class led fitness.

Four years ago, I was in a pretty dark place. Depressed. Picture this: six months after my third ACL surgery, I was overweight, stuck in a dead-end job, and just collecting a paycheck. Stuck in a cycle of mediocrity. The year was 2020, and your boy was wasting hella money on DoorDash, had no community, no routine, and zero accountability. I knew I wanted to get in shape, but hiring a personal trainer was too expensive, and I lacked the knowledge and discipline to do it on my own. I was also lazy.

Then I discovered class-led fitness.

I started going to Orange Theory Fitness. It’s a great gym with science-backed workouts. But what really hooked me was the concept of class-led fitness. I love learning from educated instructors. I thrive on being pushed by a coach, and it’s a lot more affordable than one-on-one training. I NEED STRUCTURE AND ACCOUNTABILITY, and I’m honest enough with myself to admit that I can’t figure that out on my own. But I can commit to planning a class, putting my shoes on, and showing up. If I do that, I know I’ll get a good workout in.

Routine, accountability, structure and education.

That said, find what works for you. There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to fitness. Aim for five hours a week of planned activity for your physical health. Here are some examples:

• 2 fitness classes, 1 family hike, 10 minutes of daily walking.

• 1 bike ride, 2 open gyms, 1 soccer game with friends.

• 4 fitness classes, 5 minutes of daily walking, 5 minutes of daily stretching (this is my current routine).

THE BEST FITNESS PLAN IS WHAT WORKS FOR YOU. Start with the end in mind, trust the process, and understand what it takes. As they say, “It takes what it takes.”

One love.