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Neil Fox's WHY
I was raised in Edmonton, Alberta at a time when the Oilers were winning every single Stanley Cup. My mom introduced me to the world at the age of 19. I soon had a brother, then a sister.
As a single mother… raising 3 children…looking for work…we moved home 5 times which meant we were always the new kids at 5 different schools. We were getting good at adapting to change. My brother and I were constantly bullied…by the third new school, I started to fight back. I remember one day after school, I had 3 boys lined up to fight me. Each new school I always expected to fight so I always got one. During the school day, I would get constant reminders of the fight to come. It was hard to concentrate to learn. I was an angry 8 year old boy with no father figure.
My mom met Mr. Fox, someone to guide me. An amazing man…great morals, integrity, treated people with respect, especially my mom. He told me a story when he was young…him and his buddies biked from Edmonton to Jasper...so I insisted and insisted I do the same. He gave in, and at the age of nine we set off to bike from Edmonton to Red Deer (110 Km). During that adventure he drilled the multiplication table into my head. Now every time I do math, I'm reminded of that stretch of highway. He demonstrated patients, intelligence and love.
The new team of 5 packed home and set off to Columbus, Ontario (just north of Oshawa). David Fox married my mom and officially adopted us as his children…I was no longer Neil Fortier, I was now Neil Fox.
In Ontario we moved home 4 times and enrolled into 4 different schools. I was bullied again and the anger from my youth pushed me into daily fist fights. I had become numb to the fear of fighting.
In 1993 I’m in McMaster University, my sanctuary! No more fighting, no more struggle to be popular…everyone is the same. I could finally concentrate and learn. I thrived…I learned how to learn. It also helped that every subject studied was extremely interesting. I finished with a Bachelor of Kinesiology and a minor in psychology.
In 2002, I’m a quadriplegic from a mountain bike accident. Lying on the ground with my arms at my side, I feel claustrophobic in my own body. It felt like I was saran wrapped a hundred times from head to toe. The first thought that came to my head was “I can paint with my mouth”, and I was happy again. 10 min later I can move my ankle 1 mm…I was elated. The surgeon said I would never walk again. After 1 week in the hospital I could flop my limbs around like I was a rag doll. I flopped into a seated position on the edge of my bed ready to walk. The nurse learned of my stubbornness and quickly recruited 6 other helpers. Once I left the bed my knees drove into the floor, I try again, this time I brace my abs as hard as I can…I can stand!…I relax my abs and I fall. I had a Eureka moment. Do not take your core for granted! It took me 1 year to recover my base strength and 1 more year to race downhill mountain bikes again, this time I qualified to race at an elite level for the first time!
Growing up I had to constantly adapt to new environments. Being the oldest, I had to lead my siblings, protect my brother. I had to grow up faster than I wanted. I became comfortable working hard on my own. I had spent my whole life knowing what I didn’t want to be…not what I wanted to be. I knew I didn’t want to be an absent father, I didn’t want arouse conflict with others, I didn’t want to ever take my physical fitness for granted again. I always wanted to venture in the opposite direction of others. I was not a follower, but I also did not feel like a leader.
After my mountain bike accident I wanted to open up a gym and since I was in university debt, no bank would touch me. Eventually my family, some friends and all of my personal training clients would chip in to fund the Life Works Gym grand opening in 2003. I wanted to help people become stronger…generating strength from their center. I wanted to pour my energy into my personal training passion to empty my anger tank. I recovered from my neck injury because I was strong, I trained hard, I played hard. I wanted to pass that resilience on to the next athlete. I wanted to surround myself with positive people…people I no longer have to fight. I had a dying thirst for positive energy, and personal training 100% did that. Looking back I now know why I do what I do, and why I love doing it! I've been changing lives as a personal trainer since 1997 and just received the Canadian Personal Trainers Network Award of Merit, as well, invented and trademarked an extremely popular fitness class called Code Red. It has been a brain stimulating journey...and I'm just getting started.
I don’t have to move anymore, I am home. I am no longer the new kid, I am the welcoming party. At Life Works Gym I welcome you with open arms. My wife Jessie and my son Max look forward to meeting you. You will attain your fitness goals here because you will love coming here. I guarantee it! We are family run and family owned since 2003. Simply…Life Works Gym is one big supportive community of trust. So come on down and give me a hug!
As a single mother… raising 3 children…looking for work…we moved home 5 times which meant we were always the new kids at 5 different schools. We were getting good at adapting to change. My brother and I were constantly bullied…by the third new school, I started to fight back. I remember one day after school, I had 3 boys lined up to fight me. Each new school I always expected to fight so I always got one. During the school day, I would get constant reminders of the fight to come. It was hard to concentrate to learn. I was an angry 8 year old boy with no father figure.
My mom met Mr. Fox, someone to guide me. An amazing man…great morals, integrity, treated people with respect, especially my mom. He told me a story when he was young…him and his buddies biked from Edmonton to Jasper...so I insisted and insisted I do the same. He gave in, and at the age of nine we set off to bike from Edmonton to Red Deer (110 Km). During that adventure he drilled the multiplication table into my head. Now every time I do math, I'm reminded of that stretch of highway. He demonstrated patients, intelligence and love.
The new team of 5 packed home and set off to Columbus, Ontario (just north of Oshawa). David Fox married my mom and officially adopted us as his children…I was no longer Neil Fortier, I was now Neil Fox.
In Ontario we moved home 4 times and enrolled into 4 different schools. I was bullied again and the anger from my youth pushed me into daily fist fights. I had become numb to the fear of fighting.
In 1993 I’m in McMaster University, my sanctuary! No more fighting, no more struggle to be popular…everyone is the same. I could finally concentrate and learn. I thrived…I learned how to learn. It also helped that every subject studied was extremely interesting. I finished with a Bachelor of Kinesiology and a minor in psychology.
In 2002, I’m a quadriplegic from a mountain bike accident. Lying on the ground with my arms at my side, I feel claustrophobic in my own body. It felt like I was saran wrapped a hundred times from head to toe. The first thought that came to my head was “I can paint with my mouth”, and I was happy again. 10 min later I can move my ankle 1 mm…I was elated. The surgeon said I would never walk again. After 1 week in the hospital I could flop my limbs around like I was a rag doll. I flopped into a seated position on the edge of my bed ready to walk. The nurse learned of my stubbornness and quickly recruited 6 other helpers. Once I left the bed my knees drove into the floor, I try again, this time I brace my abs as hard as I can…I can stand!…I relax my abs and I fall. I had a Eureka moment. Do not take your core for granted! It took me 1 year to recover my base strength and 1 more year to race downhill mountain bikes again, this time I qualified to race at an elite level for the first time!
Growing up I had to constantly adapt to new environments. Being the oldest, I had to lead my siblings, protect my brother. I had to grow up faster than I wanted. I became comfortable working hard on my own. I had spent my whole life knowing what I didn’t want to be…not what I wanted to be. I knew I didn’t want to be an absent father, I didn’t want arouse conflict with others, I didn’t want to ever take my physical fitness for granted again. I always wanted to venture in the opposite direction of others. I was not a follower, but I also did not feel like a leader.
After my mountain bike accident I wanted to open up a gym and since I was in university debt, no bank would touch me. Eventually my family, some friends and all of my personal training clients would chip in to fund the Life Works Gym grand opening in 2003. I wanted to help people become stronger…generating strength from their center. I wanted to pour my energy into my personal training passion to empty my anger tank. I recovered from my neck injury because I was strong, I trained hard, I played hard. I wanted to pass that resilience on to the next athlete. I wanted to surround myself with positive people…people I no longer have to fight. I had a dying thirst for positive energy, and personal training 100% did that. Looking back I now know why I do what I do, and why I love doing it! I've been changing lives as a personal trainer since 1997 and just received the Canadian Personal Trainers Network Award of Merit, as well, invented and trademarked an extremely popular fitness class called Code Red. It has been a brain stimulating journey...and I'm just getting started.
I don’t have to move anymore, I am home. I am no longer the new kid, I am the welcoming party. At Life Works Gym I welcome you with open arms. My wife Jessie and my son Max look forward to meeting you. You will attain your fitness goals here because you will love coming here. I guarantee it! We are family run and family owned since 2003. Simply…Life Works Gym is one big supportive community of trust. So come on down and give me a hug!
Jessie Fox's WHY
I was born and raised in China as a princess, I got whatever I wanted. My dad was a stubborn hard laborer turned business man. He believed that hard training would give me strength for the rest of my life, so at the age of 5, he enrolled me into the gymnastics program. An disciplined army of 5 year old lived and trained extremely hard to only see their parents on Sundays. We would get up at 5:30 am to run…if you were last in the group you would get whipped with bamboo stick . The rest of the day involved jumping, turning, splits, flips, yelling, crying. All I wanted to do was to go home. I remember seeing children with their parents, holding hands, hanging out as a family…I wanted that, I wanted a normal life. 1 year later I made to the Chinese National Gymnastics Team! My coach would later tell my parents that my bones are growing too fast and that my future's not bright.
My father desperate for me to be a success threw me into badminton, volleyball, dancing, karate, kung fu, acrobatics ( top position )and track and field. By the time I hit high school I was so fit and popular and I won every track field race , my bedroom was full of medals and trophies , my coach had to put me training with older boys, because I was fast. In my mind I was number 1, I will be always number 1.
At 16, my parents would pay a friend of the family $25,000.00 USD to enroll me for 2 years into an English school in Germany. My father believed it would give me a lot of opportunity for the future. The entire family celebrated my adventures to come. I said goodbye to all my friends and my boyfriend… we were ready. But day after day, week after week, month after month, I was still in China…waiting. I saw my friends and ex-boyfriend go to university while I yet waited. I was frustrated, disappointed, angry, mad, sad, confused ,depressed. My dream was broken. I was on the top…but the man that took my parents money pushed me off and I crashed hard. After 2 years of waiting I was deep into anorexia. I refused to eat or sleep, to be human. I was in the darkest corners of my mind. I remember standing on the scale and seeing 70lbs and feeling nothing about it. I wanted to torture myself to death because I lost hope. I was no longer number 1.
The Doctor told my parents I was going to die, maybe in few weeks or a month or so. Desperate…my dad and brother wrapped me with rope around a chair to force feed me soy milk. Then…the man that took our money finally showed up with a visa and passport for school to begin! My entire family teared and said it was “too late”. In order to prove everyone wrong I strapped on a backpack heavier than my entire body weight and got on a plane to Germany. I landed in a beautiful foreign country, I had made it! But…the man didn’t take me to Germany, he took me to school in Austria! I was the only Asian and the only one not speaking the common tongue. I was confused and depression settled in deeper… anorexia became bulimia. After 6 months it was Christmas and the school closed. I had nowhere to live or go or be. My dad had paid for 2 years tuition with accommodation. The school board said the arrangement was impossible. I told my parent and on the phone my dad yelled one word, “Run”! It was perfect snowy night before Christmas , I left everything I owned, I didn’t know which direction to go, I ate garbage to survive, and somehow found a train station then airport. The Chinese embassy was waiting.
I build up the courage to move on with my life. I had a dream and I want the dream became true. A couple of years later (2001) I’m on Canadian soil staring at a flag with a red maple leaf. However, with the pressure of living alone and schooling at University of Vancouver Island , I was still struggling with serious bulimia . I remember one day did puking 46 times ,had to move 8 places per year to live, disappointed myself everyday ... I wanted to get better, for my parents that loved me so much. I did get better without ANY counseling, treatments....day by day …all on my own…After 16 years battle daily with my depression and addiction , I finally won the ' war ' with myself. I finally can think ,eat , live like real human again and fully recovered at age of 32. I believed it was a gymnastic mindset that pulled me out of it. I worked hard towards my goal, in 4 years, I saved up 50.000.00$ and sent back to my parent and to thank them always be there for me with their endless love.
Now I’m a Canadian citizen with an adorable German/French/Irish husband and a German/French/Irish/Chinese son.If someone were to ask me what things have kept me going, I would say love from my family and my stubborn determination and a strong and grounded belief in myself.Although I never want to partake in gymnastics anymore I still have a deep love for fitness. I used to be the best, but now I just want to be the healthiest for myself, for my family. I want to be in a world where I can trust people again, to be praised and not judged. I want raise my son in the best country in the world! I want teach others to rise out of depression and be the healthiest they can be. I want to work in an environment where health is not forced fed. I fell into depression because I was on top and didn’t know how to fail. Now I know, to fail is to learn and to learn is to grow.
I kept my depression a secret because some of them are the darkest and hardest part of my life. Today ( Sept 2017) I decided to tell the world about my past, I want to let my clients know that I had to fight off my demons on my path of recovery. I was fortunate to turn my life around and live my dream of gym owner. I have a moral obligation to help people physically, mentally, spiritually and create value in their lives so they have a positive impact on others. When I able to assist those in need, it gives me a sense of achievement and I live and breathe Life Works Gym with my heart and soul and in my gym, no one has to struggle alone.
My father desperate for me to be a success threw me into badminton, volleyball, dancing, karate, kung fu, acrobatics ( top position )and track and field. By the time I hit high school I was so fit and popular and I won every track field race , my bedroom was full of medals and trophies , my coach had to put me training with older boys, because I was fast. In my mind I was number 1, I will be always number 1.
At 16, my parents would pay a friend of the family $25,000.00 USD to enroll me for 2 years into an English school in Germany. My father believed it would give me a lot of opportunity for the future. The entire family celebrated my adventures to come. I said goodbye to all my friends and my boyfriend… we were ready. But day after day, week after week, month after month, I was still in China…waiting. I saw my friends and ex-boyfriend go to university while I yet waited. I was frustrated, disappointed, angry, mad, sad, confused ,depressed. My dream was broken. I was on the top…but the man that took my parents money pushed me off and I crashed hard. After 2 years of waiting I was deep into anorexia. I refused to eat or sleep, to be human. I was in the darkest corners of my mind. I remember standing on the scale and seeing 70lbs and feeling nothing about it. I wanted to torture myself to death because I lost hope. I was no longer number 1.
The Doctor told my parents I was going to die, maybe in few weeks or a month or so. Desperate…my dad and brother wrapped me with rope around a chair to force feed me soy milk. Then…the man that took our money finally showed up with a visa and passport for school to begin! My entire family teared and said it was “too late”. In order to prove everyone wrong I strapped on a backpack heavier than my entire body weight and got on a plane to Germany. I landed in a beautiful foreign country, I had made it! But…the man didn’t take me to Germany, he took me to school in Austria! I was the only Asian and the only one not speaking the common tongue. I was confused and depression settled in deeper… anorexia became bulimia. After 6 months it was Christmas and the school closed. I had nowhere to live or go or be. My dad had paid for 2 years tuition with accommodation. The school board said the arrangement was impossible. I told my parent and on the phone my dad yelled one word, “Run”! It was perfect snowy night before Christmas , I left everything I owned, I didn’t know which direction to go, I ate garbage to survive, and somehow found a train station then airport. The Chinese embassy was waiting.
I build up the courage to move on with my life. I had a dream and I want the dream became true. A couple of years later (2001) I’m on Canadian soil staring at a flag with a red maple leaf. However, with the pressure of living alone and schooling at University of Vancouver Island , I was still struggling with serious bulimia . I remember one day did puking 46 times ,had to move 8 places per year to live, disappointed myself everyday ... I wanted to get better, for my parents that loved me so much. I did get better without ANY counseling, treatments....day by day …all on my own…After 16 years battle daily with my depression and addiction , I finally won the ' war ' with myself. I finally can think ,eat , live like real human again and fully recovered at age of 32. I believed it was a gymnastic mindset that pulled me out of it. I worked hard towards my goal, in 4 years, I saved up 50.000.00$ and sent back to my parent and to thank them always be there for me with their endless love.
Now I’m a Canadian citizen with an adorable German/French/Irish husband and a German/French/Irish/Chinese son.If someone were to ask me what things have kept me going, I would say love from my family and my stubborn determination and a strong and grounded belief in myself.Although I never want to partake in gymnastics anymore I still have a deep love for fitness. I used to be the best, but now I just want to be the healthiest for myself, for my family. I want to be in a world where I can trust people again, to be praised and not judged. I want raise my son in the best country in the world! I want teach others to rise out of depression and be the healthiest they can be. I want to work in an environment where health is not forced fed. I fell into depression because I was on top and didn’t know how to fail. Now I know, to fail is to learn and to learn is to grow.
I kept my depression a secret because some of them are the darkest and hardest part of my life. Today ( Sept 2017) I decided to tell the world about my past, I want to let my clients know that I had to fight off my demons on my path of recovery. I was fortunate to turn my life around and live my dream of gym owner. I have a moral obligation to help people physically, mentally, spiritually and create value in their lives so they have a positive impact on others. When I able to assist those in need, it gives me a sense of achievement and I live and breathe Life Works Gym with my heart and soul and in my gym, no one has to struggle alone.
Neil Fox has received the award of merit for personal training!
