November 13, 2025 • 51 mins
🔥 You don’t go from couch to 5K overnight… but every BIG change starts with one SMALL step👟
In today’s episode, we talk about how to build confidence, why baby steps beat crash plans, how to break through plateaus, nutrition tips that actually fit your life, and habits that keep you strong for years to come. 💪✨
Natalie Castro and Aikane Burnell (A.B.) also share how HiTone Fitness is investing in Gaston County through meaningful community initiatives, including:
🌟 The Golden Mug Initiative — partnering with Canal Coffee & Smoothie King to celebrate local schools, teachers, and students.
🏃♀️ Fall Into Fitness Community Event — a free, open-to-all day of Zumba, stretching, strength classes, and connection.
🔥 Special Boot Camps & Local Meet-Ups — bringing neighbors together and making fitness accessible for all ages and levels.
💜 Free Monthly Trainer Sessions — offering every member a complimentary session to learn proper form, safer workouts, and sustainable routines.
❤️ Real Impact Stories — including one member whose “stairs without pain” milestone restored her confidence and independence.
From accountability to outreach, these initiatives are helping build a healthier, stronger, and more connected Gaston County — far beyond the gym walls.
🔗 Connect With HiTone Fitness
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hitonefitnessgastonia
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Hitonefitnessgastonia
Website: https://www.hitonefitness.com/locations/gastonia-nc
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_03 (00:02):
Hello, Gas and County.
Welcome to episode number 174 ofGas and Great, a podcast
highlighting some of the greatthings happening in and around
Gasson County.
I'm your host, Stephen Long.
We're coming to you once againfrom the worldwide headquarters
of GSM Services right here indowntown Gastonia.
We simply believe in discussingmore of the reasons why Gas
Integrate.
(00:23):
We are highlighting anothergreat organization this week as
we highlight High Tone Fitness.
We have Natalie Castro and A Bwith us here today.
Natalie is the sales director ofHigh Tone Fitness, and A B is
the fitness director.
Natalie and A B, welcome to thepodcast.
Thank you.
Thank you for having us.
You're very welcome.
So we'd like to get right to it.
(00:44):
And Natalie, since you'refurther away, you get to go
first.
So we'd like to start with apretty simple question.
Just tell us about yourself.
Anything that you would like toshare?
SPEAKER_01 (00:54):
Um a little about myself is um I was born and
raised in Englewood, New Jersey,and I moved down to Gastonia a
few years back, and I'm proud tocall Gastonia home.
You couldn't get here fastenough, right?
Oh yeah.
Um I've also um been workingaround like the gym and fitness
(01:17):
area for about three years now.
Okay.
Um previously at a differentplace and now with high tone.
SPEAKER_03 (01:24):
Okay.
Well, very good.
A B, what about you?
What do you want to share, sir?
SPEAKER_00 (01:28):
So for let the secret out, uh A B is not my
actual name, but uh Icani is mybirth name.
Uh born in Hawaii, raised inFairville, North Carolina.
SPEAKER_02 (01:40):
Oh wow.
SPEAKER_00 (01:40):
Uh, but I've adopted A B because I do have uh
military experience.
So during my military experienceuh overseas is when I kind of
grew into loving the gym,finding that therapy.
So I decided to kind oftransition and make fitness my
full-time career, and that ishow I ended up at High Tone.
(02:02):
Uh being a trainer at first kindof went through a stem of being
a manager, but now in the roleof where I feel like I could
blossom as a fitness director.
SPEAKER_03 (02:13):
Understood.
So was that why you were inFayetteville?
Was it Fort Bragg?
SPEAKER_00 (02:17):
Uh yeah.
So Fayetteville was I'm amilitary brat to say the least.
So my my dad was uh army aswell.
SPEAKER_03 (02:25):
Okay, so you served in the I did.
Okay, well, appreciate thatservice.
Thank you.
Absolutely.
SPEAKER_00 (02:29):
That's shout out to all my vets out there.
SPEAKER_03 (02:31):
Yeah, you know what?
Here we are.
We're recording this onWednesday the 12th.
So again, that's a you knowwhat?
That's a big day.
I mean, I didn't serve, but um Iappreciate individuals like you
who serve.
So me and my family maybe didn'thave to.
So I'm grateful for that.
And that's something that'simportant to us.
Thanks.
Uh and we're the same about lawenforcement and anything that's
related to that type of stuff.
(02:51):
So again, uh I appreciate thatum very much.
So um again, I think I I'llthrow this back to to Natalie to
kind of start.
Just maybe just share um alittle bit what is the mission
of the organization when we'regonna get to you know how high
tone fitness, what's thatcommunity outlook, and then how
(03:12):
are you serving the community,making the community better.
But let's you know let's juststart with what's the mission of
the organization and the the andthen just go from there.
Initiatives and the mission ofthe organization.
SPEAKER_01 (03:23):
Yeah.
Um, the mission of High ToneFitness is to just make sure
that everybody that comes to ourdoors, we're a fun and welcoming
environment for everybody that'sgoing through it, as well as
making sure that we're givingthe people the right tools.
SPEAKER_00 (03:44):
We are truly like a science-based approach to
fitness, right?
So we're thinking um not onlyare we lifting weights, but the
recovery aspect, the communityaspect.
So I think high tone did a greatjob of doing that whole 360
because not everyone's gonnawant to lift eight 800 pounds.
(04:05):
Like me.
I mean, you got the muscle.
No, but but uh we have uh ourdemographic is very wide.
And I think the beauty of hightone is gonna be always that the
community aspect.
Uh we truly have the same energyfor everyone that walks into the
door.
Whether again, if you're comingin and you're just using a
(04:27):
sauna, hey, we know you're justusing a sauna, but we're gonna
tell you why you should.
Um, but then we have the ladythat comes on the treadmill and
she likes her fan up.
So we're gonna make the fan up,right?
So it is very personalized, andI think that is uh kind of goes
with our slogan, our sloganswritten on our wall.
(04:49):
It's called Reach Higher.
So in regards to our slogan, wewant everyone to reach their
highest uh peak form, uh whetherthat is fitness-wise mentally or
or whatnot, but we are trulythere to support that, um, to
get them there.
SPEAKER_03 (05:07):
I know that I don't think this was I'm gonna ask a
question, it wasn't worded thisexactly uh on the questions we
shared.
I mean, I think our listenersknow we share questions
beforehand because we I'm notthat good.
First of all, but secondly, wejust you know I think it's
important that y'all kind ofknow what to expect.
But also, but maybe can youdescribe um a day in the life of
high tolerant fitness?
(05:27):
Does that make sense?
You know, I mean you're probablyI'm sure you're seeing um all
different fitness levels, alldifferent demographics.
You just kind of describe theday in the life of what's going
on at high tone fitness.
SPEAKER_00 (05:41):
Does that make sense?
Yeah.
Um so me and Natalie probablyhave different uh day in the
lives for high-town fitness, butI can tell you from a trainer
standpoint, uh we're crackingthe door open around 5 a.m., 6
a.m.
Um there's already peopleworking out, so kudos to those
early morning people.
(06:02):
But we're we're hitting theground running.
We have to be up and ready, wehave to be the heartbeat of the
gym.
Um, so myself, I'm gonna shoutsome people out.
Myself, Brandon, anothertrainer, Gianna, another
trainer, Kelsey, a great trainerthat we have.
We are the lifeline of the gymitself.
(06:25):
And I want to exude my energyonto someone else.
But uh it starts from 5 a.m., 6a.m.
all the way to about 6 p.m.
7 p.m.
So these are long days that weare uh exerting our energy.
At the same time, we're tryingto get our own little workout
in.
Sure.
So uh yes, we see uh differentdifferent demographics.
(06:49):
We see we we're meeting with uhpeople that have been to
multiple gyms and are justlooking for a new gym home, or
we're looking for someone that'sjust switching up uh their
routine.
We're looking at the people thataren't so confident or walking
into the building being nervous.
Uh we do a great job of cateringto that and uh kind of nurturing
(07:10):
them so they walk out the doorsconfident.
Uh we don't have a big gym, andwe kind of like it like that.
We we want to feel personal whenwe do it.
So we we we kind of embrace thethe personal feel um throughout
throughout the day.
But uh I have long days.
(07:31):
I had 17,000 steps the other dayjust by working out and being in
a gym training.
Uh but very long days.
SPEAKER_03 (07:38):
Uh that's a lot of steps if you're not doing
something specific, like runningor hiking or something, right?
Yeah, yeah, that's a lot.
I filtered that.
That's a lot for anybody, butespecially if you're not out
doing something specific likelike running or or hiking.
SPEAKER_00 (07:49):
Correct, correct.
But yes, so uh as a traineraspect, as a fitness director
aspect, um, it's high energy.
It is being authentically youfrom 6 a.m.
to 6 p.m.
or however long the clients needyou.
And at the same time, we'rewelcoming everybody, right?
As you said, lowest fitnesslevel to the the person that
knows it all, right?
(08:10):
But we want to respect that andat the same time give a little
bit of input where we can.
Um, so she might be able toexplain a little bit more on the
sales side.
SPEAKER_03 (08:20):
Okay, yeah, just how about how would you answer that
question?
SPEAKER_01 (08:23):
Yeah, um, I don't start my day as early as he
does.
He is there, he is there fromlike sun up to sundown.
Um, I get in about like eighto'clock.
Um, and for me, it's mainlybeing that first person that
everybody sees when they walkin.
Um whether they are interestedin signing up for our gym or
(08:49):
seeing what we have to offer,being that first person that's
there, greeting them, makingsure that their experience is
going great.
Um, also seeing our members comein and out every day, getting to
make those connections with themembers as well as there's we do
see all types of differentpeople, fitness levels as well
(09:11):
as their own like personallives.
We get to like connect with themin that aspect as well.
SPEAKER_03 (09:17):
Okay.
So I made a mistake, obviously.
I didn't bring in the email yousent.
Um there were some very specificthings on there that kind of
triggered us wanting to talk toyou guys, you know, because we
do, you know, we we have no, welisten, we talked to a lot of
businesses, but we what wereally like to hear about is
those connections and specificthings you do that are I don't
know that community service isthe right word, but how how do
(09:39):
you you know so what is what aresome of those initiatives?
I mean, I think I again I'mgoing by memories and that there
was something related to maybeeven some schools, or just just
I almost start with you there,Natalie.
Kind of you just because sinceyou sent the um the note to us,
kind of can you just kind oftalk about some of that uh stuff
and how you view your missionrelative to just making the
community better and and andsome of the specific things you
(10:01):
guys are are involved with?
SPEAKER_01 (10:02):
Yeah.
Um, so we have two sistercompanies, Canal Coffee as well
as Smoothie King, in our sameparking lot.
Okay.
Um we do this thing with schoolsaround our community called the
Golden Mug.
And it's kind of just we allthree of our companies go out
into the schools and we makethese connections with the
(10:24):
schools as well.
Talk to the teachers, let themknow about who we are, what we
are what we offer andeverything.
And then we present them with alike basket that has a mug in it
and all types of differentthings to all three of our
companies.
And we make these connectionswith schools.
I think uh New Hope Elementaryis one of them, forest high
(10:48):
schools.
Right down the street.
SPEAKER_03 (10:49):
New Hope's right down the street.
And if you're for those of youwho don't know, uh this is on
South New Hope Road, so it'sgonna be, I guess, the corner of
Beatty Road, right?
In New Hope.
Yeah.
Um I am horrible.
Yeah, yes, well, I grew up I'm aI'm a Gassen County, I've grew
up here, so I'm a Gassen CountyHomer, so I'm in that area all
the time.
So it's right where the uhBojangles is and food line,
(11:12):
right?
Yes, yeah, right beside the foodline.
Yeah, so so yeah, if for thoseof you who were wondering, and I
did I had the address writtendown somewhere, but I don't I
didn't bring that in hereeither.
But you know we'll make sure weall get to share that before
we're finished.
Gotcha.
Um so what so when you're you'reconnecting with the with schools
in general and young youngpeople, um, and you may
(11:32):
experience this too, um A B withjust some members that are
younger members that are comingin, because I don't know what
the whole demographic is.
What do you guys see?
What is missing um in generalwith people's health and
fitness?
What do you what are the one ortwo things that you see that um
because when I was young, nowwhen I was in high school, I was
(11:54):
all about fitness playingsports.
Yeah, I went off to college andhad this period of time, this 10
or 15 years, I wasn't doinganything.
You know what I mean?
There's just this time period,you get married, uh, kids, uh,
work, and all of a sudden 10, 15years have gone by and um some
pounds have added on, and andyou get out of this habit.
Now I was lucky we talked beforewe started recording.
Then I got involved with a groupcalled F3, and how and I'm so
(12:16):
I'm intentionally putting myselfaround men who are close to my
age, but they have the sameoutlook.
They want to accomplish the samethings, they want to improve,
and they're my accountabilitypartners, like we like I
mentioned.
But I know everybody doesn'thave that.
Right.
So what do you what do you guyssee, you know, is kind of
missing there um in general onon the fitness and health side?
SPEAKER_00 (12:38):
Uh I think there's a couple of things that we could
kind of highlight.
Um, like you said,accountability is gonna be one,
uh, discipline would probably beanother, and I think just uh
knowledge.
So we get uh when we go to, forone, when we go to our Go to Mug
Awards, I think it I I want tohighlight that the schools get
(13:00):
together and they're likebrainstorming, who can I reward
this to?
And I think that's a greataspect of community outreach.
Um they get to highlight asingle person that has done
something.
So uh for us and our sistercompany, Smooth the King and
Canal, uh we feel we kind offeel the love, right?
Because they come into the gym.
(13:21):
Now they get to experience that,but it's their own little
reward.
So I I want I do shout out toForest View and uh our our new
um schools that we're gonnavisit throughout for the golden
mode.
But to go back to your question,uh discipline that is hard.
It is hard.
No, it is hard.
(13:42):
That is that is hard to do.
SPEAKER_03 (13:43):
When I'm left to my own devices, um I'm not great.
SPEAKER_00 (13:47):
Correct.
SPEAKER_03 (13:47):
With discipline.
SPEAKER_00 (13:48):
Correct.
And it is.
It takes a while, and I thinkone thing that we see, again,
demographic, it could be the theyounger kids or young younger
generation, like Natalie, um, orthe older ones like us.
But uh we I it's it's a it's alight switch that we have to
switch on and really fullycommit to ourselves, for one.
(14:12):
And I think once we realizethat, hey, uh I have to commit
this to myself, then the mindsetkind of changes, right?
So uh it is that dedication foryourself to grow, just like we
dedicate, hey, I know I'm gonnawatch Monday night football at
8.15 p.m.
I'm gonna sit down and watch it.
(14:34):
We can dedicate uh a time for usto do fitness.
Uh and then on the back end ofthat uh knowledge, a lot of
people are scared to do uh somesome stuff that's just not
comfortable.
And one of the biggest thingsthat I tell clients is it's not
gonna be comfortable.
Like at no point is our journey,our fitness journey, comfortable
(14:59):
because once we get comfortable,we get complacent.
Once we get complacent, yeah,now the pounds add up.
SPEAKER_03 (15:05):
Progress yeah, progress requires some being
uncomfortable.
SPEAKER_00 (15:08):
It does, it really does.
And uh, you know, sometimes thepeople again come in at 6 a.m.,
5 a.m.
That alarm goes off, that snoozebun is very tempting.
SPEAKER_03 (15:19):
Especially like yesterday, it's 25 degrees.
That bed's that bed's warm andcomfortable, isn't it?
It's made I have a running groupon Tuesday mornings, and boy, 25
degrees yesterday.
I mean, I was yeah, that's onething you get back and you get I
got frost on toboggan, and evenon the the tops of my the
bottoms of my socks have froston them.
But you know what?
I knew those guys were gonna beout there.
(15:40):
Yep, and that's that's if Ididn't show up, I I was gonna
hear about it.
SPEAKER_00 (15:43):
Yep.
So I think that, yeah, superimportant.
If I can highlight anything,it'd be accountability,
discipline, and just education.
SPEAKER_03 (15:50):
Do you also find um because this is what we've I
when I got really involved inF3.
Now, when I was younger, I wasinvolved with some gyms.
Um now with with the group I'minvolved with, we do a lot of
you know body weight stuff, andI'm also I'm 55, so I'm not
looking to bench press 250pounds.
Okay.
I'm just that's just not Oh,gotcha.
(16:12):
But my where I'm going is mypoint is I think sometimes I
when I was younger and I meetpeople who think you have to go
do something dramatic to havedecent fitness.
And do you find that a lot ofpeople just don't realize I mean
you have to do something and youdo need to be do things that
maybe make you uncomfortable,yeah.
But you don't have to go in amonth go from not doing anything
(16:35):
to be able to, well, go run aneight-minute mile or go or go
squat 500 pounds or whatever.
So um, especially at my age, Iknow that just keep keep moving,
keep doing something.
It's so important.
Um, drinking water or whatever,hydrating.
Um, so do you find that there'sthis maybe because you you used
the word knowledge, there's thisgap there that people think that
(16:57):
you have to do all these massivethings, and it's really not.
That's what's required to havegeneral good health.
SPEAKER_00 (17:03):
Yes, um, exactly.
It it is baby steps.
And uh one of our trainers, uh,I'm pretty sure she made a post
on social media not too long agoabout the baby steps.
That's Gianna.
Shout out to her.
Uh but uh but it it is not thatyou're not gonna go from the
couch and just run a 5K, right?
Yeah uh you have to build upwith that.
(17:24):
And let's plug this in.
That's why trainers are veryimportant within that gym
aspect.
Uh not only you get thataccountability, but they build a
specific program to kind ofdevelop that roadmap to your
fitness goals.
So whether that is, hey, I justwant to bench 225, well, let's
(17:46):
see what that looks like.
Let's show you how to progressover time to get there.
Or like you said, if you want torun uh or do a 5K or do a
marathon, there's a program setfor you.
So I think uh having a traineris is good in that aspect, but
at the same time, um our uh HighTone does this pretty cool thing
(18:08):
for every member.
We do a free session with atrainer every month for every
member.
So that way, if you do havequestions, if you do uh need
some change in your routine, youtake advantage, you just go to
the front desk.
Hey, I would like to scheduleour reach hire session with so
(18:29):
and so, right?
So I think that's a uh a greatthing that we do.
We try to uh allow access to thepersonal training side of things
without the pressure of gettinga person trainer.
SPEAKER_03 (18:43):
Okay, yeah, that's good.
Yeah, I think it's just an forthe for the novice, it's just
intimidating to go to a gym.
It is you think you thinkeverybody is gonna be look like
you and be in that kind ofshape, but that's just not true.
You know what I mean?
I mean, it can be intimidatingthat first time somebody shows
up at a gym.
SPEAKER_00 (18:59):
And I uh again, um being in a welcoming environment
like High Tone, um, you'regreeted by this face early,
right?
Laughing, and then coming in andseeing uh me and Brandon maybe
laughing, cracking jokes, but atthe same time helping assist
someone.
(19:20):
So I think the welcomingenvironment of High Tone, uh the
crew that we've uh developed hashas very has eased that that
kind of side of things whereyou're intimidated by the gym.
SPEAKER_03 (19:34):
Yeah.
Okay.
Um now I'm gonna throw thisquestion out to you first.
So in your time with High Toneor fitness in general here in
Gaston County, I mean what isthere something you're most
proud of accomplishing or seeingaccomplished within High Tone or
your people you've seen impactedor something you've seen working
(19:56):
with the schools, somethingyou've seen that you're like,
wow, that's the reason that thatkind of fulfills the mission
that we're trying to accomplish.
SPEAKER_01 (20:03):
Yeah, um I think definitely from seeing somebody
walking into the gym for thefirst time, and then after a
couple of months, even ifthey're working with a trainer
or not with a trainer, I thinkdefinitely seeing them be more
comfortable and confident withinthe gym itself is definitely
(20:24):
something that I'm proud of aswell as just even like somebody
tells us when they first comein, oh yeah, I'm like trying to
lose this amount of weight.
And then when they get to thatgoal, that's what we're proud
of.
SPEAKER_03 (20:40):
How hard is it for um I have found in my personal
experience losing weight iseasier than keeping it off.
Um what would you what would youtell a listener who is having
that same struggle because I'vebeen at different weights at
many different times of my life,especially my adult life?
What's the key there?
Is it discipline as well, or isthere something else?
(21:02):
Consistency, what would you sayis the most important thing to
uh once you get down to acertain weight, um, keeping it
keeping it there?
SPEAKER_00 (21:09):
Yeah, it it is that.
And uh there there for one,fitness is gonna be a roller
coaster.
Um you're gonna have your upsand your downs.
Uh, but there's things such asplateaus.
There's there that is a thing.
Uh and again, switching up youryour program, your uh shocking
your body, those are ways thatyou can not do that.
SPEAKER_03 (21:32):
You mean so just to paraphrase if I'm understanding
you, not not doing the exactsame type of workout every
single time for three yearsstraight.
Is that kind of what you mean?
Changing it up and doing somedifferent things.
SPEAKER_00 (21:43):
Definitely, definitely.
So yeah, you you will get intoyour spurts where your body gets
used to it.
Not necessarily saying that it'snot helping, but not drastically
changing.
Like if I just started gettingoff the couch and working out,
you're gonna see that shed uh ofweight fast.
And then you probably will hit aplateau.
Maybe now you start introducingmore weight training, and that
(22:07):
shops your body, and that'sgonna help.
SPEAKER_03 (22:08):
Well, it's funny you say knock so I wear a Garmin and
this little smart elect willtell me it'll tell me, you know,
productive work productive,productive, then it'll start
telling me maintaining.
Yeah.
I'm like, what?
I just ran six miles.
Are you kidding me?
What do you mean it's notproductive?
And then occasionally it'll evenget really smart.
So you're you're in recovery.
SPEAKER_00 (22:28):
That's that's a disrespectful.
SPEAKER_03 (22:30):
Yeah, that means boy, I should have been I I
could have just stayed in bed,right?
So it's interesting.
I mean, listen, I know this isnot um some perfect device
that's that's accurate oneverything, but it but it has
helped me, frankly.
Yeah, you know, um realize thatwell, maybe you know, maybe I
could have worked a littleharder today.
Yeah, maybe I could that doesremind me to go if I go too many
weeks with just running.
(22:51):
Well, I can't get back to a bootcamp, F3 boot camp or whatever,
right?
That that reminds me that, yeah,you're you're you're to your
point about um that same routineover and over.
Yes.
What about um we had this thingin F3 that we talk about?
Well, the guy who started F3 isan ex-Army Ranger.
Okay.
So we have all these acronymsthat we use that that are, but
(23:14):
uh he we have this thing calledthe King and the Queen.
The king is your fitness, butthe queen is your is your diet.
How does how does diet play intoyou know maintaining that weight
and that fitness level ingeneral?
SPEAKER_00 (23:26):
Uh diet might be 90%.
SPEAKER_03 (23:31):
So that's what I've grown to learn.
I've learned to grow to lookI've grown to believe that too.
Yeah.
Um, because when I really I wasrunning and when I really
changed my diets when I startedlosing that weight, I mentioned
before we started recording.
Yeah.
It was the diet.
SPEAKER_00 (23:44):
It it it really, it will your body will thank you,
right?
If you put in the right uh food,if you put in the right amount
of food, you gotta you gottakind of replenish everything,
right?
But your body will thank you.
Um, and you'll just startfeeling better in general.
SPEAKER_03 (24:00):
Yeah, for what it's worth for me, I don't know if
I've shared this on any of theseepisodes, but um, gosh, years
ago, 12, 15 years ago, I Isomebody gave me one of those uh
the original Fitbit.
Yep.
And I connected to an app on myphone for about two months.
I tracked everything I ate anddrank, everything.
And I was shocked.
Yep.
And mainly being a southern boy,I was putting down gallons of
(24:24):
sweet tea every week.
Holy moly.
Um, when I cut that out, andthen it was portions for me
mostly.
I wasn't eating really real bad.
I mean, there were some things Icut out, but it was mostly I was
a grabbed the bag of potatochips guy.
Yep.
Then so what I, you know, I wentto smaller plates.
I would say if I was make my ownmeal, which it's not great,
(24:46):
probably.
I instead of taking the bag withme, I would put a few on the
plate and then I would put itup.
So portions to your point, yeah,portions, and it's surprising,
and also, gosh, convenience.
Yes, processed foods andconvenience, and there's so much
sugar in these things that wedon't have any idea.
Yeah, my fit bit, I didn't haveI just wasn't paying attention.
Yep.
You know, and the thing the coolthing about an app, if like
(25:08):
that, you put something in,it'll bring it up.
Yep.
Already.
Uh, and I'd be like, oh gosh.
And then you then the math atthe end of the day, how many
calories I put in there?
Yeah.
Holy moly.
So I'm just that knowledge um becan become powerful if you don't
ignore it.
So I ignored it for a while.
Yeah, I didn't want to know.
Um, so my point there is, yeah,some of that was your that
(25:29):
knowledge, and then and I doagree that um it would be nice
if I could just go run that offall the time, but you can't.
SPEAKER_00 (25:35):
You can't.
Yeah, you gotta do more thanthat.
Gotta be a little discipline inthere too.
SPEAKER_03 (25:39):
So um what about you, um, A B?
What are you most proud ofaccomplishing or seeing occur in
the during your time in the withhigh tone or just in in the
fitness world in general?
Okay.
SPEAKER_00 (25:51):
Um there's one client that I highlight, but at
the at the end of the day, Ithink uh for high tone, it's the
culture.
Um we've we've grown a culturethat is inviting for everyone.
And I think that is that isgreat.
That comes down to everyonecoming in with a big smile,
being able to talk.
(26:11):
Uh, there's relationships builtthat that extend outside of high
tone, and I think that's abeautiful thing.
Um, but the client that I willhighlight, uh, she's an older
woman that I had.
Uh her her first thing that shewanted was, well, her goal was
something that I didn't reallyhear before.
(26:32):
Typically, it's hey, I want tolose weight, hey, I want to
build muscle, right?
Hers was, hey, I want to walkupstairs without hurting.
Oh, wow.
Um and kudos to her.
Some things we sometimes takefor granted, right?
Yeah, yeah.
And uh uh by the time we endedtraining, we had some steps
outside.
She was walking up and down thesteps with weights in her hand,
(26:53):
and it was like, it's it's it'sit's good for me.
It's like uh, you know, uh youget to see your your bird fly
away or something like that, butshe still comes to the gym
without training with me.
And uh I see her do a routinethat we went over, and it's it's
good, it's real good.
Oh, that's good to hear.
SPEAKER_03 (27:09):
Yep, yeah, it's nice to see progress, right?
Yep.
Um, and sometimes we forgetthat.
I mean, um looking down theroad, I'll start with you,
Natalie on this question.
I mean, what do you see?
You know, that classic questionis five to ten years down the
road, what does the organizationlook like?
And but it this is might be in II'm gonna ask you the same
question, A B, but first for theorganization, but then kind of
(27:31):
the fitness world in general.
What do you see?
I mean, I don't know about thefitness world, it seems like it
might not change as much, butI'm like our cause of
technology, I mean our businesschanges.
See, we don't talk in about fiveor ten years anymore, like in
our business.
We talk about two or threeyears, maybe, because things are
changing so quickly.
But why do you what do you seethe future looking like for high
tone fitness and then kind ofthe fitness world in general?
SPEAKER_01 (27:53):
Yeah.
Um, so high tone fitness doeswant to expand um within the
next five to ten years.
Uh, they do want to have more uhlocations across um the eastern
area.
Um as far as me within the fiveto ten years, um I want to have
(28:16):
graduated.
As I said, I'm in school, so Iwant to have graduated.
Nice, and I definitely stillwant to do something in the
fitness area.
Um, it is something that I'mvery passionate about.
SPEAKER_03 (28:28):
Okay, very good.
Maybe how would you answer thatone?
SPEAKER_00 (28:31):
I would like to highlight.
She's a sales director, a verypivotal uh position right now
with High Tone in Gastonia.
She's 19.
That's crazy.
It's crazy.
But, anyways, uh yes, like shesaid, uh uh Hitone is trying to
expand uh on the SoutheastCoast.
I think we have 11 locationscurrently now, and they're gonna
(28:54):
expand out.
Uh with my role as fitnessdirector of Gastonia, I would
love to expand out to be justfitness director of Hitone.
SPEAKER_03 (29:03):
Oh, okay.
Nice.
What do you see?
What's the big um like we when Igo to uh conferences and I talk
to other companies all over thecountry?
So, you know, we're in ourbusiness, we're talking about
what's the what's the big topicright now?
What's gonna be, what do wethink is gonna be happening?
Like like obviously you can'thave a conversation, I think,
with anything this day withouttalking about AI.
(29:25):
Or or you know, for us, we got alot of government regulation we
deal with, right?
Refrigerants and it but so whatwhat's coming down the pike with
uh in the fitness world?
Is there anything big, anythingyou're seeing?
Um I mean, even with the onething we try to avoid talking
ever talking about politics onthis podcast on purpose, but
(29:45):
yeah, you know, administrationschange and you know there's a
different like right now, yeah.
I I think if you're payingattention, you can't deny
there's a different discussiongoing on about health and food
and fitness in general.
Um, so does that impact
SPEAKER_00 (30:00):
you know the what's what's considered common
knowledge in the fitness worldor anything or we'll just I know
that's kind of a I I I spentabout 60 seconds asking a pretty
asking a pretty simple questionwhat's the future look like for
fitness I gotcha but uh I thinkuh I think fitness in general
we're always learning rightthere's um small cues especially
(30:21):
for even me as a trainer that Icame into the industry and
thought this is what right lookslike and then we've now know
that this is what hurts yourshoulder so so small cues that
that's good maybe uh that we'rejust developing and learning uh
I will say supplement sidepeptides are a big thing so you
(30:43):
might hear a lot about peptideslater in life but that goes more
towards our recovery aspect anduh and and that I'm a piggyback
with saying um the recoveryaspect longevity of life um is a
thing that is gonna impact thefitness world right everyone
wants to lift weights noteveryone but in general we're
(31:07):
trying to lift weights we'retrying to uh add muscle tone up
look a certain way but if we'renot doing the right thing in the
kitchen or recovering correctlywe will fill it in about 20
years so uh the recovery aspectthings like the infrared sauna
which we have and the red lighttherapy which we have and good
(31:27):
night's sleep okay yes and somesleep very underrated thing it
is yeah yeah that's I mean Iwill get much I will if I go two
or three straight nights withoutgetting a good night's sleep
I've learned that even if it's ascheduled workout day I'll I'll
I might take the day off.
SPEAKER_03 (31:41):
Yep you know just because uh again it's funny I
mean I've also I've had to learnthese things you know I'm
talking like these things likeI've always this is like a 30
year journey to to figure thesethings out for me personally.
Yep.
You know I mean the perfect weekfor me is I'm doing something
five days a week and I plannedrest days just because I'm 55
years old now and I can feel itin my you know in the joints
(32:02):
mostly if I'm overdoing it.
Another point that I that I wedidn't really talk about for
something that changed for metoo is I actually did something
smart.
I went and got fitted withproper shoes.
Because I I do run some and manchanged the game.
I was I was a certain brand foryears and I would occasionally
have Achilles pain and shinsplints.
(32:25):
I went somewhere that somebodyknew what they were talking
about.
They gave me I got better shoesand they gave me some inserts
and I haven't had a singleAchilles issue.
This was 10 years ago or shinsplint sent.
That's all because you know whatI'm saying so so there isn't
some of that again that goesback to the knowledge right and
and and then also not beingafraid to say I don't know.
That's it you know we actuallyhad somebody come to one of our
(32:46):
meet company meetings used tohave a there was a a shoe place
in Belmont there unfortunatelythey're no longer open but she
came and did a presentation toher whole company about that.
And I'm like oh geez so like thenext week I went to her place
she got a professional there gotme fitted and man it's made a
huge difference yeah made a hugedifference.
So so again I appreciate thatbecause I do think yeah things
(33:06):
are changing so fast um andagain in in all industries but
especially fitness but you wouldthink some things with fitness
and health would be commonknowledge and people wouldn't
argue about it but there doesseem there seems to be some
things so for so for the Joeconsumer the Joe you know the
the the person who's notknowledgeable this they can get
some conflicting informationcan't they?
SPEAKER_00 (33:28):
Uh yes and that's unfortunate we see a lot of um
you're gonna get influenced bysocial media oh yeah you can
almost watch the gym and seewho's watching social media and
how they work out so I I see itall the time instead of asking
instead of asking a professionalI see it all the time there'll
be people on like TikTok havinga TikTok video popped up yeah
(33:51):
why it's just setting up on theto do that right yeah that's
yeah that's funny andunfortunate you know what we
have it too in our industry aswell you know uh we'll get
called out to somebody's houseand they look something up
online and they were trying tofix it themselves or whatever.
SPEAKER_03 (34:07):
I mean and that's fine.
That's that's somebody'spersonal that's house they've
been they can do whatever theywant but boy you know some of
that um out there.
So listen is there is thereanything I haven't asked I mean
before we finish I'll make sureyou guys share location uh
social media how do how can ourlisteners get in touch with you
guys I'll make sure that'll bethe kind of the last thing we do
but anything I haven't askedthat that I should have or
(34:29):
something you want to sh makesure you share before we we got
a couple other questions we wantto ask anything else?
SPEAKER_01 (34:36):
Yes so we do have an event that we're planning it's
called it's gonna be called Fallinto Fitness that'll be next
Saturday the 22nd at ourlocation very good um we did one
back in the spring but it wasmore of a like member
appreciation event this one willbe there'll be vendors there'll
be group classes in case anybodyhasn't um been to our gym or
(35:01):
seen heard about us seen aboutus um it's free for the
community anybody can just popin um try out one of our group
classes we'll have Zumba umwe'll have stretch classes as
well as um uh like strengthtraining weightlifting okay what
about what if um let's saythere's uh somebody that a
teacher or a PE teacher or aschool or somebody somebody with
(35:23):
Gasson County schools orwhomever they happen to hear
this um would you encourage themto kind of get in touch with you
guys and and and and see whatkind of partnership or something
out at the risk of me opening mymouth I just did sorry too late
now no um we actually uhForestview one of our partner
(35:44):
schools um last year they had aclass dedicated to where they
will bring their students inthat period to our gym and we
work them out so it it is verypossible as long as they reach
out we'll schedule somethingwe'll we'll definitely assist uh
again I think rooted is gonnaalways be community outreach for
(36:07):
us however we can impact thecommunity around us for it for
the positive um that's whatwe'll aim to do well in general
too I'm I'm a believer that butthe healthier and more fit our
community is just the better offwe are yep I mean that's a
simple I mean I'moversimplifying it probably a
(36:28):
little bit but I just in generalI think that's um that's good.
SPEAKER_03 (36:30):
But so give you a chance to answer that question.
SPEAKER_00 (36:32):
Anything with that you'd like to make sure you get
out there or did she was thatthe main thing that's yeah I
think that was uh the main thingis that we do have an event and
we are always doing uh eventslike this.
Uh for this weekend Saturday wehave a special kind of boot camp
class and we I want to emphasizeboot camp because we're gonna
(36:53):
host uh the Marine recruitersall their recruits are gonna
come in and I'm gonna try toremember my military days and
put them through a great workoutto make sure but the army guys
I'm gonna give the marines ahard time yeah we're uh we'll
see we'll see about that lasttime I had Air Force people they
(37:13):
didn't last so that might havebeen a shot at the Air Force
right now.
SPEAKER_03 (37:17):
Okay that's funny.
So listen I appreciate thatagain like I said we'll make
sure we're finished with lettingyou guys share a little more
information but there's a couplequestions that we'd like to
finish with and one of these umI'll have to come up with a
different one for you Nataliebut um first question is I'm
gonna start with you now what issomething very few people know
about you getting to a littlepersonal side here maybe I don't
(37:38):
know um and you have to answer.
Yes yeah okay no pressure rightdefinitely no pressure I get
when you're 19 there's not theymight not be quite as much to
pull from huh so I need to ask AB first and let you think about
(38:04):
that for a few for for a fewminutes.
I think I got it okay all rightwe've all got to get we all have
to get back to work hereeventually and you said what was
the question that you picked upyes what is something very few
people know about you um I triedlearning French that did not go
(38:26):
well.
Okay um I do know Spanish um soI am bilingual but I tried
learning French like two tothree years ago was there
something specific or you justthought that would be cool I
just thought it would be cool Iwanted to go um to Paris okay
and I still want to go but nowI'm gonna be like lost well I
tell you I wouldn't I've beenI've been I've been lucky enough
(38:48):
to be to be to Paris once andluckily you can you can survive
yeah you can survive I mean Iwouldn't live there without
knowing how to speak French butyeah you can survive for a short
period of time without knowingum now some of them might look
at you like you know you're anarrogant American but um but you
can you can get by A B how wouldyou answer that question?
SPEAKER_00 (39:06):
Uh something that people don't know I love random
knowledge uh so I love Jeopardythat's something that no one
knows.
I love watching Jeopardy it'scrazy.
SPEAKER_03 (39:20):
Just a trivia guy you just like a trivia guy I
like I mean are you one of thosethat like when they you you know
the answer and they don't get itand you're like come on man yes
sometimes only sometimes so youknow remember this is a podcast
about Gaston County in generalsome of the good things
happening around Gaston Countyso AB I'll start with you but
why would you you've both beenhere long enough um to answer
(39:41):
this question why would you saybesides high tone fitness why
would you say Gaston County issuch a great place?
Yes so I'm probably the newestperson to Gaston County out of
the bunch but um it does feellike a tight knit uh community
especially where I am uh withinGaston County County um I have
(40:04):
three kids two of them are goingto school here another one's in
Atlanta but um two of them aregoing to school here and they
are truly I love I I like seeingthem develop right and uh part
of it is just kind of embracingwhat Gaston County is all about
um they are at Lowell Elementaryand um not Forestview yet what's
(40:26):
the other one Holbrook Holbrookyeah so it's good to see that uh
aspect and I I I truly enjoy thecommunity uh feel for it so and
also it's not too far fromCharlotte location yeah you well
yeah airport and a big if youwant that's big city amenities
bigger you can yeah it's 20minutes most days is 20 minutes
(40:47):
yeah on some to some parts of uhof Charlotte um some days it's
an hour yeah it depends ondepends on yeah it depends on
where you're going but typicallythe airport yeah that's one
advantage we have here I mean Ican 25 minutes I can get to the
airport.
Yeah and I do see Gaston Countyas growing too it sure is yeah
yeah it sure is so I'm gonnastart with you on this question
A because I'm not gonna be ableto answer I'm not gonna be able
to ask um Natalie this questionand this is typically the
(41:10):
question I like to to end withbut knowing what you know now A
B what advice would you giveyour 20 year old self?
SPEAKER_00 (41:16):
Yeah that's crazy um so knowing what I know now
living what I've lived throughuh I think the biggest advice is
to to be a sponge right um thereis gonna be moments that you are
gonna learn from someone that isyounger than you're gonna learn
(41:38):
from someone that is older thanyou uh you're not gonna always
be right so being a sponge beingopen to uh new ideas is
definitely one of the biggestthings that I would try to hold
my hat on and also um if I knewthat earlier probably would be a
better outcome.
SPEAKER_03 (41:59):
Yeah that's great.
Yeah having kids my kids are 2624 and 19 and so when they were
younger I was like I'm a dad Iknow boy when they became
teenagers went off to college Ihave learned so much from them
right they have they have reallyhelped me see um the world um
(42:25):
not so much old school.
Yep yep it really and and theirfriends I mean just yeah I
really love spending time withthem and their friend groups so
to get a dep their perspective.
SPEAKER_00 (42:36):
Correct yeah and accept that perspective and you
know and then you realize howold you are because I I still
don't know what six seven meansso shout out to my son about
yeah you know what I've askedand and I just I've I've been
told it means nothing.
SPEAKER_03 (42:49):
It's just something it's just something they do.
I don't know is that right we'relooking at all of that well is
this the first time we've had aguest younger than you here I
think it is yes shout out thereRachel you got it going on so
I'm gonna phrase this questionobviously a little differently
okay you know I'm not gonna askyou what advice you give your 10
(43:10):
year old selves but I will askin your um because you know
frankly a lot of a lot of 19year olds are not yet working
they're not yet in the realworld right so what what is the
biggest lesson let's say you'vegotten from the business the
business world going to schoolyou know there might be a a high
(43:31):
schooler listening out therethat they don't know what they
want to do.
Because surprisingly we have wehave people that actually listen
to this it's shocking.
Besides my mother um and so yeahhow well how would you answer
that question to maybe that highyoung high schooler who's trying
to figure out what they want todo now what lessons have you
taken from your you know your 19years so far that might help
(43:52):
somebody younger crazy um Ithink definitely if you don't
know what you're um wanting todo trying to find hobbies that
align with something that youwant to potentially pursue.
SPEAKER_01 (44:09):
And then also if there's like any internships out
there that you think would belike the best fit like just to
kind of get a feel for what dipthe feet in to to different
things.
SPEAKER_03 (44:22):
Yeah.
I do think it seems like I knowwhen my kids came through school
there were there were somesituations it seemed like they
were being asked to make somedecisions too soon.
You know or get in this trackget in this and boy you know I
don't know I kind of there'sdays when I feel like I'm still
trying to figure out what I wantto do.
You know I sure didn't when Iwas 20.
I had no idea.
25 I really had no idea.
(44:43):
So that's a great that's a greatpoint.
There are a lot moreopportunities so some of the
some of the things I complainabout like social media and
internet that can expose kids tosome more opportunities maybe
you know you know I had to go tothe library and look things up
or an encyclopedia that wasalready five years out of date
right the phone book.
SPEAKER_00 (45:03):
Oh my gosh you even do you know what an encyclopedia
is Rachel oh okay have you everread one looked in looked at one
okay now I'm not talking aboutWikipedia a real encyclopedia
okay yellow pages yeah we had aphone you ever seen a phone book
okay sorry no you ever seen aphone book yeah we used to get
(45:24):
them delivered and then youeveryone's number you had to
find them yeah that's actuallymatter of fact years ago that's
where we spent most of ourmarketing money I believe it was
in the phone book I believe itfor all for all the surrounding
counties and and communities nowI mean we haven't done that in
10 years 12 15 years probably wejust had yeah I remember those
sales reps used to come in hereand I'd be like oh now you're
(45:47):
doing podcasts yes go yeah gofigure so listen guys this has
been really good so um where canlisteners go to learn more
what's the physical address andjust where online can they go to
learn more and find out moreabout uh high tone fitness that
should be a sales directorquestion right yeah a little bit
(46:12):
off the top of my head I don'tthink I know the address okay
well it's on the corner of NewHope and Bayton Road in the
right beside of Foodline SouthNew Hope Road 3690 South New
Hope Road okay um or just Googleit right and just just map it
because I don't know where it'sat but uh we are in uh Foodline
parking lot we are with oursister company so if you're
(46:33):
familiar with Canal Coffee orSmoothie King we're in that same
parking lot uh but I will throwthis out there that we have two
buildings one main gym and oneseparate gym that is uh for
personal training and groupclasses so do not go to the
group class gym first if you'reinterested in the gym go to the
(46:54):
main gym which is connected tothe food line store itself and
then on social media on socialmedia we are at uh instagram for
one is at high tonefitnesscastonia um and that's
h-i-t-o-n-e correct yes sirthank you for yeah thank you for
(47:14):
clarifying that and even on oursocial media presence you'll
kind of get a feel of who we areas a gym it's not serious but at
the same time we provide greatuh informational tips as we go
through but you'll just check itout is the is the website
hottonefitness.com or yeah andthen oh it will uh prompt you to
(47:34):
select a location yeah I think Isaw that when I went um and
looked on how I how I knew youwere the sales director yeah
right off the website so listenyeah I mean I we try at least do
a little bit of research eventhough I thought you went to a
different high school beforebefore we before we started so
again I appreciate that uh guysso any any last words uh before
(47:56):
we close this episode out uhjust in general fitness is it is
not only for the physical butit's for the mental so I would
say that um if you are nervousor looking for a gym uh come to
one that is super inviting likehigh tone fitness uh again you
(48:19):
don't have to be an expert to doit it just takes consistency and
uh routine so discipline isgonna be big but we're here to
kind of provide that for you souh if if everyone's fitness
doesn't look the same alsoremember that so just jump into
it healthier life is awesomethat is anything you'd like to
(48:39):
add before we close this one outNatalie I do not okay yeah to
your point about mental healthin general yeah I find myself uh
if I got something going on Idon't know how to figure it out
or something I'm anxious aboutwhatever I yeah I'll I'll go for
a run uh put on some old musicor a podcast or something and
(49:00):
just three four five six milesor something and then it my my
mind is almost always clearerfor some reason.
SPEAKER_03 (49:07):
So um that is something that I have have have
utilized at least for me anywayum how how that works.
So guys I appreciate your timeand I'm gonna finish up with my
own quote you know or Itypically do a book
recommendation or a quote orsomething this week it's on
patience and resilience which Ithink can tie into people's
fitness journey um fitness andhealth journey but uh I'm a big
(49:28):
fan of John Adams and AbigailAdams.
I've done a lot of study of ofhistory but you can find um they
wrote letters back and forth toeach other and it's really
interesting um if you if you ifyou ever are to interest in that
kind of thing you can see if youcan online you can read some of
those letters but Abigail Adamssaid great difficulties may be
(49:49):
surmounted by patience andperseverance I think that's um I
think that's just superimportant.
And I know I'll miss the day Iused to when I was younger I
would miss a workout day orsomething I'd be oh gosh you
know okay you missed a day getup next day right just keep
going you know you just got tokeep walking so to speak so
again um guys I appreciate yourtime uh appreciate what you're
(50:13):
doing for our community to makeour you know our health and
fitness better and that doesthat does make a big difference
so I appreciate that.
So to our listeners out therethanks so much for taking the
time to listen to today'sepisode please continue to
spread the word if you can aboutthe podcast and don't hesitate
to contact us here at uh ouremail address which is podcast
at gastinsgreat.com we arealways looking for suggestions
(50:34):
for future podcast topics andguests you can find the podcast
and subscribe at the websitegastonsgreat.com or anywhere you
listen to podcasts and pleasefollow us on all our social
media platforms and apparentlyas Rachel occasionally reminds
me give us give us a good fivestar rating help us get noticed
thanks again to Natalie and A Bfor being our guests today.
Gaston's great is produced andbrought to you by Rachel Cowart
(50:55):
from GSM services.
I'm your host Stephen Longthanks again for hanging out
with us and please keep comingback to hear more reasons why
Gaston's great
Hello, Gas and County.
Welcome to episode number 174 ofGas and Great, a podcast
highlighting some of the greatthings happening in and around
Gasson County.
I'm your host, Stephen Long.
We're coming to you once againfrom the worldwide headquarters
of GSM Services right here indowntown Gastonia.
We simply believe in discussingmore of the reasons why Gas
Integrate.
(00:23):
We are highlighting anothergreat organization this week as
we highlight High Tone Fitness.
We have Natalie Castro and A Bwith us here today.
Natalie is the sales director ofHigh Tone Fitness, and A B is
the fitness director.
Natalie and A B, welcome to thepodcast.
Thank you.
Thank you for having us.
You're very welcome.
So we'd like to get right to it.
(00:44):
And Natalie, since you'refurther away, you get to go
first.
So we'd like to start with apretty simple question.
Just tell us about yourself.
Anything that you would like toshare?
SPEAKER_01 (00:54):
Um a little about myself is um I was born and
raised in Englewood, New Jersey,and I moved down to Gastonia a
few years back, and I'm proud tocall Gastonia home.
You couldn't get here fastenough, right?
Oh yeah.
Um I've also um been workingaround like the gym and fitness
(01:17):
area for about three years now.
Okay.
Um previously at a differentplace and now with high tone.
SPEAKER_03 (01:24):
Okay.
Well, very good.
A B, what about you?
What do you want to share, sir?
SPEAKER_00 (01:28):
So for let the secret out, uh A B is not my
actual name, but uh Icani is mybirth name.
Uh born in Hawaii, raised inFairville, North Carolina.
SPEAKER_02 (01:40):
Oh wow.
SPEAKER_00 (01:40):
Uh, but I've adopted A B because I do have uh
military experience.
So during my military experienceuh overseas is when I kind of
grew into loving the gym,finding that therapy.
So I decided to kind oftransition and make fitness my
full-time career, and that ishow I ended up at High Tone.
(02:02):
Uh being a trainer at first kindof went through a stem of being
a manager, but now in the roleof where I feel like I could
blossom as a fitness director.
SPEAKER_03 (02:13):
Understood.
So was that why you were inFayetteville?
Was it Fort Bragg?
SPEAKER_00 (02:17):
Uh yeah.
So Fayetteville was I'm amilitary brat to say the least.
So my my dad was uh army aswell.
SPEAKER_03 (02:25):
Okay, so you served in the I did.
Okay, well, appreciate thatservice.
Thank you.
Absolutely.
SPEAKER_00 (02:29):
That's shout out to all my vets out there.
SPEAKER_03 (02:31):
Yeah, you know what?
Here we are.
We're recording this onWednesday the 12th.
So again, that's a you knowwhat?
That's a big day.
I mean, I didn't serve, but um Iappreciate individuals like you
who serve.
So me and my family maybe didn'thave to.
So I'm grateful for that.
And that's something that'simportant to us.
Thanks.
Uh and we're the same about lawenforcement and anything that's
related to that type of stuff.
(02:51):
So again, uh I appreciate thatum very much.
So um again, I think I I'llthrow this back to to Natalie to
kind of start.
Just maybe just share um alittle bit what is the mission
of the organization when we'regonna get to you know how high
tone fitness, what's thatcommunity outlook, and then how
(03:12):
are you serving the community,making the community better.
But let's you know let's juststart with what's the mission of
the organization and the the andthen just go from there.
Initiatives and the mission ofthe organization.
SPEAKER_01 (03:23):
Yeah.
Um, the mission of High ToneFitness is to just make sure
that everybody that comes to ourdoors, we're a fun and welcoming
environment for everybody that'sgoing through it, as well as
making sure that we're givingthe people the right tools.
SPEAKER_00 (03:44):
We are truly like a science-based approach to
fitness, right?
So we're thinking um not onlyare we lifting weights, but the
recovery aspect, the communityaspect.
So I think high tone did a greatjob of doing that whole 360
because not everyone's gonnawant to lift eight 800 pounds.
(04:05):
Like me.
I mean, you got the muscle.
No, but but uh we have uh ourdemographic is very wide.
And I think the beauty of hightone is gonna be always that the
community aspect.
Uh we truly have the same energyfor everyone that walks into the
door.
Whether again, if you're comingin and you're just using a
(04:27):
sauna, hey, we know you're justusing a sauna, but we're gonna
tell you why you should.
Um, but then we have the ladythat comes on the treadmill and
she likes her fan up.
So we're gonna make the fan up,right?
So it is very personalized, andI think that is uh kind of goes
with our slogan, our sloganswritten on our wall.
(04:49):
It's called Reach Higher.
So in regards to our slogan, wewant everyone to reach their
highest uh peak form, uh whetherthat is fitness-wise mentally or
or whatnot, but we are trulythere to support that, um, to
get them there.
SPEAKER_03 (05:07):
I know that I don't think this was I'm gonna ask a
question, it wasn't worded thisexactly uh on the questions we
shared.
I mean, I think our listenersknow we share questions
beforehand because we I'm notthat good.
First of all, but secondly, wejust you know I think it's
important that y'all kind ofknow what to expect.
But also, but maybe can youdescribe um a day in the life of
high tolerant fitness?
(05:27):
Does that make sense?
You know, I mean you're probablyI'm sure you're seeing um all
different fitness levels, alldifferent demographics.
You just kind of describe theday in the life of what's going
on at high tone fitness.
SPEAKER_00 (05:41):
Does that make sense?
Yeah.
Um so me and Natalie probablyhave different uh day in the
lives for high-town fitness, butI can tell you from a trainer
standpoint, uh we're crackingthe door open around 5 a.m., 6
a.m.
Um there's already peopleworking out, so kudos to those
early morning people.
(06:02):
But we're we're hitting theground running.
We have to be up and ready, wehave to be the heartbeat of the
gym.
Um, so myself, I'm gonna shoutsome people out.
Myself, Brandon, anothertrainer, Gianna, another
trainer, Kelsey, a great trainerthat we have.
We are the lifeline of the gymitself.
(06:25):
And I want to exude my energyonto someone else.
But uh it starts from 5 a.m., 6a.m.
all the way to about 6 p.m.
7 p.m.
So these are long days that weare uh exerting our energy.
At the same time, we're tryingto get our own little workout
in.
Sure.
So uh yes, we see uh differentdifferent demographics.
(06:49):
We see we we're meeting with uhpeople that have been to
multiple gyms and are justlooking for a new gym home, or
we're looking for someone that'sjust switching up uh their
routine.
We're looking at the people thataren't so confident or walking
into the building being nervous.
Uh we do a great job of cateringto that and uh kind of nurturing
(07:10):
them so they walk out the doorsconfident.
Uh we don't have a big gym, andwe kind of like it like that.
We we want to feel personal whenwe do it.
So we we we kind of embrace thethe personal feel um throughout
throughout the day.
But uh I have long days.
(07:31):
I had 17,000 steps the other dayjust by working out and being in
a gym training.
Uh but very long days.
SPEAKER_03 (07:38):
Uh that's a lot of steps if you're not doing
something specific, like runningor hiking or something, right?
Yeah, yeah, that's a lot.
I filtered that.
That's a lot for anybody, butespecially if you're not out
doing something specific likelike running or or hiking.
SPEAKER_00 (07:49):
Correct, correct.
But yes, so uh as a traineraspect, as a fitness director
aspect, um, it's high energy.
It is being authentically youfrom 6 a.m.
to 6 p.m.
or however long the clients needyou.
And at the same time, we'rewelcoming everybody, right?
As you said, lowest fitnesslevel to the the person that
knows it all, right?
(08:10):
But we want to respect that andat the same time give a little
bit of input where we can.
Um, so she might be able toexplain a little bit more on the
sales side.
SPEAKER_03 (08:20):
Okay, yeah, just how about how would you answer that
question?
SPEAKER_01 (08:23):
Yeah, um, I don't start my day as early as he
does.
He is there, he is there fromlike sun up to sundown.
Um, I get in about like eighto'clock.
Um, and for me, it's mainlybeing that first person that
everybody sees when they walkin.
Um whether they are interestedin signing up for our gym or
(08:49):
seeing what we have to offer,being that first person that's
there, greeting them, makingsure that their experience is
going great.
Um, also seeing our members comein and out every day, getting to
make those connections with themembers as well as there's we do
see all types of differentpeople, fitness levels as well
(09:11):
as their own like personallives.
We get to like connect with themin that aspect as well.
SPEAKER_03 (09:17):
Okay.
So I made a mistake, obviously.
I didn't bring in the email yousent.
Um there were some very specificthings on there that kind of
triggered us wanting to talk toyou guys, you know, because we
do, you know, we we have no, welisten, we talked to a lot of
businesses, but we what wereally like to hear about is
those connections and specificthings you do that are I don't
know that community service isthe right word, but how how do
(09:39):
you you know so what is what aresome of those initiatives?
I mean, I think I again I'mgoing by memories and that there
was something related to maybeeven some schools, or just just
I almost start with you there,Natalie.
Kind of you just because sinceyou sent the um the note to us,
kind of can you just kind oftalk about some of that uh stuff
and how you view your missionrelative to just making the
community better and and andsome of the specific things you
(10:01):
guys are are involved with?
SPEAKER_01 (10:02):
Yeah.
Um, so we have two sistercompanies, Canal Coffee as well
as Smoothie King, in our sameparking lot.
Okay.
Um we do this thing with schoolsaround our community called the
Golden Mug.
And it's kind of just we allthree of our companies go out
into the schools and we makethese connections with the
(10:24):
schools as well.
Talk to the teachers, let themknow about who we are, what we
are what we offer andeverything.
And then we present them with alike basket that has a mug in it
and all types of differentthings to all three of our
companies.
And we make these connectionswith schools.
I think uh New Hope Elementaryis one of them, forest high
(10:48):
schools.
Right down the street.
SPEAKER_03 (10:49):
New Hope's right down the street.
And if you're for those of youwho don't know, uh this is on
South New Hope Road, so it'sgonna be, I guess, the corner of
Beatty Road, right?
In New Hope.
Yeah.
Um I am horrible.
Yeah, yes, well, I grew up I'm aI'm a Gassen County, I've grew
up here, so I'm a Gassen CountyHomer, so I'm in that area all
the time.
So it's right where the uhBojangles is and food line,
(11:12):
right?
Yes, yeah, right beside the foodline.
Yeah, so so yeah, if for thoseof you who were wondering, and I
did I had the address writtendown somewhere, but I don't I
didn't bring that in hereeither.
But you know we'll make sure weall get to share that before
we're finished.
Gotcha.
Um so what so when you're you'reconnecting with the with schools
in general and young youngpeople, um, and you may
(11:32):
experience this too, um A B withjust some members that are
younger members that are comingin, because I don't know what
the whole demographic is.
What do you guys see?
What is missing um in generalwith people's health and
fitness?
What do you what are the one ortwo things that you see that um
because when I was young, nowwhen I was in high school, I was
(11:54):
all about fitness playingsports.
Yeah, I went off to college andhad this period of time, this 10
or 15 years, I wasn't doinganything.
You know what I mean?
There's just this time period,you get married, uh, kids, uh,
work, and all of a sudden 10, 15years have gone by and um some
pounds have added on, and andyou get out of this habit.
Now I was lucky we talked beforewe started recording.
Then I got involved with a groupcalled F3, and how and I'm so
(12:16):
I'm intentionally putting myselfaround men who are close to my
age, but they have the sameoutlook.
They want to accomplish the samethings, they want to improve,
and they're my accountabilitypartners, like we like I
mentioned.
But I know everybody doesn'thave that.
Right.
So what do you what do you guyssee, you know, is kind of
missing there um in general onon the fitness and health side?
SPEAKER_00 (12:38):
Uh I think there's a couple of things that we could
kind of highlight.
Um, like you said,accountability is gonna be one,
uh, discipline would probably beanother, and I think just uh
knowledge.
So we get uh when we go to, forone, when we go to our Go to Mug
Awards, I think it I I want tohighlight that the schools get
(13:00):
together and they're likebrainstorming, who can I reward
this to?
And I think that's a greataspect of community outreach.
Um they get to highlight asingle person that has done
something.
So uh for us and our sistercompany, Smooth the King and
Canal, uh we feel we kind offeel the love, right?
Because they come into the gym.
(13:21):
Now they get to experience that,but it's their own little
reward.
So I I want I do shout out toForest View and uh our our new
um schools that we're gonnavisit throughout for the golden
mode.
But to go back to your question,uh discipline that is hard.
It is hard.
No, it is hard.
(13:42):
That is that is hard to do.
SPEAKER_03 (13:43):
When I'm left to my own devices, um I'm not great.
SPEAKER_00 (13:47):
Correct.
SPEAKER_03 (13:47):
With discipline.
SPEAKER_00 (13:48):
Correct.
And it is.
It takes a while, and I thinkone thing that we see, again,
demographic, it could be the theyounger kids or young younger
generation, like Natalie, um, orthe older ones like us.
But uh we I it's it's a it's alight switch that we have to
switch on and really fullycommit to ourselves, for one.
(14:12):
And I think once we realizethat, hey, uh I have to commit
this to myself, then the mindsetkind of changes, right?
So uh it is that dedication foryourself to grow, just like we
dedicate, hey, I know I'm gonnawatch Monday night football at
8.15 p.m.
I'm gonna sit down and watch it.
(14:34):
We can dedicate uh a time for usto do fitness.
Uh and then on the back end ofthat uh knowledge, a lot of
people are scared to do uh somesome stuff that's just not
comfortable.
And one of the biggest thingsthat I tell clients is it's not
gonna be comfortable.
Like at no point is our journey,our fitness journey, comfortable
(14:59):
because once we get comfortable,we get complacent.
Once we get complacent, yeah,now the pounds add up.
SPEAKER_03 (15:05):
Progress yeah, progress requires some being
uncomfortable.
SPEAKER_00 (15:08):
It does, it really does.
And uh, you know, sometimes thepeople again come in at 6 a.m.,
5 a.m.
That alarm goes off, that snoozebun is very tempting.
SPEAKER_03 (15:19):
Especially like yesterday, it's 25 degrees.
That bed's that bed's warm andcomfortable, isn't it?
It's made I have a running groupon Tuesday mornings, and boy, 25
degrees yesterday.
I mean, I was yeah, that's onething you get back and you get I
got frost on toboggan, and evenon the the tops of my the
bottoms of my socks have froston them.
But you know what?
I knew those guys were gonna beout there.
(15:40):
Yep, and that's that's if Ididn't show up, I I was gonna
hear about it.
SPEAKER_00 (15:43):
Yep.
So I think that, yeah, superimportant.
If I can highlight anything,it'd be accountability,
discipline, and just education.
SPEAKER_03 (15:50):
Do you also find um because this is what we've I
when I got really involved inF3.
Now, when I was younger, I wasinvolved with some gyms.
Um now with with the group I'minvolved with, we do a lot of
you know body weight stuff, andI'm also I'm 55, so I'm not
looking to bench press 250pounds.
Okay.
I'm just that's just not Oh,gotcha.
(16:12):
But my where I'm going is mypoint is I think sometimes I
when I was younger and I meetpeople who think you have to go
do something dramatic to havedecent fitness.
And do you find that a lot ofpeople just don't realize I mean
you have to do something and youdo need to be do things that
maybe make you uncomfortable,yeah.
But you don't have to go in amonth go from not doing anything
(16:35):
to be able to, well, go run aneight-minute mile or go or go
squat 500 pounds or whatever.
So um, especially at my age, Iknow that just keep keep moving,
keep doing something.
It's so important.
Um, drinking water or whatever,hydrating.
Um, so do you find that there'sthis maybe because you you used
the word knowledge, there's thisgap there that people think that
(16:57):
you have to do all these massivethings, and it's really not.
That's what's required to havegeneral good health.
SPEAKER_00 (17:03):
Yes, um, exactly.
It it is baby steps.
And uh one of our trainers, uh,I'm pretty sure she made a post
on social media not too long agoabout the baby steps.
That's Gianna.
Shout out to her.
Uh but uh but it it is not thatyou're not gonna go from the
couch and just run a 5K, right?
Yeah uh you have to build upwith that.
(17:24):
And let's plug this in.
That's why trainers are veryimportant within that gym
aspect.
Uh not only you get thataccountability, but they build a
specific program to kind ofdevelop that roadmap to your
fitness goals.
So whether that is, hey, I justwant to bench 225, well, let's
(17:46):
see what that looks like.
Let's show you how to progressover time to get there.
Or like you said, if you want torun uh or do a 5K or do a
marathon, there's a program setfor you.
So I think uh having a traineris is good in that aspect, but
at the same time, um our uh HighTone does this pretty cool thing
(18:08):
for every member.
We do a free session with atrainer every month for every
member.
So that way, if you do havequestions, if you do uh need
some change in your routine, youtake advantage, you just go to
the front desk.
Hey, I would like to scheduleour reach hire session with so
(18:29):
and so, right?
So I think that's a uh a greatthing that we do.
We try to uh allow access to thepersonal training side of things
without the pressure of gettinga person trainer.
SPEAKER_03 (18:43):
Okay, yeah, that's good.
Yeah, I think it's just an forthe for the novice, it's just
intimidating to go to a gym.
It is you think you thinkeverybody is gonna be look like
you and be in that kind ofshape, but that's just not true.
You know what I mean?
I mean, it can be intimidatingthat first time somebody shows
up at a gym.
SPEAKER_00 (18:59):
And I uh again, um being in a welcoming environment
like High Tone, um, you'regreeted by this face early,
right?
Laughing, and then coming in andseeing uh me and Brandon maybe
laughing, cracking jokes, but atthe same time helping assist
someone.
(19:20):
So I think the welcomingenvironment of High Tone, uh the
crew that we've uh developed hashas very has eased that that
kind of side of things whereyou're intimidated by the gym.
SPEAKER_03 (19:34):
Yeah.
Okay.
Um now I'm gonna throw thisquestion out to you first.
So in your time with High Toneor fitness in general here in
Gaston County, I mean what isthere something you're most
proud of accomplishing or seeingaccomplished within High Tone or
your people you've seen impactedor something you've seen working
(19:56):
with the schools, somethingyou've seen that you're like,
wow, that's the reason that thatkind of fulfills the mission
that we're trying to accomplish.
SPEAKER_01 (20:03):
Yeah, um I think definitely from seeing somebody
walking into the gym for thefirst time, and then after a
couple of months, even ifthey're working with a trainer
or not with a trainer, I thinkdefinitely seeing them be more
comfortable and confident withinthe gym itself is definitely
(20:24):
something that I'm proud of aswell as just even like somebody
tells us when they first comein, oh yeah, I'm like trying to
lose this amount of weight.
And then when they get to thatgoal, that's what we're proud
of.
SPEAKER_03 (20:40):
How hard is it for um I have found in my personal
experience losing weight iseasier than keeping it off.
Um what would you what would youtell a listener who is having
that same struggle because I'vebeen at different weights at
many different times of my life,especially my adult life?
What's the key there?
Is it discipline as well, or isthere something else?
(21:02):
Consistency, what would you sayis the most important thing to
uh once you get down to acertain weight, um, keeping it
keeping it there?
SPEAKER_00 (21:09):
Yeah, it it is that.
And uh there there for one,fitness is gonna be a roller
coaster.
Um you're gonna have your upsand your downs.
Uh, but there's things such asplateaus.
There's there that is a thing.
Uh and again, switching up youryour program, your uh shocking
your body, those are ways thatyou can not do that.
SPEAKER_03 (21:32):
You mean so just to paraphrase if I'm understanding
you, not not doing the exactsame type of workout every
single time for three yearsstraight.
Is that kind of what you mean?
Changing it up and doing somedifferent things.
SPEAKER_00 (21:43):
Definitely, definitely.
So yeah, you you will get intoyour spurts where your body gets
used to it.
Not necessarily saying that it'snot helping, but not drastically
changing.
Like if I just started gettingoff the couch and working out,
you're gonna see that shed uh ofweight fast.
And then you probably will hit aplateau.
Maybe now you start introducingmore weight training, and that
(22:07):
shops your body, and that'sgonna help.
SPEAKER_03 (22:08):
Well, it's funny you say knock so I wear a Garmin and
this little smart elect willtell me it'll tell me, you know,
productive work productive,productive, then it'll start
telling me maintaining.
Yeah.
I'm like, what?
I just ran six miles.
Are you kidding me?
What do you mean it's notproductive?
And then occasionally it'll evenget really smart.
So you're you're in recovery.
SPEAKER_00 (22:28):
That's that's a disrespectful.
SPEAKER_03 (22:30):
Yeah, that means boy, I should have been I I
could have just stayed in bed,right?
So it's interesting.
I mean, listen, I know this isnot um some perfect device
that's that's accurate oneverything, but it but it has
helped me, frankly.
Yeah, you know, um realize thatwell, maybe you know, maybe I
could have worked a littleharder today.
Yeah, maybe I could that doesremind me to go if I go too many
weeks with just running.
(22:51):
Well, I can't get back to a bootcamp, F3 boot camp or whatever,
right?
That that reminds me that, yeah,you're you're you're to your
point about um that same routineover and over.
Yes.
What about um we had this thingin F3 that we talk about?
Well, the guy who started F3 isan ex-Army Ranger.
Okay.
So we have all these acronymsthat we use that that are, but
(23:14):
uh he we have this thing calledthe King and the Queen.
The king is your fitness, butthe queen is your is your diet.
How does how does diet play intoyou know maintaining that weight
and that fitness level ingeneral?
SPEAKER_00 (23:26):
Uh diet might be 90%.
SPEAKER_03 (23:31):
So that's what I've grown to learn.
I've learned to grow to lookI've grown to believe that too.
Yeah.
Um, because when I really I wasrunning and when I really
changed my diets when I startedlosing that weight, I mentioned
before we started recording.
Yeah.
It was the diet.
SPEAKER_00 (23:44):
It it it really, it will your body will thank you,
right?
If you put in the right uh food,if you put in the right amount
of food, you gotta you gottakind of replenish everything,
right?
But your body will thank you.
Um, and you'll just startfeeling better in general.
SPEAKER_03 (24:00):
Yeah, for what it's worth for me, I don't know if
I've shared this on any of theseepisodes, but um, gosh, years
ago, 12, 15 years ago, I Isomebody gave me one of those uh
the original Fitbit.
Yep.
And I connected to an app on myphone for about two months.
I tracked everything I ate anddrank, everything.
And I was shocked.
Yep.
And mainly being a southern boy,I was putting down gallons of
(24:24):
sweet tea every week.
Holy moly.
Um, when I cut that out, andthen it was portions for me
mostly.
I wasn't eating really real bad.
I mean, there were some things Icut out, but it was mostly I was
a grabbed the bag of potatochips guy.
Yep.
Then so what I, you know, I wentto smaller plates.
I would say if I was make my ownmeal, which it's not great,
(24:46):
probably.
I instead of taking the bag withme, I would put a few on the
plate and then I would put itup.
So portions to your point, yeah,portions, and it's surprising,
and also, gosh, convenience.
Yes, processed foods andconvenience, and there's so much
sugar in these things that wedon't have any idea.
Yeah, my fit bit, I didn't haveI just wasn't paying attention.
Yep.
You know, and the thing the coolthing about an app, if like
(25:08):
that, you put something in,it'll bring it up.
Yep.
Already.
Uh, and I'd be like, oh gosh.
And then you then the math atthe end of the day, how many
calories I put in there?
Yeah.
Holy moly.
So I'm just that knowledge um becan become powerful if you don't
ignore it.
So I ignored it for a while.
Yeah, I didn't want to know.
Um, so my point there is, yeah,some of that was your that
(25:29):
knowledge, and then and I doagree that um it would be nice
if I could just go run that offall the time, but you can't.
SPEAKER_00 (25:35):
You can't.
Yeah, you gotta do more thanthat.
Gotta be a little discipline inthere too.
SPEAKER_03 (25:39):
So um what about you, um, A B?
What are you most proud ofaccomplishing or seeing occur in
the during your time in the withhigh tone or just in in the
fitness world in general?
Okay.
SPEAKER_00 (25:51):
Um there's one client that I highlight, but at
the at the end of the day, Ithink uh for high tone, it's the
culture.
Um we've we've grown a culturethat is inviting for everyone.
And I think that is that isgreat.
That comes down to everyonecoming in with a big smile,
being able to talk.
(26:11):
Uh, there's relationships builtthat that extend outside of high
tone, and I think that's abeautiful thing.
Um, but the client that I willhighlight, uh, she's an older
woman that I had.
Uh her her first thing that shewanted was, well, her goal was
something that I didn't reallyhear before.
(26:32):
Typically, it's hey, I want tolose weight, hey, I want to
build muscle, right?
Hers was, hey, I want to walkupstairs without hurting.
Oh, wow.
Um and kudos to her.
Some things we sometimes takefor granted, right?
Yeah, yeah.
And uh uh by the time we endedtraining, we had some steps
outside.
She was walking up and down thesteps with weights in her hand,
(26:53):
and it was like, it's it's it'sit's good for me.
It's like uh, you know, uh youget to see your your bird fly
away or something like that, butshe still comes to the gym
without training with me.
And uh I see her do a routinethat we went over, and it's it's
good, it's real good.
Oh, that's good to hear.
SPEAKER_03 (27:09):
Yep, yeah, it's nice to see progress, right?
Yep.
Um, and sometimes we forgetthat.
I mean, um looking down theroad, I'll start with you,
Natalie on this question.
I mean, what do you see?
You know, that classic questionis five to ten years down the
road, what does the organizationlook like?
And but it this is might be in II'm gonna ask you the same
question, A B, but first for theorganization, but then kind of
(27:31):
the fitness world in general.
What do you see?
I mean, I don't know about thefitness world, it seems like it
might not change as much, butI'm like our cause of
technology, I mean our businesschanges.
See, we don't talk in about fiveor ten years anymore, like in
our business.
We talk about two or threeyears, maybe, because things are
changing so quickly.
But why do you what do you seethe future looking like for high
tone fitness and then kind ofthe fitness world in general?
SPEAKER_01 (27:53):
Yeah.
Um, so high tone fitness doeswant to expand um within the
next five to ten years.
Uh, they do want to have more uhlocations across um the eastern
area.
Um as far as me within the fiveto ten years, um I want to have
(28:16):
graduated.
As I said, I'm in school, so Iwant to have graduated.
Nice, and I definitely stillwant to do something in the
fitness area.
Um, it is something that I'mvery passionate about.
SPEAKER_03 (28:28):
Okay, very good.
Maybe how would you answer thatone?
SPEAKER_00 (28:31):
I would like to highlight.
She's a sales director, a verypivotal uh position right now
with High Tone in Gastonia.
She's 19.
That's crazy.
It's crazy.
But, anyways, uh yes, like shesaid, uh uh Hitone is trying to
expand uh on the SoutheastCoast.
I think we have 11 locationscurrently now, and they're gonna
(28:54):
expand out.
Uh with my role as fitnessdirector of Gastonia, I would
love to expand out to be justfitness director of Hitone.
SPEAKER_03 (29:03):
Oh, okay.
Nice.
What do you see?
What's the big um like we when Igo to uh conferences and I talk
to other companies all over thecountry?
So, you know, we're in ourbusiness, we're talking about
what's the what's the big topicright now?
What's gonna be, what do wethink is gonna be happening?
Like like obviously you can'thave a conversation, I think,
with anything this day withouttalking about AI.
(29:25):
Or or you know, for us, we got alot of government regulation we
deal with, right?
Refrigerants and it but so whatwhat's coming down the pike with
uh in the fitness world?
Is there anything big, anythingyou're seeing?
Um I mean, even with the onething we try to avoid talking
ever talking about politics onthis podcast on purpose, but
(29:45):
yeah, you know, administrationschange and you know there's a
different like right now, yeah.
I I think if you're payingattention, you can't deny
there's a different discussiongoing on about health and food
and fitness in general.
Um, so does that impact
SPEAKER_00 (30:00):
you know the what's what's considered common
knowledge in the fitness worldor anything or we'll just I know
that's kind of a I I I spentabout 60 seconds asking a pretty
asking a pretty simple questionwhat's the future look like for
fitness I gotcha but uh I thinkuh I think fitness in general
we're always learning rightthere's um small cues especially
(30:21):
for even me as a trainer that Icame into the industry and
thought this is what right lookslike and then we've now know
that this is what hurts yourshoulder so so small cues that
that's good maybe uh that we'rejust developing and learning uh
I will say supplement sidepeptides are a big thing so you
(30:43):
might hear a lot about peptideslater in life but that goes more
towards our recovery aspect anduh and and that I'm a piggyback
with saying um the recoveryaspect longevity of life um is a
thing that is gonna impact thefitness world right everyone
wants to lift weights noteveryone but in general we're
(31:07):
trying to lift weights we'retrying to uh add muscle tone up
look a certain way but if we'renot doing the right thing in the
kitchen or recovering correctlywe will fill it in about 20
years so uh the recovery aspectthings like the infrared sauna
which we have and the red lighttherapy which we have and good
(31:27):
night's sleep okay yes and somesleep very underrated thing it
is yeah yeah that's I mean Iwill get much I will if I go two
or three straight nights withoutgetting a good night's sleep
I've learned that even if it's ascheduled workout day I'll I'll
I might take the day off.
SPEAKER_03 (31:41):
Yep you know just because uh again it's funny I
mean I've also I've had to learnthese things you know I'm
talking like these things likeI've always this is like a 30
year journey to to figure thesethings out for me personally.
Yep.
You know I mean the perfect weekfor me is I'm doing something
five days a week and I plannedrest days just because I'm 55
years old now and I can feel itin my you know in the joints
(32:02):
mostly if I'm overdoing it.
Another point that I that I wedidn't really talk about for
something that changed for metoo is I actually did something
smart.
I went and got fitted withproper shoes.
Because I I do run some and manchanged the game.
I was I was a certain brand foryears and I would occasionally
have Achilles pain and shinsplints.
(32:25):
I went somewhere that somebodyknew what they were talking
about.
They gave me I got better shoesand they gave me some inserts
and I haven't had a singleAchilles issue.
This was 10 years ago or shinsplint sent.
That's all because you know whatI'm saying so so there isn't
some of that again that goesback to the knowledge right and
and and then also not beingafraid to say I don't know.
That's it you know we actuallyhad somebody come to one of our
(32:46):
meet company meetings used tohave a there was a a shoe place
in Belmont there unfortunatelythey're no longer open but she
came and did a presentation toher whole company about that.
And I'm like oh geez so like thenext week I went to her place
she got a professional there gotme fitted and man it's made a
huge difference yeah made a hugedifference.
So so again I appreciate thatbecause I do think yeah things
(33:06):
are changing so fast um andagain in in all industries but
especially fitness but you wouldthink some things with fitness
and health would be commonknowledge and people wouldn't
argue about it but there doesseem there seems to be some
things so for so for the Joeconsumer the Joe you know the
the the person who's notknowledgeable this they can get
some conflicting informationcan't they?
SPEAKER_00 (33:28):
Uh yes and that's unfortunate we see a lot of um
you're gonna get influenced bysocial media oh yeah you can
almost watch the gym and seewho's watching social media and
how they work out so I I see itall the time instead of asking
instead of asking a professionalI see it all the time there'll
be people on like TikTok havinga TikTok video popped up yeah
(33:51):
why it's just setting up on theto do that right yeah that's
yeah that's funny andunfortunate you know what we
have it too in our industry aswell you know uh we'll get
called out to somebody's houseand they look something up
online and they were trying tofix it themselves or whatever.
SPEAKER_03 (34:07):
I mean and that's fine.
That's that's somebody'spersonal that's house they've
been they can do whatever theywant but boy you know some of
that um out there.
So listen is there is thereanything I haven't asked I mean
before we finish I'll make sureyou guys share location uh
social media how do how can ourlisteners get in touch with you
guys I'll make sure that'll bethe kind of the last thing we do
but anything I haven't askedthat that I should have or
(34:29):
something you want to sh makesure you share before we we got
a couple other questions we wantto ask anything else?
SPEAKER_01 (34:36):
Yes so we do have an event that we're planning it's
called it's gonna be called Fallinto Fitness that'll be next
Saturday the 22nd at ourlocation very good um we did one
back in the spring but it wasmore of a like member
appreciation event this one willbe there'll be vendors there'll
be group classes in case anybodyhasn't um been to our gym or
(35:01):
seen heard about us seen aboutus um it's free for the
community anybody can just popin um try out one of our group
classes we'll have Zumba umwe'll have stretch classes as
well as um uh like strengthtraining weightlifting okay what
about what if um let's saythere's uh somebody that a
teacher or a PE teacher or aschool or somebody somebody with
(35:23):
Gasson County schools orwhomever they happen to hear
this um would you encourage themto kind of get in touch with you
guys and and and and see whatkind of partnership or something
out at the risk of me opening mymouth I just did sorry too late
now no um we actually uhForestview one of our partner
(35:44):
schools um last year they had aclass dedicated to where they
will bring their students inthat period to our gym and we
work them out so it it is verypossible as long as they reach
out we'll schedule somethingwe'll we'll definitely assist uh
again I think rooted is gonnaalways be community outreach for
(36:07):
us however we can impact thecommunity around us for it for
the positive um that's whatwe'll aim to do well in general
too I'm I'm a believer that butthe healthier and more fit our
community is just the better offwe are yep I mean that's a
simple I mean I'moversimplifying it probably a
(36:28):
little bit but I just in generalI think that's um that's good.
SPEAKER_03 (36:30):
But so give you a chance to answer that question.
SPEAKER_00 (36:32):
Anything with that you'd like to make sure you get
out there or did she was thatthe main thing that's yeah I
think that was uh the main thingis that we do have an event and
we are always doing uh eventslike this.
Uh for this weekend Saturday wehave a special kind of boot camp
class and we I want to emphasizeboot camp because we're gonna
(36:53):
host uh the Marine recruitersall their recruits are gonna
come in and I'm gonna try toremember my military days and
put them through a great workoutto make sure but the army guys
I'm gonna give the marines ahard time yeah we're uh we'll
see we'll see about that lasttime I had Air Force people they
(37:13):
didn't last so that might havebeen a shot at the Air Force
right now.
SPEAKER_03 (37:17):
Okay that's funny.
So listen I appreciate thatagain like I said we'll make
sure we're finished with lettingyou guys share a little more
information but there's a couplequestions that we'd like to
finish with and one of these umI'll have to come up with a
different one for you Nataliebut um first question is I'm
gonna start with you now what issomething very few people know
about you getting to a littlepersonal side here maybe I don't
(37:38):
know um and you have to answer.
Yes yeah okay no pressure rightdefinitely no pressure I get
when you're 19 there's not theymight not be quite as much to
pull from huh so I need to ask AB first and let you think about
(38:04):
that for a few for for a fewminutes.
I think I got it okay all rightwe've all got to get we all have
to get back to work hereeventually and you said what was
the question that you picked upyes what is something very few
people know about you um I triedlearning French that did not go
(38:26):
well.
Okay um I do know Spanish um soI am bilingual but I tried
learning French like two tothree years ago was there
something specific or you justthought that would be cool I
just thought it would be cool Iwanted to go um to Paris okay
and I still want to go but nowI'm gonna be like lost well I
tell you I wouldn't I've beenI've been I've been lucky enough
(38:48):
to be to be to Paris once andluckily you can you can survive
yeah you can survive I mean Iwouldn't live there without
knowing how to speak French butyeah you can survive for a short
period of time without knowingum now some of them might look
at you like you know you're anarrogant American but um but you
can you can get by A B how wouldyou answer that question?
SPEAKER_00 (39:06):
Uh something that people don't know I love random
knowledge uh so I love Jeopardythat's something that no one
knows.
I love watching Jeopardy it'scrazy.
SPEAKER_03 (39:20):
Just a trivia guy you just like a trivia guy I
like I mean are you one of thosethat like when they you you know
the answer and they don't get itand you're like come on man yes
sometimes only sometimes so youknow remember this is a podcast
about Gaston County in generalsome of the good things
happening around Gaston Countyso AB I'll start with you but
why would you you've both beenhere long enough um to answer
(39:41):
this question why would you saybesides high tone fitness why
would you say Gaston County issuch a great place?
Yes so I'm probably the newestperson to Gaston County out of
the bunch but um it does feellike a tight knit uh community
especially where I am uh withinGaston County County um I have
(40:04):
three kids two of them are goingto school here another one's in
Atlanta but um two of them aregoing to school here and they
are truly I love I I like seeingthem develop right and uh part
of it is just kind of embracingwhat Gaston County is all about
um they are at Lowell Elementaryand um not Forestview yet what's
(40:26):
the other one Holbrook Holbrookyeah so it's good to see that uh
aspect and I I I truly enjoy thecommunity uh feel for it so and
also it's not too far fromCharlotte location yeah you well
yeah airport and a big if youwant that's big city amenities
bigger you can yeah it's 20minutes most days is 20 minutes
(40:47):
yeah on some to some parts of uhof Charlotte um some days it's
an hour yeah it depends ondepends on yeah it depends on
where you're going but typicallythe airport yeah that's one
advantage we have here I mean Ican 25 minutes I can get to the
airport.
Yeah and I do see Gaston Countyas growing too it sure is yeah
yeah it sure is so I'm gonnastart with you on this question
A because I'm not gonna be ableto answer I'm not gonna be able
to ask um Natalie this questionand this is typically the
(41:10):
question I like to to end withbut knowing what you know now A
B what advice would you giveyour 20 year old self?
SPEAKER_00 (41:16):
Yeah that's crazy um so knowing what I know now
living what I've lived throughuh I think the biggest advice is
to to be a sponge right um thereis gonna be moments that you are
gonna learn from someone that isyounger than you're gonna learn
(41:38):
from someone that is older thanyou uh you're not gonna always
be right so being a sponge beingopen to uh new ideas is
definitely one of the biggestthings that I would try to hold
my hat on and also um if I knewthat earlier probably would be a
better outcome.
SPEAKER_03 (41:59):
Yeah that's great.
Yeah having kids my kids are 2624 and 19 and so when they were
younger I was like I'm a dad Iknow boy when they became
teenagers went off to college Ihave learned so much from them
right they have they have reallyhelped me see um the world um
(42:25):
not so much old school.
Yep yep it really and and theirfriends I mean just yeah I
really love spending time withthem and their friend groups so
to get a dep their perspective.
SPEAKER_00 (42:36):
Correct yeah and accept that perspective and you
know and then you realize howold you are because I I still
don't know what six seven meansso shout out to my son about
yeah you know what I've askedand and I just I've I've been
told it means nothing.
SPEAKER_03 (42:49):
It's just something it's just something they do.
I don't know is that right we'relooking at all of that well is
this the first time we've had aguest younger than you here I
think it is yes shout out thereRachel you got it going on so
I'm gonna phrase this questionobviously a little differently
okay you know I'm not gonna askyou what advice you give your 10
(43:10):
year old selves but I will askin your um because you know
frankly a lot of a lot of 19year olds are not yet working
they're not yet in the realworld right so what what is the
biggest lesson let's say you'vegotten from the business the
business world going to schoolyou know there might be a a high
(43:31):
schooler listening out therethat they don't know what they
want to do.
Because surprisingly we have wehave people that actually listen
to this it's shocking.
Besides my mother um and so yeahhow well how would you answer
that question to maybe that highyoung high schooler who's trying
to figure out what they want todo now what lessons have you
taken from your you know your 19years so far that might help
(43:52):
somebody younger crazy um Ithink definitely if you don't
know what you're um wanting todo trying to find hobbies that
align with something that youwant to potentially pursue.
SPEAKER_01 (44:09):
And then also if there's like any internships out
there that you think would belike the best fit like just to
kind of get a feel for what dipthe feet in to to different
things.
SPEAKER_03 (44:22):
Yeah.
I do think it seems like I knowwhen my kids came through school
there were there were somesituations it seemed like they
were being asked to make somedecisions too soon.
You know or get in this trackget in this and boy you know I
don't know I kind of there'sdays when I feel like I'm still
trying to figure out what I wantto do.
You know I sure didn't when Iwas 20.
I had no idea.
25 I really had no idea.
(44:43):
So that's a great that's a greatpoint.
There are a lot moreopportunities so some of the
some of the things I complainabout like social media and
internet that can expose kids tosome more opportunities maybe
you know you know I had to go tothe library and look things up
or an encyclopedia that wasalready five years out of date
right the phone book.
SPEAKER_00 (45:03):
Oh my gosh you even do you know what an encyclopedia
is Rachel oh okay have you everread one looked in looked at one
okay now I'm not talking aboutWikipedia a real encyclopedia
okay yellow pages yeah we had aphone you ever seen a phone book
okay sorry no you ever seen aphone book yeah we used to get
(45:24):
them delivered and then youeveryone's number you had to
find them yeah that's actuallymatter of fact years ago that's
where we spent most of ourmarketing money I believe it was
in the phone book I believe itfor all for all the surrounding
counties and and communities nowI mean we haven't done that in
10 years 12 15 years probably wejust had yeah I remember those
sales reps used to come in hereand I'd be like oh now you're
(45:47):
doing podcasts yes go yeah gofigure so listen guys this has
been really good so um where canlisteners go to learn more
what's the physical address andjust where online can they go to
learn more and find out moreabout uh high tone fitness that
should be a sales directorquestion right yeah a little bit
(46:12):
off the top of my head I don'tthink I know the address okay
well it's on the corner of NewHope and Bayton Road in the
right beside of Foodline SouthNew Hope Road 3690 South New
Hope Road okay um or just Googleit right and just just map it
because I don't know where it'sat but uh we are in uh Foodline
parking lot we are with oursister company so if you're
(46:33):
familiar with Canal Coffee orSmoothie King we're in that same
parking lot uh but I will throwthis out there that we have two
buildings one main gym and oneseparate gym that is uh for
personal training and groupclasses so do not go to the
group class gym first if you'reinterested in the gym go to the
(46:54):
main gym which is connected tothe food line store itself and
then on social media on socialmedia we are at uh instagram for
one is at high tonefitnesscastonia um and that's
h-i-t-o-n-e correct yes sirthank you for yeah thank you for
(47:14):
clarifying that and even on oursocial media presence you'll
kind of get a feel of who we areas a gym it's not serious but at
the same time we provide greatuh informational tips as we go
through but you'll just check itout is the is the website
hottonefitness.com or yeah andthen oh it will uh prompt you to
(47:34):
select a location yeah I think Isaw that when I went um and
looked on how I how I knew youwere the sales director yeah
right off the website so listenyeah I mean I we try at least do
a little bit of research eventhough I thought you went to a
different high school beforebefore we before we started so
again I appreciate that uh guysso any any last words uh before
(47:56):
we close this episode out uhjust in general fitness is it is
not only for the physical butit's for the mental so I would
say that um if you are nervousor looking for a gym uh come to
one that is super inviting likehigh tone fitness uh again you
(48:19):
don't have to be an expert to doit it just takes consistency and
uh routine so discipline isgonna be big but we're here to
kind of provide that for you souh if if everyone's fitness
doesn't look the same alsoremember that so just jump into
it healthier life is awesomethat is anything you'd like to
(48:39):
add before we close this one outNatalie I do not okay yeah to
your point about mental healthin general yeah I find myself uh
if I got something going on Idon't know how to figure it out
or something I'm anxious aboutwhatever I yeah I'll I'll go for
a run uh put on some old musicor a podcast or something and
(49:00):
just three four five six milesor something and then it my my
mind is almost always clearerfor some reason.
SPEAKER_03 (49:07):
So um that is something that I have have have
utilized at least for me anywayum how how that works.
So guys I appreciate your timeand I'm gonna finish up with my
own quote you know or Itypically do a book
recommendation or a quote orsomething this week it's on
patience and resilience which Ithink can tie into people's
fitness journey um fitness andhealth journey but uh I'm a big
(49:28):
fan of John Adams and AbigailAdams.
I've done a lot of study of ofhistory but you can find um they
wrote letters back and forth toeach other and it's really
interesting um if you if you ifyou ever are to interest in that
kind of thing you can see if youcan online you can read some of
those letters but Abigail Adamssaid great difficulties may be
(49:49):
surmounted by patience andperseverance I think that's um I
think that's just superimportant.
And I know I'll miss the day Iused to when I was younger I
would miss a workout day orsomething I'd be oh gosh you
know okay you missed a day getup next day right just keep
going you know you just got tokeep walking so to speak so
again um guys I appreciate yourtime uh appreciate what you're
(50:13):
doing for our community to makeour you know our health and
fitness better and that doesthat does make a big difference
so I appreciate that.
So to our listeners out therethanks so much for taking the
time to listen to today'sepisode please continue to
spread the word if you can aboutthe podcast and don't hesitate
to contact us here at uh ouremail address which is podcast
at gastinsgreat.com we arealways looking for suggestions
(50:34):
for future podcast topics andguests you can find the podcast
and subscribe at the websitegastonsgreat.com or anywhere you
listen to podcasts and pleasefollow us on all our social
media platforms and apparentlyas Rachel occasionally reminds
me give us give us a good fivestar rating help us get noticed
thanks again to Natalie and A Bfor being our guests today.
Gaston's great is produced andbrought to you by Rachel Cowart
(50:55):
from GSM services.
I'm your host Stephen Longthanks again for hanging out
with us and please keep comingback to hear more reasons why
Gaston's great
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