Sisters-in-Service
Are you a women veteran who feels unseen and unheard? Do you struggle with finding your purpose after service? Sisters-in-Service is a podcast that gives women veterans the platform to talk about those exact issues and more. Hear from other veterans, military spouses and Veteran Service Organizations (VSO) just like you that have overcome their transition from the military. Every Tuesday this podcast encourages women veterans to stand up and be counted because as a group we have a voice. From your host - Cat Corchado - The Voice Connecting Women Veterans
Sisters-in-Service
Empowering Wellness with Cat Corchado: From Air Force Veteran to Fitness Innovator
Discover the transformative journey of Cat Corchado, as she shares her story from Air Force veteran to a pioneering movement specialist in this enlightening discussion. With Kim White from My Sexy Business as our host, we explore how Cat's military background has uniquely shaped her approach to fitness, emphasizing the power of personalized modifications and the importance of feeling good in one's body. Kim's deep appreciation for veterans adds a heartfelt layer to the conversation, highlighting the positive impact Cat's fitness philosophy has had on her own health journey. Our dialogue focuses on empowering individuals by meeting them where they are in their wellness journey, encouraging a sense of accomplishment and vitality after each session.
Prepare to be inspired by a revolutionary concept—the 11-minute daily fitness challenge—designed to make exercise more accessible, especially for beginners. This simple yet powerful approach offers activities like walking or dancing, helping to build motivation and confidence over time. As the New Year approaches, we invite you to join the January 11-minute fitness challenge, created for everyone, including those recovering from illness or injury. Explore the supportive Yacht Club community, offering both live and recorded workouts to fit any schedule. Plus, enjoy a free trial week to experience the offerings firsthand, reinforcing the belief that it's never too late to start your journey toward wellness and embrace the idea of pursuing your dreams.
Welcome everyone to our recent episode of Sisters in Service. You know me, I'm Kat Corchado, but we're doing something a little bit different today. Today, on Sisters in Service, I am the guest and I'm being interviewed by none other than Kim White from my Sexy Business.
Speaker 2:Hi Kim Hi Kat. We have Kim Hi Kat.
Speaker 1:You have a reversal of roles today.
Speaker 2:We do, we do. But what a great like yes I got from you. Thank you for saying yes, because I think this is an important episode.
Speaker 1:Well, thank you, kim, this is weird and exciting at the same time. Oh, thank you, Kim, this is weird and exciting at the same time.
Speaker 2:Well, kim, I have several questions I just want to ask you, because some of them I know partial answers to, but I want the whole story.
Speaker 1:Oh, you want the whole shebang.
Speaker 2:I can get you that. I can give you that. Well, my very first one is I know that you're an Air Force veteran. I know that you are a fitness guru and a movement specialist military.
Speaker 1:I went in under what's called general don't ever do that for anyone who's listening. Never go under general, because you'll you'll get whatever is left over. So I started out doing shift work. We we are doing 12 hours on, 12 hours off and then two days. So we did two on, two off, 12 hours, two days and then two days off. And my body said, no, this isn't going to work. But I had to do it for, I think, three years, no, two years. I had to do it for two years and then I was allowed to cross-train and I thought, wow, a project manager sounds amazing. So I cross-trained into communications project management. So what happened was for those of you that don't know, I started my fitness routine or my fitness career while I was in the military, and so I was a communications project specialist and now I call myself a movement specialist. I kind of wondered how I got that name so quickly, Kim. Now I get it.
Speaker 2:But I love it, kat, because you were, you know you and and I want to say for the record, I am not military, I did not serve, so I have a different viewpoint and I just want to say thank you to everyone who's worn the uniform that's listening, because I feel like I am in like royal. I do. I feel like I am in like royal, I do. I feel like I am amongst royalty with all the people who have served and done such incredible things. And, kat, I know you like very well and I know you still serve in so many ways, helping, you know, in different ways yes, in different ways, in different ways, in different ways. But your movement specialist is the one that impacted me because you have helped me so much on my health journey and so I feel like everyone should know how, how amazing you are and what a movement specialist is and does for other humans.
Speaker 1:Oh well, thank you. First of all, thank you for saying thank you for wearing the uniform. I love that phrase and I just believe and this didn't come for a long time, but in my heart I believe that everyone has the right to feel good in their body. You have that right. And when I see people who are you know, you might be overweight, you might be obese I don't judge. All I can think about is, oh, they must feel horrible, feels horrible like their body, and I want so badly to help them so that they feel better in their body. And the problem is that they've gotten so used to feeling bad that they've forgotten what it feels to feel good in their body.
Speaker 1:And I really want to reintroduce people to wellness, because this is basically part of fitness, is wellness? This is part of the wellness is to feel better in your body. When you feel good in your body, you feel like you have energy, you feel like you can do a lot of different things. And it's through that, my passion for that and my passion for understanding where people come from, and what I mean by that is when people you know, I try to meet people where they are, when they walk in the door. Which is why I always ask this question, kim, and you know this question how's your body? And you say fine, and I'll say how's your energy level, on a scale of one to 10? And then it changes. Oh, I didn't sleep well last night, or I was up all night, for whatever reason. And so that's where I start. If you tell me you're a four, we're going to start at a four, because my job, I feel, is to help you feel better walking out than when you walked in you have a sense of accomplishment.
Speaker 1:We both feel good, we're both happy. My job is complete at that point.
Speaker 2:And you prove that every week. Kat, like when I leave I always think I can't do all this stuff, you say. And then when I get done doing all these things, I'm like I did that I can do that. I feel like you are such an empowerer, you are a powerhouse number one, but you share that that power with others by helping them understand their own bodies. And there's a lot of times you'll tell us and I'd love to like have you elaborate but a lot of times you will tell us see how that feels. And I've been in classes where they just scream at you and they tell you to push, push, push, and I've also been injured, push, and I've also been injured. And I think that you take that fear away from me in class because I don't want an injury that takes me so much longer than if I can do something the right way.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. I think in classes I like to and everyone likes options. You know, a, b, c give me an option, and so I try to show all different kinds of modifications for an exercise, and because people who attend class are all different levels of fitness. So why am I just going to show one way to do something when I can show different ways depending on how you're feeling and depending on your fitness level? If we're just stretching during class, which I have done yes, because I've been a little less than in my energy level, you know, just I call it moseying around in the stretch, just finding out how that feels in your body, and then you start to breathe and then you realize your body is doing exactly what you want it to do because you're giving it the chance to do it.
Speaker 2:So Well, kat, I want to. I just can't say enough. Good things, things. That's the first thing I'm going to say. I can't say enough. So when I came to UCAT, I needed help being able to get recover from an illness, and I and I had an injury that was old. But I needed like adjustments to figure out how I was going to be able to do stuff. And just for the record I want everybody to know, I was having trouble walking one block and that is not a joke. I was having a really hard time and, kat, I figured up just so that we could do this episode. I am doing more than a hundred miles a month and more than a hundred flights of stairs a month now and that's amazing.
Speaker 1:No, seriously, congratulations to you. People always say oh, you know you've helped me and yes, I did. However, you had to put the work in. You had to do it. I can't do it for you, but you allowed me in so that I could help you.
Speaker 2:Well, I'm going to I'm not going to push back too hard so that you don't but I am going to say this cat, I, I could not believe that I would be able to do this, and that was one of the biggest problems and I think you do so much for and I'm gonna flip back and forth between, like military, um, you know that are transitioning. You talk about that a lot. The things you do. I feel like you also transitioned me from believing I couldn't to being in awe of, yes, I can. And I feel like that's the same thing you talk about on the podcast.
Speaker 2:For, you know, for people who are leaving the military and going back to a civilian life, that is a scary proposition. If you've done something a long time, like you did, that that's really hard. But I think the same is true for our health and wellness, if we believe that we can't do something for a long time. And then you show us, you know, even if it's tiny steps, because that's how, that's how I got here. It wasn't big drastic things, it was. You showed me, step by step, I could get here.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. I think that when I introduce someone to exercise, you have to take those baby steps and a lot of times they you know, they look at me and go. You know, that's it, that's all we're doing, and sometimes it's not that you can't do it. I have so much faith in people coming to my class, but I also pull them back because we get excited right, like, oh, I'm going to start walking and I'm going to walk a mile. And I'm not saying you can't walk a mile, but what I am going to say is cut that in half to a half a mile, because it's not the doing, that's the issue, it's the recovery, that's the issue. So I don't want you to walk a mile and then for four or five days you can't do anything. I'd rather you walk a half mile and within a day or two you're like wow, I feel good, that's so much work, that's more. So you always tell us, kim, to slow, slow down, to speed up. It applies to fitness too.
Speaker 2:Who knew Kat? Who knew? Well, if someone is listening Kat to that, that has been in the military and this is me as a civilian talking. So if I say something I shouldn't, or say something silly, please just tell me out loud. But I feel like going into the military, you have to be so fit and you're constantly living up to that fitness level that when you get out of the military, in my mind and maybe this is not the truth, but in my mind I think how hard is that to continue that fitness level and that health level when you get home and nobody is requiring it of you?
Speaker 1:It's a lot harder because the military makes you accountable, because it's all about the readiness of the team, the readiness of the troops, that if we have to go somewhere we're fit to go. A lot of people coming out of the military maintain it and a lot of people coming out of the military just let it go, and I don't know why. I wish I did know, why I understood how feeling better was affiliated with the working out, that if I wanted to feel better and I had to keep up with my son, I had, you know, a child. You can't just not have any energy with the child. But I knew that if I was fit with a child, but I knew that if I was fit, that I could, you know, be there for my, for my kid, because that's that was the requirement in the military you have to take care of your dependents.
Speaker 1:But it was something I thought was very true to me. It was right, in line with what I wanted, because I came out of the military wanting to get a traditional job, a desk job, and after getting a lot of no's and a lot of waiting, I kind of quick, pivoted and talked to my husband and said, hey, let me, I've been doing this fitness thing for a while. Let me see if I can, if I can make some money at it. Can I do this? And I haven't looked back since.
Speaker 2:And you've been rock star and ever since. Let me say that Thank you.
Speaker 1:Kim.
Speaker 2:Well, I am grateful, like I am grateful for the opportunity that I have to like ask you these questions so that people that listen to the podcast actually can understand. You know some of the connections because you have special episodes that I love, called why Not Wellness, and you bring up all kinds of topics. I'm going to go to one, and I'm sorry I don't have the number in front of me of the episode, but it's on the difference that 11 minutes can make. Would you speak a little bit to that, because I feel like that is such a powerful motivator, for you know, it's not two hours a day.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. I was just talking about this with another person who was in the same field and if I'm talking to you, kim, and you have never worked out before, and I said, oh, we're going to work out an hour once a week, that's intimidating to go from zero to 60 minutes, because then it's oh, I'm not sure I can do 60 minutes, and then all the doubt starts to pull and then all of a sudden you back out and there was a study that was done about high intensity interval training and they did 11 minutes. And I don't know what the rest of the story was, because I didn't read it, because I had this huge idea. I don't know what the rest of the story was because I didn't read it, because I had this huge idea, and I thought what if we flip this? And said anyone who is new to fitness, what if they did just 11 minutes?
Speaker 1:And it doesn't have to really even be exercise. Maybe it's walking, maybe it's dancing in your chair to your favorite music. Maybe it's dancing in your chair to your favorite, you know music, maybe it's doing other things, but 11 minutes, 11 minutes sounds more palatable than 60 or 45 or even 30 minutes. Because you think, oh, I could do 11 minutes, right, sure, I'll do that. And so then you pull them in that way, and then they do 11 minutes and they go. I think I could have done 15 minutes. Oh, I think I could have done 20. And that's when you start to build that motivation, that confidence that maybe, maybe I can do this a little more, maybe I can do this once a week. So I think it opens the door.
Speaker 2:It's a great opening of the door and Kat, I'm going to tell on you I hope you don't take this out of the episode, but I am going to say that it is soon coming to be the beginning of the year and there is an 11 minute challenge coming and I think everybody needs to know it. So Kat didn't know I was going to say anything out loud and I'm kind of rogue y'all, just so you know how I am.
Speaker 1:And just so y'all know she goes rogue all the time. I just want to put that out there. Well, you know, the beginning of the year is always everyone does what New Year's resolutions? Yeah, throw those out the window, okay, just don't even do it. But a lot of times when you want to get fit, you know you join a challenge and again it's what? 30 minutes, 45 minutes an hour. But I'm going to be doing a fitness challenge in January. That's going to be 11 minutes a day. It's going to be for a week, just to get you jump-started, and I think it's just an amazing way to introduce people to fitness where they go. Wow, maybe I can do this. You're going to need no equipment, just your body. It's going to be super simple, because I think simple makes it easy and if it's easy, people will do it. And I think we're going to have we might have some prizes we might have. I don't know, I'm still. I'm still in the, in the. How do you do it, kim? Like this, like Hmm, I'm umming ulterior motives, that is.
Speaker 2:We do a lot of ulterior motiving around here and, for those of you who can only hear the audio, we run our fingers together. Like you know, we know something that others don't yet. It's the Cheshire Cat, yes. So Cat knows something that others don't yet and she's going to be sharing. So if you're out there and you have been, even if you're working out already, this 11 minutes can be a game changer for something different.
Speaker 1:Yes, absolutely.
Speaker 2:If you have been suffering with illness or injury. I believe this also can help, because that was me. And then I also want to speak to those who you know they might be going through cancer or cancer treatment. And, kat, you blew my mind whenever you shared like what we're capable of. That actually makes us feel better when things are going on like that. So I'm just putting it out there that, if you are, you know, if you're looking for something different and you want to change in your life, new Year's resolutions are really New Year's lies most of the time, because we say that and then we never do it. But this is the year Let 2025 be your year to connect with Kat in a bigger way and join the challenge. I'm excited, kat, I'll be there the whole time.
Speaker 1:I love it and don't be. I mean, if you want to have a chat with me, let's talk, let's talk. If the challenge isn't for you right now, I get it. But I also want you to understand that you can be in that mindset to start. I'm going to be showing all kinds of modifications, so don't think that you can't do it. And you know, if you are having suffering from an injury or recovering from an injury, always please make sure that you've talked with your physician and or your physical therapist to make sure that this is appropriate for you. And you know, maybe you want to join, but you just kind of watch. You know your. What do you call them, kim? Those people that just watch from the outside? You know, just to see what it is. I get that. So I'm one of those. Know just to see what it is, I get that.
Speaker 2:So I'm one of those people, kat. To be honest, I'm one of the ones that, like, is an outlier sometimes, because I don't know if I want to be part of something or I don't know the people in a group, and so I need a little bit of time, and I hope that this challenge opens that door for you know, people to come in and see what an amazing community you built that we affectionately called the Yacht Club.
Speaker 1:We do.
Speaker 2:And it's a place where you can come in. If you don't want to wait till January, like if you don't want to wait till the new year, you can come in and join the community. And I am there, like I love it, because Kat not only has options of times where she works out live with you, but she also has recordings, so that and can I just make this confession? Kat has recordings, so that and can I just make this confession, kat? This morning I got there and like I really needed a video instead of working out live this morning because of my schedule. And Kat is so supportive. She's like, of course, you know, and I think that that is so different than some of the the. I'm just going to be really rude for a second, kat.
Speaker 1:Oh, this could be interesting. Thank you.
Speaker 2:Well, I've had, I've had a personal trainer before. That was it was really about them. It wasn't about me and they, they, like I really did suffer through a lot of pains. I didn't need to, and you've proven that. So I just look at that and I think, if you have ever experienced that that's not what this is know, make that clear that it's not a session where you come in and you don't want to hear any excuses and all of that.
Speaker 2:I think most people want the health that they need and if they see a path to get it, then it's not about not being disciplined or not being. It's that we can't get from point A to point B without harm. We really don't want to be harmed.
Speaker 1:Or even just finding a place where that feels good while you're working out. You know, I always tell people I have a no perfection policy in place and that's for me because I'm not perfect, so I don't have those expectations of anyone else. It's a place to be and move, and you know we giggle and we laugh and we work out and and you'll hear me whine a little bit. Oh, okay, I whine a lot, but it's me being real. Okay, people put trainers and all these other people on a pedestal. You're a trainer, so you know this and that and that. No, I have days when I don't want to get up. I have days when I'm tired, I and all those things that you feel. I feel and when you come in and I always ask people. You know how's your body, how are you feeling? And you know some people. You know they're there, but they're really tired. Their bodies beat down a little bit and they're like okay, I'm really tired and I'm like go back to sleep. I've banished people, haven't I, kim? You have.
Speaker 2:I've been one of them.
Speaker 1:Let's go back to sleep, because you obviously need to rest. I mean, think about it this way how frustrating is it to not have any energy? Someone is yelling at you to do push-ups, burpees, whatever, and you just don't have it. So it's not only frustrating for you, it's frustrating for the trainer. If they care at all, they're going to see you struggling and either modify or say you know what for today, let's just leave it out. And I think, because I've been there and I understand what that feeling is, you want to be there mentally, you want to be there, you want to do the thing, and your body just says no, not today. Okay, okay, then take a day off. Start listening to your body. It's important for me, for everyone listening not only to this episode, but for anyone who's in the community, anyone I come in touch with, that you start to listen to your body. Your body speaks to you all the time.
Speaker 2:Start to listen, and that is not being lazy, kat, this is the part that I think you are magical for is. You know, I think growing up because I've always been overweight, like I've been heavy, and I think people would look and say you know, you're just lazy, you need to work out more. You need to do that when there's harm being done physically in your body. It's not very easy to get motivated and I have had seasons of of doing it, but, kat, I'm in my, I'm in my third year with you and I have no lack of health and wellness now, Like I, I am so excited about what my body is. My body can do things. I didn't know.
Speaker 2:But you also have others that have been with you for more than a decade. I think of a couple of them that I know of for sure have been like I think they're in their fifth year with you. I think this is the difference we're not here so that we can get in our skinny jeans by summer or we're not here. We're here because it changes our lives permanently. We're healthier because you're in our lives. So thank you for everything you've done for me personally and for everyone in the community that I watch you change their lives.
Speaker 1:Well, thank you for saying that, kim. You know it's hard sometimes when you're tired, because your body doesn't understand if you're mentally tired or physically tired. You just know that you're tired, and so I have a 10-minute rule. Tired or physically tired, you just know that you're tired, and so I have a 10 minute rule. And the 10 minute rule is if you're going for a walk, if you're going to the treadmill, whatever it is you're doing, if you cannot finish 10 minutes, like if you're so tired that all you can think about is putting the weights down and go to bed. Go to bed A lot of the time. You know what'll happen. It's almost like the movement clears the fog in your brain and your body wakes up and says oh, we're working out.
Speaker 1:So there have been times when that's happened for me also, but there are also times when I've been unusually tired, and I'm honest about that. In the yacht club. I don't try to be perfect. I just say you know what, guys, I'm really feeling low energy this morning. And so when I say that, when a trainer says that, when someone in my position says that, what does that say to you, kim? Oh, wait, you're asking the questions.
Speaker 2:Look at you flipping the script, but I think that when you do that, kat, it gives me permission to do the same. An example of you're not going to judge me because I'm struggling with something or I'm, I am having a hard week or whatever it is, and I have been banished before and what?
Speaker 1:in a loving way, by the way.
Speaker 2:I will say, kat, you can kick our booties and laugh and make it all better, like it's like sweet, sweet and like serious.
Speaker 1:It doesn't take a lot to feel movements. I like things that are so simple, but yet you feel it immediately. And you can do all the fancy things, but a lot of people can't do those fancy things. I can't do all those fancy things, but I love simple. And when you get to simple then you can start to build on it if you want to. But I think it's important to just know what your body can do right now. And even when you get to a point where you might have a workout that just sucks, for whatever reason, don't say wow, I suck. Look back to where you were six months, nine months, a year ago and say, wow, that long ago I couldn't even do this. I didn't even know what a rep was. I didn't know what. You know, I've never used weights before. So never put yourself down. Always look back and say, wow, okay, I started that. Look what I'm doing now and I have to remind clients of that all the time. Remember when you couldn't do this. Oh, yeah, I remember that.
Speaker 2:Well, I'm remembering Kat, I remember and I appreciate it. I think anyone who's listening. Get ready for the challenge Like 2025 is going to be your opportunity to get into shape in a way that you didn't realize you could. If you are interested in doing it now, instead of waiting always waiting for a monday, always waiting for a new year, always waiting come join us in the yacht club. I'm just gonna put that out there, and if you want someone who truly cares and will change your health forever, that would be Kat Cortado. So freaking fabulous, kat. Thank you for letting me interview you today, and I just want everybody to know she had no idea what I was going to ask or what I was going to say.
Speaker 1:But I also want you to know that I give away a free week because I understand that I'm not everyone's flavor, that not everyone would like me will like me.
Speaker 2:I don't know why that is, but I get it, I get it Right, I'm like, wait, you're supposed to like me, but it's just a try before you buy.
Speaker 1:And I love it. I get it Right. I'm like, wait, you're supposed to like me, but it's, it's just a, it's a try before you buy, and I love that, don't you love it? Like, let me try this and see if it's what you want, what you can do. So I'm just going to put that out there. But, kim, thank you so much for this special episode, this special podcast episode, and I always end my podcast episodes with you know, please, stay safe, take care of each other until next time and please, please, remember that it's never too late to start your impossible. Thank you, kim.