As we make our way up the stairs and down the long hallway to the front desk of sculp’d, my eyes scan ahead for Betsy Weissman. A previous Google search shared photos of a woman dressed to the nines with long, blonde hair. So when a woman in a gray, cropped sweater and tight black athletic pants welcomes us with a wave and smile, I don’t realize it’s Betsy at first. Her hair is shorter, styled in a tousled bob. She has a lot of makeup on and you can tell it’s not her usual thing. “Don’t worry,” Renée and I assure her, “it will look great for the camera.” And the haircut? Damn, talk about flattering. It actually inspired a Stylebook article, 7 Hairstyles That Will Make You Look Younger by Maria Elizabeth (whose Salon deZEN cut Betsy’s hair).

Originally from Pittsburgh, Betsy moved here in 2010 when her long distance relationship with future husband John became serious. They blended their families, becoming a party of five with their three children and laid roots in Cedar Knolls by Mount Vernon. 

Her love of fitness began in college, and she taught from her undergrad days at Penn State through grad school at Duquesne University Law School. “I always enjoyed teaching, taking classes and getting paid to work out. It was fun for me.” 

She was 15 years into her legal career, when she came up for air. “I was working with all these men in the tech space and they had these fat carb faces…and there were cookies everywhere and bagels for breakfast. It’s impossible to stay fit when you’re glued to a desk…and it took such an effort to not eat terribly. I got to a point where I said ‘I don't want to do this anymore. I don't want to sit in these windowless offices, eating crap. I want a life of health and wellness.’ And I wanted to take care of my daughter.” 

She opened her fitness studio when her daughter was in tenth grade. “I was planning ahead for when she went to college to avoid the empty nest.” To see which studio model would work best, she and John traveled and visited studios across the country, including New York, Chicago and Portland. In San Francisco, she found a franchise she liked, which her husband, a software entrepreneur, was initially against. “I needed a franchise, I had never been a business owner before.” 

In March 2019, she struck out on her own and rebranded as sculp’d+. Her daughter Abbie made the logo, and it was a family affair for a while with daughter Katherine and son Jack also working in the business. And they were doing great – until Covid hit. “We had to pivot or die.” They took it slowly, navigating the unknown. “We decided we were going to make a decision every two weeks…and then it was every 30 days. We reopened as soon as it was allowed. I had a business to run. We never laid anyone off and everyone pulled together.”

What makes her studio unique is all the services they provide from facials to injectables to massage to pelvic floor treatment to red light therapy to a compression chair for muscle recovery. If your legs are sore post-workout, you can sink into the chair and pull two long black boots on. I, of course, volunteer Meghan, our social media manager, for this. She looks nervous at first, but is super-relaxed after five minutes.

Having a one-stop shop of services offers tremendous value for Betsy’s clients who don’t have to drive from place to place. Sculp’d teaches 40 classes a week, 6:30am to 6:30pm, not including private sessions. Betsy knows a busy lifestyle, because she lives it. Not only does she run sculp’d, she works full-time with her husband at his software company. 

When she gives us a tour of the space, she shows us EmSculpt Neo, an impressive machine that provides, “FDA-cleared high-intensity electromagnetic pulses combined with radiofrequency stimulate targeted muscles to create 20,000 contractions in just 30 minutes to build a more toned physique.” And sculp’d is one of only a few in the area who offer the service. She says an ideal candidate is someone who understands that the classes and EmSculpt are part of a healthy lifestyle. “It’s not a one-off…this is not for those people that bounce from treatment to treatment. You should also have a BMI below 35.” And she’s adamant about cross-promoting movement, nutrition, hydration and overall wellness – it’s all connected. 

What’s next for Betsy? She has a large family that’s all over and shares, “everyone is migrating to Nashville.” They’re considering a second home there and possibly a second studio location there, too. One of the kids is out of college, one is in their fourth year at UVA and one a junior at JMU. So much can change in a year or two, “but we hope to always have roots here. Old Town is a charming enclave…the community, the water.” 

When a 53-year-old woman who looks like she’s in her 30s is sharing bits of her life, you make sure you ask for her daily routine. “I do all the things…but I’ve incorporated them slowly. It gives me a sense of empowerment. I start off every day with sunlight in the morning, water with minerals, collagen in my coffee, and morning vitamins including Vitamin C. I have good water with minerals all day long, a handful of supplements…and there’s always movement. It’s also about really good eating and a high protein diet.” Both she and her husband are on the same page there. “This continues with vitamins and retinols at night. I also use a red light mask and meditate for three minutes a day– that’s the best I can do! I like to be in bed by 10:30pm to read. Sleep is very important to me, and I must be in a dark and cool room.”

She says body sculpting takes time, and if you want to have a nice core by May, you need to start now. Being a self-described “Swiftie over fifty with the musical taste of a 12-year-old,” she is most definitely on to something. Check out Betsy’s Street Style:

ABOUT BETSY

Neighborhood: We live down by the Mount Vernon estate, right off Potomac and behind Cedar Knoll.

Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

What would surprise people about you? I read at least two to three books a week.

Favorite book or movie: I have SO many. My latest favorite book is Remarkably Bright Creatures. And the movie, The Devil Wears Prada – I watch it whenever it comes on. 

Guilty Pleasure: We built out our basement during the pandemic for our 17-year-old son. And now my favorite place EVER is our uber comfortable barca-lounger couch and 85” TV by myself, on a rainy weekend day. 

Latest binge-watch: Daisy Jones and the Six.

Bucket list travel destination: African safari with the whole family and staying at the Giraffe Hotel.

STYLE

Define your style in three words or less: Athletic, fun, dramatic.

The go-to piece in your wardrobe: Sneakers. I think it’s fair to say I have a sneaker problem. 

Favorite trend: Athleisure as everyday wear.

Beauty product you can’t live without: Vitamin C, sunscreen and Dior mascara.

Boots, sneakers, or sandals?  Easy. Sneakers all day, every day.

WELLNESS

Go-to way to de-stress: A long walk along the Potomac listening to a great podcast. 

Most fun way to stay active: Pilates. :) 

Wellness goal: Consistency with my good habits and adding in new, achievable wellness habits monthly. 

Want to try: Chelation therapy, gulp.

Proudest wellness achievement: Being my strongest, most confident self at 53.

HOME

Favorite room in your home: I built a cozy “coffee nook” in my living room with a fireplace, cozy high back chairs, blankets, candles and soft lighting. That’s where you can find most weekend mornings.

Antiques, modern, or a mix? Neither. My look has been called modern contemporary. But now I am in love with modern farmhouses and hoping to build a custom home in the near future.  

Last item bought for your home: I recently worked with Patina Polished Living and they came in and completely redid my entire first floor. They also brought in a lot of items to finish every room. I am newly in love with every room in my house.  

Favorite way to entertain: Sitting around our dining nook with my favorite friends and family with delicious food (bought at Balducci’s, but I pretend it was made by me).

Clutter-free or well-lived in? I am 100% team clutter-free, it gives me such a sense of peace. I have been working with Ellen Bullock at Exceptional Organizing for the last year and my entire house is SO organized. I don’t have a pen or paperclip out of place and I purged, purged, purged all the extraneous stuff. I love living like this. 

Next planned purchase: We plan to have a second home in Nashville, Tennessee. So in the beginning of 2024, much of my focus will be figuring all of that out (can you say “Modern Farm Home?”)

ALEXANDRIA

What do you love about Alexandria Stylebook? I like how it focuses on and promotes local women. Running a business is hard, so I’m always appreciative of a hand up. 

Favorite spot in Alexandria: The Mount Vernon trail – every season on the trail is magical. And the sunsets when you head south are breathtaking.

Your go-to shop: I always stop into She’s Unique. Either to say hello to Katya and Sabila or to get our dog Winnie a treat. And it's a great place for any gift, the left side for them and the right side for me. IYKYK.

Best food spot: My new favorite is Zuki Moon in Del Ray, their chicken ramen is to die for. Landini’s is an old favorite and always delivers. We love The Majestic for Sunday brunch. And for a quick healthy lunch: Zen Press wins hands down!

Favorite local organization: National Breast Center for Women

Annual Alexandria event you most look forward to: Christmas Scottish Parade, decorated streets, tree lighting. All the good things.

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