by Dan | Sep 1, 2014 | Exercise, Family, Goals, Heart Health, Motivation, Wellness/Health
Running has been a part of my life for over 30 years. I have incorporated other forms of exercise in that time period, but running is still at the top of the list for favorites. Whether competition, or for fun, it does not matter. All those times of getting ready for marathons, the marathon may have been the final goal, but the achievement was really the work and the process of getting ready for it. Especially when I had training partners. Lots of conversations and thoughts on those runs, and lots of problem solving. The competition was just the icing on the cake. This was the latest race at the Kampeska triathlon.
That drive to continue to be better is still always there. I have had many training partners over the years, but the one who has been at my side always has been my wife Sarah.
Our son Nick is a senior in high school this year, and then everyone will be off to college. This will be the beginning for Sarah and I to start going to different states to participate in other runs, and start exploring the country. You can see much more going for a run! Figure what can spark that drive in you. If you are tired of starting over, then stop giving up! Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 2530
by Dan | Aug 24, 2014 | Equipment, Exercise, Goals, Heart Health, Motivation, Weather, Wellness/Health
Today was the 30th Annual Lake Kampeska Hy-Vee mini triathon. It was originally scheduled for the second saturday in July, but we were stormed out for that day, and it was postponed to today. Weather started out great, but as the morning went on the wind picked up. We were done with the majority of it before it got too strong. Here is our bikes in the transition station…Sarah and I.
It is a broader view of the transition station, and the finish line. It started to get warm by the time we were getting done, but the weather overall was still very nice. And it was not raining! It was a good turnout again. We all start with a 1/4 mile swim, followed by a 14 mile bike ride around the lake, and then finish with a 5K run.
One of our memeber of the Watertown Area Run club, Jill, set out her things at the transtion station. Talk about organization! You want to have everything set and easily accessible so you can change shoes, and gear for each of the phases. The time for the finish is from the start to the finish line. There is no break in time for the transition stations. You want to move as fast as you can in between because the clock is still moving. Most of us can be proficient in 1 or 2 of the events, and have a weak event for the 3rd phase. My weak phase is the swim. Thank heaven for the Reiffenberger stroke in the swim…stand up and run like he…!
Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 2522
by kelsey | Aug 20, 2014 | Diet, Exercise, Goals, Heart Health, Motivation, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
It’s hard to believe school is back in session and fall is approaching quickly. We are always sad to see summer go as it seems to fly by faster every year, but I am excited for my favorite season (fall) to get here and to start another session of STRIVE 2 Survive! I always like to highlight a few of our success stories and previous participants to show what STRIVE can do for you! Laurie Danforth and her husband Mike participated in STRIVE 2 Survive and found great value in it. If you are on the fence or wondering if you should join us, check out Laurie’s feedback below. We hope you will consider it and let us help you improve your health and well-being through improved nutrition and activity! If you have any questions or want to learn more, please email us at strive2survive@brownclinic.org or call 884-4226. Fall STRIVE starts September 16th!
- What pushed you to join STRIVE? After sending our last child off to college and becoming empty nesters we decided it was time to change our eating habits. Mike wanted to lose a few pounds so I suggested we do S2S and do it the right way.
- What was your goal? (weight loss, cholesterol, B/P, healthy eating, etc.) My goal was to develop better healthy eating and to maintain of improve lab values.
- Have you met your goal? Yes until the kids came home for the summer then our eating changes some but I always have S2S on my mind and look for healthier ways to fix meals.
- If so, what are you doing to maintain? Looking forward to 2 of the boys returning to college to help with our change of habits when had adapted to.
- How did STRIVE help? Brought awareness to foods and their contents and also the ability to prepare foods differently to make them healthier. The frequent e mails and updates on the web also help.
- What is your motivation to continue? My competitiveness to keep my lab values where they were after being diligent of changing habits. I challenge myself to make sure they stay in good healthy ranges. I also feel much better after changing my diet habits.
- If you could tell anyone about Strive to Survive, what would you say? By all means join the program. Don’t think of it as a “diet” but a way of changing your daily eating habits along with exercise. It is not all about weight loss but eating healthier and making changes to adding or increasing exercise. I lost inches and improved lab values but did not lose much weight, all with feeling better. (Side note–Laurie didn’t have much to lose, so she focused on toning, lab improvement, and overall health improvements)
- Do you feel that the program has a lifetime change for you? By all means.
- What do you think they biggest highlight of the program is? Learning how to label read and prepare foods bought at the grocery store to change habits. It is much cheaper and healthier to buy foods at the grocery store for weight loss versus buying a program of mixes and shakes that may produce rapid weight loss. I know with this program I was making healthy choices that were not inadvertently affecting my lab values.
- Would you tell a friend about us? I have told friends about this program and encouraged them to join. The cost of the program is far less than “buying” weight loss with the many advertised programs out there.
- If people are in doubt of joining, what would you tell them? Give it a try!
-Kelsey
by Dan | Aug 10, 2014 | Exercise, Family, Goals, Motivation, weight lifting, Wellness/Health
There is no debate…exercise takes work. But, you can make it fun. It is also a good way to spend time with your family. We just went on vacation for a few days to Minneapolis, and everybody but Molly went with us. Sarah, Nick, Megan and I all went for a run each morning. We then spent the rest of the day doing lots of walking at Mall of America and other adventures. When we got back, Megan and I went into Anytime Fitness to get our weight workout in.
Anytime Fitness is having a selfie contest this month, so we decided to have a little fun with this. The caption I had with this was: Coach Dad…work your “bun” off! We did a lot of laughing, plus got our workout in. Megan will be going back to school in Virginia in 10 days. We are not going to be having many of these times left.
So relax…spend some time with your family, have fun, and you can still workout. Set the tone parents…your kids will follow. Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 2508
by Dan | Aug 3, 2014 | Exercise, Goals, Motivation, Wellness/Health
I hit another milestone yesterday…Consecutive exercise day #2500! Safe to say it is now habit. Nothing was as tough as that first year. Now it is part of my daily routine. I still have to think of it everyday, and make plans to exercise. The exercise has taken many places, and on many adventures, meeting many new people. It has been a challenge, but much more fun than work. I tell other people too…if I can do it, so can you!
So, here is your chance to start. I am pointing at you…calling you out! Get out and move, and see what making exercise a part of your day will open the door for many other perks and advantages. Give it a try! Keep moving everybody! I have a streak to continue!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 2501
by Dan | Jul 27, 2014 | Exercise, Family, Goals, Heart Health, Motivation, Wellness/Health
Running and exercise has brought a lot to my life. Many adventures, trips, meeting new people, and gaining new friendships. What if…I did not run? What if…I was not healthy enough to be active? What if…I was not diligent about staying active? How would my life be? How would my health be? What activities would I do with my family? Many things to consider.
Here I am with my family, and our neighbors, Steve and Carletta Hauck and some of their kids…our second family. This is when we went to Disney and had a great time…family time. Yet, if we had not been doing the 1/2 marathon, and marathon, we would not have had this experience.
Running had made my life much more complete! The adventures I have been on as a result of running and exercise are so numerous I can’t imagine my life without it. It can be the same for you. The places it can take you, the energy it can give you to do more things, the doors that open up as a result of being healthy to enjoy life are countless. If you already run or exercise, you know exactly what I mean. If you don’t, it is time to figure out what it is all about. The adventures and memories that will arise are priceless. What if…I had not started? I know what I would have missed out on. Now, what if…I were to stop? I can relax on this one. This is not going to be an option as long as I have anything to say about it. Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 2494
