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Happy New Year-Hamstring Injury-Body falling apart-Thyroid Stuff-Marshmallow body

GitFit101 Blog — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 23:36:00 GMT

Wow, can't believe it's been over a month since I last posted on my blog....New Years resolution-blog more!
So Happy New Year to all of you. Hope you made it through the holidays unscathed by family drama. I did! So much has been happening so I'll just start off by talking about my hamstring injury.... it's been about 18 weeks since I injured my hamstring and it's still not 100%. I went for my first run on Sunday 1/3/10 (well more like a slow trot) since the injury and although it's better than it was 4-6 weeks ago, I was really hoping that I could run a faster pace than a 13 min mile. T U R T L E P O W E R ......
There was a time when I would rebound quickly from an injury, but my body is not cooperating since graduating into my 40's a few years ago. I truly believe my body is falling apart. I am still the same weight but my body composition has changed. Maybe it's from having a slow Thyroid or being pre-menopausal. I have a marshmallow midsection. I am not proud of this, but it's there. It's squishy and I now have more rolls than Sara Lee. My husband tells me he loves my rolls and offered to butter them. Ok, maybe that was too much info, he's only trying to help me live with this different body. Damn hormones. So I will continue on my quest to win the battle of the hormones and body changes and injury and slow Thyroid. I WILL WIN!

Maintain, Don't Gain During the Holidays

GitFit101 Blog — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 18:35:00 GMT

Okay, so you made it through Turkey day, now the challenge is to make it through the next few weeks without gaining weight. The average weight gain during the holidays is 5-7 lbs. So, below are some tips on how to maintain your weight for the next few weeks....then you can go on your new weight loss plan starting Jan 1, 2010.

1. EAT BREAKFAST! - Please do not forget to eat breakfast.  Studies show that people who eat breakfast will eat fewer calories throughout the day.

2.  Exercise MORE! OMG! did she say exercise more? Yes I did. If you are going to indulge (or over-indulge) then you have to burn more energy/calories. Now, you can decide on how YOU want to exercise more. Dancing, walking, hiking, biking, golfing, swimming, are just a few ways to keep you moving. Guess what else exercise does. It helps you cope with STRESS! So exercising more during the holidays will help you maintain your weight, AND it will help you maintain your sanity.

3. Eat a healthy snack, salad or bowl of broth based soup before going to a party - Doing this will take the edge off of your hunger and you are less likely to pig out...I mean over eat.

4.  Use a plate - Putting your food on a plate will help you keep track of what you have eaten. Grazing leads to mindless eating, which leads to extra calories consumed.

5. Control your portions - Keep your portions small especially of the dangerous, creamy, cheesy, chocolaty goodies that are out there.

6. Enjoy what you eat - Take your plate, sit down and slowly savor every bite. Take time to enjoy what your are eating. Take in the smell of the food, the texture, the flavor, the spices, and also, the music, the people, and the decorations. When we take time to eat, it gives our stomach time to tell our brain, we are full and satisfied.

Good luck and Happy Holidays

Can P90X Get You "Absolutely Ripped" in 90 Days?

GitFit101 Blog — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 21:53:00 GMT

According to Christine Ekeroth, ACE Fitness Workout Watchdog September/October 2009, yes it can.

"As advertised, P90X is an intense home exercise program that can produce results, but only for those who are somewhat fit already and can maintain a heavy training schedule and use good exercise technique to avoid injury. The intensity and dedication required may be discouraging to those who are less fit or who don't have the time to exercise 60-90 minutes per day. Individuals with any physical limitations or who have been sedentary should be encouraged to choose a more appropriate program."

Fitness educator and ACE spokesperson Sabrena Merrill, M.S., had mixed feelings about P90X. She liked the pre-workout instructions to perform a fitness self-test to determine the correct resistance and level of intensity. HOWEVER, she only recommends this program to "an individual who is already somewhat fit..." She further warns "if a person is sedentary and/or very deconditioned, attempting this program could result in injury."

So if you have been working out for some time and want to kick it up, P90X might be the answer for you. If you're a couch potato, you might want to start a fitness program and maybe even higher a personal trainer BEFORE trying P90X.

PF Chang's Rock n Roll Arizona Marathon & 1/2 Marathon

GitFit101 Blog — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:49:00 GMT

I received an email from Active.com offering a $15 off coupon on the entry fee for the Marathon. Here is the link:
http://www.active.com/images/newsletters/pf_rock_n_roll/index.html

This might help those of you that have been on the fence about entering. Maybe the coupon will be an incentive to get your boooty running, or trotting or walking and trotting with a little jogging in between.... you get the point.

I'm nursing a hamstring/glute injury and I'm hoping to be healthy enuf to run a 5K next month. This injury is literally a pain in my left ass cheek. It's preventing me from walking/hiking inclines. Thank goodness I can cycle because I don't know how else I would get in my cardio workouts.

Anywho, keep moving my friends!

Anna

The Truth about High Fructose Corn Syrup

GitFit101 Blog — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:28:00 GMT

Here is an article by Becky Hand, a licensed and registered dietitian. She tries to set the record straight on High Fructose Corn Syrup.... http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=486

Thyroid Meds & Barium Test Results

GitFit101 Blog — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:21:00 GMT

Happy October to everyone. Made it to the October Fest at Tempe Town Lake on Sunday. Ate a brat, had a sip of beer and danced a little polka dance. A good time was had by all.

Results from the Barium test came back clear. So my colon, upper & lower GI are in great shape. wooo whooo!

I've been on the Thyroid meds for about 30 days and I'm starting to feel more like myself. My energy level has increased and I'm not feeling the horrible fatigue that would just cripple me. I have a follow up appointment with my Endocrinologist next month to make sure I'm not being overdosed on Thyroid medication. There are some severe side effects such as increased anxiety or heart palpitations and bone loss (which could come back to bite me in the HIP when I'm 60). I'm keeping my journal updated with any funny business my body throws at me but at the same time, I'm enjoying the feeling of having me back!

Night Time Munchies

GitFit101 Blog — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 03:59:00 GMT

Ok, I know some you suffer from the munchies in the evening (and I'm not talking about the drug induced type of munchies). I love having a snack in the evening too. Some experts say not to eat after 7:00 p.m. Seriously!? With my schedule, that's just not an option. So I've learned to snack smarter. A dozen wings right before bed, NOT smart. Plain air popped popcorn, smart. If you must have butter, go lightly! I like to sprinkle Parmesan cheese on my popcorn or on the nights that I'm wanting something spicy, I drizzle Frank's Red Hot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce, yummmmy!

If you're looking for a snack with a little more fiber, try munching on celery, carrots, cucumber or tomatoes. Eating fruit is another way to snack smart. Apples, pears, bananas, strawberries, and berries are a wonderful way to satisfy your sweet tooth.

We all know the benefits of eating veggies and fruits, so go ahead and munch away. Just remember to snack smarter!

MENOPAUSE & EXERCISE

GitFit101 Blog — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 15:58:00 GMT

The benefits of exercise are tremendous. The list goes on and on and on. But for women experiencing peri-menopausal or menopausal symptoms, exercise can be the thing that helps a woman survive this event more gracefully. Below is a link to an article from SparkPeople on the blessed subject! Enjoy the read and remember, they're not "HOT FLASHES", they're "POWER SURGES"
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=438

Barium Swallow Test

GitFit101 Blog — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 22:48:00 GMT

Ok, so I had a Barium Swallow Test yesterday. It entails you drinking Barium while the Radiologist and Tech take x-rays of your stomach/pelvic area. It helps the Radiologist see if there is something wrong with your "innards." I took a peek at the monitor during parts of the test and I could see the Barium going down my esophagus, into upper GI, and then into the lower GI. COOL! I had this test to rule out GI problems. I've been having a mystery pain in my pelvic/abdominal area for several months. Me and my docs are trying to find out what is causing the pain. I'm waiting to hear from my doc regarding the results.

This is a fasting test, so no food or drink after midnight. I recommend that you get a very early appointment the next day that way you won't be hungry for an entire day. Also, you may get a little constipated or experience some bloating and/or gas! Lastly, don't be alarmed if the day after your test you see a white poo nugget in your toilet. The Barium turns your poo white as a Beluga Whale. Beluga Whales are cute. My white poo was not! If you would like to see a picture of my poo, no just kidding, if you would like to see a picture of a Beluga Whale click on the link and imagine a small version of that swimming in your toilet bowl.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beluga_(whale)

Anna's Log

GitFit101 Blog — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 17:45:00 GMT

Captain's Log - Day 3 - 9:12 a.m. - Thyroid meds taken. Have not left the compound. Weather a factor in leaving compound. Disposition of inhabitants unknown. Will venture out later.

Colonoscopy & Blood Work Results

GitFit101 Blog — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 02:28:00 GMT

Yesterday, I received the results of my polyps. They are benign. NO colon cancer. I am relieved. Whew!

I also received the results from blood work I had done at my Endocrinologists office. NO diabetes!

However, my Endocrinologist has put me on Thyroid medication because of where my TSH number is, but more importantly, because of my symptoms (extreme fatigue, moodiness, brain fog, memory loss, muscle cramps, muscle weakness, heavy menstrual cycle...there's more).

Of all the symptoms that I'm experiencing, the fatigue/tiredness is the worst. My friends and my husband have knick-named me spaz because I'm always on the go. But I'm not like that anymore. I am tired ALL DAY LONG! No matter how much sleep I get, I'm TIRED! If I stop to sit down for a few minutes, I fall asleep! It's awful! My friends have stopped asking me how I am because the answer is....I'M TIRED!

According to my doctor, it might take up to 2 months to see any change. I'm willing to wait.

My Colonoscopy

GitFit101 Blog — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 16:31:00 GMT

I had a colonoscopy yesterday. The first one every, but I'm sure it won't be the last because I'm "gettin' up there" in age. This whole thing started several months ago when I made an appointment with my doctor's PA to figure out why I my pelvic/lower abdomen was in so much pain. Lots of procedures were ordered and performed since June to exam my "woman parts" and those procedures came back with normal results except for the Fibroids in my uterus. However, I've been told by 2 OB/GYN's, a PA and my primary doctor that Fibroids my size does not cause pain. Ok, that's great news but I was, and still experiencing pain. So my primary doctor ordered a Colonoscopy. Several months ago I had a couple of black tarry bowel movements. I know, I know, for some of you reading this you're probably thinking "TMI (too much information)". I look at my poo. I take a minute or 2 to exam what I have left in the bowl. To some of you that may seem gross, but poo can tell you a lot of information about what is going on inside of you. My husband sent me this link on poo: http://elitefts.com/documents/shit.htm You can also go to: http://www.poopreport.com/and get some great information on poo color, texture and consistency. Each of these things can tell you a lot about your poo.

I made an appointment with a Gastroenterologist. He exam me and did NOT think I presented with typical GI problems. However, he did send me home with a poo sample kit to test for Occult Blood. If you would like more information about the test, WebMd has great info: http://www.webmd.com/colorectal-cancer/fecal-occult-blood-test-fobt

The kit contained 3 popsicle sticks, tissue paper (to catch your poo) and a card with 3 separate windows to smear your stick onto. Each window had 2 squares to smear your poo. I was instructed to take a sample from 2 different parts of my poo (beginning & end or in the middle). For 3 days I took samples of my poo. After I took my samples (and let the card dry for 24 hours), I put the sample card into the biohazard envelope and sealed it up. The next day, I delivered the poo sample kit to my Gastroenterologist. I received a call 3 days later informing me that blood was found in my sample and I needed to have a Colonoscopy.

When I got that call, I was terrified. My Grandfather (mom's side) had colon cancer and my mom had polyps removed earlier this year. Her polyps were non-cancerous, whew! My Gastroenterologist's office was awesome! They talked to me over the phone and answered my questions and the packet of information I recieved a few days later, was loaded with great information and tips.

The day before you have a Colonoscopy, you have to do a "bowel prep." That means you have to clean out your pipes. If you do NOT follow this step properly, your doctor will have a tough time seeing what's going on inside your colon and you might end up having to do this again. So get it right the first time. I was given a prescription for Halflytely to help with the cleansing process. I took 2 pills and drank a solution to start the cleansing process. I received some tips from my clients and doctor's office—use baby wipes with aloe, or Vaseline or eucerin to cleanse the delicate tissue of your bottom. I used all of them. I did have to get up several times during the night because of the sensation of having to go. By that time, I was shooting water out of my butt. Kind of a weird sensation.

The day of the Colonoscopy, I could not drink any fluids or eat. I suggest having a Colonoscopy early in the morning. You really don't want to be fasting and thirsty very much longer than 24 hours. At the Endoscopy center, I got checked in and my husband brought a book to read. The staff at Desert Endoscopy was awesome. They prepped me for the procedure and wheeled me back to the procedure room. Before I was sedated, I was given an opportunity to ask my doctor questions, which I did. After my questions were answered, they sedated me with Versed and Demerol. I did not experience any pain during my procedure. I was groggy but I was awake enough to watch the scope on the monitor. I even saw the polyps being removed. I'm kind of a freak like that. It took about 20 minutes for my doctor to get in and out. He removed 2 polyps. Those have been sent to a lab to test for cancer. I will get the results in 10-14 days. Everything else looked great.

I was wheeled into the recovery room to let the sedatives wear off and to fart. Yes, you have to fart. Don't be surprised if there are several other people in the recovery room with you farting. It's part of the process. My nurse pressed on my stomach to get the farting process going. The guy next to me was letting them rip! Anyway, my doctor brought in pictures of my colon and the polyps, along with a diagram of where the polyps were found. Cool! I was told that I could eat but to start off with a shake or smoothie and then progress to solid food. When I got home, I slept for about 3 hours and just took it easy the rest of the day.

Today I am fine. I went for a walk this morning with my dog and I don't feel like there was a scope in my butt. Hey, I'm gonna give it to ya straight! Here's another link on the procedure. http://video.about.com/coloncancer/A-Colonoscopy--What-to-Expect.htm

When I get the results of my polyps, I'll let you know.

Low Testosterone in Men

GitFit101 Blog — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 18:13:00 GMT

I was talking to Bud, a member at the local YMCA where I work. He noticed that I was super tired that day and asked what was going on. I told him that I've been tired for over a year! I told him that I changed my multi-vitamin 3 times, tweaked my diet, got sleeping pills to help me sleep but that I'm still tired! Everything I said, he shook his head in agreement. He then shared that he has been going through the same thing. He told me he started noticing a change about 8 months ago. So he tried changing up his supplementation. He also changed his diet. Those changes helped with the immediate symptoms like muscle cramping, but it did not take care of the fatigue and tiredness that's plagued him. So he made an appointment with his doctor. He explained to his doctor his symptoms and how long they've been around. So, she ran a hormone panel on him. The results were low testosterone. Bud's levels were so low that he should have turned into a woman. Ok, I'm sorry for that....really bad joke! Depending on the lab ranges your doctor uses, the typical male testosterone level is between 250ng/dl to 850 ng/dl. Bud's levels were in the low 200. His doctor prescribed testosterone for him. It will probably take several weeks for him to see results but at least the mystery was solved.

If so, whether you're a man or woman, you might want to think about getting your hormones checked out especially if you've NOT been feeling like yourself lately. It only takes visit to your doctor's office to have blood work done. I'm going in for my blood work next week Tuesday.

Recipe: Mexican Pork Tenderloin

GitFit101 Blog — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 14:36:00 GMT

Mexican Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients

MARINADE
1/2 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 chipotle peppers, canned in adobo sauce, finely chopped
3 tbsp cider vinegar
2 tbsp orange juice
1 tbsp sugar
2 tsp canola oil
1 tsp chopped fresh oregano
1.5 lbs pork tenderloin

RUB

1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup sliced avocado
1/2 cup salsa

Directions

1- In a skillet, cook onion and garlic over med-high heat until onions are transparent, about 7 minutes. Puree in blender with the chipotle, vinegar, orange juice, oil, and oregano. Cover with marinade and chill overnight—12 hours.

2- Preheat grill to med-high heat for indirect heat. If using a charcoal grill, push the coals to one side. If using a gas grill, heat only one side to high and the other side to medium.

3- In a small bowl, combine cumin, salt and pepper. Remove pork from marinade and blot dry with paper towel. Discard marinade. Rub with the spice mixture. Grill pork for 10 min, turning once, or until center temp reaches 155F. Let stand for 10 min. before slicing.

4- Slice into 4 pieces. Top with avocado and salsa.
Serves

Article from Spark People on What to do After a Workout

GitFit101 Blog — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 23:42:00 GMT

Thought this article would be a great addition to Tuesday's blog.
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=117

Enjoy!

Sincerely,

Anna

Starting an Exercise Program-It's time to GIT FIT!

GitFit101 Blog — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 20:53:00 GMT

You’ve received the ok from your doctor to begin an exercise program. You’ve found value in exercising and you’re now done with the excuses. If you are a true beginner, you will want to start off slowly and carefully.

Ideally you will want to do a strength training routine, 2-3 times per week. In the beginning, you may only be able to do one strength training session per week. That’s ok. You build your foundation and then work your way up to 3 times a week. A general rule for strength training is to give your body or the major muscle groups you exercise a minimum of 24 hours of rest and/or recovery before excising them again. You will experience muscle soreness or Delayed On-set Muscle Soreness. This is normal. Pain is not. If your muscles are still sore after 24 hours, give your body another 24 hours.

Always warm-up before beginning a strength training session and always cool-down. Your warm-up time is anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes. You can walk briskly, jog, elliptical, cycle, row, or use the stair stepper to warm up. Or, you can perform dynamic warm-up exercises such as jumping jacks, lunge stretches, butt kickers, high knees, mountain climbers, skaters, etc. In your warm-up, you want to start sweating. This is a good sign that your body is warm and ready for the next step.

After you are thoroughly warmed up, start by doing basic exercises such as push-ups, plank, crunches, pull-ups, chin-ups, lunges or squats. Or if you have a membership to a fitness center or gym that has strength training machines, you can use their machines. Be sure to ask for assistance on proper use.

Push-ups, Pull-ups, or Chin-ups are a great all-over exercise. It takes a lot of upper body strength to do these exercises. Never underestimate the power of the push-up. And ladies, it’s a beautiful thing to see a woman do a perfect push-up, let alone 10!

For the Pull-ups and/or Chin-ups, you will need a bar. Most sporting goods stores sell them for around $40. It’s a great investment. And no, it won’t hurt your door jam. My husband and I have one and we have yet to pull down the house.

Plank is a great core builder. Some people hold plank from their hands with arms locked and others perform this exercise on their forearms. It’s your choice.

Crunches….I think everyone knows how to do a crunch.

Lunges and squats are a great lower body exercise. Not only do they build strength and power, but they make your butt look great. Ok, this is probably meant more for the ladies….however, guys, us ladies like looking at your butts too. If you have never done a lunge, you may need to hang onto a wall, chair, table, or counter. Give yourself several weeks to build strength in your legs before letting go of your support. Squats are a little more familiar to most people. When you sit down in a chair and get up from a chair, you are essentially doing a squat.

For your Cool-down, you can perform the following stretches: hip stretch, hamstring stretch, lunge stretch, calf stretch, and/or chest stretch.

Visit this link to see how to perform the above mentioned exercises (and any other exercises you may be curious about). http://www.acefitness.org/exerciselibrary/default.aspx

Good luck! Hope this is helpful.

Turning "Someday" into Today

GitFit101 Blog — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 20:51:00 GMT

This is an awesome article I received today from SparkPeople....give it a read. I think you will enjoy it!

http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/motivation_articles.asp?id=388

Starting an Exercise Program Part 3 "Excuses"

GitFit101 Blog — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:14:00 GMT

Excuse: (1a) to make apology for (b) to try to remove blame from (2) to forgive entirely or disregard as a trivial import (3a) to grant exemption or release to (b) to allow to leave.

Reason: (1a) a statement offered in explanation or justification (b) a rational ground or motive (c) a sufficient ground of explanation or of logical defense; something that supports a conclusion or explains a fact (d) the thing that makes some fact intelligible.

If your doctor or health care provider gave you the green light to start an exercise program, what are you waiting for, let’s go!

But I don't have time to exercise....ALL aboard the excuse train!   If you watch TV for 3-4 hours a night, you have time. If you're on the phone talking/texting your friends for hours, you have time. If you are playing video games for hours, you have time. If you are Facebooking for several hours a night, you have time. Again, this all goes back to you finding value in your reason to exercise or make changes in other areas of your life.

Some of you right now are trying to find other excuses that will keep you from starting an exercise program. If this is you, you need to stop reading this blog and come back when you are ready to make the change.   Change will NOT happen until you are ready to make it happen.

If another excuse is lack of money to join a club or hire a personal trainer, NEWS FLASH! Stretching, walking, hiking, dancing, running are ALL free! Push-ups, squats and crunches can be done for free in your home, office or a park.

Some of you are making up more excuses by saying I don't know how to do a push-up, squat or crunch. The time you're using to watch TV, talk/text on your phone, or play video games can be applied toward visiting the website of American Council on Exercise. They have a wonderful "Exercise Library" with very detailed instructions on how to perform an exercise. www.acefitness.org/exerciselibrary/default.aspx

Start with exercises you can do comfortably and safely, like walking. If you are a true beginner, start off by walking 5 minutes every day for a week or two. Look at each day as a mini-goal and build up from there. It will take several weeks to get into a routine, but before you know it, you’re power walking for 30 minutes or more. Oh yea!

As for strength training exercises, again, start off with something you can do safely, like a push up. Ok, I’m hearing groans and moans and probably a few curse words. Look, I could not do a push up to save my life. Yes, I was a beginner too. I started doing push ups on my knees then worked up to push ups on my toes. My husband had to help me with those. I had him put his bath robe strap around my waist and stand over me. As I struggled to push off the floor, he would assist by pulling up on the bath robe strap. I was so happy the day I did ONE push up without his help that I jumped up and did a little "oh yea" dance. He looked at me like I was from another planet.

Anyway, the key is to start off slowly and build up to a routine you can do every day. Also, try not to look at exercise as a burden. Do stuff you’re going to enjoy doing today, tomorrow and the rest of your life. I LOOOOVE to dance so I dance like a maniac in my house, with the curtains closed so my neighbors don’t call 911 because they think I’m having a seizure.

If you have kids, they are the best personal trainers and they usually don’t charge. They will have you doing crazy stuff, and the benefits of playing with your kids goes way beyond your health today, it will last a lifetime. I have a fond memory of my mom playing badminton with me and my brother that cracks me up every time I think about it, and I’m 42 years old. So use your built in personal trainers and see how much fun you have them.

If you don’t have kids but have a dog, take your dog for a walk or a hike or play catch/fetch. My dog Zavi loves to go on walks around the neighborhood and we hike South Mountain too. Again, do stuff that you’re going to enjoy doing.

If you are you done making excuses, it’s time to GIT FIT and get off the excuse train.

Starting an Exercise Program Part 2 "Value"

GitFit101 Blog — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 21:56:00 GMT

If you’ve received the ok from your doctor to start an exercise program, that’s awesome! Having your doc on board will only help you succeed in your endeavor! Whoa, not used to using big words.

Ready, set go! Get out a piece of paper and write down your reason(s) for starting an exercise program. Be honest with yourself. During this process, evaluate other areas of your life as well. How are things at work? How are your finances? How are your relationships with your spouse, family or friends? Are you nurturing your spiritual self?

You might think that this has nothing to do with starting an exercise program, but it does. All of these are part of your overall wellness. If you are struggling in other areas of your life you might not have the energy to even think about exercise. Writing down your reasons for making a change in your lifestyle will help you find value in all of this. If there is no value to you starting an exercise program, you are likely to fail.

Let me give you an example of what I mean:

My reason for exercising is not because I’m a personal trainer, it’s because I have high cholesterol. It’s hereditary. I found value in exercising AND eating a healthier diet. When I ate better, my cholesterol went down. Other "strange" things happened when I made these changes. I lost weight, I lost body fat, and I reduced my risk of getting diabetes. Yes, Diabetes runs in my family too. Don’t get me wrong, I still have my chicken wing and beer moments, just not on a weekly basis like I did in the past. I found value in making these changes.

Have YOU found the value in your reasons? What are you waiting for, get to writing!

Starting an Exercise Program

GitFit101 Blog — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 02:10:00 GMT

This past Saturday, we had a YMCA member die from a heart attack while doing his cardio. Working out around him was a doctor, 2 nurses and couple of guys from the fire department. We did all we could but he did not pull through. I've been asked by other Y members if he was in "good shape." He was not obese. He looked like an average 50 year old man. I won't ask the family because I feel it's insensitive. Also, I'm not sure if it really matters at this point.

So, if you are thinking about starting ANY exercise program, please talk to your doctor or health care provider. It's really important that she/he know what you are about to do. For some of you that are considered high risk, or even moderate risk, a responsible personal trainer will not start a program until you get a physician's clearance. I know it may seem like a hassle getting a note from your doctor, but it could save your life.