As we slip into 2019, it’s easy to get carried away with lofty resolutions and goals that will be forgotten by the end of the month. Every once in a while, though, we’ll tap into a change — whether it’s adding something to our daily routine, trying a new product or finally stopping a bad habit — that sticks. And those things are the ones we’ll take into the following year and the years beyond that. For a little inspiration (it’s okay to set a mid-month goal!), we asked some of Nashville’s top fitness, health and beauty experts to share their best wellness takeaways from 2018 … the ones they’re bringing into the new year with them for round two.
FITNESS
“I will continue to do spin, Barre 3, anything to make me sweat! The clarity and happiness I get after exercise is worth every bit of it.”
— Woo Caroland, owner, Woo Cosmetics
“My best takeaway from 2018 is to be consistent — make a commitment to yourself and stick to it. For me, it is to set a schedule for myself at the beginning of the week and stick to it. Sign up for classes, commit that time for yourself. For me, working out at Studio Novo is not only great for my body in strengthening and toning everything, but it is also a place and a time that I set aside for me to help me unwind and strengthen my mind. I will definitely be taking this discipline with me into 2019.”
— Jen Reynolds, coach, Studio NovoÂ
“I spent 2018 feeding my mind, body and soul with reading, running and receiving body work on a regular basis. I have set 2019 goals to carry on my focus from 2018 by training for my first half marathon in the St. Jude Rock & Roll Marathon. I have begun my next book The Quantum and the Lotus and continue to not only take care of myself with massage therapy but perfect my own skills to give my spa guests their best massage and wellness journey possible. I recommend to others to take time for themselves and follow what brings joy into their heart.”
— Danielle, massage therapist, Rhapsody SpaÂ
“2018 was a great year filled with helping lots of clients get out of pain. For 10 years I’ve been restoring broken, injured and hurting bodies with one-on-one training. It’s been great so far, but then I had a better idea: Why not make the information even more accessible and cheaper? So, we built TrainOD for that purpose! It just launched, and it’s the fruit of over a decade’s worth of information and experience. Here’s to 2019 and helping even more people be pain free and enjoy life again!”
— Terry K. Barga, owner, Nashville Strength and TrainOD
“In 2018, I experienced some back injuries I had never had before. Because of this, I was forced to go a little slower, take it a little easier on my body. I learned that sometimes rest is what your body needs. I don’t mean not moving at all, I just mean maybe a few less intense workouts in the week and longer walks or non-impact cardio instead. The new pure reform class is amazing because by using resistance bands and your own body weight, you can get an elevated heart rate and toned muscles, but all at low impact. In 2019 I’m going to remember that going a little slower isn’t always a bad thing.”
— Kady Decker, owner, Pure Barre Green Hills and White Bridge
WELLNESS
“I don’t have a new product, workout or supplement to rave about, more of a philosophy. PMA (Positive Mental Attitude) is something that I have long known about but struggled to implement regularly into my daily routine — especially when it came to fitness and my body. I have a history of being extremely critical and engaging in negative self-talk often. I would achieve goals and instead of relishing in my accomplishments, [I would] wonder why I couldn’t go one step further. By definition, PMA is the philosophy that having an optimistic outlook on any situation in life attracts positive changes and increases achievement. PMA is considered an internal focus of control that influences external factors. In other words, you control the outside matter through your internal resolve. By focusing on the positive parts of my body, circumstances and capabilities, I am better able to achieve goals I set and ENJOY myself while I am doing so. By using PMA, I have in the most basic way of explaining, in general, had more fun with life.”
— Kathryn DeFatta, LPC., MHSP, Three Cords Therapy
“As I’ve grown, I have learned the importance of rest, dedicating time to myself and recovery type workouts. I have a Type-A personality, meaning there is always constant to-do list, and I am always on the go. I used to think slowing down would cause me to get behind in everything. Little did I know, taking short, brisk walks around my neighborhood and incorporating meditation into my week would help me in more ways that I could have ever anticipated. By forcing myself (and I do mean forcing myself) to slow down, I am less scatter-brained, less reactive and more conscious of my responses to stressful situations.”
— Amanda Bell, manager, Hot Yoga Plus
“In 2018 my lack of self-care led me to create a regimen I’m looking forward to taking with me into 2019. I learned I have to sleep more, eat a balanced diet (80/20 of macro counting and treating myself), and I always set aside one night/day a week for myself. When these three things are in sync, I’m more content, at peace and enjoy where I’m at; who doesn’t want that?! Cheers to a year filled self-care and remembering you’re worth it!”
— Stephanie Tuttle, coach, Iron Tribe Fitness Nashville
HEALTH
“The number one thing I implemented in my health + wellness journey last year was focusing on allowing all foods to fit instead of restricting foods. What this looked like in my day to day routine was ensuring my meals + snacks consisted of a wide variety of food groups and nutrients. From this, I noticed that I was having lasting fullness, reducing cravings + increased energy levels.”
— Dylan Murphy, RD, LDN. Founder/CEO, Dylan Murphy Nutrition
“I have three things. One: Dr. Motley will be the most important health influencer of 2019. I started getting treated by him in 2018 as a preventative measure and am blown away by his brilliance and effectiveness. His educational information and dancing is the best thing to happen to Instagram since Morgan Harper Nichols. Two: CBD Oil is the real deal. LabCanna in Franklin is producing one of the highest quality distillates in the world and their tinctures are incredibly effective for anyone who struggles with pain, anxiety and sleep disorders! Three: Shameless plug … organic juice is still the best source of living nutrients and hydration. I drink one per day, and I can honestly say I was not sick for a single day of 2018. Carrying that habit over to 2019 for sure!
— Brett Henry, Founder/Co-Owner, The Frankin Juice Co., Honest Coffee Roasters, Juice Nashville
BEAUTY
“SkinMD LOVES the SkinBetter Science skincare line!!! I’ve been on it for more than 4 months now. When I saw friends over the holidays, they could not believe the transformation in my skin! The technology is incredible — it was developed for ‘mature skin’ but really anyone can use it! Several of their products have also won major beauty awards. This is due to the products patented delivery system and new molecular formulation. It is an exciting skincare line for all patient types!”
— Kate Meriwether, Nurse Practitioner, SkinMD
“I got married in May of 2018, so even though I am always very disciplined about my skincare routine, I was even more diligent, because I wanted my skin to be extra radiant on our special day. I added a monthly dermaplane followed by a lactic acid or glycolic peel from Traci Vaughn at Private Edition. I had obviously done them both before, but never consistently. The results have been amazing, and honestly, my skin has never looked better. I will definitely be continuing this in 2019 — I know that it will continue to make a big difference.
— Mary Kathryn Hudson, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Therapy Systems, Inc.Â
Here’s to a healthy and happy 2019!
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