Gyms in Roanoke Rapids

Nurtured on a 3,000-acre farm in Southampton County, Royal Oak’s jumbo Virginia peanuts boast smooth flavor and a notably hefty size. Enhance dishes and make fantasy-baseball drafts more authentic with three 10 oz. tins ($14.95) or a jumbo 40 oz. tin ($13.95) brimming with salty goodness. Gargantuan appetites can opt for The Royal Feast—a quartet of 10 oz. tins stuffed with salted, choca-nut, spicy Cajun, and honey-roasted tidbits ($24.95). A 20 oz. tin of peanut squares ($9.95) or an 18 oz. tin of cashew brittle ($16.95) provides a pleasantly saccharine treat for movie night, as well as potent bird-shot fodder during hunting season.

Teaching Zumba seemed like the perfect union of passions for Gwen Hernandez. A trained dancer with more than 13 years of experience in ballet, tap, and jazz and a self-proclaimed lover of Latin culture since the first grade, Gwen joined these interests and became licensed in Zumba to share her penchant for fitness with others. During classes, she uses upbeat Latin music and dance combinations to help clients burn calories and tone their bods in a fun, energetic, and supportive atmosphere. As a licensed Zumba instructor, she is qualified to teach basic Zumba, ZumbAtomic for kids, and Zumba core classes. She also makes herself available for parties and other occasions, for which she can bring her skills and fitness routines directly to clients’ homes.

The trainers at Breakthrough Fitness focus on functional fitness—exercises that make it easier to perform daily activities. Building muscle through these types of workouts can help alleviate the strain of everything from hauling grocery bags to sitting in your favorite invisible chair. To meet that end, trainers work both the upper and the lower body at the same time to increase core strength, which also helps and avoid injury.

Studio owner Martha Boda transformed her body and mind as a Pilates student, a change so profound she decided to become a teacher. She completed her Stott Pilates certifications in mat work, Reformer training, and rehabilitative training for injuries. Now, Martha and her team of Stott Pilates-certified instructors teach small groups of students the secrets to stronger cores and healthier spines at her studio, using Reformers, spring walls, circuit training, and classic mat work.