Meet Your Coaches
MARCUS GATES, Head Coach, Founder & CEO
Marcus has earned the following Certifications through ISSA: Nutritionist, Sports Nutritionist, Transformation Specialist, Bodybuilding Specialist and Personal Trainer with over 15 years experience in the health & fitness industry; the last 8 of which have been spent coaching over 600 clients under Thriving Lives Fitness.
Marcus is passionate about health and fitness because all of his life he has struggled with a negative self-image due to being the smaller guy; once he found that he could craft the body and life he wanted through nutrition and fitness he was hooked. In addition to his own struggles, he grew up seeing loved ones suffer in their daily lives due to lifestyle choices and lack of prioritizing themselves in a healthy way. Marcus is exceptional at building relationships and helping his clients build a high degree of belief in themselves; he wants nothing more than to see his clients succeed and thrive in their lives.
IG: @thrivinglivesfitness
RENAE HILL, Coach
Renae is a NASM Certified Personal Trainer with a love of fitness herself, but the benefits she’s gained from fitness go well beyond the gym. After struggling with inflammation, low self confidence, body image issues, anxiety, and a sense of loss of self, she decided enough was enough, wanted to get healthier and lost 25 pounds between 2021-2022. During this time figuring out the strong impacts gut health, mental health, and physical health have on her day to day wellbeing, she was able to evolve into a version of herself that gave her the confidence she’d always desired- because she finally showed up for herself everyday.
Through many gym sessions, constant trial and error to manage gut health, learning to choose healthy foods, and replacing her poor habits with ones that brought her solitude and joy, she found a new passion. Suddenly going to bed was exciting to her because she knew she’d get to wake up, go to the gym, and then come home and make her food to fuel her body for the rest of the day. She had found a new passion in health and fitness.
After months immersed in this lifestyle, she decided she wanted to help lead and empower others to experience the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. Renae highly values mental health, balance, the importance of learning and listening to your body, and the direct link between mind and body health. She believes pouring this into all aspects of your life helps achieve a positive lifestyle that helps you thrive.
IG: @renae_thrivinglivesfitness