by kelsey | May 17, 2012 | Etc., Exercise, Wellness/Health
As most of you know Dr. Dan and his wife, Dr. Sarah are exercise fanatics! They truly take their health seriously and make an effort to practice what they preach to their patients daily. Our STRIVE Team often times jokes about how we may not feel like we have the time or energy to exercise, but then Dr. Dan pops into our head and we hear his saying from our first STRIVE lecture: “get out of bed, get out the door, and get moving!” ….and then we think about how busy he is and that he finds time to exercise daily, and suddenly our little time management issue and lack of energy aren’t so big of a deal anymore! Dr. Dan is truly an inspiration to us and we thank him for helping get all of us excited about exercise. Even if you aren’t able to run or bike 20 miles like he does, he inspires us to get moving and do something we enjoy! Dr. Dan will be running the Fargo Marathon this weekend and Dr. Sarah will be running the half marathon. Our STRIVE Team wants to wish both of them GOOD LUCK and thank them for being an inspiration to us. We also want to wish the other Watertown area runners good luck this weekend!
-Kelsey
by Dan | May 13, 2012 | Exercise, Family, Motivation, Wellness/Health
Happy Mother’s Day to all you moms out there. I hope you have a great day. It is a day you have earned, and deserve. We all appreciate everything you do, even if you are not always told. I spent the last few days in SF telling my mom this, now it is time to spend the day telling Sarah this as well. I made her breakfast in bed, gave her some gifts, and then we went for a 4 mile walk. Later this afternoon we are going to spend time outside getting some things done. It just goes to show, you can spend time together, and be active.
Here Sarah is with the kids taking a break for a picture while we were climbing Harney Peak a few years ago. You have to stay in shape just to keep up with your kids. What better way to get your point across than to lead by example. Don’t just say “you have to exercise”. Do it with them. We all had a good time on this trip. Of course, you can always make it a little more competitive, and create more fun at the same time. Here Sarah shows them just how tough she can be.
Remember, lead by example. Nothing says it better than that. Happy Mothers day Sarah, and to all you moms out there. I hope your day is wonderful. You deserve it! Stay active everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 1690
by Dan | May 9, 2012 | Exercise, Motivation, Wellness/Health
Life is a path that continues to keep going, always bringing us different adventures, both good and bad. Friends are there forever. As I am getting ready to do the Fargo marathon in the next 10 days, a big concern of mine has been with a training partner, a Friend. He has been having some health issues, and until they get under control, can be serious. This is the time to reflect back and remember that we all have goals, we all want to be healthy, but we have to remember to be smart and do what is safe. This is not always the answer we may want to hear. My friend has put in a lot of work getting ready for this marathon, and now can’t do it. I want to run it with him, but not at the potential expense of his health. Life is too short already. We want to be active, enjoy life, present ourselves with challenges, but we need to be safe.
We need to look beyond the now, and into the future. There will be another day, another marathon, another challenge. So training partner, FRIEND, I will get ready with you on another one in the future, and help you accomplish your goal. I want you to take care of yourself first and foremost. There will be another race, and I will help you get it done. Be safe! I will still be running with you in my head on May 19 in Fargo.
Keep moving everybody. Be safe!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 1686
by Dan | Apr 29, 2012 | Exercise, Goals, Motivation, Wellness/Health
Sunday morning was a good day for a bunch of us to get out for a run. Most of us today are either getting ready for a half marathon, or a marathon. We will keep spreading the word about the running club, as the biggest thing involved with it is just to get people out with a group to go for a run. People worry that they are “not good enough”, or “I won’t be able to keep up”. It has nothing to do with this. It is just to get people to get out and have a social event, and exercise at the same time. People can run anywhere from a couple of miles, to as long as they want to go. It is not a contest, or a race. As we get further into May, I will start talking about how we will have different meeting times, and even considering other days of the week, and whoever can come, join. Here we are starting out the morning here today.
We have Holly, Jill, Steve, Jackie, me, Steve, Sarah, and Tom. Hope everybody had a good weekend. Enjoy. Keep moving!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day # 1676
by Dan | Apr 26, 2012 | Exercise, Family, Motivation, Wellness/Health
Last weekend was Prom for the first time for my twin daughters. Here they are with their dates. Hard to imagine they are growing up this fast. Being able to see my kids as they grow up is what life is all about. I know of many people that don’t have the advantage of this, or for grandparents, to see their grandchildren grow up. Remember these reasons when you wonder why you should be working on things with your health, like trying to watch things in your diet, and making time to exercise. I stated several times before how I never had the opportunity to see either one of my grandfathers, and have always felt cheated by this. Use this as motivation to get going on taking care of yourself.
This is why I do all of my exercising. I plan on being around to see my kids with their activities, and one day, to see their kids doing the same thing. Is there really anything else more important in life? My twin daughters are growing up fast, and it has had its challenges, just like anything, but I would not trade any of. I am proud of my kids, and hopefully they are of me. Take care of yourself, and keep moving!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 1673
by Dan | Apr 13, 2012 | Exercise, Wellness/Health
Some 16+ years ago I wrote a grant for the American College of Sports Medicine in regards of development of a fitness program entitled Strive to Survive. The Strive represents “Securing Time for Regular Involvement in a Variety of Exercise”. Since that time, it has become our Brown Clinic Wellness Program, with modifications and improvements along the way. It is a 12 week program incorporating exercise and nutrition, with the goal of continuing these types of habits for a lifetime. Our dietician Kelsey has been instrumental in helping us get to the point that we are at. We also continue to work and improve on this through the shared help of Dr. Likness, and two of our great assistants, Barb and Kristi.
You truly start to find out just how good your program actually is by the response of participants in the class, and community talk. You also find out about others who have developed programs with strikingly similar characteristics, such as the following:
One local program also goes 12 weeks, has the same lab, promotes the dietician aspect, and even has their classes taught on the same nights.
Another local community calls their program “Strive”, but advertises to high school athletes, and the benefit of the dietician.
Even as of today, another local individual who promotes/sells supplements posts on her facebook page about the concept of “Strive 2 Thrive”.
Coincidence? I doubt it. At this point I just find myself grinning from ear to ear because nothing tells me more about how good of a program we have than having other groups/individuals copy your idea. Bottom line, we are the original. We are the ones staying around, promoting our ideas, teaching individuals how to become healthier, and, most important, we practice what we teach. As the picture above shows, you need to make yourself standout and shine through amongst the branches. Be creative and go with your ideas. Good job to all of Brown Clinics Strive 2 Survive team! Keep up the good work. Remember everybody, keep moving!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 1660
