WellnessNetwork

Friday, 27 December 2013

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

Monday, 16 December 2013

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.