"Wow," is the lasting impression I have from the Rise & Roar event, hosted by Release Your Roar and Glow Up, Sister for the very first time. I was a bit hesitant about attending, but I took a leap of faith and embraced the idea of opening up to explore how to address trauma healthily, both physically and emotionally.
My experience with nutrition and physical exercise goes way back to high school. It started with a limited understanding, leading to body dysmorphia and an eating disorder, which left me hesitant about returning to the gym or following an eating plan. However, I had a feeling that attending Rise & Roar would offer some valuable insights, and even though I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect, the event was appealing to me.
On a chilly Saturday morning, I dragged myself out of bed and made my way to Walsall Rock Centre with a friend. We were greeted by the warm smiles of early risers from the Glow Up, Sister team and the caterering and hosting team from The Jikoni. They served delightful overnight oats with flavours like apple, hazelnut, and Nutella. I thoroughly enjoyed that, along with a cup of warm tea, perfect for the cold English weather, as we networked with other ladies who were also enjoying breakfast.
We were then ushered upstairs to a beautifully decorated hall, each seat adorned with a goodie bag—who doesn’t love goodie bags? Inside were healthy snacks and discount vouchers, and by this point, I was already surprised by how healthy my day had started. At my table, I met women from various walks of life, and we got the chance to chat as we moved into an icebreaker filled with questions like, “What’s one empowering song that always boosts your mood?”
Next, we were introduced to Helena, the founder of Release Your Roar. She shared her personal journey with weight loss and overcoming an eating disorder. She spoke passionately about her approach to health from a holistic perspective—one that doesn't retraumatise but uses trauma informed practices to offer safe and supportive coaching. Helena introduced us to six key principles for identifying individual needs on a healthy living journey: safety, trust and worthiness, choice, collaboration, empowerment, and cultural consideration. We were then given a case study to practise with, which was so helpful in reshaping how I thought about health choices and recognising my own traumas with nutrition and exercise.
Before the next session, The Jikoni served a delicious lunch of chicken teriyaki with rice and a mango salad. It was so tasty that I wanted seconds, but I didn’t want to be too full for the rest of the day! After lunch, we had a Q&A session with a personal fitness coach and a female entrepreneur. Their answers were incredibly insightful. I asked about journalling and was given helpful advice on how to start, along with tips for easing back into exercise. There was one quote that stuck with me: “Don’t make it about your goal; fall in love with the journey.”
Throughout the day, I snacked on the goodies provided, building up my energy for the final part of the event—the active session. Helena led us in a ‘Legs, Bums and Tums’ class, and it felt amazing to move my body. I almost forgot how much I enjoyed being active!
Overall, the Rise and Roar event gave me exactly what I needed. It provided truths and helped me begin rewriting the beliefs I held about fitness and healthy living. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and can’t wait for the next one.
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