An Interview with Hannah Bronfman, Author and HBFIT Founder
How did you go from DJing to the fitness industry?
I was DJing straight out of college and it became taxing. Being up all night and sleeping during the day made me lose touch from what made me happy, which was living a healthy lifestyle. I realized that my lifestyle wasn’t sustainable and I needed to make a change. I stopped DJing nightlife and moved into corporate DJing. It was better hours, better pay and ultimately let me regain my quality of life. That’s when I decided that I was going to live my happiest and healthiest version of myself.
How does fitness play a role in this happy, healthy version of yourself?
The sweat that I get from working out allows me so much mental clarity. It helps me feel strong, independent and in tune. I’d like to think I work out every day, but in reality, I don’t. I do fit it in whenever I can and it makes me feel great.
How has fitness changed for you throughout your life?
I grew up as a ballerina. I danced for almost 15 years and then went into team sports. After college, I had to figure out how to incorporate fitness into my own everyday adult lifestyle. So, I love fitness classes. The group atmosphere is inspiring and helps me keep going.
I had to figure out how to incorporate fitness into my own everyday adult lifestyle.
What is your favorite way to work out?
To mix it up. A great week is if I’m doing something different almost every single day. Monday is Pilates, Tuesday is boxing, maybe Wednesday is cycling, Thursday’s a dance class and Friday’s maybe working out in the gym.
Why do you like to mix up your workouts?
It’s really easy to get distracted when you are used to a routine, so switching it up all the time keeps me sharp. It has a better effect on my body because it’s in a constant state of muscle confusion. It’s constantly being worked in different ways, not the same way over and over.
Are you excited to get on ClassPass?
I’m excited because of the variety of classes you get access to — some of the things I’ve never even heard about. It really allows me to have options and flexibility. My schedule is so crazy, and ClassPass allows me to hone in on whatever hour I have free and tell me what’s close to me. And when I travel, I’m constantly searching for cute, boutique fitness classes in whatever city that I’m going to. ClassPass has a lot of awesome functionality that way.
Getting introspective now around this time of year, how was your 2018?
It was a pretty big year for me. I wrote my first book, Do What Feels Good, which is exciting. It comes out on January 8. And 2018 was the year where I had to give in to how hectic my schedule really was, and be okay with the fact that I couldn’t work out every single day. That was a bit of a challenge for me, but learning to have that flexibility has been really freeing.
What are you looking forward to in 2019?
2019 is a full year of growth mode for me. I’ve got so many projects coming out and get to work with some really cool brands, including ClassPass. I’m really excited about what the future holds. There’s lots of stuff in the works.
Any advice for someone just starting out on their fitness journey?
It’s really important to not be intimidated. Every day is gonna feel different. Some days are gonna feel challenging, some days are gonna feel awesome and it’s totally normal to have all of the feels. There’s no better day to start than today.