May 2014
Byron Nichols is BNFit’s lead trainer and CEO. Reared in Louisville, KY and in Washington, DC by way of Howard University, Byron took an interest in fitness when he committed to dropping weight from his own 315-pound frame. He publicly announced his fitness intentions on Facebook- to ride his bike every day and get fit- in the summer of 2008. At the same time, he began taking classes at the Capital Sports Complex with Paula Reiss, who would eventually become his mentor. The challenge garnered a lot of support and became a movement. In addition to losing 50 pounds, Byron moved from pursing personal health and fitness to a career as a fitness specialist. Reiss developed an internship program that prepared Byron to teach every class the gym offered: Kickboxing, Step, Plyometrics, and Spin. He lost an additional 50 pounds, totaling 100 pounds lost, and, thus, the BNFit conceptual seed was planted. BNFIT Personal Fitness took on its first personal training client in August 2010, quickly growing to 25 clients. Byron began BNFIT Bootcamp in January 2011 to bring affordable fitness to everyone with the desire to get healthy and strong. At the same time, he began the “Excuses or Results” Initiative, with a goal of bringing exercise to the African American community. His clients describe him as energetic, inspirational, and unrelenting, and give him credit for transforming their lives through his dedication to and enthusiasm for fitness. In addition to personal training and boot camps, Byron has served as a featured speaker and trainer at several fitness expos locally, nationally, and internationally. He has worked with summer youth camps, corporate events, church-based gatherings, and, most recently, the SCLC in August 2013. The BNFit movement continues to grow with the addition of trainers and fitness professionals. Byron plans on extending BNFit to include online personal training, fitness videos, and books.
Monday, May 26, 2014 at 7am, Byron Nichols and Bn-Fit held a Memorial Day Black Out Boot Camp to raise funds for the PG County Walk to end Alzheimer’s initiative. This was not just an intense boot camp workout , but it was an opportunity to do good for someone else. To be around a group of fitness trainers and dedicated students and friends, who know how important it is not to just be healthy for ourselves, but for others is priceless. What a way to give back. I was so blessed to have been able to take a part of a much needed benefit. For 2 hours at Suitland High School track in District Heights, Maryland, we did everything from running, squats, push-ups and burpies with weights and without. But through all the sweat, we made it through with a smile on our face! The ab work was intense and the cool down stretches was a must. Byron is a joy to workout with and his team is awesome. I thought I would also do a small part and just give my readers some information about Alzheimer’s and the reason why your health is so important to maintain. As Byron Says, “ We are Fighting
the good fight against inactivity, obesity, heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s and anything else that robs us of greatness!”.
Alzheimer's disease is a progressive brain disorder that damages and eventually destroys brain cells, leading to memory loss and changes in thinking and other brain functions. It usually develops slowly and gradually gets worse as more brain cells wither and die. Ultimately, Alzheimer's is fatal, and currently, there is no cure. But there is a neuroscience research effort underway to develop a new generation of more effective treatments. The Alzheimer's Association is moving this research initiative forward by funding scientists who are searching for more answers and new treatments, collaborating with stakeholders, and raising the visibility of Alzheimer's as a global health challenge. Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia, a general term used to describe various diseases and conditions that damage brain cells. Alzheimer's disease accounts for 50 to 80 percent of dementia cases. Other types include vascular dementia, mixed dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies and frontotemporal dementia. Can Alzheimer's be prevented? It's a question that continues to intrigue researchers and fuel new investigations. There are no clear cut answers yet — partially due to the need for more large-scale studies — but promising research is under way. The Alzheimer's Association continues to fund studies exploring the influence of mental fitness, physical fitness, diet and environment. As the number of people affected by Alzheimer's rises, the effort to find prevention strategies continues to gain momentum.
Physical exercise and diet
The Search for Alzheimer’s Causes and Risk Factors While scientists know Alzheimer's disease involves progressive brain cell failure, the reason cells fail isn't clear. Like other chronic conditions, experts believe that Alzheimer's develops as a complex result of multiple factors rather than any one overriding cause. Both age and genetics have been identified as risk factors, but many questions still remain. The discovery of additional risk factors will deepen our understanding of why Alzheimer's develops in some people and not others.
Regular physical exercise may be a beneficial strategy to lower the risk of Alzheimer's and vascular dementia. Some evidence suggests exercise may directly benefit brain cells by increasing blood and oxygen flow. Even stronger evidence suggests exercise may protect brain health through its proven benefits to the cardiovascular system. Because of the known cardiovascular benefits, a medically approved exercise program is a valuable part of any overall wellness plan. Like exercise, diet may have its greatest impact on brain health through its effect on heart health. The best current evidence suggests that heart-healthy eating patterns, such as the Mediterranean diet, also may help protect the brain. A Mediterranean diet includes relatively little red meat and emphasizes whole grains, fruits and vegetables, fish and shellfish, and nuts, olive oil and other healthy fats.
An online magazine about Health and Fitness, Loving God and Others and being Healthy and Whole in Mind-Body and Sprit Sacrificefitnessmagazine.com
Information obtained from: BN-Fit.com alz.org