Mark Fisher isn’t just a gym. As someone who suffers from anxiety and depression, I often feel uncomfortable trying new things, and from the moment I walked through those doors (even though I was so terrified – I made a close friend accompany me out of fear), I felt safe. I have found a home at Mark Fisher Fitness. Over the last year, I have committed serious time and energy to my health and hotness, and I have been guided by a group of people who are almost mythical in nature. I never would have believed this was possible a year ago.
I came to MFF seriously lacking in self-esteem. Through Snatched, I learned that I had the willpower for the changes I wanted to make, but that my body is a beautiful work of art already. As a woman so disgusted by who stared back at her from the mirror, a woman who could only see the blaring imperfections, not her body as a whole, I think that change in philosophy was one of epic proportions. And because I had begun to develop this love for my body during Snatched, I then yearned to make it stronger, not thinner, but stronger. I wanted to know, I needed to know, what I was capable of doing.
The hard part was when those six weeks were up and it was time for me to take more responsibility for my progress. Snatched was great, but the time after is what has defined me as a person. It’s a little harder to get to class, to be disciplined in your diet, to show up for yourself every single day, day after day. Yet, with the amazing staff to greet me every time I walked in, and the trainers always there to answer questions and push me, I was able to do just that.
I find comfort in the mantra “1% better every day.” Slow, steady, and consistent is the name of my game. This was the polar opposite of every other time I have tried to “get in shape.” I have tried every crash diet, I have worked with nutritionists, I have been to many gyms, and I was always looking for the “quick fix,” and food always felt like my enemy. But today, I have a better relationship with food, and my body, and I believe it is because of MFF. I am able to embrace who I am right now and work with a growth mind state. All the times I wanted to quit, all of the times I back slid and gained a pound or two back; I never gave up, because all of those times paled in comparison to the days of choosing 1%, to the days of showing up and getting better and that’s because each day I was walking into my safe space. Now, I look forward to going to the gym… which is something I never in a million years saw myself saying!
This Clubhouse has taught me more than how to get a good sweat session in. It taught me how to let go of perfection; I’ve learned about balance, and perseverance, and acceptance. I still can’t believe this place is real. This gym is truly one in a million. I love every person who is a part of this Grand Unicorn Experiment. I love the fuck out of this place, and I am eternally grateful that I made my friend walk with me to the weird gym he worked out at, so I could ask about Snatched.
Here’s to BELIEF, and UNICORNS, and getting 1% better, because that 1% adds up over time to GLORY.