BABES IN HART: ANNA WHITE

ANNA WHITE

Meet Anna White, a dynamic fitness instructor based in Charleston whose passion for fitness and mindfulness defines her vibrant presence.

Beyond sculpting bodies, Anna prioritizes nurturing minds and spirits. She reminds her students to acknowledge both the physical and mental transformations that occur during their practice, and encourages others to embrace outdoor workouts, from surfing the waves of Isle of Palms to running the iconic Ravenel Bridge, or cooling off with a refreshing swim at Martin Luther King Pool.

With Charleston as their playground Anna enjoys the city with her girlfriend, Bree Mason, while relishing beach days, sunset bike rides, and quiet moments with their dog. Anna’s life and work are beautifully reflected in her choice of HART jewelry, with each charm symbolizing treasured memories and connections.

We met her at the HYLO studio to see how she sweats in her HART jewelry, and couldn’t pass up the opportunity to photograph her and Bree enjoying a few martinis together at happy hour.

Tell us about the signature class you teach at HYLO. What makes it unique? How did you go about formulating it?

I teach PULSE at HYLO, which takes aspects of pilates, barre, and dynamic core and cardio exercises to make a one-of-a-kind workout class. It’s heated to 90 degrees, which makes it extra spicy. Everything is to the beat of the music, so it’s a very fun 45-minutes. It’s ass-kicking, but in the best way.

What are your non-negotiables for maintaining a strong body and healthy mind/spirit?

Not only is it important that the exercise of choice makes you feel physically good, but it should also do the same thing for your mental health. I say after every class, “Notice the physical change in your body. Your heart rate, your breath, your sweat. Now notice the mental change in your body. The growth, resilience, strength.” Mental growth is just as important as physical growth.

Modify, modify, modify. Trainers should implement modifications in class, but if they don’t, ask for a modified version if something doesn’t feel right. Always advocate for yourself! I say in class, there is a difference between something being hard and something hurting. If something is hard, dig deep to find that extra push. If something hurts, your body is telling you to stop, so let’s find a different approach or take a rest. And I think the same is true outside of the gym.

Where do you see yourself growing in the fitness and/or mindfulness industries?

As I grow and develop in the fitness industry, linking mindfulness to movement is something I will continue to do. We know from extensive research that the mind-body connection is a strong one, and wherever I go with my instructor journey, I will advocate for the mental and physical growth of those in my class. For now, I continue to do that through HYLO.

It’s a beautiful day in Charleston, SC - what are you and your girlfriend Bree up to? What does your ideal date night look like?

We are big fans of the beach. We will load up late morning and meander back in the late afternoon. After a quick porch nap, we hop on our bikes and ride down to grab a glass of wine at sunset. We usually end our day with a delicious home-cooked meal and a long walk with our dog.

Can you inspire those who want to workout sweat outside in the sunshine this summer and switch up their routine - where are your favorite places to work out around town? (can you give a few examples - i.e. surf at folly, run the bridge, stairs at hagood stadium, get creative!)

I just recently began to learn how to surf, which is quite the workout. I go out to IOP since I am a beginner and the waves are smaller, but I’ve heard Folly has great surfing. We live really close to the bridge, and I LOVE running halfway up and back. It’s great for biking or walking, too. I also love running around Hampton Park, and then doing a quick HIIT routine outside in the park. My friend and I will occasionally swim laps at the Martin Luther King Pool downtown, which is open to the public and is only $2 for city residents. We also bike or walk pretty much everywhere!

How does your HART jewelry tell your story? Can you tell us about the charms you selected and what they mean to you?

I’ve worn HART jewelry for about 4 years after Hamida introduced me to Hart herself. I fell in love with the gorgeous chains and dainty charms. For this shoot, I picked the belcher chain with a slider for my charms. I picked a green evil-eye because Bree’s favorite color is green. Also, I love bright greens for spring and summertime.

I added a butterfly to symbolize Bree’s tattoo on her arm, which is in memory of her grandmother. I finished off the piece with a four-leaf clover, paying tribute to the lyric, “And I can be your lucky penny, you can be my four-leaf clover.” This is from the song “Starting Over” by Chris Stapleton, which Bree and I have danced to many times in our small kitchen.