by Cheney

August 30

4:17 pm

Tracy Rodgers Before

My story is nothing new, really. I’ve struggled with my weight for most of my adult life. I’d try a diet and lose a few pounds, then gain them back (and then some!) when I went back to eating normally. For about a year, I gave up entirely. I was extremely overweight, and I knew it, and I hated it…but I just couldn’t bring myself to do anything about it.

Finally, something broke. I’m not sure what prompted it, but I was tired of being embarrassed by my size and concerned about my health. I’m twenty-nine years old, and there was no way I was going to still feel like that when I turned thirty. I did some research online and started planning my trip to South Carolina.

When I arrived at Hilton Head Health on March 29, 2010, I weighed-in at 219.4 pounds, officially the largest I’d ever been. I spent a week at H3 (with my mom!). While I was there, I tried my first-ever yoga class and promptly fell in love. I learned new ways to think about food and health, to really pay attention to the things I put into my body. And most importantly, I think, through my time there, I finally made a real commitment to myself to make the changes I’d been putting off for so long.

tracyrodgers 225x300 Monday Motivation: Get H3 Inspired with Tracy Rodgers Four months after leaving Hilton Head Health, I weigh 175, just shy of 45 pounds less than I did when I arrived. The changes in myself are incredible. I read labels on everything. I don’t drink soda. I cook more now than I ever did before. I take spin classes, pilates, zumba aerobics. I’m even training for my first 5K.

I still have weight left to lose, but I know Hilton Head Health gave me the tools I need to succeed! I plan on returning later this year for another week of fun and fitness, and I can’t wait. See you there!

–Tracy Rodgers

For more stories like Tracy’s, click here. If you have a story you’d like to share, please e-mail us at getinspired@hhhealth.com! Make sure to put ‘Get Inspired’ in the subject line.

This entry is filed under Healthy Lifestyle.

by Cheney

August 25

3:03 pm

No Comments

Who’s Who: Jeff Ford

If you are a follower of the H3 Daily blog or have visited us here in Hilton Head, you are sure to have come across our newest Fitness Specialist and H3 addition, Jeff Ford. Read more to learn more about how he ended up at H3 and all of the exciting things up his sleeve for the future.

Jeff Ford Growing up in Byfield, Massachusetts, a small town outside Boston, Jeff wanted to experience college in a new and different environment. That was his motivation for moving to South Carolina where he attended Clemson University. It was at Clemson that Jeff first learned of Hilton Head Health (H3) through the H3 Intern Program. Upon graduating in May with a B.S. degree in Marketing and a minor in Health Science, Jeff was offered a full-time position as Fitness Specialist. He is a Certified Personal Trainer through ACSM and is in the process of being certified as a Wellness Coach. As the newest addition to the H3 Fitness Team, Jeff is responsible for facilitating Health Habit Review sessions and personal training sessions, as well as fitness classes and lectures. He is also currently working on developing an Alumni Network Program to assist Guests on their continued journey once they return home.

Jeff’s inspiration comes from every Guest he meets at H3. He finds that there’s nothing better than when an individual begins to believe in himself/herself. “I love taking people to a place where they didn’t think they could go and helping them accomplish things they never thought possible.” Whether it’s during a one-on-one Health Habit Review session, fitness class or personal training session, Jeff enjoys challenging our Guests to their limits and helping them achieve their goals. If he could give one piece of advice to all Guests who walk through our doors, it would be to “set new goals and don’t stop until you reach them—AND ALWAYS remain positive.”

When he’s not at H3 helping Guests with their healthy journey, you can find Jeff at Crossfit class (a type of group personal training), training for endurance events like marathons and half-marathons, running local races, or spending time with friends and watching movies.

Connect with Jeff on our H3 Facebook page or watch his Friday Fitness video’s on the H3 YouTube channel.

This entry is filed under Fitness, Healthy Lifestyle.

by Bob Wright

August 21

9:05 am

No Comments

We Can Win the War on Obesity

I’m a pretty optimistic guy, but sometimes you just have to face the facts, we are losing the war on obesity in the country. Make no mistake, it is a war.

According to Centers for Disease Control, obesity is responsible for over 100,000 deaths per year. While we are all generally aware of its consequences the chart below graphically demonstrates that obesity affects every part of the body.

Obesity continues to climb. There were 2.4 million more obese people in 2009 than 2007. We now have 72 million obese adults in the U.S. Health care costs from obesity almost doubled from 80 billion to 143 billion in the past decade, with no end in sight. Childhood obesity rate have tripled in the last 30 years, putting those kids at increased risk for many of the same diseases as adults.

The fact that we are losing the war now does not mean we can’t ultimately win – in fact we must. While there are no easy solutions to this crisis, the CDC is working hard to get the word out about obesity, its consequences, and strategies for managing it. Many of their recommendations will be familiar to you, but it can’t hurt to review them again; maybe you’ll pick up something new or be inspired by something you read, see or hear.

There is a wealth of printed information as well as podcasts and videos. The site is big and somewhat overwhelming so here is an article and a video to get started with.

This entry is filed under Healthy Lifestyle.

by Cheney

August 19

10:30 am

1 Comment

Ask the Expert with Director of Education, Bob Wright

Q: I haven’t been participating in a regular exercise program or consuming a healthy balanced diet. However I have “normal” results for cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood glucose. What are the effects these habits could have on these numbers down the road later in life?

A: Bob Wright, Director of Education:

That is great question, and it reminds me of guest who I was meeting with recently. He admitted that he hadn’t been behaving very healthfully and was very concerned about the results of his blood work. When we reviewed the results he was very relieved that they were not as bad as he had expected. He took a big sigh of relief and commented that he must be one of the lucky ones whose habits don’t affect his health. While I was also happy for him that his results were positive, I had to point out that he wasn’t out of the woods yet.

With your health, it not only where you are now, but which way are your habits facing you. The fact is, that his lifestyle had not caught up with him YET, and likely would if he kept living the same unhealthy way. The tendency is to not be concerned about our health until we lose it , then react, and do what we can to get it back. I strongly encouraged him to be proactive and take steps to improve his lifestyle before he developed the risk factors that would show up on his lab work. The best time to get concerned about your health is BEFORE you HAVE to get concerned about your health.

Have a question? The healthy lifestyle experts are here to help! Email cmaddox@hhhealth.com with your question and check back every Thursday for our feature column.

This entry is filed under Healthy Lifestyle.

by Jessica Lynn

August 17

9:44 am

No Comments

H3 teaches Zumba to the HHI Boys and Girls Club

September 2010 will be recognized as the first Childhood Obesity Awareness Month. Over the past 40 years, childhood obesity has quadrupled in children ages 6 to 11. This puts 1/3 of America’s children at risk for Type 2 Diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and risk of stroke.

It’s gone on far too long, and now congress has named September as Childhood Obesity Awareness month, calling on businesses and individuals to commit to participate in making a positive change. Whether it’s a commitment to yourself to eat more fruits and vegetables, or organizing a local health fair for the kids in your community, we all can play a role in building a healthier America.

For more ideas, take a look at the following websites:

Want to make an impact on children in your community? Visit this website for ideas:

- Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper.

- Write letters to your local and state elected officials.

- Write about the issues on your blog, Facebook and other social media platforms.

- Have children create their own artwork depicting healthy, active living.

- Advocate for pocket parks, bike walking trails, safe sidewalks and other amenities that promote healthy physical activity.

- Encourage local restaurants to provide reasonable food and beverage portion sizes and to increase the availability of low‐calorie, nutritious food items.

- Take your children to a local farmers market. Have them pick fruits and vegetables in a rainbow of colors.

H3 Volunteering at the HHI Boys and Girls Club

Learn more about nutrition and get ideas for fun, healthy snacks, check out www.mypyramid.gov. Here are a few examples:

- Bagel snake ― Split mini bagels in half. Cut each half into half circles. Spread the halves with toppings like tuna salad, egg salad, or peanut butter. Decorate with sliced cherry tomatoes, or banana slices. Arrange the half circles to form the body of a snake. Use olives or raisins for the eyes.

- Frozen bananas ― Put a wooden stick into a peeled banana. Cut large bananas in half first. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze. Once frozen, peel off the plastic and enjoy.

- Frozen graham cracker sandwiches ― Mix mashed bananas and peanut butter, spread between graham crackers and freeze.

- Ants on a log ― Thinly spread peanut butter on narrow celery sticks. Top with a row of raisins or other diced dried fruit.

The YMCA offers a free Healthy Family Home starter kit which allows the whole family to be involved with goal setting and planning for new healthy habits. Get it here.

A great website with resources for parents, kids, and teens is www.kidshealth.com. The website is split into a section for each group, addressing the concerns that are most important to them, and each section is written and designed in a way that the parent/child/teen can understand. A few topics of interest may be:

- Parent site features recipes, articles on positive parenting, and medical information

- Teen Articles about Going to College; Eating Well at Restaurants; Travel Tips; Managing Friendships & Relationships

- Kids quizzes and games on how the body works, health dictionary and Q&A sections

This entry is filed under Healthy Lifestyle.

by Cheney

August 5

3:42 pm

No Comments

Ask the Expert: Meat or Plants

Q: If I’m iron deficient, does it matter whether I consume a plant or animal source of iron? What are the best ways to increase my iron intake?

A: Chef Jen:

There are two forms of iron that can be consumed through foods: heme iron, found in meat, fish and poultry, or non-heme iron from plant sources (example: spinach). For those trying to increase your iron intake, you will need to know this fact: heme iron is absorbed two to three times more efficiently than non-heme iron. Assuming you are not vegetarian, it is best to get iron through animal sources (meat, fish, and poultry).

For those following a vegetarian diet, careful meal planning can help increase the amount of iron absorbed. Foods rich in vitamin C help aid the absorption of non-heme iron when eaten at the same meal.

A few ways to increase your iron intake is to include any of the following into your meal plan: two eggs, chicken breast sandwich, turkey breast, lean hamburger, or a fish filet. If you are a vegetarian, you may try options like a handful of nuts on a spinach salad, or maybe a lentil and bean soup.

To see a list of foods rich in iron and vitamin C, click here.

For well-balanced and nutritious recipes, visit the Member’s Only section of our website.

If you think you may have an iron deficiency, please check with your healthcare provider. Iron deficiencies can also have causes unrelated to diet; your healthcare provider’s recommendations will be specific to your needs.

This entry is filed under Nutrition.

by Jessica Lynn

August 2

4:26 pm

1 Comment

Raising A Healthy Family

Our topic of the week at H3 is Raising a Healthy Family. August is here, and kids are soon off to school and back to reality. Along with the change in schedule, children experience many other changes – in their activity level, eating patterns, peer pressure, and stress levels. Our guest presenter this week, retired Pediatrician, Dr. Jo Zurbrugg, is introducing the basics of the 5-2-1-0 Health Program for children/families. The philosophy of these 4 key points can set your family on the right path to a healthy lifestyle.

Test it out on your kids (and yourself!) to see if you pass the test! Stay tuned for more tips on role modeling a healthy lifestyle!

5-2-1-0 Health Program

5 Servings/day of Fruits and Vegetables (minimum)

2 hours/day (maximum) of sedentary time (screen/computer, game boys, etc)

1 hour/day of consistent activity

0 avoid sugary drinks (colas, juices, etc.)

For healthy and kid-friendly recipes, check out the Member’s Only section of our website. Pita pizzas, smoothies, and even desserts!

This entry is filed under Healthy Lifestyle.

by Jeff Ford

July 30

4:48 pm

No Comments

Friday Fitness: The Big Five

Once again we welcome you to Friday Fitness! This week’s focus is going to be on the most common cardio injuries known as the “Big Five.” The Big Five is a phrase used to describe the five common injuries associated with aerobic activity: Achilles Tendonitis, Chondromalacia, Iliotibial Band Syndrome, Plantar Fasciitis and who can forget Shin Splints.

No matter who we are, at some point we will be faced with some degree of these injuries. Also, individual’s just beginning an exercise program become much more susceptible. Therefore, for each of the big five we’ll discuss the symptoms, causes, and the different steps to take for self-treatment and prevention. At the end our discussion, check out a quick How-to Video to self-treat two of the Big Five. It will help get you back to your exercise program in no time!

Achilles Tendonitis

Symptoms:

- Dull or sharp pain close to the heel
- Redness around Achilles
- Nodule or cracking sound

Causes:

- Fatigued calf muscles
- Increasing activity too quickly
- Overpronation (foot strike)

Self-Treatment and Prevention:

- RICE (Rest Ice Compression Elevation – this will be a reoccurring theme)
- Aspirin or Ibuprofen
- Stretch calf muscles
- Avoid weight bearing exercises

Chondromalacia

Symptoms:

- Pain beneath or the side of the knee cap

Causes:

- Overpronation
- Weak quadriceps and tighter hamstrings
- Hills and inclines

Self-Treatment and Prevention:

- RICES
- Quadriceps strengthening exercises and stretches
- Check footwear
- Aspirin (block further breakdown of cartilage)

Click to see the final 3!

Read the rest of this entry.

This entry is filed under Fitness.

by Cheney

July 29

9:27 am

No Comments

Ask the Expert: Muscle Soreness

Q: Should I still exercise if I’m still a little sore from yesterday’s workout?

A: Jessica Lynn, B.S., ACSM Health Fitness Specialist®:

Soreness can be a barrier for many people in maintaining a consistent exercise program, especially when you are just starting out. It is common to be sore after starting a new program or trying a new activity. It’s important to plan in some low to moderate days of exercise so that you keep your body moving. Taking several days off after a hard workout does not help you prevent the soreness from coming back – in fact, the soreness may linger for a longer period of time. But if you try some low impact activity (swimming, biking, or walking) at a lower intensity, the day after a moderate to high day of exercise, the movement of your body helps rid the lactic acid from your muscles and will help prevent (or lessen) the soreness from coming back the next time your perform your intense routine.

If you’ve been to H3, consider the intensity level of your Thermal walks – a leisurely paced activity to promote blood flow through the muscles and rid them of the toxins that promote soreness. Strength training recommendations already include 48hrs rest between training sessions – if your muscles are still very sore after 1 day of rest, then try reducing your weights and still performing the exercises at your next session. Remember, the goal is to train your body to remember these new movements and adapt – and our bodies usually need a few practice runs to do that.

Have a question? The healthy lifestyle experts are here to help! Email cmaddox@hhhealth.com with your question and check back every Thursday for our feature column.

This entry is filed under Fitness.

by Cheney

July 28

1:22 pm

1 Comment

Who’s Who: Amber Shadwick

If you are a follower of the H3 Daily blog or have visited us here in Hilton Head, you are sure to have come across the very motivating and inspiring Amber Shadwick. But do you know how she ended up here at H3? Read more of her story below.

Amber Shadwick A graduate from the University of Kentucky, Amber earned a B.A. degree in Kinesiology & Exercise Science, as well as a M.S. degree in Health Promotion. Throughout her college career, Amber held numerous positions on campus ranging from Group Fitness Instructor and Personal Trainer to Research Assistant. Because of her interest in the field of weight management, a co-worker and friend suggested she look into Hilton Head Health, and just two months later, Amber joined the H3 Team as Fitness Specialist.

As Fitness Specialist, Amber’s main responsibilities include health and fitness assessments, fitness classes and lectures, personal training sessions, Health Habit Review sessions and exercise prescriptions. Amber finds that without a question—the best part of her job is the interaction she has with each individual that comes through our doors. “Every day, I get to educate, support and witness our Guests’ journeys to better health and wellness … having the chance to see one accomplish something they never thought that they could is so gratifying for me both personally and professionally.” It must be said that the rewarding feeling between Amber and our Guests is mutual. One Guest recounts, “She wouldn’t take ‘I can’t’ for an answer—and her confidence in me gave me the motivation I needed to continue and succeed”. Whether it’s in a personal training session or a kayak adventure, Amber is sure to pull out the “I can” and “I will” attitude in all.

Amber’s passion and motivation are driven by her positive attitude. She wakes up every morning with the mentality that every day is a new day—and that every day we should try something new. “I challenge our Guests to step outside of their comfort zone, even if just for a minute—and admire what they can accomplish! I firmly believe that if we have faith in our ability and listen to our bodies rather than just our minds, then we can find new fitness activities that we enjoy. And many that we can stick with to become our healthiest and happiest self.”

When she’s not empowering the Guests at H3, you might find Amber walking her dog, practicing yoga, meditating, hiking, skiing, kayaking, paddle boarding, biking, gardening, cooking or reading.

This entry is filed under Healthy Lifestyle.

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Posts Tagged ‘hilton head health’

Monday Motivation: Get H3 Inspired with Tracy Rodgers

Who’s Who: Jeff Ford

We Can Win the War on Obesity

Ask the Expert with Director of Education, Bob Wright

Can you make a difference?

Ask the Expert: Meat or Plants

Raising A Healthy Family

Friday Fitness: The Big Five

Ask the Expert: Muscle Soreness

Who’s Who: Amber Shadwick