The turning point was when Mari hit rock bottom during her senior year of college, failing every class, gaining significant weight, and struggling with mental health. She decided to drop out, move back home, and focus on her health, which marked the beginning of her transformative journey.
Mari began her fitness journey by focusing on nutrition, cooking healthy meals, and incorporating light exercise like walking and jogging. She later started weightlifting, following a bodybuilder plan, and eventually became passionate about fitness and nutrition.
Greg, Mari's now-husband, was a significant source of inspiration and support. He taught her how to grocery shop, cook healthy meals, and weightlift. His consistent gym routine and healthy habits motivated Mari to adopt a similar lifestyle.
After losing 90 pounds, Mari shared her before-and-after photo on Instagram, which went viral. She started creating workout and nutrition guides, which gained popularity. This led to the launch of her fitness business, including physical products like resistance bands and eventually her supplement brand, Bloom.
Mari struggled with borderline personality disorder (BPD), self-harm, suicidal ideation, and heavy drinking. She was on a cocktail of medications that left her dissociated and unable to function, leading to her dropping out of college and hitting rock bottom.
Mari felt the medications were not helping and were instead ruining her life. She decided to quit cold turkey, despite it not being recommended, as she believed it was necessary to regain control of her mental and physical health.
Mari's upbringing involved frequent moves, a tumultuous household, and her parents' separation, which contributed to her anxiety and feelings of insecurity. These experiences shaped her struggles with mental health and self-esteem during her teenage and college years.
The viral post, which featured her before-and-after fitness transformation, resonated with many people and significantly grew her following. It marked the beginning of her fitness business, as followers began requesting workout and nutrition guides.
The fitness journey helped Mari regain control of her life, build confidence, and develop a sense of purpose. It allowed her to face her past traumas, stop drinking, and focus on self-improvement, leading to significant mental health improvements.
Mari learned the importance of turning pain into purpose, staying disciplined, and focusing on self-improvement. She emphasized the value of facing challenges head-on, finding passion in adversity, and using personal struggles as fuel for growth.
Ep. 161 In this solo episode, I take you through my life story, from my childhood to where I am today. I reflect on key moments—like moving to America, struggling with self-harm, and overcoming mental health challenges—that shaped the person I am now. I also share the transformative journey of losing 90 lbs, starting a fitness business, and how I turned pain into passion to fuel my purpose. Through the highs and lows, I’ve learned valuable lessons that have been integral to my growth, confidence, and the life I’m building now.
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Topics Discussed
00:00:00 - Introduction
00:04:17 - Turning your pain to passion
00:05:39 - Mari’s childhood: living in Switzerland & the UK
00:07:41 - Move to New York & feeling out of place
00:11:01 - High school and parent’s separation
00:16:50 - College, making friends, and academic probation
00:20:01 - Sorority days and partying
00:23:07 - Meeting Greg and starting internships
00:25:11 - Self harm and BPD diagnosis
00:31:55 - Psychiatric treatment, medications, and rock bottom
00:35:36 - Dropping out of college
00:37:19 - Quitting medications cold turkey
00:39:35 - Starting my heathy and fitness journey
00:43:38 - Working at Orange Theory and graduating
00:46:25 - Viral before and after photos
00:48:22 - Workout guides, website, and first products
00:51:13 - Sampling supplements and launching bloom