Maintain But Don't Gain

      

      What does this mean and why do so many people throw this slew of words around during this time of year? From a health and fitness standpoint, it seems logical that this would mean “maintain your weight, but don’t gain weight”. Sure, it sounds fine and dandy for people to try to do this, but why only over the Holiday Season do I hear this? Maybe I don’t have health and fitness ears until I reach the Holidays? Nope. I think that people try to “survive” the Holiday Season by living by the slogan above. Let's break this down....

​       First, I need to be clear. Maintaining a healthy weight is absolutely important and I think we should all strive for that in our personal lives. However, “Maintain But Don’t Gain”, (I think) comes from a different angle. You could be mildly, or moderately, obese and adopt that slogan for the Holidays... Does that mean you are maintaining a healthy weight? No. Does it mean you are trying to ‘maintain’ your weight? Yes. Maybe we should say, "maintain a healthy weight" before we even consider a 'Maintain But Don't Gain" attitude? Do you see the difference?

​       The other problem I think of when I hear this statement is: What will you do for the rest of the year? Do you just ‘survive’ the Holiday Season and then miraculously envision weight loss and let it happen the first 10 days of January? Or are you simply gaining weight all year and just trying to maintain your weight at the Holiday treat infused Season? If this is the case, the mindset you are taking into 2014 may not lead you to your healthy weight. 

​        The third problem I think about when I hear this is how low we have lowered the bar for ourselves. The average adult gains between 1-3 lbs of extra weight over each Holiday Season. 1 lb is 3,500 extra calories. 3 lbs would be 10,500 extra calories, which you were not able to expend over that same Holiday time period... Pull yourself together and set the bar higher. If all we are doing for our personal lives during the Holidays is ‘surviving’ by ‘maintaining’ our weight we really need to look at the standards we have set for ourselves.

​        Now, this does not mean you have to run a marathon over the Holidays or that you have to do two workouts per day. Just do what you should be doing at all other times of the year. Exercise daily and eat a balanced diet which is richly social with friends and family, drink more water than beer and take the dog for an extra walk each day.

​        I challenge you to workout harder, walk more and to spend the Holiday Season reinventing yourself with your friends and family. Do not just ‘survive’ over the Holidays, thrive over the Holidays.

Ryan Fahey

Physical & Health Education Specialist

B.A Human Kinetics

CPTN Canada

Canfitpro FIS, PTS

2013 Reflection Part II

"I am not an author, but I have a story to tell."

-Jim Dotson

          While I was committed to work in New York, the day before I left I was told I was accepted to work in NC. I left for NY with a sense of ease of the granted employment opportunities in front of me . 

This summer, I worked at Hampton Country Day Camp as their Athletics and Program Coordinator. My roll was unlike anything I had ever experienced. Each day I learned, grew and developed as a young member of the camp’s leadership team. Again, I feel truly blessed by such amazing staff and coworkers which made this 2013 summer the most amazing summer of my life in New York.

          August hit and ‘Summertime Sadness’ kicked in. I knew work would soon start in North Carolina but was waiting for government approval.  I found myself back home in Oxford, N.S living out of my suitcase. I sold all of my assets and was awaiting a call to be accepted into the United States to work in NC. As timing would have it, the U.S Government shutdown and my application collected dust on a desk in Maryland. I spent five sleepless weeks wondering if I would wake up having a job which I had already invested everything in.

        As October flew by I realized that this was probably the most important part of my past six years. I was able to work alongside my dad on numerous projects, spend time helping my sister and brother-in-law move and start their careers, and deeply reflect on my own leadership each day. I knew that 2013 was going to continue to be the most pivotal years of my life.

        October 16th approach and the wheels were up. I remember flying into North Carolina not knowing anyone. I found myself scurrying around the airport looking for a face I had only seen over Skype a few times. That face welcomed me with open arms, and yet another amazing person was set to enter my life. That day I was dropped off at a beautiful home in North Raleigh. I grabbed my suitcases, which had been packed since August, and ventured into this house of newly found friends whom I had never met.  Since meeting them, these “friends” have absolutely become the most influential and important people in my life, next to my own birth parents. They took me in, directed me to the best doctors, helped me find a car, and provided me with food, a place tohead and a place filled with love.

        As this year closes, I want to thank everyone who has made my life so successful. From NS to NY and from NY to NC, I am truly grateful for the great people I was able to meet. From the leaders at St.FX and my HCDC Staff members, to my friends and family; your love, generosity, compassion, helpfulness and integrity have all lifted me to where I am today. Ultimately, all I can say is how excited I am for 2014 to approach and I look forward with optimism and a clear heart.  What I’ve taken from 2013 is to never lower the bar and never accept “no” for an answer.

Ryan Fahey

Physical & Health Education Specialist

B.A Human Kinetics

CPTN Canada

Canfitpro FIS, PTS

2013 Reflection Part 1

"Believe that you can and you are halfway there". 

-Theodore Roosevelt

        Last week I sat in my new leather recliner and started wondering how I could write this blog. As 2013 is almost in the books, I became overwhelmed by emotion for where my life has taken me this past year. Without this blog seeming as a 'tire pumping' publication, I want you all to know that it is because of good people, the grace of God, and the support of family and friends which puts me in a position to write this reflection.

        This time last December I was sitting in a restaurant called "The Dragonfly" just outside of Antigonish, NS having a "brunch date" with one of my best buddies. As we talked, I remember looking outside and wondering where my life would take me after University.

        As 2013 hit I found myself quickly attending job fairs, handing out resumes like a robot and making huge life decisions on where I should start allocating my time and energy. I knew I wanted to invest heavily in my career, but was unsure of how it would all work. All the while, I was serving as Vice President of our Education Student Society at St.FX University. To top it off, our University went on a 3 week strike 9 weeks before graduation. As an executive, we held together a mature, yet fragmented, student body and I am fortunate to have experienced that adversity with those executive members.

       As spring approached the strike faded. One day in late March I was running with one of my clients and it finally hit me; I realized how successful I had become as an established Personal Trainer and Fitness Instructor in the Mainland, NS and was very comfortable there. My client (as she always did) urged me to travel and experience different career opportunities. With that, I began planning the process of researching for work opportunities in the health and wellness arena. Would I be a trainer for the next few years? I was not sure...

       In April, I was blessed with an opportunity to attend a PE conference in North Carolina with my professor and mentor, Dan Robinson. One day, while at the conference, we went to a Japanese  restaurant. He looked and me and said, "You know Ryan, if you want to work here in North Carolina, make it happen now!”  I remember leaving that restaurant and decided I would started focusing my energy on a job in NC. I will always be grateful for professor Dan Robinson.

       After my high school teaching internship, it was time to graduate. If that wasn’t enough, one week later we found ourselves on the beaches of Cuba. That fun filled week with some of the most fun and outgoing people from our Education Department will never be forgotten. We were young & we were foolish. We soaked in the sun, played acoustic songs on the beach and truly lived in every single moment together.  However, on the last day as I was innocently snorkelling around the shallow coral it hit me…..Check your email.

      That day, while using the sketchy internet connection, I had received the first of many emails which would have me starting my career in North Carolina. We flew in the next day, drove through the early morning hours and I did the interview during the sunrise. With no sleep and a hoarse voice, I aced the first of many interviews. Indeed miracles do happen! At this point of 2013, I had no idea the adventures and obstacles I would run into over the next 6 months……

Ryan Fahey

Physical & Health Education Specialist

B.A Human Kinetics

CPTN Canada

Canfitpro FIS, PTS

Airport Fitness Centres

  

"The entrepreneur always searches for change, responds to it, and exploits it as an opportunity".

-Peter Drucker

        

        The other day when I was flying to New York, in the middle of all the Holiday craziness I thought, “How cool would it be to have an airport gym?” Well, after doing some research I recently discovered that the busiest airport in the world, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, has already adopted this idea.

        While talking with some friends back home, I also realized that Toronto-Pearson International Airport has also added a Goodlife Fitness facility for movement enthusiast travelers. After discovering this new phenomenon, it became apparent that things are changing...for the better. I personally feel like the addition of a movement facility within an airport is one of the most interesting and practical ideas to date. Not only can you kill time while traveling, you can also use the facility to stay active. Along with that comes stress relief, enjoyment, and have less anxiety. Who knows, maybe you will actually talk to someone who is a fellow traveling workout enthusiast.

         While this might be the best idea since sliced bread, I think that for these facilities to continue to succeed, as well as for new airports to start this trend, a few necessities will be required. Some things that I would want as a traveler seeking a workout would be: 

The facility must

1. Have a place to store your luggage safely! (Toronto-Pearson Airport has done this!)

2. Be spacious 

3. Provide towels and have emasculate shower/bathroom facilities

4. Have mouthwash, floss, Q-tips, etc..

5. Have a day care facility to sustain families as they need to know that their children are safe during their workout

      These amenities would make a fitness facility extremely successful. I think that finding ways to keep people active during long days of travel make traveling more attractive. For example, if I knew I was going to have a long layover in Cleveland, I may switch flights for the same length layover in Toronto knowing that their airport has a gym for me to move around in between flights. 

      The bottom line here is that this is a win/win for all. Gyms can get their brand into the airport world, people can have happier, healthier travel days, and those 'in gym' airports become more attractive to movement enthusiasts. I look to see many more airports adding this luxury to their infrastructure in the next few years!

Ryan Fahey

Physical & Health Education Specialist

B.A Human Kinetics

CPTN Canada

Canfitpro FIS, PTS