Home PeopleHoboken Girl of the Week Hoboken Girl of the Week: Lisa Bruno {of Work it Out}

Hoboken Girl of the Week: Lisa Bruno {of Work it Out}

by Jennifer Tripucka
Attain Medspa
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For the last seven years, Lisa Bruno was working on finishing a Bachelors degree, a Masters degree, and 1200 hours of clinical practice for Food & Nutrition to become a dietitian. All the while, she was working full-time, making a huge career change, and eventually becoming a co-founder at Work it Out — a local fitness boutique with two locations in Hoboken. We got to sit down with her and chat about her successes and challenges, her love of Hoboken {and its food}, Mile Square spa days, and of course, following her path and passion to where she is today.

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Vepo Clean

On Becoming a Small Biz Co-Owner

Having moved to Hoboken at the ripe young age of 22, Lisa was ready to seize opportunities as a young professional in PR. “I moved here when I was 22 years old, working in the city, like many others, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.” Over the years, however, she felt something was missing. As fate would have it, she would meet her future business partner, Noel Fiorentinos, while living next to newly-opened Work it Out on Willow Avenue in Hoboken. “I was walking with my laundry one day and passed by the studio. At the time Work it Out may have been opened for a mere month, and Noel’s sister was standing outside handing out flyers, so I took one. My curiosity got the best of me — and I sent over a blind email about my passions, my current career, how I used to teach gymnastics throughout college, and maybe on some weekends, I could teach for them. This started a yearlong back and forth exchange between Noel and I.” Eventually, the two decided to work together, and Lisa left her life as a corporate professional to live the life of an entrepreneur/small business co-owner.

Tsujita

Hobbs Inc

^WiO on Willow

On Starting Her Own Nutrition Biz

Through her education and background combined with her love for healthy living, Work it Out Nutrition was built. “It has been built with the passion of what our studios stand for – a safe haven for all clients to establish self confidence and strength through healthy living. This isn’t your typical nutrition program, where someone sits there and tells you what to eat. While we do that, it is much more,” Lisa shared. It’s real talk, real food, and real nutrition that identifies each client’s physical and mental needs to achieve health. Because our studios are filled with so many different type of clients, we know they each have different needs. No session, advice or education is the same. While we always start off together with a wellness assessment to understand your health and weight history, along with a dietary recall, our next steps together are created just for you.” Some of those assessments include outcomes such as a detox to rid your body of inflammatory foods, a customized meal plan to help you lose 10-pounds, or a session to talk and help demystify all the information that you read or diets you have tried. The opportunities are endless.

yoga renew hoboken

^Lisa & Noel, co-owners of Work It Out

On Making “Plans”

The shortened version? There are none. “If there is one thing I took away from these last seven years is that life has no plan, you have to go on the journey and explore, and that is how I feel about nutrition. There is no plan, but there is a journey that you need to embark on, and you need a guide to help you through it.”

On Life as We Know It

“In the 12 years I have been in Hoboken, I have seen my circle of friends get married, have children, and go their own way. I’ve celebrated milestones with new friends, and have gone through two of the hardest relationships in my life. I went back to school while working full time, sometimes taking the train back and forth to make it to class and back to work, or waking up at 5am to study before starting my second life as a career girl. Sometimes I look back and worry that I am not following the traditional road of the “Hoboken Girl.” The typical, move to Hoboken, date, get engaged, married and move protocol. I would have loved that, but it wasn’t my road to follow.”

“Sometimes I look back and worry that I am not following the traditional road of the “Hoboken Girl.” The typical, move to Hoboken, date, get engaged, married and move protocol. I would have loved that, but it wasn’t my road to follow.”

What she followed was an untraditional road, “and that’s okay, because it was my road, and Hoboken shaped me to be who I am today. When my old friends ask me, “How come you still live there, aren’t you sick of it?” I always say, “Why would I leave? It’s home.”

Now speaking of home and roads to follow, we had to ask a few of our HG Qs for our esteemed HG of the Week so you can check out her favorite spots. Here goes:

What is your favorite restaurant in Hoboken?

Augustino’s. This is not health conscious, this is for anyone that loves food. The ambiance is like sitting in your Italian grandmother’s kitchen. The food is so flavorful and traditional Italian, that it will not disappoint. But make a reservation 3-months ahead of time! It’s always busy. But you can get a seat at the bar every now and again.

What is your favorite boutique in Hoboken?

Dear Hannah. Even if I cannot find a new outfit, they have adorable accessories that I use to spruce up a plain top.

What do you love most about Hoboken?

I’m in love with the accessibility. When you are in town, you can stop over at a friend’s, grab a bite to eat, and run errands, all within in a few blocks and in the same day. Plus, you are a short PATH ride to the city. In the summer, you can be down the shore in an hour and in winter, a drive up north for just an hour and change will bring you to a mountain to ski. This town has so much to offer in and around.

 What is your favorite thing to do in Hoboken?

^Bliss spa saunas in Hoboken

I love setting up a day of pampering in town. You can get a facial, manicure + pedicure, a blowout, and then top it off with a delicious dinner. Bliss Spa at the W has a great facial, and I love my friends at Up & Out for a blowout, and for nails Modern never disappoints.

How long have you lived and/or worked in Hoboken?

I lived in Hoboken for eight years before moving right up above to Union City. But when I moved to Union City, I was still in Hoboken all the time with the business. It feels like I never left. I have become one of those people that says, “I remember when this place used to be….”

What is your favorite outdoor place to spend time in Hoboken?

It’s not necessarily one place. It’s the entire perimeter of Hoboken. I love taking a long run from up where I live, down 14th Street along the waterfront, and through town. You get to see beautiful scenery, keep up on changing businesses and always have the chance to run into a friend! PS: If you haven’t run down the viaduct in the morning and seen the sun as it rises above the city skyline, you are missing out!

What is your favorite place to work out in Hoboken?

I’m a little biased, but I would have to say Work it Out. While it is my professional world, it is also like home to me. Taking a class with the clients and staff, feel like working out and hanging out with your family.

Where do you go out with friends in Hoboken?

The times have changed from dancing in bars, to sipping wine and cocktails, that’s for sure! Now you can find me eating dinner at somewhere like Anthony David’s, Bin 14, Zack’s, or Augustino’s. When it’s just drinks – Sorellina has a great wine list and Stingray makes a good cocktail. But, if I want to turn it up a little {I can’t even say that without laughing}, it’s the usual – The Madison, City Bistro, 10th & Willow…

What is something you think needs to come to Hoboken?

A casual, farm-to-table restaurant that is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It also has to have a cute little cafe for coffee, tea, fresh juices, grab-and-go snacks and allows BYO at night…with maybe some live music. Clearly, I think about this a lot.  

 

Follow Lisa on her personal insta: @lisabruno99 and her pro insta: @wionutrition

Want to be featured or nominate someone for Hoboken Girl of the Week? Please email hello@hobokengirl.com.

RMA

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