Welcome to our new instructor, Piera Calabro!

You might think that Piera is fabulous from afar (and she IS), but her extra-special spark is evident the minute she begins speaking. Her energy is full of sunshine and infectious spirit that makes you NEED to stick around for more. She is such special ball of light, and we are incredible lucky to have her on our team.

Piera comes to us with a great background in fitness as well as dance and the performing arts. Her command of a space when she instructs is amazing, and you can’t help but laugh and have the best time with her while working to your limit. She also has a deep interest in women’s health that matches our mission.

Please read more about Piera in her interview below. (I personally share her obsession with ice cream and skincare regimens lol). And let us know if you want to meet and train with her. You will have a blast!

Enjoy!
~Mahri

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Full name:
Piera Calabro

Where were you born?
Born and raised in Melbourne, Australia

What’s your biggest passion?
Musical Theatre – whether it be performing in a show or attending one. In what other medium can you break out into song and dance when emotions have reached their pinnacle?

Tell me about your career. Have you changed directions? If so, why?
Initially, New York’s fitness industry intimidated me. I knew that I wanted to teach but didn’t know what studio would suit my personality. Luckily, I found Chaise Fitness and became certified as a group fitness instructor there. Pre and post natal fitness is an area of the industry I had always been interested in. I think it’s an incredibly delicate time for women and that attentive care and consideration should be taken to one’s health and well being. Finding Body Conceptions and hearing about Mahri’s ethos was like a breath of fresh air in the over-saturated machine that is fitness today. Our conscious approach to training clients allows for relationships that are built on longevity, compassion and honesty.  

What do you wish you knew when you were younger?
That being gay is ok!

What’s your fitness fashion style?
Anything Athleta

What’s the best piece of health/wellness/dance advice you’ve ever gotten?
Commit to a skin care regime both day and night from my mum!

What’s your guiltiest pleasure?
ICE CREAM

What quality do you really cherish about yourself?
My genuine care for others

What’s something most people don’t know about you (that’s maybe a little funny or weird)?
I am terrified of birds.

New Instructor Spotlight – Welcome Kate Havlicek!

The minute I met Kate Havlicek, I knew we needed to work with her! Kate has a confidence and a sweet and grounded radiance that makes you immediately feel comfortable around her. Already a seasoned instructor, she brings incredible authority to her teaching that’s rare in those who first start working with us. She is simultaneously humble and kind while also inspiring in her training style. In short — FABULOUS!!

I learned a lot of fun and new things about Kate in this interview, and I hope you enjoy getting to know her as well. For those of you who have the pleasure of working with her privately, you are lucky!!

~ Mahri
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Full name: Catherine Ryan Havlicek (but I have always gone by Kate and I spell it with a K and Catherine with a C!)

Where were you born: Huntington, Long Island

Where did you grow up: I grew up in the town of East Hampton on the very east end of Long Island.

Biggest passion: Dance, movement, and fitness have always been some of my biggest passions. Moving my body in any way brings me the most joy, however I also have a deep love for film and am a huge movie buff!

Career: I worked for lululemon for many years, but also taught dance at the studio I went to growing up, while also teaching other fitness classes like barre and Zumba back in the day! My career has definitely become more centered around fitness as the years have gone on, and I am excited to be acquiring more knowledge about all aspects of fitness and personal training.

What do you wish you knew when you were younger: You do not have to live up to anyone’s expectations other than your own. There is no set path in life, or right or wrong way to live your life.

What’s your fashion fitness style: Pretty much always in mostly black, sleek mesh patterns on leggings, and fun crop tops. Love Michi, Alo Yoga, lululemon, and APL for sneakers!

Best health/wellness/dance advice: For wellness, definitely just to take care of yourself and make yourself a priority – love your body and acknowledge it for all that it is capable of. For dance, if you mess up the choreography, make it a solo!

Guiltiest pleasure: Binging 70’s & 80’s horror movies – they don’t even have to be that good. I just love them.

Quality you cherish about yourself: Being someone people often come to to talk to or open up to. I love being someone who can support other people, because I know I am so appreciative of the people in my life who I can turn to when I am in need.

Something people don’t know about you: I have an obsession with Quentin Tarantino and I have seen Inglourious Basterds more times than I could possibly count. I also do a pretty fantastic Velociraptor impression.

Getting to know Carlyn Rosenblum – an expert in Perinatal Nutrition

In our preconception, prenatal, and postpartum fitness work with women, we have repeatedly found that our clients lack information, are often misinformed, and can experience lots of fear – and it’s our honor to help them exercise and navigate the many physical challenges they experience.  In terms of diet and nutrition, we have fielded numerous questions from our clients who feel lost.  Where do they turn??

We have met a fabulous dietician in NYC who specializes in these life transitions, and we are thrilled to connect her with our community!  Carlyn Rosenblum, an experienced dietitian with specialized knowledge in perinatal nutrition, founded MTHR Nutrition specifically focused on nutrition and wellness during these critical periods.  When we got to know Carlyn, we immediately knew that her work complemented ours and needed to be shared!

Enjoy this fascinating interview with Carlyn, and contact her directly if you need her excellent services!

~ Mahri

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1) Your name, and where you are from:

Carlyn Rosenblum MS, RD, CLC

New York City + San Francisco

2) Tell us about your business and what you provide:

MTHR Nutrition offers concierge nutrition + wellness services for women and families during pre-conception, pregnancy and postpartum. We provide custom counseling as well as other concierge wellness services (grocery store tours, pantry clean outs, cooking classes, meal prep, etc).

3) What made you decide to move in this direction as a business? Could you talk a little bit about your journey getting here?

Through my training as a dietitian I learned that the perinatal period was a critical time for nutrition, both in achieving a healthy pregnancy, but also in impacting the future health of the child (and even the child’s child). However, I quickly discovered that this area of nutrition was not getting the attention it deserved. There was also a world of misinformation, creating confusion, stress and frustration for many women wanting to do right for their body and baby. 

I have always felt that if you can help change the health and nutrition of a mother, you can help change the health and nutrition of her entire family. From an intervention standpoint being able to foster health promotion and chronic disease prevention simply by building a healthy environment in-utero is extremely powerful, yet for many women despite good intentions it does not always happen. 

I wanted to build a business that could support women during this important time for nutrition by providing reliable, evidence-based information and guidance so that they could focus on the joy and beauty of pregnancy. 

4) What are a few of the nutrition challenges women face during and after pregnancy? 

For many women, pregnancy often represents a departure from one’s “normal” eating habits. Body and hormonal changes, food symptoms, and aversions can all complicate one’s ability to maintain a healthy diet. During pregnancy I work with my clients to help increase the nutrient density of their meals and fit nutrition into their “new normal”. The postpartum period is uniquely challenging, especially because of societal pressures on new moms to immediately return to their pre-pregnancy body instead of allowing the body to properly heal. 

5) You also help women navigate fertility. Of the many things you tell women, do you have 3 tips you might suggest to help women think about supporting fertility with their food choices?

  • Quit sugar! In my opinion sugar is the #1 fertility sabotaging food. ALL sugar, even natural sugars can wreak hormonal havoc so it is important to be conscious of even healthy sugar like fruit and limit it to 1 serving at a time, and no more than 3 servings in a day ( FYI 1 serving is only 1/2 a cup).
  • Don’t be afraid of fats: Fats are essential for healthy hormone production and maintaining blood sugar balance, so if you are trying to get pregnant you want to make sure you are including enough in your diet. Swap fat-free products (especially dairy) for their full fat alternatives. That being said, not all fat is created equal! Focus on Omega-3s (Wild Salmon, Chia Seeds, Hemp Seeds and Walnuts) and unprocessed monounsaturated fats (Olive Oil, Avocado and Almonds). 
  • Eat more plants: Research shows that women who consume more plant-based proteins have improved fertility. I like to have my clients consume at least one plant-based meal per day and focus on consuming eggs and fish over other animal-based proteins. 

6) We truly believe that fitness does not exist in a vacuum (especially during pregnancy!) and look for knowledgeable practitioners to refer our clients when they need support in other areas like nutrition. How could we as trainers help YOU do your job better with our clients? How might we work together?

I definitely believe in a holistic approach to wellness. As trainers, you can encourage your clients to seek nutrition support from a licensed registered dietitian such as myself who can compliment their training. There is no “one size fits all” when it comes to nutrition and fitness. Every body is different.  What works for one person may not work for another, and nutrition and exercise need to reflect those differences. Working closely together to create a personalized nutrition and fitness plan can provide clients with the best outcomes. 

7) What do you love the most about your work?

From a very young age, I knew I wanted my work to serve something beyond just myself. No amount of money in the world would bring me the same amount of joy as when a client tells me how much I have helped them to finally feel healthy and happy in their body so they can get pregnant, have a healthy pregnancy, or feel good about how they feed their family. 

8) How can our clients contact you and use your services?

They can reach out to me directly via email at  or visit my website www.mthrnutrition.com to book a discovery call. 

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Carlyn believes that feeling your best starts with good nutrition—but also involves how you think, live and show up for yourself physically and emotionally. Many women today feel out of sync with their bodies—especially when it comes to pregnancy. Carlyn works to help you uncover the hidden obstacles keeping you from feeling your best and teaches you how to listen and honor your body by focusing on what healthy means to you. Carlyn is a registered dietitian, with a Master’s Degree in Nutrition from NYU. She also obtained her CLC certification from the Healthy Children’s Project. Carlyn is the Founder and CEO of MTHR Nutrition a concierge nutrition counseling service for women. Carlyn dedicates her work to supporting women during the  preconception, prenatal and postpartum periods, which represent an important yet complex time for nutrition. Carlyn takes a science-based, personalized approach to health. She believes that everyone is different, and nutrition should also take into account those differences.