Gwendolyn Galmon: A Story of Physical and Personal Transformation

Personal change and transition is rarely easy. Anything worth having in life requires hard work, time, and effort. Gaffney resident Gwendolyn Galmon definitely realizes this. She applied these and many other principles to achieve her weight loss goals.

Gwendolyn is the latest face of Your Best Body Fitness Center and Day Spa here in Gaffney, appearing in their ads in the Weekly Ledger and also in the Gaffney Ledger. I decided to profile Mrs. Galmon and do a feature on her since I also work out at Your Best Body, know her personally,  and have witnessed some of her weight loss firsthand.

The ads currently state she has lost 108 pounds. She is actually down 112 at press time as her metabolism continues to work at a rapid pace. Galmon began this mission about a year ago when she learned she was going to be a grandmother. It was a reality check for Gwendolyn. She realized she was getting older, and wanted to be healthier and younger in body and mind. According to her "she wanted to get and look younger."

She has been a full time working wife and mother for years. During this time, she found herself losing her personal identity and self. Being the woman of her home was taking so much time and energy, not to mention her job. There did not seem to be enough time for herself. Therefore, Gwendolyn realized it was time to take care of her and give what she deserved: a new outlook internally and externally.

Many people that lose weight nowadays rely heavily on pills, gimmicks, and quick fixes. Gwendolyn took the traditional approach: a strict diet and a rigorous exercise regimen. She eats more vegetables with her meals, will eat fruit alone as a snack, and consumes lots of lean protein. This protein includes chicken breast, turkey breast, and ground turkey, and tilapia. No red meat or pork has been a part of her diet.

Some of the things she does far as exercise include going to Your Best Body several times per week concentrating on lots of cardio routines. She works on the elliptical machines and does ZUMBA classes on occasion. 10-15 minutes on certain days are also spent working abs and biceps. Gwendolyn also does a lot of heavy cardio outside of the gym, doing plenty of jogging and bike riding. Her brother bought her a bicycle.  It has been put to good use, including participation in bike rides.  The results for Mrs. Galmon have been nothing short of amazing.   

Gwendolyn has also found assistance and guidance through reading the book "17 Day Diet" by Dr. Mike Moreno. She highly recommends this book for anyone. This book can be found at Wal-Mart and Amazon, and is also available to download to your preferred e-reader.

This is a lady that has definitely won the battle of the bulge and defeated her inner demons as well.  She has also more of an outer glow about herself. Gwendolyn says that now that she feels comfortable with herself physically and financially, she is going to work on improving herself spiritually through her faith and journey with the Lord. I'm confident that she will succeed there as well.

People like Gwendolyn show and remind us that goals and advancements are achievable and worth the hard work. The key of course is the work and the effort. Many aren't willing to go that extra mile, to keep pushing regardless of obstacles. Mrs. Gwendolyn Galmon has done just that. This woman now stands as an inspiration and living proof for success in fitness, family, and life, and continuously striving for personal growth and development.

 

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My Father Figures

I remember once upon a time Father's Day meant nothing to me. My father, Dennis "Bill" McGill, was murdered when I was only 2 years old. My mom raised me as a single parent until she got married when I was 14. However, my stepdad was never the REAL father figure I needed. I still bought him Father's Day gifts until he and my mom divorced a couple of years ago.

However, I realized that I've had several men in my life that have stepped in and been like a father to me. I will use this blog to pay tribute to those men.

- God, my Lord, Savior and Heavenly Father

This goes without saying. Without God, I would be nothing. God has made me stronger and gives me faith and encouragemment throughout my years.

- Debbie Lanier

It would be unfair to leave her off this list. She was both mother and father to me, and is still my best friend and inspiration.

- Billy Transou

He was my high school guidance counselor and 7th grade math teacher. We developed a bond that we share to this day. He helped me get into college and pay for it, plus he always had my back and lended a listening ear. He retired from Blacksburg High this year. The school has lost a great man who molded teenagers into adults.

- Bill Parker

He was my Agriculture/shop teacher and FFA advisor. I would frequently hang out in his classroom, even after I was no longer a student. He was one of the nicest but most real men I know. I saw a college campus for the first time as he took me to Clemson University for the state FFA convention. More than anything, he was non-judgmental and impartial. He treated everyone the same: males, females, smart, dumb, rich, poor, black and white

- My high school football coaches (Gibson, Fulton, and Wilson)

I had several coaches, but these 3 stick out. I caught Coach Gibson and Coach Fulton's eye as only a 7th grader. Both would talk to me like they had known me for years. They kept coaxing me to play football not only because I was a tough kid. They saw that it would make more of a man out of me. That it did also. They pushed me to the limit, stayed on me, and always rewarded and praised me. They noted my academic and personal character more. It was deeper than football with those two.

Most of the same can be said about Coach Wilson. He was extremely enthusiastic, inspiring, caring, and gifted at molding men. He came into my life when I needed a final piece to my developmental puzzle. He is loved by many, hated by few, respected by all. When I organized and played in the 2010 alumni game, Coach Wilson stepped in and was again the final piece of the puzzle. He coached us up, got us organized, and continued to inspire us. It was just like old times. He really cared and showed it all the time

- Frank Harris ( bka "Pop")

He was the only male black teacher at BHS. You learned more than geography or history in his classroom. He taught me about life and staying current on local, national, and world affairs. He even talked to me about staying focused on getting an education first, and having fun second. He was a really cool man that helped prepare me for college and life.

- John "JT" Timmons

My former employer at Winthrop as a RA and a SWARM staff member, plus my advisor in the Resident Student Association. JT is simply an awesome person, and an encouraging, non- judgmental listener. He went to battle for me several times in crisis situations. A very fun-loving person, he made me want to do better as an RA, and RSA executive, and a man. We developed a great bond that cannot be broken. He understood where I came from, and accepted me for who I was. He only tried to enhance who I was, rather than change me.

Dr. Will Thacker

I had 4 classes with Dr. Thacker. In all of them, he taught me how to think and reason out problems, rather than simply learn out of a book. He saw my potential and brought it out in me. He knew what I was capable of, and always gave me chances to learn and excel. He is misunderstood, but like many Winthrop professors, he is kind, understanding and realistic.

- Jerry Dunn

One of my former bosses at my current company, the Robert Allen Group. Jerry let you be yourself, work hard like an adult, and treated you well. He was very intelligent, thorough in explaining procedure and down to earth. Instead of parking in the executive parking lot, he parked with the regular employees. He liked to stay on our level and was the consummate professional. He had your back also, a rarity in many workplace.

- Frankie Austin and Arthur Newson

Both of these men are fathers to my two best friends, the late Marcus Austin and Rashad Newson, respectively. Both men treat me like royalty, offer me fatherly advice, and simply treat me like I'm one of their own. I know if I ever wanna talk or need a word of advice or encouragement, Frankie or Arthur are there for me. Good positive black men are out there, and I'm glad I have these two in my life.

- David Fink

I dedicated an entire article to him when he passed away back in April 2011. Founder/owner of Your Best Body Fitness Center/Day Spa and my former trainer, he was an awesome person, period. He became like a mentor to me as we had various conversations about health, wellness, sports and the like. It's still hard to believe he's gone and I miss him daily. I wear a memorial wristband that YBB sold to honor his memory.
Happy Belated Father's Day to these people! Without you all, there would be me. I hope I can mentor and love my children someday the way you have me.

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The Legacy of David Fink

A week ago today, Gaffney and the members of my beloved gym, Your Best Body Fitness Center and Day Spa, lost a great man in David Fink. He passed unexpectedly from a massive heart attack suffered as a result of an enlarged heart. He was the co-owner of YBB with his wife, Lisa, trainer, and in charge of YBB's Boot Camp. He leaves one heck of a legacy. David dedicated his life to health, fitness, and the wellness of himself and others. This makes his sudden death at only age 47 harder to swallow. His dream was to have a gym where everyone, regardless of your fitness background, could come and feel welcome. David did exactly that. He built YBB from humble beginnings into one of the top fitness centers in the county, and one of the best-kept secrets in the entire Upstate South Carolina area. David was an innovative, forward thinking man, always devising ways to make people healthier and enjoy getting healthy. He not only made sure YBB had top notch fitness equipment, supplements, and trainers, he built and instituted other additions. These include a full-court basketball gym, used for adult and children's leagues and ZUMBA classes. He especially recognized the growing need and appeal of ZUMBA, and approved 7 classes/week, more than any other class or boot camp. The MMA class has also become a popular draw for enthusiasts and experts of this art. David really wanted to put the members first, listen to us, and provide us with resources that we could both enjoy and benefit from. David was also extremely friendly and sociable, often being near the front entrance, greeting members and conversing with us about a wide variety of subjects. Once again, customer service was a high priority for him. He truly cared about all of his members, and that feeling was often mutual. I'm blessed to have formed a close, personal relationship with David and Lisa over the past 4 years. When I lost my infamous 100 pounds, David was behind me throughout most of it. He was my trainer as I joined his Boot Camp. His sessions were no picnic and he would push me to the limit, but it was all worth it. When the smoke cleared and the weight was gone, I did several promotional pieces, including appearing on flyers and on their website, www.yourbestbodyfitness.com. He truly did have a big heart as he took my health and weight loss as serious as I did. Yes he was compensated for his work, but that was still love. After I lost the weight and he no longer trained me, he was still available for various questions, advice, and encouragement. He provided workout plans and sample menus for all of the members to use. I still use many to this day. David Fink was truly in a class by himself. He was a husband, son, uncle, father, brother, friend, trainer, businessman, coach, and motivator. I would like to say (again) thanks David for everything. I've been into fitness for years, but it became more. fun and effective after meeting you. What you and Lisa built at YBB was a great community and family within the gym. I look forward to coming to work out. I've gotten waay more from YBB than a nice physique and a healthier outlook on life. Joining and staying at YBB has been one of the best decisions of my life. It will never be the same going in YBB and not seeing David's smiling face with his Tarheel or YBB gear and great conversation. I know Lisa will keep the legacy alive. David is gone, but what he has built over the past 20 years doesn't have to die with him. And I don't think it will. R.I.P. David Wayne Fink, my trainer, motivator, mentor, and friend. 1963-2011

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ZUMBA: One of the newest fitness crazes

I gotta admit, I'm a fitness buff, enthusiast and a gym rat. However, I've never gotten much into dancing, salsa or the like. I will, however, try anything that will help keep me in shape, improve my form and coordination, and just give me a good workout period.

A year and a half ago, a classmate of mine kept speaking of this ZUMBA class she teaches at the Y in Rock Hill. I asked her if I could come to one of these classes one Saturday since my gym (Your Best Body Fitness Center and Day Spa in Gaffney) didn't have them at the time. She said yes. When I saw some ZUMBA videos on YouTube, I was intimidated and concerned that I wouldn't be able to keep up and may even get worn out. That was definitely not the case. One of the big slogans of ZUMBA is that it is "one big party". And that it is. It's a lot of fun, and arguably one of the more exciting ways to mix fitness, fun, and great music since Richard Simmons and "Sweatin to the Oldies".

I immediately went to David and Lisa Fink at YBB and asked them when would we be able to get ZUMBA at our gym. Lisa said they would work on it. Well, a year and a half later, it FINALLY happened. There are now 4 ZUMBA classes going on at YBB, and everyone is having a good time, even the few guys that decide to show up.

I attend 2 classes/week myself because it is good, fun fitness, plus the instructors, Carrie and Alleigh, each add their own style and personality to make it great. Carrie's a more traditional ZUMBA instructor, does a lot of the salsa, and is more step by step with her instructions. Alleigh mixes ZUMBA with some fast-paced, dancing moves and even some cheerleader dances, techniques and spins. It sounds intimidating and metrosexual, but trust me, it's a good workout.

I have REALLY improved my coordination, balance, and mobility in the past month. I'm still not a dancer persay, but again that's not the purpose of ZUMBA. The purpose is to get you moving to the music in a coordinated but fun and relaxed way.

The folks at YBB are really riding the ZUMBA wave currently. The classes average about 25-30, even on Wednesdays, and that's one of the slowest periods in the gym due to it being church night. It's a new craze not only for Gaffney, SC but for America. I don't see it slowing down anytime soon either.

Carrie and Alleigh are keeping the routines and music fresh though, as folks will catch on very quickly to most any fitness routine. I believe I will recommend "All Night Long" by Lionel Richie and "Caribbean Queen" by Billy Ocean. I could see some good ZUMBA routines coregraphed from those songs.

I encourage anyone to contact your local gym and/or YMCA to see about getting into a ZUMBA class. It really is fun, a good workout, and it's cool to be able to move your body well, especially for your overall health and wellness. Join the craze and don't judge or knock it till you've tried it!