Our September member of the month always walks in with a smile on her face and no matter what class she’s taking, Gabriella Mastrangelo comes ready to work. Whether it’s getting one inch lower in Sculpt Fixx, or snagging that extra meter in HIIT, Gabriella never backs down from a challenge. Most days, we are lucky enough to start our day with Gabriella in class and then see her again for one more mid morning workout before she heads to work or school. We are inspired by her strength, determination and ability to manage her very busy schedule and still keep her health and well being a main priority!

We’re excited to give Gabriella the title of September Member of the Month, and decided to get to know her a little bit more on the blog this week. Awesome job, Gabriella and way to inspire us all this month!

How did you first hear about Sweat Fixx?
I first heard about Sweat Fixx through a friend when you first opened and through a few running friends!

What keeps you coming back?
This is hard to answer, because there are so many reasons why I keep coming back. The biggest reason is the community and the instructors!

The second reason is that Sweat Fixx makes me proud of my body just the way it is and I’ve waited a long time for that. I had an eating disorder about ten years ago. It’s something that never really leaves you, but coming to Sweat Fixx has helped me realize that it’s not about “thin” – it’s about being the best version of you and keeping your body and mind strong.

What’s one thing that you look forward to every time you come to Sweat Fixx?
I always look forward to a good sweat and healthy belly laughs!

What motivates you to be stronger?
My husband.

He actually got me the  three class pass and loves that I enjoy it so much. The other piece of it is being a part of the community and working on getting stronger with others in class.

When you aren’t crushing it on the rower or mat, where can we find you?
You can find me at school or my kitchen table studying for my nursing exams or at work. I also enjoy running the lake and spending time with my family and friends.

What’s your guilty pleasure?
An extra dirty martini with six to nine chili stuffed olives and stovetop popcorn.

What are you most proud of accomplishing since you first came to Sweat Fixx?
I’m most proud of committing to the classes and showing up. Hitting 150 meters during HIIT is up there too!

One tip that you would give to someone who is coming to Sweat Fixx for the first time?
Get ready for the best workout of your life, you’re never going to want to leave! Embrace the burn!

Our member of the month for August is a key member of our morning AND evening crews. She quietly crushes it on the rowers, lifts heavy and is a fan of doubles. She’s the one pushing the pace, encouraging the rowers next to her, and smiling ear to ear at the end of the class.

Renee Marceau brings the hustle every single day. She raises the bar for everyone in the class, pushes herself and everyone around her to give just a little bit more. We are so excited to announce that Renee is our August Member of the Month! We decided to get to know Renee a little bit more, and see what keep her inspired to keep pushing herself to be stronger, every single day.

How did you first hear about Sweat Fixx?

My friend Leigh invited me to a private class. I almost didn’t say yes because the class was on a Sunday at 7am… that used to be my day to sleep in.

What keeps you coming back?

The instructors, the people, and the feeling of accomplishment when class is over. This is seriously the hardest workout I’ve ever done.

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

I have a full time job in Boston during the week. On weekends, you can find me at the beach during the summer, in my garden, or just spending time with my family and friends. During the school year, you will see me on the soccer field, in the dance studio, basketball courts, and softball field with my 7 year old twins and husband.

What’s one thing that you look forward to every time you come to Sweat Fixx?

The end? I’m kidding. I like seeing how far I can push myself – when I first started, I couldn’t do a full squat or plank.

What motivates you to be stronger?

My family.

I’m a better mother and wife when I feel good about myself. The Sweat Fixx crew are great and so invested in all of the members. My early morning workout partner (she knows who she is)  motivates me to keep showing up.

What’s your guilty pleasure?

I love Swedish fish and sour watermelons, wine and pizza.

What’s your favorite Fixx class?

I love HITT Fixx and Sculpt Fixx.

What are you most proud of accomplishing since you first came to Sweat Fixx?

I’m most proud of the commitment I made to myself. I was never ever a morning person (ask my husband). I now get up and go to the early classes every single day. I feel good, not sluggish. I stopped making excuses for myself.

One tip that you would give to someone who is coming to Sweat Fixx for the first time? Go at your own pace. It doesn’t matter if you are the last one to finish any of the sets. You just need to finish. (I’m usually the last one to finish the weight sets)

When can we catch you on the mat and rower?!

I go to the early morning classes. Depending on how I feel from the morning class, I’ll sneak in a night class here and there.

If you’ve been to the studio this summer, chances are you’ve seen this dynamic duo.

Since they first stepped foot in Sweat Fixx at the end of May, they have taken a combined  total of 179 classes in just 65 Days!

Joycelyn Chiodi & Mikaela Walsh crush every type of class, and from HIIT Fixx to Sculpt Fixx, they are always working as hard as they can. Need proof that all that hard work pays off?! Along with getting stronger and faster on their rows, Mikaela has lost more than 17 lbs in 65 Days, and Jocelyn has a back that the whole Sweat Fixx crew is envious of.

Whaaaat?!

They double. They triple. They set their goals high, and don’t stop until they crush them.

Mikaela can hit a 16s 100 meter PR after the end of a Sunday triple, and Joycelyn is the newest member of the 100 Class Crew – and we are pretty sure she’s the quickest person to get to 100 classes to date!

They come to class together, kick butt together and even work together. So, when the Sweat Fixx crew was deciding who should be the member of the month for July, we couldn’t just pick ONE of them. So this month, our Member of The Month spotlight is on BOTH Joycelyn & Mikaela!

How did you hear about Sweat Fixx?
J & M: We heard about Sweat Fixx through our mutual friend, Jen. She had been taking classes and raved about how much fun it was, so we had to try it out. We took our first class at the end of May and we were hooked immediately.

What keeps you coming back?
J & M: Honestly, we relate it to a “runner’s high”… every time we leave we feel so good even though we are sore. Every class and instructor is different and motivating in their own way. We both signed up for the 3 month unlimited before even taking a class.

We love seeing both of you in so many classes, how do you keep each other accountable?
J & M: Mornings are the hardest!

We usually text each other in the morning to make sure we are up and ready to go. Some days, we need the other to say something motivating to push us out the door. Usually it’s incoherent swearing followed by “see you soon”.

When you aren’t crushing your Fixx, where can we find you?
J & M: We both work in dermatology, but when we aren’t working we love to be outside. Usually, you can find us having a few drinks and grilling out on the porch, or at Aria getting mani/pedi’s.

You both frequently double (and sometimes TRIPLE ) – what motivates you to keep going?!
J & M: We have both seen so much improvement not only physically, but mentally too. I think Sweat Fixx is a huge stress reliever from work and everyday life. It’s 45 mins (or 2-3 classes) to relax and just do something for ourselves.

How do you keep each other motivated?
J & M: Lots of bribes! HAHA Just kidding –  but sometimes when we double, we will end up going for a reward after class… we LOVE sushi at Fengs! I also think it helps knowing that we are BOTH doing it together. When the work day is hard, or it just hasn’t been a good day, it helps to know that just one single text asking if the other person will be in class will make the day 10x better.

What is the biggest change you’ve noticed about yourself since you first came to Sweat Fixx?
J & M: Both of have never been competitive. We never played sports and were the shy, quiet ones. Since coming here, we’ve been trying to push outside our comfort zones and try new things.

What is the biggest change you’ve noticed about EACH OTHER since you first came to Sweat Fixx?
J: Mikaela pulls some crazy numbers on that rower! Sometimes, I sit down on the rower after her during HIIT Fixx and I’m like
“Damn, I have to beat that number!?!?! How?” Aside from getting faster, she has gained so much strength and she looks amazing!
M: Joycelyn’s back is ripped. We’ve only been coming a short time and she looks awesome. I can only imagine what she will look like 6 months from now. It is motivating to see each other’s progress.

One thing you can’t come to class without?
J & M: WATER and our punch cards! Seriously that card keeps us so motivated. It is so satisfying to complete a card and look back at all the classes we have taken in such a short time.

What’s your favorite guilty pleasure?
J & M: We LOVE ice cream, that’s another thing we treat ourselves after few Sweat Fixx classes. Its the perfect way to re-hydrate!

Favorite Fixx class? Why?
J: I like Battle Fixx , because I really push myself and end up surprising myself. Especially, when I walk in there thinking ” I don’t know if I can do this today”, and then I see everyone else pushing so hard. Battle Fixx motivates me to work to get on the board. Sculpt Fixx is my second favorite –  it works your whole body and the class goes by so quick.
M: My favorite class would have to be Sculpt Fixx. I honestly have a love/hate relationship with the rower, so it’s nice to have a class that’s just focused on how weight work every muscle in my body.

What would be your biggest piece of advice for someone who is coming to Sweat Fixx for the first time?
J & M: Don’t think about it, just try it. It’s not your typical group fitness class. You get to know everyone pretty quickly and everyone is super nice. I never once felt uncomfortable in a class. Going to the gym always intimidated me but at Sweatfixx everyone is so focused on themselves and not what’s happening around them.

When can we catch you getting your Fixx?
J & M: We like to come in the mornings when we can, but if we can’t get in, we will always be at the 5:45 PM  and 6:45 PM classes.

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?

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

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!

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?

This month, our team was torn between two people for April’s member of the month. Both of these two have been crushing classes with over 50+ since we opened. Combined, they have taken over 120 classes! Both of these two are founding members of our studio opening, and haven’t slowed down since. They set a tone for the rest of the class every time they step in the room, and are always helping show new members the reigns. There have been a number of times when we look around the room during a Battle Fixx and they’ll be showing people the monitors, helping people with that ever so tricky strap and showing them how to get quickly on and off the rower. They have taken every class, every instructor, and the changes we have seen in their rowing is amazing. They are flat out ridiculous. So we couldn’t pick one…

April’s Co-Member’s of the month are none other than Eric & Danielle Ditonno! Let’s get to know one of our favorite power couples a little bit better shall we:

1. How did you guys meet and how long have you been together?
We have been together for 4 years. We have known each other for a long time (Eric is my cousin’s best friend) and he finally confessed his love for me when a big group of us were out at a bar. That last part we have differing views on (Eric will say he saw me ogling him on the dance floor).

2. How long have you guys been working out together? Have you always been that couple that hits the gym together, if not what started it?
We haven’t always hit the gym together – not at all. I (Danielle) have always worked out, including boxing, spin and barre. Eric played adult hockey/baseball, but it wasn’t enough of a consistent workout. I tried for years to drag Eric to spin but he’s stubborn. When I heard about your studio, I NEVER thought Eric would agree to come because he’s such a guy’s-guy and only really likes to play sports! The rest is history.

3. How do you keep each other accountable?
I have a tough time working out at night, because I’m a teacher and get out of work fairly early. Eric has surprisingly been the more motivating one! He comes home from work right before class and he’s always excited about going. I think we both push each other, because we love the way we feel after and we also love to eat!

4. When you aren’t at Sweat Fixx where can we find you?
We are major homebodies, but you can find us out to dinner, walking the dogs/taking them to the beach, or out with family and friends.

5. Favorite local bar/restaurant?
Ocean Prime in Boston and Redstone in Burlington. Bar… maybe Tony C’s?

6. Favorite Fixx class and why?
Danielle- Row Flow Fixx, because I love the mix of high intensity rowing and stretching/breathing from yoga.
Eric- Battle Fixx because he’s very competitive and it goes by fast lol.

7. Who is the competitive one in the couple when it comes to rowing?
Definitely Eric. I grew up playing sports, and that was always my weakness- I wasn’t competitive and/or aggressive enough.

8.You guys have been with us since the beginning and haven’t slowed down, what keeps you coming back?
We love it. Eric to the point of obsession – haha! It’s all he talks about and his friends are actually ready to kill him over that. Anyway, we love all of you girls, you’re super motivating and caring/fun. We hate the gym, because we get bored and I personally hate having to think about what I’m doing. Fixx classes give us everything – cardio, strength training, great community atmosphere, and a fun workout. We literally plan everything around our rowing classes haha!