shunted. So it's when it allows the cerebral spinal fluid to go through my body the way it's supposed to go, I'll always have that as a health condition. And I was able to, you know, get myself stronger with the physical limitations. I always have some balance a little off or, or things that I want me to work a little harder than everybody else. But it's never stopped me from not trying,

No, it has not. You're always going to have certain things that will, in our life in general, that will just keep us a little keep us guessing, keeping us going and trying to impede our process. But that's a that's a, that's a tall order. And you've done that you've started something, you've done something amazing with that. What led you to get into fitness, I know you mentioned about the muscle tone. So that could have had something to do with it. But you could have chosen anything.

So when I was in, when I was a freshman in high school, it's kind of when everything for me started to calm down, I, I was getting taken off the seizure medication. And I was you know, just just trying to live a normal life. And when you go to an all girls Catholic  high school, you know, it's hard because you don't want to be the underdog anymore. And for the four years of high school, that's what I was. But you also look at yourself in the mirror differently as a 14 year old girl, and you see things about yourself that you want to change who you don't like your weight, or you don't like the fact that you're slower than everybody else. And at that time, my mom actually was, you know, she was using Weight Watchers and going to the gym a little bit. So she kind of encouraged me, she was like, you know, you don't play any sports, why don't we start going to the gym. And you know, the first couple years of high school, when I would go I would do the typical, you know, high school girl on the treadmill, do 30 minutes. And that was about it. You know, I didn't know a lot about fitness, which is okay, that's why people weren't about it. But I started to have this feeling that even though I didn't really know what I was doing, I was finally doing something for myself. And I was finally in control of my body in a way that I've never been before. So that's why I really started to, you know, fall on fit. And then when I, when I graduated high school and started college, I started meeting a lot of people that were really into fitness, who sort of led me to learning about it. And funny story, I was actually for the first two years of college I was in school to be an engineer, totally different from what I'm doing now. And I'll never forget, just because I started getting into the gym so much I started making friends with, with people in the gym. And I'll never forget sitting in my engineering class and all the kids were talking about building bridges and this and that. And I was sitting in in class and I was creating my workout for the next day. And at that moment, I knew I was like, I'm not doing something right. This isn't, I'm not supposed to be doing this, I'm supposed to be doing something else. So that's kind of where I made the switch. It was in college when I realized that fitness wasn't just fitness. And for me, I started seeing you know, what great things fitness was doing for my body. And I was like, Well, why can I do this for somebody else? 

That's very true. When you're active. When you do fitness, you do notice things about your body, you notice that? Hey, this is working a little better. You know I have my balance is better. This is better, because you're you're actually growing stronger from the inside out. 

Right? 

You mentioned before and I wanted to, this is I'm just going to backtrack a bit. When you mentioned that one of the illnesses stayed with you that you will always have the hydrocephalus because it has to do with spinal fluid. Is that what you said? 

Yes. 

And so does that still require some kind of surgery, or just requires you to just always watch out for it or something that may strike at any time? Is it anything that you have to go back that you have to get surgery for?

So I'm very lucky. There are a lot of people with hydrocephalus that unfortunately have gotten hundreds and hundreds of brain surgeries in their life. I've only had to get one revision in my life so I'm very lucky. But you know, as I'm going now and knock on wood, and I hope this will always be for me, I won't have to have any surgeries because I am very healthy. My my brain is doing fine. But there are things that I'll always have to just, you know, for instance, one of my hobbies that I love to do is boxing. I love boxing. I, I do it all the time. I do it every day I box on the heavy bag, but if I were to go in the ring, probably not the smartest thing to do with my brain. So just little things like that. 

You can box as long as the bag doesn't hit back.  Correct?

Exactly. Pretty much.

Well, good because we don't we don't want anything more than and we're claiming that that you will not have any more surgeries. We are claiming that right now. So,  hydrocephalus, hypotonia strambismus.
Strambismus. Now that was when I was younger I was diagnosed with strabismus, it's basically I have a lazy eye. So I had to get a couple of eyes surgeries. So at one point I was walking around with an eyepatch and with feet braces, and I looked like a pirate when I was two years old.

So you had fun with that around the house, right?

Oh, oh, yes,

That's a list of conditions that that is, is a big list for just about anyone but especially for you as a child. So growing up, do you have siblings? And just just how was it growing up with all these things? You know, were you alwa ys in the hospital? Were your parents always, does somebody have to stay home with you or something like that?

So I, I'm an only child, I'm the only one. And I have two parents, my mom, my dad, and they have done everything for me to make sure that my health conditions never got in the way of my daily life the best that it could. My mom, she worked from home my whole life. So she would take me to all my physical therapy appointments. And you know, every doctor's appointment that I had, both my parents were always there. And there were points in my life where I would have to go into the hospital for testing or for surgeries or, or things like that. Or if I had a seizure, and we didn't know why I would have to go to the emergency room. But they were always there. And they were always very supportive. And, you know, it's it was the three of us. So that's basically you know, what I remember, and I'm grateful for that. And I think that it was very hard for them, obviously, because not only are they new parents, but they're new parents with with the kid that has all these different health conditions now. So it was very stressful time for all of us. And it was a long time.

You already afraid when you bring a new kid home, and you don't know what to do, but especially one that is so fragile from the beginning. So I can imagine that it was a very stressful time for them. Well, these were just a few of the hurdles that you for you to jump over. And you did just that. And look at you, you're an adult now. And as I said earlier in your intro that at 22 years old, you started your own business SRG Fitness, so you were clearly motivated. And you were not defined by any of the setbacks that would have sent someone else running and screaming. So how did the, how did having these disorders motivate you and keep you motivated as you were going through because you mentioned engineering, and then you saw my fitness did to your life, and you know, for your body.

So when you go, I would say I would say you know by the end of high school. So when you go 18 years, not having control over your body and having to miss functions because of doctor's appointments and testings and things like that. And then you finally see that you're healthy, and you can get even healthier. I think that's the biggest motivation to try to get even better, no matter what you can do. Like, for me, it's like, if I ran three miles yesterday, I'm gonna run four today. There's no reason why I can't do if I went through all of that at such a young age, the littlest things when I think of fitness, and when I think of health and being in control of your health, I think that's the least of people's problems compared to what I and what other people with health conditions have to go through.
That's very true. So COVID has changed the way everyone looks at everything. So now we are in a virtual world right now. And so now everybody that was doing business that can never think or know you can't work from home. Everybody's working from home. So how has COVID changed the way that you will continue to do business in the future? You started doing virtual training because of COVID. 

Right, exactly. 

So now so this is a very impactful thing for your business. So how will you do it going forward, because this is fantastic. Now people all over the world can can just walk right into SRG Fitness.

So, when I, when the pandemic first hit, I'll never forget, it was sort of a few months after I just had opened up SRG Fitness and you know, I was, I'm 22 years old, I still have all these emotions, like I'm still 22 at the core of it. So when something like this rocks your world, I mean, it rocked everybody's world. But for somebody that's young, it's like what do I do? Like, oh my gosh. So I remember sitting in the parking lot, and I was about to take on my last client before I had to, you know, know that I had to lock the doors and we were we were about to go in and she saw that I was so upset and she said to me Well, I don't want to I don't want to stop training. And I said, well, we're gonna have to and she goes, why don't we just do it over FaceTime and I looked at her, like, she had 10 heads, and I thought she was crazy. I was like, well, we could try. But I mean, I don't know how it's gonna work. So she said, she said, Sophia, you built this from the ground up, she's like, don't give up on yourself, and don't give up on your clients. And when she said that, to me, it really stuck with me because she's right, I can't give up on when I worked for and I can't give up on the the accomplishments that my clients have gotten. So we tried it. And it worked. So I reached out to a couple other clients, and it worked for them. And then word got around, and it worked, it worked. And then all of a sudden, I was training people in Ireland, I don't know how it really happened. But it happened. And, you know, COVID, for many businesses, unfortunately, it was, it was very tragic. And it made a lot of businesses close. But for my end, I was lucky enough that COVID was probably one of the best business things that had ever happened to SRG Fitness because it allowed me to realize that I can train not just in Westchester County, I can train where I live, I get training everywhere I get trained, I get trained in all these different states. Now I'm training in 10 different states, three different countries. And the cool thing is that, you know, as COVID is calming down, people are coming back to the studio, which I still love doing in person training. And I'll always be doing that. But the the people that I trained that were virtual, just because of the circumstances, they are going to be clients now forever, because they like virtual training. It's not it's not a compromise anymore. It's well, this is my new thing. I like to be home training. Even though one of my clients lives in New Hampshire, she's still gonna train with me. She's not going in the gym, she's training with me.

Well, the client that motivated you, she is a motivator, and she is your cheerleader. She should be on the payroll or something because I you know, you got the right motivator at the right time. And sometimes, like you just you didn't see a way you just saw that, Oh, I'm gonna have to close my door. But this client that was saying no, what do you mean, you have to close the door. And a lot of times, you know, we we get information or we get some kind of new revelation from just someone that believes in you. Because because she was a client, I don't know if she was a longtime client or not. But she saw something. And she had a belief. And there you go. And now look at you FaceTime to Zoom to do Google Duo or whatever, you know, you you you are doing that.  Wow. So let's talk a little bit about your book. I'm going to include everything about your book in the show notes. And this was to your younger self.

Yeah, that's what I did. I dedicated the book to my younger self.

what more deserving person. 

Right. 

So, your the things that have happened in your life, the way you grew up, the illnesses that you have all these things you talk about in the book. So we want everybody to buy the book, but just why did you feel the need to put this on paper?

Well, what happened was, I have always been very closed off about my past. I believe it or not someone who wrote a book about it, I never talked about it, anyone ever, never brought it up, people went all throughout high school, not even knowing that there was anything wrong with me. But as I started becoming a trainer, and I started training people with special needs, because I just sort of had a knack for it. And I guess it's because I, you know, had physical therapy and all this stuff. I found myself starting to open up about it to people because I found that if I opened up, it started to make them feel better and give them motivation. And then when I started opening up to them about it, they were really happy and grateful that I did and felt strong. And they really inspired me that like there's nothing to be ashamed of, of what you went through. And your story might actually help people. So I'll never forget, like, I had this idea in my head to just like, start writing about it. And I was like, yeah, maybe when I'm 30 I'll write a book about it. And then I said that to one of my clients and she was like, Why wait, she was like, just do it now. So I did 

Was this the same client that told you to FaceTime your, your classes?

No, but it wasn't really it wasn't just the client who made me want to do it. It was, it was a, it was a collection of a lot of things. And you know, sometimes when you hear other people and like, say that you can do it just it motivates you even more. I always wanted to do it and I started to do it a little bit. But then when I when other people were really intrigued by my story, I was like, you know what, okay, it's time for me to get this out there.
Some valuable life lessons, what is something valuable that you can, a life lesson that you've learned, just going just in business, you know, in your life?

Well, if I could offer any advice, it's that nothing should stop anyone from their dreams, their goals, their aspirations. T hings are going to get in the way, and things are going to make you take turns in life. And they're not, they might not end up the way you thought. But, you know, if you're born with something that at one point you were told you can't do, there's no reason why you can't try. And you should always, you should always listen to your heart and your gut. And if you have a dream, and and if you have a vision for yourself, just go after it, the worst that can happen is that it doesn't go through the way you want it to. But I guarantee if it doesn't go through the way you want it to, it's going to lead you to something better. That's what I feel like happened with me with COVID. It didn't turn out the way I thought I didn't think I would be here a year ago. But it's even better than where I thought I would be.

That is very valuable, indeed. Because we didn't know. And look what has happened. I think your your story is similar to to quite a few people that have said the same thing. You know, it was a chaotic situation. But out of this chaos came something wonderful. 

Yes. 

What continues to motivate and inspire you?

So, you know, when you wake up early every day, like I do and wake up super, super early before the sun rises, and you get your workout in, and you know, you have all these, you know, training sessions ahead. Sometimes it's like, oh, I could do that. Or I could lay in bed all day. But then it's like, well, I there was a time where I was in bed for a long for a while, and I was not capable of doing a lot. And that wasn't a choice. So why would I choose that now?

Yeah. Well, your story certainly is one of empowerment, inspiration and motivation. And it's a very powerful story. And I can't wait, I really want to get your book. 

Yeah. 

Well, I will definitely put the link to it in the show notes for everybody. Any words of wisdom?

Well, if I could say one thing, I have it tattooed on my ankle, I have it written in my book. It's my all time favorite quote from my favorite movie, Rocky, and it's to keep moving forward.

Wow...keep moving forward. That's a great way to end. Sophia Rose Gigante. I'm so thankful for you being here today for you talking to us, and sharing your story with us. And we will talk about this book, we're going to get the book in everyone's hands so that everybody will know about it. And hopefully you get some more clients. I'm going to include the link and everything to SRG Fitness so that you can get into shape and we're just gonna wash and just train everything from 2020 out of our bodies and minds. Thank you so much for being my guest here today. Sophia,

Thank you so much for having me.

Thank you so much for taking the time to listen checking out the podcast. Thank you for inviting me into your space. And until next time, I hope you will continue to thrive, grow and be kind to yourselves and be kind to others.