Struggling With Nutrition And Knowing What To Do?

This is the story of Jenna Picklesimer, member of TFW Athens, wife, mother, and professional.
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Before joining TFW, Jenna thought she would find results in fad diets, long distance cardio, and zero strength training. “Clearly I was wrong and I needed to change how I viewed nutrition and food”, she said.

With her son already enrolling in SBG Athens’ Growing Gorillas Martial Arts and Youth Enrichment Program and a husband looking to begin training martial arts, Jenna was pleased to have found a place for her entire family.

In the past, Jenna was a member of other gyms in Athens, Ga. “I would go (sometimes) and have absolutely no clue what to do except run on the treadmill. Even if I wanted to do anything else, I wouldn’t know how”, she explained frustratingly.

The personal relationships with both her coaches and teammates is what she believes truly makes TFW Athens different from the other programs in town. It’s what was missing and made it easier to quit going to her other gyms. The encouragement she gets from both her coaches and teammates is like nothing else.

“I will never forget my first day, and how bad I was struggling. Not a single person ever made me feel like I don’t belong- everyone was great. Even recently when I was last finishing- another member chose to do extra and finish with me. You will not find that anywhere else but TFW Athens.”

Having lost 37.5 pounds since beginning the program in November 2018, Jenna has also gained muscle and reduced her BMI. She knows she has more to accomplish and looks forward to losing more weight and getting even healthier.

Jenna would like to share some things that have made a huge difference:

  • The food/nutrition help is key. If you just listen and act, you will be successful. As the coaches always say, “The system works, if you work the system.”
  • The classes are so great- it’s not the same thing ever- it truly can be fun.
  • Every single coach has been willing to help, and answer any questions I have had.

“I cannot thank you enough for everything SBG/TFW has done for us so far!”

Do you want to learn how to drop 10-15 pounds?
Need help with your nutrition?
Looking to start a fitness program?
We have just the thing for you. Click the button below and learn more about our 28 Day Transformation Challenge today!

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE 28 DAY TRANSFORMATION CHALLENGE
Group Fitness in Athens Ga

Take Back Your Life

This is the story of TFW Athens member Whitney DeWitte finding her place to thrive.

TFW Athens Transformation Tuesday
Before joining TFW, Whitney was self destructive and full of anger.

SBG not only offers immersive martial arts programs, but also a comprehensive fitness program dubbed “Training For Warriors” (TFW). As a member of TFW, Whitney has lost weight, gained confidence in herself, and learned to hold herself accountable for her happiness and health. She has reached, in short, many of her fitness goals, set new ones, and broken those. Her story, however, runs much deeper.

Whitney joined during a dark period in her life. Having lost a child, she “needed an outlet for [her] anger,” saying that self-destruction had become her “worst enemy.” Whitney sought to cope with her demons to set a better example for her other children. From what she knew about the program, she understood that it would hold her accountable and help build her own command of life’s chaos. Exhibiting strength rare in most people, she sought to find something positive in an unimaginable situation. She joined TFW not only to lose weight but to take back her life.

TFW has provided her an extended family. One of Whitney’s primary coaches—also named Whitney—has been “the greatest thing that ever happened to me since starting this process,” in Whitney’s words. “She not only became my teacher but my friend. She is the reason that I work hard and push myself. She makes me want to be a better person.” Through these bonds, Whitney—and all of us at SBG / TFW—take a step closer to becoming a better person every day.

Here are a few pieces of advice that Whitney wanted to share directly:

  1. Commit to the process (it works)!
  2. Trust the coaches.
  3. Don’t give up, even if you fail (like I did my first time around). Don’t quit! You are worth it. Don’t just say it to yourself; believe it.

Do you struggle with some of the same things with which Whintey struggled? You CAN make that change and TRANSFORM your life also!

Do you want to learn how to drop 10-15 pounds?
Need help with your nutrition?
Looking to start a fitness program?
We have just the thing for you. Click the button below and learn more about our 28 Day Transformation Challenge today!

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE 28 DAY TRANSFORMATION CHALLENGE

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Step Two To A Healthier You

Good Nutrition (Eating Right) Goes A Long Way (Step 2 of 3)

It’s as simple as exercising, eating right, and living a healthy lifestyle.

TFW AthensTFW Athens

(Click on the thumbnail above and download the high resolution graphic to fill in the details. )

This is the second step in a three part series to help give you the knowledge to reach your goals.

Step 2: Nutrition (female and male)

  • Avoid Dieting
  • Cut out sugar, refined grains, and processed foods
  • Cut back or eliminate alcohol
  • Watch your portion sizes
  • Eat whole foods

You don’t have to be a dietician to begin taking control of your nutrition. Try the five things above and you will be well on your way to a healthier YOU.

Stay tuned for step three in the next week.

Step 1 (in case you missed it): Training (exercise)
Step 3: Lifestyle (coming soon)

Do you want to learn how to drop 10-15 pounds?
Need help with your nutrition?
Looking to start a fitness program?
We have just the thing for you. Click the button below and learn more about our 28 Day Transformation Challenge today!

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE 28 DAY TRANSFORMATION CHALLENGE

Group Fitness in Athens Ga

If not for your health, how about your wallet?

The Rising Costs of Being Obese

Let the following statistics (https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/obesity-prevention-source/obesity-consequences/economic/), about the increasing costs of medical expenses faced by obese individuals, sink it.

“Several investigators have evaluated the cost of obesity on an individual level. Finkelstein and colleagues found that in 2006, per capita medical spending for obese individuals was an additional $1,429 (42 percent higher) compared to individuals of normal weight. (7) Cawley and Meyerhoefer, meanwhile, found that per capita medical spending was $2,741 higher for obese individuals than for individuals who were not obese-a 150 percent increase. (1)

Thompson and colleagues concluded that, over the course of a lifetime, per-person costs for obesity were similar to those for smoking. (10) In middle-age men, treatment of five common obesity-related conditions (stroke, coronary artery disease, diabetes, hypertension, and elevated cholesterol) resulted in roughly $9,000 to $17,000 higher costs compared to normal-weight adults.”

Most people don’t make great decisions when it comes to their health. This is best evidenced by the nurse taking care of you at the hospital that is far too heavy and prone to smoke breaks during her shift. S/he knows they aren’t modeling healthy behavior for their patients, or themselves; but that doesn’t keep them from ingesting thousands of empty calories, smoking, and/or not exercising.

I have found that speaking to someone about their poor health now, or the future, is often met with dismissal. There is always a litany of excuses about why a person is unable to start on a path to health and wellness. These take the form as follows:

  • Too busy taking care of others
  • Too busy working
  • Don’t know how to get started
  • Don’t know how to eat healthier
  • Afraid of going to a gym because they are heavy
  • Fear of being judged because of their weight
  • Don’t have the money to invest in a gym membership
  • etc., etc,…

Keeping in mind the difficulty I have faced over the years speaking to someone’s sensibility, I would like to take a different approach. Forget for a moment the physiological toll being obese takes (this list is long), the monetary toll is astounding.

Being obese is going to bankrupt you. Being unhealthy in general is expensive. Reread the first two paragraphs again. The amount of money an obese person will spend in a year/lifetime is staggering.

I’d like to share a quick story with you. My brother, Adam, was diagnosed with Type-2 Diabetes a couple of years ago. He ate himself into that condition and at the time of his diagnosis was around 70 pounds overweight. As a provider of health and fitness (and co-owner of SBG Athens with me) he was far from a good role model. This was something he knew but seemed somewhat powerless to remedy. I believe he battled with it on a daily basis.

Learning that he had diabetes and finally having a doctor tell him he was at risk of losing his sight and his life, he decided to do something about it. Not all people are like Adam though. His IQ and intellect allowed for him to study and research his disease (as well as his stunning knowledge of strength and nutrition) to the point that his doctor consults with him on his own treatment. I don’t believe for a second my brother is the only person ever to walk into a doctor’s office and be told they were on a path which ended in death.

I understand that most people aren’t willing to do the research and learn about how to be healthy. It can be pretty simple though. You can get out and walk, stop snacking, eat smaller meals, and drink water instead of soft drinks just to name a few. As a one time business mentor told me, “You either do it yourself, or pay someone else to do it for you.” What that means is, you either cure yourself by learning about proper nutrition, weight loss, strength training, etc.; or pay someone else to do it for you.

Think about how much money you will spend on hospital visits, cardiac surgeries, increased insurance fees, and on medications. Don’t forget the money lost due to absence from work (as well as lost time with your family and loved ones), and long term disability. These are the costs you will pay for being unhealthy. Why instead wouldn’t a person choose to invest their money in a fitness program that can alleviate those expenses over time? If you aren’t willing to make a decision with your head, maybe I can get you to make a decision with your wallet. It certainly can’t hurt any more than you are presently hurting yourself.

Do you want to learn how to drop 10-15 pounds?
Need help with your nutrition?
Looking to start a fitness program?
We have just the thing for you. Click the button below and learn more about our 28 Day Transformation Challenge today!

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE 28 DAY TRANSFORMATION CHALLENGE

Group Fitness in Athens Ga