8 minute read
DeDe
FUEL MY SPIRIT:
DeDe Thompson by Cyn The Great
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The most challenging aspect of growth, in my opinion, is self reflection. When we are able to acknowledge and take accountability for self it puts us in position to reach a level of inner peace that becomes unmatched in every aspect. Inner peace is one of the most sought after accomplishments that one can gain within a lifetime. Dede Thompson knows exactly what it feels like to be backed into a space where realignment is the only option left. Growing up as a preacher’s kid (PK) Dede was always taught to trust God and uphold herself to the standard her parents set. Dede’s turning point was reaching her heaviest weight and actually seeing it on the scale. She was forced to take accountability for the way she felt about herself and where she was in life; which wasn’t enough. Dede used her lowest point as the fuel needed to drive her to not only help herself but others as well. She encountered pivotal moments throughout her journey that required self reflection and redirection in order to get her where she is today as a fitness coach, certified trainer, influencer and CEO of ACV Fitness.
Dede grew up in Walhalla, South Carolina and recalled being very involved in the church and sports. She was a cheerleader, danced, ran track; played basketball and soccer. Dede’s father was/is a local pastor and her mother a minister. Growing up, for Dede, was difficult because there was an unspoken standard that she had to live up to. As the middle and the only one of her siblings that did not move out before the age of 17 she always held a very close relationship with her mother. When she finally went off to Southern Wesleyan University, in Clemson, South Carolina , she craved the freedom she was not allotted while growing up. She played basketball and maintained good grades, still living up to the expectations of her parents. There were times where she would come in from a long day to find her mother in her dorm room checking in on her unannounced. She went through a partying phase and decided that the school was not working towards her best interest and then transferred schools.
Making the transfer to Lander University in Greenwood, South Carolina put Dede back on track. She earned her B.A. in Sociology at the top of her class. While attending Lander Dede worked two jobs and was involved in a serious relationship. Their time spent consisted of going out to eat a lot because they were always on the go. Dede worked two jobs so she wasn’t as active as she was while attending SWU. She began to feel like she was starting to fit her boyfriend’s “ideal” image of being heavier and subconsciously started losing her confidence. The relationship grew toxic and Dede found out that her boyfriend had been lying, cheating and doing other things she didn’t approve of. She decided to break things off with him for good. Shortly after her breakup her aunt who was more like a mother to her passed away and her grandmother was very sick in the hospital during this time. Dede felt herself mentally in the dark. She decided to quit her job and start fresh.
The leap of faith, for Dede, came with an uncomfortable move to Atlanta, Georgia. The first few months of being in Atlanta were very hard for her. She fell into a place of depression where she gained over 60lbs delt with suicidal thoughts, and suffered from anxiety. She had to draw back on her upbringing and faith to remember that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. Her first step of healing was stepping on the scale to find out her weight after avoiding it for so long. Seeing the numbers rise to 235lbs made her mind shift instantly as she looked in the mirror. She went out and got a membership at the local L.A. Fitness. During her workouts Dede would listen to different scriptures, Gospel songs and motivational speeches to keep her encouraged so that she could pour into herself. As she continued to stay committed to showing up to the gym each day she began to feel a new purpose and passion. She cleaned her eating and before she knew it within the first 30 days she had lost 30lbs. By tapping into her worth and falling back in love with herself; she realized that she needed to learn more about her new journey. She made the decision to reach out to a trainer so that she could elevate to the next level.
Dede found herself taking membership at Effect Fitness and joined one of the intense boot camps with trainer Duley. She instantly felt intimidated and wondered what she had gotten into. Reminding herself that she was here to continue to bring out her alpha, she metnally chose the fittest woman in the class and decided that would be the level she had to get to. She lost 15 lbs within the first camp. Dede recalled God gravitating her energy to Duley and she began to study and train under Duley for a year and a half losing an additional 25lbs. They were working out 3-4 times a day and just as things were really starting to pick up where she was seeing more definition we were all forced to shut down life as we knew it due to Covid-19.
Covid-19 for Dede put her in a strenuous place because her grandmother’s health, who was 86 years old, started declining for the worse. She and her boyfriend at the time were both stressed dealing with their own problems and trying to figure out what they were going to do for money to pay bills. They started having conversations about Dede becoming a personal trainer because she was thriving in the gym and people were already influenced by her progress. She then made the decision to become certified so that she could properly train others.
After completing her certification she moved on to to FDL gym where the owner believed in her so much that he told her not to worry about paying for rent the first few months as long as she “did the damn thing”. Her first client, social media influencer, Robiiiworld had been one of the first people she connected with when she moved to ATL. They linked and did a few skits together that went viral and just made a bond from there. The alignment of Robiii’s health giving him a huge scare and Dede starting her career as a trainer happened in it’s perfect timing. They worked together for two months at FDL gym before Dede took residence at The Loft in Midtown Atlanta. Dede had taken on several other clients but Robiiiworld was her star pupil as he had lost over 85 lbs within his first four months. As Robiii lost the weight he gained more attention, his confidence level spiked and he became comfortable. Dede found herself chasing him down to remind him about the gym and staying on him with his health. It began to make Dede feel as though she was pouring more into her client and friend then her business. She already had all eyes on her because she was new in this major gym, an influencer and had other clients watching. Eventually she decided to drop him as a client but may be working with him again in the future as they continue to stay friends.
When asked how God has shaped or shifted her life to where she is today; Dede became teary eyed. She expressed that trying to go out into the world on her own and make things happen the way she wanted forced her to experience some really dark times and she was backed into a space where her only option was stepping back in God’s light. Now realizing that fitness is her light that she uses to help others feel good about themselves and to stay motivated. As Dede came through her own darkness she was able to tap into her spiritual side and step out of religion. Dede surrounds herself with others who are spiritually awoken. Her best friend Crystal, spiritual advisor and healer, poured into her at the beginning of their friendship and helped her understand the tools ( crystals, sage, journaling, meditiating) and power that she held within herself. Once Dede learned how to cleanse herself and build her own relationship with God she began to fully understand her purpose.
When Dede’s grandmother passed away she knew that she was up next in terms of breaking generational curses and helping her family elevate to higher level. In a strange way, she became motivated to tap deeper into her spirituality and to push her brand harder. She decided that it was time to use her natural detox as the way to spread her spirit globally. Dede is a one woman brand, creating, packaging, labeling and shipping her product all over the world. Luckily for Dede, she was already a big influencer on social media and was able to use her platform to push harder. She reached out to other fitness pages, posting flyers, and networking with anyone who would listen. In each of her packages she includes a motivational verse, Jerimiah 29:11, that she holds dear to her heart. The goal is to have a full warehouse and a full team to push Achieving Challenges Victoriously Detox and multiple wellness centers. She continues to train and change lives of anyone she encounters. Dede gives back to the community by hosting bootcamps, giving goodie bags to the homeless and appreciation days to the community for their constant support and, Pretty Girl Sweat awareness brunches/bootcamps. Dede shared that her ultimate goal is to show women that in order to change their bodies, they must first change their minds. Once the mind is changed for the better there is no stopping. When it’s all said and done; Dede wants her spirit and legacy to live on encouraging others to manifest the things that they want through God.
