Mandie, welcome to the LYB team! Let’s start with a few questions.
How did your fitness journey begin?
I actually came to fitness a little later in life. I struggled with body dysmorphia and disordered eating throughout my teens and early twenties, and it was only after I took my first strength class when I was 25 that I started to look at fitness through a lens enjoyment rather than punishment or aesthetics. I was hooked from that first day, I felt stronger, I built capacity, and I found the community I’d been looking for. Shortly after that I started running, and that’s been my sport of choice for almost 7 years now. I still strength train (especially important for injury prevention for runners!) and I try to do something different 1-2 times/month to keep challenging myself and trying new things.
Why do you love being a part of LYBF?
The two standouts for me at LYB have to be the sense of community; and the knowledge and capacity of the members and team. I was welcomed so warmly in my first class (even before I signed on to coach) and you can see that extended to everyone in the space. I also love to be challenged. I’m the first person to admit I don’t know everything about anything, and the knowledge base is so vast here that there’s always someone I can learn from and talk through things with.
Any advice for new clients?
The race is only with yourself. It can be so intimidating to start something new with other people around. It was one of the things I struggled with most when I started coming to classes. But no one is judging you, and everyone’s there to help. The more you focus on your own capacity and your own goals, the easier it will feel to just come to class, work hard, and connect with the people around you.