REcycle, REnew, REuse

Spring is here. I love it, the soft breezes, the flowering trees and plants. It brings promise and hope of things to come, and graduation. My very dear friend Bill will graduate this May with a degree in Sustainable Development. I’m so proud of him. He went back to school as an untraditional student, i.e. He was a little older. He even started his own company called “Sustainable Strategies”. It is about being green, conscientious, forward thinking when it comes to building. It got me to thinking about the motto – Recycle, reuse, renew. Being in the fitness industry for the last 15 years, I couldn’t help but try to apply it to the work I do – and voila, I did.

Just like spring is a time of renewal, it is also a time for us to re-evaluate our goals, seeing where we are, how far we have come in terms of the beginning of the year. Taking stock of our lives at the change of the season is a wonderful habit to get into. It forces us to step outside of our lives and re-establish what we want, need and who we want to become. Using the green slogan is a great way to evaluate our personal health and fitness goals.

RECYCLE: mmmmm… it is time to go through that closet and get rid of those workout clothes that are stale, don’t fit or are worn out. A great way to recycle them is to donate them to a local charity such as Goodwill, Big Brothers/Big Sisters or Salvation Army. There are plenty of people who would love your recycled clothes. Many people are not in a financial position to go and buy brand new workout clothes let alone a hot meal. Also, head to the garage or spare bedroom for any workout equipment that you haven’t used in years. Treadmills, bicycles, weights and other late night TV infomercial merchandise that has laid doormat for ever. Donate them to local schools, camps or the YMCA at Camp Erdman. You don’t need another clothes hanger, get rid of it, free up space and let some else have the benefit of your generosity.

RENEW: It is time to go through your phone and renew relationships with old workout buddies, people who are like minded and once shared your passion for walking, hiking, swimming, running or biking. Renew your membership at your local workout club. Or better yet, start something new. As we go along in life, our passions and interest change. Find that “THING” that you enjoy that will get you active and alert and go out and do it.

REUSE: Think about when you were in the best shape of your life….what did you do? What was your program? Who was your trainer? Does what you know work? Revive your friendships, workout routines and passion for the things you let slide. Your health is truly your ticket to quality of life and longevity. If you used to bike and loved doing it, then go take to your bike to your local bike shop for a tune up and get on it. Ride, run, walk, dance, laugh, swim, hike…Get out that old nutrition program that helped you lose 10 pounds 5 years ago for your reunion and get on it again. You don’t need to re-invent the wheel. If it worked and you feel good about it, use it.

Spring is in the air and it is never too late to get started. The past is gone and the future is yet to come. All we have is now, this moment to take control of our lives and live it to the fullest. That is what my friend Bill did. I’m proud of him and look forward to seeing him graduate and thrive with his new business. Going green is not only good for our physical environment; it is good for us in our physical beings as well. Enjoy the spring and don’t forget to recycle, reuse and renew in every way possible.

Try Fitness has been offering programs for the women of Hawaii for over 15 years. Check our website for a program that is right for you. www.tryfitnesshawaii.com

Look for our popular on-going BOOT CAMP Program and the all new Fitness BOOT CAMP training.

Short Getaways: Taking a Day Trip

Care of the Daily Om

When vacations are not possible, consider a daytrip as an alternative forrenewal and feeding your soul.

We tend to think of a vacation as something that requires an enormous amount of preparation, but small daylong excursions can be just as refreshing and fulfilling as their lengthier counterparts. A short drive can be the channel that transports you into a world of novel experiences and blissful relaxation. Solo day trips can be a wonderful way to unwind from the stresses of routine existence while simultaneously feeding the soul. And when you choose to share your day trip with someone you care about, a leisurely drive becomes a chance to talk about childhood, recall favorite songs, or simply spend time enjoying one another's presence.

You may be surprised to see how many day-trip possibilities exist within a mere hour's time from your home. Forests, beaches, lakes, mountains, rivers,and deserts can serve as the perfect spot for a mini-vacation. The physical and mental rejuvenation you experience in an unfamiliar and engaging setting are enhanced by meditation, journaling, deep breathing, or just being still with nature. Though the cost of gasoline can make taking a day trip seem frivolous, and our commitment to environmental well-being may cause us to hesitate before utilizing our cars in this manner, there are numerous ways we can effectively offset our carbon signature while still seeing to the needs of ourselves on a soul level.

Since day trips tend to require much smaller investments of time and money than traditional outings, you can enjoy a diverse range of experiences day by day. On one weekend, you may be motivated by a need to connect with your natural heritage to explore a vast state park or nature preserve. On another, your curiosity can inspire you to visit a historical site that has long piqued your interest. In the end, where you go will often be less important than your willingness to broaden your horizons by removing yourself from the environment already so familiar to you. Each mini-getaway you take will imbue your existence with a sensation of renewal that prepares you for whatever lies ahead.

by Anam Thubten

Athlete Profile: Susan Heitzman

1. Name: Susan Swaim Heitzman

2. Age: 65

3. Occupation: Wife, mother, grandmother. Staying in touch with family and friends in Alabama. Helping my husband with an exercise product to get it to market.

4. years training: and why): Since early1990's in Tuscaloosa, AL with a personal trainer. I had just sold a business and was "coming up for air", wanting to feel better, to lose weight, and to have more energy.

5. How/why did you get started?: I asked around town and found someone who was just starting out as a personal trainer. I wanted to get fitter and stronger as I was beginning to ride horses again (since childhood years)..."Dressage" is a style of riding that takes lots of core strength and quiet control from the rider. I was also volunteering with a horsemanship program that helped children with cerebral palsy and other disabilities. I wanted to be strong and confident around the horses, as each horse had 3 volunteers-one to lead, and one of each side of the rider to make sure the rider stayed balanced.

6. Favorite sport (and why)?: since moving to Hawaii in 1995, my favorite sport is canoe paddling - competitive in 6 person canoes, and training in the solo canoe. Horse back riding is prominent in Hawaii, but paddling is something I could not do in Alabama, so my husband encouraged me to give it a try. Several 1st, 2nds, and 3rds later after competiting for 12 summers, he was right... it is a blast. I've made a lot of good friends and to be able to go out on the ocean on a gorgeous Hawaiian day is something really, really special.

7. Favorite workout (and why)?: I enjoy working out with KC Carlberg at the Honolulu Club. At my age I do not want to run the risk of injury, so the workouts give me the support and fitness for paddling. I am one of those people that need someone to be accountable to and to have a personal trainer who knows the right way to approach the workouts.

8. Pre-race ritual?: Nutrition, rest, and focusing on the strategy ahead, plus a good warm-up, of course.

9. Lessons learned from training and being active?: I know that I feel better, I have more energy, I enjoy being outside, it's fun to have goals when competing...the people you paddle with become your friends, the people you workout with become your friends. I like being part of a crew, or a team.

10. Future goals?: I know that paddling competitively will not continue for much longer, but to enjoy canoeing with my husband and friends will be the reward while I continue to focus on the importance of some kind of daily exercise to keep me fit and energized...when an opportunity comes up for paddling or walking or hiking. I'll be ready. And what about horses? hmmmm.

The Importance of Regular Exercise

As we age, the body begins to slow down a little bit, affecting various aspects of our health. In particular, our muscle strength, endurance, and flexibility begin to suffer. In fact, once you pass the age of 25, your total body strength decreases by 4% every decade. This can make it more and more difficult to participate in daily activities and put us at greater risk for heart disease, obesity, diabetes and other lifestyle related diseases. Regular physical exercise can help to combat the loss of this muscle strength, and bring back much needed flexibility and endurance and improve quality of life.

Our health and fitness is an integral part of our quality of life. Have you ever heard the expression "use it or lose it"? It's true! If you don't use your body, you will surely lose it. Your muscles will become flabby and weak. Your heart and lungs won't function efficiently. And your joints will be stiff and easily injured. Inactivity is as much of a health risk as smoking!

Working out is not something that you do once a week, once a month or whenever your schedule will allow, it is something that should be done regularly, CONSISTENTLY.

I like to tell my clients that working out is like putting money in the bank. The fitter we are, the better able you are to handle illness, aging, and other stresses in our life. I was very fit when I was diagnosed with cancer. The surgery and treatment were rather grueling, but I believe that my fitness helped me in my recovery.

What we do today to maintain health and fitness is going to pay dividends in the future. Like life itself, it is how we handle the setbacks in our life that define not only how sweet the victory but how well we succeed. A fitter YOU will be a stronger and happier YOU.

“Accomplishment – like life – will prove to be a journey, not a destination.”

I really love this quote. It serves to remind us that although our goals, dreams, and desires, are in the future, what is important is the NOW. It is our daily, regular exercise routine that is important. In order to make your journey of life a little easier, start working out today.

Holiday Mixer at Brasserie Du Vin

We know there are lots of you active ladies in and around Honolulu, and we want to make sure you all know how to find each other (besides at Try Fitness training sessions). Meet other like-minded women, enjoy light pupus and a no host bar, and learn what Team Try Fitness is planning for 2010.

Join us for our **Holiday Mixer** at Brasserie Du Vin
Thursday, December 17 from 5:00-7:00pm
Receive a free complimentary Sampler Card - a $60 value!
RSVP to 808.946.0346 or tryfitness@hawaii.rr.com

Plus, bring a friend! We're offering all new clients a FREE sampler card to try three of our spring programs for free (a $60 value!)

All the best to you during the holidays, and hope to see you on the 17th.

Eating Healthy Through the Holiday

For most of us, the holidays are a time of both celebration and dread. A celebration of family, love and togetherness, but also the worry of putting on all those extra holiday pounds.

Want to have a good time and enjoy yourself without gaining weight? When you aren't at a party, eat moderately and follow these tips:

• Fill up on veggies before you hit the dessert table
• Don't go to a party hungry
• Eat a small nutritious snack before you arrive to avoid overeating
  Make wise eating choices from a variety of foods
• Exercise regularly with one of our training programs

Remember: Taking control of your health is empowering.

Echoes of Happiness: Belly Laughs

Try Fitness puts the fun in fitness. Laughing is an integral part of health and happiness.

As children, we laugh hundreds of times each day, delighted by the newness of living. When we reach adulthood, however, we tend to not allow ourselves to let go in a good belly laugh. Inviting laughter back into our lives is simply a matter of making the conscious decision to laugh. Though most of us are incited to laugh only when exposed to humor or the unexpected, each of us is capable of laughing at will. A laugh that comes from the belly carries with it the same positive effects whether prompted by a funny joke or consciously willed into existence. When our laughter comes from the core of our being, it permeates every cell in our physical selves, beginning in the center and radiating outward, until we are not merely belly laughing but rather body laughing.

Laughter has been a part of the human mode of expression since before evolution granted us the art of speech. Through it, we connected with allies while demonstrating our connection with people we didn't know. In the present, laughter allows us to enjoy positive shared experiences with strangers and loved ones alike. Yet solitary laughter carries with it its own slew of benefits. An energetic and enthusiastic bout of whole-body laughter exercises the muscles, the lungs, and the mind in equal measure, leaving us feeling relaxed and content. When we laugh heartily at life's ridiculousness instead of responding irritably, our focus shifts. Anger, stress, guilt, and sadness no longer wield any influence over us, and we are empowered to make light of what we originally feared. Laughter also opens our hearts, letting love and light in, changing our perspective, and enabling us to fix our attention on what is positive in our lives.

It is easy to laugh when we feel good, but it is when the world appears dim that we most need laughter in our lives. Our laughter then resonates through our hearts, filling the empty spaces with pure, unadulterated joy. We regain our footing in the moment and remember that no sorrow is powerful enough to rob us of our inborn happiness. When we understand that uninhibited laughter is the food of the soul, nourishing us from within, we know instinctively that life is worthwhile.