Kendra Tinney

“You have to eat what your body needs and eat to lose weight.”

Most people break their New Year’s resolutions, but not Jill. For the past year, she has been dedicated to her weight loss goal: to weigh 130 (again!) She beams when she says she has lost 55 pounds. “I weighed 200. I am now 155 and I have 25 pounds to go!”

She’s not just a smaller version of herself; she is fit and feels great! How did she begin? A lifestyle change! “You have to change your frame of mind, from your wants to what your body needs. Self indulging-eating, or eating whatever you want, is bad for your body. Eating right, for a healthy body, makes you feel much better. It’s a process: After awhile grabbing healthy food becomes second nature and junk food is no longer appealing.

Part one was the food. Eating the right food powers the body. It’s like putting jet fuel in a jet. “At first I looked forward to losing the weight but then I started noticing my craving for junk food became less and less. You need to eat and eat healthy in order to keep your weight off. That’s why diets don’t work, they just help you lose weight until you are off your diet and then here comes your weight. I don’t deprive myself from cake on birthdays or lunch with friends, I just don’t eat a huge piece, or I share. But most of the time I just don’t want it anymore. I don’t like the word diet. Now I eat right and get regular exercise. You do have to eat to lose weight. It’s true.”

Part two is the fitness. Eating right gave her energy and powered her workouts. Then her improvement in spinning classes changed her endurance and stamina. “When I started spinning I could go for 20-25 minutes (in a 45-minute class) and was so out of breath. I never wanted to quit, I decided to make it my goal to be able to finish whatever class I was in. There were times I got so frustrated I left class. Sometimes I was so upset I would cry while sitting on the bike or in another class because I couldn’t keep up or breathe. Because I had gained so much weight and was so out of shape and I suffered through the classes. But I never wanted to quit. And I didn’t.”
The buddy system is also very helpful in keeping her on track. You can usually see Jill with a girlfriend on the mats, in front of the personal trainer desk, as they encourage each other to finish with core work. “I met Kelly at the gym and she has become a good friend. Having a buddy system is very nice thing. I will never quit! I might get discouraged and sometimes struggle to get to the gym but I keep going. Sometimes baby steps, sometimes big leaps.”
Part three is time. She lost weight slowly and safely developing good habits. One year later: “Now I sit in the front row, I wear a heart monitor, and am determined to get to the next level of fitness. I am finishing every class with energy! Yeah!!!! ”

Instructor-lead classes in the Group X studio and Spinning room are very important to her success. Monday is yoga, urban iron and spinning. Tuesday is urban iron followed by spinning. And so forth. To be in balance she works on cardio-vascular endurance, resistance training and flexibility. Sunday is the necessary day off.

After her morning workouts, Jill’s works for her brother, who has a beauty school. Jill is an artist who loves creating watercolor paintings and making jewelry. Or playing golf.

Written by Jill’s Spinning Instructor Kris Sinnenberg.

Check out Urban Active Trainer Alex Moore on Atlanta’s CBS 46:

More Urban Active TV coverage on this topic:

Fox45 Dayton

Urban Active Fitness recently launched its “Pop Up Video” Workout Class exclusively at their Palumbo location in Lexington. The class, which is held every Friday at 6 p.m., is the perfect way to jumpstart the weekend.

Pop Up Video changed the face of music videos by featuring fun bubbles of trivia, behind-the-scenes details and comments on each video. A hit on MTV and VH1 in the mid-90s, the Pop Up Video phenomenon is back not only on TV, but with Urban Active’s new “Pop Up Video” dance class exclusively in Lexington.

There wasn’t a dry eye in the the Urban Active Fitness Grandview Club in Columbus, as Rosemary Walton shared how working out at the gym she has lost 100 pounds and considers her life saved. Walton is one of the participants in “The Get Active Challenge,” a year-long community fitness campaign launched by the club.
“My fitness journey was renewed tonight and I am ramped up for the new year!” exclaimed Walton on her personal fitness blog post on the challenge’s special blog site getactivegourban.com.

She made the comments following a special kick-off bootcamp–part of a ten city tour to introduce the year-long challenge being led by Urban Active Fitness’ top trainer, Josh Bowen.

“This boot camp was off the hook full of energy!” added Walton, “My friend Rachel came to the gym to participate and it was wonderful to have her meet the best family in the world… my gym family. She had a great time too and for me it was a blessing to see her doing the things she was doing because of her past year with breast cancer, surgeries, and chemo. I was excited for her to see where life began for me at Urban Active Grandview.”

The Get Active Challenge is open to members and non-members. Participants begin by registering to take the challenge on the web site. Besides getting involved and getting active by working out in whatever ways participants choose, the club asks participants to be willing to post regularly to share with others their progress.

Josh Bowen Going Strong. Day 3. City 4.

Recently, Men’s Health Magazine shined the national spotlight on America’s Most Sedentary Cities. Urban Active’s corporate hometown of Lexington, Kentucky was named THE most sedentary city in America. Included on the list were many of the other communities the company has club locations–from Ohio to Pennsylvania to Tennessee.
“We decided we have to do something about this. We want to show the world that together we can make a difference in the lives of our neighbors in the communities that our fitness clubs call home,” said Bowen.

Read MORE

Here’s the scene in Charlotte:

See his report:

Charlotte Mom Favorites: Time to Start That New Year’s Resolution READ THE POST

Check out the coverage on TV:

Since I was a child, I was never thin. I always thought I would be big due to my height and family genetics. I would try to keep myself in exercise activities or if I could not exercise I would try to eat healthy. Unfortunately, the media version of healthy foods was diet, fat-free, and light. I would not look at the back of the labels of foods to notice that they were not really healthy at all. Five months ago, I was probably about the most unhealthiest I had ever been due to the last two years had been very time consuming and there was no time for home cooked food or exercising. Once I had a steady schedule, I decided to make a change. I went to Urban Active and became a member. Since they offer a free hour of personal training, I figured I would use it and see what I could learn to be more healthy.

One of the first trainers I met was Ali. He did not judge me even when I told him that I had never been thin. He is down to earth, charismatic, and very helpful. He told me what foods were healthy and what exercises would help me with the figure I was going for. After the free session, I went straight to the grocery store and bought the healthy foods he listed for me. I stopped eating chocolate right away and I set myself on a goal from the knowledge I learned from Ali.

The next day, I met with Ali and told him to sign me up. Training with Ali has given me so much natural energy. With Ali, he will go out of his way to help you and give you support. Which I think is very important when you are trying to be healthy and lose weight. I am very grateful to have Ali as a trainer due to he has taught me a lot so far and he gave me the support and confidence I needed when I first started to train with him. When I am at work, with my family or friends, both of them have noticed a change in me inside and out. Just by the compliments I get from my family, friends, and co-workers, I know the hard work is paying off. Now when I go shopping for clothes, I have of a variety of stores that I can choose from. I just took up running and realized that I enjoy it. I have ran in a couple of marathons so far. I am getting closer and closer to my goal and that is thanks to Ali meeting me every step of the way. : )

Date: 4/4/2011 8/18/2011
Weight: 274 lbs 234.4 lbs
Bodyfat %: 44.2% 35.6%
Shoulders: 53″ 46.25″
Arms: 19″ 15.25″
Waist: 44″ 38.25″
Hips: 52″ 49.5″
Thighs: 29.5″ 26″
Calves: 19.5 17.25″
Total inches: 217″ 192.5″