Sweat Fixx

Low Impact | High Intensity | Total Body

JUNE MEMBER OF THE MONTH: SAMANTHA BISHOP

This is who you want as your partner in a HIIT Fixx.

Her energy is contagious. She always gives 110%. Plus, she’ll celebrate right along with you when you hit your goal.

She always has a smile on her face when she walks in, then she puts on her “hard work” face when it’s time to put in the work, and ends class with the biggest cheer of all. There is never a sprint that she doesn’t give it her all. There is never a rep where she drops. She’ll try anything that the crew throws her way – no matter HOW ridiculous it may look at first glance. She’s always up for the challenge, and we LOVE that about her.

Our June member of the month is Samantha Bishop! She’s been crushing this month with a smile on her face and that energy that helps push the entire room to be just a little bit better than they were before.

How did you first hear about Sweat Fixx?

Someone dropped a free class pass in my mailbox at work, and my motto is  “If its free, its for me!”

What keeps you coming back?

The way I feel after any class.

Regardless of the day I’ve had or if my mood is off, I always finish class feeling so accomplished and determined to be better. That feeling resonates until the next time I come to SweatFixx.

When you aren’t crushing it on the rower, where can we find you?

You’ll always be able to catch me at Lululemon at Lynnfield Market Street! I work there full time and run the Thirsty Thursday events on the Lynnfield Market Street Green during the summer. Or, you can also catch me at the Capital One Cafe studying for my nursing boards.

You bring such good vibes to the studio, have you always been known as the “super positive” person?

Honestly, I have not.

Recently, I have been making a huge effort to maintain a positive attitude towards myself. I think by putting time in for #1 allows me to support and care for others better.

What’s your favorite guilty pleasure? Sushi? Ice Cream? Margaritas? 

Definitely chips,  guac & sangria!

Go to local bar or restaurant?

Howling Wolf Taqueria in Salem, MA!

What’s one thing we would’ve never guessed about you?

At one point in my life I weighed in at 250 lbs.
When I was 19,  I underwent weight loss surgery and maintained a 120 lbs loss for over 10 years. I recently went under the knife for a final time to have my lap band removed, and although I have struggled mostly mentally with weight gain, I am the healthiest and happiest I have ever been.

 

Right now, what’s your favorite class to take, and why? 

BattleFixx! It was the first class I originally signed up for – I had no idea of what I was getting myself into, but I loved it! With my attention span, I like having the opportunity to jump from one exercise to the next quickly… it keeps me engaged. Plus, I have a love-hate relationship with the rowers, so the harder I push myself, the less time I have to stay on them!

What would be your advice for someone who is walking through the SweatFixx door for the first time? 

Jump in! Elise and her kickass crew will welcome you and make you feel like family from the very beginning. The energy, positivity, and encouragement is infectious, and you take that feeling with you from the studio and roll with it for the rest of the day. Looks good, feels good!

 

Go Ahead and Love Your Body

Self love is work.

Appreciating what your body can do is increasingly difficult in a world where filtered photos, miracle wraps, and different diets are blasting us on and offline.

I still remember the first time that I became aware of what my body looked like.

I was in 7th grade, at a new school, sitting in the back of a bus on our way to the gym. As the new kid, I threw myself into sports – soccer was where I made most of my first friends each time that we moved. I sat down on the bench, and my classmate looked at me and said:

“How are your legs SO big. Both of my legs equal one of yours”

I can STILL feel my cheeks getting red.

The next time I had gym class, I chose pants instead of shorts. I kept that up until I was in my mid 20s.

Chances are, each one of us can pinpoint one time in our lives where we became acutely aware of our body. Chances are, we have held THAT one comment so close to us, that we have refused to fully accept what our bodies are capable of.

When I was training for my first marathon, I remembered having a love/hate relationship with my legs. They were strong, but I could light a FIRE with them if I forgot to put on Body Glide. I started wearing shorts again, not because I LIKED how I looked, but because running in pants in 85 F was just terrible. My legs could carry me 26.2 miles, but when I saw my race photos, I would quickly swipe past the ones that showed off the jiggle that happens to ANY leg when gravity and pavement meet.

So what changed?

When I was injured in 2016 and couldn’t do anything – I had the realization that what my body was able to do was actually pretty awesome.

When I first strapped in to a rower, and had Elise tell me that rowing was 60% legs, I thought to myself “Well, I have legs, so let’s do this”.

And I haven’t looked back.

We live in a society that makes a ton of money off of making us feel bad about ourselves. How amazing would it be if we were able to help shift that mindset and become a society that wanted everyone to LOVE themselves?

Jump on the rower and sprint faster, or pick up a heavier set of weight, not because you HATE your body, but because you LOVE showing yourself how strong you are. When you set your PRs and break them months later, you work for it not because you want to be 5 lbs lighter, but because you are striving to be better than you were yesterday.

This summer, pull out that bathing suit that you have been waiting to wear and throw on those shorts that you bought years ago but were waiting for the “perfect time” to wear them. There is no better time than RIGHT NOW to love yourself and what your body is able to do.

Leave those negative thoughts about your body behind, and focus on how awesome YOU are.
Your body, right now, allows you to do amazing things, on and off the rower – whether it’s raising $900 in 45 minutes to support your community, snagging that 17s 100m sprint time, to spending quality summertime fun with your family.

You don’t need anyone’s validation or permission.

Give it to yourself.

Go ahead, LOVE your strong body this summer.

Owner Spotlight: Elise Caira

Hey everyone, it’s Amanda here – and today is Elise Caira’s BIRTHDAY!

I asked the crew to describe Elise in one word. This is what they said:

Motivational. Tenacious. Badass. Confident. A Machine. Fire. Beast. Powerhouse. Gritty.

None of us would be here, without her. She single-handedly made rowing a thing that has taken Wakefield by storm. Friendships have been made, personal bests have been crushed and every day we get together for 45 minutes to push each other to be just a little bit better… because of her.

So, as Elise celebrates the start of another year, I thought it was a fitting time for us to get to know the force behind Sweat Fixx. We all see her multiple times a week, whether it’s when she’s challenging us in her Instagram videos or pushing us to go one inch lower, so it’s about time for us to get to know what makes Elise tick.

Sweat Fixx has now been open for just shy of 6 months… how are you feeling? 

AMAZING! Honestly, everyday I continue to be blown away by this awesome community. I had a vision when I was about to open Sweat Fixx, and the instructors & members have taken that vision to a whole other level!

When we say #FixxFam,  we aren’t lying.

It’s been awesome to be able to walk the lake and see people rocking Sweat Fixx tanks, and to see how the community rallies behind any of the fundraisers (i.e. $950 in 45 minutes of rowing for the Rines family)! Watching people who would’ve never stepped foot in a fitness class before, not only embracing our challenges, but dominating them has been amazing. When you walk into Sweat Fixx, there is always a positive energy that is contagious, and I can’t help but be proud that I had something to do with that.

What has been the highlight of 2017 so far?

There have been a ton of highlights, but obviously finally making that jump from the corporate world to follow my dream is by far highlight number one. Opening Sweat Fixx has been a crazy ride and it hasn’t even been 6 months yet!

What has been the most surprising thing that you have realized about yourself in these past six months?

I always knew that I liked social media after I started my fitness Instagram account a few years ago. It used to be a fun way to motivate myself & create posts that I could look back at. But I didn’t realize how much I would truly love social media and the branding aspect of business, until I started Sweat Fixx. I truly feel that one of the reasons our community is so great, is because we are all able to connect on social media and constantly motivate each other. This is an aspect of the business that I never knew would be such a blast to work on.

When you aren’t on the rower, what is your favorite way to workout?

I love lifting.

I think it’s something that for many females takes a back seat. Lot of ladies just love to just cardio cardio cardio. Not me – I think strength training is huge. It gives me a way to challenge my body and stay competitive with myself.  I ALWAYS combine lifting  with my cardio, and that’s the combo that Sweat Fixx was built off of. Build muscle, and let it burn fat for you.

When you aren’t at the studio or working out, what can we catch you doing?
I am very type-A and I feel like I’m constantly moving. So if I’m not working out… I love walking the lake, it’s my happy place- so you can catch me there a lot! I also love trying new restaurants (tapas especially!) and taking weekend trips. This summer, I already have the following trips booked: Portland, Maine; Wells, Maine; Nashville, Austin; and my all time favorite town -Burlington, VT.

Favorite place to eat or grab a drink around here? 

I love sushi, if you couldn’t tell by my constant sushi pictures on my Instagram story. At this point, it might be considered an addiction. At least once a week you can find me at Oye in Reading pounding sushi. For drinks, lately my jam has been YardHouse at Market Street in Lynnfield. I love trying new beers (huge IPA fan) so we go their a lot and grab a couple beer flights!

Did you always see yourself becoming a business owner?

 I always had that fire to be my own boss. Right when I graduated college,  I entered the wonderful world of public accounting. I was always scheming and thinking of ways to get out and do my own thing. I had a bunch of other little ventures, from running bootcamps at the lake for my friends, to basketball clinics at Wakefield high, to even working on social media programs for fitness studios in the areas. I knew I was passionate about fitness, and I knew if I got the chance to work in the fitness world full time, no one would out work me. Looking back, I’m thankful I took that chance on myself, because now I can never see myself working at a desk again!

How’d you pick your crew?!

That’s a great question! Most people think I knew all my staff before we opened, because we are already such a close knit family.

BUT that’s not the case.

When I opened Sweat Fixx, I didn’t hire anyone who I was friends with or any of the top trainers in the Greater Boston Area. Every single crew member had to interview/audition with me. (Ask Amanda, she had to put me through a 1 on 1 ab workout the first time she ever met me 🙂 ) With each of them, I knew within the first two minutes that I NEEDED them on my crew. Each one brings their own fire and personality, which I feel makes the studio so great. Everyone works hard, but is HUMBLE. Everyone is unique, which I think is important because not everyone likes the same style of instructor.  I think the fact that our crew genuinely gets along and that there are no egos, reflects onto the community. This studio is made for everyone – for people who workout 6 days a week to people who haven’t worked out in six years. My instructors embrace that, and I love them for it.

 

Favorite quote that inspires you to put the work in every day?

“If something burns your soul with purpose and desire, it’s your duty to be reduced to ashes by it. Any other form of existence will be yet another dull book in the library of life.”― Charles Bukowski

I use this quote a lot when asked, and when I was making the decision to leave my safe corporate job, this quote was constantly replayed in the back of my mind. When you do something, you should go all out, be passionate, and work HARD! If you are just going through the motions, you are doing yourself a disservice. I was going through the motions in the accounting world. I can now finally can say that I wake up every day and am passionate about what I do.

Does that mean everyday is easy? Hell NO.

There’s days when I’m tired and I’d love to sleep past 4:15am. But, when I show up and see someone tear up, because they hit a PR on the rower, or when I see the change in someones push-up form over a few week period – it’s worth it.  This community inspires me to be better person… it gives me a purpose.

What’s one thing that you could tell us, that we wouldn’t have guessed about you?

One of my guilty pleasures is watching Keeping Up with The Kardashians….

 

 

#FuelFixx Approved: No Bake Bars

 

At Sweat Fixx, we love our grab-and-go fuel snacks.

Unfortunately, when you choose one of those granola bars at the coffee shop, it may be loaded with sugar along with unwanted and unnecessary calories. To avoid this, find a simple and healthy recipe so that you can make your own! This way, you’ll be able to control what goes into your bar and as a bonus – you can add your own touches by adding your favorite nuts, seeds or dried fruits! Make these no bake bars on a Sunday night and enjoy them throughout your whole week.

This recipe makes 12 bars:

 

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups pitted medjool dates
3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup raw almonds
1/2 cup raw cashews
1/3 cup chocolate chips (optional: you can use raisins, craisins or another dried fruit of choice if you would prefer)
1 tbsp peanut butter
1 tbsp ground flax seed

DIRECTIONS

1. Line a square or rectangle baking dish with parchment paper.
2. Place coconut, almonds and cashews into food processor or blender and pulse until they’re chopped into small pieces. Place nut 3. mixture in a bowl, mix in ground flax seed and set aside.
4. Put dates and peanut butter into the food processor and pulse until a paste forms (the dates will probably form into a sticky ball).
5. Add the nut and coconut mix back into the processor with the dates, and pulse until well combined.
6. Add chocolate chips and chia seeds (or other ingredients) and pulse a few more times, until they’re just incorporated.
7. Remove dough from processor and press evenly into your prepared dish. Make sure you press the dough down really well so that the bars stay together.
8. Place in the fridge for 20 minutes to harden up, and then slice into bars. Store any leftovers in the fridge with parchment paper between them for up to a week. You can also store the bars in the freezer if you want them to last even longer.

These bars are filling, healthy, AND delicious. You can also switch up the ingredients that you add each time. Enjoy these delicious bars with no added preservatives or those ingredients you can’t even pronounce. You can use them as a pre- or post- fixx fuel snack.

Show off those bars on social – tag them with #FuelFixx so we can see your new favorite snack!

5 Minute Better Butt Workout

 

As many of you know one of our crew members is taking a few weeks off to go tie the knot & enjoy some much deserved honeymoon time! While chatting with Amanda, she mentioned she would still try to get her own workouts in, even if it was just a quick five minute workout before she hits the beach.

The great thing about working your butt and legs is that most exercises can be done anywhere… with no equipment! There is no reason to lose that booty while on vacation!

So if you are traveling somewhere fun for a week-long vacation, or are just looking for another five minute routine to do when you’re bored at home this summer, we’ve got you covered. Personally, I end almost every leg day with this set!

Here’s you new go-to and equipment-less butt routine. All you have to do is lay a mat down, turn on the Kardashians (or whatever your guilty TV pleasure is), and burn the hell out of those buns.

This workout is quick ,but effective. It may “only” be  five minutes, but if done correctly – with no rests in between –  your butt will be on fire.  If it’s not, give me a call after and come train me!

5 Minute Better Butt Workout

Equipment Needed: none

Go through this sequence 3 times:

  • Donkey Kicks: Begin on all fours, shoulders over wrists and hips right over knees. Working one leg at a time, draw your knee into your chest rounding your spine. On your exhale, kick your bent leg straight up as if you are trying to stomp on the ceiling. 20 reps on the right side, then immediately switch legs for 20 reps.
  • Straight Leg Raises: Start on all fours, straightening out your right leg. Your toe will be pressing into the ground and taking any bend out of your knee. Now keeping that straight leg lift it straight up, a few inches above hip height. Repeat for 10 reps, then hold your leg up above hip height and pulse for 10 reps. Switch and repeat on other leg
  • Fire Hydrant Kicks: Begin on all fours, knees are right under hips and shoulders right over wrists. Working one leg at a time, keep the bend in your knee and open your leg out to the side. When you get to the point where it can’t go any further kick your leg straight. Pull your leg back up, and come back to all fours. That’s 1 rep!
  • Laying Hip Raise: Laying on one side stack your feet one on top of the other. Working into your hips and keeping your legs straight you will slowly begin to lift and lower your leg. To add more of a challenge add a workout band around your ankles
  • Bridges: Glute time! Laying on your back, begin to walk your feet right under your knees. Knees are point towards the ceiling. Engage your glutes and lift your hips straight up like there is a string connected to your weight pulling you up. Hold for one second at the top and then slowly lower down.

 

MAY MEMBER OF THE MONTH: LEIGH FARBER

 

You’ve seen those video teasers about those class challenges – the ones that have you are wondering “how am I…?” “what am I…?” “Oh my abs”…

She welcomes those challenges with open arms.

You may have noticed her with the 17.5lbs weights, quietly crushing those deadlifts. She consistently shows up on the rower and on the mat, and works her hardest, every single time. She brings her signature positive energy with her every time that she walks through our front door, along with being genuinely excited about whatever challenges the Fixx Instructors can think up.

With her, there are no excuses.

The phrase “I can’t” doesn’t seem to be in her vocabulary.

Our May Member of the Month has been putting in the work in, and consistently working to be the strongest person that she can possibly be. Leigh Farber took a second to put down the heavy weights and answer a few questions for us about what motivates her to keep putting the work in each time she walks through our front door.

What originally brought you to Sweat Fixx?
A friend asked if I wanted to try it. I’d done rowing before, so I figured I’d give it a try. After that first time, I was hooked. Shortly after, I started to see just how competitive and determined to reach certain goals I was. The instructors have all been so helpful and always offer modifications along with extra challenges. I started seeing that I could actually successfully DO some of the harder exercises and it made me want to do more.

What keeps you coming back?
I am quietly super competitive with myself. I started to see results in my strength and felt excited to see what my body could do. I also have built such a wonderful network of teammates in the Sweat Fixx community. Meeting fellow Wakefield people and those from other local communities has been a huge bonus! Participating in the challenges has built new relationships for me and pushed me to test the waters to support my teammates.

Everyone knows you as the girl who grabs the HEAVY weights… were you always that girl?
STOP! Seriously? I was NEVER that girl and don’t even see myself as that girl now. I try to fly under the radar during the group classes. It was only when Elise started handing me heavier and heavier weights that I started to increase the weight during my reps in class. Once I started using the big weights it was hard to go down. Although if you ask me to “Drive the car,” I’m finding those lighter weights for sure.

When you are not at Sweat Fixx, where are you?
As a mom of 3 young kids, I am found most often enjoying the time with my family. From attending karate lessons, softball games, dance classes, soccer games and more we are BUSY! My husband and I try and sneak out once a week for a date night to catch up! 🙂 I owe a great deal of my success to him; each morning when I sneak out crazy early he gets the day started for our 3 kiddos, never once complaining.

What’s your favorite class to crush?
I’ve been really liking HIIT Fixx recently. It gives me a balance of rowing and strength, and gives me the chance to use a partner (or just myself) as a barometer. It helps to have someone right there holding you accountable, in addition to yourself. It also is great to hear a friendly “You’ve got this!” or an encouraging “You can go heavier than that!” from your partner. Plus, it moves SO fast!

What’s your go-to treat? 
Sushi or a nice glass of wine would be my go-to treats. Being able to enjoy a nice meal of sushi and wine this summer will be great, once the warmer weather finally arrives and sticks around.

What would your advice be to someone who is coming to Sweat Fixx for the first time?
TRY IT! You’ll be so glad you did. It’s not about beating anyone else in the room, but truly being better than you were when you came in yesterday. It’s true. Once I was able to try and block everyone else out and focus on me and being my best and started to fall into place.

So – when will we be seeing you this week?
Friends think I am crazy, but I love the 5:30 am classes – love the time, the variation of classes and instructors and seeing many of my fellow Sweat fixxers on a daily basis. My internal alarm clock has been waking me up at 4:30 am everyday of the week for months now, even on the weekends. The Sunday 7 am Private Fixx crew is a special group. Those ladies, in my mind exemplify, Sweat Fixx to the core; always encouraging each other, working together and celebrating each others’ successes… what more could you ask for?