The Biggest Loser "Summer Edition"

For the first time, we decided to try a "Summer Edition" of The Biggest Loser at Hampton Hill and what a turn out we had!

We have six teams filled with people excited, and of course nervous, about their new lifestyles. It JUST started this past Sunday with our first meeting that included weigh ins, beginning photos and measurements for each person. So many of our participants dread that part BUT at the end, it is worth it! The changes to their bodies are remarkable!

The first challenge for all of our BL's is to complete 13 of the 13 different types of group exercise classes offered at Hampton Hill in 5 weeks/by our next mandatory meeting/weigh in. Those classes include BodyPump, BodyStep, BodyFlow, BodyJam, BodyCombat, Sh'Bam, BodyAttack, Total Body Training (TBT), Power Circuit, Yoga, Spinning, Extreme Core, and Pilate's! You can go to www.hamptonhill.com to see the group schedules.

We have also added a new challenge for this edition of TBL...That is a "Pound for Pound" challenge. For every pound lost, we will donate the same amount of pounds in food to the Harvest Hope Food Bank!

Look at this guy! Billy Smith not only lost 87.8 pounds in our last edition of The Biggest Loser, he also donated 1 hour of his time as a volunteer to Harvest Hope Food bank. That is incredible!

Survey Results from our 5th edition of TBL

Ok, I have finally had the chance to review ALL of the surveys that were filled out by you at the finale of TBL. Thank you SO MUCH for your valuable feedback! That only helps our program get stronger and better!

There were a few things that were brought to my attention by a number of you and I want to share them with you!

#1. The challenges seemed unorganized and chaotic at times. You are exactly right! We had some problems with calculating the scores not only for the challenges but also with the final results. As you probably noticed, by the final weigh in that was all straightened out. We will be putting certain things in place to make sure this doesn't happen in the future.

#2.  Do the challenges with your team. I agree and in the future we will do that! We need to do a better job at the beginning trying to balance out the teams more (if possible) The problem was that we had as few as 3 people on one team and 15 on another. Maybe instead of "splitting" up the teams we combine the smaller ones with the more medium sized teams.

#3. Provide more nutritional information. For the most part, it seems that most of you that commented on this topic want more nutritional information regarding eating out, recipes, cooking for your families,  etc. We will definitely make "nutrition" be more of a focus all the way around with our next and future Biggest Loser programs.

Those were the top 3 issues that were discussed the most in the "areas that we could improve the program." There were a lot of great points brought up in additon to these and I have paid close attention to each and every one of them.

Again, thank you so much for your feedback!

The Biggest Loser on NBC

Are ya'll watching The Biggest Loser? Do you love this show as much as I do??!!

Who do you think will win????

HAPPY EASTER!!!

Check out our 3rd place Biggest Loser!

Inga finished in 3rd place for our 5th edition of The Biggest Loser! She lost 23% of her total body weight! Congratulations Inga!

Record-Breaking Weight Loss for The Biggest Loser!

1,482 TOTAL POUNDS LOST!!!

Congratulations to Jennie Lee! Our 5th Biggest Loser! In just 12 weeks she lost a total of 26.3% of her total body weight! That is incredible!

Check out the rest of our top 10 Biggest Losers!

2.  Billy Smith - 25.5%

3.  Inga Borkowski - 23%

4.  Rakale Smith - 19.605

5.  Chris Daly - 19.30%

6.  Krista DeLong - 19.20%

7.  Scarlette Herbkersman - 18.60%

8.  Christine Koutrakos - 17.80%

9.  Quentin Squirewell - 16.80%

GREAT JOB to EVERYONE that participated in The Biggest Loser program! Again, 1,482 pounds lost!!!

FINAL WEIGH IN FOR THE BIGGEST LOSER IS TODAY!

What a perfect day for our last weigh in and meeting for the 5th edition of The Biggest Loser!

I have seen many of you in the club this week and I can't believe the transformation I am seeing! You people are what makes this program so great and I am proud that you have represented Hampton Hill so well! Thank you!!!

NOW comes the hard part...life AFTER The Biggest Loser when you are on your own. Our goal throughout the program is to teach you how, through proper diet and exercise, to live a healthier lifestyle on a daily basis. The Biggest Loser is about a "lifestyle" change, not a 12-week program.

That being said, many people are fine on their own with diet and exercise but like the "group" training aspect of The Biggest Loser and other special programs that HHAC offers. As you know, a "Spring Training" program is beginning this week and will run for 6 weeks. (Finishes right before Memorial Day) If you haven't already done so, you can still sign up tonight at our final meeting. ALSO, The Biggest Loser "Summer Edition" will begin June 5th and run right up until our next, fall Biggest Loser program. I will be getting that information to you in the next couple of weeks.

Have a great afternoon and I will see you today at 5:00!

This Sunday is our final weigh in!

Gosh! I am sorry it has been so long in between posts! Between Spring Break and being out of town things have just been crazy!

Well, Sunday is our final weigh in and meeting for the 5th edition of The Biggest Loser. I can't wait to see the results. It is ALWAYS so much fun! Remember to wear athletic clothing similar to what you wore at the beginning so we can better compare the before and after photos. (after photos will be taken on Sunday) I will get these up in the lobby of the club as soon as possible along with the final results.

I have had a couple of you asked if we could indeed to a physical challenge on Sunday but the general consensus was, instead of doing a challenge have some of you guys give "testimonials," etc. I would love to hear from any or all of you! Please be thinking between now and then and we will do more of an "open floor" forum.

So, we will gather at 5:00 in the large group room and begin weigh ins as well as "after" photos. After that we will all gather and start "talking." After "you" have spoken, we will give out the awards. Although I wish I could award ALL of you, the awards will be given to the following...

• The top 3 overall with the MOST TOTAL weight lost
• #2 - #10 Biggest Loser's based on weight loss percentage
• #1 - THE BIGGEST LOSER

I look forward to seeing you on Sunday!!!

Feedback regarding the Finale of TBL

These are the comments I have gotten so far regarding the finale on April 17:

"I would love to hear from the participants that have done TBL more than once. we have some that have done it 3 & 4 times - What keeps them coming back - What have they accomplished? We always hear from the coach's. Let's hear from the rest of them."

"I say take the photos, let teams weigh in when they get there, let the coach's share about their teams' highs and lows, give out awards..."

"I think we should spend time with the participants sharing the take-aways from their journey. What's going to keep them motivated beyond TBL?"

"Love the idea of letting the "Losers" talk a bit too! Though I am always glad to give accolades to my team members and speak on their behalf."

"I think it would be great for 1 or 2 people off of each team get up and talk about their positive experience with TBL."

So as you can see, it looks like the vote is to not only hear the coach's speak a few words but also have TBL's speak as well! I LOVE that idea!!!

Biggest Loser Finale

With just a little over 2 weeks left until our final weigh in I am having a hard time deciding if we should do another challenge OR do we want to spend the time recognizing all the teams, accomplishments, struggles, hurdles, etc. Hmmmmm. Any ideas or feedback from The Biggest Losers???

Of course we will have weigh ins and will recognize the top 10 participants with the greatest weight loss percentage, the TEAM with the greatest weight loss percentage AND the top 3 participants with the greatest total weigh lost. We will also take "after" photos to post in the gym lobby!

What would you guys like to see on our final day on April 17th??

Minor change to the "6-Week Program"

We decided to offer one night time class for the 6 week program instead of two because the "night" teams were pretty light with this current Biggest Loser program. For now, we will only offer the Tu/Th, 5:30pm - 6:30pm class. If the demand is such, we will add M/W back as well!

The trainers are as follows:

M/W  5:30am - 6:30am  Patrick
T/TH  5:30am - 6:30am  Suzi
T/TH  10:30am - 11:30am Andrea & Kathy
T/TH  5:30pm - 6:30pm  Fulton

Again, the days and times are subject to change based on demand.

Visit HHAC's front counter or call to sign up! 776.8780

The O Run

Congratulations to Paige Edwards (Purple Team Trainer), Brennen Long (Red Team Trainer), Lee Robinson and Elizabeth Brewer for finishing The O Run in Florence yesterday. Paige described it like the Mud Run...a 4-mile obstacle course but without the mud! Good job Ladies!! 

6-Week Program after TBL...open to everyone!

Less than 4 weeks to go!

Well, there is less than 4 weeks to go with our 5th edition of The Biggest Loser and I can't wait to see the final results!

I got a great suggestion from one our participants! She asked if we could award the top 3 for overall weight lost. (She even offered to help compensate for the awards!!) I think that is a great idea because many times someone will lose A LOT of weight but because he or she weighed a great deal more to begin with it is often hard to impossible to win based on weight loss percentage. Now, Billy Smith on the black team has lost 60 plus pounds and was the 2nd Biggest Loser at our last weigh in based on weight loss percentage BUT again, there are great losses and often that person never gets recognized. At our final weigh in on April 17, we will award and honor our top 3 greatest weight loss people! Thanks for the suggestion!

Results from our 2nd weigh in and challenge!

Wow! How great was last night!!!

We started the evening with the weigh ins and then followed with our challenge. The challenge was pretty much what the group expected but with a slightly different twist. As most of you know, Hampton Hill Athletic Club sits on the top of "Hampton Hill." With our 4 previous editions of The Biggest Loser the teams were sent on a 2-mile loop around The Shoppes at Woodhill, down Pelham Road until it runs into Rosewood. A right turn is made on Rosewood and then another right sending you straight up Garners Ferry, ending with a right turn back into The Shoppes at Woodhill parking lot. This time, we divided each of the eight teams in half. One half goes the "normal" way and the other half runs it "backwards." The trainers and participants decided who goes which way. Well, I think many thought..."If I run it backwards I can avoid that ginormous hill!" Well, the group that ran it backwards found out that the last 3/4 of a mile is a gradual incline all the way to the finish line! Both are challenging in different ways!

And by the way, the first and second place finishers were a husband and wife team that ran opposite directions! (Chris and Jessica Daly) How about that!?! Also, the group as a whole had the fastest finishing times than our previous Biggest Loser programs! Everyone finished under 31 minutes! That is fantastic!!!

Finally, came the results of the weigh ins! Remember is has been 8 weeks since we started the program and we still have 4 weeks to go!

Everyone should be proud of their accomplishments! The total weight loss so far is 1,180 pounds!!! 

Top 10 Biggest Losers...

10.  Christine Koutrakos  13.10%
  9.  Fran McFall  13.4%
  8.  Sheryl McAlister  13.5%
  7.  Scarlette Harbkersman  13.86%
  6.  Rakale Smith  13.89%
  5.  Krista DeLong  14.77%
  4.  Inga Borkowski  14.78%
  3.  Chris Daly  15.10%
  2.  Billy Smith  18.30%
  #1. JENNIE LEE 19.2%

Great job to all of our Biggest Losers!!!

Tomorrow is the 2nd weigh in and challenge for TBL!

Wow! Today is a beautiful day to be outside!

Are our Biggest Losers outside exercising today? Did anyone do 8:15 spin this morning or  do another class in one of our other 2 group exercise studios? Whatever they are doing today, tomorrow is our 2nd weigh in and challenge for The Biggest Loser at Hampton Hill!

Tomorrow is the 8-week mark of the program and I can't wait to see how much weight has been lost once again! 4 weeks ago our Biggest Loser had lost over 8% of her total body weight! Will we hit 14% this time? 15% or even 16%?? We will see!

As for the challenge tomorrow...the group can expect to be outside but things will change a bit compared to what they are used to. Also, the weather will be approximately 20 degrees colder than today. 66 degrees is still nice BUT we may see some rain from what "Ben" (tanner) is reporting. Rain or shine it's a GO! We won't melt!!!

Come join us at 5:00pm tomorrow!!!

Stay tuned for the latest update on our 5th edition of The Biggest Loser!

2nd weigh in and challenge is this Sunday!

Well, this Sunday will be 8 weeks since we started our 5th edition of The Biggest Loser at Hampton Hill! The teams have been working hard and are ready to go!!!

As most of our past and present Biggest Loser's know, for our 2nd challenge we usually run the 2-mile loop around Hampton Hill. I have had so many people ask me if that will be the challenge once again on THIS Sunday. Well, maybe or maybe not. May be the same or not so much. Will they do the challenge with their teams as they know them or will they be different again? Hmmmmmm....

Let's put it this way, they can expect to run but not necessarily the way they are used to!

Come out on Sunday at 5:00pm to watch or even join us!!!

Great thought...Is "obesity" contagious and visa versa is a "healthy lifestyle" contagious?

Joe Moore: If Obesity is Contagious, is a Healthy Lifestyle?


IHRSA (International Health, Raquet and Sports Association) President and CEO Joe Moore responds in the Boston Herald to a recent Harvard study that suggests obesity is contagious. Moore's argument: If obesity is a social epidemic, can a healthy lifestyle spread through the societal ranks, too?

Obesity, argues Moore, is more than just an unpleasant fact of life:

"...our collective complacency about the impact that sedentary lifestyles and poor food choices have on our health must end. Obesity is a chronic disease. It destroys lives. And it kills.

Harvard’s findings may be true. But if each of us acts, individually and together, we can break the social cycle of obesity and right the course of America’s health."

You can read the entire Op-Ed at BostonHerald.com.

What's happens after April 17?

Those of you that are participating in our 5th edition of TBL knows that it ends on Sunday April 17 at our last weigh in. AND as you know, our goal is to teach you a new lifestyle that incorporates healthy eating and exercise for LIFE.

However, many of our participants want something after the program. Something to continue on, if you will, with their journey. Whether it is a "boot camp" style class, a class to lose some additional weight, a class for the sake of "accountability", whatever the reason is, we have been asked to continue something in between our Biggest Loser programs. Some have moved on past The Biggest Loser and ONLY train in a continuing education type group class.

That being said, I am throwing around some ideas and want to get your thoughts and feedback...There will be 18 weeks between our 5th and 6th Biggest Loser programs and this is what I am thinking so far. (Obviously these are just "thoughts" right now to get feedback)

Plans

1.  The Just-in-Time-for-Summer Plan: 6 week program . April 18 - May 27 . meet 2 times per week . (days, times and trainers to be determined) This will start the week right after our final weigh in on the 17th in order to get 6 weeks in before Memorial Day. Cost: $225 members, $275 non members
2. The Burning Up the Summer Plan: 12 week program . April 25 - July 15 . meet 2 times per week. (days, times and trainers to be determined) There will be one week off after our last weigh in before starting the next 12 weeks. Costs: members - $350 members - $475 non members
3. The Bring it on! Plan: 18 week program . April 25th - August 26 . meet 2 times per week. (days, time and trainers to be determined) There will be one week off after our final weigh in and run through the Friday before the 6th edition of TBL starts. Cost: $550 members, $700 non members

These programs will be taught by our Biggest Loser trainers and will be much of the same of what you have been doing over the past weeks with your current trainer and team mates. However, all trainers are different and offer various methods and ideas concerning nutrition and training. Although we are all on the same page with the general information it is nice to get different points of view, ideas, etc... 

We will open this up to the entire club but please let me know your feedback as far as interest level, times, days, etc.

Thanks!     

Is it time for new running shoes?

Question: When Should I Replace My Running Shoes?


How do I know when to replace my running shoes?

Answer: Running in old or worn-out shoes is one of the most common causes of running injuries. Your running shoes lose shock absorption, cushioning and stability over time. Continuing to run in worn-out running shoes increases the stress and impact on your legs and joints, which can lead to overuse injuries. The easiest thing you can do to prevent those types of injuries is replace your running shoes when they're worn-out.

So how do you know when shoes need to be retired? Don't use the treads of your running shoes to determine whether you should replace your shoes. The mid sole, which provides the cushioning and stability, usually breaks down before the bottom shows major signs of wear. If you've been feeling muscle fatigue, shin splints, or some pain in your joints -- especially your knees -- you may be wearing running shoes that no longer have adequate cushioning.

A good rule of thumb is to replace your running shoes every 300 to 400 miles, depending on your running style, body weight, and the surface on which you run. Smaller runners can get new running shoes at the upper end of the recommendation, while heavier runners should consider replacement shoes closer to the 300 mile mark. If you run on rough roads, you'll need to replace your running shoes sooner than if you primarily run on a treadmill.

FOR ALL BIGGEST LOSERS...Don't forget that a %15 off coupon to Strictly Running was put in your bags at our first meeting and weigh in. Strictly Running is conveniently located in 5-points and they can help "fit" you with a proper pair of shoes.

Dont get me started on "not eating!"

I forgot to mention in my last post the damage that is done when you don't eat. I don't care if it is just for one day! This STILL happens!

As you have learned, the most effective way to lose weight is to consume fewer calories than you expend, creating a calorie deficit. But if your calorie intake dips too low your body could go into starvation mode. Your body will start to store fat because it thinks it is not going to get anything. In time, you will be at a point where your body is kind of at a standstill.


When your body goes into starvation mode, your metabolism slows to a crawl, burning calories as slowly as possible to conserve its energy stores. This is why people who cut their calories too much may reach a plateau and stop losing weight.

Eating too few calories can be the start of a vicious cycle that causes diet distress. When you cut your calories so low that your metabolism slows and you stop losing weight, you probably will become frustrated that your efforts are not paying off. This can lead you to overeat and ultimately gain weight...AGAIN!

Not eating or drinking on the day of weigh ins?

A gentlemen from The Biggest Loser program asked me if he could speak with me this morning about a concern he had. Of course I always want to know ANY concerns someone might have about our program, facility, whatever it may be!

On Sunday at our weigh-in someone suggested to me that we go ahead and get our weigh-ins "over with" because he had heard that some of our participants had not had anything to eat OR drink the entire day! Mind you, we meet at 5:00pm! I then "casually" mentioned this to the group and we proceeded with the weigh-ins not thinking too much about it.

Well, I am glad it was brought to my attention because although I was rather "flippant" about it on Sunday I never meant to give that impression because we ARE NOT at all flippant in regards to NOT eating or NOT drinking EVER! It is not condoned by us and never will be. Period! In fact, our program teaches each individual the importance of eating on a very regular and frequent basis.

Folk's, this program IS intended to teach our participants how to eat and workout for LIFE, not for just 12 weeks. To quote one of our trainers to her team...

"I am competitive and I like to win, BUT if you walk out of the program at the end of 12 weeks and gain it all back, then I haven't won anything!"
Karen Campbell

IMAGES FROM LAST WEEKS WEIGH IN AND CHALLENGES

PUSH UP CHALLENGE

WAITING FOR WEIGH INS

BUDDIES ON THE GREEN TEAM

CHALLENGE DISCUSSIONS

NUTRITION CHALLENGE

PINK TEAM MEETING BEFORE CHALLENGE

PUSH UP CHALLENGE

PUSH UP CHALLENGE

RELAY RACE CHALLENGE

RELAY RACE CHALLENGE

RESULTS FROM LAST NIGHT!

Wow! What a great night it was! So much energy and so much weight lost!! 831.3 pounds to be exact!!!

The evening started with the weigh ins and was followed by instructions and rules regarding the challenges.
The challenges were based on balance, strength (push ups), nutritional knowledge, and speed (relay race) There were to be 3 people from each team competing in each challenge and everybody HAD to compete in at least one!

You know, all along these people have been working with their teams and their assigned trainer and have really gotten comfortable with one another. The trainer by now knows each of them very well...strengths, weaknesses, etc. Well, we threw a little "curve ball" at them regarding how we were going to "team up" for the challenges. All the teams stood in rows and we counted out 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 and then gave the trainers numbers 1-8. You were now a team number instead of a color! All the 1's went with trainer 1, all the 2's went with trainer 2, and so on. They then had 10 minutes to figure out who was doing what challenge.

It turned out to be a lot of fun AND it gave the participants a chance to mix with people and trainers from other teams.

NOW to the final top 10 results from the weigh ins...
and remember, this is based on weight loss PERCENTAGE.

#10 - Christine Koutrakos - 8.44%
tie #9 - Rakale Smith - 8.79%
tie #8 - Scarlette Herbkersman - 8.79%
#7 - Chris Daly - 9.14%
#6 - Inga Borkowski - 9.18%
#5 - Lynn Peterson - 9.72%
#4 - Billy Smith - 10.23%
#3 - Fran McFall - 11.22%
#2 - Krista DeLong - 11.36%

DRUM ROLL PLEASE...........
Our Biggest Loser to date - Jennie Lee at 12.47%!!! Wow!

Great job everyone!!!!

CHALLENGES FOR TOMORROW

As I told you, tomorrow is our 1st official weigh in since we started on January 24th. The teams will also compete in challenges. We have decided to keep it quiet about what those challenges are BUT I thought I would just give an "idea" of what will be involved with each one...

• Posture/Balance
• Diet & Nutrition
• Strength
• Speed

There you have it!

Come out tomorrow to support our group if you would like!

Who will be The Biggest Loser this Sunday?

This Sunday is our 1st weigh and challenge since our first weigh in on January 24! Let's see how they do in just 4 weeks! I know there has been a lot of extra "energy" in the gym with this group and it's going to be very exciting! Plus, we will have fantastic weather this weekend so some of the challenge just might be outside!

There will be prizes for the winning team of the challenge AND for the TOP 10 Biggest Losers. THE #1 Biggest Loser will take home a complimentary night in a Jacuzzi Suite with breakfast included at the Clarion Town House, a pair of cycling/spinning shoes from OutSpokin, a 1-hour Pure Relaxation Massage from Tonic, etc...

Remember our TOTAL beginning weight was 16,964 pounds and our Total "weight loss goal" for the entire group on April 17, is 2,393 pounds! The goal for Sunday based on this number should be at least 798 pounds!! More would be better because more weight it typically lost at the beginning and the levels out more as one goes on. Can we do it?!?

1st challenge is this Sunday!

Ok, the first challenge (and weigh in) is this Sunday. Weigh ins will be first followed by the challenge. Keep in mind that it is a HHAC rule that one MUST compete in the challenges to be eligible to win prizes for the week. In addition, if someone does not compete in a challenge for ANY reason he/she cannot be The Biggest Loser at the end of the program.

This week, the teams will see something different with the challenges. Not scary different, just different. They have all trained very hard and I am sure it will show on Sunday!

GOOD LUCK!!!

Free Lunch Coupon to all BL's

As you know, one of our sponsors of The Biggest Loser is Zoe's Kitchen. You have probably already enjoyed some of their delicious, HEALTHY, fare! How can something healthy taste SO GOOD?! You can go to this link to view their menu http://www.zoeskitchen.com/ZK-HHM-MENU-CLMBA.pdf

Zoe's of Columbia was kind enough to give us a complimentary lunch coupon for each of you! I will give them out at our meeting on Sunday. If you have not been to Zoe's, now is your chance!

Our "local" NBC Biggest Losers!

If you watch The Biggest Loser, and I am SURE that you do, here is own local Biggest Losers! Congratulations Joaquin and Larialmy on your great weight loss success! I saw you guys on the Today Show this morning and you look fabulous!

Does anyone personally know this couple? I know that they both work at my Alumni, USC, but don't know how to get in touch with them! I would LOVE to meet them and get them to speak to our group of Biggest Losers!

What are you giving your Valentine today?

What can be better than giving a fabulous box of chocolate for Valentine's Day? Who doesn't like a good piece of chocolate? I know I do! Well, unless you are giving the extremely dark variety of chocolate (at least 70%) you are basically giving love handles instead of "love" in the long run!

Check out these healthy, yummy looking recipes that are all under 250 calories in http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/ Go to "healty recipes" then scroll down to "desserts under 250 calories." I need to try some of these myself!

A Whoopie Pie! Yummy!

________________________________________________________________


Another great alternative to "food" is a gift certificate. Tonic http://www.tonicdayspa.com/  is offering a great deal on gift certificates until 7:00 tonight! For every $50 you spend get an additional $10. (eg. spend $50, get $60; spend $100, get $120...)
Call us in advance and we will have it wrapped and ready for you! 776.9734

 

Tonic Salon

Tonic Spa

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!

1st WEIGH IN IS 1-WEEK FROM TODAY! Are you ready??

Today is 3 weeks since the start of our 5th edition of The Biggest Loser and 1 week from today is the first mandatory weigh in since our first weigh in on January 24.

I am expecting big numbers because I have personally witnessed all of the hard work! In fact, I quit trying to get into any of the group exercise classes because they are SO FULL!!! You guys are doing great and it really is a nice problem to have...the classes being packed that is. And you know? It has actually worked out better for me personally because for months prior to my shoulder injury I basically ran outside, did spinning occasionally and BodyPump was my main, well only source, of weight lifting. That's not a BAD thing but I had really gotten away from the gym floor and stayed within my "comfort" zone. Last week, when I couldn't get into 2 spin classes, I worked "legs" both times (still unable to do upper body)and did cardio other than my normal run and it was great! A "change up" in your exercise routine is great and NEEDED!

I look forward to seeing you in the club this week!!!

Sign up for Ride to Recovery!!!

Please help Hampton Hill and Spinning Nation raise money for the rehabilitation of our wounded soldiers.


It is a great event and we are proud to be a "host" facility to raise money for such a great cause!

You do not have to be a member of HHAC to participate. Find more information and sign up for the event on their website at   http://www.ride2recovery.com/

THE NATIONAL EVENT IS FEBRUARY 26, from 9:00am - 11:00am

Food and "festivity" hangover from Super Bowl Sunday?

I saw on my friend's blog, http://www.344pounds.com/ that Super Bowl Sunday is the 2nd biggest "eating" day of the year after Thanksgiving! That's crazy! But come to think of it you really do plan the day around what will be eaten while enjoying friends and football. (BTW, Go Packers!)

I feel certain that our Biggest Losers did pretty well yesterday BUT if not, don't let one day of bad eating or over eating get you down! Get right back on track today with a great workout and clean eating! And of course burning even more calories by continuing to work towards completing your first challenge...all 12 types of group exercise classes that HHAC offers in 4 weeks! 

As I stated on Friday, I DID have every intention of taking Bucky's 12:00 noon spin class but there were at least 5-6 Biggest Losers in there which made it a packed class! I gave my bike up for a member that was on the "alternate" list. And being that I have only worked out 1 time in two months I must say that I left the spin room and walked towards the workout floor somewhat lost! After all, back when I WAS lifting weights (prior to my shoulder injury) it was still just BodyPump, not lifting on the main floor of the gym. Being that I am not able to do "upper body" until after re-hab I decided to do a "leg" workout and some cardiovascular work on the stepmill. After the spin class was over the member who used the bike I had reserved thanked me for letting her do the class and went on to say how much she "needed" it that day! I ended up thanking HER because it forced me to get back out on the floor and get re familiar with the equipment on my own. I ended up having a fantastic workout!!

Spinning today?

Hampton Hill's Spinning Studio

Well, I DID manage a run on Monday after taking 2 months off due to various reasons...shoulder surgery being one of them BUT I didn't end up spinning with Lucy on Wednesday because of a child being home from school a bit under the weather. ANYWAY, although I am sore from the waist down from my run 4 DAYS AGO! (what?!) I am signed up for Bucky's spin class today at noon. I may see some of our BL's there! I will be hiding in the back. Ha!

That being said, the first challenge for our Biggest Loser participants is a "group exercise" challenge. That is completing 12 of the 12 different types of classes at we offer at HHAC over a 4 week period.
Our class types are: BodyPump, BodyStep, BodyFlow, BodyJam, BodyCombat, BodyAttack, Spinning, Yoga, Pilates, Total Body Training/TBT, Iron Only/IO, Extreme Core and Power Circuit.
So, on top of the required 2-times a week training with their team mates and trainer, they are also given the challenge of completing as many types of group classes as they can! What am I "whining" about??!!

Biggest Loser Team Photos

Garnet Team

Black Team

Purple Team

Green Team

Yellow Team

Pink Team

Garnet Team (missing a few photos)

Red Team

This Friday is "National Wear Red Day" which is a statement to bring awareness to women regarding heart disease

Did you know that heart disease is the #1 killer of women??
1 of 3 women die from heart related illnesses! That is crazy!!! Why do we have this feeling that "men" die from heart disease? Not women! Well, that could not be further from the truth!

There are also differences in men and women when it comes to heart disease. One is that women's hearts are smaller than men's therefore clogging of the arteries is easier and faster. Another is that women tend to develop heart disease later in life than men do; usually after menopause. Also, the symptoms of a heart attack or other heart related issues can be very different in women than men. Finally, women tend to ignore the symptoms more and neglect to call 911 just in case.

Symptoms to look for:
Chest Pain (only 30% of women experience chest pain associated with a heart attack)
Nausea
Fatigue
Heart Burn
Shortness of Breath
Weakness
Sweats
Dizziness

Risk Factors:
High Cholesterol
Family History
High Blood Pressure
Obesity
Diabetes
Smoking AND 2nd Hand Smoke

4 Numbers to Know:
- Cholesterol - Cholesterol (LDL) should be less than 130
- Blood Pressure - Ideal Blood Pressure is 120 over 80
- BMI - Body Mass Index should be between 18.5 and 25
- Blood Sugar - "Fasting" blood sugar level should be below 100

I got this information right from NBC news this morning and immediately wanted to share this with you!
Pay attention to the symptoms, assess your risk factors, and know your "4 Numbers!" In addition to The Biggest Loser "exercise" program the "nutrition" side is going to play a huge roll in lowering your risk factors. Of course your trainer is working with you on all of this BUT in general, if your cholesterol (LDL) is high you need to have a diet that is has little or NO saturated fats. If your blood pressure is high you need to have a diet that limits your sodium intake. If you have high blood sugar you need to limit your carbohydrate intake and so forth...

Remember to wear your red on Friday!!!

1 WEEK DOWN, 11 TO GO!!!

Well, it's been a bit over a week now and I am hearing great things so far with our Biggest Losers! Someone told me this morning that he has already lost 9 pounds! 9 pounds!!! That's great! Please share more successes, obstacles, etc!!

As you may or may not know, one of the first challenges for our Biggest Loser's is to do 12 of the 12 types of classes that we offer over the first 4 weeks! That may not seem like a lot to you BUT when you add that on top of meeting with their team mates for a minimum of 2 workouts per week that adds up! PLUS, I have worked out for over 25 years and there are STILL some of the classes that I have never even attempted! I know I should, but I have not! Pilate's?? Hot Yoga?? I am a "runner" at heart and NEED those classes more than anything but just have not brought myself to it! I WILL though!

I have another confession to make...I am a bit nervous about the run I am getting ready to venture out on in the next few minutes. The last time I ran was December 3rd! I developed a shoulder injury. How? I don't know but I did! No, that didn't keep me from "running" but with the stress of the holidays, kids, the injury, I decided to take the month off of EVERYTHING. Well, much to my surprise I had an MRI on my shoulder and had a full thickness tear in my rotator cuff! Heavens! Long story short, my friend/Dr Evan Ekman, successfully repaired my shoulder on January 11 and said to plan on ANOTHER month of doing NOTHING! Thursday will be February 3rd. 2 MONTHS since I last worked out! I haven't done that in at least 25 years! I will be back in the gym with you guys soon! I am planning on doing Lucy's spin class on Wednesday morning too! Think I'll be sore by the end of this week?!

Well, wish me luck and best of luck to you too as you continue on your journey!

Teams for our 5th edition of TBL

Here are our teams for The Biggest Loser. Due to weather, one of our direct mail pieces didn't drop until AFTER we started so our night teams are a bit lighter than usual. They usually carry about 13 people each! BUT when we have our challenges (next one is February 20) we will combine a few of the teams to make it more balanced.

Here are the team trainers, team mates and team colors. (Pictures will follow!)

RED TEAM - 6:30pm T/TH
Team Trainers - Donnie Fetner and Brennen Long
Team mates - Jeannie Weingarth, Stacey Whitaker, Ruby Elenz, LB Bonner, Trent Gillespie, Brent Kirk

GREEN TEAM - 5:30am T/TH
Team Trainer - Suzi Switzer
Team mates - Cheryl Holland, Margie Lee, Carmen Willm, Delphine Bigony, Inga Borkowski, Laura Kirkland, Tanya Calhoun, Ann Eisenstein, Pam Gillam, Prentiss Brooks, Mary Collins, Fran McFall, Angela LeBlanc, Ceasie Johnson, Melle Dalton, Katherine Templeton

PURPLE TEAM - 12:00noon M/W
Team Trainer - Paige Edwards
Team mates - Krista DeLong, Judy Hope, Kelly Gillespie, Jennie Lee, Nicole Chisolm, Michelle Green

BLUE TEAM - 6:30pm M/W
Team Trainer - Fulton Campbell
Team mates - Janet Jeter, Querntin Squirewell, Jessica Squirewell, Chris Daly, Anne Wolf, Kelly Gambrell, Roopal Ruparellia, Betty Jamison, Christie Blair

YELLOW TEAM - 10:30am T/TH
Team Trainers - Andrea Lanham, Kathy Foster
Team mates - Rakale Smith, Scarlette Herbkersman, Jennifer Davis, Lisa Meares, Sheryl McAlister, Sarah Meacham, Christine Koutrakos, Adrienne Carrol, Cole Taylor, Julie Thaxton, Rachel Pertile

BLACK TEAM - 9:30am T/TH
Team Trainer - Karen Campbell
Team mates - Angela Guyton, Jackie Ellen, Parker Dukes, Eliza Weston, Billy Smith, Lib Foster, Reta Whitten, Keith Jones

PINK TEAM - 8:30am W/F
Team Trainer - Lisa Dye
Team mates - Anna Staton, Andrea Haddock, Melissa Delphia, Nancye Bailey, Jessica Daly, Lauri Moore, Lauren Hughes, David Flowers, Scott Brazell, Terri Bailey, Debbie Laney, Clare Morris, Barbara Williams

GARNET TEAM - 5:30am M/W
Team Trainers - Patrick Hopper and Allen Koon
Team mates - Lynn Peterson, Jennifer Boone, Kevin Tamburin, Kim Patton, Everett Reynolds, Gwynne Benson, Frank Kendrick, Ros Moorhead, Lindsay Sorrell, Kristie Peake, Jen Riley

So there you have it! Our 8 team of Biggest Losers!

Total beginning weight is...
16,351 pounds

Start of our 5th Edition of The Biggest Loser

Question: What is yellow, green, black, brown, garnet, purple, red and pink and weighs 16,010 pounds???

Answer:  Our 8 teams that make up the 5th group of Biggest Losers!

How much weight will be lost this time. I am going to get all the teams to give me a "goal" weight that they would like to be at the end of our 12 week program and I will keep you updated after each mandatory weigh in. The next one will be February 20! And the first group met this morning at 5:30am! Ouch! Go Garnet team!

You know? As a health club owner I have ALWAYS pondered the question, "Why don't overweight, de-conditioned people join health clubs? For the most part "in shape, fit" people join gyms. As much as we are here for the athlete and/or fitness enthusiast, it is the de-conditioned person that needs it the most and the ones that we want so badly to help! How do we convince them that we are the place for them?

I have always had a passion for health and physical fitness and although I have pondered the question mentioned above, our club, our marketing and special programs have been way off! It is naturally assumed that all "gyms" have free weights, personal training, group exercise classes, etc, but what does that do to bring the de-conditioned inside our club? There is still that intimidation factor, the "will I fit in" question, the question of "where to I even begin?"

Well, I finally figured it out! Our very own Biggest Loser weight loss program!!! Thanks to this we are literally changing people's lives! Even saving some I am certain of it!