I AM FTM

“I put together a Facebook group for motivation in Fitness and health. A support system. I’d like to include you. Cost nothing. Just a group to motivate. Please let me know if you’re interested. No pressure!”

I sent this exact message to a select dozen or so women friends, colleagues and acquaintances in my small network never realizing the huge step I was taking in my “fitness career”.

It was June, 2015 and I was still high from the Bikini Fitness Competition I had just participated in only a few weeks earlier. This competition consumed three months of my life and completely changed my physique through intense focused training and diligent meal planning. I was ripped and in the absolute best shape of my life. Needless to say, people took notice. Although I wasn’t big on posting to social media back then, the few images I did share sparked questions from almost everyone in my small circle. I started getting messages, texts, emails and comments from curious friends regarding my epic transformation and giving advice to those who asked.  I found that I completely enjoyed sharing my journey, my knowledge and my enthusiasm. Furthermore, these people seemed to be very receptive to the things I had to say.

Everyone’s messages touched me in a way I couldn’t explain. All I knew was that they made me want to continue with my fitness in a big, big way; they made me want to do better; to seek and crush new goals and challenges. These messages, these women inspired me and they motivated me. I was motivated to the point that I wanted to give back. I wanted to inspire and motivate them to do what they were maybe thinking they couldn’t or simply to provide company while on their journey.

So when the light bulb flashed on above my head, I took my bright idea and ran with it. I ran with the idea being that no matter their fitness level, every last one of the women looking up to me inspired, encouraged and motivated me to keep crushing it. They all motivated me the same way I was motivating them. The ones picking my brain on how to be more fit already had what it took to be fit! They were fit… they were all fit to motivate themselves, each other; they were fit to motivate me. So that’s exactly what I called our group FIT TO MOTIVATE or FTM.  

In the months that followed, the bunch of us quickly became so much more than just motivation. First and foremost, we became a challenge group- and quite competitive! I split us all up in teams and together, we participated in challenges for personal points, team points and accolades.  As we flourished, it also became our accountability, advice, support and inspiration circle. It was a sisterhood with a fitness competitive edge that kept us sweating and kept us motivated to eat better, move more and stay excited about it.

Although this private support group that started with about 20 women withered after only 2 years, the spirit and enthusiasm of it all stayed quietly alive. It was resurrected a little bit each time a member of the crew would randomly post to the group and every time someone would remark: I need a challenge- when are you doing another one?  It lingered in my memory, waiting for the opportunity to be rekindled by a new drive and a fresh perspective. 

I’m extremely humbled to say that it was from this idea that cFIT Coaching, my present fitness business was birthed. FTM, however, will always remain as a Facebook Group-not only available to serve as a platform to where any woman seeking inspiration, support and motivation can safely go but to those “boss babes” who are doing their thing and want to show us all exactly how it’s done! This is for you, this is for us! Let’s help others crush their health and fitness goals while we crush ours. And then we’ll all exclaim together: “I am FTM!”

Just a group to motivate.