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Schedule Online!Heather Whaley | Personal Trainer & Director of Group Fitness
Heather specializes in nutritional wellness, functional fitness, and weight-loss. She feels that fitness and nutrition are the cornerstones to overall health and wellness. Heather attributes her style of personal training and group fitness to her extensive experience in the fitness community and her passion for researching fitness and nutrition. She has held several positions in the industry: corporate group fitness instructor, a boot camp instructor, and has been recognized in Atlanta Bride Magazine for her customized bridal boot camps. In addition to being a personal trainer, she currently is the Director of Group Fitness and Cooperate Wellness at Thrive. Heather has a passion for fitness and a passion for people, so it only seems natural that she would have her hand in the industry because of this.
“Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson,
Tricia’s Transformation
Over the past 11 months I have changed my lifestyle thanks to Lloyd Garden, owner and personal trainer at Thrive. I wanted to start eating healthier, work out and lose weight and make this a way of life. I remember Lloyd telling me it takes 45 days to change a habit, now I truly believe that. That’s me pictured above before (left) and after (right).
I started out with one on one training and added bootcamp so I was working out a total of 5 days a week. Lloyd provided me with an eating plan as well. After three months we took my measurements and I already started seeing the results. This gave me inspiration to continue strong and strive to meet my goal of losing 20lbs. (more…)
Victoria’s Transformation
After having two children in my forties and working full time, I struggled to find time for myself. I did not feel good physically or feel good about myself. I wanted to be a better mother, wife and employee. I decided to take action. I called Thrive and talked to Lloyd and immediately knew this was the right move for me. He has changed my life!
After losing almost 20 pounds, I feel healthy, energetic and alive. It has given me the confidence I needed to excel in all areas of my life. I plan to continue working with Lloyd to improve my strength, maintain my confidence, and live a healthy life.
5k and Abs
Rejuvenate your body and day by get your blood flowing with a 5k run. Ranging from beginners to seasonal runners ready to improve their aerobic stamina, while getting motivated by others at Thrive. Timing this run allows you to visually see your improvement from week to week to strive to be your best. We immediately top off the run with core work and stretching.
How many calories do you need?
In last week’s blog, I listed a few Web sites you could visit to learn more about the nutritional info in some of your favorite fast foods. This week, I thought I’d continue the nutrition theme by providing you with an online calculator (courtesy of the American Council on Exercise) to help you figure out how many calories you need to be eating each day. Just click here to get started.
Look for Nutrition Info Before You Head for Fast Food
Well, I hope everyone had a great Labor Day weekend. If you ate and drank more than you should have, I’ve got something to help you get back on track this week. A lot of fast food restaurants have nutrition information listed on their Web sites. This is a great way to check out how many fat grams and calories are in your favorite foods. After all, if you’re trying to eat healthier, then it’s a good idea to plan out your meal BEFORE you even get in line to order. (Making decisions on the spot can be rough when those French fries are calling your name…)
Here are a few restaurants that offer this info (you can find this info on most restaurants’ sites — just look for information about “nutrition”:
Moe’s Southwest Grill
http://www.moes.com/Food.php?ii=1
Panera
http://www.paneranutrition.com/
Chick-fil-A
http://www.chick-fil-a.com/?#calculator
Happy smart eating! Also, if you haven’t signed up for our 10-day cleanse for charity, give me a call or send me an email!
Your Guide to Serving Sizes
Almost all of my clients seem to struggle with portion sizes. I mean, it’s pretty scary that what most people probably think of as one serving of, for example, chicken, is actually more like two or three servings!
To help everyone out, I’m posting this article that I found at menshealth.com that outlines 12 ways to estimate portion sizes. (And ladies, don’t be scared off by the fact that the article is at a men’s magazine site — the info works for you, too.) Happy eating!
Also, if you haven’t signed on for our 10-day Lose & Win cleanse program for charity, be sure to give me a call or send me an email. It’s been so popular that we ran out of the cleanse kits, and I had to order more. The next shipment is scheduled to come in this Thursday, so be sure to reserve yours now.
Have a super Labor Day weekend!
Lose & Win for a Good Cause
If you’re looking for a good reason to lose some weight, well I’ve got one for you.
Join our Lose and Win program. Not only will you have an opportunity to lose weight and get healthy, you’ll also have a chance to help a family in need! Thrive has partnered with Lighthouse Family Retreats to help send the Gonzalez family on a much needed trip to the beach. Lighthouse is an organization that serves children with cancer and their families at a seaside retreat, where the goal is to help them laugh, restore family relationships, and find hope.
MacKenzie, is the little one in the Gonzalez family who is battling a cancerous tumor that is located in her paraspinal muscle, located just next to the spine. She’s only 5 years old. (You can learn more about Kenzie’s story at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/mackenziegonzalez)
Here’s the deal: I’m willing to donate $1 for every pound (up to 10 pounds) that you lose during the 10-day Lose and Win program from now until the end of September. The cleanse that you’ll use will only cost you $36, all of which goes to pay for the cost of the kit. (I’m not making any profit from this.) Now if that doesn’t motivate you to say “Count me in!” then I don’t know what will!
Our goal is to raise $2,500 for the Gonzalez family. So, anyone who wants to participate is welcome — tell your friends, family, and coworkers. If you’re interested in helping your body and helping little Kenzie and her family go on a much needed vacation, then drop me an email or give me a call ASAP for more information.
Challenge yourself with the BOSU®
If you’ve been into Thrive, you’ve probably seen one of our BOSU® Balance Trainers—that is, the blue, dome-shaped things with flat bottoms. In my years of working in the fitness industry, I’ve found that this tool is one of the most effective in terms of improving balance and core strength. So, you’ll see me integrate it into exercises ranging from lunges to push-ups. If you want to know more about the logic behind why we train with the BOSU® at Thrive, check out this article at the BOSU® site.
Keep on Thriving!
–Lloyd
Try these Low-Cal Summer Treats
Boy, is it hot! I don’t know about ya’ll, but I could use a little relief from these 90-degree days. And nothing brings relief like ice cream on a summer afternoon. Now, I’m not saying to run down to Cold Stone Creamery and order a waffle bowl full of chocolate ice cream and 10 toppings. There are ways to get your ice cream fix without eating an entire day’s worth of calories and fat grams in one sitting. For some low-cal options, check out this article I found at www.womenshealthmag.com. (And guys, don’t be shy. Just because it’s at the Women’s Health site doesn’t mean that this info isn’t good for us to know, too.)
Keep on Thriving!
—Lloyd
Ready for Resistance Bands?
If you think the key to effective strength training is bulky weight machines, think again. At Thrive, we use resistance bands, free weights, and other tools like kettlebells and medicine balls to give you a workout that challenges your entire body and provides the results you’re looking for. For more on the benefits of resistance bands – and a few exercise ideas – check out this article I found at www.muscleandfitnesshers.com.
Keep on Thriving!
—Lloyd
Get Gorgeous Gams with these 3 Moves
The temperature is rising, which means it’s time to start sporting those short shorts of summer. If you’re looking for ways to whip your legs into shape, try these three exercises (work your way up to 3 sets of 15 reps each of these exercises):
Marching Hip Lift. Lie down on the floor with knees bent in front of you. Lift your hips so that your hips and lower back are off of the ground, with your feet about shoulder width apart, feet flat on the floor. (Make sure that you are squeezing your glutes and lower abdominals throughout this entire exercise!) While keeping your hips lifted, lift your right knee toward your chest. Lower your right foot back to the ground, and then do the same with your left knee. That’s one rep. Remember, the key is to keep your hips lifted until you finish 15 reps — then you can rest.
Squats with a Knee. Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart, with your toes facing straight ahead. Sit back like you are about to sit down in a chair. When your butt is almost parallel to the ground, return to a standing position and crunch your right knee up to your lower abdominals (try to get your knee above that belly button!). Return the right foot to the ground and go right into another squat. This time, as you stand up, crunch the left knee up to your lower abdominals. Be sure that your chest is lifted, and you are squeezing your abdominal muscles. Again, that’s one rep. As you squat, be sure to keep your weight in your heels. Also, make sure that as you sit back, your knees don’t jut forward (they should be in alignment with your ankles). An easy way to ensure that your knees are doing what they’re supposed to is to look down at your feet. If your knees are covering up your toes, sit back more. Remember that you should be able to see those toes!
Dumbbell Dead Lift. With an overhand grip, grab two 8-pound dumbbells (or if you don’t have free weights, heavy water bottles). Standing with feet shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent, keep your arms straight (shoulder width apart and palms down) and lower the weights as close to the ground as you can. As you bend, your back should not arch, and keep your shoulders back. As you bend over, you’ll feel a stretch through the hamstrings. As you return to a standing position, squeeze the glutes and hamstrings. Repeat.
3 Steps to Bikini-Ready Abs
It’s summertime in the south, which means that it’s time to break out your bikini. If your abs could use a little boot camp before the big reveal, try these three moves that are sure to tone and tighten your core muscles (work your way up to three sets of 15 reps of each of these exercises):
Medicine Ball Twists. Sit with your legs bent (heels dug into the floor), your chest lifted, and back straight. Your upper body should be at a 45-degree angle. Holding a medicine ball twist side to side, reaching toward your hip bone. The further you lean back the better, but always keep that back straight. If you don’t have a medicine ball, no problem — try a gallon-size jug of water. Take this exercise up a notch by lifting one foot up at a time and eventually both feet while twisting.
Sit-Ups. Yes, a good old fashioned sit-up is still one of the best ways to work those abs. Again, sitting with your legs bent, feet on the floor, lie down on the floor with your arms crossed across your chest. Bring your body up, eventually sitting up (with legs still bent and feet on the floor). Then, curl your body back down so that your back is flat on the ground. Be sure that you are focusing on tightening your abdominal muscles as you move through the entire sit-up.
Side Plank Dips. Lie on your side, with your legs stacked on top of each other and your right elbow bent at a 90-degree angle directly beneath your side. (Your body should form a straight line accept for your right arm, which is a 90-degree angle.) Pick your hips up, so that your body runs at a diagonal from the floor. Then, let your right hip drop and bring it back up. The goal is to let it lightly touch the floor before bringing it back up into alignment with the rest of your body. After completing your reps on one side, role onto the other (so that your left arm will be bent to support your body). Do three sets on each side.
Need a fun way to tone up your body for summer? Come try our Brookhaven Group Fitness Class!
Keep on Thriving!
—Lloyd
3 Moves for Sexy Summer Arms
Hey Ladies!
Your man doesn’t have to be the only one with tickets to the gun show this summer. Try these three exercises to get your arms in shape for those sexy sleeveless shirts and shoulder-bearing halter tops (work your way up to 3 sets of 15 reps of each of these exercises):
Chair Push-ups. Push-ups are the multitasking exercise for arms, since they work all of the muscle groups at once. Using a chair, place your hands on either side of the seat, and put your feet together on the ground. (Your body will be at an incline.) Arms will go from straight to bent, as you lower yourself into a pushup position. Make sure to keep your shoulders over your writs and your rear end in alignment with the rest of your body.
Military Press. Tone your shoulders with a good, old-fashioned military press. Using 8-pound free weights, bring both arms up to 90-degree angles, so that elbows are in line with your shoulders. (Palms should be facing away from your body.) Press arms straight up to where there is just a slight bend in your elbows, and then lower them back down to 90-degree angles. No free weights? No problem. Just grab a couple of 20-ounce water bottles.
Bicep Curls. No arm workout would be complete without a little something to tone those biceps. Again, free weights or water bottles will work. Stand with feet about shoulder-width apart. Keep your elbows at your sides as you lift and lower both water bottles to your shoulders (palms facing your shoulders) and then back down to where your elbows have just a slight bend in them. When you’re finished, crack open one of the bottles to hydrate!
Looking for a great way to tone up your body for summer? Come try our Brookhaven Group Fitness Class!
Keep on Thriving!
—Lloyd
Mix Up Your Workout Routine to Maximize Benefits
To get the best results from your workout regiment, individuals should work with a personal trainer to mix up their exercise routines to make the exercises more unique and beneficial. When people do the same exercises over and over again, they will at some point reach a results’ plateau and they will not meet their desired goals.
