DanceFIT Studio Client Spotlight: MaryCatherine McDonald!

Meet DanceFIT Studio client, MaryCatherine!  She is a busy grad student here in Boston and always finds the time to dance with us at DanceFIT Studio! Read her fitness advice below!

Tell us about yourself.  How did you start working out with DanceFIT?

Hi! I'm a graduate student here in Boston studying philosophy and psychology. In the spring of 2011, I started to feel like my life of reading and writing involved way too much sitting and not enough moving. Almost at the exact moment I started thinking that, I saw a Gilt coupon for DanceFIT studio. When I saw that it was just a quick walk from school I signed right up! I was never a dancer, but I always wanted to be and DanceFIT seemed like the perfect place to learn.

I just looked back at my visit history to see what class I took first and it was Hip Hop with Abs with Alyssa, which makes me laugh because as Alyssa and anyone else who has ever been in that class with me knows, I am not a quick learner!! It was love at first move though, because I was basically immediately addicted. Since then, every free night when I'm not teaching or traveling I'm at DanceFIT!


How has working out with DanceFIT changed your workout routine?

Well, before DanceFIT most of my exercise came from frantically running up and down Comm. Ave to and from class, so it completely changed it! Over the past two years, my experience at DanceFIT has started to morph into a lifestyle and I love it. The instructors and community have inspired me so very much, and have shown me just how empowering it is to take your fitness and health into your own hands and make positive and strengthening choices.

What songs on your playlist keep you motivated during a workout? 

As Maeve knows, anything by Pitbull will get me moving! Aside from Pitbull, anything with a good beat will work. My current favs are Jay-Z, Justin Timberlake, Beyonce, Britney, Kanye, and even though it's on the radio every 25 seconds, I still love me some Blurred Lines.

What is your favorite DanceFIT class and why?

This question is impossible to answer!! I love them all! I'll give you my top three. ;)

First, there's Zumba! It's awesome because it's a killer workout that doesn't feel like a workout, and Maeve does such a great job making everyone feel comfortable, so the dance moves feel accessible even for slow learners like me!
It's such a fun way to unwind after a hard day. Zumba has gotten me through some really tough times with my sanity in tact!

Then, there's Virtual Arms & Abs with Gina. This class is an absolute killer! The first time I took it I couldn't hold on to a pen the next day. My arms - wimpy, wimpy arms - have gotten so much stronger because of this class. All through it, lovely Gina is smiling at you an encouraging you to push yourself just a little bit further.

Finally, Virtual Barre and Fusion Fitness with Laura! I would take this one every single day if I could. love the barre exercises that Laura takes us through, and they are incredibly effective to tone those legs and abs! I get to be a pretend ballerina for an hour twice a week, and I absolutely love it!

Tell our readers what your favorite go-to pre-workout snack is! 

Kefir is my favorite pre-workout snack. It has lots of protein to give you energy but doesn't make me feel gross while I'm working out.

What is your best piece of fitness advice or inspiration? 

Strong, not skinny! I'm not sure where I saw this (I might have even made it up), but I think about it all the time. We all have little complaints about our bodies and the way that we look, but we shouldn't be working out just to look good, that should just be a bonus. In order for fitness to become a lifestyle you have to commit to it because of the way it makes you feel. Focusing on getting stronger, rather than getting skinnier has made working out feel so much more positive.

What is your FIT fashion?  What do you usually wear for workouts?

Well, I'm on a grad student budget here, so I'm less fashionable than I'd like to be, but I've had really great luck with the Victoria's Secret workout line. I love their sports bras. I usually just pair some capris with a bright tank. Bright colors are key for getting moving!

What do you tell your friends and family when they ask about why you love DanceFIT so much? 

I tell them that DanceFIT is a truly unique place where you can get inspired, meet your goals, and exercise with an amazing community. I tell them that it's like nothing else I've ever experienced. I say that it has absolutely changed my life, the way I think about fitness and the way I think about my body. Then I say, want to come try a class with me? :)

What an inspiration!  Thank you for sharing, MaryCatherine!