Mount Pleasant Magazine Jan/Feb2016

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number one thing is: Are they working out the right way?
To create change in your body, you have to challenge
yourself in the right capacity,” said Duffy.
Meredith Nelson, owner of PrimeTime Fitness,
has been helping the community get healthy since
2000. After 15 years
on Sullivan’s Island,
PrimeTime recently
moved to its new location
on Ben Sawyer Boulevard
in Mount Pleasant.
She said it is important
to exercise every day with
a variety of intensities
and activities. Her
workout schedule includes
cardiovascular training at
varying levels of intensity,
which means interval
training once or twice a
week and lower-intensity
training for a longer
period of time once a
week (this can be anything
that gets the heart rate up
and makes you sweat).
“Include strength
training two or three
times a week,” Nelson
said. “And stretch
regularly. Mix it up – your
body loves surprises!”
Patience also plays a
role because the longer it
takes to lose weight, the
longer it will stay off.
“Be patient and stick to a healthy diet and exercise
regularly (at the right intensity) and your weight loss is more
likely to be permanent,” Nelson advised.
At Iron Tribe Fitness, local owner Corky Alexander
emphasized a similar balance between healthy eating and
working out. He described the four-week introduction
program at his facility, located off Johnnie Dodds Boulevard
in Mount Pleasant, as a chance to guide participants into a
healthy lifestyle by teaching them basic movements and how
to eat right.
“It’s about cutting out sodas and processed foods – cut
out cookies, cut out doughnuts – and eating clean – meat,
vegetables and fruit,” he said.
Nelson echoed this simple philosophy: “Eat clean; eat
real food, and don’t eat too much of it.”
Writing down everything you eat, or journaling, allows
you to pause and think about what you’re putting into
your mouth, said Alexander. It’s also a tool that holds
people accountable for their food choices.
“Journaling helps
create a new habit of
eating better,” he pointed
out.
All three trainers
agree proper guidance
and support can aid
weight loss efforts.
“It’s very important
to have your spouse,
roommate, friends and
family on board and
supportive,” said Duffy.
“Make sure you
are using your time
effectively,” Nelson
added. “Schedule a
session with a personal
trainer or even get
involved in group
exercise for guidance
and direction.”
She also believes
solving the weight
loss puzzle requires
drinking enough water
(64 ounces a day) and
getting enough sleep.
“Lack of sleep can
increase your stress
hormone cortisol, which
can make weight loss difficult,” Nelson said.
While each piece of the weight loss puzzle is
important, you need to have the motivation and proper
mind-set to maintain a new, healthier lifestyle in the face
of temptation and the stresses of everyday life.
“We all have to be mentally prepared to stay healthy,”
said Alexander. “As a family man, for my kids and my
wife, that’s the motivation that keeps me going.”
Duffy focuses on food, viewing it as fuel and thinking
about how each item he consumes will benefit his body.
“I start my day off with a healthy breakfast. It sets the
tone for the rest of the day,” he said.
For Nelson: “Getting my workout in is top priority.
It’s how I stay physically and mentally healthy. I try to