Champ Up Chat

Champ Up Chat is hosted by resilience strategist and speaker Chris Romulo and his wife, Sarah Romulo, a nutrition and lifestyle coach. Chris, a retired six-time professional Muay Thai champion, and Sarah, a former gym owner and wellness coach, began their journey together in a gritty basement boxing gym in lower Manhattan. Now, through Champ Up Chat, they share practical advice and inspiring stories about building resilience, healthy habits, and a champion mindset. They’re on a mission to inspire you to rise, take ownership, and Champ Up—building resilience and health for yourself and those you care about. Because in the ring, in life, and in the darkest of times, all it takes is heart.

🎙 Ep. 61 — Dancing with Uncertainty: Life Lessons from the Ring For The Fight Of Life 04/06/2025

EP 60: 5 Ways to Keep the Discipline Muscle Strong 02/10/2025

Ep 59- Why Resilience Matters 01/07/2025

Ep 58- What Are You REALLY Waiting For? 11/30/2024

Ep 57- Back From The (almost) Dead 11/04/2024

Ep 56- The Journey of Father Trauma 07/10/2023

Ep 56- The Journey of Father Trauma “It is such an odd thing to see your father and a stranger wrapped up into one person.” -unknown In this week’s episode of Champ Up Chat, we delve into the complex topic of father trauma. Chris shares his personal experience growing up with a physically present but emotionally absent father. Throughout the conversation, he discusses how his father's behavior affected him and his transformative journey to break the cycle, ultimately becoming a present and involved father myself. Therapy and self-reflection played pivotal roles in his healing process, especially when it came to forgiveness. Being vulnerable and seeking help along the healing path is crucial. Father trauma comes in many forms and can leave long-lasting effects on individuals, including self-doubt, fear, and low self-esteem. We shed light on the startling rate of children living in single-parent households in the US and delve into global statistics on father absenteeism. Drawing from Chris’s own journey, he emphasizes the importance of acknowledging and understanding the impact of past trauma, highlighting the need for open conversations on this often-overlooked topic. Chris and Sarah also explore the connection between trauma and addiction, particularly within high-impact sports like fighting. Chris shares his personal story of how he immersed myself in the world of fighting, initially using it as a means to further suppress his pain. Fighting changed his life for the better; however, he had to confront those suppressed feelings when he retired, ultimately discovering the significance of not allowing trauma to define one's identity. Additionally, Chris and Sarah discuss the current role many of us face in helping our aging parents, a responsibility that can bring up unresolved emotions from our past. So, join us in this episode of Champ Up Chat as we delve into the depths of father trauma, exploring its impact and embarking on a journey of healing and understanding. Get ready for an honest and insightful conversation that sheds light on this important issue. If you grew up in a alcoholic or dyfunctional family and and you've been looking to find a way out of the dark: https://adultchildren.org/ Send in any questions that you might have for our next Q&A episode!! Hit us up at: @alignwithsarah @chris.romulo.crom or email: Thanks for listening...Champ Up /episode/index/show/theeightcount/id/27420303

Ep 55- Pet Peeves, Being In "Fight" Shape and Cringe-talk at the Gym 07/03/2023

Ep 54- Q&A: Imposter Syndrome, Having "Heart" & Emotional Mastery 06/26/2023

Ep 53- Unwavering Faith- Eddie "Silky Smooth" Abasolo 06/19/2023

Ep 52: How To Smile, No Matter What...John Esposito Jr. 06/12/2023

Ep 51- The Energy Never Died 06/04/2023

Ep 50- Flip The Script 08/24/2022

Ep 50- Flip The Script Welcome to Episode 50 of Champ Up Chat! Being a champion isn't for the chosen few. Being a champion is for the few that choose. In this episode, Sarah and I talked about how self-talk has created your reality and guides your subconscious. Then we turn self-talk into actions, whether it is anabolic or catabolic. We all hold ourselves back because of our fear, anxiety and undesirable thoughts of; "what might go wrong?", you want you to rephrase your thoughts into; "what might be the best thing that could happen?" Establish your self-talk by setting up boundaries and creating a daily routine of flippin' the script. One way to start is by writing down your affirmations. This technique will help you improve the way you think about yourself and you will notice how it changes your energy to Champ Up! On December 20th, 2021, John Esposito was working on a highway construction crew. While standing in front of a trailer, a car careened into the work area. It slammed into John and pinned him against the trailer, instantly and irrevocably changing his life. Lucky to survive it, John underwent multiple surgeries and had both legs amputated above the knees. Not one to be deterred, John returned to the gym six months later and has continued to be a source of inspiration to everyone he meets. At first, he used his wheelchair to throw hands with us all. Not content with rest or self-pity, his fighting spirit remains unbroken. John has recently been fitted for prosthetics with the goal of one day walking again. That day is September 24th, 2022. Nine months since the accident. John is training for our fundraising event on September 24th where he will join us at Echo Lake Park in Mountainside, NJ; 9:00 am. Our group will be hiking 3.5 miles, training together and then grilling up with great food & great people. 100% of proceeds will go directly to John, and if you do wish to make a tax deductible donation, a receipt from our 501c3 organization will be provided to you. Contributions will go towards his recovery costs in the coming months & years. If you or a business you know would like to become an individual or corporate sponsor, please contact me directly. John is the guy who people love talking to. His natural warm, and welcoming presence extends to every newcomer in the gym. His laid-back, pleasant nature was only put on hold during his ferocious ring performances. His goal is to pay it forward and contribute to the next generation, which has been our organization’s goal since day one. Fighting is the loneliest sport in the world, but we’re letting our brother know that he isn’t alone on his journey. We’re all in his corner. Contact [email protected] for more info or feel free to donate to… Champ Up Chris and Sarah /episode/index/show/theeightcount/id/24156111