Taking the Alternate Route with Irene Iron Fitness
Written in collaboration with Christine Willers, Co-Owner and Coach at Irene Iron Fitness
It’s no secret that vanlife has been on the rise in recent years. And, with more opportunities in remote employment, and online business–who wouldn’t want to take advantage of waking up in a new exciting landscape everyday. Especially considering you could improve your health by decreasing the stress of standard routines and expenses.
We recently caught up with Irene Iron Fitness Creator, Christine, who is a perfect example of this nomadic life: a fitness trainer & lifestyle mentor. We sent Christine packing on her winter journey across the U.S. with some of our top-selling wellness products, in exchange for her honest opinion and feedback on her favorites. So, whether you’re looking to find relief from your last workout, unwind after a long day, or begin your life on the road–Christine has some helpful tips.
Keep scrolling to read our interview with Christine and learn about her journey into the world of fitness, vanlife, and alternative wellness products.
Disclaimer: The following statements were edited slightly for clarity & brevity with Author’s approval. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of the Author’s and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Turning Leaf. The product reviews are sponsored by Turning Leaf, but reflect genuine experience with the products.
Meet Christine
What inspired you to start your nomadic lifestyle?
If you looked at the life my husband, Aaron, and I were living in 2014, you could say we were “Living the American Dream.” We have both been working longterm careers in Minneapolis [MN], making good money, and climbing the corporate ladder. As we continued to accomplish higher professional success, our stress level grew with it. We got to the point where we looked at each other and asked, “what are we doing all this for?”
Meanwhile, people we loved and cared about were passing away at young ages. Family members and friends losing their lives in their 30’s, 40’s, and 50’s, for various reasons. It was a wakeup call that we were destined to live our lives differently than the norm. We wanted to take advantage of our years together while in our physical prime. After all, nobody is guaranteed life on this earth tomorrow. It made no sense to wait to retire to fulfill our dreams.
Our apartment kept getting smaller and smaller. We started with a 3,000 foot house, and eventually ended up in a 700 sq ft apartment. Even the 700 sq ft felt huge for us. We became minimalists without trying. On the weekends we would park our cars and do everything on foot and bike. Even in the winter time we walked Bde Mka Ska every single Saturday, never missing a session. Strength training was my passion, so in 2016 I became a Certified Personal Trainer with NASM. It was a hobby I did in my free time, to be able to “train myself”.
In 2017, Aaron and I watched a documentary on Netflix, Expedition Happiness. It is about a German couple who traveled from Alaska to Mexico in their converted school bus. Aaron looked at me and asked me if I’d ever do this. My eyes lit up and I said, ‘Yes’ immediately. It was the first time we agreed on the direction of the next chapter in our lives. We instantly knew that we wanted to be van-lifers. Vanlife was growing in 2017, and we craved the free-spirit and adventure that the lifestyle embodied. Once we had this idea planned, things got serious.
We continued to save, and work [on] our “exit plan” from corporate life. It was an easy decision to start Irene Iron Fitness to be our new small business to make money on the road. I had no intention of making personal training a career, it just worked out this way.
Christine Willers
Co-owner and Coach at Irene Iron FitnessIn December 2018, we purchased our Sprinter Van. We had enough cash saved up to live off of for at least three years, as we launched the new business. In January, 2019, we left Minneapolis during a blizzard, for an “indefinite amount of time”. We honestly didn’t know if it would be one year or ten years we would be gone. Six months into our travels, Aaron started filming me cooking in the van for Irene Iron Fitness. I always wanted my own cooking show (haha), and so I loved it. The healthy cooking didn’t really take off on YouTube. But you know what did…RV lifestyle vlogs! So, our YouTube channel became “Irene Iron Travels”. We never intended to have an RV Channel on YouTube. Now, Aaron’s full-time job is running Irene Iron Travels, while it is my full-time job running Irene Iron Fitness. The two worlds run together, and have so much synergy.
If you are considering taking the leap, stay focused, and keep your eyes on the goal.
It can take time to save, create, and build the life you want. Stay patient and enjoy the planning stage. The planning stage is so exciting! Don’t let other people’s negative thoughts or feedback discourage you. I’m a huge believer that you are in control of your life. You can’t always control what happens, but you are in control of how you react, respond, and move forward with your life. Life is short, and life is precious.
What have been the biggest benefits to your lifestyle change?
At first, it was freedom. Vanlife was adventurous and sexy. We could live life on our terms, really LIVING. It taught us a lot about what really matters in life. Things that most people take for granted in traditional homes became our life line on the road: having water to drink, electricity to power your lights and fridge, heat, hard walls, septic systems. RV life makes you really cherish the simple things in life.
As the years went on, we changed our living situation on the road a few times. We spent 2.5 years living in a van, 6 months living in a roof top tent, 1.5 years living in a travel trailer, and now 1.5 years living in a 5th wheel. Embracing change in life is something a lot of people don’t do well…now we thrive on change.The biggest benefit for me personally, is finding my purpose in life. Coaching people is my passion. I’m literally changing peoples lives and helping them live longer, with a higher quality of living. I never imagined the intrinsic reward that would come with this. While Irene Iron Fitness changes peoples lives through healthy lifestyle changes (mentally and physically), Irene Iron Travels changes peoples lives through imagining the possibilities…Inspiring people to take that trip, or go on that journey.
Tell us about your Fitness Challenge: Progress not Perfection (PNP)
The Progress not Perfection (PNP) Challenge is a sensible approach to building strength, optimizing energy, and breaking free from the all-or-nothing mindset. It is a pragmatic program that focuses on the positives to keep you going in your journey, one step at a time.
This 10-week program starts on January 6th, 2025. It includes strength training workouts, daily step goals, cardio goals, habit based nutrition coaching, a complete nutrition curriculum to educate you on what you should be eating, accountability, guidance, and a community of awesome people in our private Facebook group.
Sadly, Americans are sicker than ever before. So many of the chronic diseases that people struggle with can be prevented/reversed by eating less processed food, eating more real (whole) foods, strength training, and moving your body.
Strength training is the key to metabolic health, longevity, and aging with mobility and independence. Most adults, specifically women, aren’t strength training at all. Diet culture has warped our minds to shrink our bodies, focus on being skinny, and chasing arbitrary numbers on the scale. It is my mission to change what “normal health” looks like. We aren’t meant to be sedentary and sick. It’s my goal to help people get strong instead of skinny, feel better physically and mentally, and do it in a way they enjoy and can sustain for the rest of their life!
WANT TO JOIN THE PNP CHALLENGE?
Learning Leaf readers receive $10 off enrollment!
Checkout with Promo Code: TL10.
Connecting Paths with Turning Leaf
How did you become interested in Wellness Products from Turning Leaf?
I first discovered Turning Leaf through a (real life!) friend on Instagram, and loved that it is a Minneapolis company that ships nationwide. Born and raised in Minneapolis, I love supporting MN companies, and it makes me feel more connected to my home state, even when I’m away.
This summer, we traveled through Canada in the RV for two months. Crossing the border back into the US is notorious for being strict with items such as meat, veggies, and cannabis, so we didn’t have any of those items during crossing. Once we were back in the states we were parked in Indiana for a bit, so I was looking to restock my wellness products from an online source.
I love that it offers several brands all in one site. So I can shop my favorite brands and have one shipment come through instead of multiple shipments through multiple vendors. Shipping can be a difficult challenge as a full time nomadic, so I appreciated the fast shipping. I also loved the little touches that TL does, with the stickers on the box, and hand written notes from employees.
Christine’s Picks
Best All-in-One: BLNCD Recover CBD Oil
BLNCD Recover CBD Oil in 2500 MG. The big kahuna. This organic cbd tincture is potent. I use it for a variety of reasons such as supporting healthy sleep, and soothing pain associated with long hiking sessions. Using the CBD for soothing pain has allowed me to drastically back off the ibuprofen.
Best for Post Workout: Foundry Recovery Stick
This muscle + joint relief stick is the real deal. I was blown away at how intense the mint and menthol are in this little guy! I love to use the recovery stick on my clean feet after a grueling hike, then put socks on and let the stick do its magic. It’s also really great on my neck and tops of shoulders, where I carry a lot of tension. A little bit of Foundry Recovery Stick and my tension headache melts away! The stick application is perfect, so you don’t transfer the menthol to your fingers and eyeballs.
Best for Unwinding: BLNCD Beverages
BLNCD Beverages are my favorite way to relax. I love that they are calorie free and sugar free. There are so many great flavors to choose from, and it’s wonderful that there are CBD only options, if THC isn’t your thing. I like to keep my fridge stocked with these, to have non-alcoholic options around at all times.
Best for Motivation: BLNCD CBD Roll-on + Essential Oils
BLNCD CBD Roll-on + Essential Oils have me swooning. I am currently enjoying the RELAX scent, but can’t wait to try out the other Aromatherapy scents: FOCUS, ELEVATE, & RELIEF. Since I do all of my coaching online, sitting at the laptop can be exhausting. I like to use the aromatherapy as a mood lift and a little pick me up.
Tips for Ordering from Turning Leaf Online
Give yourself extra time to really scrub through all of the different products on the website.
There are so many gems in there! From beverages, tinctures, gummies, sticks, roll-on oils, and skincare items.
Take advantage of the beverage deals to buy 4 and save $4.
This is a great way to try out different brands and flavors.
