Ontario local, Christopher Lewarne, @the_cuddlycanadian, started his career path in the field of law and it wasn’t until later in life, that he realized his true passion was fitness.

After seeing his best friend battle cancer, and taking on a charity boxing fight to raise money and awareness, Christopher began emphasizing his mental health and wellness regime. “When he passed, I think I just realized there was more to life and we don’t have enough time on this planet to do anything less than what we are passionate about,” Christopher said.

He started to take on amateur fights in N.Y.C. and ended up working in fitness at a gym called Barry’s Bootcamp—which he fell in love with immediately. “I couldn’t believe I was getting paid to make people happy,” Christopher said. “Eventually, I was asked to help bring the company here to Canada and made a partner in the brand. I guess mine is a story of sort of ‘failing forward,’” he added. Christopher’s mental and physical wellness comes from one uniform philosophy: work hard and be nice to people. He’s also a strong believer in trying your best, and then being kind to yourself afterward. When it comes to a specific workout that Christopher finds compelling and enjoyable, it would have to be a Barry’s class. 

“I may be biased, but if there is a more immersive, effective and compelling workout than a Barry’s class, I haven’t found it,” Christopher said. “Short of actual competitive fighting, I don’t think I’ve ever had bigger adrenaline highs or calorie burns than in The Red Room.”

Check out our Health & Wellness section for more Canadian fitness influencer features.