We had the good fortune of connecting with Andrew Morales and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Andrew, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
There wouldn’t be a story to tell if there wasn’t a chance taken, blessing or curse. We don’t know until we try. We take a chance every day in everything we do. You either do or you don’t. Heads or tails. To each of us, the fear of landing on tails when we flip the coin varies on how much emotion we have invested in that moment. With every coin toss comes an experience we can grow from and learn from.

One experience for example is when my fitness career began. I was working full time in retail, but getting my bachelors in Exercise Science. I knew my passion was fitness and I was working on making it my lifestyle. I was then forced to make a choice: keep everything as it is and work on my passion on the side or step down to free me to do as I please. I knew if I chose to follow my heart, I would be walking into nothing and starting from scratch. That was where my heart was, so that’s what I did. I did not know where it would go but I knew it was what I wanted to do so I would make it work.

Going from stability to the unknown instability can be enough to keep one inside what they know and can control, but I took a chance and I don’t regret it. Not one bit. Thinking on it, I might’ve regretted not making that decision at that time and it could’ve changed my course in life to where I may not be where I am at today.

Change can be a good thing, and you will never know what it could be like until you take it. So be a risk-taker, get out of the comfort zone for a moment, and take a chance. It can be a life changer for the better.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Energized Fitness and Training has been alive for 3 years and counting! What makes Energized Fitness and Training different than other gyms around us is that we are place for everyone and anyone. Whether you want to work on your physical appearance or just find a place of belonging to work on a better you, we are here for you. Regardless of fitness level, there is something for you to do at Energized Fitness. Free weights, bootcamps, group classes, personal training, you name it! We will guide you and motivate you to keep going strong!

Keeping it together has definitely NOT been easy. The day after our 1-year anniversary, literally, pandemic restrictions went into affect and everything was shut down. It was the worst timing because we were just beginning to gain momentum of traffic and attention as a new and upcoming business. It slowed us down tremendously and if it wasn’t for our members and support from others, we wouldn’t have made it out the other end of it successfully. It was a nail-biting experience because there was so much unknown we walking through we could only hope we would make it out okay. And we did!

That doesn’t mean that there aren’t days that go by where I sit and think “What can I do better?” or “What is it that I’m missing and not doing that I should be doing?” I’m always looking for improvement and one thing I’ve learned from this journey is to have faith. Believe in what you are doing. Something must going right if people are still showing up.

Every day I’m honored to continue doing what I love because though it is work, hard work at that, it doesn’t feel like work. I would do it for free, so to be able to do it and get paid! Nothing like it. Fitness is life for me. It’s saved me from dark times and got me through tough times. It can be a struggle. But if I can show others that those moments can be overcome with some determination and a little fun, I’m all for it! Energized Fitness has given me the place to do that.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Hmmmm. Well. They’d have to take a class with me that’s for sure. I’m certified in many MOSSA programming such as Group Fight, Group Power, Group Blast, Group Centergy, Group Ride, and 3D30. If it’s a week-worth, then that’s plenty of time to take one of each :).

I love sushi so we would have to hit this restaurant called Foody Goody. An Asian all-you-can-eat buffet with Japanese food as well. The food is cooked right there and then instead of it already made and placed out in a tray for anyone to go and grab whenever, including the sushi. Sushi is expensive, especially the fancy kind. But at this place, you pay one flat fee and you get as much as you want! As long as their no leftovers. So we are walking in with an empty stomach because we are going to devour endless sushi orders!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Energized Fitness and Training wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for our supportive community and member base, so shoutout to the Fitchburg community for allowing us to help work you out in the right direction to a better lifestyle! I also didn’t trek this journey alone.

Jesus Diaz and Lori McClurg, my business partners, get just as much credit because three heads are better than one! Even though that’s more opportunity to bump heads but it’s the diversity and the differences we have that put it all together. We are our own persons but we are all here for the same reason.

Family, friends, acquaintances, thank you all!

Website: Energizedpt.com

Instagram: a.drew.morales

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutMiami is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.