January 2026
This month’s member spotlight is on the always positive, mountain biking extraordinaire and intellectually awesome Aaron Ahuvia.
Aaron first joined us pre pandemic for a brief stint before he moved to New York. Aaron rejoined us in May of 2023 and hasn’t looked back since.
Aaron is a busy professor and author in his career.
He is a proud member of our 250 class club and always shows up to class with a can-do positive attitude.
When Aaron isn’t moving his body at Fit2Live he is on his mountain biking using his functional fitness.
He is a joy to have in class and a great member to have in our community.
For these reasons and many more, Aaron has been chosen as our Member of the Month for January!
Read all about Aaron’s amazing Fit2Live journey below!
Tell us a little about yourself, where you’re from, what you do outside of Fit2Live, family, hobbies, etc.
I grew up in A2. I attended Community High School when it was earning its reputation for crazy, then on to UM to study philosophy. After getting my PhD in Marketing at Northwestern, I returned home to become a marketing professor at Ross before shifting to the UM Dearborn. In my research, I study the psychology of peace, love, and happiness (I know it sounds odd for a marketing professor, but I’ve made it work). My main hobbies are music and mountain biking. I’ve got a group that gets together monthly to listen to music and share favorites. If you’re interested, let me know.
I’ve got two wonderful adult kids, Isaac and Jonah, who live on the East Coast. The most interesting thing about me is my wife, Aura, who is the Psychedelic Rabbi, and yes, she really is a Rabbi who works with people using psychedelics for healing and personal growth.
When and why did you get started at Fit2Live?
I started back when it was called Joust. Then my wife got a job as the Rabbi in Woodstock, NY, and we moved away for several years. We moved back at the start of Covid, and I’ve been at Fit2Live since then.
What do you like most about Fit2Live, what keeps you coming back?
I call it “Ann Arbor CrossFit,” meaning it’s CrossFit without the intense machismo and injuries I’ve seen other places. I’ve worked out at other CrossFit boxes where I felt proud of what I achieved, but dreaded the experience of doing it. At Fit2Live, I love the community and keep in great shape while enjoying the actual workout, so it’s easy to decide to come regularly.
You are an avid mountain biker. Tell us about your hobby, why you like it, where are your favorite trails, how has Fit2Live helped you with your biking, anything else etc
I’m a bit of an adrenaline junkie. They say that road biking is for when you want time to think, and mountain biking is for when you don’t want to think at all. I love the DTE trail, which is near Chelsea and draws riders from all over the Midwest. As you age, you need strength training, cardio, HIIT, and balance. Biking is excellent for cardio and good for HIIT, but I look to the gym to balance it out.
What is a fun fact or hobby that you have that someone might not know about you?
Thirty years ago, I invented a concept called brand love, which has become pretty popular. I was also a guest on the Oprah Winfrey Show, talking about my research on online dating. Lastly, I do meditation, including extended silent retreats.
If you could travel to any place in the world tomorrow, where would you go and what would you do?
I’ve been very lucky that through my work I’ve had the chance to do projects in China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Morocco, the Netherlands, Oman, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Rwanda, Singapore, Slovakia, Switzerland, Yemen, and Vietnam. Next winter, Aura and I are going to live in Costa Rica for four months, and we’re taking a scouting trip there this February. That’s what I’d most like to do, and I’m doing it.
If you could make the workout “Aaron”, what would it look like (movements, repetitions, etc)?
It would be barbell strength training of some kind, but in between sets, you’d rest for two minutes of silent meditation. So it would build the mental training into the physical workout.
Favorites!
Movie: Inception
TV Show: The Bear
Song: APT.
Book: The Things We Love: How Our Passions Connect Us and Make Us Who We Are
Quote: Chop your own wood, and it will warm you twice.
Movement at Fit2Live: Back squat
What daily habit has changed your life for the better?
Meditation
What future fitness goal are you currently working towards?
Celsius has encouraged me to try competitive weightlifting, and I’ve decided to go for it. So now I need to get a little more serious.
THANKS FOR BEING AWESOME AARON! KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK AT FIT2LIVE!
NEXT UP: MEL HARTMAN MEMBER OF THE MONTH DECEMBER 2025.
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About Fit2Live
Fit2Live is Ann Arbor’s premier fitness and nutrition coaching gym, dedicated to helping busy professionals, parents, and everyday people build sustainable health and fitness habits that last a lifetime. We are in the business of real, sustainable health and fitness change. Our expert coaches specialize in functional fitness, CrossFit, group fitness training, personal training, corporate fitness training and nutrition and wellness coaching. We offer scalable workouts and customized programs designed to help you get stronger, gain lean muscle, lose body fat, and feel confident in your body. At Fit2Live, you’ll never be just another member—we provide high accountability, personalized coaching, and a supportive community that keeps you motivated. Whether you’re brand new to fitness or ready to take your training to the next level, Fit2Live is Ann Arbor’s go-to destination for functional fitness, group training, personal training, strength training, and healthy lifestyle transformation. Ready to start your journey? Book your free No Sweat Intro today and see why our members call Fit2Live the best hour of their day.