Top of the Town: Best Of 2019
• • • HEALTH & WELLNESS • • •
By Carrie Havranek and Amy Unger with Kristen Rinaldi
In the sixth annual Best of the Lehigh Valley competition, the stakes were high—locals cast more than 20,000 votes across 93 different categories. Why were they crowned the best? Read on to find out!
Best Fitness Class
barre3
• • • • • • • • •You’ll sweat your butt off in a barre3 class—that’s a given. But there’s more to it than that. Brittany Morse says, “Barre3 isn't just about the hour you spend strengthening and balancing your body; it's about the empowerment you carry with you the other 23 hours of the day.” And Morse should know—she first became a “barre-liever” in 2011, when she started taking classes in her then-home city of Oklahoma City. She quickly got in the groove and worked her way up to instructor. Now she owns and manages two studios of her own in the Lehigh Valley with her husband and business partner, Adam. “Our signature approach to teaching gives clients a rewarding endorphin high and a deep muscle burn—without pain in areas of the body prone to injury,” she says. It’s a mashup of sustained holds, micro-movements and cardio bursts. If you’re already feeling intimidated, Morse says, don’t be afraid to take the plunge. “Barre3 is for everyone. We don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach to exercise.” And, besides ensuring that you’ll bust a move, a barre3 class can provide nourishment for the ol’ noggin, too. “Our workouts create a halo effect,” says Morse. “You’ll leave class empowered to make healthier choices throughout the day.”
Photography by Alison Conklin
3900 Hamilton Blvd., Allentown | 610.841.8200 | 3303 Bath Pike, Bethlehem | 610.625.5955 | barre3.com
Best Gym/Fitness Center
St. Luke’s Fitness & Sports Performance Center
• • • • • • • • •The staff at St. Luke’s Fitness and Sports Performance Centers understands that when it comes to adopting a healthier lifestyle, sometimes getting started is the hardest part. “We take the guesswork out of fitness by providing our members with individualized workout programs that outline in detail everything they need to know to be successful in the gym,” says Membership, Marketing and Operations Manager Jackie Bolig. “The more we educate and inform our members about exercise and how it relates to their own bodies, the more comfortable they will feel working out.” That’s not to say that established fitness buffs wouldn’t find new ways to challenge themselves; St. Luke’s also caters to the athletically inclined with elite fitness programs, as well as tactical fitness training for first responders and military personnel. “Our clientele ranges from nine to 90 and everyone in between!” Bolig says. And for those who prefer to bust a move in the company of others, St. Luke’s offers more than 40 group fitness classes per week at its four, full-service locations spread across the Lehigh Valley.
Photography by Alison Conklin
3501 Broadway, Allentown | 610.706.0100 | grille3501.com
Best Personal Trainer
Payton Bachman, Forward Thinking Fitness
• • • • • • • • •Payton was a sophomore at West Chester University when he realized he wanted to be a personal trainer. He was in the gym watching people exercise (and making mistakes), and he started wishing he could help them so they wouldn’t hurt themselves. From that moment on, he set out to do exactly that.
Photo courtesy of Forward Thinking Fitness
6750 Iroquois Trl. Suite 12, Allentown | 610.395.9595 | trainftf.com
Best Yoga Studio
Hot Yoga Hut
• • • • • • • • •At Hot Yoga Hut, heat is pumped through special blue flame ductwork that stretches 35 feet with 60 evenly spaced flowing vents. The high-tech duct keeps heat circulating, ensuring an ideal combination of hot air and humidity. Complete with wall-to-wall mirrors and a cork underlay floor for comfort, it is truly state of the art.
2108 W. Union Blvd., Bethlehem | 610.419.1209 | hotyogahut.com
Best Boutique Workout
Sweat Like a Girl
• • • • • • • • •Sweat Like a Girl has classes ranging from spin to Tabata, boot camp, step, boxing, barre and more. Claim your first one for free!
311 B Industrial Dr., Nazareth | 610.624.3050 | sweatlikeagirl.com
Best Crossfit Training
Crossfit Advanced
• • • • • • • • •Not sure if CrossFit is for you? Do a free trial and try three classes at CrossFit Advanced. Drop-in classes are $25 and include CrossFit, gymnastics, Olympic lifting, power lifting and more.
Photography by Colin Coleman
3601 Sullivan Trl., Easton | 610.829.1070 | crossfitadvanced.com
Best Nutritionist
Angie's Way Nutrition Consultants
• • • • • • • • •Receive a customized meal and exercise plan based on your own life and schedule at Angie’s Way. Angie strives to make being healthy simple and realistic, offering continuous follow-ups and consults.
Photography by Alison Conklin