Sometimes, when things fall apart, they are actually falling into place. But in 2008, Mary Boyer may not have been able to see things that way. At the time, her marriage was ending in a cloud of chaos and debt, she lost her home, had little to no money to her name, and had young children she needed to care for. She wasn’t sure how she would keep a roof over their heads and feed them, much less build a career and a new life for them all. On top of that, the years of hearing from family members and others that she would never achieve success weighed heavily on her. Back then, she would never have predicted that today she would be the accomplished, inspiring fitness/nutritional/lifestyle coach, author and thriving owner of TruFitness. The journey to get here was long and often bumpy, but Mary wouldn’t have it any other way.
Never a stand-out student, Mary didn’t get good grades, struggled her way through school and was never really interested in much of it, anyway. If it wasn’t for gymnastics (she was a competitive gymnast for most of her youth) she most likely would not have finished high school. But Mary has ALWAYS had determination, a strong will, grit and tenacity. It was those qualities that carried her through her younger years and are the reasons why she is where she is today. And those characteristics are immediately apparent upon meeting her. Over the years, she has heard a lot of “shouldn’t” and “can’t” from people who she had hoped were in her corner. Even her parents expressed their skepticism. Maybe it was an attempt to protect her from what they thought the “big world” would do to her, or maybe it is their own narrow view of the opportunities that are possible for their daughter. But today, even with all her accomplishments, Mary still works hard to prove that she is worthy, deserving and capable.
Like many young people, when Mary completed high school, she wasn’t sure what was next for her. She had many interests but not a lot of focus (and maybe a little ADHD). She had a constant, flowing stream of ideas without solid direction. But she knew she had to make some decisions on what she “wanted to be when she grew up”. So, she started with a process of elimination and what she did NOT want - that was to go to college, or any sort of formal, classroom education. Two undeniable truths were that staying involved in gymnastics was a must and that she loved styling friends hair and makeup and helping them feel good in their own skin. So, she enrolled in cosmetology school and started coaching gymnastics. She obtained her cosmetology certifications and continued cutting hair and coaching. All the while, she had a dream of owning a big property in Texas…after all, she was a huge Dynasty and Dallas fan. This imagined property wasn’t one of those sprawling ranches with horses, oilmen and cocktail parties, but instead more of a large piece of land with a converted barn where she could coach and also train people to better health and fitness. And of course, this business model included a hair salon.
Well, she may not have moved to Texas or owned a rambling estate. And her "compound" is more of a warehouse-style space in an industrial park area. But she is still just as passionate about helping people become the best versions of themselves, mind, body and spirit. And today, she has brought to life some of those very same dreams she had so many years ago. She left the highly competitive and strict world of girls' gymnastics to earn ISSA fitness training certifications that she uses to personally train and run group fitness classes. Other specialties range from wellness and lifespan coaching to nutrition education. She is passionate about supporting women through menopause and even wrote a book! More recently, she has incorporated a hyperbolic chamber and infrared sauna into her fitness center. She is passionate about the healing properties of each and offers affordable sessions for members to try them out for themselves. And, yes, she still puts her hairstylist skills to work every now and then. For someone who never felt connected to school, it turns out she actually enjoys learning and LOVES sharing that knowledge with others. As Mary explains, “I am most proud when I get to help others along their journey to achieve their health and fitness goals.”
The TruFitness mission is to help others improve their quality of life by providing affordable, safe fitness and wellness services. Mary’s goal has always been to create a supportive environment that facilitates lasting change by applying tangible lifestyle tools. Her “TruFitness Tribe” includes a wide range of ages and abilities. Her commitment to providing opportunities to all has evolved to include an adaptive program named “Tru-ly Able”. Individuals with a variety of needs can build strength and confidence in these group classes. Young adults on the autism spectrum, for example, practice balance, endurance, and functional strength and stretching techniques. This program grew from talking with parents and caregivers who were struggling to find compassionate outlets. So, Mary relied on instinct to fill the void and now has plans to evolve this program to reach a variety of physical and cognitive abilities while also providing a bit of respite for care providers.
If there is one takeaway from Mary’s journey, it is that much like weight training involves muscles breaking down before they grow stronger, often the same goes for the journey of life. The greatest lessons often come from the struggles and the falling apart. But we can trust that they are actually coming together and will land exactly in the places they belong.
“I am most proud when I get to help others along their journey to achieve their health and fitness goals.”
