At Reynolds Lake Oconee, there’s an emphasis on not just living, but healthy living. You see it with the 21 miles of walking trails that wind their way through our property. It’s at The Lake Club and the other fitness facilities dispersed through campus, where over 90 fitness classes across a variety of disciplines are held each week. And it was a principal component behind the design of Richland Pointe, where a new state-of-the-art Wellness Center and world-class Spa help anchor a walkable and welcoming community.
For Reynolds Members who are interested in starting or building upon their fitness journey, we have just the person to help you get back on track, start fresh, or maintain your momentum. Meet Kylie Parr – Reynolds Lake Oconee health coach and fitness instructor. We sat down with Kylie to learn more about her background, certifications, and how she is helping enrich the lives of all of our Members here at Reynolds.
Q: As a health professional, what’s unique about working at Reynolds?
A: There aren’t any other communities or Clubs like it at the moment. I think right now health is at the top of a lot of people’s list – both for our Members and those who might be moving and are looking at potential communities - and the amenities offered at Reynolds are world-class.
Q: Having a full-time, on-site health coach is a tremendous asset for Reynolds Members. What are some ways you help Members become the healthiest versions of themselves?
A: There are so many things that go into having a well-rounded healthy lifestyle. The biggest things I work on with people is how to navigate healthy eating to fit their lifestyle – no quick fix diet plans! We work on how to create balance and eat for our well-being and overall health. We also work on fine tuning workout plans, whether that’s tweaking a current plan or starting from zero. The other aspects we work with are medications people are on, sleep, stress management, and how to incorporate supplements if we feel it’s necessary.
Q: What are some of the services you provide Reynolds Members?
A: I teach a variety of our group fitness classes, offer personal training, biocircuit training, and also offer health coaching- which can mean anything from weight loss, managing health issues, or just nutrition counseling on how to live a healthier life
Q: You advocate on creating an individualized approach for each of your clients. How does this approach – and not a one-size-fits-all model – ultimately benefit each client?
A: Each person has different needs, goals, preferences, and lives. So not everyone can run 10 miles per week or spend an hour in the gym every day. And if I were to ask those people to do that, it would not stick and they’d be right back where they started. By finding what works for each person’s specific lifestyle creates lifelong habits rather than short-lived achievements.
Q: What are some ways you personalize plans/approaches to Reynolds Members individual needs?
A: I like to take baby steps to start. So when we first meet, the person will tell me all about their current lifestyle and what they want to achieve by meeting with me. From there, I know exactly what needs to be tackled first and how detailed or vague they need their plan to be. We set 1-2 things to focus on every 2 weeks, then reconvene and discuss what went well and what didn’t. That then gives me our direction for the next 2 weeks.
Q: In addition to health coaching, you also teach a number of group fitness classes to Reynolds Members. How does this balance enhance your perspective towards health and coaching and help Members achieve their healthiest selves?
A: I love that I can sit down with someone and as soon as we start talking exercise, I can either invite them to come to one of my classes, and it’s so much less intimidating to them because I’ll be a familiar face. And vice versa, if someone in class is discussing weight loss or other health-related goals, I can invite them to come sit down with me and we can make a plan.
Q: Being a former athlete yourself, how does that experience translate into the coaching you do today?
A: I really love helping people, and I love that each person presents different challenges for us to work through together. I’m competitive, so when someone comes to me with goals and challenges I do whatever I can to get them through that. I’ve had really bad coaches and really good ones, and I’ve tried taking pieces of both to either implement or stay away from.
