Fitness Challenges and Results

Over the past several months,  I have refocused and rejuvenated my physical fitness goals. This began in September when I changed over to Anytime Fitness. Thus far, it appears to be working out.  I am highly motivated,  seeing results again, and am setting many long and short term goals. I am also involved in some challenges,  one of which just ended.

I was in a Biggest Loser Challenge at Anytime York. It was based on weight percentage lost. I ended up being the winner of this challenge, which ended last week.  Although my metabolism and motivation are both up, I still have weight loss goals. Therefore, I plan to continue this challenge on my own. I'm less than 20 pounds from my goal, a far cry from where I began.

Another challenge is wrapping up this week. Many of you have seen the "Get Moving" video that Anytime Spartanburg-Hillcrest made featuring me. I am participating in the Jacob's Ladder Mount  Everest challenge.  The goal of the challenge is to climb 29,035 total feet on the Jacob's Ladder,  the height of Mount Everest.  All who accomplish this feat receive a free T-shirt and recognition on the Jacob's Ladder web page, as well as social media. At press time, I am about 3,500 feet away, and I plan to finish this challenge this week. 

My other challenge at Spartanburg-Hillcrest will take more work, which is fine. It is running on the treadmill at a speed of 6 with an incline of 30. I have did similar workouts in the past through Jeanette Jenkins. However, this one will be a doozy. I am currently working on incline level 9, and I can run nearly 6 miles without an incline. I'm confident I can reach this challenge within the next couple of months. Those who accomplish this feat will be featured on the wall at the Spartanburg-Hillcrest facility.

Finally, there is one that caps off all of these challenges, and other ones. It's sharing my own Anytime story via www.myanytimestory.com. The grand winner will receive $10,000 for themselves , plus $10,000 for the charity of my choice.  I have my charity picked out, and I'm putting together my story.  The deadline is June 17, my deceased father's birthday.  I hope to have an even better chapter to add to my already amazing journey with Anytime Fitness.

Thanks and shoutouts will follow later. For now, I just want to thank you all that have followed my fitness journey since my days at YBB and previous to this.  It feels good to be back in the saddle and I don't plan to disappoint.  I am using old methods mixed with new ones from others to give myself the healthy physique I desire.

Continue to keep up with me in my physical adventure!

Eating Healthy and Clean

You see many people talk about getting fit and losing weight. It doesn't matter what you do if your diet isn't proper.  A proper, clean lifestyle of eating is the best way to gain and maintain results. 

People get it twisted when they try diets of every variety. You must change your dining habits, rather than try a fancy diet or a cleanse.

Fruits and vegetables are a must. Use apples, fruit cups, and carrots as snacks.  Eat a salad with at least one meal/day. Substitute regular salad dressing for Italian dressing or vingarette. Beans and greens are especially essential.  Lower your salt and sugar consumption as well. Confirm that this food group doesn't have those dangerous perservatives.

Protein, not heavy meats like beef and pork, is important. Stick to the lean stuff like nuts, chicken, tuna, salmon, and whey protein powder. There are many different protein powders and mixes out on the market, and all have their pluses and minuses. I have found Whey has the most consistent results.  Try mixing with water or soy or almond milk. Limiting your dairy intake and increasing your consumption of multivitamins will make a difference also.

Also, take in more complex carbohydrates like whole grains, brown rice and oatmeal. Cut out the simple carbs, fried stuff, sweets, and fast food. Finally, drink more water. One should attempt to drink at least a gallon (128 ounces) per day. Remember that sodas and even many juices are filled with calories and sugars. Quench your thirst with more herbal tea, green tea, and natural juices.  Even try juicing up fresh fruits and veggies, and drinks such as Naked. 

This are some simple things to help turn your diet around. Remember you aren't sleeping or in the gym all the time. You have more access to healthy and unhealthy foods and beverages than ever.  One just has to decide they want the healthy, clean choice.

Seven Simple Tips To Lose Weight, Get Into Shape, And Feel Great

Many of you who started the year on a mission to lose x amount of weight are starting to see how difficult it really is. It takes time, patience, and lots of hard work, both physically and mentally.  Nevertheless, before you throw in your gym towel as many are starting to do, check out these seven tips that will help make your fitness goals easier to accomplish. 

1. Proper Diet

You can exercise for two hours/day, seven days a week.  However, if your diet and eating habits aren't proper, you're wasting all that time. Learn to treat your body like a temple and take care of it well. There are hundreds of diets out there that yield results. What really burns the calories and speeds up the metabolism is simple clean eating. Lots of water, fruits and vegetables, lean proteins and complex carbohydrates are a great start.  Keeping a food diary with calories and fat grams is also good to see what you're eating.

2. Safe Exercise

Proper, safe workouts not only burn fat, they tone the physique and make you feel good inside.  Well not initially though.  You will be sore for a while.  However, a good workout where you sweat and push yourself is a good stress reliever and is good for the blood circulation.  Don't forget to seek a doctor's approval before beginning a workout, and don't feel you must over exert yourself too fast. Take baby steps until you reach the level that you want to lift, run, or workout. Develop your own routine and worry less about other people's workouts. 

3. Plenty Of Rest and Sleep

You should give yourself at least one rest day each week so your body can rebuild and recover. Also, make sure that you are sleeping well. The average person needs at least six-eight hours of quality sleep to achieve maximum results.  Naps are also great as I've mentioned in the past.

4. Stretching

Spend at least two minutes stretching before and after you work out.  This gets the muscles and joints loose, and prevents injuries such as pulled muscles or hamstrings.

5. Stress management and relaxation.

Basically, take time to mediate, breathe and relax every day. Having lots of stress will also impede fitness results.  Therefore, simply relax and have fun in this journey to get fit. The results will then take care of themselves. 

6. Motivation

You must have a definite reason or "why" for you to keep at it, especially when times get the hardest and life interferes. Post your motivation and short-term goals, and stare at them every day.  Also, keep yourself pumped up through surrounding yourself with like-minded people, and have plenty of upbeat music on your playlist.

7. Dedication. 

This may be the most important.  You must stay dedicated and committed to the process. It is not meant to be a quick fix. You are developing a new lifestyle.  One must be in the routine for working out, eating healthy and taking care of themselves.  Think of yourself as a company and maintaining your health is your job. It would be a shame to fire yourself for not doing what is necessary to succeed. So take responsibility and don't allow that to happen. 

Just remember that it is possible and don't give in. I've learned that it is an ongoing process as you improve in your fitness, regimen, and in age and wisdom. Keep at it; the rewards are great.  

Now pick that sweaty towel back up and put in work!

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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