Confidence Transformations
Read the raw, unedited stories of real women like you changing their lives through SHINE.
“Ever since starting SHINE, my mindset toward fitness has changed for the better.
The inclusive foundation and high-energy classes have helped me become the most confident version of myself & have taught me the value of moving my body out of self-love instead of hate.
I wish I found SHINE earlier in my confidence journey!”
- Tamara Fuller
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"Before SHINE I was never excited to exercise and my focus after every workout was on whether I looked different and if I pushed myself to my limit each time - and I thought that was how it was supposed to be!
Becoming a part of the SHINE community showed me that you should have FUN while you’re working out and it should be about how you FEEL not about how you look!!
My confidence and strength have improved so much since joining and keep growing with each workout!"
- Abbey Rokeby
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"Shine is more than a workout! It is a supportive community that prioritizes body positivity.
Since starting Shine classes, I have significantly grown. Just as one example, I have become a lot more confident and have truly learned the importance of loving myself.
I used to workout to look different, but now I show up to have fun, be apart of a team, feel confident and to show myself how strong I am!
Shine doesn’t just teach fitness, but also reinforces confidence and I am so thankful that I began participating in their classes! To be completely honest, attending Shine classes are probability the best part of my day."
- Julia Gutzin
1,000+
lives changed
“I also hit a personal milestone during your classes - I've never had the confidence to work out in just a sports bra and the community that you've created / your energy and comfort in your own body helped me out SO much - so thank you again!"
- Anonymous
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"I joined SHINE in 2020, and from the first class I was hooked! The workouts were FUN, gave me so many options and surrounded me with equally passionate and strong people.
Less than a month I noticed a positive change in my self-confidence and life in general. I can attribute these changes to the ways the instructors not only push each person to do their best, but their constant words of encouragement and ability to make sure every participant is seen and feel that they belong!
SHINE prioritizes self-love/self-care which makes them stand out. The community provides so many with a space to flourish, find self-love and acceptance and I 100% recommend it to anyone I meet"
- Kate Rochon
"Being part of the SHINE community has had such a paramount impact on my self-confidence, my mindset, my well-being, and my life as a whole!
I have learned to love exercise again, and through the examples set by the instructors and other members, I have been able to shift my mindset & actions allowing me to exercise because I love moving my body, not to punish it.
I have become stronger, physically and mentally; I feel like I am part of a team again and have people always cheering me on; I am more confident in myself and my abilities!
I cannot recommend joining this community enough, It’s the best!"
- Brielle Leman
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"To be perfectly transparent, there is absolutely no way that I could fully summarize the impact that SHINE has had on the past six months of my life.
The community of people that I’ve gotten to know through SHINE is absolutely unparalleled, and I have nothing but gratitude for the support that I feel on a daily basis.
My once poor relationship with fitness has definitely grown into a healthier, more sustainable one. And as a person fighting that, to be able to say “I showed up today” at the end of class continues to be one of the biggest wins every single day"
- Kiana Naser
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"SHINE gave me something to look forward during Covid isolation loneliness, and a sense of structure and community that I was missing living in a new city!
Before SHINE, I didn't have the healthiest relationship with exercise - sometimes I thought I was ""de-stressing"" with a tough workout when I was actually using it as punishment. Jess once said during class, ""whatever happened today, take it out... but not on yourself!""
When I go to SHINE, it's to have fun and feel strong, not because I ""need"" to. Each class I feel accomplished for giving my best, no matter what that looks like that day."
- Cary Anderson
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"Before I discovered SHINE, I had always been interested in health and fitness but struggled to develop a sustainable routine, that was until I found SHINE.
I never felt as strong and confident working out as I do when in a SHINE class. SHINE hasn’t led to me losing 10 pounds or 3 inches. Instead, I feel it in my endurance, my agility, my confidence to dance it out and shimmy in the improv catwalks.
Being a part of this community has been so important to me - I’ve made so many new, meaningful friendships and I feel myself getting 1% stronger and more confident each time I join a class"
- Meg Fleming
"I did my first SHINE class in March 2021. Before SHINE, I was following a cardio and strength workout program through an app on my phone. Although I enjoyed the workouts that I was doing, I felt like something was missing (hint: it was a supportive community and actually FUN workouts). During my first class, I distinctly remember doing the second peak of the class and thinking to myself, "okay, I'm hooked this is so fun".
I know that the term "confidence transformation" may sound extreme, but that's honestly what I'm in right now. I speak my mind, wear the clothes that I feel good in, set boundaries, and step outside my comfort zone now more than ever. I've done/am doing the 'work' (confidence building, body image work, etc.) myself, but I lean on the SHINE community to cheer me on.
As an ED Recoveree, SHINE means so much more to me than an awesome company with a cool community. In a society full of diet culture, I never know if I will be triggered by an Instagram post, a food label, and/or a comment made by a friend or family member. I used to think that SHINE classes would trigger me; but honestly, they're one of the only places where I feel safe."
- Cali Dickson
"100% shine family for life!! I went out to lunch with a friend today and we had this full on talk about how shine changed our lives and our entire perspective on food and exercise. Just wanted to tell you that💙 "
- Emily Pilcher
"My favourite thing about SHINE, is the community! We are one big team cheering each other on in classes and through life.
SHINE has shown me the benefits of taking time out of the day for myself, and I am very grateful :) "
- Zoe Chivers
I started doing SHINE in March 2021. It appealed to me because it reminded me of my dance background: I did ballet, tap, and jazz for 15 years. At a glance, SHINE seems very similar to dance: it's all about spirit, smiles, and hard work. In reality, SHINE is a completely unique experience. The biggest difference is the language used by the SHINE community, and the motivation for participating.
Traditional fitness classes and dance are SO focused on aesthetics and changing the way you look. This source of motivation is so harmful to young minds. When I quit dance I spiralled into the 14-day transformation challenges, relentless comparison to others, and disordered eating habits. I wasn't eating nearly enough, and I'd constantly be doing boring, overly difficult workouts. No wonder I hated it so much!
Being active was hard for a while, because it was an act of self hatred. SHINE is the first really positive experience I've had with physical activity. I find it genuinely so fun and joyful, and I'm motivated to fuel my body so I have the energy for tucks in class.
SHINE has been an extremely safe environment to heal in. I know I'm not alone in my experiences of harmful relationships with exercise, food, and my body. I want to encourage anyone who has these struggles to first, see a mental health professional (it's hard, but you will not regret it.), and then find a safe place to rebuild your relationship with yourself. For me, it's been SHINE.
- Laura Gillis
SHINE has truly changed my life. Being a competitive dancer at a very young age meant that I was struggling with body image very early. I found myself comparing my body to other girls and looking through magazines, aiming to have that Victoria Secret body type.
People would look at my slim body and tell me, “Stay like that and you could be a model”. So I worked hard to keep it that way and fell into disordered eating. As I got older and puberty hit, my body didn’t change much except for that I developed in my chest.
I have struggled with my body type; I’ve always said my chest didn’t match the rest of me. I found I was always trying to make my body look a certain way, workout for a body that society found attractive, that boys found attractive.
After joining SHINE classes I am starting to work out for me. I am no longer doing that burpee tuck so I keep off the bag of chips I ate last night. I am doing that burpee tuck because I feel powerful doing it. I could write an essay on how SHINE changed my life, but the biggest change is that SHINE is helping me to love my body again and see working out as a passion, not a punishment.
- Anonymous
I’ve always struggled with how my body looked. Working out was always about changing the way I looked, and it wasn't till I discovered SHINE where I finally felt comfortable in my own body for what it was.
I let go of the notion that I had to look a certain way in order to be strong, or that a hard workout involved misery. All I had to do was show up, push myself, and leave feeling strong and confident, no strings attached.
After experiencing this for weeks I knew it was something my friends also needed. I've been there through every phase of my friends’ body image struggles and I knew that SHINE would change their life too.
Now, when my friends and I discuss exercise, we talk about how big we smiled, not how many calories we burned, and that mindset alone is life changing.
- Anonymous
Your classes are so fun and I have noticed I am actually excited to do them rather than the endless circuits I used to dread!
I know it's not about losing weight or anything, but I just put on a pair of shorts that haven't fit me properly in 3 years and it felt pretty dang good!
Working our has never been my thing but I had so much fun doing your class I can't wait. I loved it so much! It went by so fast and usually when I'm working out 10min drags on but when your workout ended I was shocked it was already over
We are loving your classes! We both find ourselves feeling so confident after coming to class and so much more motivated to workout knowing we are part of the fitness community you have built :) thank you for all of your hard work to keep things so cheerful and fun to be apart of!
I love your workouts so much like they're fun, fast, and very effective (I'm dripping after every one of them!!)
Since the first time first day of me watching with **** on the insta lives in March or something I have done alllll of your workouts like I've been SOOO MUCH MORE active (5 times a week)!!!
And yeah screw the scale there might not be a difference there but I can see it in my enduracne, strength, confidence, and my jeans fit better!!!
I can' t tell you how much your classes impact my days...
I seriously find that all my decisions are better when your classes are in my life lol my eating and overall health are just way better.
I loved the class - such a good workout for only like 35 minutes!! I can't thank you enough for al the work you put into helping others with their health and fitness.
Today marks 5 weeks of your classes... and I couldn't be happier with how I feel...
Basically in the last 5 weeks I've stuck to many healthy habits and I can't believe the changes I can see physically to my figure. Now it's nothing crazy but to see my WHOLE body get more toned was such a rewarding part of this experience.
It's not about abs or anything like that but it's about building muscle to fuel my body. Thanks for being such a big part of my journey.
"I have changed the conversation inside my head about fitness all because of you.
Who cares about losing X amount of pounds... I finally feel confident in my body and it has been a long journey to feeling this way, thank you for being a part of it. Here's to feeling great!"
"I also hit a personal milestone during your class...
I've never had the confidence to work out in just a sports bra and the community that you've created / your energy and comfort in your own body helped me out SO much - so thank you again!"
First time doing Abs & Arms was killer!!
I also love how anyone can do your classes at home and with no equipment needed (super accessible!) Thank you!
Going into my 11th straight week of doing your classes and still loving them so much!!
Thanks so much for what you do!
I’ve struggled BIG TIME with self-confidence and self-worth and would often seek external validation to feel good about myself. When Miss. Rona rolled in it was impossible for me to get that validation from others and that really took a toll on my mental health.
Tamara and Claire had been talking about how much they loved the SHINE community and how much it turned their lives around, so I gave it a try. At first SHINE was just a way to get my body moving each day, which is important, but week after week I began to notice changes in how I was speaking to my myself.
Over the past 3 months my inner voice has become kind, compassionate, understanding and most importantly loving!
Since joining shine I’ve gained new friends, a healthy relationship with working out and with food, and most importantly I’ve improved my mental health to a point where I can #wearthesportsbra and feel confident with myself (because I’m pretty amazing, if I do say so myself).
- Anonymous
Personally, I never had a great relationship with fitness, let alone how I saw myself in the mirror. But during the past few months I’ve started to appreciate my body for how strong it is, I eat what I want because it feels good to nourish my body and I no longer workout to fit a general mold of what the “perfect body” should look like.
I’ve come to appreciate that every body is beautiful and there’s no need for comparison. Without the SHINE community I would’ve continued to scroll on social media needlessly comparing myself to others.
None of this would’ve happened if I didn’t discover this wonderful business.
Side note: When I was living at home my parents would always ask what the "woot woot" was all about so now they know SHINE as the woot woot workout.
- Anonymous
