Your Story

I started having problems with my left rotator cuff about 2 1/2 years ago. I could hardly use my left arm & had a VERY small range of motion. I did a round of PT that fall & it got some better. Then that Feb I started doing Mary’s low impact class. My shoulder got worse again that summer. My doctor gave me an injection in my shoulder & I did another round of PT while continuing my class. Mary modified for me & I did what I could. Pushups & planks were totally impossible, but I worked hard at what I could do. She always encouraged me to go a little heavier & try more reps, but listened to me when I said the left arm was done with that exercise. She always had an alternate that let my arm rest for a bit. I’ve been in my class for nearly 2 years now & I’m practically pain free. I have a MUCH larger range of motion & can do floor pushups & do a plank on my elbows. My left arm still gets tired before my right, but I have a huge increase in my quality of life. I love Mary & her class & am so glad I took the leap to Mary Akin Fitness.

The Exercise of class with Mary allows me to meet the physical fitness mandatory for my PHS job and deployments.

I have always liked competitiOn, but as i Grew oLder, i didnt have as many opportunities to participate. School, work, kids, and lack of organized sports For my age kept me from taking care of myself. Mary has oPened up an entirely different worLd with her adventures and her daily challenges. Mary is Very compassionate about what she does and treats Everyone like family. I Hope to continue training with mary for many years to come.

“In Sept. 2014 I was diagnosed with breast cancer, after surgery and treatment completed in March 2015, I was on my way to be cancer free. In August 2015 I had to join ACME fitness to help with the side effects of the treatment and medication. The side effects were joint soreness, post-surgery and radiation thickness/hardening of the muscle and tissue on right side front and back of upper body and weight gain. I was working out three times a week on the elliptical, treadmill, mountain climber and weight circuit training. I even went to my doctor for weight management medication. The result of that was gaining more weight and the joint soreness/stiffness was getting worse. At this point, I had gained 50 lbs., was having a hard time with walking and getting around and in need of help, going this direction was not working!! In August 2016 I contacted Mary Akin and scheduled an appointment to give her my history and see if she could help me. My goal was to reduce the soreness in my joints, try to stretch and strengthen the damage done from the radiation, and reverse the weight gain. In the beginning, I gave Mary an 8 week trial, working out 3 times a week. My results are as follows, within the first 3 weeks my joint pain is almost non-existent and movement is about 30% better, within 6 weeks my muscle thickness and hardening had lessened about 25%. Within 16 weeks my muscle thickening and hardening was reduced about 50% showing on the 3-D tomosynthesis mammogram from 2 different mammograms 6 month apart. Best of all I have movement in all my joint and without pain, I have lost a total of 27 lbs now, and corrected 50% of the hardening and thickening in my muscle and tissue. I owe all of my outcomes to Mary and her style of training and strengthening. I could not have come this far and the results are because of her knowledge and willingness to learn more how to help me and my individual issues. There are no words to express how thankful I am for all her training!! I can now say that the treatment is not worse than the cancer. Mary has been my light at the end of a long tunnel!! I thank you and my children thank you from the bottom of our hearts!!! We are truly blessed!!”

“I started running in 2010 to combat depression and to try and get healthier. I started slowly and began building up miles. I ended up getting the wild idea to try and run a half marathon. I conquered that goal and quickly decided to move to a goal of a full marathon before 30. I crushed that goal and with some newly found confidence I decided I should probably not just be running fit, but work other parts of my body. I sought out a place where I could be guided, but still have people to work out with and to grow with. After checking and asking around everyone seemed to point to Mary Akin. I started in November of 2014 and haven’t looked back. I was pushed to my limit in the first week of class. I knew I had found the person that could change my limits. Mary is a wonderful mix of motivator and drill sergeant. She pushes with a quiet intensity that doesn’t feel overbearing but is just the right amount of urge to do more and push yourself. I’ve changed my overall fitness in the time I’ve been training with Mary. I’m always amazed when put to the test in the “real world” just how much I can do physically. Mary not only works with you on your physical goals she also helps give meal plans and health and wellness tips. I’ve changed fundamentally. I’ve made working out a habit and enjoy going and being physically active outside more than every.”

“I had no direction or motivation to work out.  I was down all the time. I didn’t like my appearance and I was on the verge of having life long health problems.

Mary definitely gave me direction as well as motivation to keep at it.  I feel tons better about myself. I know that I am on the right track and that the goals I have set for myself are attainable.”

“This program helped me believe in myself because Mary reinforced that daily. She checked in on us and that accountability to her AND myself was a game changer. Now I know that I can do it!!

I have so much more confidence. I know what it takes to get this weight off and the info that Mary provided was invaluable. There is no doubt that I can go forward to the next phase of my weight loss journey!! My belief in myself is what I’m also so happy with. I lost that but this program helped me find it again!!”