No Demons at The Fit Devil Just Healthy Living

Jennifer Ashby laughs when she’s asked about the name of her company—The Fit Devil. “Years ago, I was trying to figure out a name that went with ‘fit,’ and it seemed everything was taken,” Jennifer said. “I was doing Boot Camp at Gold’s Gym on the beach when a teenage girl finished the class with this comment: ‘You’re the devil, and I’m never coming back.’ I felt it was a great way to brand what I did. It was funny for a while, but now my company is just me, Jennifer Ashby, and I own The Fit Devil.”

Ashby’s business is as unique as the name—a boutique fitness facility offering private, personalized fitness training. So, we wondered about her clientele. “I work with young adults starting sports and businesspeople, both male and female,” Jennifer said. “Because of what they do in their various roles, they must have the right mental fortitude and handle things competently. They come to me to help keep them mentally and physically fit for success.”

Jennifer had no idea how vital her training would be later in life when a freak accident happened. “In the fall of 2020, a student fell on me, landing on my left hip. I thought I’d bruised my glut, but then it moved into my sciatica and down my left leg, so I couldn’t sit for long periods.  I was paralyzed on three different occasions in my legs due to my vertebrae slipping in my spine.

Not one easily deterred, Jennifer saw four specialists at Andrew’s Institute. “I elected to have spine surgery when I was told that if I didn’t have the surgery, no one could help me, and I’d never walk again,” Jennifer said. That was in July 2021, and Jennifer was released from Andrew’s by September. Then she began noticing that her hands were numb and burning went down to her elbows and through her shoulders. When she became unable to sleep, she returned to Andrew’s. Following a second surgery, she started getting sick and discovered a lump on the left side of her neck. To make a long story shorter, it was discovered that the first surgeon had broken her neck and shattered her vertebrae. However, an innovative surgeon in Pensacola was able to redo the first surgery, replace vertebrae, and flipped her over to fuse her back bones. “From May 9 until June 22, I was at the mercy of all my caregivers,” Jennifer said. “There was not one day that people weren’t here caring for me. I can’t thank them, or the hospital staff, enough.” Remarkably, Jennifer’s business actually grew during this time. “What I’ve had to learn is how to be the owner of my company, not a slave to it,” Jennifer said. “I do not need to be hands-on with clients. I set things up and then verbally work them through the program.”

But Jennifer has also practiced what she preaches regarding mental well-being and nutrition during this period of personal suffering. “You must keep your mind in check and watch what you say to yourself at 1 AM.  You can’t be saying destructive things to yourself. I learned how to meditate to clear my mind of negativity,” Jennifer said. “And I let my body rest and heal. I knew I was in for a long, hard road, so I kept myself hydrated and took in nutrients that would help heal and repair for a speedy recovery. Because they had to move my voice box over during both surgeries, that affected my esophagus. So, I could only have liquids and pureed food.”

Now, Jennifer can eat solid food, and she’s returning to the training she loves. “Before my surgeries, I worked with various doctors and people with disabilities, so I know how to design programs for individualized circumstances, myself included!” she said. “People need to learn to listen to their bodies and be around people with the right information. I want to work with people who are hungry to better their lives, mentally and physically. Remember, I should be bedridden and disabled now, so I think that is part of my life’s purpose—to help create, educate, inspire, and motivate clients to be in their own care and not someone else’s. You can only grow as your biggest vision allows.” One testimonial reads, “Jennifer is known to push her clients to goals they have never imagined for themselves while also allowing them to face any emotional challenges they may encounter.” She is certainly a walking, talking example of her philosophy of life—to survive despite life’s obstacles.

Jennifer accepts clients only by referral or recommendation. She does not accept walk-ins, nor does she hold group fitness programs. The business is located at 743 A Airport Road. You can find her on Facebook and LinkedIn, or call (850) 238-0431.