Today’s Friday’s Featured Female is the very sweet, smart and very athletic Gillian@That’sG (soft g in Gillian BTW).  I met Gillian at FitBlogLA and her great smile and sunny personality made her a person I definitely had to get to know after the rush of meeting a whole slew of people was over.  I’m so glad that the blogging world has brought this fun girl into my real life.  Gillian and I did a 2 hour hot yoga class together not long ago and even though we weren’t in the same van together, we were part of the same Ragnar team just last month!   I’m amazed at how Gillian does all that she does and has a smile on her face.   I’m inspired by her and I know you will be too.

So……….have you met Gillian?

Hi everyone!  I’m Gillian and I blog over at That’s G.

I was lucky to meet Melissa through our blogs a few months ago.  We recently had a blast running Ragnar together — and I am so honored she asked if I’d want to be this week’s FFF!
I thrive on being busy — when I was little my parents used to comment on how I didn’t “do well” when I was bored — and I am the exact same way now.  I am in my last year of law school right now (well, actually I am graduating in two weeks, so really I am in my last finals period right now) so that takes up a lot of my time, but I also make fitness a priority.
Here’s what I deem my “side hustles”: 
Back on My Feet

I run 2-3x a week in the morning with Back on My Feet in downtown Los Angeles.  Back on My Feet is a program designed to get people tackling homelessness or life post-incarceration literally back on their feet through running.  We start “morning circle” at 5:30 a.m., run a few miles together, stretch, and generally just have a good time.  At first waking up that early seemed like an insurmountable obstacle, but I absolutely love starting my day on an inspiring, energizing note.  It is also amazing getting the day started early — I have time to make breakfast and peruse my favorite blogs before heading to school.

Teaching Spin Classes

Last summer, I decided to cross something off the proverbial bucket list — I got certified to teach indoor cycling/spinning classes and began instructing shortly thereafter at a local gym.  I only teach two classes per week, so it’s not a huge drain on my time.  Instructing gets me in the gym and is so fun — I basically lead my own cardio party with my music and they pay me to do this? Awesome.
Working Out

A self-described “fitness fiend,” I live by a quote I once heard from Matthew McConaughey: “my rule is to break one sweat a day.”  If I’m not spinning or running with Back on My Feet, I’m meeting up with DTLA Running to log some miles or hitting my gym for a Body Pump class.  I love training for races — I recently ran the LA Marathon in March.

So how do I “make it work”? 

• Make Time.  I’ve heard so many of my classmates say: “Oh, that’s so good you still work out…I used to work out/play sports/ before law school, how do you find the time?”  If something is important to you, you will find the time.  Some of these tricks have worked for me:

• Penciling in my workouts to my planner
• Planning workouts for the week on Sunday
• Getting a workout buddy.  This is HUGE for accountability, and it makes it more fun.
• Pick a race to train for — it’s no fun to run that 5k feeling terribly out of shape.
• Follow people you look up to on social media — the “if they can do it, I can do it” mentality is amazing.

• Prioritize.  For me, I know that some days some things have got to give.  I knew I could not train for a full marathon my second year of law school because I was bogged down with a full-time externship and way too many extracurricular activities to list.  I still fit in exercise regularly, but I knew the stress of a full marathon would have to wait. That being said, a one-hour workout is not a huge time sacrifice — and makes the rest of my day studying more productive and efficient.

• Confidence seeps into other areas.  With fitness, I have a “can do” attitude — I know if I work hard, I can accomplish whatever it is I am hoping to.  I was not always athletic — I was a total bookworm in elementary school and did not develop into a runner until high school.  Running and fitness has showed me, though, that if I put in the work I will see results and meet my goals.  That confidence extends into other areas, including academics, and has definitely helped with my success in law school.

• Organization.  I am definitely not the most tidy person on the planet, but I am organized with my schedule.  I use my iCal and hardcover Moleskin for all of my different due dates, exams, meetings, workouts, and blog responsibilities.  In terms of studying, it also helps me to have a plan of attack for each exam so I know how to spend each day.

• Be mindful of your time.  It’s a great rule of thumb to say “yes” as often as possible — I’ve met people and been afforded opportunities that way — but sometimes when your body or mind needs a break, it’s perfectly fine to say no.  Listen to your body and take care of it when it needs a break.

I hope that gave you a little glimpse into what my life is like!  Besides law school and fitness, I also enjoy obsessing over pop culture, Dodger baseball, beer (IPA for me please!), and exploring LA.  You can follow me on Twitter (@gillianbcn) and Instagram (@gillianbcn) and keep up with me at That’s G!

How do you “make it work”?  MB Note:  I don’t “make it work” well at all.  I could use all the help I can get so please share your strategies!