HEALTH AND FITNESS continued
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Leah King
CERTIFIED PERSONAL TRAINER
CERTIFIED CONDITIONING SPECIALIST
Live Strong fitness
(910) 691.2639
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Fall In The Sandhills;
Time For Reflection
by Mark C. Ford, CPT
When my wife and I moved to Va. Beach
from Pa. in 1984, one of the first things I noticed
was how nice the fall season was compared to
the Northern extremes. When we decided the
Sandhills of NC actually suited our lifestyle even
better 24 years later, I was surprised to find what
I felt was an even nicer transition into winter.
Cool crisp mornings combined with less humid
afternoons make fall an ideal time to get outside
and get active.
It is also a great time to begin to look back
at the past year and see if we are on track to
accomplish some of our set goals.
The year is approximately 3/4 behind us at
this point, and any progress should be obvious
by now. If an adjustment is necessary there is
still time to reassess our plan and make changes.
Oh, if by chance you haven’t been working on a
plan, then now is a great time to start thinking
about one for the coming year.
One goal I think everyone has, whether they
realize it or not, is to get and remain healthy.
Some afflictions unfortunately can’t be avoided,
but being as physically fit as possible can go a
long way when combating whatever ailment
fate has presented.
One thing I noticed very quickly when I
began my personal training practice was that no
two individuals are alike, but rather each case is
unique and presents a different challenge that
needs to be addressed. Of course one goal many
people have is to lose weight or in some cases
believe it or not they may actually want to gain
a few pounds. As I said each individual has their
own set of goals and priorities and an important
part of my job is to help my clients establish
those goals.
Also, I have found that people tend to stick
to their plan a little better if they are working
with a partner and are accountable to them.
Sometimes a little healthy competition with
your partner can help. I always leave a copy
of the program we are working on so they can
continue to exercise on their own. In that case
they are accountable to the most important
person of all “themselves.”
I always emphasize to try to do something
active each day. Even just a brisk walk around
the neighborhood after dinner can burn off a few
calories and help keep your leg muscles strong.
With the electronic age upon us, we are
spending way to much time sitting and staring at
one screen or another. Time that our ancestors
spent working in the fields or factories is now
spent on the internet or texting. It’s no wonder
that obesity has become a national health
crisis. Studies show that as a whole our society
is becoming less physically active. The phrase
“use it or lose it” is very accurate and should
be considered when trying to decide between a
night of television vs a trip to the gym.
I’ll never forget a gentleman I met a few years
ago. I’ve forgotten his name, but he was 84, and
I would have guessed him to be maybe in his
early 60’s. He told me he grew up on a farm in
Michigan, and while they had electricity, they
heated the farm house with wood. His job as
a youth was to make sure they had plenty of
firewood to get them through the winter. So he
spent several hours of each day chopping wood
along with his other duties. Now that is what I
call an active lifestyle. And I could tell that he
was seeing the benefits later in life.
So as the end of the year approaches, I
recommend taking a few minutes and looking
back on the past year to see if you’re on the path
you wanted to take. If not, there is plenty of time
for adjustment. And if you are, I think you’ll see
that 2019 will find a healthier and happier you.
I’m sincerely hoping you do.
Mark Ford is a local ACE (American Council On
Exercise) Certified Personal Trainer. He specializes
on training individuals age 50 and over in the
comfort of their homes. He can be reached at (910)
975-2572 or mford42@nc.rr.com.
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UTOPIA!
No. 132 The Pinehurst Gazette, Inc. p.35
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