Fitness Archives - Thrive Carolinas

Presidential Fitness Challenge: The One-Mile Run

July 15, 2026

Blog, Exercise, Fitness, Group Fitness, Health Hints, Healthy Life, Lifestyle

By Nancy A. Palermo, MD We know that when it comes to fitness, Americans are not doing well. Only about 28% of adults meet the physical activity guidelines established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and even those recommendations represent a relatively modest goal. That's one of the reasons we introduced the Presidential Fitness Challenge this summer. While earning the Presidential Award is all in good fun, the real objective is to challenge ourselves to become stronger, healthier, and more resilient. This week, we're focusing on one of the simplest and most powerful fitness tests: the one-mile run. Why Running Still Matters Only about 15% of Americans run regularly, meaning roughly 85% do not. Here's the encouraging news: if you're getting out and running, even if you have to...

The Return of the Presidential Awards: The Push-Up Challenge

June 23, 2026

Exercise, Fitness, Health, Healthy Life, Lifestyle, Running, Weight Management

Why are push-ups considered one of the best exercises? Push-ups are a highly effective bodyweight exercise that strengthens the chest, shoulders, triceps, core, and stabilizing muscles. They can improve strength, cardiovascular fitness, glucose metabolism, and overall functional fitness without requiring any equipment. By Nancy A. Palermo, MD The Presidential Fitness Award is given to those who can perform at least 25 push-ups (women) or 50 push-ups (men) in 60 seconds. One of the best things about push-ups? No gym. No equipment. No excuses. Yet many adults struggle to perform even a single push-up. So why should we make push-ups part of our daily routine? Because a single push-up can trigger measurable changes in the body related to muscle strength, metabolism, cardiovascular health, and even brain function. Imagine what 10, 25, or...

Person performing a plank exercise as part of a daily core strengthening routine

The Return of the Presidential Awards: Abdominal & Core Work

June 23, 2026

Blog, Exercise, Fitness, Health Hints, Healthy Life, Lifestyle Medicine, Nancy's articles

What are the benefits of daily core exercises? Daily core exercises help improve balance, posture, stability, and athletic performance while reducing the risk of lower back pain and injury. Strengthening the abdominal and core muscles also supports healthy aging, mobility, and overall fitness. By Nancy A. Palermo, MD Summer is here, and many of us will be showing off our abs. Of course, we want to feel more confident and look good, but having a strong core goes beyond showing off the six-pack. Having a strong core is important for balance and stability, and most sports and physical activities depend on it. Core exercises can help to define your abdominal muscles, but optimizing your diet is paramount if you want them to be more defined. Strong core muscles...

Rest & Reset: Restorative Yoga + Meditation

February 17, 2026

Exercise, Fitness, Health Coaching, Yoga

Rest & Reset: Restorative Yoga + Meditation with Sara Cain-da Costa, NBC-HWC & E-RYT500 Less hustle. More exhale. Feeling wired, tired, or just plain done? Rest & Reset is a gentle, all-levels restorative yoga experience designed to help your body soften, your mind slow down, and your stress levels drop a few notches, or ten. This is not a workout. It’s a reset. Through fully supported restorative postures, guided meditation, breath awareness, and calming sound, this class creates space for your nervous system to regulate and your body to deeply rest. You won’t be doing yoga. You’ll be being in yoga. What This Class Supports Rest & Reset is intentionally designed to encourage: Nervous system regulation Stress relief and emotional reset Improved sleep quality Mental clarity Deep physical relaxation Think of it as a reset button...

Why 10,000 Steps a Day Isn’t the Magic Number

August 4, 2025

Blog, Dr NP, Exercise, Fitness, Group Fitness, Health, Health Hints, Healthy Life, Lifestyle, Lifestyle Medicine

By Nancy A. Palermo, MD You’ve probably heard the popular health advice: “Get 10,000 steps a day.” But is this daily step goal rooted in science? The Origin of the 10,000-Step Myth Surprisingly, the 10,000-step recommendation didn’t come from medical research; it originated from a Japanese pedometer marketing campaign in the 1960s. Since then, it’s been widely adopted by health apps, fitness trackers, and wellness guidelines—despite lacking clinical evidence. What the Research Really Says A 2023 meta-analysis published in The Lancet reviewed multiple studies from 2014 onward, analyzing the impact of daily step counts on chronic health conditions. The researchers found that significant health benefits occur at much lower step counts than 10,000. In fact, just 7,000 steps per day was associated with the following risk reductions (compared to 2,000 steps/day): ...

Why You Need to Pay Attention to Body Composition

January 21, 2025

Exercise, Fitness, Functional and Integrative Medicine, Health Coaching, Health Hints, Healthy Life, Lifestyle, Lifestyle Medicine, Weight Management

Understanding your body composition is essential for long-term health and fitness. While many focus on the number on the scale, this approach can be misleading—especially if you're building muscle through strength training. Recent research highlights the importance of strength training for health, longevity, and metabolic well-being. However, body composition, not just weight, is a more accurate measure of your progress and health. What Is Body Composition? Body composition refers to the fat and lean mass percentages that make up your total body weight. Unlike weight alone, body composition breaks these elements into key components: Fat Mass: Includes subcutaneous fat (under the skin) and visceral fat (around internal organs). Lean Mass: Comprises skeletal muscle, bones, organs, fluids, and other non-fat elements. Understanding your body composition can give you a more...

Group Classes: A Prescription to Tackle the Mental Health Epidemic

September 17, 2024

Exercise, Fitness, Group Fitness, Health, Health Hints, Healthy Life, Lifestyle, Lifestyle Medicine, Yoga

In May of this year, the Surgeon General, Dr Viveck Murthy, gave an advisory on our epidemic of loneliness and isolation. He laid out a framework for a National Strategy to Advance Social Connection in this rather extensive, wordy PDF. He details recommendations that individuals, governments, workplaces, health systems, and community organizations can take to increase connection in the lives of individuals and communities across the country to improve mental and physical health. It turns out we were already doing all of the things at Thrive, but let’s think about how they might help our overall health. We are still struggling with the downstream effects of the COVID epidemic. One of the most noticeable impacts on society is the decline of mental health. We struggled before the pandemic due to...

What is the InBody 570?

August 22, 2023

Comprehensive Lab & Diagnostic Tests, Fitness, Functional and Integrative Medicine, Healthy Life, Lifestyle, Lifestyle Medicine, Weight Management

Go beyond the scale with the InBody Test, a non-invasive, quick, and accurate body composition analysis that provides a detailed breakdown of your weight in terms of Skeletal Muscle Mass, Percent Body Fat, BMR, Total Body Water, Visceral Fat assessment, and other vital measurements. Stand on the device and hold the hand electrodes. 45 Second Test Quickly measure fat mass, muscle mass, and body water. Auto-calibrated, user-friendly, and non-invasive, testing is fast and easy—stand on the device and hold the hand electrodes. No Empirical Estimations No empirical estimations are based on age, sex, ethnicity, or body type. Instead, Direct Segmental Multi-Frequency BIA technology measures body segments separately for an accurate analysis based on your unique body. Advanced Outputs Get essential outputs for evaluating overall health and wellness. Draw more insights from...

Getting to Know: Sally Perry

November 8, 2022

Fitness, Yoga

Hi! My name is Sally Perry. I’m excited to teach at Thrive because of the opportunity to connect with people with a common goal- whole body wellness and living our best life! When one attends my class, they can expect- thoughtful music, plenty of time to ground and practice mindfulness, purposeful flow, and optional hands-on assists. My hobbies and interests outside of Thrive include supporting my boys' athletics, wine tastings with my husband, being a substitute teacher at CMS, playing Mah Jongg, cheering on my Clemson Tigers, and walking my dog, Lincoln! I love to travel, and from growing up in Annapolis, Maryland, the open water speaks to me! So it's no surprise that some of my favorite places to are anywhere there is water. ...

Sally Perry Yoga

Get To Know Yoga Instructor Sarah Saxon

October 17, 2022

Fitness, Yoga

We are super excited that Sarah is apart of the Thrive Yoga team and we encourage you to sign up for one of her classes! Learn a bit more about Sarah in this spotlight! What is your name? Sarah Saxon What excites you about teaching at Thrive? The chance to connect with students on a one-on-one basis. What should students in your class expect? A combination of breath and movement, along with some nice tunes! What are your hobbies and interests outside of Thrive? I love spending time with friends and checking out the newest restaurants. I work in communications outside of Thrive. Do you have children or fur babies? My dog Finn is a whopping 11 lb blond miniature dachshund. People have told us we have the same hair. Favorite place to travel? NYC Stop by Sarah's class...

Sarah Saxon

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Presidential Fitness Challenge: The One-Mile Run

The Return of the Presidential Awards: The Push-Up Challenge

The Return of the Presidential Awards: Abdominal & Core Work

Rest & Reset: Restorative Yoga + Meditation

Why 10,000 Steps a Day Isn’t the Magic Number

Why You Need to Pay Attention to Body Composition

Group Classes: A Prescription to Tackle the Mental Health Epidemic

What is the InBody 570?

Getting to Know: Sally Perry

Get To Know Yoga Instructor Sarah Saxon

Where is a Patient to Go? Planning Unplanned Medical Care

Grilled Mediterranean Chicken Kebobs

Monday Motivation: Garlic & Gut Health

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