A new gym in North Augusta has its sights set on helping women focus on their health and nutrition.
Embrace Body Fitness and Nutrition, an women-only gym located at 1799 Edgefield Road, offers a variety of services including individualized workout plans, one-on-one personal training, total body yoga, nutrition counseling home video workout programs and more.
Gym owner Shakyra Martin started the gym because she wants to help others embrace themselves through fitness.
“I saw God work his magic and save my life in health and fitness, and I want to give that back to others,” Martin said.
Martin is a certified personal trainer, yoga instructor and nutritionist. She is also in the United State Air Force serving the reserves and got her Bachelor of Science in nutrition in 2022.
“Embrace the pain to receive your gains,” she said. "You have to go through a lot of the bad stuff, but I promise you it will work out.”
Martin said she wants her gym to be safe place for women to embrace their bodies, especially for those who might have gym anxiety.
“I wanted to give [women] a space where they can come be themselves, enjoy it and actually have a personal trainer who can tell them what they can or cannot do,” she added.
Martin said the name for her gym came from God.
“You have to embrace your mind, body and soul and the nutrition part comes after because our body is a temple,” she said.
Before opening up a physical space, Martin uploaded fitness videos to YouTube. She said when she first started making videos, she was shy and didn't like talking – but as time went on, she learned to embrace the challenge and push forward.
“I was super overwhelmed with that first video,” she said. “My family was looking and laughing at me, they were like, 'she is so skinny, the wind is going to blow her away. I don’t know why she is working out.'”
Once she became part of the reserves, she wanted to help her community, so she started to hold her fitness classes online.
“I wanted to give the women something that I appreciate and love, and want to see them grow,” she said.
Her journey to fitness
Martin began her fitness journey after going through a divorce. She became depressed and anxious and said her diet was in constant fluctuation.
It was in 2017 that she decided that she was going to get fit and healthy.
In 2018, a military mentor encouraged her to become a personal trainer because she saw how much Martin would work out.
Despite her own doubts, Martin gave it a try in 2019. It was shortly after she became a trainer that her mentor became her first client.
“I loved how I was helping her and I watched how her body went from being super big to where she wanted to be,” she said. “Now she is embracing it.”
The importance of nutrition
Being healthy isn't just about exercising – nutrition plays an important role in one's fitness journey too, Martin said.
She works with people on individualized and family nutrition plans and coaching, in which she teaches them how to make healthy meals.
“I try to teach families, especially moms, that they can stay on a healthy diet and bring their kids on a healthy diet,” she said.
Early in her fitness journey, she would only eat chicken and rice. She didn’t know about other healthy foods until she became a nutritionist. She didn't know how to shop or cook, but since starting her fitness journey, she has passed on healthy eating habits to her children, who help her pick out healthy food.
“It gives you confidence like hey, I’m starting my fitness journey, it gives you the confidence to keep going,” she said.
The impact on the community
Courtney Dozer has been coming to Martin’s classes for the last two weeks and said she can feel the difference in fitness and nutrition levels.
“It’s been really, really good and I feel more energized,” she said. “I am glad I decided to come."
Dozer said before going to Embrace, she never liked going to the gym. She said Martin makes it fun and also challenging.
“She challenges you a lot and she pushes you to do your best. If you feel like you can’t do something, she makes you feel like she can," Dozer said.
Jacquel Josey, another gym member, said she is getting her body ready for the summer. She has been attending Martin's classes for a month.
She said she likes how the gym is a place for women and that she doesn't feel like she is being judged.
“It helps me to become more confident,” she said.
Martin said she loves when women say that they worked out even when they are tired and are still eating healthy meals.
“I love that part because it brings so much joy to me because I am doing something that is purposeful and meaningful to them, which is making an impact in the community," she said.
Martin said while running her business she will continue to get her master’s degree so she can become a registered dietician. Martin said she will be working with others in the community in having a nutrition and food drive in Johnston because of the lack of grocery stores.
She is also working on offering classes for youth because her kids like coming to the gym with her and to have options for student athletes during the summer.
For more information, visit www.embracebodyfitness.com.
