REI LEIGH HARMER Rei Leigh Harmer, originally born in Michigan but raised Austin, has
GABRIELA BOGNER Gabriela Bogner, a Texas girl by nature but a Brazilian at heart, has been passionate about holistic health and athletics throughout her entire life. She played competitive sports such as volleyball and cross country during her upbringing, which built into her an undeniable passion for challenging herself. In 2012, Bogner embarked on a four-year journey in the NPC as a bikini body-building competitor. She fell in love with the sport from the very start, while gaining an invaluable sense of self-discipline. After a first-place win at Texas State Naturals and a top ten placement at nationals, Bogner decided it was time to turn in her training belt and redirect her focus to finding everyday balance. Transitioning to normality after years of a restriction-based approach to life wasn’t easy at first — in fact, it’s still a mental and physical hurdle to this day. It has taken extensive time and determination to rebuild the mental image of how “fit” and “healthy” should look. It can be
thrived in her career while consistently committing herself to her fitness goals. Her aspiration for fitness and health have been a part of her life ever since she can remember. While growing up, Harmer was very active and she developed a deep-rooted appreciation for teamwork and sportsmanship. Her competitive nature grew stronger and stronger into not only bettering herself but empowering other women as well. Togetherness and community have always been a top priority for her, and that has shown through her ability to connect with others through exercise. You can always count on her to bring the girls together for a cycle date or lifting session. In the summer of 2014, Harmer was involved in a life-changing car accident which left her in a wheelchair. Her life completely changed overnight, as she had to learn to walk again. After many months of physical therapy, she was finally able to walk normally again
and regain the strength for basic physical activity. Her traumatic experience led her to live her life by the words “any day that involves a workout is a grateful one.” Physical therapy led to healthy lifestyle change across the board for her. She realized more than ever how vital it is to appreciate her health and how easily life can flash before your eyes. Every day was a hurdle, but she overcame it. “Everyone is going to encounter their setbacks in life— it’s how you move forward that sets you apart,” she says. Harmer is now able to enjoy all of the activities that she partook in before her accident such as cycling, weightlifting and small group training. She enjoys having an accountability partner, as she and her business partner aim to do at least one weekly work out together. The two ladies run two very successful businesses in the Domain together, Massage Sway and Organic Bronze. They are very fortunate to have each other, in good health and in bad.
a slippery slope to get caught up in selfcomparison, social media and the idea of being “perfect.” Making the shift from old thought patterns were a true test of her ability to master self-love. As the years went on, things began to change for Bogner. She battled several health challenges such as breast implant illness, thyroid deficiency, and multiple digestive disorders. During the summer of 2018, she made the decision to have her implants removed, which was a milestone in turning her health around. Since then, she has found a new joy for life and continues to implement holistic healing in her everyday routine. She lives by the simple words, “if it’s in God’s will,” as we are not guaranteed anything in this life. She hopes to be a pillar for other women who have encountered breast implant illness and is forever grateful to return to her everyday life of running Massage Sway and Organic
Bronze with her business partner, Rei Leigh Harmer. Entrepreneurship and health have grown into an even deeper passion for both women, individually and together.
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