The New Beginnings Center

The New Beginnings Center helps financially disadvantaged women in Middle Tennessee discover the strength in themselves, inside and out, and become the healthiest they can be through individualized world-class coaching in fitness, nutrition, and behavior choice.

COVID-19 is disproportionately affecting minorities and those with pre-existing conditions. An analysis in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, published this summer, found that people with chronic conditions were 12 times more likely to die from the virus than those who didn't have underlying conditions. TNBC addresses not only physical health but also mental health, nutrition education, lifestyle, and behavior change. We know that there is more to health than just physical fitness and address whole-person health.

In order to accomplish our mission, we focus on 3 goals: 1) teach women how to create and sustain healthy eating and lifestyle behavior change; 2) help women improve their physical health, mental and emotional health, and social health; and 3) help prevent chronic disease and save healthcare costs. We do this through our signature, year-long program, as well as a modified version of our program at community partner locations around the city of Nashville and supplemental workshops led by industry professionals.

Our year-long program consists of 24 in-person fitness, nutrition, and behavior change coaching sessions, followed by 9 months of additional exercise classes (up to 3 per week) and continued nutrition and lifestyle coaching support as needed.  We also hold workshops once a month that are open to anyone in the community, and are meant to be supplemental to our programs. We have brought in industry experts on financial planning, stress, mindfulness, art, meal prepping, and more.

New Beginnings had to shift to online programming in the midst of COVID-19 and has had several successful classes. Staying connected with our clients and helping them through the stress and uncertainty of the pandemic was a priority. We started off with “Getting Stronger from the Inside Out,” which was a 4-week online program focused on everything from short term goal setting to stress management techniques to self-care. Then, in May we launched a new 6-week online program called “Create A Better Tomorrow, Today.” We partnered with several different agencies to provide expert knowledge on restorative yoga, mindfulness, living through trauma, building resiliency, and more. In 2020, we set a service goal of 550 women per year, and in spite of COVID we were able to serve 502 women. This resulted in a reduction of publicly funded medical costs by $1,142,301.

Our new fiscal year started in July and we started in-person programming again with some significant changes. On Monday evenings, all classes meet virtually for the nutrition, lifestyle and behavior change curriculum. Then, on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, two small cohorts of 10 meet in person at our Craighead facility for exercise. One of our three classes meets online for an exercise program that can be done at home using a resistance band. We will continue to assess the guidelines provided by the CDC and government officials and begin to meet with larger groups in person when it is safe to do so.