Who: Dani E., 30, NYC. Full-time MBA student, studying business with a specialization in entertainment, media, and tech; part-time photographer and dancer. Read the journey on how she got ready for her wedding day with obé!
How did you first discover obé?
I discovered obé a few weeks into the pandemic, early April 2020. I’d never been very consistent with my workouts, but I was on an exercise up-tick leading up to the pandemic. When the pandemic hit, I had a lot of rewards on my WW app, so I figured I could use some of them to try an at-home exercise program for the few weeks until the pandemic passed (ha….).
What hooked you about obé?
At first it was a little overwhelming, honestly! I knew I liked Walter’s classes, but while I love so many of the instructors now, I found a lot of them too difficult for where I was when I first started, even with all the modifications. My first class I tried with Melody had me GASPING and completely incredulous about how much energy she had! I didn’t think I could ever get there.
Then I stumbled upon one of Sam G’.s Dance Cardio classes around June 2020, and I fell absolutely in love. Finding that one class that I’d clear my whole week to take was a game-changer. Every time I took the class, I was determined to nail the choreography. During the first few classes, I would have to lay on my floor for a whole song or two just to catch my breath, but after a couple months, I could dance the entire 28 min, and maybe even add on Sculpt after!
I improved my endurance tremendously, meaning I had more stamina for some of the other classes I’d been avoiding. In fall 2020, my husband (then fiancé) and I bought heavy weights, and together we got really into Kat’s power classes. And a year later, I tried one of Melody’s classes again on a whim, and I was so shocked and proud that I was able to keep up the entire time! I just completed my 500th class doing power with her.
Has obé changed your approach to fitness—or life?
Fitness used to be a chore, and now it’s a joy. Until obé, I dreaded making time to exercise and I would always find excuses to not do it. Now, I try my best to clear my time because I want to exercise. I used to do mostly individual exercise since any time I would be dragged to a group class, I’d feel pretty uncomfortable. I was often one of the biggest people in the room (and I’m not even that big) or felt uncomfortably pushed to my brink by peer pressure or army-sergeant-like instructors.
With obé, the instructors all do an incredible job of encouraging us to level up, but if it’s too much, reassuring us it’s okay to modify. However I’m feeling on a certain day, I feel like they’re always meeting me where I am without any pressure, and reminding me that showing up is the most important thing. They make it fun and exciting to show up.
Finally, I used to believe that the point of exercise was to lose weight. That belief put a lot of unneeded pressure on the act of working out. obé is all about working out because it’s fun and it makes us strong. And that mission has helped me so much! During the pandemic, despite being on WW and trying to lose weight, I didn’t lose a single pound. But because of obé, my body changed drastically. I can keep my heartrate up for cardio classes or use 15-20lb weights for the entire length of classes. Plus, the physical manifestation of this strength shows through—my arms toned up, my waistline is more defined, and my thick thighs and booty are looking gooooooood. My clothes do fit better too, but more importantly, I can see and feel my own strength.
How did obé play a role in the lead-up for your wedding day?
My answer to this is probably not what you’re going to expect. It’s funny, I told myself over the summer I was going to do an extra 10 min of arms every day leading up to the wedding, but that stopped after only 2 days. I finally started liking exercise because I didn’t put that kind of pressure on myself anymore, so goals like “get fit for my wedding” are not only unmotivating, they actively give me anxiety and make me dread working out. I had already gotten into exercise before the wedding, so it was just a matter of keeping up the routine.
That said, 3 weeks before my wedding, my mom got into a really bad accident while in Florida. She’s okay! And she was at my wedding looking gorgeous! But for those 3 weeks, I was dealing with all the regular last minute wedding stress AND grad school midterms AND worrying about my mom. For a while, we didn’t even think she would be healed enough to fly back to NY! I actually stopped working out almost entirely. I was on target to hit my 500th class the week before my wedding, but I stalled out at 480, and I was so upset about it that I posted in the obé facebook group for support on how to motivate myself to reach that goal.
That group is AMAZING. They encouraged me to stop being so hard on myself—there was no need to achieve that goal when I was already doing so much! I also had a lot of suggestions to take some yoga and meditation, which I’d been avoiding because I saw those classes as “cheating” my way to 500. It absolutely wasn’t. Lulu’s meditations and Francesca’s restorative yoga kept me so grounded leading up to the wedding. I actually did a Lulu meditation on my wedding day when I had a few minutes alone, and that helped me live in the moment and truly enjoy each moment of my wedding.
What are your go-to class types on obé (and why)?
For cardio, it’s dance all the way for me! I LOVE dancing in general, and I actually have a burlesque alter-ego and perform around NYC. On obé, I particularly like Sam’s Dance Cardio because learning the choreography throughout the 28 min keeps my mind so busy on memorizing the steps that I don’t even have the energy to second guess my workout. I can’t always get my husband to do the dance classes with me (he’ll either sit out or do his own workout in the same room), but he will do HIIT, so that’s another common class in rotation.
For Strength, my husband and I LOVE Power classes, especially Kat’s Power Hour. We do a lot of Strength as well, but there’s something extra fun about BIG WEIGHTS GO FAST VROOOOOM in power, hahaha.
Who are your go-to instructors on obé (and why)?
I LOVE SO MANY OF THEM!!! My #1 favorite is Sam G. I already mentioned why I love dance cardio, but as an instructor and a person, I find her energy so cheerful and infectious and relatable. You could say that about any/every instructor at obé, but for me, I think her vibe is the closest match to my own, and her classes always make me feel like I’m 10 years old dancing around with my best friends and sisters in my basement, which is a great vibe for working out.
I have so many other favorites though, so I’ll just make a little “perfect week of obé” where I’d get to catch all my favorite instructors & classes:
Sunday: HIIT & Strength with Dorian (even better if it’s one of those 20min HIITs that are INSANELY HARD but then over so fast)
Monday: a Lulu or Francesca meditation/yoga replay to wake me up, then Power with Melody
Tuesday: Tuesday’s are for dancing! Start my day with Dance Cardio and Sculpt with Sam. If I have extra energy at night, add on a Dance HIIT with Ana.
Wednesday: A 45 min Dance & Sculpt with Kathryn
Thursday: Altar of Walter Strength and Dance HIIT. If I’m free, add on Dance Cardio with Sam after. (Before her maternity leave, 9am-10:30am on Thursdays were my favorite obé programming of the week)
Friday: often a rest day, but if Walter, Dorian, or Kat are on the schedule (and they often are), I try to get my butt in gear for them.
Saturday: Power Hour with Kat
Have you connected with any other obé members, either virtually or IRL?
The obé facebook group has been a great source of support, encouragement, and fitness/obé-related memes since I started obé. The community enhances the whole experience. I haven’t gotten to meet anyone in person yet, but I’m really looking forward to the next in-person obé meet-up — I was away for my bachelorette during the summer meet-up and I was so sad to miss it!
I also post workouts on my Instagram @dani.elwell pretty often. I never really PLANNED to be that person, but so many times when I post, I get really great feedback and comments that people love watching my energy when I dance and work out and I inspire them, so I’ve kept it up. It also means I focus on keeping my energy up and perfecting my form if I have my camera on, which helps my workouts. There’s a good group of other members who also post pretty often, and I love seeing what workouts they do (and also what cute workout clothes they have!). Posting has also meant I connect with the instructors on IG, and getting their feedback is always a highlight of my day.
Where do you do obé? Coolest place you’ve taken obé?
I do obé most often in my living room. My husband and I always decorate for the holidays and seasons, so you’ll probably see cute seasonal set-ups if you watch my workout videos. I visit my parent’s house in Florida often, and I make a point of working out on their back patio when I’m down there since it’s soooo pretty with the pool and the palm trees (and the plastic flamingo I insisted on buying). But the coolest place was probably back in May. My husband and I went on a road trip around the country (NY -> Texas -> Grand Canyon -> Chicago -> NY), and I downloaded a few classes for the trip. I only got to one of two of them and I just did them in small motel rooms, but you could technically say that obé came with me around the country!
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