Life
Style Changes for 2008
Forget
the New Years Resolutions! Create Lifestyle Changes and keep working on the
goal.
The typical New Years Resolution is, “I want to lose 20 pounds.” Admirable
goal – so you reduce the calories you consume and add some exercise to your
weekly activities. What happens after you obtain your goal? Do you keep
exercising and watching the calories consumed – OR do you congratulate
yourself on meeting the goal and stop doing what got you there?
What happens next? Do you gain the 20 pounds back so that next year you have a
New Years Resolution to lose 20 pounds again?
This appears to be an endless cycle that is not healthy or helpful to the body.
Create a change in yours and your families’ lifestyle that will not only get
the pounds off and keep them off, but also improve the overall health and
quality of life of your family. Start an exercise program using aerobic based
workouts. Train smarter, not harder, by using effort based indicators to
establish the correct amount of work for you. To burn the calories, stay in an
aerobic state during your exercise – stay away from huffing and puffing.
By creating and maintaining aerobic based workouts, you will improve your
cardiovascular and respiratory systems and muscle tone. I am certain you will
feel better, rest better and be able to handle stress better than before. It
takes effort to achieve your goals. Have the confidence in yourself that you can
make the change and then get on it – GET ACTIVE!
A
common question often becomes, “what activities are available to become active
in South Georgia?” Please find some suggestions offered below:
- Walking
or Running on a treadmill, on the streets, at a track or with the Mall
Walkers of Colonial Mall Valdosta. Interest a friend or spouse to join you
– pairs make the activity more enjoyable.
- Soccer
is available and flourishing for the children in Valdosta.
- Tennis
is available as well as Cardio-Tennis.
- Swimming
- Cycling
– check with the Azalea City Cyclists on their web site to see what
opportunities they offer.
- Jazzercise,
Ballroom or Line Dancing, Clogging and Aerobics classes
- Martial
Arts training.
- Weight
lifting and Cardio Machines at many gyms, including ones specifically for
women.
In
all of these activities – the key to enjoy them is to train smarter – not
harder. No Pain, No Gain is NO GOOD and OUTDATED! Use
your heart rate as your governor and your breathing as an indication of how the
body is working. To use an analogy with a car, one does not drive their car
where the engine is running at 7000 rpms all the time – the engine is working
way too hard, is not running efficient and will over heat and break down. Your
body’s tachometer is your heart rate – and to be efficient in burning the
fuel [calories], you need to perform the activity at a rate that your heart rate
is between 65 to 75% of the maximum your heart can beat. Over time, you will
become stronger and able to handle more stress along the way – just start easy
and move up slowly.
It takes effort to achieve your goals. Have the confidence in yourself that you
can make the change and then get on it – GET ACTIVE!
Outstanding
performances:
Jacksonville Marathon was held on December 16th and many people from
Valdosta took the challenge and participated in the event on a day with tough
weather conditions. These people include Alan Thomas [3:24:31], Amy Sharon
[3:42:34], Joe Wilson [4:20:12], Marta Kvande [4:26:56], Gabe Brown [4:33:55],
and Kim Trannel [5:39:41]. Others participated in the half marathon: Stephen
Sparks [1:44:55, Hunter Lane [2:00:12], Tim Schlairet [2:05:38], Kathi Blais and
Katie Kolisz [2:05:41], Jodi Harbin [2:08:04], Timothy Schlairet [2:18:30],
Maura Schlairet [2:20:10], Mandy White [2:24:17], Curt Fowler [2:31:43], and
Brooke Schlairet [2:40:34]. Congratulations to one and all.
January 12th in Nashville, the 3rd annual BRCA 5K and 1 mile run will be presented by the Berrien Parks and Recreation Department. Go by Get Active to pick up your application and sign up for the event.
February 9th, the Student-Athletes of VSU will be presenting a Relay
event. There are five (5) legs of the relay, and a team can be from 3 to 5
members to get the full distance completed. The distance covered will be 10K or
6.2 miles, but each leg will run approximately 1.2 miles. If there are less than
5 people on the team, members will have to run multiple legs. There will be
awards in team categories, team names and team T-Shirts. This is a family event,
keep that in mind. There is more information to come on this event in the coming
weeks.
There are weekly, FREE activities for the runners and cyclists in the area.
Runners can show up at Get Active Running and more on Saturday and Sunday
morning at 7AM for all-comer runs from 1.5 to 8 plus mile runs. For more
information on the runs, check out the web page www.getactivevaldosta.com
, call or send an email. Cyclists can meet for rides on Tuesday, Thursday,
Saturday and Sunday. For more information on the cycling rides, check out the
web page at www.azaleacitycyclists.com.
Do you have results you want to share about yourself, a loved one or friend? Do
you want to share what motivates you to being active? Send an email to me at Get
Active Running
and more.
If you have questions about your walking, running or other training, drop me an
email and I will do my level best to answer your questions. Check out www.getactivevaldosta.com
to get connected. Listen to the Get Active South Georgia radio show on Tuesday
evenings from 6 to 7PM on Talk 92.1 FM to receive additional information or to
ask questions
Thank
you,
Todd
& Alice Smoot
GET
ACTIVE
Running
and more
GET
ACTIVE SOUTH GEORGIA
as
heard on
Talk
92.1 FM Tuesdays 6 to 7 PM
GET
ACTIVE SOUTH GEORGIA
as read weekly in the Sunday VDT - look for us
www.getactivevaldosta.com
3200-C
North Ashley Street
Valdosta,
GA 31602
229-219-0010
229-219-0012
(F)
In
the long run, one must have goals to succeed.
"To
give anything less than your best, is to sacrifice the gift" Steve
Prefontaine