Letter from the Director

It seems like everyone in the world had been talking about 2021.

First, Happy New Year! Like you, I’ve been looking forward to this year, too. 2020 may have left us dragging our feet and dreaming about the future — but January brings a fresh start.

For months, people have been longing for 2021 and its endless possibilities; everything they’re going to do when they get vaccinated; how excited they are to be able to walk past a group of people without being trailed by anxiety or fear; the possibility of experiencing Austin’s live music scene again (this is what I’m most excited about — more specifically, ACL 2021).

In recent editions of our January issue, AFM has covered the latest tech, throwbacks, detoxing and more, including awesome articles on conquering resolutions (because let’s face it, those things can be incredibly hard to complete and we all need some guidance), but it’s been a while since we’ve had an Inspiration issue in the month of January. With all of the craziness this last year has bestowed upon the world, we thought this theme was a perfect fit for January 2021.

In this month’s cover story, Austin local Tony Trevino shares his struggles battling addiction and how fitness training — particularly MMA — has helped to keep him grounded and, most of all, motivated throughout his recovery. Not only is Trevino candid about his journey, but he also shares his plans to help others struggling with addiction through MMA — paying it forward in the Austin community. Check out his amazing story on page 30.

Also in this issue, you’ll find a few other inspiring stories: the power of having an accountability partner, why you need a sprinkle of motivation to fuel your inspiration, an Athlete’s Spotlight on one of Austin’s most inspiring cycling instructors, David Garza, and plenty more.

In addition to these #inspo pieces, we are also bringing back an AFM-favorite feature: Kick Mo’s Butt (featuring fitness rockstar Monica Brant), and we’re also introducing AFM’s new Ambassador Program, where our ambassadors will be venturing around Austin’s fitness community to try out and highlight popular fitness classes, gyms and recovery technology.

From knowing Trevino’s journey to meeting musicfueled Garza, I hope you will find as much inspiration in these stories as I have. Cheers to 2021!

Keep Austin Fit,

Emily Effren

Director of Content

P.S. Speaking of new things and fresh beginnings, search for “Austin Fit Magazine” in the iOS App Store, and say hello to our new APP!