August 2013

August 2013
Monthly Newsletter
 Free Friend Day—
Monday, August 19
 Labor Day—
September 2. DHF
CLOSED SUNDAY &
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 1 and 2.
Inside this issue
Life-Long Nutrition
1
News to You
1
Recipe of the Month
2
Looking Ahead
2
Feeding our Spirits
2
Highlights
3
Sister’s Day
August 4
(first Sunday in August)
Show your sister
some love!
Downtown
Health & Fitness
440 Central Ave  Coos Bay, Oregon 97420
541-267-3948  email: [email protected]
Visit us at: www.downtownhealthandfitness.com
Life-Long Nutrition
Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, South Beach,
Paleo, Zone, Nutrisystem, Low-Fat, Low-Carb, HighProtein, Dash, High School Reunion Diet, Body for
Life, and on and on and on. There are hundreds of
diets out there. Which one is right for you? The fact
is that no matter which of these diets you choose to
follow, you will likely lose weight. The problem is that
most people will reach their goal weight and then
stop following the diet plan. Slowly the weight will
return. In most cases, following a specific diet is
temporary. That is why we suggest changing your
diet to a more sustainable, healthy-eating lifestyle.
For personal trainers, it is against our code of
ethics to prescribe a specific diet. We are not registered dieticians or nutritionists. However, it is within
our scope of practice to suggest healthy eating and
guide our clients in that direction. The personal trainers (Deb, Jennifer, Joanna and Jonathan) at Downtown Health & Fitness have compiled some suggestions that can help with weight loss and living more
healthfully.
Remember the saying “you are what you eat” and
“garbage in = garbage out?” These are very true
when it comes to our health, both physically and
mentally. Food provides nutrition and vitamins that
keep our bodies moving and healthy. Listed below
are changes you can make to become healthier. We
suggest that changes are made slowly, one at a
time. In our experience, we have found that if you try
to make too many changes at one time, it often leads
to a feeling of failure if you are unable to stick to the
changes.

Eliminate sugar (white, brown, fructose, sucrose, glucose and corn syrup)
 Eliminate or reduce the amount of alcohol
you consume
 Eat whole foods (in their most natural state)
Limit processed foods (the fewer ingredients
the better)
 Keep a food journal (write down everything
you eat and the amount)
 Exercise portion control (know what constitutes a portion)
 Reduce or eliminate soda pop (regular and
diet)
 Drink water
 Plan meals ahead of time and prepare them
at home
 Remove the “white” from your diet (refined
grains like white flour, white rice, etc.)
There are many apps and online sites that can
be used as food and exercise journals. Lose It! ®,
fatsecret ™, and MyFitnessPal ® are some of the
popular sites.
If you want to know more about what you are
eating, we suggest you watch the documentaries
“Forks over Knives” and “Food, Inc.” Both of these
movies can be found on Netflix.
Don’t diet; change your eating habits one at a
time.
Written by Deb Lal
NEWS TO YOU
Goodbye, Angie
One of our long-time aerobics instructors, Angie Kemp, is moving out of
the area this month. She has been with us since day one, motivating people
to reach beyond what they’ve ever imagined is physically and mentally
possible. We can’t thank Angie enough for her hard work and dedication
these past seven years. Her enthusiasm and skill will be greatly missed by
all. We wish her the very best in her new adventures!
Page 2
Recipe of the Month: Summer Vegetable Soup
Ingredients:
www.purelynourished.
blogspot.com
Looking Ahead
Upcoming walking,
running, and hiking events
Circle the Bay 30k
30k walk or run; 3 person walk
or run relay
When: Saturday, August 3, 6:30
and 8 am start times
Where: Ferry Road Park
Contact Anthony Collins 541404-0728 for more information.
Bah Humbug Requiem Run
4-10.5+ miles (choose your distance)
When: Sat., August 18 at 1 pm
Where: Humbug Mountain State
Park
Contact Mr. Scrooge at 541-3473716 for more information.
Sunset Bay Trail Run
1 mile, 4 miles, 15k, half marathon
When: Sat., August 31 at 10 am
Where: Sunset Bay State Park
Contact Patrick Myers at 541290-7530 or Lawrence Cheal at
541-751-7999 for more information.
South Coast Striders
Bandon Historical Hike
1 or 4 miles
When: Sunday, August 11 at
9:45 am
Where: meet at public parking
lot across from the Minute Cafe.
North Spit
2.5 or 6 miles
When: Sat., August 24 at 10 am
Where: BLM boat ramp on
TransPacific Pkwy
Contact Don Luce at [email protected] for
more information on any of
these hikes or to find out more
about South Coast Striders.
6 medium tomatoes, chopped
3 ears of corn, kernels removed from cob
(about 2 cups) (or use frozen)
2 medium zucchini, diced
1 medium yellow squash, diced
1 large onion, diced
6 cups low sodium vegetable broth or fresh no
salt stock
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil
zest and juice of one lemon
pepper to taste (salt to if you must)
Directions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Feeding our Spirits
By Annis Cassells
Our mood affects our outlook on life and behavior.
When we’re feeling good and secure, we are more
open to ideas and willing to take risks. We also learn
better and easier. But, no one feels chipper every moment. Life has its ups and downs, and even a person
whom everyone thinks of as the life of the party experiences low spirits from time to time.
Most of us are resilient; we intuitively know how to
lift our spirits on these occasions. Whether it’s physical
activity or retail therapy, we’ve figured out what will
nourish our spirits and recapture our usual, brighter
disposition.
Exercise works for a number of our DHF members.
Mary takes a walk when she needs a lift; Cheryl dances. Water activities, such as kayaking or paddling,
make the difference for Carol. Sandy says she always
feels better after she does a 15-to-20-minute stretch
routine.
Chaplain Jerry gets a boost from reading the
Psalms.
Others mentioned that nature feeds and raises their
spirits. Bonnie enjoys the effect of being at the beach.
And, Barbara held up her palms, saying, “Hands in the
dirt! No gloves!”
Patti browses for home décor in the mall, while
another morning regular said her lift came from shopping for treasures at Goodwill.
To keep my mood upbeat, I spend time with posi-
Sautee the onions in a couple of tablespoons of the broth over medium heat for
about 7-8 minutes. Don’t let them dry
out, add more broth as necessary. Add the
garlic and sautee another minute.
Recipe
from
Add tomatoes and
cook for
about 10
eatturkey.com
minutes, just until
tomatoes break down a
little.
Add the zucchini, yellow squash, corn
and vegetable broth
Bring the pot to a boil on high, then reduce to medium and cook 15 minutes or
until vegetable are tender.
Add the freshly chopped basil, lemon
juice and zest and pepper and salt to taste.
tive people. They reflect what’s good and right in the
world and help me to stay positive, too.
Understanding how to take care of yourself during
an occasional low period gives you power to act in a
healthy way to boost your own morale. Recall a time
when you’ve felt down. Think about how you pulled
yourself out of it. Did you go see a funny movie? Take
a run with your dog? Listen to favorite music? Go to
work building something? Remember whatever it was
that put you in a better mood. That’s a battery-charging
action you can repeat on a regular basis.
The idea of feeding our spirits reminded me of Julia
Cameron’s The Artist’s Way. Cameron’s belief is that
every human has creativity; every person is an “artist”
in some way. She invites us to replenish ourselves and
our wells of creativity by going on Artist Dates. She
says, “The Artist Date is a once-weekly, festive, solo
expedition to explore something that interests you. The
Artist Date need not be overtly “artistic” — think mischief more than mastery. Artist Dates fire up the imagination. They spark whimsy. They encourage play.”
When engaged in playfulness and whimsy, feeling
downhearted isn’t an option. To verify this, listen to
the laughter of children at play. Listen to yourself
when you’re having fun.
Recognize what you can do to keep your spirits
buoyed up. Then, BYOB -- Be Your Own Boost.
Copyright © 2013. Annis Cassells. All rights reserved. Annis is a life coach, speaker, teacher, and
writer. Contact her at [email protected]. Read her
blog at www.thedaymaker.blogspot.com
Page 3
August 2013
HIGHLIGHTS
Tidbits from DH&F and around the world
RECENT RESEARCH IN HEALTH & FITNESS
A recent study undertaken by the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and funded by the
American Heart Association looked at the heart benefits of getting fit in middle age. Over 9,000 men and
women were used for the study; they were an average age of 48.
After eight years, the same individuals were analyzed again. If they had increased their fitness level from
before—measured in METs (metabolic equivalents) on a treadmill test—their heart failure risk dropped. For
each MET improvement, the risk dropped by 20 percent.
“For example, if a 40-year-old went from jogging 12 minutes per mile to running 10 minutes per mile—an
increase of two METs—he or she reduced heart failure risk at a later age by 40 percent.”
American Heart Association (2013, May 15). Getting fit in middle age can reduce heart failure risk. ScienceDaily.
Retrieved July 8, 2013, from http://www.sciencedaily.com-/releases/2013/05/130515165013.htm
Trainer tip
“Eat to live, don’t
live to eat.”
~Jennifer
Class Highlight
Body Sculpting
Lesley teaches this class each Monday
afternoon at 4:30, and every-otherWednesday morning at 9:00. You can
count on using dumbbells and your
body weight to achieve total-body
toning. Modifications can be made for
all fitness levels.
Sacro Wedgy
While the Sacro Wedgy may seem like an
odd device, it can provide incredible relief.
The Sacro Wedgy is a rubber triangularshaped tool designed to cradle the sacrum—
the bone at the end of the spine. The piriformis muscle runs though the sacrum, and
is innervated by the sciatic nerve. When the
muscle gets tight, it constrains the nerve,
which causes pain and numbness. This causes all kinds of issues with the hips, glutes,
and legs. Additionally, the sacrum and pelvis
can become misaligned, causing discomfort,
pain, and compensations. Chiropractors can
put these joints back in place, but sometimes the Sacro Wedgy can do the same
thing. The idea is to relax while lying on the
device, which will release the tension and
help the joints realign correctly. Find out
more information at www.sacrowedgy.com.