FITRADIO Success Story: Katina Natale

I am a 39-year-old mom to 6-year-old twins, the Director of Operations of Fresh Smiles Foundation, a local non-profit helping children, and a Dancefit Instructor. I taught First Grade in the Council Rock School District in PA for nine years before having my twins. I grew up as a competitive dancer training in ballet, jazz, hip hop, tap, and acrobatics and traveled to various locations in the U.S. to compete. I received a scholarship to dance on the Towson University Dance Team, a multi-winning National Champion team and I helped the team win the NDA National Championship in Daytona, Florida three years in a row. I danced in the halftime show of the Pro Bowl in Hawaii and was chosen to be a dancer/entertainer at the Indy 500 Post Race Party in Indiana where I performed for racers, models, and celebrities. I was invited to perform acrobatic skills at a National Sales Motivational Kick Off Meeting in Baltimore where I did backflips to begin the meeting. I was a featured dancer in Music Mountain Theatre’s Mamma Mia in Lambertville, NJ. I have taught Zumba at local gyms and schools and have choreographed dance competition routines for studios in PA and MD. I have made my way in the fitness industry by training in Dancefit, HIIT classes, running, yoga, barre, and kickboxing. I competed in the MS Health & Fitness Competition in the summer of 2020 and was a featured trainer for FITRADIO where I collaborated with DJ Cazes from Miami on a Dancefit mix

Photo Credit: Brittany Paige owner of hops & hitched

My energetic, upbeat workouts combine dance fitness and strength-based combinations that create a high calorie burn that activates your smaller and larger muscle groups. I mix sexy with strength, offering a unique blend of moves and routines for all levels of fitness. You will move your hips and shake and twist your whole body, but also expect to perform a few push-ups, mountain climbers, squats, lunges, and a few jabs. Not a dancer? No problem. Just listen to the music and let loose. Doing your own moves and variations is encouraged and applauded. You do what your body, mind, and fitness level can handle. It is all about having fun, moving to hot music, and feeling like you are in a club instead of a gym. Music will vary from pop to hip hop to Latin and island beats. Turn on your watch app and HR monitors and watch the calories burn, your heart rate rise, and your step count to reach between 5,000-7,000. While taking class I want everyone to remember my favorite quote, “Put music to our troubles and we’ll dance them away.” 

I typically workout 5-6 days a week and I do a variety of workouts. Each week I do about 3-4 HIIT classes, 2-3 jogs or runs, 2-3 Dancefit classes (I dance hard in my own class), and I try to add in a yoga or barre class. Some weeks I will take two rest days and some weeks I workout 7 days a week. I take it week by week sometimes day by day based on how I am feeling and what is going on around me. I wake up around 4:45/5:00 a.m. 5 days a week so I can get in a workout before my twins wake up and before I begin any non-profit work, teaching, errands, cleaning, etc.  

Photo Credit: Brittany Paige owner of hops & hitched

I use FITRADIO on a daily basis. I have my favorite playlists for runs and I have my favorites for dancing in my kitchen or in my Dancefit classes. I will also throw some FITRADIO playlists on in the car as I am always car dancing. I was introduced to FITRADIO during an Orangetheory class when I got goosebumps to a song running on the treadmill and I HAD to ask my coach where he found his playlist. Thank you, Austin Kim for introducing me to FITRADIO! My HIIT trainers at my current gym, Bria Method use some FITRADIO playlists during their classes as well. I am currently being trained to teach kickboxing and HIIT so I am now looking for playlists for those types of classes.

I have so many fitness goals and FITRADIO has helped me reach those goals because music is and always has been a huge part of my life. I have loved music since the age of 2 and that is why my parents enrolled me in dance and singing lessons. Music runs in my veins and in my head constantly. It is my therapy.  I have always used music to motivate me in everything I do from dancing to running to getting ready for a night out when I am exhausted. I play FITRADIO playlists when I am choreographing Dancefit combos and I do so by just blasting the music and dancing in my kitchen or at the gym. I video the dances and then take moves I did and turn them into repetitive fitness moves. I have to say the biggest accomplishment FITRADIO has been a part of is my recent running successes especially with me being a new runner. I cannot run without music and FITRADIO’s playlists being non-stop, fluid, and upbeat help me get through long runs. I have messaged a few of the DJ’s thanking them for their mixes because I was able to run far lengths because the music kept my adrenaline going. My last long run was 10 miles and I listened to two FITRADIO playlists during the entire run. I reached a new Personal Record and the music motivated me to keep going! 

My favorite FITRADIO feature is being able to search for a playlist based my goal running tempo. The rate of the beat is spot on with my speed and that is a big deal to me because I have to run on the beat due to my dance background and doing everything to beats. I also love being able to search for playlists based on my mood or activity. 

My absolute favorite thing about FITRADIO is the fluidity of the songs and the remixes that the DJs find and add. I begin to find favorite DJs based on my personality, mood, style, and preferred activity. I love being able to click on a playlist and it is non-stop so I do not have to mess with music during a workout or run. 

I have so many fitness goals for 2021. I create my goals yearly, monthly, and weekly. My goals for this year are to bring more Dancefit classes to the Bucks County, PA area. Another goal I have is to get certified and trained in kickboxing and HIIT so I can begin to teach those classes as well. I am currently working on this! Another goal is to run at least 500 miles by December and run a 10k (without focusing on speed). My most important fitness goal this year is to motivate others to move and get healthy at any age, especially us women who have had kids or have had health difficulties and need an extra push to get back into it or get started. I am working on how I want to do this but for now I do my best through social media and at the gym. OK, ok, one other goal is to keep growing the muscles in my glutes. 

Instagram: katinanatale