Hidden Gems: Meet Adelena Parker-Lewis of Lifted Lagree and Pilates Studio

Today we’d like to introduce you to Adelena Parker-Lewis.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I will try to keep this brief, but truly there is so much that lead me to where I am today. It is a representation of the the butterfly effect.

In 2021, I took a jump and moved to Seattle, WA to work at the King County Prosecutors Office and apply to law school.

While there, my childhood friend who also lived there took me to a pilates studio, MOOV Seattle. I was instantly hooked. I had been active my whole life, but this was the first workout I felt like I wanted to do every single day and not to mention the community that came with this studio. Within a month of finding the studio, I was working front desk for them, and within 3 months of that, I was going through training to be an instructor there. The studio later transitioned to add lagree and pilates classes, and I completed my lagree level 1 certification there. (Later I would travel back to this studio for my level 2 trainings). This studio became my home. The owner Erin, became like a sister, a mom, a mentor and a friend. She would later be a bridesmaid in my wedding.

In 2022, I met my Husband, Jacob Myers, and we found out in early 2023 we were expecting our first born. A rough pregnancy showed I needed to be home, closer to my family. I had built a life in Seattle, Jake’s family was there, my MOOV family was there, I had just finished my first year of law school at Seattle University, and I was just not ready to close this chapter of my book. Jake was the push I needed, he saw how much I needed my family, and I trusted him.

In the fall of 2023, at almost 30 weeks pregnant, I took a leave of absence from law school, and we drove our two dogs and two cars across the country from Seattle to Pittsboro, NC. I had no idea what I would create here, or that I would end up completely dropping out of law school later.

Once we arrived, I felt an urge to get back to teaching fitness classes, but I struggled to find a studio that felt as welcoming, warm, and family like as MOOV. Erin, owner of MOOV, planted the idea. She said, “you are one of the best instructors we have had, you are really good at this, and you need to open up your own studio.” Unsure about the idea of completely letting go of law school, and owning my own business, I decided to start with just a pop-up class.

In October of 2023, at 32 weeks pregnant, I launched my 6 weeks pop-up mat pilates inspired classes hosted by 39 west in Joy of Movement. I taught 3 classes a week, and planned only 6 weeks of classes because the idea was that we would be done when I was 38 weeks pregnant, 2 weeks before my son’s due date. I had no money and no true business plan, just a girl who ordered $10 mats off amazon and a mini speaker.

However, my son had other plans for my pop-up. I went into pre-term labor at 34 weeks and spent the weekend in the hospital. The nurses were able to slow the labor and I was discharged to go home Monday morning. When the doctor came in to discharge me, my very first question was can I still teach fitness classes. I got the “okay” from my doctor, as long as I didn’t participate in the class, and I was back to teaching that night. In my mind, there was no way I was letting down all the people who had paid and were loving these classes just 2 weeks into the program. We kept going, building community and friends.

In late November of 2023, at 37 weeks, I was diagnosed with cholestasis and had to go in for an emergency induction. At this point, I cancelled my last week of the pop-up, but everyone was so excited for me, kind, and ready to get back when I had recovered.

During my time off, I thought a lot about what I had created in those short few weeks. I didn’t have fancy workout equipment, a fancy studio, or investors. Yet, already I had created this friendly community full of regular loving clients. I knew I needed to continue. A month into my time off, I started creating a plan. I created my LLC, came up with a business name, started planning my first event, and officially withdrew from law school. I was now invested in this new vision for my career.

In early February of 2024, we were back and now we were Lifted Lagree & Pilates Studio. Over the next year, we would grow more than I expected.

As new clients came in, I added more classes, teaching all of them myself. I saved money and invested in better mats, bala equipment and a better speaker. I worked to get a website up and running, and new booking platform. I even, with the help of my parents, was able to invest in the lagree microformers and purchase a lagree studio license to become a lagree studio.

I was a new mom, starting up a new business, teaching 8 classes a week, waking up my son at 5am to take him to the studio with me, where he would hang out with his pop-pop while I taught. My fiance worked nights throughout this process, staying up sometimes 24 hours at a time to help when he could. It was hard on the both of us. Yet, we both saw how important this was.

It become clear I was growing and needed help. I hired two mat instructors, with the idea that it would give me a little break. BUT we kept growing and adding classes. I was the only lagree instructor, teaching all the lagree classes and some mat. I had to grow the team. I flew in a lagree master trainer, Tessa, who owns her own microformer studio in Flordia, and hosted my first in studio training. I hired two more instructors and now had a team of 5!

The studio has continued to grow, we currently have 15 classes a week, and teach classes in the Joy of Movement space at chatham mill. Yet, we have outgrow this space as it is a shared space, with other fitness and dance instructors teaching in there. So we adapt to the growth. I am currently prepping and decorating our very own space that we will be opening on June 1st, 2025.

It is crazy to me to look back at where I started with my $10 mats, and now I’m picking up the keys to my very own studio space with an amazing team of dedicated instructors. And we are getting ready to hire more!!

I look back and think, none of this would have happened had I not had my little surprise baby. Callum is why we live in NC, Callum is why I left law school and Seattle. Had I not, I would be getting ready to graduate law school with my friends, and not own my own business. Both are great visions, and it is bitter sweet letting go of my old vision. But this one makes me happier. This one is my passion. I get to motivate people every day, support them, listen to their struggles, their accomplishments, and do something I love. All while still having time with my son, and the daughter we are now expecting in October of this year.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, there have been a lot of personal struggles throughout this process.

The studio itself has surprised me with how much growing it has done, and most of it just being from word of mouth. But for me personally in this process, it has been a challenge.

During my pregnancy with my first, I had a lot of complications. Pregnancy was not easy for me, but I started the 6 week pop up anyways, because if not now then when?

Postpartum was also a huge struggle for me mentally. You don’t realize how low you are until you come out of it. I had my son in November of 2023, but didn’t start to feel like myself again until January of 2025, only to then find out at the end of January we were pregnant again. While this is such a joy, unfortunately along with it came the wave of mental struggles.

I was trying to start a business, conducting meetings, creating business plans, planning events, managing the business books, training new employees, teaching all the classes. I was the business owner, studio manager, social media manager, accountant, event coordinator and employee all at once. While also managing the struggles of postpartum anxiety and depression. Despite having a partner who is one of the most dedicated, supportive and involved dads I have ever seen, he had to work nights to support us. This was really really hard on our relationship, especially with my mental health not being well.

My dad, who owns multiple businesses in Pittsboro, would talk to me about the struggles of owning a business and try to offer an understanding voice but I still felt so alone. My dad had my mom while he was opening his businesses, who stayed home with me and my sisters, a whole job in itself. And here I was acting as both. I was the stay at home parent, while also working, opening a businesses. I was trying to adapt to this new “mom life” of mine, while also adapting to this new career I had dove into. Talk about an identity crisis. My whole life felt flipped upside down in less than a year. The postpaturm hormones did not make managing this change any easier.

My family is what got me through all of this. Everyone supported my vision, everyone helps where they can. My sister watching Callum on her Sunday’s off. My parents watching him every time I teach and Jake is at work. And Jake, switching to day shift, dedicated to making sure I get my time ALONE where I am not working or being a mom, and managing a lot of the household duties that I struggles to balance with everything else.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Lifted is a Lagree Microformer and Modern Mat fitness studio. We offer mat and lagree classes everyday, as well as have the ability to book private sessions, semi-private sessions, or group classes for events and parties.

Our community sets us apart from other studios. I know that may sound cliche, but truly you will never come into our space, workout, and leave without talking to someone. I’ve been to WAYYY too many studios where no one said a single word to me my whole time inside the space, and that can feel really isolating and intimidating if you are new. My goal was not only to be a fitness studio, but to create a space where people wanted to come and hang out. Where friends would sit on the couch after class and chat. Where people would feel safe and welcomed as soon as they walk through the door. We host events like mom club, where all our moms get together with their children in the studio. I bring coffee, the kids play, and us moms just talk about motherhood. We are starting up book club next month as another opportunity to hang out with our community. We also host events like our summer camp out, Pilates and Prosecco, Galentines day, all as opportunities to just get our community together.

If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
I think being able to adapt but also think big. Originally, my life vision was to live in a big city and be a lawyer. When that changed, I had to adapt quickly, but still think big. Instead of just giving up on law school, you pivot. It wasn’t the end, it was just, “okay, well whats my next BIG move.” So then the dream became owning a lagree studio.

As for owning a business, I think just being genuine is the most important thing. I know not everyone is into fitness, I know not everyone who is into fitness enjoys lagree or pilates, and I know that I personally won’t be everyones cup of tea. AND THATS OKAY! I will continue to be genuinely myself, and I will continue to genuinely care and support every person that walks through my door and takes my classes. When people feel that the kindness is real, and that the space is welcoming, they want to come back. It’s not necessarily just the workout people come back for, but also the welcoming space they get to be in.

Pricing:

• First class is $10

Contact Info:

• Website: https://liftedlagree.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifted.lagree.pilates/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61561023227324

Image Credits
Kayla Jean Photo