42 JUSt OUt
CULTURE
............ ▼
unning from meeting to interview, Nikki
Becker of Miss Fit Adventures meets with
me just hours before leaving to lead a
group of women on a hike into the Grand
Canyon.
“I never planned on having an office,” Beck
er says, gesturing around the space in Portland’s
East Bank warehouse district, which is filled
with bright colored yoga balls, exercise equip
ment and photographs of women smiling from
mountain peaks or amid white water. “It’s a gcxxl
place for women to come to meet each other, to
get to know each other, before we embark upon
an adventure together.”
Miss Fit is a program
that encompasses outdoor
recreation and physical
and nutritional training
while building a spirit of
support and camaraderie
among participants.
Whether hiking, snow
shoeing, cycling or moun
tain climbing, Beckers
vision is simple—encour
age women to take control
of their health.
In between mapping
routes, booking accom
modations, planning
menus and preparing
ftxxi, the Portland les
bian readies women of all ages and fitness lev
els for adventure. “I want this to be a life
changing experience for women,” she asserts.
R
Sense of adventure
stays together as a team, and there are no airs
of competition. The point of the program is to
support, not try to outdo each other.
“We eliminate the idea of competition,” .
Becker emphasizes. “Whether on a hike or a
by J odi D arby
bike ride, we make an effort to take time to
enjoy what we’re doing and enjoy each other.”
Miss Fit’s clients range in age from women in
Miss Fit aims for results that reach far
sustaining a shoulder injury and began to focus
their early 30s to mid-60s. The eldest client is 91.
her energy on helping others.
beyond the cut of this summer’s bathing suit.
An Oregon native, Becker stresses the impor
The programs address self-confidence, emo
Directing her knowledge and compassion
tance of being physically active as adults in order
tional well-being and the idea that good health
toward assisting women in reaching their goals
to inspire good habits in our children. “I grew up
habits affect all aspects of a woman’s life.
seemed to be the next obvious step. “I love
near the coast and at a young age had a love for
“It’s not strictly
working with people. I got to the point in my
nature and being physically active. I had rivers,
about getting into
own training where 1 was finished beating my
woods, the ocean—all right there when I was
shape,” Becker explains.
body up; I wanted to take my work and move
growing up. It’s difficult to see so many kids today
“A lot of women come
on to a different place.”
suffering from poor health, poor diet and obesity.”
to me with fears and
She puts health and fitness into perspective,
anxieties, others with
ow a National Academy of Health and
looking not at the immediate gratification that
goals that they have
Fitness trainer, Becker works with women
comes with fad diets or get-thin-quick schemes,
always wanted to attain.
individually, assessing their physical and
but at the larger picture.
I’ve worked with women
dietary needs. She creates a strategy for train
“Once we, as women, decide to break a
who’ve had a deathly
ing and nutritional counseling that is specific
cycle of the kind of unhealthy lifestyles this
fear of water or heights
to their situation.
culture promotes, we become positive role
who want to work
When you join Miss Fit, you’re a member
mixlels for the next generation. It’s important
toward conquering those
for life—working toward becoming more physi
that we recognize this and work on not only
fears. It’s the most amaz
cally fit or overcoming major lifelong fears is
positively affecting ourselves, but also seeing
ing feeling to see those
no small task. Becker understands this and is
how it affects others—how it affects every
same women kayaking
both contact and confidante; she uses her
aspect of our lives.” JF!
or climbing a mountain
degree in psychology to be a better ally. “1 want
to be available 24/7,” she notes. “It’s important
Call Miss F it A dventures at 503'957'3287 or
—Nikki Becker and loving it.”
A top-ranked javelin
to be there not just physically but emotionally.”
visit www.missfitadventure^.c(/m.
II thrower and onetime Olympic hopeful, Becker
However, she and her partner, Tina, agree
spent eight years of her life in intense training.
that the most important aspect is the group
JODI D arby is a Portland writer, graphic artist and
She left the competitive lifestyle in 1998 after
dynamic-forged through Miss Fit. Everyone
radio producer.
Miss being fit? Welcome to the club.
“I’ve worked with
women who’ve had a
deathly fear of
water or heights....
It’s the most
amazing feeling to
see those same
women kayaking or
climbing a mountain
and loving it.”
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