How a “Skinny Jeans Challenge” Changed My Life
In 2010, I was a busy mom of two little girls—Ruby was almost 1, Sadie was 2.5—and like many new moms, I was trying to find time for myself again. As a former college athlete, I missed feeling strong, but getting in a workout with two tiny humans at home felt nearly impossible.
That summer, a friend encouraged me to try something called the Skinny Jeans Challenge at Fuel. We trained outdoors at the Bartlett Mall, jogging laps around the pond and crushing bootcamps twice a week, with a Saturday “wicked hard” bootcamp down at the waterfront with Jeanne and Julie. It was sweaty, it was social, and to my surprise… I loved it.
But indoor classes? Not for me—at least not yet. The idea of emailing to reserve a spin bike? Hard pass. That is, until the weather turned and I decided to give it a shot. My first indoor class was Bollywood Dance with Jeanne—and I had an absolute blast. From that point on, I was hooked.
When Fuel moved into its new space (the old Fitness Factory—now the parking garage!), it felt like a glow-up: two workout rooms, barre classes, and—hello—online booking. But as a young mom on a budget, the price jump was tough. I spoke with Jeanne and Julie, and we came up with a solution: I’d help kick off a babysitting program at Fuel in exchange for a membership discount. That was the moment Fuel truly started to feel like home. They worked with me because they wanted me there.
Soon after, I began training to teach. My first class was an outdoor bootcamp at Winnekenni Castle in Haverhill (shoutout to Julie for driving us there in her tea-soaked, milk-soured car—windows down, always). I eventually moved into teaching in Newburyport and learned to teach spin, too.
Then—plot twist—I got pregnant with Oliver. I took Jenn Pilz’s barre training with baby Oliver in a swing next to me (or nursing), calling out barre cues at home around the clock: “Down an inch… up an inch…” My family was thrilled, obviously.
Not everyone loved my classes in the beginning (as most new instructors will tell you), but I was determined to get better. I started teaching at another studio in Boston to sharpen my skills. By the time Fuel was ready to relocate to Graf Road, I knew I was ready to step up even more. I became studio manager and was teaching 10+ classes a week.
It was around that time that something really special happened—something many in the fitness world consider the highest honor. I was asked to become a lululemon ambassador. For me, this truly sealed the deal. All the hours of training, every 4:30pm spin class I taught to just one person, every challenge I pushed through—it had all paid off.
Today, you may not see me in the studio as often, but Fuel is still one of the biggest parts of my life. I’ve shifted my energy into health, wellness, and community in new ways, but I’ll always be part of this incredible family.
Fuel isn’t just where I found my way back to movement—it’s where I found belonging, purpose, and lifelong friendships.
See you around the studio (or on the bike 👀),
Jessie
