Fort Jackson MWR Fitness Blog

Hello everyone and a special shout out to all Fitness Challengers 2010!!!

This blog will be different from my regular blogs because I want to focus on our wonderful challenge participants who have decided to take control of their health.

Our challenge officially kicked off in January and will run until April 1, 2010.  Yes, there are prizes to be won, but my emphasis has always been on the real prize which is getting you where you want to be or at least on the path.  No prize can compare with that accomplished feeling.

This blog will serve to keep each of you informed, encouraged and involved.  I not only want you to read what I am writing, but I want your response.  As I mentioned during your consultations, you could be of encouragement to each other by sharing your highs and your lows with each other.  Let’s turn this into a support network.  I am sure each of you know that is my philosophy…working together.

One thing I have noticed is how wonderful everyone is looking in class!  Each of you arrives and is giving your very best.  That’s what it’s all about.  I want to talk about some things coming up that I hope each of you will take part in.  As participants in the challenge you must each remember that you are also now members of the aerobics program so you are entitled and encouraged to participate in all our activities; not just the ones I created specific for challenge participants.

With February steadily approaching, I have decided to do a Black History Month fun walk/run.  That would be a great extra activity for each of you to take part in.  Another event that begins as the challenge ends is the Cooper River Bridge walk/run event in Charleston, SC.  Every year I get a 42 passenger bus (this year it will seat 52) and driver and they taxi us to Charleston to participate in the event.  At the end of the event, we pick a restaurant and sit down and break bread over a victory meal (on you).  I hope each of you will consider participating in both of these upcoming events.  I will send you information via email and you should see fliers on display as well.

Well, that’s all I have for now.  I can’t wait to get your feedback so each of us can really work the blog support.

Yours in health,

Pam G.

Remember, blog me back

Like many things in our lives that we invest in; before the actual investment of time or money begins, we first have to think about it.  If change in your exercise life is not something that you are currently thinking about then no matter the contest or the best friend that wants you to do it with her will cut the mustard.  This is something we have known all along, but now documentation supports these feelings and has a road map (so to speak) of the stages we go through to get ready to be serious about that pesky exercise recommendation.

We all begin with a stage called ‘Pre-Contemplation’ this translates into “I’m not ready to workout.  I’m not thinking about working out.  You are kidding if you think I’m going to work out.”  What exercise has to offer means little to you, even if you have had a health scare.  That does not make you necessarily ready.  This valley could last days, weeks, years, or a lifetime.  For some, we just don’t plan on adding this health prevention to our lives.  We are willing to take our chances.  This is a path on the road that I hope many people visit briefly and move on to something better like ‘Contemplation.’

O.K., I’m happy to see that the thought of exercise might not be such a downer on your life.  You are exposed to television and well read os you are not clueless to what exercise can do for your life.  The health scares you encountered during your ‘Pre-Contemplation’ stage may also be why you are considering to consider.  ‘Contemplation’ brings thought, but it still does not bring action.  As people go, we can think about something FOREVER and never take action on it.  It is important that if you are in the ‘Comtemplation’ stage, that stage of thinking about it to surround yourself with options.  Join a gym, enter a weight loss challenge, get a buddy to work with you (that is ready too).  Don’t just get to feeling good because you are thinking about (contemplating) exercising.  Instead, take that next step to ‘Preparation.’

At this point you don’t need convincing from anyone.  You are not only ready to change, but you are looking forward to the changes you are about to embark on.  In the weight loss world you might be thinking about fitting your clothes better and feeling better about yourself in the mirror.  This is a good thing.  So, you have not only called the local gym, not only visited the local gym, but you are now a member of the local gym.  You had your tour of all the equipment and received a copy of the aerobics calendar.  You are excited!  You can tell this is about to happen for you.  You are ready for the next step ‘Action.’

At this point you are following the advice of the local gym trainer and coming to the gym at least 4 days a week.  You are experiencing results and after the initial shock wore off; you are happy about what you are seeing.  You can’t believe it’s happening to you, but there you are…the one in the mirror…the one on the scale.  It’s really you!  You are realizing a couple of things; exercising isn’t as bas as you thought it was going to be.  Sure, in the beginning you were sore, but once you broke through that your body felt better.  You also noticed you were sleeping better, and you were not so tired.  Could all of these things be a result of just exercising?  Yes!  Exercise takes over your body, not just your muscles.  It is medicine for your soul that feeds off of each other.  For example, the body is exercising so blood is circulating; this stimulates the brain and releases impulses to create that ‘feel good’ euphoric sensation  Exercise begins immediately to reward you with much more than just fitting into your jeans (although that’s a euphoric sensation as well).  In the ‘Action’ stage you realized you can really do this and keep doing it.  It has not taken away from your life instead it has enriched it.  Time goes by and you continue to faithfully exercise and now are a regular at the local gym.  The staff knows your name and certain members rely on you as a motivator.  The weight continues to come off (even with a few setbacks), but more importantly you are ready for the nex step, the ‘Maintenance’ stage.

At this point you have arrived and not only experience rewards from your exercise and healthy eating, but your opinion has changed.  You value what these changes can do to a person’s life.  What they have done for your life; you are on the other side and a believer.  You may experience some setbacks, but your philosophy on exercise and healthy eating has changed to the point that setbacks are not scary, but a part of the process.  You have learned to push pass the negative thoughts that encourage you to give up.  Quite possibly you will feel guilty if you skip your workout.  This is a definite indication that you are in your ‘Maintenance’ stage.  You recognize the importance of providing this care to your body and you want your body to have that care.  You finally get it!

You are at the DOING stage and because you walked through each step you have increased your chances of staying there.

Be proud of you and keep yourself there!

Blog me back

Pam G.

It would not be hard pressed to find someone that is trying to lose weight but having no real success.  They are doing all the right things and still that scale is barely moving.  I hate to say it, but I must include myself in that number.  I have the willingness to eat right (more than I eat wrong), but sometimes that hunger just will not let go.  All the fresh fruit in the world cannot satisfy you.  You try and wait for your brain to signal your stomach that it is full, but you and I both know you can create a lot of consumption damage by the time that happens.  I will admit that eating smaller frequent meals throughout the day has been the best remedy so far in keeping our diets under control.  However, I recently discovered a hormone called ghrelin that obviously plays a lead role in why we are so incredibly HUNGRY!  Ghrelin is one of a complex array of natural substances that carry messages between the brain and the digestive system (wow!  this really caught my attention).  It is secreted by specialized cells in the stomach and the upper part of the small intestine, ghrelin acts on the brain.  It is the first natural appetite stimulant found to be made outside the brain.

There is this other hormone called leptin which is found in the brain and it signals your stomach to let you know you are full; because this hormone is located in the brain it is difficult to manipulate (the brain is a pretty smart cookie).  However, ghrelin is produced in the stomach and uses the bloodstream to send its messages to the brain.  Scientist believe that if it turns out that ghrelin is the key that fits the what-makes-us-hungry lock, then it can be manipulated easier than leptin.  Another discovery of ghrelin is the way it favors the accumulation of lipids in visceral fatty tissue (belly fat).  We must remember belly fat is linked to health risk such as heart disease and diabetes II.

This hormone called ghrelin is beginning to answer a lot of questions regarding weight loss.  So it would appear that this hormone ghrelin is made in our stomachs and this hormone increases hunger.  That is the first bit of bad news; there is a hormone working against us to make us want to eat.  It is bad enough if you are a female that struggles with PMS and the cravings that visit on a monthly basis, now they have discovered a hormone that works daily to make us hungry and drives our desire to eat!  This ghrelin hormone also decreases the burning of fat and decreases the basic metabolic rate (we can’t win for losing).  Anyone who has ever dieted knows that the first few pounds come off relatively easy but then the basic metabolic rate (energy) drops, appetite becomes unbearable and further weight loss by voluntary efforts becomes very difficult.  These effects are all mediated by a hormone called ghrelin which was discovered in the last two years.  When a person eats, the amount of their ghrelin hormone drops so you are not as hungry and why you don’t eat (dieting) the amount of ghrelin increases (you could eat a small country).  Before I continue, I want to take this opportunity to state that eating small frequent meals throughout the day stabilizes our hunger and in return the ghrelin hormone is not as potent as it has potential to be; because you are eating.  To me, this also means that dieting may not hold any real success because restricted eating triggers ghrelin.  Studies show that this hormone has a substantial drop after each meal and then rises between meals until you eat again.

The question I know we all want to know is “how do you turn ghrelin off so that hunger stops, the metabolic rate is maintained and fat is burned so I can lose weight?”  At this time, there is no medicine that specifically inhibits ghrelin secretion.  Research on this hormone is fairly new so there is much more to come. 

I personally stumbled across this hormone when researching information on sleep/rest and how it relates to exercise.  I discovered information on leptin (in the brain) and ghrelin (in the stomach).  Both of which fascinated me and sparked my desire of course, to share this fitness fine.  This is my first article on ghrelin, but definitely not my last.  More on this exciting discovery to come.

resources: internet, JAMA

What could I be referring to?  I am talking about a supplement called CoQ10.  I want to begin by admitting that I don’t know a lot about CoQ10, but I have experienced it lately in my lotion and I am beyond pleased with the results.  If you have been reading my blogs or articles in ‘Fitness News’ you know that I love to let people know how products, programs, tips and techinques are working out.  That is why I wanted to encourage readers to investigate or possibly try CoQ10.  In a nut shell, CoQ10 has at least two important roles in the body.  First, it is one of the essential cogs in the biochemical machinery that produces biological energy (ATP) inside the cells.  Second, CoQ10 is an antioxidant.  It helps neutralize harmful free radicals, which are one of the causes of aging.  Under perfect conditions, the body can produce as much CoQ10 as it needs.  However, various factors, such as aging, stress and some medications can lower the levels of CoQ10 in the body.  As a result, the ability of cells to withstand stress and regenerate declines.  So what does all of this have to do with your skin I am sure you are asking; CoQ10 has many, many, many benefits.  So it is researched often because it appears to be quite beneficial on many levels.

Today, I am talking about it as it relates to skin texture.  CoQ10 can be quite helpful on aging skin.  As the skin ages it gets dull, dry and lacks a certain luster.  Even if you are a faithful water drinker (which I am); you will more than likely still notice that your skin isn’t as youthful as it once was.  You may even have purchased expensive lotions and creams to help make your skin look better.  I would have to say that it will probably work, but what creams containing CoQ10 do is not just make your skin look better (which it does); it makes it feeeel better!  Your skin gets a real drink of water and the hydration to your skin is instantly noticeable to others (and to you too)!  Of course it is still under research (like everything else) but I must admit I love what it has done for my skin.  It only only (for me) improved my skin, but it has restored it.

I am not giving all the credit to CoQ10; I give just a portion of it.  I believe exercising daily, eating a healthy diet consistently, getting proper rest and of course drinking that water all play a role in my success with CoQ10.  Do some research for yourselves if you are considering trying CoQ10 in a lotion or maybe buy a lotion and try it on the back of one hand for a week and see if you can tell the difference.

CoQ10 appears to be a miracle nutrient with numerous advantages for health and longevity.  Since it is naturally occurring in every cell of our bodies I thought it would be good to know how we can boost CoQ10 levels by including certain foods in our diet.  The highest concentrations can be found in oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, as well as lamb, whole grains and spinach.  All of which are part of a healthy diet, so as I mentioned earlier, what we do and what we eat also play a vital role in how something will work for our bodies.

Please remember to consult a physician or other qualified medical professional before beginning any type of supplementation.

More to come and remember…blog me back

In health,

Pam G.

Hello all,

Even though you have made time to exercise and you have even made time to eat right (ok healthier), something is still missing.  You think you are covering all the bases and still success is slow.  This can be a result of two things; number 1: Success is Slow.  It is a steady pace that pays off but on a gradual level.  I guess the key word in that statement is gradual; meaning things progress slow, but they do progress.  So you can pretty much get use to the fact that your workout is working out.  Under these circumstances you are not necessarily dissatisfied but you might want to look into speeding up the process.  Halleluiah!!!

Number 2: The Flip Side nothing is working except your frustration with the whole get healthy concept.  Here you are doing your absolute best (ok you still cheat, but who doesn’t)?  and nothing on the scale is moving, clothes don’t feel looser and no one…not even the best friend notices you are losing weight.  What are you to do? 

The Solution: Arm yourself with education.  This approach you have heard on many commericals for children “knowledge is power” this is true for most success stories.  Knowledge on fitness and nutrition is always changing so staying informed can really make a difference especially if you are the person who is giving all you’ve got and still nothing is working.  You might gain success from learning how much protein you need and haven’t been getting and how something like that could turn on your weight loss button and you FINALLY begin to lose.  Or you have been working your legs to get them tone yet they are getting bulkier not leaner you learn about resistance training with the ball and within a week your legs are looking better.

This is what knowlege can do to help your efforts.  That being said, fitness and nutrition lectures are becoming more and more popular at gyms and fitness facilities.  Leaders in fitness and nutrition know that it can take more than a great class or a sound diet menu (both good to have), but it also takes a healthy flow of resources that can really make a difference in the success of your efforts.

Knowing that, the FMWR Fitness Department at Fort Jackson strives to always bring you their very best in health and fitness programs; which now include fitness and nutrition lectures.  These one hour seminars are designed to help you get the most out of your workouts and healthy eating planning.  Learn from the leaders in these professions, make your current program more efficient by tailor making it to fit you.

Classes are held at the Thomas Lee Hall Library 4679 Lee Road.  They are offered at noon and/or 5pm twice a week so check that calendar and online at www.fortjacksonmwr.com.  Fitness and nutrition are ever evolving so do yourself a favor and stay on top of your progress.   Get a change in atmosphere and a most informed perspective on your fitness and nutrition.  Remember, the FMWR Fitness Department cares and is here for you.

Blog me back

Pam G.

Hello all,

The Fitness Department now has a blog to reach out to members on another level!  This is an exciting new feature that I know members will benefit from reading and sharing their feedback on matters as it relates to health and fitness.

Today, I would like to get people excited about the Cooper River Bridge Run/walk event in Charleston, SC.  This event will be on April 4th and yes, Fitness Meets Nature will be there!  We have secured a 44 passenger bus and filled it with eager members to take part in this historic event.  We will leave from Fort Jackson in front of the Solomon Center at 4am (yes, 4am) and head to Charleston.  We will do the race and then gather for a victory meal and head back to Fort Jackson.  This is our 2nd year going as Fitness Meets Nature and our numbers have more than doubled in participation.  That’s because it’s a great time to be a member with the FMWR Fitness Department.

Members, go to our webpage and get calendars, class descriptions, upcoming events and so much more.  Please send your comments and feedback and help support this wonderful addition to our Fitness Program

Yours in health,

Pam G.

Ok, I have noticed that many people are willing to workout.  Some of them will exercise for 2 or more hours a day.  However, before I even begin, please note that I am not knocking exercise.  I LOVE exercise!  I do it just like that (2 hours or more) on a regular basis myself.  My point is, exercise, when you get into it can be a very enjoyable experience.  So much happens for the person who decides that exercise is not just a part of their life, but, a part that they really enjoy.  When you get to that point it is easy to devote two hours or more to taking care of your body.  Some might view this as an obsession, you are ‘ALWAYS’ at the gym; while the rest of us who happen to be at the gym as well…well…we get it.  This is one of the reasons people are willing to workout, and  workout and workout…number one, they like it, number two, they like the results (sometimes) and number three…they don’t have to change how they eat.  We need to talk about number three.

Working out will only take your body so far then you have to sit down and have a long talk with you about changing that plate.  Good news, good nutrition is in style now; I’m not trying to say that tofu taste like hamburger, but…tofu has come a long way.  I know you have to make adjustments; just look at it like you did when you first began exercising.  You did a little at a time and now you really love the workout and the rewards.  You can create that same love for your new food.  I do believe it will take a bit of creativity and willpower because unlike smoking…which you quit…you don’t quit eating…you just change eating.  So, the question becomes are you ready for the change?  If you are tired of your workout not working out, you are ready for the change.  If you thought (even for a fleeting moment) that you need to pass on the donut…you are ready for the change.  Finally, if you really want to see the results of all that hard work you put into your workout…you are ready for the change.

For the most part, especially in the beginning, eating right has some general guidelines.  Even just following them will produce some results; that’s what we are looking.   The smallest of results will turn you on and you will embrace eating healthier and healthier.  So it is real important that these baby steps pay off.  So…what do you do now?  Well, for starters there are about 8 steps you need to take to get the ball rolling.  After writing down these steps, put them into action and remember to include the nutrition classes we are offering every Thursday for the month of May from 5:00pm to 6:00pm at the Thomas Lee Hall Library.  That number is 803-751-5589 on Fort Jackson.  This will be time well spent.

Now, back to those 8 steps: number 1, eat every three to four hours, number 2, divide your plate where veggies dominate, number 3, pack in protein at every meal, number 4, eat more high water content foods, number 5, go for whole grains, number 6, eat healthy starches, number 7, add fiber and finally number 8, eat the right fats.  This entire list will be discussed in depth in our upcoming edition of ’Fitness News’ please make sure you read all about it.

Thanks for reading and as always,  blog me back

Pam G.

Ok, I have noticed that many people are willing to workout.  Some of them will exercise for 2 or more hours a day.  However, before I even begin, please note that I am not knocking exercise.  I LOVE exercise!  I do it just like that (2 hours or more) on a regular basis myself.  My point is, exercise, when you get into it can be a very enjoyable experience.  So much happens for the person who decides that exercise is not just a part of their life, but, a part that they really enjoy.  When you get to that point it is easy to devote two hours or more to taking care of your body.  Some might view this as an obsession, you are ‘ALWAYS’ at the gym; while the rest of us who happen to be at the gym as well…well…we get it.  This is one of the reasons people are willing to workout, and  workout and workout…number one, they like it, number two, they like the results (sometimes) and number three…they don’t have to change how they eat.  We need to talk about number three.

Working out will only take your body so far then you have to sit down and have a long talk with you about changing that plate.  Good news, good nutrition is in style now; I’m not trying to say that tofu taste like hamburger, but…tofu has come a long way.  I know you have to make adjustments; just look at it like you did when you first began exercising.  You did a little at a time and now you really love the workout and the rewards.  You can create that same love for your new food.  I do believe it will take a bit of creativity and willpower because unlike smoking…which you quit…you don’t quit eating…you just change eating.  So, the question becomes are you ready for the change?  If you are tired of your workout not working out, you are ready for the change.  If you thought (even for a fleeting moment) that you need to pass on the donut…you are ready for the change.  Finally, if you really want to see the results of all that hard work you put into your workout…you are ready for the change.

For the most part, especially in the beginning, eating right has some general guidelines.  Even just following them will produce some results; that’s what we are looking.   The smallest of results will turn you on and you will embrace eating healthier and healthier.  So it is real important that these baby steps pay off.  So…what do you do now?  Well, for starters there are about 8 steps you need to take to get the ball rolling.  After writing down these steps, put them into action and remember to include the nutrition classes we are offering every Thursday for the month of May from 5:00pm to 6:00pm at the Thomas Lee Hall Library.  That number is 803-751-5589 on Fort Jackson.  This will be time well spent.

Now, back to those 8 steps: number 1, eat every three to four hours, number 2, divide your plate where veggies dominate, number 3, pack in protein at every meal, number 4, eat more high water content foods, number 5, go for whole grains, number 6, eat healthy starches, number 7, add fiber and finally number 8, eat the right fats.  This entire list will be discussed in depth in our upcoming edition of ’Fitness News’ please make sure you read all about it.

Thanks for reading and as always,  blog me back

Pam G.