Page 31 - BusinessWest March 2, 2026

been very different — and she wants to be that kind of positive influence
for her club members today.
“I wanted this to be inclusive — different bodies, different identities,
different lived experiences. We wanted to have a lot of variety for folks to
be able to choose what works best for their bodies,” she explained. “So
we have a mix of some higher-engaging classes like spin classes and
boxing and strength classes. And then we wanted classes that have a
sweet balance of making sure that you’re not just like beating your body
into submission to feel like your value based on that — so we have mat
pilates, yoga, we’ve even had meditation in the past. Bar classes are also
nice because they work the smaller muscle groups and help keep your
joints supported in those ways that you might not in the larger muscle
groups.”
Aubrey Endress gets to the heart of choosing the right activities in a
recent post about ‘joyful movement’ on the My Health Matters Fitness
blog.
“Whether you’re walking with a friend, dancing solo to your favorite
song in the kitchen, or finding your center in a yoga class, finding joyful
movement establishes a level of trust within ourselves. You are taking
the time to really listen to your body and respect it by choosing move-
ment that supports what you need in the moment. No guilt, no shame,
no punishment — just connection with what your body truly will benefit
from.”
McGrath loves seeing members, many of
whom have been scared off by other gyms and
who have struggled with body image, find their
connection — and a new passion for movement.
“I hear so many stories from our clients
about the crap they’ve dealt with. Then they
connect with other community members and
are like, ‘my God, that happened to you too.’
And then they become closer,” she told Busi-
nessWest. “I think it’s so needed. To be able to
make those connections with like-minded folks
is really important for a lot of us. And it’s really
beautiful to see.”
Down to Business
McGrath reiterated more than once that
opening a physical location and bringing on
employees — she has 14 of them now — has
been challenging and scary, but also deeply
gratifying.
“I was terrified to do it — still am, some-
times. At the beginning, I really was trying to figure out what was best
for my mental health and how to mix the balance of work and my per-
sonal life. With the pandemic, my mental health got pretty bad, and that
gave me some perspective of what I was looking to do.
“Then a lot of my clients were starting to express that they wanted to
lift heavier weights and be able to go somewhere and do that. That was
at a time where a lot of us were saying, ‘OK, maybe we can start going
out in public more.’”
She has partnered with other like-minded businesses, like Happy
Valley Nutrition, a group of dietitians who, led by founder Amanda Mit-
tman, also promote an anti-diet, weight-inclusive view of fitness and
wellness.
“I love connecting with people and making people feel strong and
validated in their experiences and their bodies,” McGrath said. “A lot of
times, we go through the world thinking that everyone either hates our
bodies or sees things about our bodies that aren’t there, and we develop
bad body image or eating disorders.
“A lot of people have specifically sought us out because they’re like,
‘you’re different. This is cool.’ This is something they’ve actually been
wanting to do, but might not have had the means yet. Or they’re looking
for something that can heal their own trauma with movement. I say all
the time that I needed this growing up so I could have healed my rela-
tionship with my body and my mind. And a lot of people working for us
have specifically come here to help people with that.”
Clearly, McGrath has figured out that relationship for herself, and is
passionate about helping others get there as well.
“I think this is the first job I’ve had where my cup is filled after I
leave, rather than being completely depleted,” she said. “I feel very grate-
ful. I mean, owning a business is no joke. That can be draining. The
people are not.” BW
“I hear so many
stories from our
clients about the
crap they’ve dealt
with. Then they
connect with other
community members
and are like, ‘my God,
that happened to you
too.’ And then they
become closer.”
N O M I N A T E
A
R I S I N
G
S T A R T O D A Y !
ANNOUNCING THE CLASS OF 2026!
In the April 27th issue of BusinessWest
40 Under Forty Class of 2025
Presenting Sponsor: BW
Business W est
MONTHLY FEATURE 31
MARCH 2, 2026