Editor's Note: This article is an online extra paired with our Jan/Feb '21 feature, "Roanoke Strong." You can read the featured preview here.
In its seventh annual study, SmartAsset crunched the numbers to find the most fitness-friendly places nationwide (especially as the COVID-19 vaccine will hopefully have gyms up and running at full capacity soon).
The Roanoke area cracks the top 25 places to get physically fit in 2021, out of the 301 metro areas analyzed. The full report from SmartAsset, including methodology and key findings, can be found here.
To kick off the new year, we asked a group of health-and-wellness pros to talk about the places, spaces and communities in the Roanoke Valley that help them stay focused, healthy and strong, 365 days a year. Here’s what they shared.
The Trainer: Diane Simmons
Diane Simmons became a respiratory therapist because she wanted to help serve her community.
“Because I am an asthmatic, I was drawn to respiratory therapy,” she says. “While earning my B.A degree from Virginia Tech I studied racial inequalities, one of them being health disparities. Many African Americans suffer from asthma, so I thought it would be a cool way to incorporate my different areas of expertise to help others.”
But several years into her career, she faced an uncomfortable epiphany: maybe the person who needed her help most … was herself.
“I was probably the heaviest I've ever been, over 200 pounds… and I'm only five feet tall!” she says. “Through learning about respiratory therapy and how weight affects asthma and your breathing … I decided, listen, you’ve got to lose some weight.”
Inspired to be a better example for her patients, Simmons gradually began incorporating healthy dietary shifts and workouts at the gym, shedding 80 pounds in the process. Before she knew it, others started asking her to help them get healthier, too, and she decided to become a trainer. Her business, Simply Fitness by Diane, is well-loved for its high-energy outdoor fitness parties, thoughtfully designed nutritional programs and online training groups. The company celebrated its five-year anniversary in 2020.
“Looking back [at] all that I've been through and the things that I've learned, it's all come together, because there's so many people that need help with weight management and healthy living -- especially women, and especially people in the African American community,” she says. “So it all kind of combined together, and I was able to be an agent for social change through weight loss and fitness.”
As she reflects on her journey, here are Simmons's thoughts for staying strong.
Q: What places in the community keep you committed to your health when you’re not working out – maybe a favorite restaurant, a place for a great massage?
Simmons: I like to go to restaurants that have organic foods, that [are] clean, that are supportive of a healthy lifestyle, and one of those restaurants is CoreLife … They have great food! …
… I [also] definitely like Queen’s food [of Royal House of Vegan] … It's something different, because you don't have a lot of vegan restaurants, [and] especially Black women that are vegan and live that lifestyle, so she adds little extra razzle-dazzle, a little pizzazz, a little soul to the food.
Q: Are there any special places you enjoy working out when you’re not in the gym? Maybe a favorite park, trail, or paddling spot?
Simmons: Kennedy Park! Kennedy Park is great because they have this huge court that's paved and flat, and you can do all types of exercises there.
Q: How do you connect locally with others who will support your goals?
Simmons: I am a homebody, so a lot of my finds are on Facebook, through Facebook groups. I actually have a group with Kat Pascal [of Farmburguesa] called Burgers and Boot Camp ... There are 500-600 people in that group that are constantly talking to one another and getting inspiration from each other… Monica Brooks from K-92 has a group, too, called Fit Chicks! (Virginia Blue Ridge). There’s quite a few people in that group that are fitness professionals, that are novices … newcomers … beginners. So that's a great mix of people there to come together for the same goal.
Want to find out more about Diane’s high-energy outdoor fitness parties and online training groups? Go to simplyfitnessbydiane.com.
The Hot Yoga & Cycle Queen: London Ray-Dykstra
After marrying and moving to Roanoke in 2017, London Ray-Dykstra began the hunt for a studio that offered a mix of hot yoga and high-energy cycling classes – ideally in a space that didn’t feel like a gym.
When she couldn’t find what she was looking for, she decided to create it herself.
Today, Hustle/Haven, which Ray-Dykstra co-owns, is billed as “a haven from your daily hustle.” It’s a chic boutique gym that feels more like a spa for self-care. Upstairs, the yoga studio is awash in the bright colors of a mural by local artist Maggie Perrin-Key, complete with an airy sky-blue ceiling. The nearby potion bar offers a place to relax with friends over coffee or a signature adaptogenic drink – whether that’s a ginger matcha, a collagen-infused “Glow Up,” or a Sunrise Latte with saffron, turmeric and Ashwagandha. Downstairs, the cycle studio is moody and dark, with a sparkling disco ball, flashing lights, and pulsing music that reverberates into the nearby hallway.
Ray-Dykstra has built a space that’s hard to want to leave… but when she does, here are the local spots that keep her committed to wellness.
Q: What local spaces help you nourish yourself or stay healthy?
Ray-Dykstra: I’m a food person. I’ve worked in the food industry for years, so for me, taking that time to not be rushing around but actually sit down and have a nice meal is very important to my wellness. For me, the places I love are Fortunato, Lucky, Stellina.
Q: Where do you enjoy working out when you’re not at Hustle/Haven?
Ray-Dykstra: I’m a non-fitness fitness person. I don’t enjoy going to the gym, at all. Bright lights, smells like rubber -- I don’t like it. So for me, I love getting outside … Walking on the greenway or family bike rides … also walking downtown… Roanoke’s got a very cool downtown, and people should embrace it!
Q: Where do you go locally to find a healthy community that will support your fitness goals?
Ray-Dykstra: You know, one of the first things that I got to experience when I moved here was GO Fest. And I thought, wow, this is such a cool thing that Roanoke does… Those are people who care about moving their bodies… They like to ride their bikes, get out and kayak and paddleboard…
I was [also] so excited when Earth Fare was opening, because you’re going to find like-minded people there… I’m there almost every single day.
[And] the Downshift community has been amazing… Even though I don’t ride bikes outside seriously like they do, they’ve built their own community, and it’s a great space, and it’s so cool. I love that they do these community rides for everybody.
Q: Is there anyone working in the local wellness community who’s inspiring you right now?
Ray-Dykstra: Becky Swanson [of Bloom & Shine Energy Alignment]… She’s an energy healer and coach. I think what she’s doing is amazing… [And] Dr. Jenna Montana [of Cultivate Wellness, LLC] … Also, I really like everything that Erica Austin is doing with Roanoke Yoga. She makes yoga really accessible and really fun by all these events she’s doing, like goat yoga, yoga in the sunflowers… Cool stuff!
Q: Do you have any advice for folks who are just starting out on their wellness journey?
Ray-Dykstra: Be gentle with yourself. Make a small change … If you go against the grain, it’s not going to stick, and then you’re going to be upset with yourself and beat yourself up… So even if it’s that you’re going to take a walk every night, well, go around the block once. And then the next night, maybe you go around the block twice. It doesn’t have to be everything all at once, but I do think there is a domino effect.
Want to find out more about Hustle/Haven’s class offerings? Go to https://hustlehaven.com/.
The CrossFitter: Tamalyn Tanis
When former Cave Spring volleyball coach Tamalyn Tanis tried her first CrossFit workout, she was instantly hooked. Attracted to the emphasis on strength and the high-energy, community-oriented group training, she decided to share her new passion with others when she purchased Roanoke Valley CrossFit.
Here are some of the local spots that help her stay strong.
Q: What’s the most rewarding part about being a fitness pro?
Tanis: It's just when the light bulb goes off … When they get the movement… It could be a box jump; it could be a pull up; it could be toes-to-bar… There are weightlifting moments where they finally catch that bar in the right position, on a clean or snatch, and you see it … You see how easy it was because they did it correctly... [and] you celebrate with them. That’s the fun part about being a coach that you don't get just as being an athlete.
Q: Where do you go to get a great work-out when you’re not at CrossFit?
Tanis: The biggest thing that we do as a family is we just go back and forth to Smith Mountain Lake … paddleboard, kayak, go for a run. I have neighbors down there that love to work out with me when I'm there, so it's like I have another little network there of accountability … a little bit different variety, but still functional fitness, in a way.
Q: Are there any local spots that help support you in your fitness journey … maybe a nourishing place to eat, or a place for a great massage?
Tanis: Christina LoFaro [of Thai Massage by Christina] … She is so good with mobility, yoga and massage… I could just spend hours with her.
Q: Is there anybody in the local fitness community who’s inspiring you right now?
Tanis: Mountain Junkies! I like what they do with their trail run series … [And] Fleet Feet and RunAbout Sports are both doing a great job of providing introductory programs to encourage people to get started … I admire anybody who's trying to help other people, because I think that's why we're in this … We want people to be healthy. We want them to come do what we're doing, because we love it!
Q: Do you have any advice for folks who are just starting out on their fitness journey?
Tanis: Find something you love – it doesn't matter what it is – and surround yourself with people that will encourage you, motivate you, and maybe even inspire you. Fitness can be intimidating but I know I want people to enjoy what they do so that they look forward to it and integrate it into their lives.
Want to find out more about Tanis's work at Roanoke Valley CrossFit? Go to www.roanokevalleycrossfit.com.
The Aerial Silks “Artivist”: Lynsey Wyatt
Watch Lynsey Wyatt perform one of her aerial acrobatic acts – gripping and climbing long panels of fabric to dizzying heights, then spinning back to earth – and it’s hard not be arrested by the moment’s magic. This is strength with a little stardust … physical activity with an elegant edge.
But Wyatt's work – in public performance and at Cirqulation, a downtown circus-arts studio that teaches flexibility, inversion and aerial conditioning – is about something deeper, too: radical self-acceptance and healing. Here’s what Wyatt has to say about the rewards of being an activist/artist, and about the Star City spots that keep her strong.
Q: What’s the most rewarding part of doing what you do?
Wyatt: I've always loved to move but I haven't always felt safe in fitness spaces. The most rewarding part for me is holding space that is radically affirming and allows people to find joy in their bodies and feel safe pushing their limits.
Q: What local spots keep you nourished and committed to health when you’re not in the air – maybe a favorite restaurant or spot for massage?
Wyatt: Roasters Next Door (RND Coffee). I absolutely love them … Personally, I like to support businesses where I feel like my values are represented, and their emphasis on community and [the] space that they've built outside during this pandemic for people to still be able to meet has been super helpful for keeping me energized and fueled by their amazing coffee…
The other place is Garden Song Eco Café [founded by interviewee Maya Ittah]… They're locally sourced. They emphasize sustainability … And I absolutely love supporting women-owned businesses, as well… That's where I feel the most energized to continue doing what I do.
Q: Where do you go to exercise when you’re not in your studio?
Wyatt: I love the Greenway! … There's a spot right by Black Dog Salvage that has some exercise equipment, and I've told a lot of my students … outdoor space is free! You can still maintain some of your conditioning by going there and just doing the exercises that you already know how to do.
Q: Is there anyone in the local health and fitness industries who’s inspiring you right now?
Wyatt: Lisa Linger is the owner of Mental Health in Motion, and she's a dancer and close collaborator of mine, and I adore the work she does … Her company does amazing things with mental health education … Mental health is so stigmatized, unfortunately, in our society. But I think taking a creative approach to educating people about it can really help break down some of that stigma, and it also builds empathy … And dance is such an amazing avenue to express that, because you really feel the connection between people and the stories they tell.
Want to see more of Wyatt's work? Go to https://www.cirqulation.com/.
The Holistic Health Practitioner – Maya Ittah
When Maya Ittah opened the Haven on 5th several years ago with her business partner, she dreamed of a cozy sanctuary where folks could enjoy a massage, acupuncture, herbal remedies … even a wholesome vegan crepe from her organic, eco-conscious eatery, Garden Song Eco Café.
Now, she’s taking her mission a step further and introducing a new modality of her own creation – one rooted in her personal wellness journey. She calls it “therapeutic rewilding,” borrowing the term from ecological conservation.
“Rewilding ourselves means basically the same thing that happens to a piece of land that's been overly farmed and just destroyed by monocropping. We bring it back to a state of abundance … providing the body with the foods and the herbs and the movement that it needs,” she explains.
Here’s her take on what that’s meant for her.
Q: Where do you go to move and pursue health when you’re not in your own space?
Ittah: I have to say that when it comes to health and activity, I like to do things that feel playful … not do it because I feel like it's a thing that I have to do … I'll put up a slack line in between trees and play on the slack line and realize, wow, I've gotten a really good workout, or I'll play on the playground with the kids…
… And one of the things we really enjoy doing as well is foraging … Believe it or not, we're surrounded by food, everywhere … Recently, we probably picked about 30 pounds or more of chestnuts, because it's chestnut season, and over at Highland Park, there are these majestic chestnut trees, just dropping chestnuts … They’re right here, everywhere!
Q: Where do you go locally to find like-minded folks who will support you in your wellness goals?
Ittah: I really enjoy the Roanoke Co+op … [And] right before COVID started, I would go to the Acorn [Art] Gallery. I don't know if you've heard of it, but it's the right there on Brambleton and has really great African dance classes, drumming classes and just great art as well.
Q: Who in the local wellness community is doing work that inspires you right now?
Ittah: There are a lot of people that are doing incredible things around the community. I can start with listing my business partner [Katie Clifton of Queenpin Family Wellness] … She's looking to develop a mobile acupuncture clinic in order to serve different members of the community, which I think is so fantastic.
I love the mission of Diane Elliott [owner of Local Roots Cafe] … I just love that she is really passionate about bringing local foods to the table.
I feel like I have to mention my partner, John Lewis, because he's done a lot of work. He has been working with the community in northwest Roanoke … establishing community gardens … also teaching kids about growing foods and eating healthy … I think starting with young people and doing it that way is really great.
[And] Valerie Angle. She’s the director of the WellNest … What they're planning sounds really, really amazing.
Q: Do you have any encouragement or advice for folks just starting out on their wellness journey?
Ittah: We are all very unique … There’s not a single thing that's going to work for everybody. And so, before launching into any one thing, just take the time to tune in, and just ask your body what it needs … Pause for a moment and be like, “What draws me?”
Find out more from these health and fitness experts in our "Roanoke Strong" featured article in the Jan/Feb issue.