limitless:

- women sparking strength through supportive words and wellness  -

By Emily Taplin, Photos By Meghan Swanson Photography -

"Chaturanga! Upward-facing dog! Downward dog!" All of the dogs are enough to get the heart rate pumping to the beat of the music and the sweat pouring to the floor with each command the instructor calls.

"Frog squat and lift!" With each minute the moves become more challenging, but the motivation is moving her.

So are the words, "You’re worthy, you’re treasured, you’re loved." A powerful message from a woman on a sweaty journey to empower other women and chase goals alongside them.

As Minnesotans we all have our own ways of coping with the constant cold of what feels like a ceaseless season. When winter comes in without so much as a Minnesota Nice "hello", some embrace it and others, like me, tolerate it.

Some take to the serenity of a frozen lake and ice shanty. Others retreat to warmer climates and resurface when the flowers begin to bloom.

Recently, I’ve found a miniature escape in the warmth of my yoga studio. It’s a place where, if only for an hour, I can trick myself into thinking it’s summer, or at the very least, spring. There, humidity and sweat fills the space until the final savasana of the evening.  

Similar to me, Emily Healy finds her wintertime happy place doing a little flow at her favorite Minneapolis studio on a frigid day. Several months back, I started following Emily, or @getfitminny, on Instagram.

I was first drawn to her account because I found it encouraging to follow the fitness journeys of those living in my own community. After a few weeks of following and loving her content, it was easy to understand why more than 13,000 others do too.

It’s about more than pictures of her conquering complicated poses in pretty places, bragging about getting in the latest workout or eating clean one hundred percent of the time. Her account is all about spreading positive energy with each modern and cleanly styled capture.

Emily tells me she started her fitness account on Instagram about six months ago as a creative outlet. She says she’s always been passionate about health and wellness and wanted the focus to be on fitting fitness into a normal lifestyle rather than forcing a life around an unrealistic training schedule.

Just two short months ago she posted this:

"People have asked why I made this account and I’ll tell you it wasn’t to get 6,000 followers. I love fitness, I love people and I love chasing my dreams alongside people chasing theirs. I’ve experienced both the destruction and the power of love and know for a fact that we all need more of it. If I can fill even the tiniest of love voids I will die happy. I’m a firm believer in the power of community and the power that each of us has to make a difference in someone’s life, and I love you for being a part of mine."

Since then, her following has more than doubled. More than that, she’s gained a community of like-minded people who she inspires and who inspire her.

But like many things we scroll through on the screen it can be easy to get caught up in a social media highlight reel. Emily drew inspiration from all of the love and support and created something that goes beyond the squares of her page. She started the new year with a new movement.

In January, she launched Limitless. A white cotton tank top makes it tangible, a piece of clothing that goes beyond the four corners of the photos on her page. The tanks are made by a friend who does screen printing in Minneapolis and the look is in keeping with her simplistic style, but the meaning behind the one word etched in black across the front is anything but simple:

Emily says the powerful word sums up the message she wants to share with women everywhere. The movement, #LimitlessTogether, is calling on all women to rise up and challenge society’s definition of beauty.