Pinnacle Fitness is helping a local resident put herself first for the first time.
For 10 years, Jeanna McKnight has put her family first, caring for her grandmother and her ailing parents. But when her beloved grandmother passed away in June, she knew she finally had to listen to the voice inside that’s been trying to get her attention. “I’ve been having this feeling internally. My soul has been feeling like I need to break free and do something different,” she says. “I’ve been taking care of my family, 10 years going back and forth, and I forgot how to take care of myself.”
Now 45, McKnight decided it was time to bring her health to the forefront. While she has been exercising and trying to lose weight, she recognized that she needs some direction and an extra push to get her on track in terms of her personal fitness. She connected with Jamie Bodner, owner of Pinnacle Fitness in Buckhead, who will be her guide on a journey to take her fitness and overall health to new heights.
“Jeanna has an amazing and athletic figure, and we want to meet her where she is,” Bodner explains. The pair started with a consultation that included the use of Pinnacle Fitness’ InBody 570 Body Composition Analyzer. The scan provided by the state-of-the-art machine goes far beyond weight; it measures fat, lean body mass, minerals and retained water, giving a comprehensive picture of an individual’s health.
From there, Bodner created a personalized fitness plan that has McKnight working out with Pinnacle Fitness’ trainers several days a week. She will also do specific exercises at home on the days she doesn’t go to the gym. In the beginning, the focus is on the full body, in many cases using McKnight’s own body weight during the exercises; as progress is made, the exercises become more targeted to specific muscle groups. The key, Bodner says, is that McKnight gets maximum results for minimum effort.
“We need to challenge the body, but we need to energize, not brutalize. We want to get the muscles to change so they mobilize and use the body’s stored fat, and we want to do it in a safe environment,” says Bodner, who also notes that the process should be slow, with the first few weeks of a fitness plan concentrating on preconditioning before ramping up to include exercises that incorporate additional movements, repetitions and weight. “I need this kind of plan,” says McKnight.
“I need someone to say, ‘Jeanna, do this and this on these days, and you’ll see results.’ I’ve been doing it on my own, and I really need the structure.”
She’s also taking photos of her daily intake as a food journal, which Bodner recommends to help clients understand their own eating habits so they can make necessary changes to complement their fitness plans.
“People have habits, and they gravitate to certain foods,” says Bodner. “We can change those habits one meal at a time. You don’t have to change everything in one day.”
While McKnight knows how many pounds she would like to lose as she gets underway, Bodner notes that it may take three to four months before she sees major changes from her new fitness regime. However, along the way, he expects her to feel stronger and notice small differences in the way she looks and feels. And every six weeks, she will have another body scan to measure her body and its changes.
“It’s going to be long-term for me to get to my healthy point,” McKnight says. “I see myself virtually where I want to be, and it’s making me happy knowing that I’m getting there. My personal goal is to be healthy. That’s one of the most exciting parts. I’m getting on this journey to getting back to myself.”
SHAKE UP YOUR FITNESS ROUTINE
If you’re looking for inspiration to get moving on a long-planned fitness journey, trainer Jamie Bodner offers these tips.
- Don’t overthink it. You know you need to exercise, so just get up and do it.
- Buddy up with someone who will hold you accountable as you try to reach your goals.
- Consider working with a professional trainer who can help you personalize your plan.
- Working out harder and longer won’t necessarily make you lose weight faster. Sometimes cutting back on the time and intensity of a workout will yield better results because your body will respond more to efficiency and the specific exercises you do.
- Don’t compare yourself to others. This is a personal journey that’s about making yourself better every day—not basing your success on what you see on social media.
- Even if you can’t go to a gym or work personally with a trainer, you can lose weight and improve your health. Just add movement and be mindful of the food you choose to fuel your body.
Pinnacle Fitness
3215 Cains Hill Place N.W.
Atlanta 30305
404.228.3705
pinnaclefitnessgym.com
PHOTOS: Monica Naranjo
