by Mason Lee Boutros
I was on the lookout for a new gym after moving to Minneapolis, and a good friend brought me to Alchemy for my free week. I’m going to be honest, I went with the intention of using the free week, and then probably moving on to the next place. However, much to my surprise, I was hooked after my first ring row! I could tell from the start that Alchemy wasn’t like any other place I had been before; the coaches really cared about what I thought of the class and wanted my input. I could tell that this wasn’t “just a job” for them and they wanted the best for me and all of the athletes, (wait, did I just call myself an athlete? 🙂
I went back a few times on Class Pass, but only stuck to A10 and A20 because I didn’t want to use my passes on classes that I didn’t know if I would like. I was so surprised when some coaches would ask me “why haven’t you tried AStrong?” or “you should probably get in here for an APulse.” As nauseating as it may sound, these coaches really cared about my progress and my wellbeing; and it showed. I bought my first 20 class pack, and started going to class about 3 times a week. I was pretty impressed with the progress I had made after increasing my attendance and the coaches seemed to become more invested in my personal legend the more I invested in myself.
Then came the 365 Challenge – the reset that I needed most.
After a long battle of “what ifs” I committed to being a full-time member at Alchemy after the new year and signed up for the 365 clean-eating challenge. I was noticing growth in my athletic performance, however I wasn’t seeing the results from an appearance stand point. As much as I didn’t want to admit it, I knew that there was one thing that had to change – my eating habits. The 365 challenge was definitely a game-changer for me. Not only for the meal plan and the guidance on how to best make it through the terrible (and I mean TERRIBLE) sugar withdrawals, but also solidified that this is a community that I definitely want to be a part of. The comradery of the athletes and coaches is unlike anything I have ever experienced. I learned the most important lesson during the challenge which is: My endurance is my endurance and my legend is my legend. I no longer compare myself to the other athletes in the studio because my growth and experience can only be my own. I always tell the coaches, “I know I’m not the strongest, and might not always give it my all, but at least I’m here and there’s lots to be said about that!”
Find me at my favorite class – Noon A10 at NE! I’ll be the sweaty monster cracking jokes in the back of the room 🙂
