Well-being with Body Balance
Staying healthy doesn’t have to stop while you are on holiday. Body Balance is a magnetic wellness community that offers more than a regular mat Pilates class. Newly located at Ala Moana it's where you go to connect, get sexy abs for summer, and actually enjoy workout classes.
Grown out of a blind email from the Mayor of the Block, the partnership with Body Balance has gone from one Pilates class a week at our sister property Romer Ambassador, to a growing friendship and a gathering for like-minded individuals. We sat down with our friend and fitness guru Kashmira Gandhi owner and lead cycling instructor from Body Balance to talk on all things well-being.
Introduce yourself! What do you (love to) do? How did you end up on Oahu?
Aloha! We’re Body Balance Hawai’i, a locally owned, women-owned fitness studio here on O’ahu. We just celebrated 25 years in business and recently moved down the road to Ala Moana Center. Our passion is wellness–the intersection of joy and good health! So that’s what we love to do! We offer 110+ different fitness classes a week in Rhythm Cycling, Pilates Reformer, Yoga, Ass & Abs, BodyBarre, BodyStrong, and BodyCore (Lagree) Microformer.
We’ve been here on O’ahu for a long time, but we keep our offerings cutting edge. For example, we were the first in Honolulu to offer Pilates, then Barre, then Rhythm Cycling, then Lagree.
What makes you excited to do what you do every day?
We change people’s lives by showing them how gorgeous and strong they are both inside and out. We want our clients to love their workouts not because it changes them, but because it brings them joy – the fit body is just one of the amazing side effects (along with better mental health, sleep, friendships, & community).
What do you love about Hawaii?
We love the beach of course! And the mountains, the kindness of our local community, the trade-winds keeping us cool, & of course the poke bowls.
What is your most popular class?
Our most popular class is BodyCycle – a 45-minute, heart-pumping dance club on a bike with a club-level sound and lighting system, choreography, and inspiring instructors who can push you and support you wherever you are in your fitness journey.
What is your favorite way to balance your body?
We ARE Body Balance, so we are all about both pushing and pampering yourselves. That means sweating it out in BodyCycle, stretching it out in Pilates Reformer, and then de-stressing in BodyFlow with Soundbath.
What inspires your fitness journey?
Joy! Fitness is what has carried us through our hardest moments in life – losing loved ones, struggling with external changes, and even adjusting to motherhood and career changes. It’s how we take care of our mental health so we can take care of our bodies and in turn care for the people and jobs in our lives.
Best tips for vacation workouts?
Find something fun that makes you feel great and reserve just 30 minutes to 1 hour a day to do it. Keep it simple – pop into a poolside class, do a virtual workout, or jump on a surfboard.
Anything else you want to tell us about BB?
We are an all-levels studio – so whether someone is a newbie or an athlete, we are ready to inspire and challenge them right where they are on their fitness journey.
“We change people’s lives by showing them how gorgeous and strong they are both inside and out.”
Who should we talk to next?
Teal Kealohi Salvador – the young, female creator and designer of Active by Teal! This Oahu born and raised local young woman is changing the activewear scene here in Hawaii and worldwide. We have just launched a collaboration to sell her beautiful workout clothes at Body Balance as we move toward featuring local, women-owned businesses.
