The former cleaner came up with a line of fitness snacks and changed her life

A former cleaning lady who suffered from an anxiety disorder changed her life by creating her own brand of healthy snacks. 29-year-old Alexis Oladipo from London has loved cooking and experimenting with various ingredients in the kitchen since childhood. With a degree in culture and media from the University of Roehampton, Alexis could not find a suitable job and, in order to make ends meet, went to work as a cleaner in one of the London offices.

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"I couldn't work as a fashion stylist on a freelance basis, and because of life's difficulties, I seemed to give up and began to strive for stability again, that is, for a permanent job. But I couldn't find a job, at least a decent one, so I decided to work as a cleaner, because it seemed to me that this was the only place I could get," says Alexis.

The girl decided not to be too selective and agreed to wipe the desks and empty the trash cans for almost a whole year. She got up at three in the morning to start cleaning at four. It was then that she began to suffer from depression. "I was going through a very humiliating, emotional separation, went through two medical procedures, I had no money, I lost a lot of weight and worked as a cleaner, having a diploma and not being able to find a suitable job," the girl recalls.

"I did not seek medical help, but I prayed and believed in the divine plan. I began to recover, began to leave the house a little more often, began to eat better and gain weight. Fortunately, this was the first and last time I experienced depression. I definitely got rid of it at the moment," she says.

One day after going to the gym, Alexis had an idea. She noticed that there was nowhere near her fitness club to eat something more or less healthy, but if you eat fast food, the whole point of training disappears. The girl came up with the idea to create products for people who are trying to follow a healthy diet against the background of a busy working regime and a busy social life. She joined The Prince's Trust, a youth charity that helps young people from 13 to 30 get jobs, education and training, and was helped to found her own business.

Working day and night, attending business seminars and workshops in the organization, Alexis hired one of the best branding agencies, and in 2013 the Gym Bites brand appeared - fresh dishes in jars at a price of 5.99 pounds sterling (about $ 8). In August 2015, a line of healthy, delicious and nutritious salads for those who want to have a snack after a workout went on sale under this brand. Now there are three varieties — protein-rich chicken salad Pack-A-Protein Chicken Salad, shrimp salad Oh-Mega! Prawn Salad and Broccoli Salad Green Supreme Broccoli Salad.

Photo posted by #BITEME (@gymbites) Jul 25, 2016 at 5:33AM PDT

Photo posted by #BITEME (@gymbites) Jul 25, 2016 at 5:33AM PDT"I love cooking dishes that I once tried in a restaurant or saw in a magazine.

I just need to look at the plate or taste the dish to understand what it is made of. I've never been into cooking recipes. I think the best dishes are obtained through improvisation, different tastes and experiments," says Alexis.

Photo posted by #BITEME (@gymbites) Mar 8, 2016 at 6:48 PST

Photo posted by #BITEME (@gymbites) Mar 8, 2016 at 6:48 PST"I've never liked the small or tasteless salads of other brands that I've tried before.

I wanted the dishes that I sell under the Gym Bites brand to have a rich taste and bring a lot of benefits." The Alexis product line is not only useful, but also responsibly approaches the issue of waste. All unsold leftovers go to London charity centers for the homeless every month.

Photo posted by #BITEME (@gymbites) Feb 26, 2016 at 8:47 PST

Photo posted by #BITEME (@gymbites) Feb 26, 2016 at 8:47 PSTSix months after its appearance, the product appeared on the shelves of the British supermarket chain Selfridges.

It turned out that the supermarket representatives saw the products on Instagram and were delighted. They immediately wrote to Alexis with questions about the purchase price, expiration dates and other details. "I was in shock, my mom and my best friend were just crying with happiness. When I first saw my product on the shelves, I not only looked at it and thanked God. It was an unreal moment that I will always remember," the girl says.