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When we think of Black History Month, we often revert to the historical challenges that the African American community has overcome. Organizations such as the YMCA, however, continue to advocate for African Americans and other communities into the present day. The personal journey of Dave Brown, President & CEO of the Capital District YMCA, is a prime example of the Y’s commitment to giving people from all backgrounds an opportunity to succeed through their merit and hard work. 

 

Mr. Brown began his relationship with the Y as a young man who loved playing basketball at his hometown Y in Plainfield, NJ. He did not immediately recognize the career opportunities available to him at the YMCA; Mr. Brown credits Ron Sargent, one of the few African American YMCA CEOs at the time, for mentoring and guiding him along his career trajectory. Grateful for the impact Mr. Sargent had on his life, Mr. Brown has made a commitment to encourage the development of other African American Y professionals through his work as Chairman of the Y’s African American Resource Network (AARN). The AARN is an organization designed to facilitate the continued professional and personal development of African American professionals within the YMCA movement. The Y has founded similar organizations, such as the Hispanic/Latino Leadership Network (HLLN), to ensure that all of its employees, irrespective of cultural or ethnic background, have the knowledge and resources to achieve their career aspirations.

Last night I worked at the member service desk for a few hours an had the pleasure of meeting and speaking with one of our female members. “Sue” is in her mid 60's, and motivated to change her lifestyle. She told me how in the past, she had started to workout and then would stop because she didn’t have time. As we were talking she was saying hello, by name, to other members passing by. Telling a few “see you tomorrow” and to another “great job in class tonight, you did good for your first time”. She returned to our conversation and went on to say she has better quality of life because of gentle yoga – her body simply does not hurt any more. To her, zumba is fun, she use to go out dancing and this is now her “night out”. Her weight training has allowed her to lift things in her occupation that she hasn’t had the strength to lift in years. She walks on her lunch hour when not long ago she would be winded walking down her driveway to get in her car.

This is a busy woman who is making time to exercise. So I asked her what has changed in her life that she now has the time to exercise as often as she is. After a very long pause, she looked at me, smiled and said “coming here makes me happy”. 

I smiled on my way home recalling this conversation and felt proud of our staff and other members that have helped to change Sue’s life through their kindness and encouragement. 

I was recently interview by Proctors ‘Roving Reporter’ team on the importance of exercise and maintaining a healthy heart. She asked me how one gets started with exercise when they don’t know where to start. My reply was find what you love to do and you will be more likely to stick with it. For example, if you love to dance you may enjoy taking a zumba class.

 

It got me thinking about people that already have an exercise routine and I wondered what motivates them to exercise? Is it to be healthy? To look good? To get in shape for an event such as a reunion or wedding? 

For me, exercise and being fit comes down to one thing: at the end of the day MY health is MY responsibility. 

It wasn’t always this way. When I was in my 20’s it was to look good, my early 30’s was to lose the baby weight I gained while pregnant, late 30’s was to set a good example for my kids, now in my 40’s it is more about ME – As empty nesters my husband and I have plans – we want to travel, hike, run and be active together. I need to be healthy to live the quality of life I want. That is what motivates me to get out there and get moving.

 

Portion Distortion

 

According to Segens Medical Dictionary Portion Distortion is an upward shift in the size and calorie count of a serving of a particular food served to the general public, especially in fast-food restaurants.

The picture of the lunch below is similar to that which was purchased at a local pizzeria – 2 slices of cheese pizza and a small cola all for $4.00. WOW, look at the size of those slices, what a bargain, right? The money we spend on king sized portions could be costing us a lot when it comes to calorie count and fat consumption. The meal below could amount to 1,200 calories, and you haven’t even had dinner yet! While there are many things to consider when determining how many calories one should consume in a day to maintain a healthy body weight, generally speaking on average men require 2,500 and women 2,000.  Eating fast food, like the meal in the photo, on a regular basis can and will greatly increase the chances of weight gain over time.

Don’t allow yourself to get extremely hungry. Packing your lunch ahead and keeping healthy snacks on hand can help curb impulse eating when lunch time rolls around.

We would like to announce that Kelly Sturgis has been promoted to District Child Care Director of the Troy Family and Greenbush Area Y Branches.  Kelly has been working as the Child Care Director at the Troy Family Branch leading eight after school sites in five school districts.  Kelly manages the Troy Y Day Camp program which has grown each year under her leadership.  She manages and administers the Advantage Afterschool grant from NYS Office of Children and Family Services and our partnership with the Troy City School district 21st Century Grant program.  Kelly has shown her leadership at the branch and in the association with regards to child care and camp over the last three years.  

Kelly’s new role will include the management of the Rensselaer school site program and the Greenbush branch program. She will look to increase enrollment, expand the program to new school sites and accreditation of all our afterschool programs in the future. Please join us in Congratulating Kelly on her new position in the CDYMCA  

We would also like to welcome Doug Gejay as the new Greenbush YMCA Program Director.  Doug came to the Greenbush Branch in June of 2011 as the Youth and Teen Coordinator and worked as a member service representative for the Guilderland branch before that.  Doug has been an Assistant Basketball Coach for Guilderland High School, and Hudson Valley Community College.  Doug’s passion for sports and the Y mission make him a great addition to the Greenbush Staff Team and Capital District YMCA.  Doug’s new role includes Preschool, Youth, Teen and Adult Sports, Summer Day Camp and youth and teen programs.  Please join us in congratulating Doug on his new position.

BMI refers to Body Mass Index and is a tool that is used to determine if a person has a healthy body weight. The number is calculated by a person’s height and weight. BMI is a reliable, easy-to-perform method of screening for weight categories that may lead to health problems. What is does not take into consideration is body fat composition. Health professionals generally use this form of measurement to determine if a person has an under, over or healthy body weight. See the chart below (based on individuals 20+ years old) to determine which category you fall in.

“Success isn't how far you get, but the distance you traveled from where you started.”

I saw this quote today and it brought me back to resolutions. Maybe you haven’t reached your wellness goal yet, and that’s okay, its important to remember that you are doing more than you did when you started. Feel proud of your accomplishments thus far -  you are sticking with it and working toward a healthier you!

As we age, range of motion can be compromised and muscles can begin to tighten making everyday movements difficult. Lately I’ve noticed that it is becoming more and more of a challenge for me to bend at the waist and touch the floor, but what really concerns me is how hard it has become for me to reach my foot up to put on my socks and tie my sneakers! What is happening here? I’ve always been somewhat flexible and have completed day to day tasks with ease. We’ve all heard the old saying “use it or lose it”, this couldn’t be more true when it comes to stretching and flexibility. I began to think about why I am not as flexible as I used to be… As I struggle to find time for my workouts and long runs I use what little time that I have for the “workout” or to get one more mile in. Often I will run 8 or so miles, stop for a brief cool-down walk, take a quick shower and go on with my day. This routine over time has left me with a tight back and hamstrings resulting in lack of flexibility. I KNOW how important stretching is and that flexibility is one of the key components to physical fitness, so why am I ditching the stretch for a longer workout?

Unfortunately this practice is common for many. As important as stretching is before and after a workout, in an interest of time, many skip out of their favorite class just as the cool down begins. I thought this would be a good time to remind all, including myself, of the benefits of stretching:

 

• Reduced muscle tension and tightness
• Increased range of movement in the joints
• Enhanced muscular coordination
• Improves circulation of the blood flow to various parts of the body
• Increases flexibility, balance and coordination

 

Stretching is important for people of all ages. Carving out time before and after your workout can help reduce the risk of injury – allowing you to enjoy the activities you love to do.

Throughout the Civil Rights era, many YMCAs served as recreational spaces, meeting places and safe havens for several prominent leaders and their families. After coming home from an arduous day of work in their duties as civil rights activists, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rev. Andrew Young would often take their families to the Y to enjoy swimming and other activities!  

YMCAs were also one of the few spaces that allowed for blacks and whites to meet and interact. Speaking on the Y’s continued tradition of advocacy for the equality and human dignity of all people, activist and former U.S. Ambassador Andrew Young remarked: “The YMCA, as much as any other institution, has a record of working on desegregation. The only place you could meet in the south in the ‘50s, blacks and whites together, was YMCA camp…” Dr. King, Rev. Young and Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall also spent much of their early years at the Y. The Y would honor the legacies of Dr. King and the Civil Rights movement when they officially banned all forms of discrimination at all YMCAs in 1967.

What’s Valentines Day without a bit of sweet indulgence? Flowers and candy are the most common gifts exchanged on Valentine's Day. There are also frosted heart shaped cookies, conversation hearts and many other sweet treats consumed on this day.

This year my husband surprised me with milk chocolate dipped strawberries, to me, the perfect gift! A small covering of chocolate makes the delicious strawberry taste like a decedent treat, and at 48 calories each they can be eaten guilt-free.

As hard as we try to stay on track with our daily healthy choices, days like today make it more difficult. Tomorrow is a new day! Don’t beat yourself up over it, put it behind you and move on. It’s okay to indulge in moderation once in a while, but tomorrow, get back on track by planning ahead to move a bit more. Exercise in any amount of time adds up to calorie burn. A 30-minute walk at a brisk pace burns 133 calories on average! The forecast brings more mild weather for the Capital District tomorrow- bring your sneakers to work and fit a quick power walk into your lunch break. Enjoy the day and hope to see you out there!