Pittsburgh FIT

Look at these people.

Over 100 of them walked in on a Saturday morning, some for the first time, some who've been coming for years, some who hadn't worked out in a long time and decided this was the day.

They all showed up anyway. And they were incredible.

There's something that happens when a room full of people decides to move together. The nerves settle. The self-consciousness fades. You stop worrying about what you look like and start actually feeling what your body can do.

That's what these photos are capturing. Not a perfect workout. Just real people, genuinely showing up for themselves and each other.

We're really proud of this community. Thank you for making Saturday what it was.

Something happened here last Saturday that I want to share.

We opened our doors for a free Pride Community Workout, and more than 100 people showed up.

First-timers, longtime members, people who hadn't stepped foot in a gym in years. They all moved together, cheered each other on, and yes, got through some burpees.

But what got me wasn't the energy, even though it was electric.

It was the number of people who came up afterward and said they finally felt like a gym was actually for them.

That's what we're building here. Pittsburgh FIT is q***r woman-owned, and making every person feel genuinely welcome isn't a campaign for us. It's the foundation. Pride gives us a reason to say it louder, but the people who walk through our doors every single day are the ones who actually make it real.

If you were there, thank you for trusting us with your Saturday and for showing up for yourself and your community.

If you missed it and have been on the fence about checking us out, this is what we're like. Come see for yourself.

What does it mean to you to find a gym where you actually feel at home? We'd love to hear it in the comments. ❤️

Every June, the logos go rainbow.

Every July, many of them quietly change back.

If you're part of the LGBTQ+ community, or you love someone who is, you've probably developed a pretty good radar for the difference between genuine inclusion and seasonal marketing.

I think that's a good thing.

So let me tell you a little more about us.

Pittsburgh FIT was built and is still run by a q***r woman in an industry where that isn't particularly common. The values that shaped this gym weren't added later because they were popular. They were there from the beginning.

When I started Pittsburgh FIT, I made a choice to build a place where people wouldn't have to wonder if they belonged. A place where they could walk through the door and be themselves.

Over the years, that has shown up in a lot of different ways.

It shows up in how our coaches treat people.

It shows up in how we talk about bodies and health.

It shows up in the relationships our members build with one another.

And it shows up in the people who tell us that this is the first gym where they didn't feel like they had to be on guard.

That isn't something you can create for one month a year.

It's something you build every day.

If you're LGBTQ+, you're welcome here.

If you're an ally, you're welcome here too.

The warmth of this community comes from all of us.

I shared more of that story in this week's blog, "Coming Out."

Have you ever walked into a space and immediately felt like you belonged? What made the difference?

What a weekend!

Eight of our Special Olympics athletes competed in a powerlifting meet on Saturday, and every single one of them finished on the podium.

Kam, Shawn, Carter, Luke, and Charlie earned gold medals. Maria and Colton earned silver. Kieran earned bronze.

Their placements were based on their combined squat, bench press, and deadlift totals, and the results reflected months of hard work, practice, and commitment.

We also want to recognize Coach Corey, who spent the day coaching our athletes while simultaneously serving as a judge for the meet. He somehow managed to do both, and he did it with the same care and dedication he brings to everything he does.

We could not be more proud of this group.

As we celebrate these athletes, we're also looking ahead to another event that means a lot to us.

On Saturday, June 13, Pittsburgh FIT will host our annual FREE Pride Community Workout.

We'll have beginner-friendly sessions at 8AM, 9AM, and 10AM. Members, friends, family, and first-timers are all welcome.

We're an LGBTQ+ affirming community because that's who we've always been. We believe fitness spaces should feel welcoming, supportive, and accessible to everyone.

Come move with us, meet some great people, and celebrate Pride together.

Reserve your spot at PittsburghFIT.com/Go

Which accomplishment are you celebrating this week, big or small?

There's a kind of tired that sleep doesn't fix.

You know it. You've probably been in it. You show up for everyone, you hold it together, and from the outside it looks like you've got it all figured out. People would be surprised to hear you're running on empty, because you've gotten so good at not letting it show.

Jodi knows that tired personally. She lived in it for a long time, building and achieving and showing up for everyone around her while quietly carrying something most people in her life never saw.

She wrote the whole story down this week. Not the polished version. The real one.
And she gets to something in it that we think a lot of people need to hear, especially people who have been quietly blaming their own discipline for the workouts they skip and the goals that never quite stick.

The consistency people chase in fitness and never seem to catch isn't a willpower problem. It comes from a life that actually fits you. When you're spending most of your energy managing a version of yourself, there's almost nothing left for the things that ask you to be fully present. Your health is one of those things.

If any of this lands for you, we'd love for you to read it.

Full story at PittsburghFIT.com/Blog 💙

Have you ever been in that kind of tired?

You don't have to answer here, but we see you if you have.

Some weekends remind you why you do this.

This past Saturday we did Murph. Over ten years of showing up for that one, and it still hits the same way every time. There's something about doing hard things together that just doesn't get old.

We've also got some exciting things coming up that we can't wait to share. Next month we're giving major shout-outs to about fifteen members who have hit incredible milestones in 2026, and we're not even halfway through the year yet.

And soon we'll be sharing the story of our Special Olympics athletes who recently competed in a Powerlifting Meet at TELEO Performance. That one is really special. Stay tuned.

But first, mark your calendar.

Saturday, June 13th, Pittsburgh FIT is hosting a FREE Pride Community Workout!

Heats at 8AM, 9AM, and 10AM at 210 Thomas St. Open to everyone, members and newcomers alike. The workout is beginner-friendly, the coaching is real, and the only thing required is showing up as yourself.

We're LGBTQ+ affirming because that's genuinely who we are, not because it's the right thing to say. This community has always been a space where you belong exactly as you are, and June 13th is a chance to move together, celebrate together, and maybe head to brunch after with people who get it.

It's free. It's going to be a great morning. We'd love to see you there. 🏳️🌈

Grab your spot at PittsburghFIT.com/Go

Which heat are you thinking?

This shop has many stylish frames. Great customer service. Shout out to Cherokee, who adjusted my frames and answered my questions. I'm so tempted to go back for sunglasses!

We want you to meet Palma.

She's 55 years old, a nonprofit analyst, a mom, a genuinely wonderful friend to the people around her, and one of the most determined people to walk through our doors.

Palma came to us dealing with hip pain that was interfering with the activities she loves and some digestive issues she was ready to stop just managing and actually address. She joined a structured program with Coach Vee and Coach Heather, showed up five days a week, and got to work.

Five weeks later, she had lost 3.7% body fat, dropped her visceral fat, gained muscle, and the hip pain was gone. Her digestion improved significantly. She was hitting new personal records in her lifts and making real progress in her aerial hoop practice and walking goals.

None of that happened by accident. It happened because she had a plan, coaches who knew how to support her, and the willingness to show up even when it was hard.

Her next goal? Summiting Mt. Whitney in California this summer. 14,505 feet. The highest peak in the contiguous United States.

Palma has said it herself: mindset is the biggest limiting factor to aging. Not the number. Not the body. The story you're willing to let go of.

We are so proud of her. 🏔️

What's a goal you're working toward right now? Tell us in the comments.

I want to share something that sounds simple but makes a real difference for a lot of the people we work with.

Late night eating, even when it's relatively healthy food, is one of the quieter things that can get in the way of the results you're working toward.

Here's the short version of why.

Your body has a built-in repair and recovery cycle that runs while you sleep. It clears out cellular waste, processes excess body fat, regulates hormones, and supports your metabolism. But it can only do that work when digestion is winding down. When you're still digesting a late meal, your body prioritizes that instead. The cleanup process gets delayed or skipped.

There's also a timing element with insulin. Insulin levels are naturally lower in the evening, which means food eaten late at night is more likely to be stored as fat rather than used as fuel.

The habit that changes this is straightforward: finish eating 3 to 5 hours before bed. Not every night has to be perfect. Starting with 80% of nights is more than enough to start seeing a difference in your sleep, your energy, and your body composition.

Your body is already designed to do this work. You're just giving it the window to do it.

We have a free Time-Restricted Feeding Cheat Sheet that walks through how to put this into practice in real life.

Grab it at PittsburghFIT.com/Go

Have you noticed a difference when you eat earlier in the evening?

Tell us in the comments. 👇