IT’S A RANDOM DAY in September at the New Jersey gym Impact Zone, and the sweat-drenched Jim Jones wants more from Maino on the bench press. As Kendrick Lamar’s “Humble” blares from the gym speakers, Jones yells for Maino to “work for it!” Meanwhile, Fabolous and Dave East are already catching their breath.
There are no entourages, no bodyguards, no designer out-fits. Just four men who want more for themselves. They want more strength, more years to be fathers, more limits to break. Welcome to FitLit Club, the fittest group in hip-hop.
It all started where most fitness journeys die: a New Year’s resolution. After recording together for Jones and and finding refuge at the Chelsea House, Maino’s family-owned restaurant in New York City, the friends set up a group chat. That’s where Fabolous challenged his friends to enter 2022 with a new diet: 30 days without eating empty carbs, junk food, or fried food. There may have been a few Krispy Kreme close calls, but discipline prevailed and FitLit Club was born. “We started coming to the gym together to get past that 30 days. Once we got on that journey, it became a lifestyle,” says Maino.
