Check out our interview with Florida-based pilates instructor and ACE-certified fitness guru, Grace Albin who is changing the way women, ages 25-55, perceive working out and are working out. From fun workouts in the kitchen to more mindful workouts on the yoga mat in her living room – Grace is instructing & influencing millions, in short form video, that with excellent form anyone can have successful workouts anywhere. Her at-home barre workouts are posted in full-length on Instagram, making it the perfect resource for anyone looking to get ahead on their fitness goals before the new year (sometimes all you need is a kitchen chair)!
With 330k+ followers using the quick and efficient workouts, Grace takes pride in her premium on-the-go fitness program,“FitStyleGrace.” Building her community from the ground up, the pilates guru created a subscription-based workout program that combines strength, cardio, and mindfulness. With small yet impactful movements, Grace ensures that her clients feel a full body transformation that reduces stress, improves balance and builds a mind body connection.
Follow Grace @fitstylegrace
Who has made the biggest impact on your life so far, and why?
My sister is my best friend. We don’t live in the same city, but we talk, text, and video chat every day. She’s a medical doctor, so it’s amazing to be able to lean on her when I have questions about anatomy and physiology.
Now tell us about the success of your very popular fitness program “FitStyleGrace?”
It’s a fusion of Pilates technique with traditional fitness. So we use dumbbells and resistance bands and do squats and curls. But always with the underlying philosophy of posture strength, elegant movement, and muscle lengthening.
What is different from your program to other ones in a very competitive market?
One unique thing is that I choreograph in a way that you use the same piece of equipment throughout the routine. I don’t like taking a class where it’s like, “first drag out the kettlebell, then do one thing with it, put it away and go get resistance bands and use those for a minute, now switch to a stability ball…” It’s chaotic and unproductive. You can do hundreds of exercises with any given piece of equipment. So I choreograph thoughtful routines which allow my followers to get a very effective workout without the hassle of switching equipment the entire hour.
What do you think is the secret to have a successful business in a very competitive market like yours?
Resist the urge to chase trends or jump on the latest bandwagon. Stay focused on the one thing that you do best and provide value to your community. For example, Instagram is really pushing us to switch to reels, they pay creators for views, give reels more exposure, and allow you to use better background music with reels. But my followers are not interested in it. They prefer carousel posts which allow them to swipe ten slides. My followers like the usefulness of having a different workout move on each slide. The screen mirror to their TV, let each move keep looping until they completed the reps, and get a full workout. Plus, I enjoy choreographing a full workout rather than just one reel. So I’m sticking with it, even if it feels like everybody else has switched to reels.
What book should every entrepreneur read?
“Shoe Dog” by Phil Knight, the founder of Nike.
Can you share a few fitness tips to start the year in a better shape?
Try a lot of different formats and you’ll find the one you love enough to stay motivated and keep going. It might be something social and structured (and free) — like a running community training for a 10k that has each weekly jog planned out to the exact mile and meets at the same time every week. Or something flexible like joining a fancy studio that offers different modalities and allows you to toggle between yoga and boot camp. Keep experimenting and you’ll hit upon the fitness routine that matches your vibe and gets you coming back.
As a popular fitness personality and fitness influencer you are followed by so many people. How do you feel about that pressure of doing always the right thing, and encourage people to follow their dreams?
We are so blessed to be living at this time in history, when females who follow their dreams can and do become hugely successful. Take advantage of it! I’ve spent time with people from all walks of life, and can tell you the main thing that separates successful entrepreneurs is their drive and their confidence. They’re not necessarily smarter or luckier or more well-connected than the general population. If you’re truly passionate about your business and what it adds to the world, don’t ever feel intimidated or discouraged. Women of all ages and backgrounds have proven time and again that we have a lot to bring to the table.
I bet you get millions of it, but what are the best and worst Instagram DM pickup lines you received so far?
The marriage proposals are my favorite. A girl can never get too many, amiright?!
What’s next for Grace Albin and FitStyleGrace in 2023?
My sister and I have been developing a female fitness product that will finally launch in 2023. I cannot wait to be able to share more. It’s beautiful and functional and respects girls’ and women’s biomechanics while they exercise. The sporting-goods industry has long ignored the nuances of female kinesiology, instead they make men’s products and then the next season they “shrink it and pink it” to sell to girls and women. We designed only with women in mind, only with female fit testers, and it makes a huge difference in the final product and the entire shopping experience.
What is your favorite healthy food?
Edamame. There are several bags of frozen edamame in my freezer at all times. It’s incredibly high in both protein and fiber. It’s quick and easy to fry or bake with a splash of olive oil, salt and pepper. You can also change the taste of it with any type of marinade or seasoning mix, so it never gets old.
And your favorite cheat food?
Deep-fried anything.
Favorite form of cardio?
Running and dancing.
Do you support any charity?
Yes, I’ve been fostering rescue dogs for 20 years. I specialize in taking care of the mama dogs who arrive at shelter’s while pregnant. A mama will come live with me, then I deliver her puppies when she goes into labor. She and her kids then spend a couple of months living in a retrofitted room of my house we call “the puppy nursery”. Being in foster care, rather than a crowded and hectic shelter, gives mama dogs a better chance at having a safe and successful delivery. They tend to gain more weight living in foster care, and it’s a peaceful environment where they can emotionally heal after being homeless and enduring the horrors of their earlier life. They learn to be loved, and to be house trained. I teach them verbal commands and manners that will help them get adopted down the line, once their puppies are weaned and they are ready to meet a forever family.
What do you think of Social Media?
Social media is an incredibly helpful resource. People complain that it’s negative, but that’s because of accounts they choose to follow, or tweets they choose to engage. I don’t “like” any post that isn’t about healthy living, beautiful architecture, or rescue puppies. So that’s all the algorithm shows me. Use your social media to watch helpful cooking tutorials or enjoy your friends’ vacation pictures. Tune out all the drama. It’s like everything else in life: You get back what you put into it.
Where we can follow you?
Instagram @fitstylegrace
Quote: Joseph Pilates: “Change happens through movement and movement heals.”
Song: Babylon by David Gray.
Movie: Black Stallion
Travel Destination: Beachy & tropical
Food: edamame
Sports Team: New Orleans Pelicans
