At the threshold of a new year and semester, many young women make one very important promise to themselves. They vow to rid their bodies of the countless Christmas cookies, enormous holiday dinners and mass amounts of alcohol (assuming they’re of age, of course) that they consumed during the latter part of 2012. They dive wholeheartedly into the pledge to be happier and healthier in 2013, ready to turn a new “fit” leaf this semester. Ohio State presents a student organization that serves as an excellent starting line to becoming fit this year. Changing Health Attitudes and Actions to Recreate Girls strives to ignite a passion for fitness in young women and to unshackle them from their mundane workout routines. Although CHAARG has been on campus a year, its accomplishments have spoken for themselves in upholding it core values.
Elisabeth Tavierne founded CHAARG last January. As a former Division 1 swimmer, Tavierne possesses both the physical and mental capabilities to promote healthy lifestyles. Her primary mission in starting CHAARG was to “liberate girls from the elliptical” and to encourage women to step out of their workout comfort zones. CHAARG hit the ground running hard and has quickly grown to more than 250 members.
The girls meet twice a week to participate in various fitness events on and off campus. On-campus events take place at the RPAC and usually feature an outside instructor to lead the girls. Last fall alone, it hosted self-defense, yoga, kickboxing and OSU’s ROTC boys in a traditional boot camp. A CHAARG mantra is “eat clean, train dirty,” with emphasis rejecting the traditional limits placed on females in the fitness world. These women exude confidence and believe they are just as, if not more, capable than men in the weight room.
The girls also visit fitness studios in the surrounding communities, host 5k runs, go rock climbing and more. A core principle of CHAARG is the unconditional foundation the girls provide to one and other. Fitness regimens continually fail due to a lack of motivation and encouragement.
In December, Tavierne launched the organization’s first expansion, heading up the institution of CHAARG at the University of Cincinnati.
With Tavierne graduating in the spring, the question of what will become of CHAARG and where the girls will go from here remains a mystery. Tavierne hopes to see the organization continue to grow and expand, reaching as many girls as possible.
“In 10 years I hope for bigger events, like a “CHAARG Warrior Dash” where CHAARG OSU members can connect and compete with CHAARG UCLA members. Although right now the focus is college women, I would love to see women of all ages, young and old, become a part of the CHAARG community,” she said.
Current CHAARG president Emelie Moeller, a second-year in business, has already proven herself worthy of the responsibility of taking the organization onto her shoulders, but thankfully she does not have to carry it alone. Surrounded by a new executive team, she and the girls intend to take CHAARG to a whole new level this semester.
These strong and beautiful ladies are CHAARGing into 2013 happier and healthier. They are not just a group of girls trying to lose weight, but a sisterhood of women who value their bodies and their health. Please visit www.chaarg.com to register (you will receive a free VSX CHAARG tank immediately) and check them out on Twitter (@_CHAARG) as well as on Facebook (Ohio State Chaarg).

Molly Tavoletti is vice president media chair for CHAARG.