Meet Lesley Henderson-Sanders | Published Author, Entrepreneur, Crossfit Coach & USA Weight Lifting Coach,

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lesley Henderson-Sanders and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lesley, what do you attribute your success to?
The most important factor is honoring your commitment to your personal integrity no matter who is watching.

For me the reason for my success is that not matter if people told me my dreams were too big, or my ideas were too grand, I still kept going and chasing my dreams. My parents always taught me that when people tell me “Lesley that’s too much” they really are scared to test their own skills and knowledge.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Hi! I’m Lesley, I am the Founder, President, and Board Member of Melanin Fitness Nation (Formally: Melanin Crossfitters), a fitness community and physical fitness education provider that supports healthy living and wellness for the Black community, by the Black community. MFN is committed to enriching the lives of everyone who joins our fitness family, supporting the community to lead healthier, longer, and more fulfilling lives.

As a devoted Crossfitter, I launched Melanin Crossfitters in 2020  bringing this rewarding fitness opportunity to my neighbors, friends, and wider community. My Crossfit journey began on November 4, 2014, when after topping the scale at 325 lbs, I decided to make the move towards a healthier lifestyle and never looked back. I previously served as a coach, member, events manager and more at a Black-owned gym in the Conyers/Lithonia area. MFN hosts regular fitness events, provides personally tailored training regimens, group classes, and more. After achieving my personal fitness goals, I became deeply committed to helping others reach their own health and fitness goals.

The journey to get here absolutely sets me apart from others. Being last, pushing a little harder, and not seeing results are all things that come to mind when considering what makes this process so different.

I am most proud of MFN’S last 2 competitions. One was a virtual event that included 126 athletes from 5 different countries, and the other an in person competition( Atlanta Masters Classic) that had over 60 athletes and 250+ spectators. We host some of the best and most diverse, high intensity, functional fitness competitions in the southern region. I took on hosting a huge fitness event not knowing what I was getting into but I wanted to be sure people understood how committed I was to making the experience memorable.

The process of taking the regimen that saved my life and turning it into a business was not easy. With many closed doors and no one to work with it was hard. I kept looking at the bigger picture and thought of the generations to come that deserve to be healthy, and have access to some of the best coaches the fitness community has to offer.

I have learned that it’s okay to walk away from what isn’t serving your purpose, it’s okay to stand alone, and it’s okay to ask for help.

I want others to know that we would love for them to join the movement and community to get healthy, whether they are a person of color, or an ally for people of color (POC)

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Gosh I think one of the most peaceful places is my house! Lol, my home gym. But if I have to choose:

I am for sure a foodie so, I LOVE waffles so if I am not making them (because I am an excellent cook) I would suggest visiting West Egg for breakfast or Ray’s at Killer Creek.

If you need a great refreshing drink for sure check out Golden Glow Juice Bar in Lithonia, an amazing spot. Also, Best Smoothie in Loganville.

Bangkok Station is a must for me (Pai is an amazing waitress) , the view, and all the lighting during the day is great. It’s just a good place I can go and laugh. East Atlanta Thai is amazing. I love them as well.

The Consulate is great if you want to put on some nice clothes and enjoy food from all over. Vietnam Pho Noodle House is another good spot, rather dining in or ordering today.

Diamond Dust Cupcakes in Decatur is an AMAZING call ahead they sell out almost everyday!

Whiskey Mistress is great for a nightcap.

I love to look at interior design (My previous passion) so you can find me in Intaglia Home Collection on the weekends sipping a cup of tea. (Cassie is amazing).

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have to thank my wife for even being open to my crazy idea to even try Crossfit. I was very thankful to start my Crossfit journey seven years ago in Conyers, GA. I owe a lot to my coaches at the time Aaron Harris, Alex Cook, and Woody Harris they helped me on my journey by giving me tough love initially, pushing me to do more, and encouraging me that eventually my day would come.

I owe a huge portion of gratitude to Scott Tanner, he was my coach and a big help when I did my first team competition. He gave me tons of tips and I am so thankful we took home first place.

Several members at CFCS that helped me directly or indirectly along the way.

To my Gladiator Saturday morning crew we had some amazing mornings; Danielle, Wednesday, VonB, Tomeka, & Anita. We had many early Saturday mornings that ended in a pool of sweat, thank you for the push!

Many thanks goes out to the Melanin Crossfitters (Melanin Fitness Nation) Group on IG and Facebook. I have met some AMAZING souls in this group. The kindness that they have shown the support and the love has been amazing. I am forever thankful to them for joining the community.

To my mom Katrina Henderson, I love you so much. Thank you for always telling me how proud you are of me. I am so very thankful you are my mom.

To my dad, who would have ever known this journey would be taking off and you wouldn’t be here to see it? I remember you telling me after the first competition I hosted how proud of me you were, and that you expected nothing but the best from me. I appreciate you being hard on me and telling me that I needed to lose weight. I don’t think I would have ever made the effort if you didn’t stay on me about it. Then when I finally took the turn to get my health together you had a look in your eyes that made me know you were beyond proud of me. I am thankful for all the years we had together. I know you are looking over me. Just know I miss you so much and I love you. Rest Well. ( Columbus Henderson 6.7.1948-12.6.2021)

Website: https://www.melanincrossfitters.com/about-us/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/melanincrossfit?utm_medium=copy_link

Image Credits
ICU Photography