I have never had a traditional fitness routine. Growing up through high school I danced and in college through my early 20’s I was blessed with a fast metabolism. It wasn’t until after giving birth to my son that I knew I needed to make a serious lifestyle change to lose the weight I had gained— especially with wanting another baby in the future! I learned about Hilliard Studio Method through my freelance work at StyleBlueprint Charlotte. Clary and Liz were beautiful and strong and every feature we did on the two of them and on HSM inspired me to get healthy, that’s when I signed up for my first class. My first day of Essentials I remember looking at the strong women around me and thinking “Wow! I want to be able to do that, too”— so, I came back again and again.

I think I was so happy I could cry when I finally moved from my knees and held a 60-second plank without breaking or when I upped from the 5-pound weights to the 6-pound weights to the ever intimidating 8-pound weights. I conquered 20 of the Essentials classes before I felt confident enough to try The Method. After my first Method class I was asked what I thought and my response was, “Well, I’ve endured natural childbirth and that was literally one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.” I was exhausted, and so sweaty, but I was feeling the strongest I had felt in a long time and I was both shocked and proud at what my body was able to accomplish. In the short four months that I have been at Hilliard Studio Method, I have lost four inches on my waist, three and a half on my hips, and I have gained more muscle (and confidence) than I’ve ever had.

One of the things that I think is hard to grasp about Hilliard Studio Method on the surface is the true sense of support and community— there’s something about women supporting other women that is truly significant. Through my time at HSM I’ve had incredible support and encouragement from the trainers and from fellow members in my classes. I find myself still modifying and still going back to Essentials every once in a while, but always learning and getting better each day.

I started this journey with HSM as a way to knock off some baby weight before I head to the beach with my girlfriends and as a way to get myself healthy for a second baby, but even in my short time going it has become so much more. This may sound cheesy, but Hilliard Studio Method has become my sanctuary. On my good days, when I get pretty decent sleep and things are going well it’s where I go to start my day off on a positive note. On days where my toddler has had me up four times the night before and I feel like everything is going wrong, it is where I go to work off my stress. With every “down an inch, up an inch,” every “embrace the shake,” every time we put on our “Saturday night high heels,” and every time I’m pushed to reach my “edge” I feel myself becoming stronger, more confident and more powerful than I did when I walked through the doors before class— and that’s something that I don’t think you can get anywhere other than Hilliard Studio Method.