Jennifer Velasco isn’t trying to scare anyone away from workouts. With Run For Your Life Fitness, she channels a love of horror into workouts that feel playful, accessible, and just spooky enough for the season. Her Frightful 31-Day Exorcise Challenge is a downloadable October guide featuring daily workouts, video demonstrations, rest days, and seasonal tips designed to help participants stay consistent through Halloween and beyond. I spoke with Velasco about building a horror-inspired fitness brand, creating the 56-page challenge, and why finding movement you enjoy might be the real key to surviving the long game.
Your brand is built around making fitness fun for your life. Why do you think adding a playful theme makes people more likely to stick to a routine?
Jennifer Velasco: I’ve spent years trying different workout routines and fitness challenges. I was extremely successful with my own fitness transformation back in 2019, but it was extremely rigid (both in the gym and with my nutrition) and unrealistic for most people.
I got certified as a personal trainer through NASM back in 2021 and started my personal training business. I learned a lot in talking with my clients about their goals and in my own fitness journey as it continued, especially as I’ve aged and in dealing with various injuries over the years. I realized that if you can’t make fitness fun for yourself in SOME way, long term, it’s difficult to stay consistent for LIFE. And that’s the goal. Long term. I want people to think of fitness as a marathon, not a sprint. So that’s kind of how Run For Your Life Fitness was born.
How important is humor and clever branding to your overall coaching style?
Jennifer Velasco: I think finding your niche is extremely important nowadays. There is a lot of “noise” out there. And there are a LOT of fitness apps and exercise programs. I created the name/brand Run For Your Life Fitness because it’s a play on my love for horror movies, and the phrase “Run For Your Life” means I want to help you save YOUR life, in whatever way that means for YOU. Whether it’s walking more or playing a sport or dancing or hitting the gym, anything to get your body moving. I feel like I’m still finding my footing in terms of streamlining my brand to be more horror-focused, but that’s where creating this October Challenge PDF idea came into play.
Writing a 56-page daily guide is a massive undertaking. How did you go about designing this? What was your process like?
Jennifer Velasco: Ever since Run For Your Life Fitness started taking shape, I have written down a ton of ideas incorporating horror and fitness. Additionally, my husband (@the_shape_of_fear_cosplay) has a side job portraying Michael Myers for film, TV, and special event appearances. We have been to a lot of horror conventions over the years, and one thing I always noticed in the vendor areas was the lack of anything relating to horror and fitness. No gym horror shirts, no good quality gym horror leggings, no gym equipment. We talked through a lot of my ideas for years, and every time we did, I made notes. There are so many things you can create that play on horror movies, iconic sayings, etc., that relate to fitness. Additionally, when I launched Run For Your Life Fitness, Matt Russell sent me some amazing ideas he came up with for my brand, so all that has been churning around in my head for a few years now.
My process was chaotic at best. I knew roughly what I wanted to sell. I created it in Canva because that was the easiest platform for me to use in making the content downloadable in PDF form. I started with my Table of Contents to kind of lay out the general format and then it unfolded from there. Every day I worked on it. I gave myself a hard deadline to get it done by because I needed to make sure it launched before October 1st, since that’s the day the challenge starts.
What is the secret to getting great results from the absolute basics without overwhelming people?
Jennifer Velasco: If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the past several years, it’s that doing the basics over and over again WORKS. And I mean that in terms of exercising, nutrition, and sleep. It sounds boring, but it’s the truth. You don’t need to jump from one fitness routine to another. You don’t need to constantly choose different exercises every time you lift. You don’t need to jump into the latest fad. Don’t buy into the “Lose 5 lbs in 5 days” or the “Do this every day for a snatched waist” gimmicks. (It’s easy to get swept up in it because it’s all over social media.) You don’t need fancy equipment. You don’t need to work out for HOURS. You can get a GREAT workout in in 30 minutes. Working out is 80% mental and 20% physical. If you can lock your mind in, the rest will follow.
And…if you have some fun along the way, then even better! For me…I hate the elliptical. I don’t do it. Ever. I don’t really like the StairMaster either. So I don’t do it. I LOVE the treadmill, so I use the treadmill. Pick a piece of cardio equipment you WANT to use or just go outside for a walk or a jog. Don’t overcomplicate it.
I love that Sunday is designated as a Total “R.I.P.” Rest Day. Why is explicit, guilt-free rest just as important?
Jennifer Velasco: Your body needs rest. Your body AND your mind need to recover. Giving your body a rest day allows it to repair itself. It also helps prevent injuries and reduces potential burnout.
A digital PDF is highly accessible, but you also included video demonstrations. How do you approach being a “virtual” coach to ensure readers feel supported with proper form?
Jennifer Velasco: With my video demonstrations I included detailed descriptions of how to do each exercise. People can always reach out to me on Instagram messages if they have additional questions too. That’s also why I tried to keep all of the exercises simple and all of them are repeated at some point throughout the month. You may not have perfect form, but that’s ok. The main goal is to just get your boo-dy moving and lifting. Additionally, I included a lot of chair modifications if mobility is an issue.
October through December can be a tricky stretch for staying consistent, especially with holiday treats and celebrations. How do you teach your community to enjoy seasonal foods without feeling like they’ve sabotaged their progress?
Jennifer Velasco: In my PDF I talk about how Halloween is synonymous with sugary treats and indulgent snacks. The best thing I can teach is to avoid all-or-nothing thinking. You CAN enjoy Halloween candy, just be mindful of how much you’re consuming. Or…swap out some of your faves with healthier/less sugar alternatives. I LOVE Swedish Fish. But there’s a great swap out there called Smart Sweets. Same with Reese’s Peanut Butter cups. You can swap those for UNREAL dark chocolate peanut butter cups.
Additionally, during November and December I know I’m going to enjoy more foods than I normally eat the rest of the year, but that’s ok. I try to just make sure I’m moving my body in some way every day. Walking is the easiest and generally the most free exercise you can do. Depending on where you live can obviously be a factor, but there’s plenty of movement you can do inside too.
The challenge wraps up right on Halloween night. What is your ultimate goal for participants on November 1? How does conquering October set them up for the rest of the winter holiday season?
Jennifer Velasco: Once your body gets used to moving almost every day, your body will start to CRAVE moving. My goal is for participants to stick with the program for the entire month which will then hopefully get them excited to KEEP moving their bodies. All I’m asking for is one month. One month of consistency. One month of moving your body almost every day. Our bodies are incredible and can do so many wonderful things. I want you to see that in yourself.
What’s your favorite recipe you’ve included?
Jennifer Velasco: I love a good 7-layer dip. That one is my favorite. Who doesn’t love a good dip! Especially because you can modify it so much to make it protein-packed, fiber-friendly and filling!
If someone doing your routine finds themself unmotivated, what’s one thing you want them to remember?
Jennifer Velasco: Motivation comes and goes. You’re not always going to “feel like it.” I want people to remember that consistency wins the day. Build healthy habits. Build structure. That’s the more reliable path than relying on fleeting inspiration.
To get into the Halloween mood: what’s your favorite movie monster?
Jennifer Velasco: If we’re talking old-school monsters then definitely the Creature from the Black Lagoon. If we’re talking blockbuster movie monsters, Michael Myers. He IS Halloween.
What is a must-watch during the month of October?
Jennifer Velasco: There’s too many! I have a huge list. I love the Universal Monster movies like Creature from the Black Lagoon and Wolf Man. I love the Halloween franchise, Scream, Friday the 13th. One of my faves is Trick ‘r Treat (2007). (You gotta follow the rules!)
How would you rate the intensity of the workout in this ebook in movie-monster chase terms?
A range like:
Slow: Romero’s zombies – Michael Myers
Moderate: Leatherface
Intense: Xenomorph or the infected in 28 Days Later
Jennifer Velasco: I’d say it’s in between Michael Myers and Leatherface. It’s a great introduction for anyone looking to start working out for the first time or get back into working out. You CAN make it harder for yourself if you like, though, by lifting heavier weights or increasing the number of reps you do!
The Frightful 31-Day Exorcise Challenge leans into Halloween fun, but Velasco’s larger message is simple: consistency does not have to be scary. The Frightful 31-Day Exorcise Challenge is available here:
We want to thank Jennifer Velasco for speaking with us.
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