Power pump

Don't forget, power pump is returning to Monday afternoons at it's old 4:15 time slot in January. This is in response to the multiple requests we received for the class. If you haven't tried it before, maybe now is the time. Power pump is a great way to get your weight lifting worked into your day in a group setting. 45 minutes goes by quickly and regular attendance will produce results!

Massage

Some of you are getting close to accumulating your 60 visits. You know what that means... massage time! I (Jen) took advantage of some down time last week and had an hour of pure bliss myself. I have to tell you that it had been way too long. As many of you may be, I was super tight and I could really tell that she was working hard for me. Those gals have to have to be pretty strong. I guess I just need to get in there more frequently. What a sacrifice that would be. My massage actually had an element of comedy as well since I was so relaxed I kept falling asleep. That's not so funny but the fact that I started snoring so loud I woke myself up not once, not twice, but four times is pretty hilarious. Yes, I just admitted to snoring to all of you. And I'll tell you what, multiple therapists told me it happens all the time. It was so wonderfully relaxing I just couldn't help it. I also noticed that movement came more freely during that evening's classes. All in all, it was a wonderful experience that I plan to duplicate more regularly in the future and I recommend you all join me over at Postels. Call 236-2953 to schedule

Year round holiday cheer

This morning I (Jen) noticed a headline on our first TV naming today, the 23rd, the busiest shopping day of the year. I have to admit to a little procrastination myself so I guess it's true. It also appears to be a busy morning for exercisers too as we are pretty full so far today. It's so wonderful to see people here in the fitness center getting in a bit of activity before we close for the weekend. More importantly, I'm also noticing how friendly everyone is with each other. But here's the great part: it's not just the time of year filling everyone with good spirits. Really, this cheerful team spirit is a year round phenomenon.

Between our classes and members coming to the fitness center at similar times of day, people get to the point that they know each other's routines. During busy times it's not uncommon to hear conversations like, "I'll do this nu step and you do the treadmill and then we'll switch in X minutes." I always hear people asking one another about families and weekend plans and upcoming events. This friendly group atmosphere we have is one of my favorite parts of my job, and I know the other gals love it too. So thank you to our members that make our days so much friendlier, not just around the holidays, but all year long!

Hello again

Well hello there all! We had some busy days and some technical difficulties that kept us locked out of the blog but now we're back in action! I (Jen) apologize for the length of time you all had to wait.

Hopefully everyone has some plans to gather together with loved ones in the upcoming days. If your families/friends are anything like mine, there will be food involved. Oh baby, lots, and lots of food involved. On any regular day many of us struggle to keep the food indulgence to a minimum. This time of year can really be a phenomenal effort to just keep the consumption of mass quantities down to less than "mass". It can be nearly impossible. Or can it? I'll gladly share some great tips I've heard floating around lately.

Many of you have heard it before, but keeping the size of the actual plates we use can help reduce the amount of food we eat. Bluezones goes as far as to encourage folks to go out and purchase smaller dinnerware for their everyday use. When we're talking about just the main holiday event, consider grabbing the smaller dessert or salad plates. It's almost like playing a little mind game with yourself. Of course, this idea works best if you keep the number of plate refills to a minimum as well.

Is the spread so impressive that even if you take a small amount of everything, you're still left with a heaping pile on your plate? I've been there. Set some limits to what you actually take. For example, only take those special dishes which you never make yourself, or that you only eat this one time of the year. Additionally, there are some foods that are only good fresh, but others are just as tasty rewarmed the next days. Chose the fresh group first and then decide if you really need more after all.

Eat slowly, taking small bites as you go. These events are usually not a race so there is no reason to shovel it in by the cubic ton per second. Take a break when your plate is 2/3 empty and assess how you feel. The chances are you were so busy enjoying what was going on around you that you didn't notice the button on your jeans slowly expanding out.

Finally finished eating? Great. Get up and get away from the table immediately. We've all been in the scenario where we continued to nibble away at the food that was left as we chatted around the table. Don't do that to yourself, you were full twelve helpings ago. You'll be miserable and you know it! Most be people own a couch that is perfectly comfortable for conversation. Go there. Better yet, get up and chat over a soapy sink as your whole crew helps with the dishes.

If your host or hostess has little nibbly items like nuts, cookies, or candies strategically placed around the house, strategically place yourself as far away as possible. Keep busy talking to your friends and family to keep your mind off the little delicacies that might be calling your name. Out of sight, out of mind.

And if you do splurge, which we are all prone to doing, don't beat yourself up about it. Just head on over our way and get active. We allow guests, don't forget, so your out of town visitors can join you and need not be a hindrance to your exercise routines. The PWA is open until 5pm on Friday the 23rd and 30th, closed Saturday and Sunday and reopens on Monday the 26th and 2nd at 7am. There aren't any Saturday classes but the Monday 5:30 AM class is still on. So there is still plenty of opportunity for movement despite the holidays.

Everyone travel safe, and have fun! Report back how it was, we love to hear fun family stories!

Parrafin Treatment

Well today was the first day of snow so here comes a Winter special for you guys. Our Massage and Relaxation Services is offering a special on Paraffin treatments for December and January for only $44. Here is the official description of the paraffin process for : "Paraffin treatments begin with getting into a robe and sandals. The client washes his/her hands and face, then is brought into the treatment room where staff will wash the client’s feet. The hands and elbows are dipped in paraffin, then the feet, and last but not least the face and neck. Each area is wrapped and left to sit for 15 minutes. When the paraffin is removed, we massage each area to finish. The treatment lasts 60 minutes. This treatment can help with chronic joint pain, arthritis, tension, poor circulation, dry skin, and carpal tunnel pain." It sounds wonderful, doesn't it? I've had samples on my poor, Winter-dry hands and it has really helped. I bet I'll be taking advantage of this one, maybe you should too.

The next great ride

Can't believe it, but it's time to start thinking about our annual Thanksgiving ride. All our regularly scheduled classes will be cancelled on Thursday, November 24 in honor of the holiday. However, you can throw your turkey in the oven and then head over to the Postels building to spin from 8:00-8:45am. You know Denise and her playlists, surely it will be a good one. She promises to include Adam Sandler's "Thanksgiving Song"and many other fun ones that won't disappoint. Space is limited so call the PWA fitness center at 236-2999 to sign up!

Halloween Ride/ New Space

Don't forget to stop in and check out the new space at the Postel's Community Health Park located on Broad. Our instructors have tried to spread the word, but in case you missed it, yoga is on the second floor and is best reached through the Broad Street entrance. All other classes are in the lower level and participants should use the blue double doors located on Commercial street. As you most likely know, we worked very hard to make this a great space in just 30 days. At this point, not every single piece of artwork is up and some of the baseboards are still on order, but we think you'll be impressed. We'll be there during class times but if those times don't fit in your schedule, the folks at the main desk will be glad to give you a tour today or tomorrow.

On another note, this morning's 5:30 spinners got double the treats as they participated in class today. First they have the distinction of being the first class in our new facility. It's nice of them to break it in for us! Our spinners were also treated to Denise's now famous Halloween playlist. Denise's spooky playlist was recently featured in a newsletter for spinning instructors. This was a contest with submissions from around the country, so it's pretty impressive to be selected. Way to go, Denise!

Here's her playlist:

“This Is Halloween” Marilyn Manson
“Monster Mash” Bobby "Boris" Pickett
“Ghostbusters” Ray Parker Jr.
“Bat Out of Hell” Meatloaf
“I Want Candy (Kevin Shields Remix)” Bow Wow Wow
“Hotel California” The Eagles
“Twilight Zone” Golden Earring
“Millie and Billie” Alice Cooper
“Marie Lavaux” Bobby Bare
“Little Red Riding Hood” Nine Nine Nine
“Ben” Michael Jackson

Sounds like some good ones, bet they had a fun, spooky ride!

The beauty of cork

We have had a victory today! The final piece of the cork flooring in our new yoga space was installed today. I (Jen) can't even tell you how pleased I am with the final look. I'm not alone in this. Lots of people have been popping their heads in and making positive comments. In fact, today Cory took a sample home to consider for her kitchen.

I've learned quite a bit in the last few days, so allow me to share... This stuff is amazingly light, which makes it great for the individuals installing it. Imagine carrying a waste basket full of oak flooring vs. one full of cork. I recently installed oak in my attic and there was no way I could have carried one nearly so easily. I've learned the reason why is that cork is basically made up of air-filled cells. Also, cork is much more environmentally friendly as the flooring is actually made up of the bark. The rest of the tree is left intact and the bark will regrow. Obviously the ethos of yoga lends itself to green practices so it makes this new floor all the more appropriate. Cork is also soft, scratch resistant, sound absorbent, warm, and we have been told that furniture will not leave an impression. Interesting, right!?

I feel like a sales-person but I have found this product to be very fascinating. Of course I had a cork board filled with push-pins in my room as a little girl. I've heard of cork floors as a newer trend on TV, but you never know how things are going to look in real life. Let me tell you, this doesn't look like the cork boards of old and it doesn't look like some super modern space that will be out of fashion in two years. So how does it look? It looks perfect for a yoga space, that's how! Come see for yourself at our open house on Monday and Tuesday next week.

Changes

You might notice some changes around Fly High as we prepare for our move. The "skinny" mirror in the studio has disappeared. Don't worry, it's coming with us! You also may notice the floor in the spinning room is missing. That has been cleaned up and found a home at our new location. Trust us, that was not a small job. The walls are looking pretty bare as the artwork has been moved. The toy area is pared down to very little. We have been trying to move as many non-essentials as a possible to make it easier for us later this week. Obviously, this also helps keep us from cancelling tons of classes on our big moving days (Thursday and Friday). The new spaces at Postels are looking fabulous. Classes are going to fit in nicely. Just sick with us through this time of transition and it will be great!

Communication

I (Jen) have received some feedback that we haven't always been great lately in terms of communication with our members. Apparently not everyone received our email notification of our big move and had to hear it via the rumor mill in town. Worse, it seems our October schedule never made it to the website. That's terrible and we hate when we have missteps like that. Nobody has been left out on purpose and we try very hard to keep everyone in the loop at all times. I have to beg for your patience with us while we prepare for our move to our new location. (Which, by the way, is looking great!) The move is an excuse, I realize, but it's a big one. I'm sure you can imagine how scatter-brained we all are. Bear with us, for this too, shall pass.

Bluezones

You're going to be hearing the term "bluezone project" a lot in the near future. Today I (Jen) went to an informational meeting for those communities that are interested in applying to become a bluezone. It was super inspiring and informative. Folks, we want this! The benefits both in the short and long term are huge. The more I learn about it, the more I believe this is something we, as a community, need to strive for.

What is it? I posted briefly about it last week but I'm happy to remind you. National geographic author Dan Buettner researched and wrote a book about areas in the world where people are living longer and why that phenomenon occurs. He found several key components that contributed to these longer lifespans. Now he and his team are choosing communities in Iowa to bring that information to our town in order to enhance Grinnell. I'm not talking that they'd come here one day and some folks spend a nice lunch hearing a PowerPoint presentation. I'm talking about months of study and training and time dedicated to truly creating a healthier version of Grinnell across all our different socio-economic demographics. And when I say "healthier" I mean physically, socially, and emotionally. It's a big stinkin' deal.

They are not going to consider communities that don't have a citizen buy-in. We have to be ready for them to come and the initial piece we need is for members of our community to show their support. Here's how:

You can text "BZP" to 772937

or you can go online to http://www.bluezonesproject.com/citizens/signup and select "I'm a citizen" and fill out the information required

It takes less than 5 minutes and costs nothing.

The percentage of citizens that sign up factor into the decision making process. Anyone over the age of 13 is eligible to contribute. At first we were very low in the top 100 but luckily Grinnell has made a big jump up to around 13th for citizen support. Obviously, that's not enough. We've got to show that we are a community that is invested in our health. So spread the word because we want to be a bluezone!

Fly High Fitness Center is Moving

Fly High Fitness Center in downtown Grinnell will be moving on October 30th to a larger location and with a different name.

The Grinnell Regional Medical Center-owned fitness program is moving to Postels Community Health Park, just a few doors to the east of its current location on Commercial Street.

The gym will reopen under the name Grinnell Regional Wellness and Fitness Center.

The move will not change fitness class programming and current class offerings, only the location in which they are held. The new gym area is more than double the size of the old gym, and the Postels facility has a studio area dedicated to yoga classes.

"We are excited about this move because it takes us a step closer toward coordinating many of our services into one building. We already offer acupuncture, massage therapy, aqua med bed therapy, and more at Postels. Fitness and wellness is a good fit with those services," says Cory Jackson, GRMC's director of wellness.

Open House Tours of the facility will be held on Monday, October 31, and Tuesday, November 1. On those two days, the space will be open to the public and members for tours. In addition, everyone can take a class for free.

For more information, contact Jackson at 641-236-2998 or cjackson@grmc.us.

Start Somewhere Wa1k

What a beautiful day yesterday was for a walk! I (Jen) brought my daughters here to the hospital and we participated in the state-wide 1K walk. It hardly took any time at all and was just a bit over one lap around the hospital campus. I was pleased to notice that there was a larger group of people participating in this event in comprison to our initial city-wide walk last month. It seemed to me to be a nice community-building event. There were lots of people to chat with on the walk. Maybe someone was inspired to start getting healthier... I hope you were able to get out to any of the many locations because it truly was a gorgeous October day.

Wellness in Grinnell

So you most likely have seen the public service announcements encouraging all Iowans (or is it Iowegians) to get out and go for a walk on Friday at noon. I (Jen) didn't know all those celebrities were from Iowa! The hope is that this walk will inspire folks to start or contiune to live a healthy lifestyle. There are several different sites around town including Grinnell Mutual, Ahrens Park, Mayflower, Seeland Park, and here at the hospital. I, for one, will be bringing my daughters here to make our 1K round. Gotta set that healthy example, you know. If you'd like, you can pledge to walk at www.iowahealthieststate.com/take-the-pledge .

Another wellness program you'll be hearing more about in the upcoming month is the effort to make Grinnell a bluezone community. A quick and dirty explanation is that bluezones are areas in which studies have shown that residents live longer, healthier lives. So, yeah, I want to live in a bluezone! If Grinnell is chosen for this program we will receive assistance toward becoming a community that supports healthy choices, both in terms of activity and nutrition and lifestyle in general. In order to even be considered we have to go online and show that we support this effort. We can do that at www.bluezonesproject.com.citizens/signup . It's important, it takes very little time and has to be done before the end of the month. Let me know if you have any questions or need any help with it.

Thank you Judy and Charlie!

A big thank you to Judy and Charlie Durr who allowed Fun with Fitness to come out and tour their farm today. I (Jen) took around a dozen school-aged children on a nice rural tour of a farm during harvest. Some of my participants live on farms, but some of the kids had never been that close to an actual working farm. We got to watch Charlie combining the beans and Judy explained the purpose of all the structures on the property, which has been in her family since the 1800's. This included "Screaming Mimi", their old, and apparently very loud, dryer. Ha! We also got to meet their dog, Carl, who is a very tough farm dog indeed. The poor guy was pooped by the time he was done chasing us all around. Judy was kind enough to take us down to one of her cornfields and many of the kids left with souvenir ears of corn. They had big plans for dinner tonight despite her explanation that it really was corn for cows. I'm curious to hear how that turned out. Mother Nature decided to cooperate and gave us some great weather, it was just a perfect outing! Thanks again, Durrs!

bacon-flavored vegetables

At the fitness center last week, I (Jen) put up a quote about how life expectancy would be greatly improved if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon. Hilarious, and sadly, so true. I can just imagine what my BMI would be if whole wheat anything tasted like milk chocolate and nice crisp lettuce was like biting into a pringle... but it's not. My kids will take salad on their plate, but it stays untouched and frankly, I can't blame them. And so, alas, I find myself having to make a conscious effort to sneak healthy food, especially vegetables, to my dinner table.

It can be tough, but a little planning and prep can get some healthier meals without compromising on flavor. Last night genius struck, but late and I ended up trying to make dinner while dragging my toddler around the kitchen like a ball and chain as she had wrapped her poor, sobbing body around my leg because she was half past starving to death. It was pitiful and frustrating. But worth the wait, as it turned out. You might be impressed to know that I snuck black eyed peas into the mashed potatoes and nobody blinked. Yup, I'm pretty proud of that one.

Have you ever tried something like that? I've heard of spinach in brownies (haven't tried it), carrots in meatloaf (tried it, love it, never going back), tofu in smoothies (makes it very creamy), mixed veggies in the mac and cheese (the kids saw right through that one) and on and on. A few small substitutions or additions can make a difference between getting our daily amount of vegetables or not. There are entire cookbooks dedicated to the subject of sneaky food prep.

So I guess you can come up with bacon flavored vegetables. There is probably a recipe floating around somewhere out there. You just have to plan ahead, get creative, and give your toddler a snack if you're running late.

A few notices

We have a few notifications to get out there...

Next Wednesday (the 5th) afternoon/evening there will be no classes at Fly High. If you haven't already, don't forget to get your tickets to the Women's Health Focus and baby fair. It looks like a great time! Be sure to visit our wellness services booth and stop in and give Tiff a hard time as she leads a few yoga sessions. The fitness center will still be open that evening, so there is still an exercise opportunity available.

The homecoming parade will be right in the middle of Thursday evening step and as such we are canceling that class for the night of the 6th. We will still hold spinning and yoga as usual, but there will be no step pump that night. All our babysitters are participating in the parade so there will be no childcare available for that night as well. Get out and support those tigers and cheer for the GRMC float and our sitters.

Speaking of step pump, by popular demand the time as been changed back to 5:15-6:15. Monday Zumba and Wednesday spinning have also been moved to 5:15. Hope to see you all there.

Stress relief??

I (Jen) wonder how many of us use exercise as a means of relieveing the stress of our day to day activities. At this point, many of you have heard me bemoaning my poor son's less than stellar transition from preschooler to kindergartner. I apologize now for excessive discussion of my children, but while we have had some great reports home, I can't really say it's going as smoothly as I'd like. He's mine and I love him but he's a stinker too. Of course this situation weighs heavily on my mind. Most of the time I at least have a small part of my brain wondering how his day is going. Is he having fun, is he miserable, is he being yelled at right now, are kids picking on him and he gets busted retaliating? If I let myself, I can get pretty (dare I say excessively?) worked up about this at any given moment, including when I'm trying to go to sleep at night. It's a problem.

Miracle of miracles, after powerflow yoga tonight I realized that I hadn't thought about Connor at all during class. Phew. It's so nice to have a place where I can finally turn that worry completely off. This is really not a new or unique discovery, but it is a great reminder. Many, many people use exercise as a form of stress management or release. We see them in here pounding their frustration out on the treadmill or spinner, or maybe relaxing the tension away during a yoga session. Members come in saying "I need [fill in the blank]." My experience tonight is proof that it can work. Stressful, busy lives are not an excuse for less activity. Stressful, busy lives are the reason we need exercise!

Powerflow Yoga

Today was our first powerflow yoga class. This was the first time I (Jen) taught it and I have to admit, this was unfamiliar territory for me. Thank you to all the participants that showed up and were willing to give it a try. I think we had a great time, and got a great workout. Today's class involved a number of strengthening moves. We were up, down, all over, in between and class today attacked it. There were modifications available and I was impressed with how few were taken. It's great when people are really challenging themselves. I never want someone to go too far and get an injury, but I love it when people go for it. I should say that while we were going for it, there were also some priceless faces being made during some of our more challenging sections. Mostly by me. While we'll always have a stregthening component to our class, in the future I plan to incorporate a few more flowing moves to get a little more cardiovascular work in there too. Come try it out, next Wednesday at 4:15!

Winner, winner, winner!

Congratulations to Lisa Coffman for winning the PWA Fitness Center and Fly High Fitness Studios Passport to Fitness incentive program! Lisa received a Tour of GRMC basket consisting of gift certificates to the Neon Cafe, the Glass Gift Box, and Postels Community Health Park. We hope Lisa enjoys using her gift certificates as she "tours GRMC".

Staying active

Over my (Jen) time at the fitness center I have encountered various members commenting on what regular exercise has brought to their lives. I think they were referring to an increased ability to carry on with their everyday tasks. An example would be yoga making it easier to see over one's shoulder while backing out of the driveway or the nustep strengthening a member enough so that she can vacuum her house and not have to pay someone else to do it for her. I notice that as well for myself. I can get on the floor and stay on the floor much more comfortably these days than back before I started doing yoga on a regular basis. Woo-hoo!

We love to hear those stories and also we love to hear about the bigger stuff too. I occasionally see members that started off dependant on their canes no longer even carrying them. I hear about the relief from sore muscles after getting out and moving a little each day. One member has golfed this summer after a several year hiatus thanks to the time she put in on the elliptical. Love it, love it, love it!

We have to be active to stay active. If we take to our chairs, we're done for, it's only a matter of time before we can't do the big or even the little things for ourselves. It's imporant to recognize that our exercise habits have a big influence over our ability levels. We want to hear about what exercise has brought to you. Feel free to leave your comments below...

1st Wednesday of the Month

Tomorrow, September 7th at 4:15 p.m.

an Introductory to Yoga class

will offered at the Fly High Fitness Studio

Good morning all and welcome back after a long, holiday weekend! Have ya'll seen the September schedule for the Fly High Fitness Studio?! We have tweaked some of our classes, added new ones, and unfortunately omitted a couple. One of our new classes is Power Flow Yoga on Wednesday afternoon at 4:15. The unique thing about this class is that on the FIRST WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH there will be an introductory class instead. It can be any one of our classes (i.e. body boost, kickboxing, spinning, step, yoga, Zumba), but it will be a basic format. You will be able to leave feeling comfortable to step into the regular class. Come with any questions you may have and be ready to learn. We will all be beginners and will have fun learning together.

Each month, we will note which introductory class will be highlighted on the first Wednesday of the month. Tomorrow we will be featuring yoga.

1K Walk

This is the first chance I've (Jen) to write about our city-wide 1K walk on Wednesday. There were several locations around town where individuals gathered, I was here at the hospital hoofin' it with coworkers and some people from around the surrounding neighborhood. I found it to be a great community building activity and enjoyed getting out and moving around. It was a pretty warm day and you never know what people will respond to, but we had a respectable turnout. Thank goodness since we were a pilot community chosen to impress the Governor!

The whole point of this is to inspire us to stay (or become) healthy and active. I hope you all got out and took a quick walk around town with your friends and neighbors. Don't worry, there's another chance to walk on October 7th, so mark your calenders. This time it will be state-wide. I hope we see an even larger number of participants. Be on the lookout for signs around town with more details and I will post them on this blog as I become aware of them.

Passport to Fitness

Can you believe that August is coming to an end?! Where did the summer go??? With August 31st quickly approaching, the Passport to Fitness incentive program is winding down. I know some of you have been working diligently to complete your passport so be sure to get them turned into the PWA Fitness Center by Wednesday, August 31st. All passports will be entered into a drawing for a Tour of GRMC gift basket, so if you completed multiple passports, then you have multiple chances to win! Good luck :)

We hope you all enjoyed the program. It was nice seeing so many of you in our group exercise classes, at the fitness center, and on the blog. Change is always good, and trying new classes can never hurt. So even though the program is coming to an end, it doesn't mean that your travels have to!

Cy-Hawk Food Drive

He's at the 20...the 10...the 5...TOUCHDOWN!

Every academic year the University of Iowa and Iowa State University compete in the Hy-Vee Cy-Hawk Series. The series starts in September with volleyball, football, and soccer, and it ends in May with academics. Simply put, the school with the higher score wins! Last year, Iowa took the series winning 15 events to ISU's 11 wins. Go Hawks!

This year, GRMC is hosting a food drive that will coincide with the Iowa vs. ISU football game on September 10th. From August 22nd through September 8th at noon, anyone wishing to contribute to the food drive, may drop off their donation to the PWA Fitness Center. When dropping off your item(s), inform the wellness staff of what you brought and what team you would like it to go towards. The wellness staff will determine how many yards you earn for your team by the items you drop off. The winning team will earn bragging rights.

Which items can earn you yards?! The following list will assist you in the grocery store:

10 yds. - Diapers

5 yds. - Instant tea/coffee, laundry detergent, feminine hygiene product

4 yds. - Razor, shaving cream, canned meat (chicken, spam, etc.)

3 yds. - Dish soap, cereal, juice, peanut butter

2 yds. - Pancake mix, pasta sauce, raisins

1 yd. - Shampoo, conditioner, canned food, canned tuna, floss, soap, noodles

Please help support the families and individuals in our community by giving all you can. With schools back in session, many families are in need this time of year. Your donations will provide comfort and a sensible, nutritional, meal to many individuals. Let's put out compassion in action and give back to our community!

Long term goals

I (Jen) just came from a planning meeting that discussed the health of our community over the next five years. Well, of course I made it all about myself and started thinking about what I hope the state of my personal health will look like five years from now. I have certain things I want to accomplish and some of those goals would probably take me the entire five years to actually achieve. I have some smaller goals that I could probably get in five months or maybe even five weeks. Whatever they are, I have to keep my focus and stay accountable. I have to acknowledge where my personal struggles are and figure out how to overcome them. I have to embrace my strengths and learn how to use them to my greatest advantages. I feel like I'm talking about something serious like going to war. Well, I suppose one could cheesily argue that I would be going to war on poor health. That it's a battle that I would have to continuously fight to remain victorious for the course of my life. Whatever... The point is that it's important and it's good for us to have frequent reminders of where we want to be and how we're going to get there. Think about yourself and the state of your health. Are you where you want to be? I hope so, but I know that not everyone is perfect health. If not, what can we do to change that? Setting long term goals can be difficult, but maybe now is a good time to sit down and truly think about where we need to be in the future. Think about this: if we aren't taking care of ourselves now, what is the picture of our health going to look like in the future? Yikes!

Favorites

Alright all you yogis, what's your favorite yoga pose? A while ago some members suggested this blog topic and of course the joke was that the obvious choice was final relaxation (for all you non yoga lovers, this is where we lay down and rest at the end of class). For me (Jen), there is a division between the poses that come more easily and then there are the poses that require some work. I love the sensation of a nice gentle stretch, it's probably what sold me on yoga in the first place. Then there are the more challenging poses. They take work, the stretch is a little more intense, the strengthening element tough. But completing those poses often gives me a sense of accomplishment when I'm done. It's exciting when I notice that my knee is much closer to the floor than it was this time last year or maybe I can hold a pose longer than I when I first started. To me, a good yoga practice has a mix of both. I find it hard to narrow it down to just one pose as my favorite. Do I say spinal twist because that's fairly relaxing, do I say lunge because I like the challenge, do I throw out a hip opener like pigeon since that is an area that is chronically tight on my body, or do I say final relaxation since that is the only guaranteed rest in my day? It's tough to narrow it down, but I think for me it might be downward dog which combines strengthening and stretching all in one. What's yours?

The Healthiest State Starts Here!

Our state is declining in health. The number of adults in Iowa that are obese has more than doubled in the past 20 years. Currently 27.9% or us have a body mass index over 30, which qualifies for the obese category. The Governor has decided that's not good enough people! We've started an effort to encourage people to get out and get moving. In October our entire state will be encouraged to go for a 1K walk together. Here's the exciting part: Grinnell was one of only two towns in the entire state chosen to hold a pilot walk before the main event. On Friday, September 2nd at 1:00 all of Grinnell will be encouraged to get outside and walk 1k. There are several possible locations to make participation convenient. Your walk can be at Ahrens Park, Grinnell College, Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance, here at GRMC, or just go in your own neighborhood. We need as many participants as possible to get impressive numbers and show off Grinnell.

New Schedule

I (Jen) haven't been around the PWA or Fly High as much as I usually am and I got a chance to teach Zumba this evening and whoa Nelly did I ever hear some concern about the September schedule, particularly the afternoon/evening classes. Yes, it is being revamped, revised, and revitalized. This is due to a lack of attendance for a number of classes, not just in the summer months, but also in the months before. We want to have some great numbers so that we can all have fun getting our workouts together.

Here's the deal: some classes are just being tweaked. Sadly, some (not many, but some) are being dropped. Some classes are being combined in order to be stronger than they ever were on their own. When the official class menu is printed, check it out and see what will work for you. This schedule is designed to get you the best bang for your buck with each class. I'm excited to get started and I bet you won't want to miss it.

I live with a five year old picky eater who I have to repeatedly convince to try new things. Usually after much drama and cajoling, he often finds that he doesn't mind it after all. Now, I'm certainly not calling you a bunch five year olds but I am asking you to try out something new before you hate it forever. You may find that this schedule fits better into your world. You also may find that you have a new favorite class that you never would have tried if it hadn't been put in your usual time slot. Change is uncomfortable but we have tried to organize this new schedule in a way that is as painless as possible for all. We are still going to have a great time and give you the work out you are looking for. So keep an open mind, get to class, try it out, or we'll make you stay at the table all night! :)

Bright Pink shoes, part II

Well many of you have noticed that I (Jen) regularly wear my bright pink shoes all over the place. In fact, now they are dirty, bright, pink shoes. You may recall from my previous post that these are the type of shoe that have a very flexible sole. Some of you have asked how I like it and if I missed the extra support. I have to say, these are very comfy shoes. I like to alternate shoes so I wear a different pair every other day, but on pink shoe days I don't notice any extra discomfort. This evening I was speaking with someone about jogging in these shoes and I commented that it really makes me notice when I run with poor form. I have to get up onto the ball of my foot, I can't be sloppy. Personally, I don't find requiring better technique to be a negative, more just an interesting observation. Other than that, I don't see any difference between these pinkies and my other, more standard shoes. And they are all better than flip flops. There are so many types of shoe available and it gets so confusing about what can be the right "shoe technology" for each individual. I think this current pair is working really well for me. Thanks for all the inquiries!

Passport to Fitness

At the beginning of June, the PWA Fitness Center and the Fly High Fitness Studio challenged all members to do some traveling this summer! Unfortunately, summer is coming to an end; therefore, the Passport to Fitness Program is dwindling down. If you have successfully completed the 12 activities on your Fitness Passport, be sure to turn it in by Aug. 31st to be entered into a drawing for a "Taste of GRMC" gift basket. The basket includes a massage, gift certificate to the Neon Cafe and The Glass Gift Box, a personal training session, and more! If you haven't started your passport, do not delay. Pick one up today and get traveling!

Food On-A-Stick

Healthy food does not have to be boring or difficult to prepare. Kabobs are a healthy and fun alternative to on-a-stick foods that are deep-fried in batter or covered in chocolate. Furthermore, kabobs are an effective strategy for portion control and an awareness of what you are eating. Last Christmas, I (Tiffany) was visiting my sister-in-law and her family in Louisiana, so I was introduced to Jambalaya. This spicy treat was delicious, but it was loaded with calories and fat! The following is a recipe for Jambalaya On-A-Stick!

Ingredients:

1 lb. fresh or frozen raw shrimp in shells (peeled and deveined)
12 oz. lite smoked sausage, cut into 12 pieces
8 oz. skinless, boneless chicken breast cut into 1 inch pieces
1 med. green pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 med. onion, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
1/3 cup tomato sauce
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. dried thyme
2 tsp. bottled hot pepper sauce
3/4 tsp. minced garlic
24 8-inch wooden skewers
3 cup hot cooked rice
2 Tbsp. snipped fresh parsley
6 cherry tomatoes

Directions:

1. Thaw shrimp, if frozen. Peel and devein shrimp. Rinse shrimp, sausage, chicken, pepper, and onion in a resealable plastic bag set in a shallow dish.

2. In a small bowl, combine vinegar, tomato sauce, oil, thyme, bottled hot pepper sauce, and garlic. Pour half of the tomato sauce mixture over meat and vegetables. Seal bag; turn to coat pieces. Marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour or up to 2 hours, turning bag occasionally. Cover and chill remaining tomato sauce mixture.

3. Meanwhile, soak wooden skewers in enough water to cover for 30 minutes; drain.

4. Drain meat and vegetables, discarding marinade. On soaked skewers, alternately thread meat and vegetables (to secure pieces, use 2 skewers for each kabob-1 skewer through head end of shrimp and another skewer parallel to first skewer but through tail end of shrimp), leaving 1/4 inch space between pieces.

5. Preheat grill, reduce heat to medium. Place skewers on greased grill rack over heat for 10-12 minutes or until shrimp are opaque and chicken is no longer pink, turning occasionally.

6. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan heat chilled tomato sauce mixture. Combine cooked rice and parsley. Serve rice mixture and cherry tomatoes with kabobs. Pass warmed tomato sauce mixture.

Number of Servings: 6

Nutritional Information: Calories: 388.6, Fat: 14.3 grams, Carbohydrates: 28 grams, Protein: 35 grams

Recipe taken from www.sparkpeople.com

Fun With Fitness

I (Jen) just met with a coworker about promoting our after-school program, Fun With Fitness. I can't believe we're already to the point that we need to be thinking about school, but it is around the corner. In fact, registration for Grinnell schools is tomorrow. (I know all our teacher members just stopped reading out of disgust.)

I talk a lot about how much I enjoy my job and this is one of the many reasons. I meet such a wide variety of adults throughout my day, but Fun With Fitness gives me the chance to play games with kids after school. Not a rough gig, I say. My degree is in education and here is where I can still get that kid fix. We play games, learn about nutrition and fitness and our bodies, and just have so much fun. There's typically not a large number of participants, so I get the opportunity to spend more one on one time with each kid.

I really get behind the whole philosophy of Fun With Fitness. There are some phenomenal sports-related options for kids in town. However, not all kids are interested in sports. There are also those children that have reached the point where they don't feel successful when they are participating with other kids their age. This gives those individuals the chance to have a positive experience with fitness. We are looking to create an environment in which they learn how to stay healthy for their whole life in a fun way. We talk about choices and the effect our decisions can have on our health. Yes, you can have that one piece of candy, but not the whole bag and here are some other, healthier foods we need to eat as well, here are some activities we can do together while Mom and Dad are at work, here's why we need to be mindful of diet and exercise... You get the jist.

I have such a great time every year, it makes it worth the challenge of driving the bus (something nearly everyone has heard me jokingly grumble about on a routine basis.) It doesn't matter, bring on the school year. I'm getting excited just writing about it.

Leave your comments here

I (Jen) am so grateful to those of you who have left your comments on the blog or who have remarked in person after reading a post. We love all the feedback and I appreciate those of you who are willing to give it. For those of you out there who are resistant- don't be shy, hop on board. Based on the posts I leave you can tell this is a zone without strict topics that we must adhere to. There are no judgements or silly comments, we love it all. Let us know if there are subjects about which you want to hear us wax poetic. Let us know if there are certain types of recipes that you are looking for. Not only do you get a punch on your passport when you leave a comment, but it allows us some insight into what you're thinking and how we can better serve you.

TTFN RAGBRAI

Well RAGBRAI has come and gone. What an event! I (Jen) have never seen what it looks like when RAGBRAI comes through a town, but now I most definitely have. What an experience. I saw lots of our members enjoying the festivities downtown and lots of interesting folks visiting our lovely little city of Grinnell. I wonder if these folks that are riding all across Iowa will be so sick of their bicycles that they never hop on again. Maybe some, but I hope not. Fitness is a year long endeavor and quitting now would mean that they have to work that much harder to get ready for next year's ride. These folks have proven they have enough gumption to stick with a pretty tough ride; up and down some merciless hills with nasty heat and humidity on the side. Hopefully they stay active year round so they can enjoy next year's crazy hills and heat. Maybe they are lucky enough to have a fitness facility nearby that helps them stay on track. Who knows. I do know that you all have access to us and we are more than happy to be here when you need us!

Stinking crabgrass!

Not quite two years ago my family and I (Jen) made a big move across town to a house that had sat empty for a little over a year. The gravel drive had been given very little attention and some sections had been all but lost to weeds. During prime weed growing season last summer, I was hugely pregnant and not interested in doing anything about it. This year, however, I have started the battle. It's a huge amount of space to take care of, and pulling weeds in gravel can tear up your hands if you're not careful. So I do a little at a time, waiting for the shade and working around my family's needs. There are times I get to busy and get out of the habit and all of a sudden the whole drive is weedy again. Sometimes I feel like I work for an hour or more and you can't even tell that I was there at all. The crabgrass has enjoyed this last rain storm so yesterday I went out again. I got a bit of a rhythm pulling a handful, then pushing the baby in the swing, back and forth, back and forth. It worked and while there is still a lot more to be done (and probably always will be) visible progress was made. Hooray!

It's the same for weight loss or really any health goal. It takes time, commitment, work, and patience. We have to fit it in between everything else we are juggling and results aren't always immediately obvious. Sometimes life gets away from us and the spread seems to be winning. We have to stay positive and determined. Remaining diligent and chipping away a little at a time adds up to big progress in the big picture. Exercising or watching what we eat is not always what we want to be doing, but if we want to enjoy the benefits of the results, we have to stay with it.

RAGBRAI

You had to know we'd make a post about RAGBRAI at some point. In case you've missed it, RAGBRAI is coming to Grinnell next Thursday, the 28th. You might have noticed all the cyclists out and about despite this blazing hot weather. There are going to be some great activities going on around town that we'd hate for you to miss. There are also going to be some road closures and quite a bit of bicycle traffic to contend with. As such, we are closing the PWA at noon on Thursday and re-opening at 8am on Friday. Fly High will be closed all of Thursday and Friday. Classes will resume on Saturday. Make sure to still plan on working out. This may just need to be a time you try something new (maybe get a new stamp on your passport to fitness???) RAGBRAI can be quite a show so be sure to come support our local venues and see the sights. Good luck to all our members that will be out riding across Iowa, we can't wait to hear your stories when you come back!

Heat Wave

I (Jen) walked out of my house a bit after 5am this morning and was already blown away by the heat and humidity outside. It was time for a new quote for the board in the fitness center and I settled on, "If you saw a heat wave, would you wave back?" Ha ha, thank you Steven Wright. Of course, no way I'd wave, maybe some kind of hand gesture, but not a wave. As Jane Austen so elegantly put it in another quote I found today, the heat leaves me in a "state of inelegance," and I know I'm not alone. Most of us prefer to stay inside eating popsicles. But, if you're someone that can't resist going outside despite the elevated temps, make sure to be smart about it. Drink plenty of water, you're going to need to replace all the fluid you'll be sweating out. Use lots of sunscreen and reapply frequently. They've recently changed requirements on sunscreen labels, so be sure to read the recommendations on the bottles carefully. Try to avoid going out in the heat of the day, between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm. If you can, choose to do the mowing or cycling or whatever before or after those times for a little more comfort. Don't forget the sunglasses to protect those peepers from the bright sun. And make sure to stay in the shade as much as possible or even wear protective clothing such as a hat or sun visor. There are times when it's just too hot. If the sum of the temperature and the humidity is greater than 150 for adults, or greater than 125 for seniors and children, it's best to stay inside and risk cabin fever. At those times come on over to the air-conditioned goodness of Fly High or the PWA to get your exercise. Make sure to take care of yourself during these extreme heat waves!

Stress managment

Some of you may know that I (Jen) have been helping out quite a bit with our hospital day camp recently. It is a very fun gig, playing with school age kids at the pool, the park and on field trips. I love the variety it brings to my day. The downside is that it also has added some extra work hours as well. There's no denying that the extra pay is nice, but there have been some challenges while trying to accommodate this extra time away from home. Between finding more babysitters, less time for cleaning, cooking, or bonding with the family, there's just been a little extra stress in my world. It's not terrible, but it is there.

A few years ago, GRMC implemented a stress management program called Heartmath for all our employees. At my first training I remember hearing that it's just a fact that we have stress in our jobs and lives and that can't be changed. We can, however, change how we react to that stress. That statement has stuck with me. No one lives in a pristine stress-free environment. Which means, we have all been in a situation that we could have handled better. But sometimes that initial reaction just makes it so hard to get out of the downward spiral.

I've had to find ways to minimize that type of situation. For me the process was initiated by our training by just making me more aware of how I behaved each time I didn't like something. Heartmath provided me with some great tools for managing the physical reactions we experience during stressful situations and I find myself utilizing them frequently. Whether it's just speaking less snottily to my husband or not losing my mind when the kids spill their drinks, believe me, I have plenty of opportunity for practice. We all have to find healthy ways to manage the big and little events that come our way. Sometimes exercise is one of them. Feel free to come work your frustrations out on the treadmill or relax in a yoga class. Try a massage or the Aquamed bed at Postels Community Health Park. If you're interested to know more about Heartmath, let our staff know. Whenever we feel that tension coming on, we need to have those tools in place to help us better handle tough situations. That's one of the things our staff is here to provide: an environment for stress relief.

sleep deprivation

Well it'was an amazing show to watch all the lightning this morning. Very impressive display, Mother Nature. However, I (Jen) would appreciate if the next exhibit would allow me to get a little more sleep. According to the National Sleep Foundation, an adult needs an average of 7-9 hours of good, quality sleep. That sure doesn't happen for me when it's tunderstorming in the wee small hours.

Obviously daytime sleepiness can contribute to loss of productivity and general crankiness. But there are a few more serious health risks that can be involved in reduced number of sleep hours. Did you know it can also be linked to poor diet choices? I was very interested to learn that lack of sleep effects hormones in such a way that we feel an increase in appetite. It was found that people will low number of sleep hours can have an impact on glucose and insulin levels, making it hard to lose weight. Clearly one night of poor sleep doesn't lead to a lifetime of bad health, but for those of us that habitually struggle for the zzzs it can be a slippery slope. Being tired makes us that much less motivated for healthy diet and exercise habits, leading to weight gain, which we all know can cause a myriad of health risks such as sleep apnea, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, increased risk for stroke, etc... Aah!

There are factors that we can't control- wakeful babies, snoring spouses or thunderstorms. But we can make some choices that allow us to get as much sleep as possible. Planning ahead and getting to bed at a decent time no matter what is one. Another is to reduce caffeine intake, especially later in the day. I know, I know, not a popular option for some, but it could make a difference. Adding an extra pop in the day not only increases our calorie intake but also can make it more difficult to get to sleep at night. Additionally chosing to work out around mid afternoon is the recommemded time for best sleep. We are glad to get our exercise in whenever we can, and exercise can help us sleep better at night, but it can help the most if we are able to fit our work outs in at least three hours before bedtime. We can also create an environment for sleep by keeping the lights low, the temperature cool, and finding earplugs or some kind of white noise machine to combat any noise. And while lots of people claim that TV helps them fall asleep, experts state that TV stimulates the brain instead of allowing it to calm down, so the goal is to turn the set off at least one hour before bed. Think for a minute of the nights you watched some news report that ticked you off or some thought-provoking movie that got the gears of your mind working so you couldn't sleep and you'll know it's really true.

Getting enough sleep is a crucial part of our overall health. Regularly getting enough sleep will help us with our efforts in diet and exercise and keep our moods light. Our job is to do what we can to make that happen so that we don't spend our days dull whitted, yawning and crabby. Sometimes it's easier said than done, but it is definitely worth the effort.

Star Spangled Accountability

I (Jen) hope you all had a great holiday. I certainly enjoyed my time with my family. It's important for us to have those special celebrations that allow us to take a break from our usual routines. A lot of us plan vacations around these extra days off, which is great, but this the time that it becomes very easy to slip off the wagon. Don't let that happen to you! Our bodies and minds do need some recovery time, but not weeks. We all love that holiday food we eat at our picnics and family gatherings, but we can't consume that many star spangled brownies on a regular basis. Make sure that you are keeping yourself accountable even around vacation times. If you're able, find a way to incorporate exercise during your trip. It can be exciting to try a new piece of equipment or take a new class. Make sure to get some healthy food on your plate despite all that eating out and pot luck dinners. Please, don't hesitate to let us know if you need extra encouragement to get back on the horse after a break. The wellness team members are here to help you succeed, it's one of my favorite parts of the job!

Free Massage!

Did that get your attention? Who wouldn't want a free massage?

As most members know, the wellness center has an incentive program called "It Pays to Attend" in which members receive a free massage or neon cafe gift certificate for attending 60 times in 6 months. Many of you have received multiple massages and look forward to them. Some questions have come up that I (Lexie) wanted to address to minimize any confusion about the program:

Q: "If I attend more than 60 times in 6 months can I get more than 1 massage?"

A: Sadly, no. One massage or gift certificate is given in a 6 month time period. But we still encourage you to attend more than 60 times for your own personal benefit.

Q: "When does my 6 months start?"

A: We started the program in September of 2009 so if you were already a member at that time that's when your six months started. If you joined after this month it started the month you joined.

Q: "Will you let me know when I have 60 visits?"

A: Due to the fact that this is a voluntary incentive program and not all members are participating we ask that you contact the wellness staff to inquire about your number of visits. We have punch cards available for those who would like one to help them keep track of their visits and to remind them to get their massage.

Q: "If I should have received a massage in the last 6 month period but forgot to ask do I still get it?"

A: We only give massage and gift certificates during your current 6 month period even if you earned one previously.

Q: "What if I go on vacation-am I given more time to get my 60 visits in?"

A: 60 visits in 6 months is about 2 1/2 days per week of exercise-hopefully even with a vacation time-off you can make up for the time you have lost and still get in 60 visits in the time allotted.

Q: "If I go to Fly High for a class and then go the fitness center does that count as 2?"

A: We only count visit per day-even if you take all the classes Fly High offers that day (ouch-you will probably feel that the next day)-it only counts as 1 visit.

Please feel free to post any comments or questios or ask the wellness staff any questions you have about this program. So far it has been very successful and really motivates members to get in to the fitness center.

Kickboxing

Evening kickboxing classes are back in July! It will be held Thursday evenings from 5:15-6:15. Step will move to Thursday mornings 8:15-9:00. Heather and I (Jen) will be alternating weeks. I've never taught a kickboxing class before and I'm very excited for the challenge. I have taken classes in the past and thought they were a blast. Apparently so did many of our members because it has been heavily requested for quite some time. We're trying to meet your needs by switching things up a bit. Be prepared, it's going to be an adventure, and it's going to be awesome. Come try it out next Thursday. We are going to have a sweaty, great time.

Candyland

Today a few staff members and I (Jen) tried out the new Candyland ice cream shop. It may seem inappropriate for a wellness blog to talk about ice cream, but come on, dessert is part of everyone's reality. Never fear, we all got smalls and walked back to the hospital. (Can you believe not one construction worker whistled at us? Surely they didn't notice my bright pink shoes.) There was a sign on the wall warning us that what we were ingesting contained fat and calories. What does it mean for the wellness staff when we go out for ice cream? Are we doomed, have we slipped off the wagon, are we giving up the fight? Nah. Read on...

Life is all about choices and that includes what we put into our bodies. Some people find they work best with no deviation what-so-ever. There are times that one chip or one cookie turns into the whole bag and so they just don't risk it. Some, however, argue that we need those small treats to help us from completely backsliding into oblivion. They would claim that if we totally deny ourselves, we're destined to have a huge breakdown somewhere down the road. I say find what formula works for you and embrace it. Of course, we have to be honest about if our system of food choices is really working for us. That may be the hardest part. I could have thought to myself, "Well, I'm teaching powerpump tonight, so I can get a large and it's fine." But is that really true? What else did I have to eat today? If I get that large and promise myself a salad for dinner, will I really eat salad, or will I grill a bacon cheeseburger. Eater, know thyself.

Even an ice cream parlor can bring inspiration to wellness-minded individuals. There is a jukebox in the store that had some terrific songs that we all thought could be incorporated into our classes. Dori took it one step further and came up with the idea of a candyland themed spinning class set to songs such as "Sugar, Sugar," or "Candyman". She envisioned calculating a class that burns off the calories that are in a candyland sundae. I thought that was a really creative idea and sounded like a really fun ride. Stay tuned, you may be hearing some of these songs in the near future.

Our time together was actually more important than the act of eating of ice cream. We had a great time being in each other's company and bouncing around ideas. You could say we were working on our emotional wellness, which is just as important. For you emotional eaters out there, you know what I mean. Staying happy tends to help people stay on track. And if staying happy means incorporating small amounts of ice cream with friends; so be it.

Staying accountable to your health needs is a crucial part of the total wellness picture. One trip to the ice cream parlor will never mean a total failure. As long as the minority (ie: dessert) stays in the minority, we'll be in good shape. But finding what works for us and sticking with it, making those healthy choices around our occasional treats will always be an integral part of keeping ourselves healthy.

As a side note: it turns out I'm in a picture on the wall. If you ever happen to be in (getting a small, I'm sure) see if you can find me!

Something the whole family loves (is that possible?)

The Ness family does not usually agree about what should go on our dinner table. Suffice it to say that there is rarely a night when I (Jen) have managed to satisfy everyone's taste buds. A few weeks ago I got one. Eureka! We were grilling chicken and I offhandedly skewered some quartered apples and threw them onto a cooler section of the grill. They were just starting to brown at the edges when I took them off. Delicious! Think of warm apple pie filling without the guilt. The warmth brought out the juiciness and sweet apple flavor and there was still a little crunch in the texture. I have served it a couple of times since to equal success (consistently liking a dish is also a rarity at our house) so I think I can safely declare this one to be a hit. There was no special sauce, no major prep, no big expense, and hardly any cooking time involved. It's one that has quickly become a summertime favorite for my entire family, something I would have previously told you was not possible.

blood screen

Last week our department hosted a blood screen for a local company's employees. Not everyone may realize this is another service we provide for our area residents. People don't always love to go to a blood draw. They have to fast 12 hours, which can be mentally challenging. We typically hold these pretty early in the morning so people are bleary eyed. Of course, there is also the whole needle factor, which can make some people fairly uncomfortable. We do our best to counteract this with friendly smiles, soothing music, and breakfast available right on site, but they are still there lurking in the background.

Despite the discomfort factor, we had a large turnout. It great because these blood screens provide extremely valuable information. We do a CBC (immune function), a lipid panel (diet and exercise info), we can provide TSH (thyroid), and PSA (prostate) as well. It's so important to know if something is going on with your blood work. We do these blood screens for several of the area's employers and we also offer a community screening. We often see our members there being proactive with their health.

At this particular screening we also offered BMI, blood pressure, and waist to hip ratios. Our job was to let people know where they currently stand in the health spectrum. We don't have control over hormones and genetics. We do have control over activity level. We also have control over what and how much is going onto our plates. We were there to remind participants of this.

It never hurts to have that reminder to stay on top of your health. If you aren't currently aware of what your blood work looks like, consider taking advantage of our next blood screen. They can give you and your doctor some very important incite into our health.

Bright pink shoes

I(Jen) am trying out some new shoes. You can't miss them- they're bright pink. For a while there I was whining about foot pain, and during one of my sessions in physical therapy it was recommended that I try a shoe with a flexible sole. As you might imagine, I put a fair amount of pounding into whatever shoes I wear, so a shoe purchase is an important decision for me. I have noticed that I need to alternate the brand and style of shoe I wear in order to keep my feet happy and I get a little set in my ways about which kinds I use. I'm a little leery about going out of my comfort zone but our PT department has done amazing things for me in the past and I have no reason not to trust them. This is just the end of day one but I did wear them during a class and so far so good.


I've seen people in class with toe shoes, I've seen people running around town completely bare foot, and I've seen people with the "toning" shoes. Post a comment here about your experiences with different types of athletic footwear. Just this morning a member and I discussed transitioning from different types of shoe styles so I know there are people that are interested. I know I'm curious and would love to hear your input.

Victorious in Victor

Yesterday I (Jen) volunteered at the 5K/Half marathon here in Grinnell. I saw several members doing a tremendous job pounding the pavement. You guys have all been working so hard and you looked great. Someone else that looked great was our very own Amber, who ran the half marathon. I'm betting she'll be embarassed by this post, but she's not here to stop me and I was so proud of her and everyone else too. Amber ran over 13 miles and baby, she ran it fast! I was cheering at a corner 3 blocks from the finish line and she very casually grinned and said, "Oh, hi Jen. Thanks, I'm dying though. Ha ha." But she sure didn't sound or look like she was dying. She was still on her feet and truckin' and she had enough energy to wave at her family as well. I have seen Amber in here at the PWA flying on the treadmill and hammering on the spinner at Fly High and that endurance has really built up for her. A member I've seen putting in the time at PWA ran the 5K. She said she had thought about walking at the water breaks, but she didn't; she kept on running and she looked great from where I was standing. Amazing! I've seen you all working hard every lunch break or coming in before or after work. Every one's time and effort paid off! I'm not sure exactly where Amber was in the overall numbers, but like I said, she was fast. In fact, she was the first woman in her age bracket. When she crossed the finish line the M.C. called, "Amber McLeod, Victorious in Victor!" We've posted before on our blog about having goals and celebrating those small and large accomplishments. This weekend was exactly that for some of you. It was amazing to see so many people so determined to push themselves. I, for one, enjoyed watching the show. Good job Amber and good job everyone else on your hard work!

The Passport to Fitness

You may have noticed the fitness passports that are sitting on our front desks. These passoports have nine squares with a different activity in each section. Participants may complete one square each day (a wellness specialist will sign off) and have until August to complete as many passports as possible. Each completed passport is entered for a chance to win a pretty great prize.
It's not necessarily easy, there are probably some squares that you haven't tried before. Challenging ourselves in new and different ways can be intimidating. But our bodies need to have that variety to get the best workouts possible. We get comfortable with those activities that come easily and are familiar to us. Unfortunately, so do our muscles and we just don't get as much benefit out of the experience when we do the same thing the same way, day in and day out. The good news is that we don't require everyone walking through our doors to be an expert at all things they attempt. We expect that people who have never tried a certain class or piece of equipment won't be perfect. That's why we're here, to help you out. We want new people walking in our doors and on our equipment. We love to see familiar faces trying something different. That is part of the motivation behind our "Passport to Fitness" program. Hopefully it will help encourage you to try some fun things. So grab your passports and come try something new. You may find your favorite thing you never knew you loved.

Old shoes? We'll take them!

Recently while cleaning out closets at home I (Jen) threw out several pairs of shoes and thought something to the effect of "there are barefoot children in ... [name your impoverished location here]". After a very quick online search I found a program that allows for the recycling of used shoes. What better location for the collection of old shoes than a fitness facility? We are able to take anything but steel-toed shoes/boots. Bring us your old sandals, sneakers, flip-flops or dress shoes and we can take care of recycling them for you. There is a collection bin at both Fly High and the PWA so either location is ready for your old shoes.

Yummy waist-friendly muffin recipe

Recently I (Lexie) have been swapping out traditional recipes with lower calorie, lower fat, higher fiber foods to promote weight loss. I'm getting married in four months and brides always want to look good in the dress. While browsing recipes on the web the other day I discovered a recipe for muffins that turned out very well and were less in calories and fat. I was looking for a good snack that kept me fuller longer and traditionally muffins have me scouring the fridge looking for more within minutes. This recipe satisfied me longer and was very tasty:

I box of cake mix (spice or carrot work well for this but I had a yellow cake mix in the pantry already)

1 15oz can of pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

There are a lot of add-ins for this. I used about a tsp of vanilla extract, nutmeg, and a little cinnamon to jazz it up a little. You could add pumpkin pie spice, nuts or use another type of pureed vegetable or fruit. Experiment and find out what you like the best. Let us know what you like and what others can try!

This recipe makes 24 regular size muffins. Below are the nutrition facts for each muffin:

2 points if you are on Weight Watchers

Calories: 97

Total Fat: 2.9 g

Sat fat: 0.7 g

Cholesterol: 0.0 g

Sodium: 140.4 g

Potassium: 133 g

Total carb: 17g

Sugars: 10g

Protein: 1.1g

Here Comes the Sun

Finally! I love being able to talk about all the wonderful things I've been doing outside. There is so much to do in my yard it's not even funny and despite the later sunsets, there are not nearly enough hours in the day. But I don't even mind because it's been so gorgeous! I've tilled, I've dug, I've weeded, I've mowed, I've chased my kids around, I've walked, I've planted, I've... uh... thought about riding my bike. I've enjoyed the fact that my back wasn't killing me after hours of yard work thanks to Fly High.

I've also noticed that classes are empty because everyone is outside doing those things too. If you're someone that is shy about trying new things in front of a crowd, now is the time to come sample. If you're the kind of person, who, like me, starts out walking at a brisk pace but ends up strolling along looking at the scenery, you better get back to class to have an instructor keep you accountable. Yard work is much more exercise than sitting on the couch, but is your heart working as hard as it does in spinning? Don't let yourself get too deconditioned, it's so hard to get it back. Personally, I'm not a self motivator. To do my best, I need an instructor or classmates pushing me along. I need Fly High and PWA, even in nice weather. Come see us if you're like me. We'll get you ready to get those outside tasks accomplished with ease!

Sticking with the Routine

Usually my work schedule requires that I (Jen) teach yoga several times a week. I say "requires" like this is a rough gig. Believe me, it's not. A few weeks ago the stars lined up in such a way that I ended up only instructing on Tuesday evening. I was busy and distracted but by the end of the week I noticed that I was so stiff and sore. Finally I took pity on myself and just did a 20 minute video at home. Oh man, what a difference that tiny bit made! By halfway through the following week I felt nearly back to normal. Am I an addict? If so, good for me! I have noticed before when I've missed step class how much more difficult it is to keep up the following session. I'm here to tell you that the same can be said for yoga or any other type of activity. You've got to stay consistant and make it a priority, even if it means squeezing in just a little bit during our more hectic times. It seems like a hassel to get out the door when there is so much to do at home, but we must must must make it a priority to stick to our routine. Our bodies will let us know if we don't and it's not worth it!

Be Kind to Your Fellow Participant

Most of us have heard the story of the man that not too long ago shot his spinning classmate over a specific spinner bike. The media ate it up as proof of our society going crazy and it was everywhere for a few days. Clearly this was an example of someone who takes his workout very seriously.

But this man isn't the only one. Any kind of exercise can be a very personal experience. All of us have a list of things we need to accomplish in our day and all of us can think of several other equally important ways we could also be spending our time. We choose to come to the PWA or Fly High because we have made activity a priority in our busy lives. How frustrating it can become when our favorite treadmill isn't immediately available or our usual spot in the studio has been taken. It's aggravating to grab a yoga mat only to discover that several have been rolled together or we use the weight machines after a sweaty individual that has neglected to wipe things down.

Remember the golden rule Mom taught you? "Do unto others as you would have done unto you." Your mom was only telling you ways to make friends and keep them. So here are some tips so you don't become "that guy (or girl)" at the gym.

• We all occasionally run late. Unfortunately yoga is very quiet and still, especially so at the beginning and end of class. Wait to join class until after everyone has started moving. In other classes, just set up in such a way that doesn't impede fellow classmates. On the flip side, sometimes we have to leave early. Let the teacher know ahead of time, we are usually willing and able to pick up for you. In yoga, it can be very distracting for someone to move around during final relaxation. Even just the smallest rustle can be a problem for other participants so you can imagine what someone getting up and walking around would do for the class. If you're someone that doesn't enjoy final relaxation or for some reason has to step out early, do so before it even begins, not the middle.
• Clean up after yourself and make sure to wipe down the equipment (weights, mats, balls, handles, etc...) after each use. Obviously we expect to encounter some amount of sweat at the gym and should be washing our hands after class, but still, wipe it down for us. As mentioned earlier, roll yoga mats individually. Put weights away where you found them.
• Sound check! We love the conversations we have in our classes and around the fitness center. It makes time fly and gets people in the door ready for a great class but make sure it stays appropriate in terms of topic and language. (Some of you guys know some very creative curses and terrible jokes!) In yoga, conversation usually isn't done. For those classes, comments can be fairly distracting (although teachers still welcome quietly worded questions) and cell phones are a big no-no.
• At the PWA, tv channels can be a debate. We start the day with the televisions on specific channels but we are more than happy to change them for anyone. As long as no one is watching that tv, that is. It's best to ask one of the staff to do it for you so that we are the bad guys, not you. This applies to the fans and blinds as well. Just because the fan makes you freeze and you enjoy the view of the parking lot doesn't mean that the poor person next to you isn't burning up and blinded by the sun. Just let us know what you need and we'll take care of it for you in a way that will make everyone happy.
• Our final courtesy we can extend to each other has to do with personal grooming. Who showers before they exercise? It just seems silly, but believe it or not, when you're breathing hard from exercise those strong odors can really become obvious.

Our members are great and we love the variety of people we see everyday. We seem to have developed our own sense of community and have noticed some genuine friendships that are fostered in our facilities. We want all of you to have a fabulous experience each time you enter our doors. You can help us meet that goal by following the golden rule!

Spring Recipe

Apricots Healthy Food Guide: Before peaches, plums and berries appear in markets, apricots arrive. Ancient Romans were so impressed by this fruit's early ripening that they took to calling it praecocium, Latin for "precocious". Most apricots are destined to be canned or dried, and their season is fleeting, so get fresh ones fast! Enjoy the fruits alone for a snack, or highlight their inherent sweetness in the delicious recipe below. Even if you miss apricot season, there are many ways to take advantage of this delicious fruit. Dried apricots are useful in a multitude of recipes, from stews to salads and desserts. Toss some dried apricots with baby spinach, almonds and vinaigrette for a tasty salad, or poach apricots with spices for a quick snack or dessert topping. And apricot nectar adds a sweet note to sauces, desserts and beverages.

What You Get: Apricots are low in calories and packed with nutrients. Just three fresh apricots will give you almost half the vitamin A you need for the day along with a healthy dose of vitamin C, potassium and fiber. In addition, apricots are packed with beta carotene, an antioxidant that helps neutralize free radicals that damage cells.  


Shopping Tip: Purchase plump, fairly firm apricots that are orange-yellow to orange. Ripe apricots are soft and juicy and eaten as soon as possible.


Storage Tip: To ripen apricots, place the hard fruit in a brown paper bag for one or two days. Ripe apricots should be stored in the refrigerator to prevent over ripening. Fresh apricots can be frozen: just halve the fruit. Remove the pit and freeze on a baking sheet. Once frozen, place the apricots in a sealable plastic bag.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin & Apricot Salad: From EatingWell: May/June 2008
This grilled pork dish offers a triple hit of the fruit with an apricot preserve glaze for the tenderloin plus a grilled apricot and watercress salad with an apricot-spiked vinaigrette. Serve with a chilled Chardonnay which will harmonize beautifully with the smoky-sweetness of grilled apricots. 4 servings/Preparation Time: 40 minutes 

Ingredients: 

• 1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided 1/4 teaspoon 
• freshly ground pepper, plus more to taste 
• 3 tablespoons apricot preserves, divided 4 ripe but firm, fresh apricots or nectarines, halved and pitted 
• 2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar 
• 2 tablespoons minced shallot 
• 1 bag (4-5 ounces) watercress, or baby arugula (about 8 cups) 

Preparation: 

1. Preheat grill to high. 
2. Sprinkle pork with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Oil the grill rack (see tip below). Grill the pork, turning occasionally, for 10 minutes. Brush the pork with 2 tablespoons preserves and continue grilling until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 145 degrees, 2 to 5 minutes more. Grill apricot (or nectarine) halves on the coolest part of the grill, turning occasionally, until tender and marked, about 4 minutes. Transfer pork and apricots to a clean cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, whisk the remaining 1 tablespoon preserves, vinegar, shallot, oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste in a large bowl. Cut the fruit into wedges and add to the dressing along with watercress (or arugula); toss to coat. Thinly slice the pork. Serve the salad with the sliced pork

Nutrition:
Per serving: 247 calories, 10 g Fat; 1 g Sat Fat; 5 g Mono; 74 mg Cholesterol; 15 g Carbohydrates; 25 g protein; 1 g Fiber; 363 mg Sodium; 653 mg Potassium

Tip:
To oil the grill rack: Oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Don't use cooking spray on a hot grill).