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PhillyFIT I 3
An EXPO Beyond Your Greatest Expectations!
You’re invited to the 13th
NEW UNIQUE LAYOUT
Multiple themed areas for a totally new BASH experience!
Held inside of B&R Family Fitness Club ~ Bodies & Results 1040 Mill Creek Dr. Feasterville, PA 19053 215.355.2700
Sun., May 20th, 2012 11am-3pm
Attendees: $5 per person Kids under 6 FREE
EVERYTHING HEALTH & FITNESS YOU CAN IMAGINE! FITNESS CELEBRITIES LIVE BAND AND DJ WORKOUT DEMOS
Pilates, Tae Bo, Karate, Yoga, Core Training, Zumba, Tai Chi, Boxing, Gymnastics, Spinning & so much more!
NEW!
POOL/Water workouts, spinning workouts and an amazing yoga room with waterfall for the destressing portion of the workouts!
FREE SAMPLINGS OF FOOD, WATER, JUICES, FRUITS & VEGGIES, PLUS SHOPPING GALORE! Beauty Makeovers, Skin Care, Make-up, In-Home Workouts, Gym workouts, Triathlon Seminars, Healthy Cooking Lessons. A Special De-stressing “Zone” to Include Yoga, Tai Chi, Massage, Shiatsu, Alternative Healing.
KID’S FITNESS ENTERTAINMENT Live concerts for kids, exercise games and lessons, Tigerman Performances, Demo Team Shows, Gymnastics, Dance, Karate, Football Challenges
VENDORS WELCOME! 100 Vendors showcase what they’ve got to help our local community get healthy and fit! Only $325 per booth!
Call Jami at 215-396-0268 or email Jami@phillyfitmagazine.com 4 I PhillyFIT
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Also participate in our 7th
Workout-a-thon! Come try 20 different types of workouts to include: * high energy * low-impact * yoga * stretching * breathing * bootcamp style * dance workouts * core
Come, join in and do as many workouts as you can. Each workout is 8 minutes long. Cost is an additional $5.00 participate in the workout-a-thon. $10.00 total for Bash & Workout-athon participation
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SH/EXPO EVENT A B IT F LY IL H P H T INSIDE THE 13 The 7th PhillyFIT
th • 11-3pm 0 2 y a M , y a d n Su
NEW!
VENDORS WELCOME
POOL/Water workouts, spinning workouts and an amazing yoga room with waterfall for the destressing portion of the workouts!
For a nominal $325, come showcase your products and services to the workout-nuts that attend our events! Call to reserve your booth now. 215-396-0268
20 DIFFERENT 8 MINUTE WORKOUTS! PhillyFIT’s day of working out and more! The participants decide "Who Teaches Philly's Hottest Workout"
INSIDE THE 13th PhillyFIT BASH/Expo event! B&R Family Fitness Club ~ Bodies & Results 1040 Mill Creek Dr. Feasterville, PA 19053 • 215.355.2700 Cost is $10.00 per person. FREE ENTRY into the Bash event (a savings of $5.00) with purchase of workout-a-thon! Includes free powerade, fresh fruit and health bars. You can pre-register online at phillyfit.com - NO WAITING IN LINE AT THE DOOR! NAME:_________________________________________________________________ STREET ADDRESS:______________________________________________________ CITY, STATE, ZIP:________________________________________________________
20 different local fitness gurus, from all over the region showcasing many diverse workouts - each workout is 8 minutes long. Come, join in and do as many workouts as you can, OR DO THEM ALL AND BURN HUNDREDS OF CALORIES! Vote on the HOTTEST workout!
PHONE:__________________ E-MAIL:______________________________________
Types of workouts to include: * high energy * low-impact
$10.00 per person. CREDIT CARD #_________________________________________ EXP. DATE______ CVS code (3 digit on the back, or 4 digit on the front if it's an AMEX) _________ or CHECK # _________________ & mail to PhillyFIT Magazine, 21 Sunnybrook Drive, New Britain, PA 18901 FAX REGISTRATION FORM TO 215-396-0288
* yoga * stretching * breathing * bootcamp style * dance workouts * core
BRING YOUR YOGA MAT, WATER BOTTLES, SWIM SUIT & TOWEL! March/April I 215-396-0268 I www.phillyfit.com
PhillyFIT I 7
publisher’s page
To find your inner glow, you must have an open mind.
In my Jan/Feb Pub Page, I explained how happy I was to be back in the saddle. I’m a workout junkie again and thankfully, I hauled my lame ass back in the gym and got reacquainted with cardio and muscle-building equipment. Whew, that was close. Would hate to be a fraud, putting out this magazine. Not sure I’d have the same readership numbers if I called this magazine Cankles Monthly, or worse yet, PhillyFAT – your local connection to junk food. This time around though, I’ve added a few tricks. Maybe I don’t have to go at it alone, my old-school way of doing things. I have an accomplice and her name is Luisa Rasiej, an "energy healer" (Now wait, don’t judge) who is doing some work on me. Work, what the heck does that mean? Well, she’s concocted a custom amalgamation of essential oils, some psychology recipes, but primarily, an ability to feel the energy within me, and help me move it around and clear out the weighty, meaningless clutter – optimizing it, or should I say, me! This has me dancin’ in the aisles, I must admit! I’m not jazzed about how strict I have to be with my scheduling, adding yet another 8 I PhillyFIT
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appointment in my daily grind, but I am super psyched about how good it makes me feel, so I do. Seriously, if I described the first experience where she literally pulled me (Well, my energy) back “into” my body - you’d all write me off as a whacko, for sure. Let me just tease you with the fact that I had no clue what she was doing. Her hands never touched me. She just used the energy within her own hands and hovered them under my feet, when all of a sudden I felt that feeling we’ve all experienced when driving your car over a high bump/hill too fast – and your stomach goes “whooooop” at the unexpected sensation of losing your lunch. Just then, I sat up and said, “Oh my Gosh, did you just pull my feet, pull something, move me?” I knew she didn’t, but I was so shocked I actually felt something; I just had to ask! Her reply was a quiet smile along with, “No, Jami, I have not touched you, as you know. I had to pull your energy that was hovering above you, back ‘into’ your shell. Back into, you.” Let me explain. Luisa is the proud founder of “THE INNER CONTESSA.” She’s a certified energy worker/natural healer and she’s actually helping me move past my emotional blockages. I can’t help but wonder if I was born with these darned ‘things’, or if they are acquired through life’s ups and downs. You know, I’m in demolition mode with life’s road blocks, and I have a feeling many of you can relate. For the first time, in a long time, I’m uncovering a certain visceral clarity that lets me live life as a whole, complete being again, rather than a discombobulated creature, sort of fragmented and all over the place, just tryin’ to get through Friday. Sort of explains that high-energy, balls-inthe-air way about me. Who would’a thought? Luisa gingerly pointed out that because my life (during the past few years in particular) has been so, um…choppy, so erratic and all-consuming, I have, by default, elected to mentally vacate my own body. “It all starts from a root” though, Luisa reminded me, many moons ago. I can’t blame issues of recent times totally; it’s an accumulation of sorts. After spending some time with me, she discovered that it actually started when I was about five years old. She could see I had “moved around a lot as a child” (which is totally accurate, and no I did not tell her anything about me at this point.) “You didn’t, and still don’t, know where you belong!” Hmm, interesting. According to Luisa, perhaps this is the start of what has been a long, sometimes amazing and sometimes almost unbelievable, rocky road.
So back to that “energy hovering around above my body” stuff for a sec. I essentially “checked out” to some degree, to enable me to deal with all the emotional garbage I had subconsciously decided I couldn’t handle anymore. I (my inner energy, my being) was living a life outside my physical structure, outside my own intuition and beliefs, outside my spirituality. Essentially, I was having an out-of-body experience because my mind, body and soul were not on the same plane. She said I was living in my “spiritual plane, which hovers above my head, because that is where I find trust and comfort. I have too much “pain” that has caused me to flee my own living physical self/shell. I found a safe haven in this
place – and I don’t seem to want to come back inside of this hard earned, somewhat physically fit “shell” I have worked so hard to keep strong! Sigh. What on earth was I doing vacating the very thing that keeps me alive—my body!
People look at me and probably think something like, “Boy, she’s really got this workout thing licked.” I only say this because I hear it from all kinds of folks having simple conversations with me, often asking what I do to keep fit. I have to remind myself it would be inappropriate to shout, “NO, no really, don’t give me so much credit, my parents deserve the credit for decent DNA. I am a ping pong match with fitness just like the rest of America!” But I remember to smile and instead graciously say, “Thank-you for noticing, this is what I do.” I admit to feeling embarrassed that someone is seeing something that I am not feeling about myself. I question my own genuine nature. For the most part, I am trying hard to keep up good habits and be good to my body. I plan on living in it for a long time, no matter if Luisa says I prefer to be “out hovering above it” or not. I know she is right, that I am choosing to do that, but I am trying to convince myself that I’m not. I wouldn’t. I couldn’t. It’s never been more obvious to me that I need to balance being tone, with peace of mind. I need to connect my inner bicep with my inner chi.
******************
I know what you’re thinking. Jami has gone off the deep end big time. But those who know me well understand that I’ll try just about anything once, especially if it’s a stop on potential journey to my ultimate happy place. Healers get a bad rap. They’re actually not charlatans or quacks, but real people, passionate about balance and living a whole life. Basically, they just want to help others find comfort. That’s the most simplistic way to put it.
When I walked into Luisa's natural healing studio, I didn’t know what to expect at all. Everything looked normal. Phew. I’ve always had a fear of the unknown (I guess we all do). But honestly, I wasn’t sure if we were going to do voo-doo or mu-shoo and I had to go poo poo. Were we going to burn incense and chant? Were we going to hold down dog for forty minutes? Were we going to play the flute? Drink detox tea and pray? What? Was she going to hypnotize me? Make me look at crystals? Would I have to take a strange purification bath? Perform rituals and customs from a strange underground third world country? Would we hold hands, bang drums? Would I have to eat nasty herbs or take a strong, non-FDA approved herbal tincture under my tongue? Would she try to break me down? Would I cry in front of a complete stranger? Was all this just hocus-pocus or legit panacea?
To make matters worse, I had no clue what I was feeling on the inside, let alone what I was going to be feeling once our hour session headed towards its final act. I was vulnerable and miles away from my comfort zone. Was my life going to drastically change? Or, what if nothing happened all? Was I even capable of being
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“healed” or was I destined to remain hanging, damaged beyond repair on the clearance rack of irregular people?
I just wasn’t sure if my expectations were realistic and more worrisome was the idea of unveiling my tattered soul to someone I didn’t know. It’s no secret I have trust issues. I would be perfectly fine to trust no one except myself for the rest of my time on earth— but that’s a lonely existence and not really who I am at the core. And, I am exaggerating a bit too – I am one of those “too trusting people” who always gets herself in a jam. I think what I am trying to say is I admit I need to learn just when, and when not, to trust. That would be more accurate. So, there I was, sitting across from a woman known as “The Contessa" (and not from Housewives from NY). I did research her online to make sure that she wasn’t an axe murderer. Still, I had my reservations. Did I want to 'let her in' or maybe just chill for a bit, and open up next time? There's always a next time I rationalized. I just wasn’t sure if my insecurities were Open For Business per se.
Luisa initially asked me, "So tell me, why are you here, Jami?" Man, she was so angelic looking. She had a sparkle to her eyes that sort of made her glow. Sheesh, was she some kind of seraph right in front of my very own eyes? I have never seen this before – except when I look at my own children of course – the perfect cherubs they are. Her tone and cadence were comforting and her non-verbals were calming from the get-go. “Ah yes, that’s the $25,000 question Luisa," I replied.
I'm cool and in control, I told myself. She didn't flinch, nor respond. She wasn't buying my stall tactics for a nanosecond. Her eyes pierced mine. She forced me to look at her and not down at my shoes, where I was happy hiding behind a door in my mind with three deadbolts.
Just then, a few irreverent words leaped out of my mouth. I couldn't hold them back no matter how I tried! I felt like a can of Diet Coke that had just been shaken up. Pandora’s box was ready to explode into millions of particles. I knew that if I opened it, it would be impossible to get it back, sort of like when uncooked pasta falls out of the box onto the floor. "It's time Luisa. It's 'just time, " I choked.
A small, telling tear dropped from my eye, then one from the other eye. I was silenced by my own ill attempt at keeping it together. That was all I said! She looked at me, I could almost see myself in her eyes, like a mirror - and I looked well, pathetic. I was having a crisis moment with my own identity—shattered dreams and tattered relationships. I began to unwind and not in a good way. “Time for what Jami?”
(Gulp.) I really didn’t know, not sure why I said that, but in my
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head I managed to come up with an answer that question. But nothing would come out of my lips. I wanted to say that I had never felt so alone. I wanted to say that I didn’t really know myself, and so unlike the ME I’ve always known. I wanted to tell her what and who I wanted to be when I grew up. But there I sat in complete bewilderment in the realization that I had already grown up and that time had in evaded me. I wanted to know how I got here, to her studio, and why. “I want to believe in myself and trust myself again. It’s time to get MY life back.” Geez did that sound stupid.
“I am at the crossroads so to speak, Luisa. I am looking for a traffic light, but there is none. I’m looking for the dotted white line on the road, but there is none. I’m looking for windshield wipers to clear the way, but they’re not working. I fill my tank with premium gas over and over, yet it always seems to be on empty.”
****************** After four weeks of intense, life-changing energy work sessions with Luisa, I realized that I needed to become whole again, trust myself and it wasn’t going to be quick, easy nor was she able to do it for me. She explained that life’s hurdles were put there to make people realize that they need to trust themselves…trust their instincts. She was there to give me someone to trust, to guide me and to move my roadblocks out of the way so I could sense within myself how my life was to be from now on. My journey of trust commenced with her. I was off to a good start. My first lesson learned about healing began with an understanding that just because I couldn’t, or chose not to trust someone, didn’t mean that I couldn’t trust others, let alone myself and my choices. Which sort of echoes a favorite quote of mine: “To the world, you’re just one person, but to one person, you may be the world.”
So, I tipped my toe into the healer arena, sue me. I dared to go there. Now what? I needed more. I needed a 360-degree approach to healing. Ping-pong, semi-sappy conversations about broken hearts and mending hearts wasn’t going to do the trick. I knew that. I sought out to add to my bag of tricks other people, and experiences, which could help me become whole again, head to toe, inside and out, this time ‘round. The trendy life coach thing was the perfect start for me a couple years back. It was the first time I admitted I needed someone’s help, as I didn’t believe in my own decisions anymore. But I needed a team to put humptydumpty back together again (eh, yeah, that would be me). I now needed a program that was powerful, transformative and aweinspiring. Simply put, I knew it was time to believe in ME again. Maybe I am not quite the fool I have been thinking I was. I am now one hundred percent committed to trusting myself, listening to my conscious, and paying attention to all the signs my angels leave for me daily, to help guide me through good times and bad. Take one healer, one trainer, one herbalist and mix with a damn good nutritionist I thought. Hmmmm? This was going to be way harder than bench-presses. Why wasn’t I happy just reading EAT
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PRAY LOVE like every other woman that I knew?
Thank goodness for eight years of building (PhillyFIT) connections. I whipped out my address book and bingo: Susie Beiler she is my ongoing “oils gal” now. She’s from Spectrum Health Consulting and is a walking/talking gorgeous essential oil within herself. Then added my new herbalists helping me out from Bunn's Health Food store in Southampton, PA. Man, can someone just lock me in that store overnight, and let me play? What a magical place for finding every health and healing need in the world! My new sandbox! Then my PhillyFIT Chef, John Fairchild, continues to feed me amazing recipes and nutrition tips, along with the redheaded beauty and Vegan chef/TV star Christina Pirello. She too provides me with the utmost in healthy recipes and insights that I like to think I am ready to embrace whole-heartedly. Not a shabby team to make my health and healing goals my reality! And, I can share them with my entire family; all seven of them are on board with me! I’m not nearly as alone as I had thought I was.
****************** Think today’s essential oils are nothing but snake oils? Think again! Today’s products are custom tailored to soothe, calm and nourish. I personally use the following popular oils, but this will change from month to month according to my needs. “Thieves” – I am using Young Living Oils: highly effective in supporting the immune system. “Valor” – great for balance and to align the body. “Harmony” – well, for what the word says a more harmonious life, physical and mental well being. “Joy” – for more happiness in my life (the dishwashing liquid didn’t cut it. Ha!) This oil creates magnetic energy and joy to the heart. “Breathe” – an amazing concoction that allowed me to ditch the rescue inhaler (totally helps my breathing as I have asthma). “Lemon/Orange Jolt” – It gives me a spirited lift and is very cleansing. I truly believe in splendid aromatics and mystical powers of pheromones. I think the power of smell goes along way – it’s almost like listening to a song – a mood changer. It’s like acupuncture for wussies. Again, it may be a placebo affect, but I really don’t care. The point is that I’m doing it for me and it’s working. I rub the oils on my feet... so nice! ****************** And now onto the nutrition component.
I am very happy with the veggie protein powders I’ve found at Bunns and also at Whole Foods, this one in particular has a gazillion fruits and veggies. It’s called "RAW Meal" and contains twenty-six Superfoods, RAW Organic Sprouts, Seeds and Greens, and thirty-four grams of protein. It totally helps satisfy my relentless hunger. I mostly take it as a breakfast before my workouts so I get through an active day without starving and losing concentration. And, I don’t eat much meat, so this is a great protein source
for me. It’s really the gasoline that makes this car run. It gives me the zing that I need, especially when that 3:00pm hour hits and I’m jonesing for a Snicker’s Bar. It fills me up and makes me feel like Wonder Woman!
Next, I swear by the "B" vitamins for energy and a women’s mega multi-vitamin. And Omega 3’s, I know there’s no such thing as a miracle pills, but when I take these nutrients I feel turbocharged. This is a good thing because I’ve been working out three times a week on average. Once I got back to regular exercise. ****************** So, I’ve got the healer, the oils and some darn good nutritional habits going on but there are still some healing things I want to incorporate as the weather gets warmer and the clothes show more skin. Ugh. Here are few things on my healing bucket list: Yoga Massage Zumba Chi Gong breathing exercises Spend quality time with my children Retail Therapy (yes, I’m a sucker for a nice new sundress and strappy sandals. Whatever!) Going to church on Sunday (don’t laugh)
I came across this quote recently and it really resonated with me so I thought I’d share it with my loyal PhillyFIT readers. Enjoy.
I want to really, really live. I want to laugh til my stomach tightens so much that it aches and my legs hurt from my slapping them. I want to cry from my gut and let the tears wash me to where I need to go. I want to hear the singing of my heart. and let the sounds echo inside me and I want to dance to that music. I want to fill with compassion and touch someone's face so gently that they can feel the caring in my fingertips. I want to love so deeply that my cells vibrate with it and just standing near me you can feel the buzz of the vibrations. I want to know that I'm worthy and good and I want to leave self doubt on the highway. I want to touch the sky and recognize my soul in it. I want to walk in the rain and drop to my knees in gratitude for this gift of life I have been given. MayI never ever forget what a gift it truly is. — Teresa St. Cloud
This spring, dance to that music and heal! Write me and tell me what you do to heal - I’d love to know!
Best,
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letterstothepublisher Jami, I'm new to the area and just discovered your magazine. Wow, it's got such a friendly "voice" and high energy content. Fantastic! Thank you for your efforts, and all the best of health, wealth and love in 2012! Spencer L Baker LCDR, SC, USN Crossfit L1 Trainer
Hello, I stumbled across your magazine a few months ago and I was very impressed. I just wanted to say, keep up the great work. I constantly use to try to always stay focused on my exercising, it’s often hard to fit in dedication to exercising with my demanding schedule. Your magazine allows me to remember everyone goes threw the same struggles and just keep trying. I'm a choreographer and I struggle with eating the wrong things even my job demands me to stay fit. Food is tempting and I am blessed to dance as a profession, otherwise I wouldn't be fit. When I work out with my clients I let them know my struggles to let them know that it's just as hard for me as it is for them. I want them to know I know their struggles equally and we will get this done together. Please keep it coming. I love your articles, discounts and deals. And what I love best is that everyone is local. I just feel that I can relate to them more than the world fitness magazine. Thanks for keeping me Fit! Sprite' Choreographer Hi Jami, You absolutely inspire me each issue. I still remember the publisher pages you wrote not long after your daughter was born
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(four and a half years ago!) I’ve been reading since then! Even then, you seemed to be in tune with something I was going through. Thank you so much for publishing your magazine! I love it. How do you do it ALL? Jennifer Ritorto Membership & Marketing Director Lower Bucks Family YMCA
Jami, I just read your Publisher’s Page article while sitting at CHOP waiting for my son’s appointment. GOOD JOB, again I love your “matter of fact, no bullshit” style of writing! I just sat there smiling as I was reading it, nodding my head…as if I was in a conversation with you. My son would look over at me (while he was in the middle of his physical therapy exercise) and say “Why are you smiling?” I replied, “Oh, it’s just Jami….” Lisa Davis
Jami, You and your team always write such interesting and inspiring articles in PhillyFIT...I always look forward to reading them. I am often inspired by the young people who get involved and are inspired by fitness! Karin Maitin Jami, I really respect you, your publishing, your drive, your personal fitness and beauty, your business sense, etc. You have a big fan here. Keep up the great work sister! George Bruno
SATURDAY, MAY 20TH • 11-3PM For more details see page 4
PHILLYFITfamily Published by: Jalynn Concepts, LLC
www.phillyfitmagazine.com Jami@phillyfitmagazine.com
Publisher: Jami Appenzeller
Advertising Deadlines: Reservations for the May/June 2012 issue: Ad Copy Due By: Apr 5, 2012 Payment Due By: Apr 10, 2012
Assistant to the Publisher: Melissa Granneman Art Design: Buxmont Media: Jessica Lorah Copy Editors: Heather Hoehn, Bev Appenzeller Cover Photography: Photography of couple by Sean Gomes. Stephanie Keenan photo by John Atherton. Publishers Page: Photo by Joe Chielli, Church Street Studios Calendar Of Events: John Beeler Ad Sales: Jami Appenzeller jami@phillyfitmagazine.com Rita Henry ritahenry@phillyfitmagazine.com Distribution Manager: R.I.P. Jim Appenzeller
All inquires are welcome... Call us NOW! 215-396-0268 Fax: 215-396-0288 March/April I 215-396-0268 I www.phillyfitmagazine.com
PhillyFIT Magazine is a news magazine with emphasis on health, fitness and leisure. PhillyFIT Magazine is printed bi-monthly, distributing 50,000 magazines to more than 1,000 locations in the Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery Counties. Address all submissions of advertising, calendar entries, photos, inquiries and letters to the above address. PhillyFIT Magazine does not assume responsibility for unsolicited materials. PhillyFIT Magazine will assume that all unsolicited materials are being submitted for possible publication and should the material be published, no fee is due to the submitting party. It is our understanding that the submitting party holds models' releases on photographs submitted. Physicians' Pages are paid advertisements. PhillyFIT Magazine does not knowingly accept false or misleading advertising or editorial content, nor does the Publisher assume responsibility should such advertising or editorial appear. PhillyFIT Magazine reserves the right to edit letters to the editor and other submissions for clarity and space availability, and to determine suitability of all materials submitted for publication. Before implementing any exercise or diet modification mentioned in PhillyFIT Magazine, readers are advised to consult with their physicians. No reproductions of printed material are permitted without the consent of the Publisher. All rights reserved.
PsychologicallyFIT
Teenager Perception vs. Reality By Mary M. Nearpass
“I’m so fat. I’m too skinny. If only I were taller, shorter, or had curly short hair. If I had a smaller nose, bigger muscles, longer legs, then I’d be happy.”
Do any of these statements sound familiar? Do they come out of your mouth, your friends’ mouths or both? Are these topics the source of most of your conversations 24/7? If so, you’re not alone. As a teen, you're going through a ton of changes in your body. This is a rapid growth period when your body is in the process of preparing for childbirth later in life and becoming a full grown woman and man. Disturbing that process with fad diets can cause possible, permanent, long-term damage and affect. As your body changes, so does the image of yourself. Lots of people have trouble adjusting, and this can affect their self-esteem. Why Are Self-Esteem and Body Image Important? Self-esteem is all about how much people value themselves, the pride they feel in themselves, and how worthwhile they feel. Self-esteem is important because feeling good about yourself can affect how you act. A person who has high self-esteem will make friends easily, is more in control of his or her behavior, and will enjoy life more.
Body image is how someone feels about his or her own physical appearance. For many people, especially those in their teens, body image can be closely linked to self-esteem. That's because as kids develop into teens, they care more about how others see them. What Influences a Person's Self-Esteem? Many teens struggle with their self-esteem when they begin puberty because the body goes through so many changes. These changes, combined with a natural desire to feel accepted, mean it can be tempting for people to compare themselves with others. They may compare themselves with the people around them or with actors and celebrities they see on TV, in movies, or in magazines. But it's impossible to measure ourselves against others because the changes that come with puberty are different for everyone. Some people start developing early; others are late bloomers. Some get a temporary layer of fat to prepare for a growth spurt, others fill out permanently, and others feel like they stay skinny no matter how much they eat. It all depends on how our genes have programmed our bodies to act. The changes that come with puberty can affect how both girls
and guys feel about themselves. Some girls may feel uncomfortable or embarrassed about their maturing bodies. Others may wish that they were developing faster. Girls may feel pressure to be thin but guys may feel like they don't look big or muscular enough. Outside Influences It's not just development that affects selfesteem, though. Many other factors like media images of skinny girls and bulked-up guys can affect a person's body image too. Family life can sometimes influence self-esteem. Some parents spend more time criticizing their kids and the way they look than praising them, which can reduce kids' ability to develop good self-esteem.
Mom’s influence around the table, if we even do this anymore, has a big impact. If a mother is always eating lettuce leaves and on a diet, this sends a bad message and conveys her own, poor body image.
People also may experience negative comments and hurtful teasing about the way they look from classmates and peers. Sometimes racial and ethnic prejudice is the source of such comments. Although these often come from ignorance, sometimes they can affect someone's body image and selfesteem.
Healthy Self-Esteem If you have a positive body image, you probably like and accept yourself the way you are. This healthy attitude allows you to explore other aspects of growing up, such as developing good friendships, growing more independent from your parents, and challenging yourself CONTINUED ON PAGE 30
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PsychologicallyFIT
Psychologist Offers Tips for Surviving
S S E R ST
These days, more and more people are finding themselves stretched pretty thin. With commitments to work and family requiring more time than ever before, it’s no surprise the average man or woman’s stress level is on the rise.
as a result. Exercise also improves aerobic capacity and increases energy levels. Even the busiest of adults will find fifteen minutes per day is not much time to set aside.
Dr. Cory Bank a professor of Psychology at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and an expert on stress management has studied human behavior for more than two decades, helping countless children, adolescents and adults cope with and overcome stress. Having competed in the Ironman USA Triathlon as well as several marathons, Dr. Bank is fully aware of the stress that comes with juggling multiple responsibilities and still performing at your peak.
Avoid Emotional Vampires Emotional vampires are the people who suck the energy and enjoyment out of our lives. We all have them and they can certainly increase our levels of stress and jeopardize our health. By minimizing our time with them, we can decrease our stress levels dramatically while simultaneously enjoying life more.
According to a recent survey conducted by the American Psychological Association, one-third of Americans are living with the extreme stress, while nearly half of Americans feel their stress levels are on the rise. Couple that with the nation’s recent economic struggles, and it’s fair to conclude that Americans have a genuine problem with stress.
In an effort to help others do the same, Dr Bank founded StompStressAway.com an online resource dedicated to helping individuals reduce stress levels. Some of Dr. Banks most effective and cost-efficient recommendations include:
Master the Power of Language Our thoughts and language can influence our feelings which can influence our behavior. Do we label a situation a catastrophe when the restaurant does not have the appetizer we wanted? Maybe it is a bit disappointing, but is it a catastrophe? A catastrophe is when you wake up in the morning and your right leg and upper row of teeth are missing and someone stole your car! Keep it in perspective. Beat Stress Instantly with Exercise Research continues to support the notion that a brisk fifteenminute walk can reduce the stress by raising serotonin levels and releasing endorphins, improving mood and lowering stress 14 I PhillyFIT
Laugh on a Daily Basis In many instances, laughter truly is the best medicine – like exercise, laughing releases endorphins and improves mood. Laughing also enhances the immune system. What’s more, with YouTube and other amenities just a mouse click away, adults and children alike can set up their own comedy break, complete with their favorites that are sure to induce a laugh or two.
Treat Yourself Once Daily Many of us probably have no problems with people asking for our time. However, to do one thing a day for ourselves that we enjoy might require us to invest some time initially until it becomes habitual. Try to aim for a few minutes a day and see if that can eventually extend to fifteen minutes daily or longer. Find activities that are convenient and enjoyable. Some examples might include talking to a friend, taking a warm bath, going for a little walk, writing, drawing, meditating, listening to music – you get the idea. Fifteen minutes a day adds up to ninety hours a year! It takes very little time and is easy and enjoyable. For more tips on positively coping with stress, visit Dr. Bank at www.stompstressaway.com
Pictured: A triathlete and avid marathoner, Dr. Cory Bank (above) understands the stress that comes with juggling multiple responsibilities.
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PhysicallyFIT
TOP 10 KIDS FIT TIPS How to stay active in the winter months for KIDS and parents too! Great for children ages two – seven
1. Polar bears and Penguins: Play some fun music and move around the room like animals that live in the cold.
2. Ask Students What Activities They Can Do Outside When It Snows. Create a list with pictures next to it and act out each activity. Examples – Ice-skating, skiing, sledding, tossing snowballs, etc. 3. Paper Plates: Place paper plates on the ground and pretend they are icebergs in the sea. Ask children to swim, move, or dance around the icebergs without touching them. 4. Pretend to Put on a Pair of Ice Skates. Ask each child to show how they might move on skates and invite all children to follow along.
5. Ice Cube Melt: Start by asking, "What items are cold?" (i.e., a refrigerator, ice cubes, snow flakes, etc.). Next, ask the children to be like a frozen ice cube, and then have them start to melt one body part at a time, moving it around, until his whole body is melted. Next, have them freeze back up again and try to melt again in a different sequence. Ask each child to suggest a body part. 6. Snowball Toss: Recycle some paper you have lying around or use newspaper and ball it up. Ask each child to toss the snowballs up in the air and then try to catch them. Practice the tossing while standing up, standing on one foot, lying down, or working with a partner.
8. Bundle Up and Get Outside: Kids will watch your reactions and attitude to the weather and mimic you. Grab a hat and some gloves and go outside – it's always a great day to play!
9. Play FREEZE Dance Inside: Put some fun music on and invite your children to dance, jump, wiggle, and move. When the music turns off, FREEZE!
10. Cotton Balls: Place a bunch of snowballs (cotton balls) on the floor. Give each child a straw and demonstrate blowing air through the straw to blow the snowball across the floor. After a few minutes collect the straws, put some music on and have a snowball fight with the cotton balls. Discuss how to safely throw cotton balls (avoid a person’s face, stay far enough away to avoid hitting them with their hand, etc.). One more for fun! 11. Create a Winter Wonderland: Get active and artsy at the same time when it snows! Fill up spray bottles or squirt bottles with water and a little food color. Bundle up, and head outside. Spray around and make a work of art on the snow.
Yvonne Kusters is the creator and owner of the Mobile Kids Fitness Company, Let’s Play Today! Learn how to teach children’s fitness and bring the fun into preschools, health centers and any location catering to children. Come out and play at their music concerts designed to get kids up and moving too! Visit www.letsplaytoday.org
7. Make a Pretend Snowman: Imagine that it's snowing and put on pretend hat and gloves, jump through the snow, scoop it up with your arms, and pack it together in a giant ball. 16 I PhillyFIT
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Too Fit for Sleep Apnea?
PhysicallyFIT
By Ashley Page, Off-Topic Media LLC
If you’ve seen an advertisement for snoring or sleep apnea treatment, it probably featured an overweight man or woman, snoring away in bed or even in front of a television. While many assume that sleep apnea is only diagnosed in patients who are overweight and obviously unhealthy, numerous studies and recent events have proved just the opposite. Even physically fit individuals can suffer from sleep apnea.
Understanding Sleep Apnea What does a person who is one hundred pounds overweight have in common with someone who barely weighs one hundred pounds at all? The answer is an airway. Sleep apneics (people who suffer from sleep apnea) stop breathing several times, sometimes hundreds of times, every hour while they sleep, but they don’t all stop breathing for the same reason. It’s true that overweight individuals are at a higher risk of the disease due to fat deposits in the neck and throat that can compress and obstruct the airway, but there are other causes of sleep apnea. How can an NFL athlete or a marathon runner suffer from obstructive sleep apnea? In the case of a football player or a muscular Marine, the cause may be from the increase in muscle tissue in the neck, or because of an enlarged tongue. The pencil-thin marathoner may suffer from sleep apnea because her neck is so tiny that there’s hardly any room for her airway. Or, the problem may be none of these things and may simply be due to misfiring brain signals. Believe it or not, even healthy children can suffer from the condition. Many don’t realize that sleep apnea comes in three forms: obstructive, central and complex. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), caused by a blockage of the airway, may be more common in people who are overweight due to excess fat pockets in the throat and neck area. However, obstruction can also be caused by a deviated septum, narrow nasal passages, narrow airways, and excessive soft throat tissues, such as enlarged tonsils, adenoids, or a larger than normal tongue – all problems that a fit person can suffer from.
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Central sleep apnea is caused by a problem within the brain that causes the organ to slow, or even periodically stop breathing during sleep. This irregular breathing can cause blood oxygen levels to deplete. Complex sleep apnea is a combination of obstructive and central sleep apnea. Untreated obstructive sleep apnea can lead to problems with central sleep apnea, which then makes the apneic a complex sleep apnea sufferer. No matter which kind of sleep apnea a person has, the condition can lead to excessive sleepiness during the day, and in the long run can cause damage to internal organs such as the heart and brain.
According to Dr. Ken Siegel, a Philadelphia sleep apnea dentist, virtually anyone can suffer from sleep apnea. “People make the mistake of thinking that if they’re not fifty to a hundred pounds overweight, that there’s no way they have sleep apnea, and that’s just not the case,” comments Siegel. “Anyone with a mouth can have sleep apnea.” Even the fittest people in today’s society have been diagnosed with the condition, from former Oakland Raiders’ number one draft pick, JaMarcus Russell, to thousands of active duty military men and women. Knowing The Symptoms Sleep apnea symptoms are not always obvious, which is why so many people unknowingly suffer from the disorder, sometimes for years before they are diagnosed. Unfortunately, while sufferers sleep, they can stop breathing hundreds of times each night without having any idea. That being said, there are signs people for which should look. The most common symptoms of sleep apnea include: ·Daytime drowsiness · Fatigue · A lack of energy ·Loud snoring · Cessations in breathing during the night · Restlessness · Headaches upon wakening According to Dr. Siegel, snoring is the biggest indicator of obstructive sleep apnea. “Also, if a person’s bed partner notices pauses in the person’s breathing, that’s a pretty good sign that there’s apnea
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happening. In either case, it’s critical that the patient get tested to see if they have sleep apnea. The test will reveal what kind of sleep apnea the patient has and how severe it is.”
Treating Sleep Apnea The most common and well known treatment for sleep apnea is the CPAP machine. The treatment has become the gold standard method for treating sleep apneics and often, it is the first and sometimes only treatment offered to sufferers. “A lot of physicians will automatically prescribe CPAP for patients when they are diagnosed with sleep apnea, but most of the patients who I see who have tried CPAP tell me that they couldn’t tolerate it,” says Dr. Siegel. “They find it invasive in their sleep habits. It can be socially embarrassing, and just plain uncomfortable due to the masks, straps and tubes involved. The other treatment option is surgery, but it’s pretty rare that a patient would choose surgery if there are non-invasive options yet to be explored.”
One non-invasive alternative to CPAP or surgery is oral appliance therapy (OAT). With OAT, patients do not have to wear a mask or carry a machine around with them when they are spending the night away from home. Instead, they wear an oral appliance that resembles an orthodontic retainer while they sleep. “Oral appliances work primarily because they are so simple,” says Dr. Siegel. “They open the airway and are similar to a bite guard that a TMJ patient might wear if they grind their teeth. Patients usually find it much more tolerable than CPAP.”
While the emergence and popularity of OAT continues to grow year after year, the best treatments are based on a case-by-case basis. What works for one sleep apneic may not work for the next. For example, for some patients, CPAP is the only viable treatment, especially those diagnosed with central or complex sleep apnea, a serious condition that continues to influence the popularity of CPAP treatment. There is a saying in the apnea treatment community that, “CPAP is one hundred percent successful in the patients who can tolerate it,” and because of this it is still considered the ‘gold standard of treatment’ for sleep apnea. On the flip side, however, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine now recognizes oral appliance therapy as the, “primary therapy in mild to moderate OSA patients.” The mobility and noninvasive nature of oral appliances make them the Army’s first-line treatment for soldiers diagnosed with sleep apnea.
The Bottom Line: Sleep Better, Feel Better All too often, many physically active individuals believe they are too healthy to have the condition, and suffer without getting the help they need. Daily gym-goers, marathon-runners, competitive athletes, and yoga fanatics are all at risk of suffering from sleep apnea, just as the couch potato is. In the end, if you experience snoring, morning headaches, a lack of energy, general fatigue, daytime drowsiness or the inability to concentrate, sleep apnea could be the root cause. Whether you’re fit or not, it’s critical that you get tested for sleep apnea.
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Ashley Page writes for Off-Topic Media (www.offtopicmedia.com). She enjoys writing about a variety of subjects and lives in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Ken Siegel’s practice is in Blue Bell, PA. His website is located at www.sleepphilly.com.
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PhysicallyFIT
The Accidental Vegetarian By Christina Pirello
So, you gave up red meat and you tell all your friends now you’re a vegetarian. How hip. How cool. How very Dr. Oz. But let’s see what you’re really doing. Did you just give up meat? Or did you embrace a healthy lifestyle and plant-based diet for real taking care to get the nutrients you need to be strong and vital. Be honest - your health may depend on it!
I became a vegetarian when I was fourteen with the sole purpose of driving my father insane. He’s a butcher, so it worked. But I was serious about my choice as well. I discovered that there was very little legitimate information available to me thirty years ago as to what I should to eat to get all the nutrients I needed. Then there was junk food. As long as it didn’t have a mother and a father or could run, swim, walk, crawl or slither away, it was vegetarian. So basically, my new vegetarian food groups broke down something like this - chocolate bars, salad, chocolate cookies, coffee and an occasional pizza. With all the information we have today on the value of plant food, eating well and nutrition, you don’t need to make the same mistakes. Let’s straighten it all out once and for all.
First, there seem to be lots of versions of vegetarianism today. There are ovo-lacto vegetarians who eat eggs and dairy products, pesce vegetarians who eat fish, vegetarians who eat everything, raw food enthusiasts who eat no animal food, but also do not cook their food, using dehydrating and sprouting extensively and the noble vegans, who do not consume, use or wear animal products. And these are just the most popular versions of this lifestyle out there.
Vegetarianism, ironically, only thrives in societies where food is, for most, abundant, leaving humanity the time to reflect on man’s role in the world. Before the last century, vegetarianism was embraced for only humanitarian reasons, with no thought to the health of it (sometimes I think that’s still true). It wasn’t until the twentieth century that the nutritional and health aspects of eating a plant-based diet came to light. Considered extreme by many, neurotic by others and self-righteous by even others, vegetarianism is one of the healthiest ways of nourishing our bodies and maintaining both our health and the health of our fragile planet. Here are some of the most common myths, misconceptions and truths about plant-based eating:
What about fish? Well, when they start planting fish twelve inches apart in soil, maybe I’ll consider it. Fish is a form of animal protein and for many people who are proponents of healthy eating, fish may be a great choice. As animal protein goes, fish is easiest to digest and depletes us the least. That being said, our waters have grown more polluted, not less and the toxins from the water lodge themselves in the fat of the fish. Oops! Plus much of the fish we eat is farm-raised, meaning they are grown with the use of antibiotics and other chemicals. As we farm-raise more and more of our fish, the amount of the essential fatty acid, omega-3 and other nutrients, will be dramatically reduced. Might want to think about this a bit. And chicken? Eggs? When do chickens flower? Are they bulbs, roots or tubers? If you’re eating chicken and eggs thinking that they are healthier than red meat and pork, think again. They are animals meaning they have saturated fat and dense protein. They are only marginally better for our health and are processed (unless organic) under some of the most compromised, dirty and disgusting conditions we can imagine. Yuck! Sugar is a plant. Is it okay? Hemlock is a plant and you don’t see us eating that! Here’s the deal with sugar. There is no food on earth that changes our blood chemistry as dramatically or quickly as simple, refined sugar. It drains us of strength, minerals and vital nutrients, leaving us lethargic, in a mental fog, with a depressed immune function and cavities. Sure it’s a plant and a small amount won’t kill you or compromise your health. However, our daily doses of this white powder can be as deadly to our health as the other, more illegal white powder. Any other questions? Don’t even mention white flour, even organic and unbleached; it’s all white. It acts very similarly in the body to simple sugar, plus it turns to paste when we eat it. We might as well make paper mache and turn your intestines into a piñata!
What about my friends or guests? I choose not to make a political or personal stand when I have family and loved ones sharing a meal around my table. For me, meals are meant to bring us all together in harmony. I cook
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delicious dishes and make no statements judging what others might choose. No one misses the meat.
How do I get my kids to eat healthy food? The answer is - one meal at a time. Remember that our kids are bombarded with advertising and peer pressure and want so very much to “fit in”. In order for them to embrace healthier eating, keep the food familiar and above all delicious. Oh, and don’t be a food Nazi. It’s a sure way to have them run from the room screaming at the thought of a healthy dinner. What about ice cream? What about it? I know it tastes great, but the only word I can use to describe ice cream is deadly. Frozen, loaded with dairy fat, sugar and in many cases chemicals and additives, ice cream will make us fat and unhealthy. It may be yummy, but there are so many lovely alternatives to the saturated fat and refined sugar that works with this frozen treat to paralyze your lymph system and leave you lethargic and dull.
Can we have pizza…ever? Well, of course, I could tell you to never, ever eat pizza. The combination of white flour, cheese, salt and acid-producing tomato sauce is not one that I recommend. However, the occasional treat would be just fine and if you’d like to enjoy pizza and not wreak havoc on your tummy, try a tomato pie. It has all the delight of pizza without the cheese. Better yet, make whole wheat, veggie pizza at home. How do I get my husband to eat this food? This issue is a big one. In many cases, the choice to eat a more healthful diet is made by the woman in a relationship, because she wishes to keep the family healthy or someone is sick and needs care. Either way, the choice can be challenging for the family. Just like with children, all you need to do it create delicious meals for your family, without torturing them with lectures and plain, boring, bland food. Cook with joy and sensual abandon. Trust me, he’ll eat it! Think he wants to cook something himself?
Where do you get protein if you don’t eat meat? There’s protein in everything we eat, except fruit. Remember that cows are vegetarian. They eat grass. Remember big strong, muscle-bound gorillas, are vegans. With grains, beans and vegetables at the core of your diet, you’ll never need to worry about protein. What about calcium? Of course we all know that there is a tremendous amount of calcium in milk. What we fail to realize is that most of that calcium is not available to us for use. We can only assimilate about twenty-three percent. On top of that, milk is a very concentrated form of protein, which causes the body to produce uric acid. This requires calcium to buffer it, so we lose more than we gain. People choosing a plant-based diet lose far less calcium than our carnivorous counterparts and usually require very little supplementation to keep our bones strong. 22 I PhillyFIT
Where to vegetarians get calcium? It comes from dark leafy greens like kale, collard greens, bok choy, watercress and broccoli. These are rich sources of precious calcium, as are soy foods, black beans and sea plants. Will I ever get sick if I become a vegetarian? Yep! Eating a healthy diet is your best insurance for overall health maintenance. If you think that you’ll never get a pesky cold or ache with the flu or develop a more serious condition because you eat tofu, you’re in for a big surprise. The good news is that while most people are languishing in the misery of their cold and flu for weeks on end, you’ll recover quickly, regaining strength in a matter of days. In the case of a serious disease, your immune function is strong and will give you the best opportunity for a fighting chance at recovery. But the best part of eating a plant-based diet is that the quality of your life changes. It can’t guarantee that your life will be one minute longer, but it can guarantee that your life will be healthy and vital.
In the end, the best reason to change your diet from standard American fare is simple. There’s more to your food than you see. Meats and dairy products are laced with hormones, antibiotics and steroids. Packaged foods are filled with chemical additives, preservatives, colors, flavors and whatever other toxic waste special interest groups can pass through the FDA. Organic fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans are your safest bet that the food you are getting is actually still food. Here are some simple, yummy dishes to get you started on your plant-based path.
THE QUICKEST TOMATO SOUP This tomato soup usually simmers for hours and gets rich and creamy, as the bread “melts.” In this quick version, the soup has a chunky texture that is incredibly satisfying, cooks in just minutes, and is loaded with vitamins and minerals, protein, and fiber. Makes 3–4 servings Extra- virgin olive oil 1 small red onion, diced Sea salt 2 (28-ounce) cans diced tomatoes ½ loaf whole- wheat bread, cut into cubes Cracked black pepper 2–3 sprigs fresh basil, leaves coarsely chopped
Place a small amount of oil and onion in a soup pot over medium heat. When the onions begin to sizzle, add a pinch of salt and sauté for 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and bread. Season to taste with salt and pepper and cook for 15 minutes. Add water in small amounts to create a thinner soup texture. Simmer 5 minutes more if you add water. Stir in basil and serve hot. QUINOA WITH WILD RICE AND HAZELNUTS I love the flavors in this dish. It’s a bit of work because you
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cook the grains separately, but once you taste it, you won’t mind that one extra pot to clean up. All the protein, complex carbohydrates, and antioxidants make it worth the effort. Makes 3–4 servings
⅓ cup wild rice, rinsed well Spring or filtered water Sea salt ½ cup quinoa, rinsed well ½ cup hazelnuts, pan toasted, skins left on, coarsely chopped ¼ cup dried, unsweetened cranberries 3–4 fresh whole scallions 3–4 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar Cracked black pepper
Place wild rice in a small saucepan. Bring 1 cup water to a boil. Pour boiling water over rice to just cover. Keep balance of water hot. Add a pinch of salt and turn heat to medium. When the rice boils, reduce heat to low and cook, adding more boiling water as needed to cook the rice. It will take about 35 minutes. You know the rice is done when the water is absorbed and the grains are cracked and tender. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
While the rice cooks, cook the quinoa. Place quinoa and 1 cup water in a sauce pan over medium heat. When the quinoa boils, add a pinch of salt, reduce heat, cover, and cook for 15–20 minutes, until the liquid has been absorbed. When both grains are cooked, mix them together with the nuts, cranberries, green onions, and parsley. Whisk together oil and vinegar with salt and pepper to taste. Fold dressing gently into warm grain to incorporate it throughout. Serve warm.
DECADENT GREENS AND BEANS This is the greatest side dish; there are so many possibilities with this recipe! Vary the greens seasonally. Try different beans and season to your own taste and style. This dish is high in protein, rich in antioxidants and ready in minutes. It’s perfection. Makes 4–5 servings Extra- virgin olive oil 1 red onion, thinly sliced into half moons Generous pinch crushed red chili flakes Sea salt Cracked black pepper 1 can organic cannellini, garbanzo, or Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed well 1 bunch kale, collards, escarole, bok choy, or other dark greens, rinsed well and cut into bite-size pieces Fresh lemon juice
and cook over low heat until the beans are warmed through. Stir in greens. Season to taste with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until the greens just wilt and are bright green, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in about 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice and serve immediately. BROWNIES My pal Dennis thought I’d lost my mind when I first served these. He thought I had pulled the wool over his eyes and made Duncan Hines brownies. It’s in the zucchini, man! It adds moisture and antioxidants. Makes 16 1½ cups whole-wheat pastry flour ½ cup semolina flour ½ cup maple syrup granules ½ cup cocoa powder Generous pinch sea salt Generous pinch ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 cups finely grated zucchini ½ cup avocado oil ⅔ cup brown rice syrup 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract ½ cup non-dairy, grain-sweetened chocolate chips ½ cup chopped walnuts (or other nuts)
Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly oil a 10-inch-square pan. Mix dry ingredients together, whisking to combine. In a small bowl, mix together zucchini, oil, syrup, and vanilla. Combine the wet and dry ingredients to form a thick batter. Fold in chocolate chips and walnuts. Spoon batter into prepared pan and bake for 35 minutes or until the center of the brownies bounce back to the touch. Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before cutting into squares. Serve frosted or not. Frosting ½ cup non-dairy, grain-sweetened chocolate chips 2 tablespoons brown rice syrup Almond milk (unsweetened)
Place the chocolate and rice syrup in a heat-resistant bowl. Bring about ⅔ cup almond milk to a rolling boil and slowly pour over chocolate while whisking. Use only enough almond milk to create a thick, smooth frosting. You may have heated more almond milk than you need. Cool it down and return it to the container for later use. Whisk the frosting until smooth. Once the brownies have cooled completely, spread frosting on top of each one.
Place a small amount of oil and onion in a deep skillet over medium heat. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and sauté for 2–3 minutes. Stir in beans and, ¼ cup water; season lightly with salt 24 I PhillyFIT
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Aimee and Stephen Sala, “Husband and Wife” Doing Hot Yoga at Aim High Studio in Fairview Village, PA. Aimee is the owner of Aim High Studio.
Carolyn McHugh, 18, from Horsham. She is freshman at Drexel University. Taken November 30th, 2011 at Lionville PA YMCA.
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The Bryn Athyn Youth Ice Hockey Bantam team, coached by Brent McCurdy & Clay McQueen won their 2nd straight league championship in 2011. By Steven Hunn
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The Black Bear Triathlon, May 2010. Ira Meyers, DPM Huntingdon Valley.
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Jason Moss, 41, overcoming the last obstacle of the day at the 2011 Spartan Sprint.
Kristine Carroll, 34, Phoenixville. Photo taken by Shannon Catron.
Eric Lorah, Tony Niglio, Ron Benjamin, and Jason Zazyczny. We just completed the Tough Mudder Tri State, November 13, 2011 over at Raceway Park in Englishtown NJ.
Lindsay Murray, 27, Zumba Fitness Instructor Quakertown. Photo by Portrait Innovations.
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Lorren Clark, 33 Wife, Mother, Career and FITNESS! Photo at Media Womens Distance Run
Libby Seybert, 53 year-old equestrienne (Dressage), TEAM
Sgt. Nate Griffin, 50, at the O.C.B. Stri-State Classic Phillip Pirollo climbing a building at Penns Landing. Body Building Competition, Dover, DE. This type of training is called Parkour.
March/April I 215-396-0268 I www.phillyfitmagazine.com
The students at Lower Moreland High School helped battle pediatric cancer by raising/donating $60,143.65 to the Four Diamonds Fund by participating in a12-hour dance mini marathon. Photographer Steve Hunn.
Christopher Theodore, 50, from Ardmore, doing the half-moon twist on the beaches of Kefalonia, Greece. He teaches yoga all over the area and teach Health and P.E. in the Philadelphia School District.
Ron Dukes, 36, at HealthEase Fitness Center
Max Schulze,11, Upper Southampton
Khai Trinh, 35, from Philadelphia. Winner of the 2011 Men's overall NPC Brandywine Cup in West Chester.
Roger L. Lee, Sr., 45, at LevelOne Fitness in Olde City (Bread Street) Philadelphia.
March/April I 215-396-0268 I www.phillyfitmagazine.com
PhillyFIT I 29
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13 physically and mentally. Developing these parts of yourself can help boost your self-esteem.
A positive, optimistic attitude can help people develop strong selfesteem — for example, saying, "Hey, I'm human" instead of "Wow, I'm such a loser" when you've made a mistake, or not blaming others when things don't go as expected. Knowing what makes you happy and how to meet your goals can help you feel capable, strong, and in control of your life. A positive attitude and a healthy lifestyle such as exercising and eating right are a great combination for building good self-esteem.
Tips for Improving Your Body Image Some people think they need to change how they look or act to feel good about themselves. But actually all you need to do is change the way you see your body and how you think about yourself. The first thing to do is recognize that your body is your own, no matter what shape, size, or color it comes in. Embrace your changing body! If you're very worried about your weight or size, check with your doctor to verify that things are ok. But it's no one's business but your own what your body is like — ultimately, you have to be happy with yourself.
Next, identify which aspects of your appearance you can realistically change and which you can't. Everyone, even the most seemingly
perfect celebrity has things about themselves that they can't change and need to accept — like their height, for example, or shoe size. If there are things about yourself that you want to change and can such as how fit you are, do this by making goals for yourself. For example, if you want to get fit, make a plan to exercise every day and eat nutritious foods. Then keep track of your progress until you reach your goal. Meeting a challenge you set for yourself is a great way to boost self-esteem! Take a look at what you eat. It shows in your eyes, hair, nails, and affects how you feel, perform in exams, sports and your overall, day-to-day life. Active teens should be taking in lots of calories (2,400 for girls; 3,000 for boys). You should be eating regularly, with three meals and small snacks and developing good eating habits for later in life. Now would be a good time to actually listen in health class and to your parents. Learning the quality of nutrition and what food sources will make you feel your best will be well worth it in the long run.
When you hear negative comments coming from within yourself, tell yourself to stop. Try building your self-esteem by giving yourself three compliments every day. While you're at it, every evening list three things in your day that really gave you pleasure. It can be anything from the way the sun felt on your face, the sound of your favorite band, or the way someone laughed at your jokes. By focusing on the good things you do and the positive aspects of your life, you can change how you feel about yourself. Where Can I Go if I Need Help? Sometimes low self-esteem and body image problems are too much to handle alone. A few teens may become depressed, lose interest in activities or friends and even hurt themselves by resorting to alcohol, drug abuse, eating disorders or other anesthetizing coping mechanisms.
If you're feeling this way, it can really help to talk to a parent, coach, religious leader, guidance counselor, therapist, or an adult friend. A trusted adult, someone who supports you and doesn't bring you down, can help you put your body image in perspective and give you positive feedback about your body, your skills, and your abilities.
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If you can't turn to anyone you know, call a teen crisis hotline (check the yellow pages under social services or search online). The most important thing is to get help if you feel like your body image and self-esteem are affecting your life.
As parents, teachers, coaches, and guardians of our precious teens, they are our future. Let’s make time every day to L.E.A.D our teenagers and truly be a role model in their lives: Listen to them- Empathize with them- Acknowledge their feelings Direct them Let’s encourage their passions, support their interests and keep them away from toxic influences that tell them they aren’t good enough. Following these principals, our kids will have the necessary resources to ultimately decide on their own.
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Come visit Pine Run to see how Living Well is a part of everyday life for 400 Villagers living on campus. Seniors 65+ are welcome to sample a free class: *Yoga *Zumba Gold *Strength & Stability Call Barbara Chierici at 215-340-5214 to receive a brochure or to attend a Lunch & Learn event offered every month.
CONNECTING YOU TO THE
LOCAL FITNESS SCENE! PhillyFIT.com
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PhillyFIT I 31
HolisticallyFIT
New Resolutions + Old Habits =
Failure By Luisa Rasiej
Have you ever set the intention to exercise regularly and did not make it past the first week? Have you tried to lose weight, only to gain it all back? Or does it seem like you are repeating certain relationships that do not serve you over and over? If you said yes to any of the above scenarios, you have experienced the power of subconscious beliefs and thoughts that express themselves as habitual patterns. We think of patterns as what we do repeatedly, however we also have patterns of thinking and patterns of feeling. Let me give you a personal example around weight loss. Questions, worries and anxieties around my weight have been in my awareness ever since I was a child. My exploration in the jungle of diets started by the time I was fourteen. I tried them all, the big name plans and the more obscure (i.e. injections of pregnant mare's urine).
Over the years I have lost several hundred pounds, only to "find" them again, and then some. I also did a lot of other investigations, from psychological reasons to physical malfunctions. Imagine my surprise, when after thirty-five years of personal research I discovered that my indulgence in chocolate and other foods was really a cover up for overwhelming anxiety. Anxious? Who? Me? I was chocked. Intellectually I know about the correlation between anxiety and food. However, I had never allowed myself to experience my own anxiety. My habitual response to stress and overwhelm has been to not only dismiss it, but not even allow myself to know that it was there.
It is fascinating how my mind "keeps me safe" from experiencing what at some point must have appeared a threat. Although I am not a child any longer, the subconscious habitual pattern continues to run my life.
I am grateful to have tools I can use to bring to light "what I don't know I don't know." I know from working with many people over the years, that to truly create change, these deep pat32 I PhillyFIT
terns need to be allowed to surface. Only then can we make a decision about who we want to be and create change.
What about you? Where are your blind spots? Of course you might not know, other than being aware of those areas of your life where things are not quite flowing the way you desire. Here are a few suggestions to get you a little closer to finding out:
Step 1) Identify an area where you are not fulfilled or satisfied (i.e. wanting to lose weight, get a job where you use your talents and are paid well, a supporting relationship, etc.). If you can't come up with anything, ask a friend who knows you well he or she will be able to point you in the right direction. Step 2) Reflect if it's a pattern that you have repeated over time and how it has affected you and those around you.
Step 3) Ask yourself: how has this pattern served me? It is likely, your mind will rebel and assure you, you don't know. Don't believe it, stay calm, compassionate and curious and keep asking the question. Step 4) Get some help. It's really hard to see the forest when you are among the trees. One possibility is for you to send me an e-mail to set up your complimentary twenty-minute discovery session, so we can shine light on an old pattern that is holding you hostage.
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Treat Yourself to the Smile You’ve Always Wanted
Please share your experiences; I always love to hear from you. Chinese New Year has just begun and it's a second chance to make 2012 an incredible year at its start! luisa@innercontessa.com. Live life fully, as if you mean it, with courage and joy! You deserve it! Luisa Rasiej is called The Contessa around the world and brings a unique blend of expertise, culture and life experience that combines careers in the diplomatic service, in corporate America and as a transformational therapist, teacher, mentor and intuitive. Raised in Italy and Switzerland, she is fluent in six languages and has worked with hundreds of women who were in unsatisfying careers and relationships or had physical challenges. She has created the Inner Contessa, blending the best of transpersonal psychology, body work, energy medicine, fear-release protocols and other holistic healing techniques to help women embrace their confidence and express their innate feminine leadership. She has been leading workshops in Japan, Europe and throughout the United States for the past ten years and has been featured on radio shows nationally. She is a contributing author to the bestselling book “Celebrating 365 Days of Gratitude” and the author of the upcoming book “The Way of the Inner Contessa: Power, Passion and Abundance for Women.” Luisa is dedicated to support women to step into their power confidently, break through fears and limitations and find the courage to say “yes” to their feminine strength, passion, leaderships and grace each and every day. This is a joyful life she calls, “La Dolce Vita!”
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PhillyFIT I 33
DeliciouslyFIT Stuffed Cabbage with Ground Turkey
Nourishes: 8 Ingredients: • Large cabbage leaves - 8 • 1 ¾ pounds lean ground turkey breast ( at least 93% lean). Can use soy crumbles. • 1 cup cooked brown rice. Can also cut in some quinoa(higher protein grain). • Egg, 1 whole or use Eggbeaters to save calories • Zucchini, 1 medium chopped fine • Yellow onion, 1 medium chopped • Garlic, 4 small cloves chopped • 3 cups tomato sauce. Can use a pasta or spaghetti sauce (add a little chicken or vegetable broth for added flavor) • Red wine, splash or two or three • 1 Tbsp Canola oil • Sea salt, cracked pepper Methodology: 1. Cook rice according to package directions and cool. 2. Boil cabbage leaves in salted water for about 4 minutes. Drain, rinse and set aside. When cool cut off thick rib at end of leaf (stem part). 3. Pre heat oven to 375 degrees. 4. In a skillet over medium heat sauté onion, zucchini, and garlic in oil. Stir frequently for 4-5 minutes. Add wine for 1 minute and take off heat. 5. In a large mixing bowl combine turkey, rice, egg, vegetable mix and seasonings. 6. Lay out the cabbage leaves and portion turkey mixture evenly among them. Fold in the side of each leaf and roll tightly. 7. Place some sauce on bottom of baking dish and place leaves seam side down. Pour the rest of the sauce over and around the rolls. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 1 hour then uncover and cook for 15 minutes. Check with meat thermometer (remove at 165). Nutritional Profile per serving: Calories: 275 , Fat: 8g, Protein: 20g, Carbs: 32g
Crust-free Crust-free Cauliflower Cauliflower Ham Ham Quiche Quiche
Nourishes: 6-8 Ingredients: • Cauliflower florets, small pieces- ½ head • ¾ cup onion, chopped (1 small) • ¼ cup green pepper, chopped • 2 Tbsp parsley, chopped fine • Canadian ham, 4 ounces cut into small pieces. Can use Healthy Ones cooked ham • Gruyere cheese, 4 ounces grated (close to 1 cup) • 2 Tbsp romano cheese, fresh or frozen. Grated not recommended but can be used • 1 cup Egg Beaters • 1 cup fat free milk(Can use 1%) • ½ cup whole wheat bread crumbs • 1 Tbsp canola oil • Sea salt, cracked pepper Methodology: 1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray sides and bottom of 9 inch pie plate with non-stick cooking spray. Spread bread crumbs loosely on bottom and sides. 2. Cook cauliflower in a large pot of salted boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and set aside. 3. Heat medium sized skilled over medium heat. Add oil to lightly coat. Add onion, green pepper and ham. Cook, stirring constantly for 4-5 minutes. Turn off heat and add cauliflower and parsley. 4. Whisk milk, eggs, salt and pepper. 5. Place about half of the vegetable mix in bottom of pie plate. Spread half of each cheese over mixture. Pour in enough egg mix to almost cover. Repeat each step to fill pie plate. If any vegetables are above egg mix, push down into mix with spatula. 6. Place in middle to upper tier of oven for approximately 45 minutes until firm in the middle. Cool and cut into wedges. Nutritional Profile per serving: Calories: 180, Fat: 6g, Protein: 16g, Carbs: 12g
A Graduate in Nutrition and Science, John is also a Certified Trainer with the National Academy of Sports Medicine and a Certified Weight Management Counselor with the ADA. He has produced and recorded various exercise videos (originator of Kickaerobox) and nutritional DVD’s. You previously saw him as one of the trainers on the Dr. Phil Weight Loss Challenge on NBC and on Entertainment Tonight. Currently he is the personal nutritionist for PhillyFIT Magazine events such as the BASH, Workout-a-Thon and the Fitness Retreat. Visit him at www.weightlosscoaching.org or kickaerobox@yahoo.com.
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PhysicallyFIT
BABY BOOMERS BUSTIN’
FOR GROUP EXERCISE CLASSES! By Lisa R. Mele
A baby boomer recently described her early years as listening to the transistor radio, spinning albums on her record player and watching “American Bandstand” on television every day after school. These memories fill her heart and soul every time she participates in a group exercise class at her local gym. Other baby boomers come out to attend group exercise classes because it’s much more fun and exhilarating for them than any other cardio machine that their gym has to offer. Group exercise classes are motivating and give the retired baby boomer a reason to get out of bed in the morning! Here is a list of classes that the baby boomers are busting to participate in and the reasons why they find these classes great! 1. Zumba® – They love the music! The quick dance steps get their heart rates up. It also helps them with their coordination skills. Their mind and body are working together and they don’t even realize that they are exercising. 2. Aqua Aerobics – This class is great for the boomers who have any type of range of motion issues. They get to do all the moves in the pool that they could never do in a land class, like jumping jacks and running. Plus there is no impact or stress on their joints. It is also a way for the boomers to socialize with their friends, while getting a total body workout!
3. Weight Training – Lifting weights are so important for all ages, especially the boomer population. They have a chance to strengthen
their major muscle groups, gain more endurance and develop more flexibility. One baby boomer mentioned that lifting weights has helped her with her osteoporosis condition.
4. Silversneakers® – This class provides baby boomers with the option to sit in a chair and lift light weights and use tubing and soft balls. Many boomers who attend this class find that after a short time they can do more work standing than sitting! The music played in a Silversneakers® class is the music from their era and the boomers love to sing along to all the songs! 5. Yoga – Baby boomers like to attend a modified version of yoga to work the core, relax and stretch out their muscles. This class plays calming and tranquil music for their mind, body and soul. This class also provides them with more flexibility and strength. More and more gyms across the America are finding that their majority of members in the morning are the baby boomers and are adding more classes to their group exercise schedule to accommodate them.
Lisa R. Mele is a certified Group Exercise Instructor for LA Fitness and Future Fitness Corporation (AAA/I, Zumba® and AFFA member). She is a 2011 Winner of PhillyFIT Magazine’s, “Easiest to Follow and Most Unique” Instructor Awards at the 5th and 6th Workout-a-thons. Lisa was a former USFL Philadelphia Star Cheerleader and a former “Health Cat” Dancer on the Val Vasilef Health and Fitness Show on Channel 17 in the mid 1980’s.
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610-630-8600 www.drbazzan.com March/April I 215-396-0268 I www.phillyfit.com
PhillyFIT I 35
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PhysicallyFIT
By Mary Nearpass
Krissy Johnson
Krissy Johnson
Krissy Johnson
We’ve all been there, or maybe you’re in it now. If you’re just starting out in life, you’re bound to experience it. We have all at one time or another been stuck in a rut. Maybe you’re caught in a boring relationship, a snooze-filled job, or living in an uncreative environment. Possibly you’re doing the same daily routine from morning until night, day after day, week after week, and month after month. And if we are really stuck in a zombie-like state, we even stay caught year after year!
Some folks end up staying an exorbitant amount of time, sometimes their entire lives, being comfortable in their discomfort, because it is easier and predictable. That somehow makes us feel in control of our lives – when in reality, we are the epitome of out of control. Fear also keeps us stuck as it seems so much safer staying in the known vs. the unknown. We’ll stay and we’ll stay, denying our discontent and unhappiness in a bottle of wine, a Facebook frenzy, a cocaine cocktail, or a daily date with Ben and Jerry. We can even anesthetize ourselves in “healthy” habits such as over-exercising, hiding on an iPad, or starving ourselves. Sometimes life saves us by getting laid off at our dead end job, finding out our significant other is having an affair, or the home falls to foreclosure. Yes, you read “saves” correctly. Initially so many things enter our lives that appear to be the end of the world as we know it; and, guess what? It is! This same shocking event turns out to be the best thing that ever happens to us. It’s like waking us up from a bad dream and we realize that we can actually choose to live a dream of happily ever after. This is exactly what happened to Krissy Johnson. A young, vibrant, attractive, extremely accomplished, Masters trained vocalist who on the outside appeared to have it all, but on the inside, was feeling like 36 I PhillyFIT
an empty shell. Her life had become stagnant. From looking at her “before” photograph, you can still see her effervescent personality exuding so much love shining through. However, it was slowly but surely dwindling away. She was in a five-year relationship with a guy who suffocated her instead of appreciating her in everything from her musicals and stage show performances to her periodic attempts to lose weight. She would start and stop many a diet and exercise program full steam ahead, only to find him not only NOT supporting her, but sabotaging her efforts. He preferred playing on the computer to communicating with her, and she felt taken advantage of in many ways. When she finally realized she was enabling this behavior and recognized her own role in the unhealthy relationship, life began to change. The fall of 2007 rolls around, and the season of new beginnings triggered her own. As happens to many of us, something snapped inside her one morning. She woke up, got on the scale, and saw her all time high of 209 pounds on her 5’7” frame. All of a sudden it hit her that over the course of the past six years, she had put on eighty pounds. She looked at her thirty-six year old self in the mirror and said, “What am I doing? This isn’t who I want to be, or how I want to live my life!” That very day she made the commitment to change her current lifestyle. She called her physician and went on his approved and guided Medifast weight loss program, which consisted of two shakes and a couple of Medifast meals throughout the day, and a balanced dinner of a lean protein and veggies. Over the course of six months, Krissy lost forty-five pounds and was able to maintain this weight with her cardio program of four sessions of running or the elliptical at the gym per week. She managed to keep her vigilant food commitment having no excuses even through the tumultuous holiday food fests. Her physical transformation fueled an emotional and spiritual transformation as well. By the spring of 2008, she had left an unhealthy and dysfunctional relationship, joined a church family,
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bought a house, and nurtured new friendships and performing ventures.
For all of you who are familiar with “The Secret,” and even those who are not, the Law of Attraction effortlessly began to enter her life. When she started to feel good about who she was on the inside, the negative people/relationships/jobs in her life that did not appreciate all of her inner beauty and gifts started to depart. Her relationships with colleagues, friends and family began to change. All of her natural light and God-given abilities started to go from dim to bright, attracting people who mirrored the same out of nowhere. Like meets like, and this only reinforced her confidence with each passing day. She was now not only liking the Krissy who had been buried for so long, but beginning to live her life with a newfound purpose. After two and a half years of maintaining her weight loss, Krissy’s weight had plateaued. She wanted to see more results by creating more muscle mass. So, in June of 2010, Krissy joined RETRO FITNESS in North Wales and hired a personal trainer, Jesse Zitkus, with whom she devised a plan to achieve her ultimate, physical goal. She has seen him for four, one half hour sessions per week ever since, and quickly lost another thirty pounds. She reached her goal of 127 pounds in April 2011, and is determined to maintain it. Not only did her weight loss increase, but her BMI (Body Mass Index) has gone from thirty one percent to a lean eighteen percent. Her HDL cholesterol, blood pressure and triglycerides all were significantly reduced, and her physician says she is a “model patient.” She now swears by her weight training and looks forward to her sessions each week.
Krissy is radiant now. By the way, she met the love of her life, Larry, where else, but at the gym! She says she is happier than she’s ever been now at age forty, and it definitely shows. Her energy is amazing and her contentment with who she is shines. She is now the lead singer in her own bands, “Bosslady” and “Philly Dream Band”, and they perform frequently throughout the Philadelphia region.
Her diet these days is the way all of us should be. The first thing she told me was that she has two whey protein shakes daily, to repair and build her muscles. One of her quick pre-workout snacks is the whole wheat PB & J Uncrustables by Smuckers, and she is a grazer throughout the day, with tuna fish, chicken and rice and beans being her staples. She also doesn’t deny herself something she wants in moderation; a key to keeping us balanced not only physically, but mentally, emotionally and spiritually across the board. She says ice cream is her favorite indulgence! Krissy wanted to share not only her weight loss success to give hope to so many women, but the transformation I not only saw in her very essence, but most assuredly felt. She is a perfect example that true beauty does shine from the inside out. It’s never too late. You can reinvent yourself at any age!
Mary has an extensive background in both the traditional and holistic healthcare settings. The first part of her career focused on teaching, sales and marketing, and training and development. She has worked in the classroom setting (from elementary to the college level), for a major weight loss corporation and a leading hospital in the Philadelphia region. Her focus began to shift, as did her hunger for knowledge in the numerous aspects of complementary modalities, and how they assist in both the preventive and healing components toward health. Mary holds several certifications in Massage Therapy and Yoga.
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PhillyFIT I 37
PhysicallyFIT
Pudgy Pets By Dr. Laura Weis
I have a confession to make - I am the pet parent of a fat cat. With over fifty percent of our nation’s cats and dogs overweight or obese, my cat is a member of a rapidly expanding group. To make matters worse, my husband and I are both veterinarians and we counsel our clients every day on the benefits of achieving healthy weight goals for their furry family members. How did we reach this sorry state of affairs with our own pet? About eight months ago, a scrawny stray female cat and her seven kittens came to live “temporarily” in our home. Fast forward through seven joyous adoptions, and mom, now known as Artemis, was permanently ensconced and getting along famously with our other cat and two dogs. We watched indulgently as she made repeated trips to her food dish, even brazenly sniffing at the dogs’ dishes each day during mealtime. Her long fur disguised her rapidly expanding abdomen and by the time we recognized we had a problem, she weighed almost three pounds (thirty percent) over her ideal weight. That’s the equivalent of a healthy 150 pound person gaining fifty pounds!
side of some dry foods with “digest,”, a liquefied blend of fats and proteins to make the high-carbohydrate food taste better. In one short mealtime that requires no hunting or tracking, our pets can take in more calories than they need for an entire day. Excessive calorie intake is just one facet of the obesity crisis engulfing our pets. Food quality and nutrient content also influence weight gain. Just as five hundred calories of fruits and vegetables are more nutrient-dense and better for us than five hundred calories of fast food, pet foods also vary in their ability to nourish our pets’ bodies. Some pet foods are loaded with cheaper carbohydrates. Lower quality carbs are no better for our pets than they are for us. In fact, cats are obligate carnivores, meaning that they are not able to fully digest plant material to obtain the nutrients they need. Cats need about 35-45% of their diet on a dry matter basis (once the water is removed) to come from animal protein. If we provide pet foods with low quality sources of nutrients, we are robbing our pets of the ability to have strong and healthy bodies.
Dogs and cats in the United States have benefitted in a myriad of ways as they moved from outdoor working animals to pampered family members. They live longer, suffer fewer injuries and illnesses, and have better health care. In exchange, they now face the same problems we do in our largely sedentary lifestyle: low levels of physical activity and easy access to cheap and tasty food. One of the ways we shower our pets with love is by providing them with the yummiest food we can buy. Pet food companies go to great lengths to make food palatable by adding flavor-enhancing salt and sugar and spraying the out-
Improving our pets’ lives takes more than just saying no to second helpings. Veterinarians have been aware of the problem of pet obesity for several years, yet despite our best attempts America’s pets are growing larger. The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, founded in 2005, has been tracking statistics on overweight and obese pets from veterinarians around the country. Each year has seen an increase in the percent of hefty
Artemis didn’t cause this problem, we did. Her small paws cannot open the pantry or refrigerator, and, no matter how she begged, the dogs wouldn’t share their food. We “loved” our pet to the point where we put her at higher risk for diabetes, cardiac disease, osteoarthritis, high blood pressure, and cancer. Her life span will probably be shortened unless we bring her back to a normal and healthy weight. So let’s back up and examine why America’s pets are getting fatter, and what we can do as pet parents to combat the trend.
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Another contributor to our pets’ rapidly expanding waistlines is the reduction in their physical activity compared to the lives their ancestors led fifty or more years ago. How many of our dogs actually have jobs anymore? A quick look at the American Kennel Club’s guide to purebred dogs is a glance back through canine history, with most dogs sorted into categories like hunting, retrieving game, tracking, herding, guarding, and “working.” Dogs today live like our children, with activities carefully scheduled and most time spent indoors. If dogs had opposable thumbs, they might also fight for control of the TV remote or game controller. Cats fare no better, as the most exercise many get is the stroll from sofa to food dish.
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pets, with new records set in 2011.
The first step toward reversing this dangerous trend is helping pet parents recognize what their pets look like at a healthy weight. Many of my clients don’t realize their pets are overweight because we’ve grown used to seeing fat cats and pudgy pooches. There are weight ranges for various dog breeds and for cats, but individual animals vary greatly in their builds and these guides should only be used as a starting point. Of greater use is a system called Body Condition Scoring. We use a scale of one to nine at our veterinary hospital, with one being an emaciated animal, and nine extremely obese. A good visual of these scales can be found at projectpetslimdown.com/Home/Obesity. There are videos online that can help with the finer points. In general, you should be able to feel, but not see your pet’s ribs easily. Your pet should have a trim and tucked abdomen and you should be able to see a definite waistline when you view her from above. At 4.5, your pet is in ideal condition.
In our home, Artemis is grumpily growing accustomed to her reduced rations. As with people, losing weight for a pet is much harder than gaining. At first she begged constantly, but her most recent weight check revealed she had lost half a pound in three weeks. We’re celebrating with a half-teaspoon of tuna! Dr. Laura Weis graduated from Cornell University in 1990 and completed her veterinary studies at Virginia Tech in 1998. She is passionate about the bond people share with their pets, and promotes that love by keeping pets healthy at Doylestown Veterinary Hospital in Bucks County. She shares her life with her dogs Maribelle and Gigi, her cats Al and Artemis, four goats, several chickens, and a few thousand honeybees.
If you are concerned that your pet is too heavy, schedule a wellness check with your veterinarian. Your vet will screen for metabolic and endocrine conditions that may contribute to obesity and uncover any underlying health problems that might put restrictions on diet and exercise plans. At that same visit you can establish your pet’s ideal weight, design a weight loss program, and decide how much weight your pet should lose per week and month. Rapid weight loss can be dangerous, especially in cats, where it may lead to a problem called hepatic lipidosis (or fatty liver disease). You should recheck your pet’s weight every one to two weeks, depending on how much she has to lose, and adjust the amount you are feeding based on the rate of loss. “So how much should I feed him, doc?” That question usually follows on the heals of any weight discussion I have with a pet parent. The answer is based on two factors: the number of calories your pet needs and the type of food and amount of treats you provide. The easiest calorie calculator I have found is at www.petobesityprevention.com, and only involves a little bit of math. Far more challenging is finding out the caloric content (or kcals) per cup of food or per commercial treat. Only a few pet foods list this number on the label, so the easiest way to find out is to email or call the company. Remember, treats should constitute no more than ten percent of your pet’s daily calories. The best treats are healthy snacks such as carrots and apples for dogs, or tiny bits of cooked meat or fish for cats. Premeasure the total food for the day into a container, and stop feeding him for the day when the container is empty. Two to four small meals are better than one large one. Free choice feeding (leaving a filled food dish down at all times) is absolutely forbidden! If you have more than one pet, you may need to separate them at mealtimes or watch them eat. You can bet that if you put the food down and walk away, the heavier pet will be the winner. Some pets may need restricted calorie foods to lose weight, but most do well with smaller amounts of high quality food. Making your own pet food is another option, but you need to ensure it is nutritionally balanced for your pet.
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Canine Myths
PhysicallyFIT
by Debbie DeSantis, CPDT-KA, Certified Professional Dog Trainer and Behavior Specialist
There are many myths that abound about dogs and training. Years ago, people believed that dogs should not be trained until they were at least six months old. Unfortunately, that myth still exists with some people. The truth is that even the youngest of puppies can be trained and conditioned at a certain level. Even when you obtain your puppy at eight or more weeks old, he can be taught many things.
It’s important to make sure that your puppy isn’t taken away from his littermates and mother too early, such as before at least seven weeks old. But you can then further the pup’s education by continuing with teaching him bite inhibition. Yell, “OUCH” when a young pup nips at you, and give no positive attention for that behavior, then redirect him to an appropriate chew item.
A young pup can be taught to come, sit, and lie down and much more. They can even attend classes (after some vaccinations) at three months old. They can be positively socialized with many people in the first few months of their lives. If you wait to train until they are six months old, you may have to correct many bad habits that you could have easily prevented. Another myth is that dogs that are spayed or neutered become fat or that a female should have a litter of puppies before spaying. The fact is that spaying and neutering have many health benefits. For example, females spayed before their first heat have a very low incidence of certain cancers later in life, as do males neutered early. Additionally, not being fixed can lead to or worsen certain behavioral problems. And dogs not being spayed and neutered contributes to the animal overpopulation problem, which results in many unnecessary euthanizations each year. Barring other health problems, dogs become overweight because of insufficient exercise and/or too many calories.
I sometimes also hear people indicate that they don’t want to rescue a dog because they don’t believe that it would bond with them as strongly as if they had raised it themselves or that the dog will come with many health and/or behavioral problems. This is also a myth. Rescued dogs can bond as much to a new owner as one raised from puppy hood. In fact, rescued dogs can bond very strongly to a new owner, as they realize the difference between their former and present treatment. Kindness, training, appropriate exercise (such as walking your dog), and socialization all help establish a bond with any puppy or dog.
Additionally, many dogs put in rescue are there because of reasons that pertain more to the former owners than to the dogs themselves. The owners’ circumstances may have changed, for example. With rescued dogs, you see the final product and you save a life. A good rescue group will have temperament tested and fostered the dog, so that it can place the dog in an appropriate setting. Petfinder.com lists many shelters and rescue groups throughout the United States. Another myth is that a wagging tail indicates that a dog is friendly. Some tail wags mean that a dog is happy and friendly. But you have to read the entire body language to determine the dog’s intentions. A sharp, unrelaxed wag can be a bad sign. Is the body relaxed (good) or tense (bad)? Are the hackles raised (not a friendly sign)? You also have to read the ear set, tail set, and entire body language—and even whether the dog stares or glances softly—to determine what the tail wag really means.
When obtaining a new dog or puppy, we also sometimes forget the realities of our last dog. It’s easy to forget when a departed dog was a puppy fifteen years earlier. All we think about is the
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PhillyFIT I 41
reliable, calm senior dog we just lost—and not the high-energy puppy, who chewed through your shoes fifteen years ago. It’s easy to think that we had the perfect dog and that the new pup will never measure up. You can still cherish the memory of a former friend while appreciating a new one. Also, by remembering that all dogs need training and it takes time to build a bond, you can get through the time until your new dog becomes your perfect dog again.
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Another myth that abounds is that some dogs or breeds are stupid or untrainable. Unless there is a real genetic or health defect, all dogs should be trainable, and, I believe and have seen, that they are all intelligent. Some are easier to train in certain areas because of their breed, size, etc. For example, working and herding dogs are sometimes more easily trained because of what they were bred to do and that they were bred to work with man. Toy and smaller breeds may take longer to house train because of their small bladder size. But that doesn’t mean that they are not trainable. It just may take longer. And, just like us, dogs may learn some things more easily and others with more difficulty. With the right, positive training methods, dogs can reach high levels of training. Myth: “I came home and saw that my dog had a potty accident. When I corrected him, he looked guilty. I’m sure he knows that what he did is wrong and even may have acted out of spite.” Reality: Unlike humans, dogs don’t act out of spite. They may have accidents because they are not house trained, have anxiety, or are marking territory. And when they “look guilty” when you finally correct them often hours later, they just know from your verbal tone and body language that you are angry. They don’t connect your anger with something that they did two hours—or even two minutes—ago. They live in the moment. They connect your anger with what they are doing at the moment. Corrections are not effective if not administered during or immediately after the potty indiscretion. The appropriate course of action in the above scenario is to determine why the dog went to the bathroom and change our behavior accordingly. The dog may have needed to potty right before you left, but wasn’t taken out to do his business. He may not be house trained at all. Then, house train him from the beginning as if he were a puppy. Or he may have anxiety issues, such as separation anxiety, or marking issues, that must be dealt with. If we just suddenly appear angry whenever we see our dogs, our bond will be damaged, and behavior problems can develop, as the dog may learn to fear you and develop even more anxiety. In any case, kind, humane, fair training and/or behavior modification is what’s needed.
Debbie DeSantis, CPDT-KA, has been training and resolving problem behaviors in dogs for over twenty years. Her business is Going to the Dogs Obedience Training; website is: www.topdogtraining.org; 610-344-7799. She is a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers and has also passed the rigorous testing given by The Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers. She has written dog training columns for various publications. She specializes in rehabilitating dogs with behavior issues, including rescued dogs. Debbie has nationally ranked obedience dogs, rally obedience dogs, agility dogs, therapy dogs, and four rescued dogs that she has rehabilitated from abusive and neglectful situations.
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AestheticallyFIT
Winter White Flakes Making Your Skin Look Its Best During These Last Two Months of Winter By Victoria Capolozzi
While Philly can count this year’s number of snowstorms on one hand, I am still seeing patients who are battling dry, rough, winter skin. It doesn’t take the white stuff to ruin our precious epidermis. The lack of humidity alone can wreak havoc on our precarious moisture balance. And while I am no Hurricane Schwartz, I bet we get a bit more winter before it’s all over. So here are some quick tips to get you through the next two months: • Use a humidifier in your bedroom at night. It helps, I promise. • Wrap a scarf around your face when you are out in the cold or wind. Guys, this goes for you too! • Move to a thicker moisturizer for the next two months. Chances are, your favorite summer moisturizer comes in a slightly richer form, which will most likely satisfy your needs. Use the richer cream only until April when humidity levels rise again. If you’ve never used a moisturizer, start with something very light, and use it only at night, after washing. • If you are getting flaky skin from your exfoliant, ask your skin care specialist or dermatologist to reduce the percentage e.g.: move from Retin A .05% to 0.025% or use your over the counter retinols every other night instead of every night. (Be sure to check with your skin care specialist, dermatologist or prescribing physician before altering your program in any way.) • Discontinue active/prescription products if your skin ever becomes dry or cracked. If strong products hit the open skin that lies inside that crack, you may experience an overreaction. If your skin cracks, temporarily move to hydrating, gentle products until you are fully healed. Once healed, reinitiate your active ingredients/prescriptions slowly. Again if it was prescribed by a doctor, ask first before altering your program. • Avoid wind. Wind easily robs your skin of essential moisture much quicker than slow moving cold air. If your skin is
sensitive and it’s really windy outside, dust off the treadmill and keep indoors for a day or two. Outdoor biking, hiking and skiing are really cruel on our skin. While outside, do whatever you can to keep your skin covered.
Winter’s not all bad. While it may have left you feeling dry and looking as white as Philadelphia Cream Cheese, it is actually the best time to treat yourself to certain skin care treatments such as photorejuvenation (for fine lines and brown spots), IPL (to treat broken capillaries, redness and rosacea), or laser hair removal (to make your hairy places as smooth as a baby’s bottom). These treatments work best when you have absolutely no tan, which for most patients means right now. Advanced peels (such as an Obagi Blue peel) are also nice choices during the winter because your aesthetician will insist you stay out of the sun after your treatment. Think about it, what are the chances of getting you to stay out of the sun this Spring when everyone else is hitting Phillies games, doing outdoor CrossFit or braving the Broad Street Run? While these treatments can absolutely be done all year around, winter naturally prepares your skin for the stronger, more effective treatments. And finally, hang in there. Spring is right around the corner! Victoria Capozzoli is a clinical aesthetician at Plastic Surgery Associates with Dr. David A. Silberman. With twenty years experience she is an expert at skin care, facial rejuvenation and laser hair removal. She can be reached at victoriacapozzoli@yahoo.com or (215) 348-3415.
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going green
PhysicallyFIT
By Rakhi Bhandari
Most days a salad is enough to satisfy my appetite. I may not be bouncing off the walls, but I’m content. Then, when I least expect it, there’s that one bad day when mind and belly protest and I can’t shake it off. On a day like that, I indulge in sinful fantasies like sinking my teeth into a juicy hamburger and scarfing down greasy fries. I’m sure you’ve been there. There’s a trick to staving off those sudden hunger pangs. Make a salad that sticks to your ribs and provides you with all the essential nutrients. Load it up with protein and a ton of greens. That way you don't follow it up with empty calories. A dressing can make or break the salad. Calories hide easily in creamy dressings and can add up very quickly. I steer clear of rich dressings as much as possible with the exception of homemade Caesar or Blue cheese, which I tend to keep relatively low fat. It goes without saying that store-bought dressings are a no-no in my kitchen.
A freshly made honey mustard or a good old fashioned vinaigrette, my personal favorite, may be your best bet when tossing up a salad in a hurry. All you need is a good quality olive oil, a clove of garlic, a touch of Dijon mustard, salt, freshly ground pepper and last but not least, my secret ingredient - a balsamic glaze, which I use instead of balsamic vinegar (which is a bit too acidic for my taste). A balsamic glaze is syrupy in texture, adds subtle sweetness as well as flavor to the dressing and a little goes a long way. A splash of walnut oil is great when used along with walnuts and is particularly great with baby arugula or spinach. A good tip is to keep the veggies seasonal in order to optimize benefits. I have devised a strategy to keep things interesting. I break a salad up into its various components in order to recreate them in varying combinations. Each component has a ton of options. Go with a theme- Asian, Tex-Mex, or maybe Mediterranean. The sky’s the limit! Keep the ingredients in Ziploc bags, cut or shredded (that way you really have no excuse). Even the dressings stay for a few 46 I PhillyFIT
days if refrigerated immediately.
The main components of a salad are: 1. Greens- mixed greens, baby spinach, Arugula, lettuce: Iceberg, Romaine Bibb or Boston, endive, shredded cabbage and watercress 2. Fruit and/or nuts- almonds, walnuts, peanuts, cashews, pecans, pinenuts, pomegranates, mango, apples, pears, orange segments, grapes, berries, dried cranberries, 3. Vegetables – asparagus, peppers (raw or roasted), broccoli, olives, grated carrots, beets, canned beans, corn, sweet peppers, pickled gherkins, cucumber, chopped tomato, avocado, sprouts. 4. Protein – grilled chicken, bacon (with fat drained), boiled or poached eggs, grilled fish or shrimp, crabmeat, tuna, low fat ham or turkey. 5. Toppings- crumbled or shredded Cheese, tortilla chip crumbles, crunchy noodles, crackers, croutons, whole-wheat pasta. 6. Dressing – olive oil, truffle flavored oil, flavored vinegars, salad seasoning, mustard, balsamic glaze/vinegar, rice wine vinegar, low sodium soy sauce, sesame oil, low fat sour cream, salsa, low fat mayo, pomegranate syrup, maple syrup, honey. Finding a tasty and healthy protein can be a challenge, but my answer is to rub a few chicken breasts with a Cajun or Italian rub, drizzle with olive oil and stick them in the oven. Leftovers are sliced and bagged. Hardboiled eggs and cooked shrimp or crabmeat can come in handy too. It’s a cinch creating a variety of salads at the drop of a hat just with a little preparation. So get creative and watch those pounds disappear!
Rakhi Bhandari is a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts, Las Vegas. She is a certified in nutrition for food service and culinary professionals. Rakhi is also certified in Thai and Southeast Asian cooking and has a Bachelor of Arts in English literature. She is a freelance writer for online magazines and the food sections of newspapers and is a part-time cooking instructor. View her food blog at: www.spicegirlontour.blogspot.com
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Welcome to
Welcome to PhillyFIT Magazine’s online version of “a GROUPON-ish style” – with our own PhillyFIT TWIST! We are passionate about connecting as many local businesses and customers together as we can, and with the new wave of HOT COUPON DEALS in our area, we decided to use our own massive online PhillyFIT database as another tool to achieve this!
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ADVERTORIAL
KING OF PRUSSIA • PHILADELPHIA • CHERRY HILL
YOU CAN LOSE ALOT OF WEIGHT QUICKLY & SAFELY The brain’s metabolism regulating systems think that reduced calorie intake means famine, so it compensates by storing more food energy as body fat. With most weight loss methods, your brain fights you every step of the way; with the Bouari Protocol, all of this is reversed. We have seen THOUSANDS of people do this protocol. Many doctors send their family members and refer their patients to us to lose weight and fat, and improve their health in a matter of days and weeks! We will give you several proprietary things, but the main thing is a small dose that will trigger your brain to releasing about 2,000 calories of fat off your body every day.
As the fat metabolizes off your body, the nutrition that is stored in your fat such as blood, vitamins and minerals will go back to feed you. Now you can go on a low calorie diet-without starving. Normally when you go on a normal low calorie diet, your brain will go into shock, think you are starving, and will hold onto the fat as a survival mechanism. Your brain sends you signals that you are starving. Hence all you think about is food, and get headaches. As a result, your metabolism crashes, blood sugar drops, and you lose muscle mass. It gets too difficult, and then you cheat by eating sugars and starches because that’s what feeds your brain, glucose. Now your blood sugars go up and you put on fat. This is the wrong way to lose fat and weight! The Bouari protocol reverses all of this. You cheat your brain into relaxing and lose weight quickly. You lose the fat NOT the muscle mass. We have seen men lose fifty to sixty pounds in as many days. We have seen seventy-eight year olds come in and lose thirty-eight pounds in forty-five days, with no loose skin. The first ten days or so, you lose so much weight that you think you are stepping on some else’s scale. Now you are motivated. The next thing you know 48 I PhillyFIT
all of your clothes will be loose, but not your skin. Soon everyone at work, friends, family and neighbors are asking you what you are doing. Your face sculpts out, it does not emaciate in, even though you have lost so much weight so quickly. By the time you finish the protocol you have lost a lot of weight, inches have melted off your body, stabilized your blood sugar, and retrained your hypothalamus (the gland that controls your thyroid, pituitary and metabolism.)
That’s why so many people do not regain the weight years later. Please call for your no obligation FREE CONSULTATION. When you come into one of our clinics, you will fill out some paperwork. While in the lobby, feel free to ask our clients (who are there for their follow up visits) how they are doing on the protocol, how much weight they have lost, how many inches have come off, and how this compares to other weight loss programs out there. You will be shocked! We have several programs from which to choose. Whether it’s that last ten pound you’ve been battling to get to your desired body fat percentage or you need to lose twenty or more pounds and are frustrated with everything else; we have the program for you. We also offer B12 shots to help with energy and improve your metabolism. You can lose a lot weight quickly and safely, ask our medical director! Sincerely, Gus Bouari For the Bouari Clinics of Philadelphia
Please call for your free consultation! 866-891-2002 • PhilaSlim.com March/April I 215-396-0268 I www.phillyfit.com
MAR/APR
calendar of events
PLACE YOUR CALENDAR LISTING BOXED LISTINGS FOR ONLY $75 CALL 215-396-0268
MARCH 4 NERRC Winter 10K Out and Back 10K on bike path. Time: 10am Place: Lloyd Hall, Kelly and Waterworks Drives, Philadelphia, PA Description: Email: mikec48@verizon.net Web: www.nerrc.net
MARCH 18 Barclay Farm Swim Team’s 1st Annual ’Cudas on the Run 5K and 2-mile walk. Time: 5K – 8:30 am; 2-Mile Walk – 8:40 am; Kids’ 75-yard dash – 9:45am Place: 315 Whitemarsh Way, Cherry Hill, NJ Phone: 609-509-0987 Email: cisellers@verizon.net Web: www.dqtridu.com/cudas.htm
MARCH 25 Race Against Child and Domestic Abuse 5K Run /1-mile Fun Walk. Course is USTAF-certified. Time: 8:30am Place: Colonial Elementary School/Plymouth Whitemarsh High School, Plymouth Meeting Email: ronaldgamza@msn.com Web: rtfoundation.org
MARCH 31 4th Annual Hell of Hunterdon In tribute to the Northern European Spring Classics is Hell of Hunterdon, a 79-mile Belgian-themed ride in Hunterdon County, NJ. The challenging course features 18 sections of dirt, gravel and hardscrabble roads (covering about 15% of the course) as you wind your way through scenic farmland and country towns in New Jersey’s Sourlands. Total elevation gain is 5,000 feet. The route is perfectly suitable for standard road bikes with road tires; tires wider than 23mm are suggested. Cyclocross bikes are welcome, but certainly not required, as most of the ride is on paved roads. It is the ideal preparation for those who plan to go to the Tour of the Battenkill on April 14. After the ride there will be festivities (food, beer and raffle) hosted by Pure Energy Cycling & Java House, including plenty of beer courtesy of River Horse Brewing Company. Time: 9am-3pm Place: River Walk, 201 S. Main Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 Phone: 267-744-4538 Email: kermessesport@gmail.com Web: www.hellofhunterdon.com/
APRIL 15 Bucks County Half-Marathon Chip timing, medals to all finishers, shirts, certified course and an expo. Time: 8am Place: Tyler Creek State Park, Northampton County, PA Web: www.buckscountymarathon.com
APRIL 29 Legs Against Arms 5K Legs Against Arms is a 5K run/walk to strengthen our legs as we oppose illegal handguns in Philadelphia, raise awareness about the impact of violence in our city, and honor lives lost to violence. New for 2012: a competitive, electronic chip-timed division and a non-competitive fun-run division. Special rates for youth 14 and under! Time: 8:30am Place: St. Joseph's University, City Ave., Philadelphia, PA Email: katewardo@yahoo.com Web: www.legsagainstarms.org
MAY 12 Broad Street ReRun 5-mile run and ½-mile kid run Benefit: The Delaware Valley Chapter of the National Hemophilia Foundation. Tech shirts to all pre-registered. Medals to top 3 in 5-year age groups. Pets, strollers, headphones all welcome. Tons for the kids to do with local team mascots, face painting and balloons! Join in on the fun! Time: 9am Place: Lansdale, PA Email: christiner@hemophiliasupport.org Web: Register at www.broadstreetrerun.com
MAY 20 PhillyFIT Workout-a-thon & Bash Held inside of B&R Family Fitness Club ~ Bodies & Results, 1040 Mill Creek Dr. Feasterville, PA 19053. Everything health & fitness you can imagine. Call Jami at 215396-0268 or email Jami@phillyfitmagazine.com
2nd Annual Run With Pride 5K Run and 1-Mile Walk To benefit the Scholarship Fund in memory of Kevin Flach Email: VKrause@fredbeans.com
JUNE 30 Pineland Striders Independence Races 35th running of this summer classic on the beautiful pine shaded roads of Medford, NJ. Distance: 10K and 5K; 1-mile fun run Time: 8:30 am; fun run starts at 8am Place: Shawnee High School, 600 Tabernacle Road, Medford, NJ 08055 Phone: 609-714-9565 Email: bill.tanski@cashflowsquared.com Web: striderindependenceraces.com/index.html
AUG. 24 Drexel Swim Club’s Run with the Dolphins Registration opens 5pm Run 6:30pm Walk 6:45pm All participates are invited back to the swim club for swimming, food, music and fun. Online registration: www.runtheday.com Phone 610-356-0918 Email: drexel50@yahoo.com Web: www.drexelswimclub.com
ONGOING South Philly Striders Running Club Yo! Get in shape! Meets Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6am at Geno’s Steaks, Ninth St. & Passyunk Ave., Philadelphia, PA Meets Saturdays, 8am, Front & South Sts., Philadelphia, PA Email: info@southphillystriders.com Web: www.southphillystriders.com Highroad Cycles Saturday Morning Ride Average speed is 16 mph. You should be able to comfortably ride within this average speed, including some challenging hills, over 30 to 40 miles. Ride is weather permitting. Time: 9am Place: Highroad Cycles Doylestown, 73 Old Dublin Pike, Suite 4, Doylestown, PA Phone: 215-348-8015 Web: www.highroadcycles.com
MAY 19 Mid-Atlantic Multisport Triathlon Boot Camp/Race Camp This one-day camp prepares you to race to your maximum potential in 2012. The camp includes: open-water training session with race simulation, instruction on open-water skills and strategies, instruction on tapering, race tactics and mentally preparing for your race, transition instruction and practice, outdoor brick workout. Place: Marsh Creek State Park, Downingtown, PA Phone: 610-644-0440 Email: info@midatlanticmultisport.com Web: www.midatlanticmultisport.com
Keswick Cycle Cherry Hill Road Rides Saturdays, 7:45am Distance: About 40 miles. Return to shop no later than 11:30am. Helmets are mandatory! This is an unsupported ride. Please carry at least one tube and pump/CO2. Food and water are highly recommended. “No rider left behind on a shop ride.” Place: Keswick Cycle Cherry Hill, 305 E. Rt. 70, Cherry Hill, NJ Email: salesstaff@keswickcycle.com Phone: 856-795-0079 Web: www.keswickcycle.com
JUNE 2
Bikesport Mountain Bike Ride
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Distance: 2 loops. For all levels. Mountain bike required. Time: Saturdays, 9am Place: Green Lane (Knight Road) parking lot, Green Lane, PA Email: Ginny Politz, ginny@bikesportbikes.com Web: www.bikesportbikes.com MTB on the Pennypack Trails Meet at the Pine Road entrance to Pennypack Park, Philadelphia, PA, Tuesdays at 6:30pm and ride till about 8pm. Come enjoy the great outdoors (without cars) after dark! Lights and a trail permit are required. Go to www.fairmountpark.org/TrailPermits.asp to buy a permit. Depending on the predicted weather and/or trail conditions, the ride may be canceled or rescheduled for another evening. Call or email to confirm that the ride is on or with questions. Phone: 215-740-0973 Email: ride_with_cb@rocketmail.com Web: www.phillybikeclub.org Weekly Tuesday Runs With the Manayunk Running Club. Time: 6:30-9pm Place: Sports Works, 4320 Main St., Manayunk, Philadelphia, PA Email: info@manayunkrunning.com Web: www.manayunkrunning.com Weekly Wednesday Group Runs Time: 6pm Place: Jenkintown Running Club, 416 Old York Rd., Jenkintown, PA Phone: 215-887-2848 Email: bob@jenkrun.com Web: www.jenkrun.com Thursday Night Group Runs Finish at Lululemon for a yoga stretch! Time: 6pm Weekly Place: Philadelphia Runner, 1601 Sansom St., Philadelphia, PA Phone: Laura, 215-972-8333 Email: laura@philadelphiarunner.com Web: www.philadelphiarunner.com/ DiabetesTech This group meets every three months on the first Wednesday evening in its Wynnewood office to discuss issues pertinent to insulin pump use. Topics include research updates, new technologies, management techniques, lifestyle issues and creative problem-solving. Each meeting features a guest speaker or interactive activity. Refreshments are served. 2012 dates: March 7, June 6, Sept. 5 & Dec. 5 Who’s Invited: Anyone who uses insulin along with family & friends Time: 7:30-9pm Place: Integrated Diabetes Services, 333 E. Lancaster Ave., Wynnewood West Shopping Center, Suite 204, Wynnewood, PA 19096 Phone: 610-642-6055 Web: www.integrateddiabetes.com Asperger Syndrome Family/Caregiver
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Support Meetings All parents and other adult family members or caregivers of children with Asperger syndrome and similar diagnoses are welcome. Meetings are held the second Tuesday of every other month. The group's mission is to raise public awareness, advocate for improved education and services, and provide support and information. There is no fee for the meetings. Call for information. Time: Second Tuesday of every other month, 7:30pm Place: Grace Chapel, Darby and Eagle roads, Havertown, PA Time: Third Tuesday of every other month, 7pm Place: Avon Grove Charter School, 110 E. State Road, West Grove, PA Time: Third Thursday of every other month, 7-9pm Place: Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 132 E. Valley Forge Road, King of Prussia, PA Phone: 610-449-6776 Asperger Adults Family/Caregiver Support Time: First Saturday of the month, 10amnoon Place: Montgomery County Human Services Building, 1430 DeKalb St., Norristown, PA Phone: 610-449-6776 NAMI NAMI (the National Alliance on Mental Illness) holds monthly NAMI Connection
(peer-run) support groups for family members and caregivers of persons with mental illness (i.e. schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, OCD etc.). For more information please call 215-886-0350 or email namipottstown@verizon.net. The first Friday of the month, 10:30am at Norristown Public Library, 1001 Powell St., Norristown, PA. The second Wednesday of the month, 12pm at Pottstown Public Library, 500 High St., Pottstown, PA. The third Wednesday of the month, 1pm at Lansdale Library, 301 Vine St., Lansdale, PA. The fourth Tuesday of the month, 2pm at Abington Presbyterian Church, 1982 Old York Road, Abington, PA. The second Thursday of the month, 7:30pm at 100 S. Keswick Ave., Glenside. Better Breathers Support Group The Lung Center at Paoli Hospital is hosting a free support group for patients with respiratory disorders and chronic lung diseases the second Tuesday of every month. Registration is required. Call to register. Time: Second Tuesday of the month, 2-3pm Place: Paoli Hospital, Paoli, PA Phone: 610-648-1651 Comprehensive Breast Center Support and Networking Group For women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. Time: Third Tuesday of the month, 7-8:30pm Place: Comprehensive Breast Center, Bryn
BUCKS COUNTY
LLC
FOOTLASER
Mawr Hospital, Bryn Mawr, PA Phone: 610-526-4400 Macular Degeneration Support Group Call for information and/or transportation assistance. Time: Every second Tuesday, 10am-noon Place: Paoli Baptist Church, 33 E. Lancaster Ave., Paoli, PA Phone: 610-644-6316 Support Group for People With Cancer Sponsored by the Wellness Community of Philadelphia. Time: Tuesdays, 6:30-8:30pm Place: The Cancer Center at Paoli Hospital, 255 W. Lancaster Ave., Paoli, PA Phone: 215-879-7733 Divine Bike Church for Adults Cycling. Dates and Times: Sun., Tu., Th., 6:30-9pm Place: Philadelphia, PA Phone: 215-386-0316 Web: www.neighborhoodbikeworks.org Divine Bike Church for Women and Trans. Cycling. Dates and Times: Wednesdays, 6:30-9pm Place: Philadelphia, PA Phone: 215-386-0316 Web: www.neighborhoodbikeworks.org
Sunday Morning Mountain Bike Rides
Bucks County FootLaser, LLC Call for more information or to schedule an appointment
215.942.2347 Lisa@LaserMyFungus.com
FINALLY...
Time: 9am Place: Valley Green Inn in the Wissahickon Park, Philadelphia, PA Phone: 215-885-7433 Email: salesstaff@keswickcycle.com Web: www.keswickcycle.com Coed Adult Sports Leagues Evenings and weekends. Place: Philadelphia, PA Phone: 215-483-9340 Web: www.phillysportandsocialclubs.com Weekly Indoor Spinning at High Road Cycles Road cycling. Dates, Times and Places: Tuesday, 6pm, Wayne, PA; Wednesday, 6:30pm, Doylestown Phone: Wayne, 610-687-1110; Doylestown, 215-348-8015 Web: www.highroadcycles.com Women Only Climbing Clinic Rock/ice climbing. Date and Time: Last Friday, 6:30-8pm Place: Philadelphia, PA Phone: 215-928-1800 Web: www.govertical.com
Media Community Center, Media, PA
PinPointe FootLaser Receives FDA Clearance for the Treatment of Nail Fungus (Onychomycosis) • New Patented Laser Technology Treats Toenail Fungus • Painless Without Anesthesia • Quick And Safe • No Drugs Or Side Effects • No Harmful UV Radiation
www.LaserMyFungus.com
50 I PhillyFIT
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If you are one of the millions of Americans who suffer from lower back or neck pain, you know how debilitating it can be. Burning, shooting nerve pains and muscles in constant spasm make even the simplest movement an ordeal. Often, just finding a comfortable position is virtually impossible.
Traditional treatment starts with medication and bed rest and ends with the prospect of surgery – a painful, expensive, frightening experience. Treatments such as acupuncture, epidural injections, hot/cold therapy, massage and other "therapeutic" techniques may offer limited relief. Considerable research has produced a relatively new therapy that is highly effective in treating intervertebral disc problems. This treatment, known as Decompression Therapy, has opened the floodgates of new patients to Tri County Pain Management and Precision Pain Management Centers.
Decompression Therapy is a traction-based procedure that can relieve pain associated with disc herniation, degenerative discs, posterior facet and compression-related syndromes. It also enhances the healing process and renders quick, effective and amazing pain relief that enables most patients to return to a more active lifestyle! It is an FDA-cleared procedure, and most insurances cover traction therapy. Decompression occurs as a result of an improved understanding of how to reliably cause the spine to "unload." The vertebral separation causes a vacuum or a centripetal force in the disc, which results in a "phasic change in pressure." This "vacuum effect" helps in the retraction (pulling in) of the extruded disc material.
When the disc retracts it can stop putting pressure on the spinal nerve or spinal cord. Thus the term "Decompression." Once the nerve is decompressed, a significant amount of patients will notice a decrease in arm/leg pain.
Someone who has previously not found relief through other treatments is a perfect candidate for this treatment. Decompression Therapy may also be useful in determining the overall prognosis of passive care and expediting the phase-in of rehab protocols. Clinical findings suggest Decompression will create a relatively quick initial response. Patients who do well tend to feel a sense of relief (which can be direct pain cessation or a centralization of pain and/or reduction to an ache or stiffness) within six sessions. Full relief, if attainable through this passive treatment, can be in as soon as a few weeks. (Occasionally a "stubborn" pain syndrome may continue to improve slowly over 15 sessions, though this is not the norm.) Often, patients will be treated in 4-6 sessions and notice enough relief to allow active rehab to begin. Their Decompression may continue (pre- or post-rehab depending on the methods chosen) for 4-6 further sessions before discontinuing or reducing the frequency. Typical frequency is 3-5 times per week. The extent and seriousness of the symptoms will determine if more than 3 sessions per week should be used. Treatments only take about 25-30 minutes, and again, most insurance companies cover them. For more information on how you can benefit from the Dynamic Traction System (DTS), call Tri County Pain Management Center 215-957-5400 or the Precision Pain Management Center at 215-657-9393.
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