30/10/2025
Confession: I was FB “friends” with Carissa and Fresh Fitness for many years before I took the plunge and contacted her in February. This year after recruiting a friend to try the classes out with me for a week as I had to do something. I had tried walking on the treadmill at home but never quite made it. I needed to move again and start treating my body and my mind better. So, I messaged her, embarrassingly my last message to her years before was staring me right in the face and I had never taken up her offer of coming for a trial – see the classes in action. This time I did. I am so grateful I did.
I turned up to the first session early after a very unsettled sleep and a very early alarm, I was greeted with the biggest smile and an even louder “good morning” I said – “Oh you are one of those people” and we are all so lucky she is!
I expected the 6am classes to be tough to get up for, cold in winter and to be out of my comfort zone, what I did not expect was to be totally embraced and supported by the most beautiful bunch of misfits that the 6am starts are now a habit, and most days I spring out of bed eager to come to classes, mostly for the laughs and predominantly because I have decided to commit just one hour a day just for me. An hour that I am proud to give myself. My body and mind are better for it.
I was not expecting the positivity that comes with the classes and Carissa has a knack of knowing just what you need and when you need it. For me, as a client I need a bit extra, I have had many fitness journeys, both successes and failures so I bring with me battle scars and a deep lack of belief within myself which results in lack of motivation and the ability to give up easily. I haven’t even told this to Carissa but somehow, she knew. She goes above and beyond to check in – asking things like “what can I do to make this week easier for you?” She is generous with her time and knowledge and truly cares about her clients not just in the allocated class time. Fresh Fitness is more than just running or lifting weights it is a community, all with different abilities and different goals but somehow, they have become my 6am friends – people that help me through the sessions when I don’t have the motivation and the people that make me laugh even when I am in a plank.
I owe Carissa and more importantly myself, an apology for not starting 5 years ago, for being on the fence and not believing in the Fresh Fitness community or myself.
If you are on the fence, jump over! Give yourself an hour just for you. You will only regret not doing it sooner.
