Bodybuilding champion and global brand designer team up for fitness venture
THE entrepreneurs behind manufacturers and lifestyle brand Fit For Keeps are on the campaign trail to bring fitness into people’s homes.
Sarah Lambley is a marketer by trade, and was formerly a global brand director at Leeds beauty brand ghd, whilst her business partner Jenny Garside has a firm background in the fitness industry, teaching classes before launching a business herself, setting up a training studio.
Jenny is also a UIBBN World Figure Champion, with 13 titles to her name in bodybuilding.
Sarah said: “We asked ourselves if we were crazy when we started Fit For Keeps.”
But the business, which designs and manufactures fitness aide the Tuffit, which supports cardio and strength workouts, disguised as a piece of furniture.
Sarah continued: “It all stemmed from wanting to get back into shape after kids. Prior to that, I spent years stumbling from one diet to another, going through fads and cookbooks. In my 30s I had had lightbulb moment – involve activity in your life and it all falls into place.”
Jenny said: “Getting fitness into your life is about balance and perseverance. We’re not promising a miracle fix, and we don’t use ‘Before and After’ pictures, it’s an ongoing lifestyle, not a destination.”
From Jenny’s experience as a personal trainer, she found that her clients wanted the option of avoiding the gym if they weren’t feeling up to it.
She said: “I ended up giving customers the whole package of fitness equipment, and then introduced biometric work on a wooden box, handle holds. That was the lightbulb moment for me.”
Teaming up, the pair put their own spin on the design, with Sarah coming at design from the angle of a marketer. 
She said: “I asked, why don’t people work out at home? Why don’t people buy home equipment? They don’t want a treadmill in the living room for starters.”
The rise of budget gyms such as Pure Gym and Xercise4Less point to a wider trend of people not wanting to make a long term commitment to gyms.
“The Tuffit is everything in one, and a nice alternative to gym membership, you can spend more on gym membership for half a year. “
The pair have worked hard to use Yorkshire suppliers and keep things in the region, with production happening in Morley and Elland.
Top tips from the fitness entrepreneurs behind Fit For Keeps:
The more you work out the more energy you have – it starts out feeling like you can’t do this, the more energy you’ll have if you build it in.
Get changed into kit at work head straight to the gym – or get on the Tuffit straight away.
Plan your workout according to your mood and a time that suits you.
