A mom says the invite-only gym she joined during COVID became a cult, with the owner dictating outfits and threatening to check screen time

A TikTok creator named Keri says an exclusive fitness studio she joined during the COVID-19 pandemic turned out to be a cult. Keri, who posts as @life.withkeri, shared her story in a video that drew tens of thousands of likes, as reported by The Daily Dot. She said she joined while dealing with addiction and alcoholism and raising her young children, and wanted a space to feel better.

The studio was an invitation-only group that allegedly marketed itself around female empowerment, friendship, and belonging. Prospective members had to apply through Instagram or receive an invite, followed by a phone call from the owner. Keri said the exclusivity drew her in.

“I am not some impressionable young idiot who’s gonna fall for some bulls—,” she said. Even so, she eventually realized how deeply she had invested herself in the group.

Keri says the rules went well beyond workouts

The workouts were music-based and energetic, and the women exchanged numbers and built friendships. However, Keri said the atmosphere shifted as the owner started controlling members’ daily lives. She claimed the owner told members how to dress and not to use their phones during the day, and allegedly threatened to check their screen time.

Keri said the owner also pressured women to make big life choices, such as ending personal relationships. The studio was heated to around 100 degrees, and Keri criticized the workout techniques, saying the owner often demeaned women’s bodies. Discomfort at the gym can come from other members too, as one Tennessee woman found when a man allegedly yelled at her after she noticed him staring.

While the experience gave her a temporary sense of happiness, she eventually grew uncomfortable and started questioning the owner. After disagreements, she said she received a friendly message from the owner on Instagram before the owner blocked her, and she never went back.

Keri said she still values the friendships she made there. She learned about showing up for friends and caring for others through acts of service, lessons she said stayed with her.

Her video sparked conversation on TikTok about fitness culture and the need for community, with many users sharing similar stories about workout groups that felt like cults. One person wrote, “No one is immune to the innately human need to have community.”

Other commenters said they were pressured about their body image or humiliated in similar spaces. One person, who said they joined the studio before the pandemic, claimed the environment changed as it became more exclusive. The commenter also alleged the experience contributed to an eating disorder, for which they sought help after leaving.

Attack of the Fanboy was unable to independently verify the studio owner’s side of the story, as this account comes solely from Keri’s video.