Three years ago, I walked into F45 Edgewood with one simple goal: shed my pandemic pounds and start getting my body ready for pregnancy. What I didn’t know then was just how much that studio would come to mean to me.

Not long after I started, my dad’s dementia worsened. F45 quickly became more than just a workout—it became a release. Forty-five minutes where the weight of caregiving slipped off my shoulders, where I could sweat out the stress and show up better for him. Later, when he passed, those same workouts became a way to process the grief.

Then came the upheaval at work. Watching USAID dismantle and eventually getting RIFed was another gut punch. But five days a week, I still showed up at F45. That consistency kept me anchored when everything else felt uncertain. It gave me structure, it gave me strength, and it reminded me that I was still moving forward—even if only one rep at a time.

And now, here I am—pregnant, still showing up, still finding strength I didn’t know I had. Last week, I hit my 500th class. A milestone. With so much chaos in Washington and in the federal government right now, it felt good—really good—to accomplish something solid and personal.

Of course, the workouts themselves are only half the story. The real magic has been the community at F45 Edgewood. Coaches who know your name, classmates who cheer you on, a room full of people who’ve quietly witnessed my ups and downs these past three years. They’ve been my support system in more ways than I can count.

That’s the thing about milestones—they’re not just about numbers. They’re reminders of resilience, of the little ways we keep going even when life feels heavy. For me, this 500th class wasn’t just a workout. It was proof that I can keep showing up for myself—through caregiving, grief, career upheaval, and now, pregnancy.

I never expected a gym to become one of my anchors in this season of change, but here we are.