CW // eating disorders. Please note, this blog contains information you may find triggering.

As you all know, our female community is at the heart of everything we do here at AYBL. Which is why we wanted to bring you a series that would allow us to share some of the stories from our very own AYBL Athletes.

From expert fitness tips to discovering the ins and outs of their success, our Athlete Spotlight series aims to empower you whilst allowing you to discover more about the very people who make us who we are today. 

Kicking off our series is none other than Gracie Collis! Boasting more than 500k followers on TikTok, we caught up with the fitness influencer and Personal Trainer (PT) about her goals and what inspired her to share her fitness journey on social media. Strong, witty and undeniably authentic, it’s safe to say we think she's an absolute inspiration!

WHEN DID YOU START YOUR FITNESS JOURNEY AND WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO SHARE IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA?

I started my fitness journey when I was quite young and very naive. Unfortunately, this led to me having an eating disorder for around a year long. However, I then started to learn that I can still look good while eating and exercising combined and that’s when I fell in love with weight training. 

At that point, I started to share it on social media. I did it as a personal diary to see my results over time and people just caught on to it and started to follow my journey and I’ve never looked back.

DO YOU HAVE ANY TIPS OR ADVICE FOR SOMEONE WHO IS LOOKING TO START SHARING THEIR FITNESS JOURNEY ON SOCIAL MEDIA?

I feel like I could write a book on this, but, all in all, JUST DO IT! It’s so much fun and you will meet so many like minded people who can help push you.

WHAT IS YOUR PROUDEST MOMENT AND MOST CHALLENGING MOMENT SO FAR IN REGARDS TO YOUR FITNESS JOURNEY?

My proudest moment (a little bit TMI) is when I first got my period back after my eating disorder. This was a massive achievement for me as I finally could say that I was ‘healthy’ and happy!

Also, when I lifted a 110kg deadlift, I felt like a badass. 😂

The most challenging part of my fitness journey was probably about a year ago when I felt like I wasn’t making any progress. I was hitting personal bests (PBs), I was working out six days a week and I couldn’t understand why I wasn’t making any progress. It was utterly demotivating and I almost wanted to stop completely!

However, I learned that going 100mph isn’t always the best option, so I took more rest days and carried on as usual. But that was definitely a big struggle for me! 

WHAT DO YOU THINK MAKES YOUR SOCIAL CONTENT SO SUCCESSFUL?

I would definitely say that I have grown to where I am right now because of how honest I have been as a content creator. I always try to show that there is a very unglamorous side to the gym and it’s not all smooth sailing, especially with topics on bloating, food and eating disorders.

@gracie_collis Thank you for the 2 girls that made my day 🤍 #fyp @aybl ♬ Ambition For Cash - Key Glock

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT BEING AN AYBL ATHLETE AND WHY?

Oh, I could write a long list on this! What I love the most about being an AYBL Athlete is the kindness of such a big brand. This includes my amazing AYBL Sponsorship Manager, Steph, all the way to the comments on my posts! It feels like a family and I feel like more than just a number! 

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE AYBL COLLECTION OR SET AND WHY?

Now this is an unfair question, how can I possibly pick my favourite set when AYBL have so many amazing ones?

I would have to say either the Motion Seamless Collection or the new Flow Collection. Both of these make me feel powerful walking in the gym!

DO YOU HAVE ANY TOP TIPS FOR OUR AYBL COMMUNITY TO HELP THEM MAINTAIN THEIR FITNESS MOTIVATION AND ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS?

My top tip for the AYBL Community would be just keep going! I know this is easier said than done but honestly, just keep going. Even if it’s small steps every day. Every step in the right direction is better than not stepping at all!

WHAT DOES THE REMAINDER OF 2022 LOOK LIKE FOR YOU?

I want 2022 to be a massive year for me. I want to become more knowledgeable as a PT and help even more people achieve their goals. I definitely want to try and meet more like-minded content creators and find new ways to improve what I’m making. I also want to travel.

Gracie’s optimism and positive attitude is everything that we need and is exactly what our female community is all about, which is why we’re so grateful to be able to work so closely with her. Did you catch her during our 4th Birthday Sale?

Don’t forget, girls, this is just the first of many in our Athlete Spotlight series, so make sure you keep an eye on our AYBL Community for our next exciting edition.