Velena Vego- December Client Spotlight & TransFit new website!!!

TRANSFIT has a new website! Please go to www.transfitathens.com and take a peek at our new site! Give the gift of good health for the holidays by giving a TRANSFIT gift certificate to a friend or family member! Please read below about an amazing friend and client and her life transformation!

Velena Vego is the type of woman who you really want to get to know! Velena is the booking manager at the 40 Watt in Athens and Buckhead Theatre in Atlanta. Velena also started a record label, ticket company, and manages bands. Velena obviously works hard and is so talented in everything that she does, so starting a new exercise routine was just one more task for her to accomplish! Velena has completely transformed her lifestyle and through her transformation has inspired her husband to start a consistent exercise routine as well! Velena has made major changes to her diet and to her exercise routine such as not eating late at night and doing a mix of cardiovascular and strength training consistently.

velena photo (13)

"Eight months ago, I turned 50 and decided to do something for myself. For the past two years I had spent all my time on work-work-work! I was out of shape, my energy level was low, and I had gained 15 pounds. I blamed it on hormones/age, booking two venues, and managing two bands.

My friend, Cindy Clark, owner of Nuance was looking better and better every time I saw her. Finally, I asked what she was doing and she told me all about her weekly exercise routine and her personal trainer Caroline Ward. I immediately signed up!

Caroline has taught me so much about nutrition and how important weight training is to create strong muscles and to lose body fat. She always says "you gotta keep moving" so my new passion is Zumba. Not only am I burning calories but it's alot of fun! My new go to food is Greek yogurt. I eat it for breakfast and for a snack if I'm craving something sweet. YUM!

I've already lost 10lbs and my cholesterol is down so my doctor is happy. He even said, "You go girl!" I've learned it's never too late to get back into shape. Not only do I feel younger, but I feel like myself again."

Even when traveling to cities all over the US, Velena still finds time to exercise and eat her Greek yogurt! We have reached many of her goals and we are excited about the next phase in her healthy lifestyle! Congratulations Velena, YOU ARE AMAZING!

Finishing this race of life is better than starting. Patience is better than pride. Ecclesiastes 7:8

November Client Spotlight: Gena Knox

Gena Knox is one of my favorite ladies, and I hope each of you have the chance of meeting her one day! If I had to characterize her in a few words they would be hard working, determined, and kind. Her unwavering determination and motivation toward exercise and living a healthy life is inspirational to everyone who comes into contact with her. Gena works so hard on her family, her work, and her health. This amazing woman was exercising the very day that she gave birth to precious Genevieve (pictured) and truly is a testament that there are no excuses when it comes to a healthy life style! Her two cookbooks (Southern My Way and Gourmet Made Simple) are main stays on my countertop; the recipes are fresh, simple, and healthy!

Read about Gena’s fitness journey and find out how she successfully keeps fit below...

My husband, Davis, and I own a cooking products company called Fire & Flavor. We produce products such as cedar planks, spice rubs, brines, and I am also a cookbook author. I love cooking fresh and seasonal, and I take a healthier approach to foods. Cooking is my way of relaxing after work, but I keep my energy level up through exercise. I started exercising in college doing a little aerobics, walking/running, and weights. I have learned more about nutrition and exercise over the years and always try to eat smart. I work hard to feed my family healthy meals and try my best to stay away from processed foods. With the fast-paced lifestyles we all live, it is not always possible, but I do try my best!

My current workout is exercising with Caroline twice a week and running four days a week. I have much more energy when I exercise, and running with friends early in the morning clears my head. It is a great way to catch up with friends and the perfect start to my day. I always take one day off a week to give my body a rest. Caroline makes working out fun, and she is very inspirational! I have set several goals since I have been working out with her - one of which is only eating out twice a week. This goal alone has made a huge impact on the foods I eat and the way I feel.

I love Gena’s goal to only try to eat out twice a week! Small changes like that one and staying consistent with an exercise program can really lead to big results over time. Set a November goal for yourself, and let’s make it happen!

Try Gena’s Balsamic Roasted Chicken dish this week - one of my family’s favorites!

BALSAMIC ROASTED CHICKEN

This robust one-dish meal pairs balsamic-kissed chicken with a colorful tumble of root vegetables – just right for autumn evenings with a little snap in the air. I like to make it in a cast-iron skillet, which distributes heat evenly and keeps the vegetables tender beneath a crispy skin.

chick

• PREP TIME: 15 minutes

• COOK TIME: 35 minutes

• YIELDS: 4 servings

Ingredients

• Chicken

• 1 whole chicken, 3 ½ to 4 pounds

• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

• 4 carrots, sliced ¾ inch thick (about 2 cups)

• 1 pound small Yukon Gold potatoes, halved

• 1 large onion, quarterd

• Balsamic Sauce

• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

• 3 tablespoons chicken stock

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 tablespoon honey

• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped

• 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped

Instructions

FIRST Preheat oven to 500°F. Rinse chicken with water, pat dry, and rub with ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Butterfly chicken by removing the backbone with kitchen scissors and set aside.

NEXT Place carrots, potatoes, and onion inside a 12-inch cast-iron skillet or glass baking dish (coat with cooking spray if using glass). Lay chicken on top of vegetables, breast side up, tucking wing tips. Combine sauce ingredients and pour over top of chicken.

LAST Place skillet on middle rack of oven and roast for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature for 400°F and continue cooking for an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until a meat thermometer registers 165°F in the thickest part of breast. Let meat rest for 15 minutes before cutting.

September Client Spotlight: Meg Parker

I am so excited to brag on Meg Parker this month for the September Client Spotlight!!! Meg is a highly respected financial advisor, mother of 2 precious kiddos, and a wife! Meg started exercising at TransFit 6 months ago and has completely changed her body type. She is a muscular, sleek woman and is one of the strongest women I have worked with this year! Meg has lost 10 pounds over the course of 6 months, decreased her body fat, and continues to push herself in all that she does. She is such an inspiration to so many women!

Her Field:

I am a senior financial advisor/vice president at Merrill Lynch. In a nutshell, I help my clients (individuals and families) pursue their long-term financial goals! I do this through finding the appropriate mix of stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and ETFs to fit their personal objectives and risk tolerance. I monitor progress towards goals and keep the investment strategy consistent with any changes that take place in their lives and/or business. Her Fitness:

As far as exercising goes, I have always been a pretty active person. I rode horses my entire childhood, played sports in school, took an exercise hiatus in college, and then lived out west for a year and a half where we biked, hiked, jogged, and walked. For the past 9 years (prior to TransFit), I would go through phases of exercising, but it would be all weight training and no cardio OR all cardio and no weight training; then I’d take some time off, etc. So basically, I had no real pattern to my workout schedule. After 2 kids, this no-patterned workout did not work, because I was not seeing any results and I felt bloated, etc. After working out at TransFit for a few months, I finally feel like I have a great balance of weight training and cardio.

Her Food:

I thought that if I worked out, I could eat or drink whatever I wanted: a cookie here, some chips there.  Over the past 6 months I have become more aware of eating the right (and REAL) foods and drinking more water, green tea, etc.

Her Fortitude:

My clothes are fitting MUCH better, and I truly feel the best I have ever felt. I believe this is all due to a perfect balance in exercise and cutting out LOTS of preservatives and sodium, and eating MORE fruits and veggies, drinking more water, etc. I have also FINALLY lost the bloated feeling that I have had since having kids. Caroline has taught me to take much better care of my body bywatching what I put in it, stretching more (which I NEVER used to do), and following the right exercise regime.