Heart Healthy Cooking: How to Stir Fry
At our Heart Healthy Cooking Class, Chef Charles demonstrated how to stir fry. URMC Dietitian Dawn McCoy added some healthy information to the presentation. Watch the video below for the full demonstration. Sorry, but you had to be there to taste the samples…
How to Cut an Onion without Tears
At our recent “Heart Healthy Cooking Class,” Chef Charles demonstrated to us how to cut an onion. Using these tips, it is possible to safely cut an onion and reduce the amount of tears. Watch our video and leave us a comment if you would like to see more of these cooking tips.
October Wellness Center News
MEMBER NEWS
Member Survey
The annual Wellness Center member survey has been closed. We thank all of you who took the time to give us your opinions and we will be reporting the major results to you as soon as we receive them from the survey company. Congratulations to Patricia Cox who was the lucky winner of $50 Fit Dollars for participating in our online survey!
Open House
Congratulations to the following members who attended our 4 Year Anniversary Party and won prizes.
Free Month’s Dues: Bill Truby, Layne McLendon, Steve Maddox
30 min. Massage Rich Williams, Chris Williams, Geneva Jones
Dixieland Park Tickets Luella Carter, Lee McLendon, Lauren Ellington
Thank You
We appreciate all our members but we especially want to thank those who refer new members to the Center. The following members have earned $25 Fit Dollars for each new member referred to the Center during our June Member Referral promotion…
$75: Tommy Adams; Lyndel Allen
$50: Heath Brodnax; Judith Dolan; Terry Jones
$25: Marlane Blackston; Jeremy Blount; Johnny Brodnax; Gina Daniel; Martha Dawson; Kayla Jones; Dave Piper; Barbara Rogers; Mary Strouss; Treena Turner; Sheryl Webb
Swimming Lessons
Denise Chatfield will resume swimming lessons in October. Total cost for a session is $75 and a $25 deposit (which can be made at the front desk) is required to reserve a place in the class. Classes will be as follows:
Kids: Tuesday & Friday Oct. 19, 22, 26, 29 and Nov. 2, 5, 9, 12, 16 and 19 4:15-5:15pm
Adults: Wednesdays Oct. 20, 27 and Nov. 3, 10 and 17 6:30-8:30pm
Birthday Parties
The Center has been renting out the group exercise room and the lap pool for birthday parties on Saturday and Sunday afternoons between 3:00 and 4:30. If you are you looking for a different and fun place to hold your child’s next birthday party, let us know. For more information stop at the front desk, call us at 706-647-4466 or log on to www.urmcwellness.org/parties. The therapy pool and two lanes in the big pool will be available for use by members at all times. If you want to know in advance about any parties on the schedule, give us a call.
FITNESS CORNER
Eight Pounds?
That’s right! The average American will gain eight pounds during the holiday season. It does not have to be that way and we want to help you. Don’t wait until January to start working on your resolutions! Maintain, Don’t Gain will help you get a jump on your program so 2011 will likely be successful for you. This program starts on November 8th (weigh in between November 8th-10th) and ends on January 3rd (weigh out 3rd-5th). If you don’t gain weight during this time, you will be awarded an exclusive Maintain, Don’t Gain 2011 T-Shirt. Also, for every week you work out in the Center at least 3 times, you will earn 5 fit dollars (potential 40 fit dollars total) that can be spent on massage, personal training, babysitting, T-shirts and more. Fit Dollar winners will also be entered in a drawing to win a Hot Stone Massage. Ask for details at the front desk.
Group Exercise Schedule
The group exercise schedule has a few changes for October. Please take note of the following:
Monday – Fit Kidz (new): 4:00-5:00 pm; classes begin October 18th.
Tuesday & Thursday – Body Power (new): 4:00-5:00 pm; begins October 5th.
Wednesday – Tabata (new): 8:00-8:45 am; begins October 6th.*
Friday – Stretch & Flex (new): 10:00 -11:00 am; begins October 1st. **
*Tabata is an intense exercise program designed to get the entire body involved. With the use of dumbbells, body bars, stability balls and body weight, the premise for Tabata is 20 seconds of high intensity, fat burning exercise with 10 seconds of rest throughout a series of 4-6 exercises. There will be a 1 minute rest period between rounds working up to 6-8 rounds. This class ends with yoga-type breathing and flexibility exercises.
** Stretch & Flex – Will use light weights, body weight, etc. for body sculpting exercises with extended stretching periods between each exercise. This class will end with a longer period of stretching and relaxation exercises; a great way to start your weekend!
Pick up a class schedule at the front desk or on our website www.urmcwellness.org/classes
Yoga
Susan will begin the next yoga session on Tuesday October 19th and class time will remain at 7:05pm. Registration for this 8-week program is now open. Cost is only $40 for members and $80 for non-members. Class size is limited so sign up soon!
Tri for Wellness!
You asked for it! The Center will host the 2nd Tri for Wellness indoor triathlon on Saturday, November 13th. The event will feature a 10 minute swim a15 minute treadmill and a 20 minute stationary cycle. Registration information, training schedules and special offers will be available at the front desk or on our web page at www.urmcwellness.org/tri.
From Couch to Tri
Are you a beginner or intermediate athlete who wants to try the Tri but doesn’t really know where to start or how to progress? Sign up for the Couch to Tri a small group personal training program with Kathryn McInvale, MS and Certified Personal Trainer. In just six weeks Kathryn will help you develop the ability to complete the event or achieve your personal best. Space is limited so sign-up early to take advantage of this great opportunity. Information is available at the front desk.
Bench Press Challenge
Congratulations to the following members.
Female Male
Overall Lyndel Allen ( 32 reps) Gary Hamby (42 reps)
19-29 Tomeka Steed (18 reps) – - – -
30-39 Jennifer Campbell (30 reps) – - – -
40-49 Kathy Albritton (26 reps) Barry Hanson (36 reps)
50-59 Tina Turner (31 reps) Steve Maddox (38 reps)
60+ – - – - Tracey Stewart (3 reps)
Re-rack the weights
As a courtesy to others and for the safety of those who are unable to lift heavy plates, you are asked to return weight plates to the storage racks when you have finished your sets. Thank you.
Re-testing
If you have been a member of the Center for at least three months and wish to have your body composition re-evaluated, please stop at the front desk to schedule an appointment. The testing is free and a great way to measure the results of your efforts and get advice on adjusting your program for maximum effectiveness.
100 in ’10
The next drawing (October 10th) will be for a $100 gas card and those who complete 100 workouts by then will be eligible. Thirty seven have already qualified and it looks like there could be as many as 50 members in this drawing. Keep up the efforts and be sure to check out the display near the fitness files for weekly updates.
Tuesday Tune-Ups
Tuesday October 12th is the next Tuesday Tune-up. Come in from 8:00 to 10:00 am or 4:00 to 6:00 pm and get free measurements of height, weight, blood pressure, waist & hips. No appointment is necessary to take advantage of this simple way to track your progress.
Family Swim Night
Come join the fun every Friday night in October from 5:00 to 8:00 pm. Children, guests of members and non-members are $5 each; all members are free. Remember, we will award one free child swim session to your child for every three babysitting sessions used. Ask at the front desk for details.
New Exercise Program for Children
Fit Kidz is a new program designed to teach children, ages 8-12, the importance of proper exercise and nutrition. This program will be held on Mondays, beginning October 18th from 4:00 – 5:00 pm in the group exercise room. The cost for this class is $25.00 per session (4-5 weeks), per child (sibling discounts available). This class will include nutrition education and fun activities. Class size is limited; register by October 14th.
Let’s Get Social!
Follow us on Facebook at http://facebook/urmcwellness
Follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/urmcwellness
Read our blog at http://urmcwellness.org/blog
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
10/6 Understanding Diabetes; 9:00am-12:00 noon; URMC Auditorium; for information call 706 647-8111×1165
10/12 Tune Up Tuesday; 8:00am-10:00am and 4:00pm-6:00pm
10/18 Fit Kidz program begins
10/19 Kids Swimming Lesson Begin
Yoga Session Begins
10/20 Adult Swimming Lessons Begin
*Save the date.Saturday Nov. 13 Tri for Wellness Indoor Triathlon
Welcome to the Wellness Center of URMC – where health and fitness come together!
Denis Tallini, General Manager
Carla Clayton, Member Services
Michele Barber, Fitness Director
It’s almost too late!
It’s almost too late.to register for the following classes and programs.
Probiotics Class
Triathlon Group Training
Kidz Club
To Win an I POD NANO!
Registered dietitians Dawn McCoy and Joy Daniel will present, “Gut in a Rut” a free nutrition class about probiotics and the digestive system. Register now by calling 706-647-4466 or online at http://urmcwellness.org/probiotics
The first Group Training Session with Kathryn McInvale will begin on October 2nd and there are only a few spots left. We have never had a opportunity for you to get personal training at such a low, low cost of only $89 for 6 one hour sessions. Don’t miss this! You don’t have to register for the Indoor triathlon to take advantage of this excellent personal training opportunity. http://urmcwellness.org/tri
Kidz Club is a NEW group exercise class for children ages 8-12. It will be held on Mondays (4-5pm) October 18th – November 15th for only $25 for 5 classes. Register early as there are only 20 spaces available.
Finally, there are only 3 days left to qualify to win a new I-Pod Nano. How??? Simply refer someone who joins the Wellness Center this month. Make sure they tell me you referred them!
Have a great week!
The Wellness Center of URMC Celebrates 4th Anniversary
The Wellness Center of URMC celebrated 4 years of bringing health and fitness to our local community. We had a bench press challenge, fun water aerobics classes, and the famous prize wheel. 92.5 FM broadcast the event live.
Advanced Balance Training
Greater Strength from Imbalance
Most workout programs, whether they incorporate machine or free weight
exercises, are designed to use both sides of the body equally. Studies of
athletes have actually shown that an uneven workout, either with one weight
or weights of different sizes, makes you work hard and develops better
balance, core strength and coordination. So let’s look at the steps for
getting a more efficient and beneficial workout only using one weight or
just one side of your body.
Single Leg Workout
Performing everyday tasks, like carrying groceries up the stairs or
playing a sport such as tennis or basketball, often has you using one leg
more than the other. You can reduce injuries from falls and develop better
endurance and sport performance if you train the body to perform better in
a one leg situation. Single leg movements also expose your weaker side
allowing it to be strengthened without the help of the stronger and
probably more dominant side. Several exercises are good to incorporate into
a single leg program. Here are a few good examples:
Single Leg Balance: Raising one leg off the ground while the other is flat
on the floor is an excellent leg strengthener and balance training
movement. You can try this exercise with your eyes open and shut which
challenges the vestibular (ear) and proprioceptive (bottom of the foot
sensors) balance mechanisms. If your feet start to burn with this exercise,
it is a sure sign of foot muscles weakness. Single leg standing balance is
great for strengthening your feet, ankles, knees, hips and back.
Single Leg Squat: The one leg squat is an excellent addition to any single
leg workout. It is performed like a regular squat with the hands either in
front, at the sides or on the hips. There is a greater balance challenge
with one leg so if you use weights during this movement, you may need to
reduce the amounts. The knee on the squatting leg side should only bend to
90 degrees for maximum benefit and ligament/cartilage safety. Concentrate
on keeping the hips level, back straight and head up. This exercise is a
great total leg, hip, butt and back strengthener.
Single Leg BOSU Side Step-up: Here is another great exercise that
incorporates single leg balance, strength and a stepping movement. Stand
next to the BOSU and side step-up onto the ball with the leg closest to the
ball. Balance on one leg keeping the rest of your body very quiet. Only use
the other leg to maintain your balance and prevent you from stepping off
the ball. Step down to the starting position and repeat the motion 6 to 8
times. Turn and face the other direction and try the same movement with the
other leg.
Strong Side Weak Side
When performing any of these exercises, note which of your muscles get
tired or start to burn first. Also keep track of the side of your body that
feels more stable. This way you can have a better idea of how balanced the
muscles are on different sides of your body. Working to strengthen the
weaker side pays big dividends in total body strength, fall and injury
prevention, endurance and sport performance.
Summer Sizzling Cookout and School Supply Round Up
The Wellness Center Staff would like to thank everyone who came out and supported our school supply round up. We collected several boxes to be donated to Upson County Schools.
We had a fun night with line dancing, Zumba, Power Step, Wet n Wild Water, and stretching. Watch the video below to see the fun.
Struggling With Your Weight?
Struggling With Your Weight?
There is some good news if you one of those people struggling with your
weight. The latest research on weight and heath suggests that excess weight
may not affect your health as much as having a low level of conditioning.
Recent studies show that if you only have 15 to 25 pounds to lose, reducing
body weight may not be really that important for your overall health.
Weight loss has also been shown to be a poor motivator. The research also
found that over 89% of the people using weight loss as their primary goal
stopped a fitness program after 6 months.
How Much is Too Much?
Unless you fall into one of the 3 weight loss categories below, you
probably won’t see much of a health benefit from losing just a few pounds.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) says this about weight loss:
“Health experts agree that you may gain health benefits from even a small
weight loss if: 1. You are considered obese based on your body mass index
(BMI) (see BMI link below) 2. You are considered overweight based on your
BMI and have weight-related health problems or a family history of such
problems 3. You have a waist that measures more than 40 inches if you are a
man or more than 35 inches if you are a woman”
To check your BMI go to http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/for_life.htm
These three scenarios are a good guideline for when excess weight needs to
be a concern.
Conditioning is King
Switching your focus and goals to improving your conditioning is actually
a better strategy. Better conditioning opens doors to having more fun with
your friends and not feeling left out of an activity because you are too
tired. Any good conditioning program will include the following four major
components.
These are:
*
Stamina: Lets you play and work more before getting tired
*
Balance: Prevents falls and fractures
*
Flexibility: Keeps joints and muscles safe
*
Muscular Strength: Improves sports performance
Regular trips to the health club will improve your conditioning and
provide a host of healthful benefits even if you don’t lose 1 pound.
Regular exercise reduces blood pressure, heart disease, cholesterol, blood
sugar and joint pain. Exercise keeps your heart and blood vessels in
top condition. Exercise allows you to live a richer and fuller life. All of
this and not one pound lost. Something to think about, isn’t it?
The Skinny on Fats and Oils
Your Body Needs Essential Fats
Fats and oils are both essential for good health. They are the building
blocks for many hormones; make-up an important part of the outer layer that
covers the cells of your body; reduce cholesterol, lower blood pressure and
strengthen your immune system. Balancing and choosing the right kind of
fats can be a little tricky. Also getting enough essential fats from your
diet alone can sometimes be difficult.
Why Low Fat Diets Aren’t Healthy
A low fat diet is not a sensible way to eat especially when it comes to
better health. Low fat foods have been shown to actually rob you of
essential fats and oils making it harder to lose weight and keep yourself
healthy. In many low fat foods, sugar is substituted instead of fat to
improve texture and taste. Being on a low fat diet will tend to make you
overeat. Fat is important in triggering your body’s “full sensors” helping
you stop eating more food than you really need. Long term low fat
diets have been shown to create health problems of their own like constant
hunger and dryness of your hair, nails and skin.
The History of Low Fat
In the early 1980′s obesity and heart disease were on the rise (they still
are). The original theory was to reduce total calories by cutting out all
fats because fats have the highest calorie density (calories per amount) at
9 calories per gram as compared to 4 calories per gram for proteins and
carbohydrates. Most nutritional authorities were substituting carbohydrates
for fats, having you eat as much as 80% carbohydrates. This was the time
when everybody in the country had a rice cake in their hands. All fats
became the “bad guys” because they were incorrectly seen as the
precursor to high cholesterol and heart disease.
A Better Way
One of the foremost authorities on fats and oils is Udo Erasmus, PhD. His
information is cutting edge and his book, Fats That Heal Fats That Kill, is
one of the best at explaining how to develop and maintain a healthy fat
balance for optimum health. He clearly explains why not all fat is bad and
why there is a need for essential fats to curb hunger, promote healthy
skin, hair and nails and maintain proper hormone function. His book can
help you better understand the health benefits of fats and oils in a
balanced diet.
Here are some of Udo Erasmus’s “quick facts” taken from his book on the
use of fats and oils:
1. You need a 2:1 ratio in your diet of essential fatty acids (EFAs).
EFA’s come from fats and oils and are major nutrients. One is (LNA)
alpha-linolenic acid (Omega 3) and the other is (LA) linoleic acid (Omega 6).
Both are easily destroyed by light, air, and heat. This is why they become
toxic when heated and should not be used for frying.
2. Good sources of Omega 3′s are flaxseeds and green leafy vegetables.
The Omega 3′s are also found in high fat, cold water fish such as albacore
tuna, sardines, Atlantic halibut, Coho, pink and king salmon, Pacific and
Atlantic herring, Atlantic mackerel, and lake trout as well as oysters and
other shellfish.
3. Good sources of Omega 6′s are found in sesame and sunflower seeds
and other seeds and nuts. Land animal meats and fish are sources of the
Omega 6′s. The fish listed in #2 are the preferred sources of omega 3′s
and omega 6′s because they are the richest sources and contain
balanced amounts of both of the omegas.
4. Almonds, hazelnuts and walnuts are highly nutritious snacks associated
with longevity. To ensure an adequate intake of Omega 3′s, good plant
sources should be included in the daily diet including green leafy
vegetables, seeds, whole grains, beans and nuts.
5. Extra virgin olive oil, while not damaged by processing, is a poor source
of essential fats. Extra virgin olive oil should not be used for frying because
it is extensively damaged. Adding the oil to foods after they come off the
heat is your best choice.
