September-October 2013

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publisher’s page

Soul T ra i

Getting Back to Me

Means Going Forward with Her

n

Taking my foot off the break and uttering the mantra (or shall I say Momtra): “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can” helps, but when you get right down to it, when parts of your life have felt like a train wreck, you need to lean on those who can help your engine to keep on goin’, and for me there’s only one stop ~ Momville.

F

all is a time of warmth and many feel it’s also a time for fresh, new beginnings (new school year, back to work, etc.). For me, it’s about simple things like taking a non-destination neighborhood walk - not necessarily to workout all the time, but to get a whiff of that delicious wood-burning fireplace and to immerse myself in crunchy leaves, all while surrounded by those that I absolutely love - unconditionally.

Sure, I’m forty-seven, but heck, I’ll admit it – in my heart, I still cuddle with my Mom under warm blankets when the mercury starts to plunge. And you know what? The feelings of protection, love and calmness are as good as it was when I was five.

I am actually starting to believe that I very well could be “The Little Engine that Could.”

I’m getting out-and-about again, lassoing the confidence required to merely move through my days and weeks while one by one, trying to rebuild my faith in people and my own self-esteem. After all, I have always been known as the ‘eternal optimist,’ and I liked that quality about myself. I want to like it again. If only it was as easy as “liking” something on Facebook with the click of a mouse.

Basically, it gets down to what my Mom instilled deep within me. She’s the one who “woke me up” and reminded me of who I was at the core and what I’ve accomplished with my life thus far. I had forgotten — maybe because I was so lost in the dark shadows cast by other people.

Sometimes we just sort of forget who we are and what we represent. She has encouraged me to hold my head up (yet again) and step back out into life – whatever it may bring. The irony is that she has, on more than one occasion told me to, “Get your life back” and now she extols this advice all while battling a very serious illness herself and clinging to what’s left of her own life. Paradoxically, I am watching my Mom, “get a life” and somehow, at this late stage, it’s yet a new one. It’s another “again” for her too, and it’s beautiful. Something has totally changed since her diagnosis, and the saying: “Live like today is your last” actually has surreal meaning to me—to us. Let me explain…

In the tale of the “Little Engine that Could,” a long train must be pulled over a high mountain. Larger engines are asked to pull the train and for various reasons they refuse.

Obviously they could do it, but chose not to. The request is sent to a small engine, the least likely of all candidates, who agrees to try. The engine succeeds in pulling the train over the mountain while repeating its motto: “I-think-I-can.”

This story has been told and retold many times through generations. The underlying theme is the same — a stranded train is unable to find an engine willing to take it on over difficult terrain to its destination. Only the little blue engine is willing to try and while repeating the mantra, “I think I can, I think I can,” overcomes a seemingly impossible task. Big heart, little train…I can relate.

I’m quite sure that I’m that little blue train who finally had the guts to believe September/October | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com

PHILLYFIT | 7

she could do it! I have Letter from a Mother to a Daughter: come to realize that I can overcome seem“My dear girl, ingly impossible situthe day you see I’m ations. Sounds silly, getting old, I ask you but it’s true. My Mom to please be patient, is right there too, by but most of all, try my side, cheering to understand what me on until my load I’m going through. makes it to the station.

If when we talk, Where did I get this I repeat the same kind of courage? I thing a thousand didn’t have to look far, times, don’t interrupt and now that my Mom to say: “You said cohabitates with the the same thing a kids and me, we all get minute ago”... Just to see exactly where listen, please. Try to this character comes remember the times from - HER! When when you were little I sit back and watch and I would read the same story night my Mom handling the after night until you final stages of stomach Me and my mom, Beverly would fall asleep. cancer, I stand in awe.

When I don’t want to take a bath, don’t be mad and don’t embarrass You’d never really know what is ailing her. She doesn’t hide it, but the me.

Remember when I had to run after you making excuses and angelic aura of gratitude surrounding her very being, seems to dimintrying to get you to take a shower when you were just a girl?

When ish any of the physical signs of this merciless illness. With a blissful, you see how ignorant I am when it comes to new technology, give me renewed spirit, I often find myself mystified and marveling, just staring the time to learn and don’t look at me that way... remember, honey, I at her. But she’s so busy smiling at my children, or whatever is going on patiently taught you how to do many things like eating appropriately, in the room; ironically she doesn’t even notice that I’m gazing in utter getting dressed, combing your hair and dealing with life’s issues amazement – much in the same way that a young child is void of this every day... the day you see I’m getting old, I ask you to please be sort of awareness. patient, but most of all, try to understand what I’m going through.

Quietly, I think to myself, “I’m pretty good at handling hurdles, but If I occasionally lose track of what we’re talking about, give me then I look at my Mom and damn, I’m really just a rookie in training the time to remember, and if I can’t, don’t be nervous, impatient or compared to the Champ in front of me. I’m not that good after all. But I arrogant. Just know in your heart that the most important thing for feel humbled and lucky to be her daughter nonetheless. me is to be with you. And when my old, tired legs don’t let me move *********************************** as quickly as before, give me your hand the same way that I offered mine to you when you first walked. When those days come, don’t feel Trips to the ER with a fragile parent can really thicken your skin. I sad... just be with me, and understand me while I get to the end of recall that NPR reporter, Scott Simon, was gaining a lot of national memy life with love. I’ll cherish and thank you for the gift of time and dia attention for his use of social media during a trying family time. He joy we shared. With a big smile and the huge love I’ve always had was sleeping beside his dying mother’s bed in a Chicago Intensive Care for you, I just want to say, I love you... my darling daughter.” (by Unit and Tweeting poignant thoughts and observations as his beloved “Spring in the air”) parent passed away.

His messages were moving, thoughtful and often unexpectedly and refreshingly candid and funny as he came to terms with the life-altering event. Simon now has over 1.2 million Twitter followers (including me).

One of his viral tweets read: ‘I am getting a life’s lesson about grace from my mother in the ICU. We never stop learning from our mothers, do we?’

He’s right. We really never do stop learning from our mothers – even when they are no longer at the helm. Even when my Mother started fading into the woman that she is now (not moving through her day fully optimized like yesteryear) there were ‘teachable moments’ about frustration, grace and dealing with impeding doom. I used to get mad, so mad, that she wasn’t what she once was. But then I read a post on Facebook that turned my selfish attitude around in a heartbeat: 8 | PHILLYFIT

Even as I type, there is a part of me that is racing…racing to finish because of the fragility of her current condition. With that in mind, I race through our days and plans as well. I race to get dinner done, I race to celebrate my daughter’s birthday, opting to celebrate it a few days early. I also race through sleep just to get to the next morning to check on her. I know none of this makes sense as I frantically try to control the uncontrollable. Much of my life has been consumed by this idea to my dismay. What’s worse is I’m not even sure how she will feel about what I am writing, but she is one of my proofreaders, so I guess I’ll be finding out soon as we are getting ready to go to press. So I am rushing and racing, which seems like an out-of-body experience so fictional and implausible. I feel suspended in time, and I have learned how precious time really is.

September/October | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com

In my last Publisher’s Page, I wrote about going from Bodacious Blonde to a bit of a Silent Sally. For so many years, I was so “out there” and had a total and complete trusting open door policy guiding my life.

The way I interacted with others has left me wishing I could find those extraverted pangs again. But then I was hit by a Mack truck (not literally) and tried to put the brakes on – mentally, physically and emotionally.

Now, a couple of years later, I am lifting my head almost like a baby does after realizing he has neck strength. I am just starting to find my way again and have begun to crawl around our unpredictable world. I am peeking through windows, glancing in mirrors, answering the phone. You know, just sort of getting back to normal. Although you won’t find me being interviewed on TV (not ready for the limelight I used to once share with my media friends) — at least I am watching TV again.

In addition, you won’t find me wearing that slim fitting, “showem-watcha-got” outfit on Saturday nights, but you will find me out and about again…FINALLY. A few months of Crossfit, long fast-paced walks and a few trips to the gym… maybe, just maybe, some of those outfits from a few years ago might budge from their hangers. With humbleness however, I admit that I don’t even think I like those spirited

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PHILLYFIT Family

Published by: Jalynn Concepts, LLC Publisher: Jami Appenzeller Copy Editors: Heather Hoehn, Eileen Eisenthal Strauss Publishers Page: Photo of Jami by Joe Chielli, Church Street Studios Calendar Of Events: John Beeler Ad Sales: Jami Appenzeller - jami@phillyfitmagazine.com Rita Henry - rjhenry659@aol.com Distribution Manager: R.I.P. Jim Appenzeller All inquires are welcome...Call us NOW! (267) 767-4205 www.phillyfitmagazine.com Jami@phillyfitmagazine.com Advertising Deadlines: Reservations for the November/December 2013 issue: Ad Reservations Due By: Oct. 5, 2013 - Ad Copy Due By: Oct. 10, 2013 Cover Photography: Cover photo of Kyle Barger of Philadelphia by Sean Gomes; Cover photo of Erica Scott of South Jersey by Tiffany Lowe Simmons; Cover photo of Kelli Thompson of Wilmington DE by Sean Gomes.

PhillyFIT Magazine is a news magazine with emphasis on health, fitness and leisure. PhillyFIT Magazine is printed bi-monthly, distributing magazines to more than 800 locations in the Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery Counties.

Address all submissions of advertising, calendar entries, photos, inquiries and letters to the above address. PhillyFIT Magazine does not assume responsibility for unsolicited materials. PhillyFIT Magazine will assume that all unsolicited materials are being submitted for possible publication and should the material be published, no fee is due to the submitting party. It is our understanding that the submitting party holds models’ releases on photographs submitted. PhillyFIT Magazine does not knowingly accept false or misleading advertising or editorial content, nor does the Publisher assume responsibility should such advertising or editorial appear. PhillyFIT Magazine reserves the right to edit letters to the editor and other submissions for clarity and space availability, and to determine suitability of all materials submitted for publication. Before implementing any exercise or diet modification mentioned in PhillyFIT Magazine, readers are advised to consult with their physicians. No reproductions of printed material are permitted without the consent of the Publisher. All rights reserved. plus.google.com/u/0/104869413385959199641/posts www.facebook.com/PhillyFITMagazine

outfits anymore. I am enjoying not really worrying about the pizzazz; I am more about feeling it, which makes me feel joyfully centered.

I’m coming alive and my Mother is sadly going the other way, undoubtedly a tough pill to swallow. It’s quite a dichotomy of emotions. What I do know is that even though I’m rebuilding and remolding my life, I want to stand by my Mom while hers is declining. I’ve never really been apart from my parents, but had to learn to let my Dad go two years ago when he passed. And so spending time together is paramount and other things just have to be put on hold. Actually, there really are no other things. All I can think of is how much I will miss her. There’s no substitution for a mother.

Who will I ever find for our special, trusting talks!?! (Sigh.)

Even in the shadows of eventual darkness (well, lightness if you believe in God and heaven the way I do) and grieving, I feel wiser and grateful. Grateful for lessons I’ve learned along the way. I’ve decided to list a few that I cling to below. I even write them out on stickies and affix them to my make-up mirror, as daily inspiration motivators. Funny thing is, they’re all re-words. Enjoy!

Relax

***********************************

This is my number one go-to piece of advice and it’s so underrated.

My philosophy is to just take a chill and sleep on it. Big decisions, big dilemmas, big opportunities – whatever - they all seem different in the morning with a bit of perspective.

Read

Reading sometimes goes with another “RE”-word – reclusive! But it doesn’t have to be – that’s why book clubs were formed! Or, if you’re like me, a five year old is your snuggle partner reading her own book by your side and it’s a dream. Reading is very peaceful and private. And you can read about anything you want to! Your choice – self help to Fifty Shades. That’s read ‘em freedom. You may even want to pick up a copy of the “The Little Engine” just as homage to this article.

Reevaluate

I’ve learned not to be knee-jerk. Instead, I now take a step back and re-evaluate everything from career opportunities to schooling for my kids to friendships. Every now and then you need to reevaluate your connection to living and non-living things because you do change and grow over time. Reevaluating is not a passive activity. You have to put your mind to doing it and follow through.

Repeat

What makes you happy? I’ve found that I’m so consumed by doing NEW things that often the obvious gets overlooked! For instance in the way of fitness, I get easily obsessed with the latest craze when good ‘ole walking makes me happy. Voila – repeat. Don’t get caught up in fads and new stuff – repeat the things that bring you joy instead of looking for new sources of contentment!

Renovate

I’ve talked about making inexpensive, DIY improvements to my home in many of my Publisher’s Pages. What I’m really talking about is change.

To me visual change is therapeutic, cathartic and always welcomed.

Changes to my home just make it feel fresh and new, and in turn, that makes me feel fresh and new! All you need is a little paint and some time

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PHILLYFIT | 9

Recharge

I never lose sight that my audience has a deep commitment to fitness and partaking in a healthy lifestyle. Ask any doctor or nutritionist and they’ll tell you that in addition to eating right and working out and drinking plenty of water, sleep is the number one thing you can do for your body, mind and spirit. There’s nothing more important actually.

Give yourself time to catch-up, think and thrive.

Redefine

This is a tough one. For me this has to do with relationships. Often we all have to redefine what we mean to others and what others mean to us. It’s painful, it’s annoying, but it just happens. When your lover doesn’t grow with you, you have to redefine the relationship. When your parent is failing, you have to redefine your rolls as a child. When your kid grows up to become more and more independent, you have to redefine your hovering ways. The results always outweigh the process of changing.

Remember

Ugh, again, another toughie. I can tell you that during my Mom’s difficult periods, it always helps to tell stories of the past. Laughing truly is the best medicine in some instances. An old song or a real belly chuckle goes a long way in the healing process and that stuff can’t be bottled. When’s the last time you danced around the room to “Get Into the Groove?” When’s the last time you looked at those cherished old vacation photos or videos? It’s good to remember places, things and yes, people who have touched your life, helped you along and nurtured you without you even knowing it! *********************************** Looking for your own personal Soul Train? Get on board. Don’t laugh, but one of my favorite things to do is to take a Septa regional rail line ride for no reason. I just hop on the R5 and watch the world go by, suburb after suburb. It’s very calming to me and the lull of the train is eerily soothing. I enjoy people watching and our interesting landscape as it whizzes by. I sometimes pop out if something appeals to me like a Main Street in Narberth or a horse in Doylestown. I know it sounds silly, but try it! It’s fall and there’s no better way to see seasonal foliage!

It’s so picturesque and an ideal escape from the norm.

Fall is the perfect time to reward yourself (yep, another RE word) and recharge your batteries and nuzzle up with a cozy blanket and the first cup of hot cocoa of the season. My advice to readers is to really get the heck out of your workout comfort zone by trying something new (but don’t forget about repeating what makes you happy.)

And Mom, I love you…now and forever.

letterstothepublisher Hi Jami!

I am a devoted fan of your mag. Read it cover to cover. It helps because I workout 3 nights a week, and at the age of 56 and getting closer to 57 every day, I feel terrific.

Steve Gerace Jami I am just so thankful that I have had the privilege of meeting you and being a reader of PhillyFit! Through your Publisher’s Pages you have provided us with the special opportunity to share in your hard earned successes as well as life’s unexpected challenges. You are a constant inspiration to me as you persevere and overcome even the most difficult of life’s obstacles. You always strive to be THE BEST in all areas of your life. Your dedication, hard work, and perspiration (blood, sweat, and tears) have built a successful PhillyFit Empire that appears to always grow and add services to benefit our fitness community. One of my FAVORITE quotes EVER (and I have read hundreds of famous quotes and have a big binder of famous quotes) is

by Jami Appenzeller “My best friend is five.” I LOVE THAT!!!!! Thank you for working so hard! I appreciate you!”

Meg Ebner, B&R Fitness Feasterville, PA Hi Jami: We picked up 5 copies at the 12th Street Gym. Thanks again so much for putting out this magazine! By the way, I love the articles, including your personal editorial, “Quiet Riot.”

I really related. I started life very shy, as a definite introvert, with a hidden extrovert, straining to break through!

As an adult, everyone knows me as a very sociable, outgoing extrovert, but there’s still the need for quiet reflection and alone time quite often, especially as I move on in my 50’s!

Jackie Pantaliano/President ImPRessions, LLC

Jami, I feel you do all of us who try to be fit, a big service with your magazine and great articles on how to keep in shape and healthy. I’m heading to Genesis Fitness Center now just to get your latest copy. Thank you again Jami. Am sending you a grateful hug via e-mail.

Tony Sharayko Hey Jami, I just came back from a trip overseas to see that my picture was selected for your July/August edition and wanted to send you a big thank you! As usual, your magazine never disappoints and I’m honored to be featured in it!

Best of health Alassane Ndiaye Dear Jami, I loved what you wrote in Phillyfit this month in your publisher’s Page! Every month that is my favorite part of the magazine. I’d like to add a note, for your readers to consider, that goes well with your feelings expressed in your column (which touch the hearts of so many of us), the words “Silent and the Listen” have the same letters in them! I feel it is when we are silent, we get all the answers from the place we are all connected. Something for us all to think about.

P.S. - I love how you share all your feelings in Phillyfit, It’s much more inspiring (in Spirit) than perhaps you realize.

It’s my favorite part of the magazine.

Although our bodies are a top priority and need to stay in shape to be healthy, we are more than just “our body.” I enjoy and love how you know that, and express it by exploring our spirit and emotions. Keep up the Good (God) work. It is your calling.

Love and Light to you and yours my friend.

Mary Coleen McDonnell

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PHILLYFIT | 11

No Boundaries

SportinglyFIT

intrigued, and began to reflect on

by Eric Burkett my own race. With a little more Oil derricks o t began just over five years ago in the fall if 2008, at age thirty-nine. n the course. preparation and training, could I A friend of mine had told me about an endurance event she had just push a little harder?

Could I run completed; a twenty-six plus mile trail run through the mountains of little farther, finish a little faster? This was undiscovered territory Lock Haven Pennsylvania called the Megatransect. This was no ordifor me. I gave it one hundred percent the first time, but could I fine-tune nary event. With over five thousand feet of elevation gain, the course my body to push past what I was able to accomplish the first time? What carves straight up over the peaks of mountains and scrambles up and are my limits? I decided right there and then I would do it again the down endless boulder fields. This event was designed to test the will of following year and that is when I discovered running. any individual who dares to register. It’s about a vertical mile of total I was a regular at the gym, but rarely focused on cardio training. elevation gain. For comparison, the Boston Marathon has roughly two So I began to jump on the treadmill and run for about a mile to finish up hundred feet. My curiosity was peaked. With little knowledge of the my workout. After some time I bumped it up to two miles, then three. event and an equal amount of training, I signed up. My plan was simThen I took it off the treadmill and went outside. When I ran outdoors, ple: hike some, and run where I could, keep pushing and don’t stop until I discovered a whole new world. I was no I come across the finish line. longer contained by the confines of the gym.

The day before the race, I made the threeI would run two miles out into town then turn hour road trip to Lock Haven and set up camp around to head back home. Just before I would on the grounds where the event would begin make the turn, I would pause to look further the next day. Nearly a hundred like-minded down the road. I wondered how far I could go. individuals had the same idea. Others filled I began to wonder what my limits really were. nearby motels, hotels or sought out other Three miles turned into four. I slowed my pace accommodations. As the sun set and the night down and discovered I could stretch four to settled in, I sat outside my tent looking at the five, then six miles. It was about this time that sea of people before me and contemplated I also discovered endorphins. The brain will what the next day would bring. I can tell you release chemicals during extended bouts of this - there is nothing more exciting than the activity - the resulting effect is known as the anticipation of facing challenge for which you runners high. For me it brought a mix euphoria cannot predict the outcome. This kind of event and calm - a sense of well-being and peace, was completely foreign to me. Was I in over which occurred while I was running. Who my head? Would I be able to finish? Many who knew running could feel so good? Running start never cross the finish line. Some give up, The author, Eric Burkett (in blue) and his brother, around town late at night gave me a feeling of some are pulled due to exhaustion or suffer Rick (in red), after fi nishing the Megatransect. freedom.

It was though I opened the door to other ailments, and others don’t make the cut a new dimension I was completely at home out here. When I ran, the off times at the predetermined checkpoints. Fortunately the event is well problems of the day couldn’t find me, and the stress of the day couldn’t organized and several aide stations are positioned along the way. My single keep up with me. Running was my personal therapy. I was hooked. goal for the following day was to make it to the finish line. I was out of my I have a family, a wife, two young girls, so my time to run begins element, but I was definitely committed. late at night after everyone is settled and the kids are tucked into bed.

The following morning I stepped up to starting line with nearly five Around nine or ten o’clock at night when most people are sinking in to hundred complete strangers. The gun went off at seven in the morning. The the couch to watch another segment of reality TV, I grab my headlamp, questions that materialized the night before would soon be answered. reflective vest, lace up my sneakers and head out into the night. To me After seven hours and forty-four minutes, I crossed the finish line. the choice is easy; plop on the couch in front of the TV or seek theraI gave it my all out there, and left everything out on the course. I was peutic freedom and my own personal adventure? The only thing I find thoroughly tested, and finishing was a huge personal victory. Out of crazy is that I don’t encounter more people running out and about this 461 finishers, I placed 171. I was punished by extreme vertical climbs time of the night. and relentless technical descents. The abuse caused my knees to swell, I began tracking my runs and my distances, and it was at this point my feet to bruise, and pain in my toes that would later result in the loss I realized what I was doing was beyond what may be considered “the of several toenails. I was elated that I finished, yet concluded that there norm” to most people. I was hitting eight, nine miles a night in the was no reason to endure anything like that ever again. middle of the work week, and shooting for longer runs on the weekends.

A few days after I returned home, I looked up the race results online My friends began asking me if I was ok; telling me my behavior wasn’t to discover that an elite group of athletes actually RAN the entire race – normal. with five runners finishing in under five hours. I was both mystified and

I

12 | PHILLYFIT

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As my interest in running grew, I began following the ultra and trail running sport along with the athletes that are breaking the rules associated with these distances. There are a growing number of ultra-events every year (an ultra is defined as any event longer than a marathon - 26.2 miles) and a growing number of athletes who are pushing the boundaries of what is possible. There are runners who race beyond the marathon and run thirty, fifty, and one hundred plus miles in a single day. The sport is young and pure. It’s not tainted by television coverage, mainstream sponsorship or prize money. It is man against the terrain, the elements, and the distance. No one can purchase expensive hardware to offer an advantage. It comes down to a single person, their will and a pair of sneakers. It’s personal. The elite athletes themselves are mystical legends and the sport is taking off right now, all unfolding before our eyes. Last year, during the Western States 100 (one of the more popular ultra-marathons) a new course record was set by Timothy Olson who covered one hundred miles and seventeen thousand feet of total elevation gain in just fourteen hours and forty-six minutes. It’s difficult to fathom.

Tim claimed the title again this year (July), coming in first place but a few minutes behind his record due to the one hundred plus degree temperatures. Earlier this year, the NY Times took noticed and offered a feature story on twenty-five year old endurance athlete Kilian Jornet, a former winner of Western States and several other one hundred mile events. The sport is exploding in popularity, and it’s all happening around us, right now.

Let’s fast-forward to today; I’m forty-four years old, and have completed the

The fun spreads to my kids. Avery left (age 9), Taylor on right (age 6).

   

Megatransect five consecutive years in a row, registered for my sixth, and have competed in a number of other local trail runs and ultras as well.

I’m an average runner finishing in the top third or half of the pack. I’m aware that I will never finish first or set any course records, however I still haven’t discovered my limits - and that’s what keeps this so exciting for me. I’ve completed distances that I never thought possible. This October, I will compete in the Oil Creek 100k Ultra-marathon for the second year in a row. Oil Creek is a relatively new event that takes place in Oil City, PA located in the northwestern part of the state. They offer options of a 50k, a 100k or a 100 mile race. I registered for the 100k, which equates to just over sixty-two miles of mountain trails from start to finish. To fully appreciate the distance, take a quick look at a map: Find Ship Bottom, Long Beach Island New Jersey. Now find center city Philadelphia. Now imagine several mountains and an endless trail of dirt, roots, and rock in between. Add in over eleven thousand feet of total elevation gain, and you will soon get a sense of what this event is about. The race will begin at 6:00 in the morning, and my goal is to finish well before midnight the same day. Just one year ago, I never imagined I could cover that distance.

This year my goal is to finish it even faster.

The question I get from everyone is, “Why?” It’s difficult to answer because there are a multitude of reasons why. One reason is that I take pride in knowing that I’m an ordinary person participating in extraordinary events. Everyone who approaches the starting line has the same course to tackle – no matter if you elite and finish first or come in dead last; you give it one hundred percent and experience the event together.

The benefits are extraordinary too, and not just the physical. My enthusiasm for the sport extends well beyond just me. My entire family is eating healthier, opting for fresh fruits and veggies over junk foods. My wife entered and completed her second trail event this year, and my young daughters (ages six and nine) often accompany me on shorter, easy runs for fun. They’ve even entered and participated in runs of their own! My brother dove into the sport as well, and he’s my regular companion (and competitor) in many trail runs - we’ve grown to become known as “Team Burkett” by some within the local trail running community.

How long will I continue to run? As long as I am having fun and along the way, I hope to discover some of the personal boundaries and limits that continue to elude me.

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N ut y t ritional Clari NutrionallyFIT

“Thou shalt not poison thyself.”

— T.C. Fry

By Jeff Kildahl

o one should have to recover from a meal. The food you eat should

N nourish your body not deplete it. This principle is inherent to both

your fitness and your wellness. The subject of nutrition is in a paralyzing state of analytical mayhem. This is unfortunate and unnecessary.

Sports performance and wellness have long been viewed as a symbiotic relationship. Scientists have researched to exhaustion the role of almost every imaginable nutritive substance and its relationship to health and sport. Rarely has the wellness, longevity, or quality of life for the athlete or citizen been the impetus for such fatiguing effort.

The manufacturers of supplements, prepared foods, pharmaceuticals, and the rest, primarily fund nutritional research. Attempts to advance our foods via chemistry and science are geared toward proving the value of a given nutrient. This approach is backwards.

We erroneously examine individual nutrients to boost sport performance and wellness when we should simply look to whole foods. Optimum health, fitness, and sport performance will result when negative effects have been eliminated from the diet versus simply adding more nutrients individually.

Enhancements galore have been made to improve fitness and sport performance gear, apparel, and accessories. These breakthroughs represent merely part of the formula. Does it not stand to reason that you must consume the best fuel to truly thrive?

The paths to wellness and sport performance need not be muddled or complicated. Theoretical understanding of nutrition as a science is only a precursor to practical application. The latter requires awareness and fierce discipline.

Mindful daily food choices will define the difference between your fitness plateaus and fitness excellence; between life and premature death due to poor dietary practices, and will delineate your life as either effort or struggle. You have the choice to merely exist or to thrive because of your diet ~ not in spite of it.

Nutrition is the cornerstone to all dimensions of wellness and plays a profound role in every aspect of your life. The impact of your nutritional choices begins at the cellular level. Regular consumption of nutrient-dense whole foods facilitates mitochondrial regeneration.

Every aspect of health and vitality is reliant upon this daunting yet necessary process ~ our egocentric desires simply complicate it.

14 | PHILLYFIT

“Let us have the truth, though the heavens may fall.”

— Herbert. M. Shelton D.C.

Technology has infiltrated both health and sport to the point where analysis and dissection of the laws of nature and physics have comprised awareness. The gap between one’s desire to achieve a goal and the commitment to make the requisite personal changes to attain a goal has become wider and deeper.

There are no shortcuts or quick fixes.

Animal foods have long been associated with strength and power.

The truth is these foods are unnecessary to achieve your desired level of health, fitness, sport performance, and wellness.

Optimum wellness can be achieved absent these foods. Look no further than the “gorilla” as an example of strength, power, speed, and kinesthetic proficiency – attained solely on a plant-based diet.

Technology, science, and government subsidies are not evil. The outcome of each innocuous element lies in direct accordance to its useful or harmful application. We have paid the price for our curiosity in realms yet to be appreciated.

The fragmented nutritional research by companies and scientists with vested interests results in supplements, refined energy bars, sports drinks, and foods of marginal value to either sport performance or wellness.

The multibillion dollar food industry makes its wealth at the expense of personal and planetary well-being. This is deplorable.

Nearly three-quarters of the U.S. government agricultural aid is pumped into the meat and dairy industries. A paltry .37 percent filters to the fruit and vegetable sectors. This underscores why our medical model ~ which treats symptoms versus causation ~ is a losing proposition.

This profound disconnect between health and environmental policies and agricultural mandates exists throughout the western world. Governments are supporting the production of foods that are responsible for the most potent health and ecological issues in history.

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“Sports serve society by providing vivid examples of excellence.”

— George F. Will

What does this have to do with your health and fitness? Everything.

Though there is a clear connection among diet, exercise, disease, quality of life, and longevity most people take health and wellness for granted ~ until it is too late. Mainstream, endurance athletes, and corporate clients routinely insist they know this information yet concoct every excuse imaginable to perpetuate their path of self-destruction.

Your daily nutritive decisions represent a cumulative effort or struggle on the path to mindful or mindless living. Each morsel will ultimately fuel or inhibit your body’s innate regenerative cycles. Only when you begin to understand the undeniable consequences linked to your choices will enlightenment follow.

It is no secret that regular physical exercise is vital to optimal health.

This explains why fewer than fifty percent of Americans regularly exercise.

Excuses are pervasive for both poor dietary decisions and sedentary existence.

The plethora of issues we face today are directly linked to animal production and conventional agriculture, hence, the Standard American Diet (SAD). Government subsidies promote foods strongly associated with chronic diseases, global warming, deforestation, soil depletion, limited water resources, and the rest of it.

The failure of modern medicine to address chronic diseases through nutritive prevention is scandalous. We must as snowshoers remain mindful of the ramifications of what we choose to eat. The line dividing mind and body is as invisible as ii is with optimum nutrition and environmental stewardship. Let us implement our desired health, fitness, sport performance, and wellness outcomes to become vivid examples of mindful living.

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1004 RIDGE PIKE | CONSHOHOCKEN | 610.397.1780 693 STATE ROAD | EMMAUS | 610.965.6597 Food corporations continue to spend millions of dollars touting the alleged benefits of meat, dairy, pork, and refined sugar. Our society has become prisoners of mass produced, processed, refrigerated, frozen, quick and easy food options and it shows.

The result is an obese, undernourished, unhealthy populace fraught with out-of-control healthcare costs, needless suffering, and premature death. Our respect and honor of the sanctity of food has been superseded by our hunger for convenience.

The level of energy used is dependent on muscle mass, age, weight, fat percentage, fitness level, weather, location, duration, and intensity of the exercise or event. Nutritive decisions will propel or pollute the quality of fuel your body mandates.

The key is to enhance your health, fitness, and sport performance, not sabotage it.

Our bodies are meant to expand and contract its six hundred forty muscles as often as possible in the spirit of fitness. Exercise improves your metabolism. The basal metabolic rate [BMR] is the energy used to sustain the circulatory, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and renal bodily functions.

The thermic effect of food [TEF] is the energy expenditure associated with the digestion, absorption, and assimilation processes of food.

Theses processes support weight management with optimal nutrition and exercise the catalysts.

Exercise stimulates your lymphatic system in which vessels and nodes combat infections flush microorganisms and toxins prior to filtering protein and fluid to your blood. Exercise suppresses stress hormones such as cortisol, adrenaline, norepinephrine, and epinephrine.

The immediate effect of exercise on your body is stress. The tradeoff is adaptation in which your body becomes stronger, functions more efficiently, and possesses greater levels of endurance.

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PHILLYFIT | 15

Your entire body benefits from exercise.

Some of the other benefits from regular exercise include: ~Strengthens heart function ~Increases blood supply to muscles ~Lowers resting heart rate ~Lowers blood pressure ~Enhances oxygen transport ~Promotes capillary proliferation ~Enlarges heart arteries ~Reduces heart disease risk ~Lowers total blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels ~Elevates HDL cholesterol ~Endocrine system stimulation ~Reduces dietary fat composition ~Enhances calcium/bone deposition ratio ~Prevents osteoporosis ~Improves muscle mass and strength ~Increases muscle tissue elasticity ~Enlarges range of joint motion ~Strengthens bones, ligaments, and tendons ~Mitigates chance of injury ~Improves physique and posture ~Reduces anxiety, stress, and tension ~Stimulates mental clarity and function ~Improves self-esteem ~Lengthens life expectancy ~And more.

“Think from the inside out.”

— Coach Steve Ilg

The human body was designed to consume whole foods not their individual nutrients. Healthful eating teaches us to eat only until satiated – a monumental task for most people these days.

Fruits and vegetables have superior nutritional value compared with any other food group or processed food; yet, education about whole plant food nutrition lags far behind the marketing of meat, dairy, and processed foods.

Fruits and vegetables are easily absorbed by the body, while supplying optimal nutrients. Animal foods require inordinate energy to digest and assimilate for minimal net gain at best.

Fruits provide the highest percentage of vitamins per calorie consumed - vegetables come in second. Vegetables provide the highest percentage of minerals per calorie consumed with fruits next in line..

Nearly every vegetable that can be eaten whole, fresh and raw contains all eight of the essential amino acids, thereby providing complete protein. A random mix of fruits and vegetables will provide about five times the RDA of protein per calorie consumed. Plant foods contain no cholesterol.

Integration of more plant-based whole foods in your diet will lower body fat and increase muscle tone, diminish visible signs of aging, increase energy and mental clarity, enhance your immune system, improve your sleep and moods, eliminate junk-food cravings, and more.

A nutrient-dense, alkaline-forming, plant-based diet will reduce nutritional stress, provide optimal health and vitality, and help Mother Nature provide clean air, pristine landscapes, and plenty of opportunities to learn further lessons from our health, fitness, and sport performance endeavors.

Mindful nutritive decisions combined with regular exercise will manifest a formidable duo on the trail to optimal wellness. Find some additional benefits below: ~Disease prevention and reversal ~Weight management ~Reduction of biological age ~Elimination of junk food cravings ~Reduced sleep requirements ~Improved sleep quality ~Elevated moods ~Improved energy absent stimulation ~Elimination of biological debt ~Improved productivity ~Faster recovery time from exercise ~Improved skin elasticity ~And more.

Imagine our society if the government subsidized fruits and vegetables instead of meat, dairy, and sugar.

You have the choice to fuel your remarkable body with foods proven accelerate disease and hasten ecological damage or power yourself with nutrient-dense, whole, primary-source foods that promote cellular regeneration and environmental restoration.

Nutrition is the cornerstone of all dimensions of wellness. Primary source nutrition has the profound and vastly underestimated ability to maintain health, prevent and reverse chronic and degenerative diseases and enhance endurance sports performance.

Nutritional stress will be minimized only when micronutrient digestion, absorption and assimilation are maximized and regular exercise is experienced. Wellness is manifest from within ~ as a by-product of mindful living.

Appropriate nutritive decisions combined with exercise will not make your life easier, but it will make your life more meaningful.

Consuming only foods, which we are biologically adapted to eat is a monumental step on the path to optimum wellness. This is a matter in which we can eat and exercise our way out.

Start a movement with your children in the spirit of wellness. The far-reaching impact of our efforts at the gym, the fitness center, the park, on snow or dirt trails will benefit generations down the path. Wellness is about accountability; it is not about excuses. Wellness is a choice.

I encourage you to take action beyond this cursory look at the profound impact your daily nutritive decisions have on your wellness and your planet.

Regenerate the lives of others through sport. ~~~ Jeff Kildahl is a writer, author, educator, researcher, and wellness consultant advancing personal and planetary health by synthesizing primary source nutrition and fitness as the principal components of the practice of medicine. Kildahl is a sponsored vegan ultra-endurance athlete with doctorates in plant-based sports nutrition and natural medicine. He is a dynamic member of CUBE™ ~ a professional speakers group ~ that helps others harmonize the keys to living in the song of life. He is a Vega Ambassador, Wellness Editor at Snowshoe Magazine, United States Snowshoe Association columnist and contributor to health, fitness and wellness sites, blogs and publications. Kildahl is the creator and president of The Wholistic Edge® ~ a visionary firm merging the tenets of mindful living with the principles of naturopathic medicine to manifest optimum wellness. He resides in Boulder, Colorado ~ http://thewholisticedge.com.

Check out the local fitness scene @ PhillyFIT.com 16 | PHILLYFIT

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PHILLYFIT | 17

NutrionallyFIT

Are You a Healthy Person?

By Solomon Brenner

lyzes the absorption of lactose into the digestive system.

Not only that, but the milk you are buying at the grocery store has been pasteurized and homogenized, increasing its shelf life but stripping it of valuable nutrients. The process reduces its vitamin content and kills live and active cultures that are supposed to be healthy for you. You might lament the loss of calcium, but the calcium content in milk is put to shame by many vegetables like collard greens, kale, garlic, arugula, okra, and spinach, which not only contain more calcium but also have a higher absorption and retention rates.

I

t seems like every day there is another fad diet, another medical professional telling you a food you once thought was healthy can give you cancer, or another study showing that it’s okay to eat something you once thought was bad for you. There are nutrition tips all over the Internet, each contradicting the next. So what do you believe?

The choice really comes down to the individual. Each person’s body is different.

We have different genetic make-ups, different levels of physical activity, different body types, and different reactions to different foods, all of which contribute to what we should eat as part of a healthy diet.

To help you figure out what might be some good choices for you, here are a few nutrition tips: No processed foods. Processed foods are never a good choice.

They are popular because they are convenient and have a longer shelf life than most non-processed foods, but they are full of ingredients that you should not be putting in your body. They are loaded with sodium, trans fats, processed grains, and refined sugars, all of which will keep you from being the healthiest you can be. Some of the foods to avoid include fast food, soda, juice, pastries, candy, chips, processed meats, processed dairy, canned or frozen foods with high sodium, and any white grains like white bread, pasta, or white rice.

How are you cooking your food? I bet you never really thought the method of cooking could change the nutritional value of your food.

It’s certainly okay to bake your veggies or sauté them with a little bit of olive oil (a healthy fat). However, to get the most out of the nutrients available in those vegetables, they should be consumed raw or steamed whenever possible. The chemical reactions caused by certain cooking methods actually rob the vegetable of some of its greatest benefits.

Hydration, hydration, hydration. Water aids in every aspect of body function, and many people do not get enough of it. Think about this: by the time you recognize that you are thirsty or your mouth is dry, dehydration has already set in. Make a habit of drinking water regularly throughout your day, not just when you feel thirsty. You should consume between eighty to one hundred twenty ounces of water per day, more if you are exercising or in hot weather. For every cup of coffee you drink today, drink an additional eight ounces of water; caffeine is a diuretic and aids in dehydration.

Cut back on dairy, or eliminate it altogether. This may go against everything you have ever thought about milk (remember the “Got Milk?” ads), but science has proven that some or all of our ability to digest lactose and casein—proteins that make up eighty percent of the protein in cow’s milk—is lost after age four. Seventy-five percent of adults worldwide show a decrease in the production of lactase, an enzyme that cata18 | PHILLYFIT

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PhysicallyFIT

g n i n i a

by Joe Pepe

Tr

c

ri

Plyome t

programming usually “ Plyometric involves jumping or bounding activities

Photos of Kyle Barger of Philadelphia by Sean Gomes

P

lyometric training by definition refers to the specialized method of conditioning designed to enable a muscle to reach maximal force in the shortest possible time.

Characterized by quick, powerful, explosive type movements, plyometric training is often a staple of sport-specific strength and conditioning programs. The movements traditionally employed in a plyometric training program will involve a pre-stretch and stretch-shortening cycle. Over time, a plyometric training program with result in increased force production due to mechanical factors such as increased stored elastic energy and neurophysiological factors such as changes in the muscle’s force/velocity characteristics.

Plyometric programming usually involves jumping or bounding activities for the lower body and medicine ball throws or elastic rebound cords for the upper body.

The intensity used will vary depending on the experience of the client and their levels of strength, coordination, and balance, as well as their primary goals for the program.

One of the reasons plyometric training is so effective at increasing force production capabilities is because of the increased amount of stress placed on the muscles, connective tissues, and joints involved with the movement. These increased stresses are important to note as

for the lower body and medicine ball throws or elastic rebound cords for the upper body.

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they may also be cause for increased risk of injury. Due to the fact that plyometric training is based in performance training and not necessary to attain overall health, this type of training should be limited to those individuals who have adequate levels of muscular strength and power, as well as balance, coordination, and agility. Individuals looking to improve these health and performance related components of physical fitness should begin plyometric training at a low intensity and progress at a rate their skills and abilities allow.

As mentioned above, prior to beginning a plyometric training program, it is important to ensure your client has adequate levels of muscular strength to manage the deceleration and stability requirements. Resistance training coupled with plyometric training has been shown to increase performance more than either program alone. A resistance training program should be completed prior to the initiation of plyometric training so the tissues are prepared for the explosive, powerful type of movements involved with plyometric. A good rule of thumb for a strength training program is the use of repetition ranges of six to ten at an intensity of seventy-five to eighty-five percent of the one repetition maximum (1RM). Strength training programs completed before the introduction of plyometric activities should last between eight to twelve weeks to ensure an adequate level of muscular strength has been achieved.

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PHILLYFIT | 19

The exercise selection within the strength training program should mimic phases of the movements to be performed in the plyometric program. If box jumps, depth jumps, and squat jumps are some of the exercise that are to be included in your program, then squats, lunges, and deadlifts should be used in the strength program to prepare the leg muscles and lower back for the plyometrics. If your plyometric program is designed for the upper body and includes clap push-ups, medicine ball chest pass, and depth jump with chest pass, the strength training program should include chest pressing, rowing, and shoulder presses. These examples should clearly illustrate the importance of focusing the strength training program on the function between the primer movers and stabilizers.

The best way to train these areas is through closed chain, multi-joint exercises. Although exercises such as leg extensions and leg curls target the prime movers (quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes) the stabilizers are not entirely engaged with these open-chain activities. A couple commonly accepted tests of muscular strength should be administered prior to engaging in a plyometric exercise program. Traditionally, athletes in conditioning programs are required to do a 1 RM back squat to parallel position.

They are classified as ready for plyometric training if their 1 RM is 1.5 to 2 times their body weight. In many cases 1RM back squats are not appropriate for personal training clientele. This test can be replaced by an alternative test, which estimates 1 RM based upon five to ten repetitions of the exercise. The estimation uses the three percent formula {(repetitions performed x .03) +1} x resistance used). A third test option often used as an assessment of readiness is to have the client attempt five repetitions of the back squat with sixty percent of their body weight in five seconds.

In addition to demonstrating adequate levels of muscular strength through these tests, clients should also be able to achieve depth drops equal to the height of their vertical jump. If the client fails any of these tests, additional strength training should be completed prior to plyometric training.

20 | PHILLYFIT

When beginning a plyometric program, the volume and intensity should be low. Ample rest time will be required between sets to allow for adequate recovery. For higher end movements typical rest periods mirror those used in heavy strength training, with the actual duration based upon the intensity of the exercise and the experience of the client.

As progress is made, the volume can be increased. Once the volume peaks, the intensity will need to be increased to ensure consistent progressive overload is applied. However, with increased intensity, the volume will need to decrease. During a training session, after a specific warm-up, the plyometric program should be completed early in the program to decrease risk of injury due to muscular fatigue and incorrect technique.

Plyometrics can also be used to complement other strength training activities as is the case with contrast training. This technique uses loaded, controlled movements coupled with the same movement, unloaded and performed as a plyometric. Some common examples include super-setting bar squats with jump squats or chest press with clap push-ups. These techniques are advanced, but very effective to enhance performance and expend calories. Other methods of integrating plyometrics into a program may use certain movements in circuits or as a complement to a strength program. The circuit may use low-level step jumps, jump rope, jumping jacks, or low-knee tuck jumps mixed. For clients who need or want to perform some power activities the plyometrics may include box jumps, tuck jump rebounds and depth jumps, performed before the slower compound lifts like squats, deadlifts, or push press. Two or three plyometrics are traditionally programmed in this example.

Plyometrics is a bit more advanced then the regular workout, which means you should build a fitness base before jumping right into this program, or have a personal trainer with you to keep you in the correct form for each move. However plyometric training will build muscle, burn fat, and make you more athletic (as well as make you look more athletic).

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PHILLYFIT | 21

P

YouthfullyFIT

n e r d Through Fit l i h C r o f e f i L n y e t i ss and l a u Q a Nutri e d i v tion ro

By Leeann Morris

P

roper nutrition for children and adults is extremely important. They need to eat a daily regimen of required food groups to insure that they grow strong and healthy. We do not want our children to become obese or to develop juvenile diabetes.

A child’s first line of defense is to have a proper diet and fitness. They learn both from their parents and guardians. As adults they are typically responsible for shopping, cooking, and subsequently feeding them. Despite the fact that it saves time from a hectic schedule, avoiding fast food is a step in the right dietary direction.

To follow that step, take one day each week to prepare enough healthy, nutritious, and tasty meals for the upcoming week. Not only will this save you time after coming home from work to prepare dinner, but it will allow you to spend more time relaxing with your children while eating the right types of meals together.

Some people believe that it’s actually cheaper to eat fast food instead of going grocery shopping. In reality, the money you spend on fast food can be used to purchase at least twice as much food at most grocery stores! Additionally, it is a better decision for parents to spend less money on things such as clothing, hair, nails, etc., and more on healthy food for their children. After all, isn’t it a good idea to get your child healthy on the inside so they’re healthy on the outside?

Parents who make fitness and good nutrition a “fun” part of their lives will have 22 | PHILLYFIT

healthier children. No child wants to sit at the dinner table until they eat all of their vegetables. Giving children unhealthy treats as a reward defeats the whole purpose. For example, one simple technique a savvy parent will do is to tell their child to eat a “power apple” before a sports competition to help them perform better. Other techniques to keep them active include racing your children, dancing with them, or doing anything involving movement together so it seems like fun and not work!

After your child finishes exercising or playing, or even when it’s snack time, remember to keep it healthy. Substitute potato chips and cookies with sliced vegetables or fruit with a flavorful dip. Instead of soda or sugary drinks, flavor their water with real fruit. Skip sports drinks, which should only be used to replace electrolytes after heavy, strenuous workouts.

The types of foods we want our children to eat are natural fruits, vegetables, meats, beans, grains, and milk. Stay away from fried foods by eating more baked, steamed and barbecued meats as these foods will be healthier.

September/October | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com

Of course, these few paragraphs only provide a brief sample of ideas for good nutrition and fitness. I hope, however, that you now have a better understanding of what you can do to help your children, and yourself, lead a healthier lifestyle. Every day is a new day and we must strive to make ourselves better with each one!

Leeann Morris is a NESTA Certified Personal Trainer and Kids Nutrition Specialist. For more information, check out Leeann’s website at www. leeannmorris.com or call her at (570)233-0174.

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PHILLY’sFITTEST Our readers’ inspirational images and stories

Shantanu das, 25 Fit Gym Lansdowne, PA

christine Holland-Morrow, 39 Jackson, NJ

Jennifer McNamara, 40, from Drexel Hill, PA, took Womens Bodybuilding 1st place and Overall winner at the 2013 NPC Lehigh Valley Bodybuilding Championships on May 25th, 2013.

Photo by Reg Bradford

Randi cataldo, 52, and Joe Sheehan, 56. Doylestown, PA

amy piccinino, 33 Personal Fitness Trainer Ocean City, NJ

2013 NPC Philadelphia Championships & Tracey Greenwood Classic - Kristen Szumowski (Bikini), 24, vincent Gonzalez (Physique), 28, both from Wilmington, DE. Sue's Crew Team (Susan Davis - Coach/Trainer).

Photo by ©MyContestPix.com 2013

24 | PHILLYFIT

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Before & After

tony Sharayko, 83 Genesis Fitness Centre Harleysville, PA

Leon Budrow, 22 Douglassville, PA erika Benkovic, 50 Boyertown, PA Works out at LA Fitness in Pottstown

Personal trainer Michelle pallozzi, 43, owns Hooked on Fitness™, and trains clients and teaches classes at Healthplex in Springfield, Delaware County. She transformed her body over the course of 18 months to compete in her first NGA figure competition a few years ago.

She writes a weekly newsletter on fitness and nutrition, and has published a "3 Day cleanse and Detox" ebook.

LoRuama azevedo, 28, Bethlehem, PA, recently posted a Top 5 finish in her first NPC show!

dan Kyle, 40, Oreland, PA, dominating (but not really) the AJ Foundation 10K at Peace Valley Park in Chalfont, PA (left), and me in 2010 (below) to give you an idea of the transformation I've gone through. Nothing fancy.

Changed my diet considerably and do something active daily.

elena L., 19 Newtown, PA

My name is Richie Willams. I’m 38 years old and I love fitness. I workout at the local YMCA 5 to 6 days a week. I used to weigh 280lbs and now I’m 233 lbs and I feel great. I’m living proof that age is not a factor!

Stay focused!

Get your picture in Philly’sFITTEST!

Email jami@phillyfit.com your high-quality photo and caption, including your name, age, hometown, and where you are or what you’re doing in the photo! It’s that easy!

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PHILLYFIT | 25

Reproductively FIT

Stopping the Biological Clock

Freezing Eggs to Preserve Fertility Potential

By Dr. Sharon Anderson, PhD

M

ost women don’t realize that fertility peaks in their early twenties and decreases as they get older.

At around thirty years of age egg quality starts to decrease, making it more difficult to achieve pregnancy. Of course, many women choose to delay childbirth beyond these prime years. The good news is that women can now freeze their eggs and virtually stop the biological clock.

Preserving Fertility Potential Single women may choose to freeze eggs because they have not found the right partner yet. Women who postpone childbearing because they are in college or working on their careers can freeze eggs while they are young. In addition, women with a family history of premature menopause may wish to freeze eggs before their eggs are depleted at an early age. Some women are happily married but they are just not ready to start a family yet.

In the fall of 2009, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) issued an oocyte cryopreservation opinion that concluded that this technology holds “great promise for applications in oocyte donation and fertility preservation”.

Main Line Fertility Center (MLFC) in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania offers a new laboratory technique called vitrification for freezing human eggs. While it has long been possible to freeze sperm, eggs had proven to be more difficult due to its large size and risk of damage to the delicate cell structure during cryopreservation. Compared to slow freezing protocols used in the past, this new technique appears to significantly improve egg survival. Vitrification uses high concentrations of cryoprotectants along with ultra-rapid freezing rates to protect the delicate cell structure of the unfertilized egg. Many pregnancies and healthy births already have been achieved at the Main Line Fertility Center using this new method. Main 26 | PHILLYFIT

Line Fertility has been awarded research grants and has obtained Institutional Review Board approval to continue developing this important technology.

This new technology is also being used to preserve reproductive potential for women diagnosed with cancer. They can cryopreserve their eggs before they undergo chemotherapy, surgery or radiation treatment, which can cause infertility. The Main Line Fertility Center, in conjunction with a program called the Oncofertility Consortium, offers free fertility medication and discounted IVF services to women diagnosed with cancer.

Couples undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) who do not consider embryo freezing for ethical or moral reasons can elect to fertilize a percentage of the eggs retrieved and freeze the remaining unfertilized eggs. Therefore, there are no excess embryos and no need for the couple to make complex decisions related to embryo management.

When is the Right Time to Freeze Eggs?

In terms of freezing eggs, younger is better. Some reproductive specialists recommend freezing eggs at age thirty or even sooner. As a woman ages, more and more of her eggs will be chromosomally abnormal. Therefore, the chance of becoming pregnant decreases and the chance of a miscarriage increases. A hormone called follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), when measured on day three of the menstrual cycle, can be an indicator of egg health and ovarian reserve. Another hormone is anti-Mullerian hormone or AMH. Unlike FSH, this hormone can be measured on any day of the menstrual cycle. AMH tends to decrease with age, and FSH tends to increase with age and menopause. So, a simple blood test to measure these hormones can estimate the “biological age” of a woman’s eggs.

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FitGymAd_Layout 1 9/7/13 5:41 AM Page 1

What if it is too late?

Fertility specialists can offer many assisted reproductive technologies to overcome a lot of infertility problems. However, doctors can’t make older eggs young and healthy again. Many infertile women, who have poor egg quality or have gone through premature menopause, say they wish they had been told they had this option in college or graduate school. Women who have poor quality eggs can still become pregnant using donated eggs from a young, healthy woman.

A frozen egg bank has been incorporated into Main Line Fertility Center’s donor egg program. Women can select a young egg donor based on her medical history, physical characteristics, ethnicity and even religion. These profiles can be viewed online. Unlike traditional egg donation, there is no need to synchronize the egg donor’s menstrual cycle with that of the recipient’s when using eggs from the egg bank.

When a recipient is ready to become pregnant, the eggs can be thawed, fertilized by her partner’s (or donor) sperm, and transferred to the uterus (womb) as embryos to achieve pregnancy.

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The Path to Freezing Eggs The first step to freezing eggs and preserving fertility potential is to schedule a consultation appointment with a fertility doctor. Next, fertility medications are taken for approximately ten days to stimulate the ovaries to produce eggs. During this time, the ovarian response is monitored carefully by ultrasound and blood tests. When the eggs are ready for harvest, the physician retrieves them from the ovary while the woman is under anesthesia. Next, the eggs are frozen in the laboratory and stored in a liquid nitrogen tanks at -196 degrees Celsius. Theoretically, eggs can remain frozen for many years. When the woman wants to have a baby, the eggs are thawed for in vitro fertilization (IVF) in the laboratory. The male partner’s sperm or donor sperm can be used. The resulting embryos are cultured in an incubator for three to five days and then transferred to the woman’s uterus.

For more information about egg freezing, call (484) 380-4884 or visit www.mainlinefertility.com.

® 1116 Horsham Road, Suite #6, Ambler, PA 19002

215.643.3825 www.fitnesstogether.com/horsham

~~~ Sharon H. Anderson, PhD, HCLD is the Scientific and Laboratory Director at Main Line Fertility Center. Dr. Anderson earned her Ph.D. in Reproductive Physiology from Penn State University. She is board-certified in embryology and andrology as a High Complexity Lab Director (H.C.L.D.). She directs the embryology, andrology, and endocrinology laboratories and oversees the scientific research program at Main Line Fertility Center in Bryn Mawr, PA. Main Line Fertility Center, 825 Old Lancaster Road, Suite 170, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010, 484-380-4884, www.mainlinefertility.com.

September/October | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com

PHILLYFIT | 27

PhysicallyFIT

By Dr. Jeffrey Stupine

A

s a practicing veterinarian I am charged with helping to keep your pet healthy and fit, and a part of your family for many years to come. Preventing disease before it develops is the single best way to accomplish this goal. Preventing disease can reduce pain, lower costs to owners, and increase the overall quality and quantity of your dog’s life. It has long been known that obesity in dogs can lead to diabetes, arthritis, heart disease and numerous other co-morbidities. Lack of stimulation and proper exercise often results in behavioral problems that can be frustrating for both dogs and their owners. Establishing a sound routine early in your pet’s life is ideal. However, it is never too late to make a positive difference and a few simple ideas can go a long way. I am asked everyday for advice on how to keep pets healthy. Here are some of the most common questions asked with simple answers to help get you and your pet moving on the right path towards a healthier tomorrow.

Fit for Life

How much food, how often to feed?

Clients often ask me about how much food to feed and how often to feed them. In my opinion, dogs seem to do well with two to three feedings a day. Feeding your dog only once daily is not recommended as stomach acids can build up on an empty stomach and can lead to nausea and vomiting. The key point to remember is that dogs are most likely to defecate approximately thirty minutes after eating. If you are having difficulty with accidents in the house, consider altering your feeding schedule to accommodate the stimulation to defecate, which occurs shortly after eating.

How much food to give your dog is highly variable and is based on both the calorie amount of the food you offer and the amount of calories burned per day. When asked this question by clients I often compare their dog to Michael Phelps, the gold medal swimmer. At the height of his training, Michael Phelps was eating ten thousand calories a day! For most Americans this would result in significant obesity and a heck of a tummy ache. However, Mr. Phelps remained fit and competitive on an Olympic level. The reason, he used those calories to fuel his extensive pool training regiment, burning them off through hours of intensive physical exercise.

To evaluate if your dog is taking in more than they are burning off, palpate along the spine and visually check the thorax. One should be able to feel the vertebra along the spine and feel the ribs with mild pressure along the side of the chest. If significant fat is preventing you from finding your dog’s ribs or vertebrae, they are probably eating too much or exercising too little. If you are unsure of how to palpate and assign a proper body condition score, do not hesitate to ask your veterinarian for assistance and guidance. At my practice, routine “weight check” appointments are offered free of charge to help you meet weight goals set during annual wellness appointments.

A word about treats and “table scraps”. We all understand that there can be things beyond our own control. I appreciate owner’s honesty when in-laws, relatives, and children influence what our patients are fed and given to snack on. One strategy to counter-act these additional calories is to lower your dog’s food consumption during these times to offset the 28 | PHILLYFIT

additional calories given by others. You’re your visitors and guests to emphasize portion control by dividing treats into smaller portions and wait longer between offerings. These can minimize total calorie intake, and of course, review with guests the foods which are toxic to dogs.

How much water should my dog drink?

The average dog should drink between forty to sixty milliliters of water for every kilogram of body weight per day. For a twenty-five pound dog, that would be approximately 560 milliliters, or just over a half a liter. Of course this number varies based on many factors including heat, exercise, body surface are, and if an underlying disease state is present. Many common diseases in Veterinary Medicine (diabetes, kidney disease, Cushing’s) can be recognized early by noticing an increase in water consumption.

A clean, fresh, water supply should be available to your dog at all times. Most veterinarians recommend access to water even when food is to be restricted. Some of these include before a procedure or in the case of an upset stomach. Please check with your veterinarian and listen carefully to their instructions during your pet’s visit prior to surgery or during times of gastrointestinal upset.

How do I best protect my dog from disease?

Vaccines are the most effective way of preventing communicable disease in our pets. Puppies are at greatest risk and must be vaccinated in carefully timed intervals to prevent disease. In particular, Parvovirus is extremely dangerous and can persist in soil for up to seven months. This makes both eradication and prevention of exposure extremely difficult challenges. Dogs which acquire the disease typically begin displaying signs of vomiting and diarrhea. These ongoing losses lead to dehydration and ultimately a critically ill condition. Unfortunately, parvovirus is extremely prevalent in the Philadelphia region making the challenge very real. Vaccinating your dog is the only effective prevention.

Rabies and Bordatella vaccine, along with distemper/parvo make the “trio” of core vaccines. Rabies is mandated by law because the disease is transmissible to people. Bordatella bronchiseptica or, “kennel cough” is similar in strain to its human counter-part “whooping cough”.

All three vaccines are considered core, and should be kept up-to-date.

In addition to core vaccines, there are several other optional vaccines available. Lyme, lepto, and influenza vaccines are important based on the lifestyle and location of our pets. Ask your veterinarian if these vaccines are appropriate for your dog.

Do I really need flea and tick preventatives?

Fleas and ticks are an everyday challenge for our pets, especially in warmer months. Ticks carry the potential to transmit numerous diseases to our dogs, Lyme being the most commonly recognized in our area.

Symptoms of Lyme disease you may notice include: fever, lethargy, loss

September/October | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com

of appetite, and lameness. Sometimes pet owners even report lameness, which seems to travel from leg to leg. The target lesion or bulls-eye seen in human infection is very rarely seen on our pets. Therefore careful observation for other symptoms is our best way to diagnose early. Routine screenings for Lyme disease are also recommended to detect infection in dogs who are not displaying symptoms.

Fleas are also a real challenge to our pets. Fleas deposit eggs directly onto your dog. As your pet moves around your house these eggs fall into the floor, couches, sheets, and even the cracks of your hardwood floors. These eggs can remain dormant for up to a year, waiting for the vibration of your pet passing by, signaling it ‘s time to hatch, jump on your dog, and perpetuate the cycle. Breaking this cycle can be time consuming and costly. Talk to your vet about effective flea products and always make sure any product is safe before applying. Some flea preventatives are extremely toxic to our feline friends and your veterinarian can help you find the product that is right for your pet.

It should also be noted that fleas can transmit tapeworms through oral ingestion. This usually occurs while your dog licks at their fur, or by a live flea crawling into their mouth. Most commonly owners note the presence of “white rice” segments in their dogs poop. This can easily be treated with a de-wormer prescribed by your regular veterinarian.

How do I keep my dog “fit”?

There are so many ways to keep your dog active. Does Fido love to play fetch? How about tug of war? Most dogs appreciate a little longer walk on a nice night. All these activities and so many more can

be healthy for both you and your dog. On rainy nights or bad weather consider replacing your dog’s night on the couch with an indoor walk instead. Dogs can wear leashes indoors and taking laps around the house can even be a fun and creative way for you and your dog to bond while spending time together. Try creating an obstacle course using kitchen chairs and assorted furniture. Can your dog master the course?

Every dog is unique and I am constantly amazed by the things they live to do. The goal is to keep your dog active, burning calories, and receiving proper stimulation in a manner that is safe and right for them.

There are many factors when it comes to keeping our pets fit and healthy. Some of the most important are limiting caloric intake, providing adequate water for consumption, maintaining up to date vaccinations, keeping up with preventatives, and increasing exercise/stimulation. By using good common sense and a few of the suggestions discussed above, you can best maintain and even improve your dog’s overall health. As always, ask for your vet if you have specific questions and remember to enjoy the company of your four legged friend.

Dr. Jeffrey Stupine graduated from The George Washington University in 1999. After enjoying a successful career as an Equity Trader, he went back to school to study his true passion of veterinary medicine. After completing his training at the University Of Pennsylvania School Of Veterinary Medicine in 2010, he now enjoys practicing at Buxmont Veterinary Hospital in Feasterville-Trevose and the PSPCA on Erie Avenue. Jeffrey is the proud pet parent to Flooper and Ella, his dogs, and Harry Potter and Joshua, his cats.

September/October | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com

PHILLYFIT | 29

The Importance Importance ofof Pet Pet Photography Photography The

By Lauren Kaplan

I

t’s no question how important our pets have become in our lives.

Their role far exceeds the “family pet” moniker and in most cases, our furry fam is a vital member just like our sister or our uncle. Their love is unconditional and their loyalty shines through with every day that passes, no matter how we feel about them. This incredible bond we share with our pets is something that transcends time and space.

It is perhaps difficult to put in words, especially after saying goodbye to a beloved pet who has passed on.

What do we have left when our pets leave us: their toys and beds and leftover food? We have the memories in our minds and in our hearts, but nothing tangible to hold onto. Our pets come in and out of our lives so quickly. Sometimes we can’t even comprehend a life without our pet by our side or seeing their face the second we arrive home.

There is a true sense of emptiness when our pets leave us. The void is sometimes never filled. We get so used to their presence; the difficulties in moving on can be downright painful.

Pet photography, however, allows us to stay in those moments forever.

The normal, the daily, the present—these are the fleeting moments that we take for granted. Whether your dog is sitting in his favorite chair or your kitty is curled up next to their sunlit window, capturing these everyday instances with your pet turns them into extraordinary memories. Not only that, but these are memories that we can literally hold in our hands. The photos are tangible and powerful remembrances of how special and meaningful one’s beloved pet was and still is. The images also emphasize the uniqueness of our pets’ personalities. Every dog, cat, horse, lizard has its own identity and the photos help to reflect that individual character. By freezing these fleeting moments, we are cementing the importance of our pet throughout the rest of our lives and what they mean to us.

The question we should be asking ourselves as pet owners is not why should I hire a pet photographer, it should be when? It seems that most owners do not think about getting their beloved photographed until it is too late. Why is that? Why 30 | PHILLYFIT

do we only realize the importance of something or someone when they have left us?

This needs to change.

We need to start appreciating and commemorating our pets before we say goodbye. Studies have indicated that showing affection to our furry family dramatically increases our level of happiness. We don’t even need the scientific data to prove how happy our pets make us.

The proof is in the smile on our face whenever we walk in the door to greet them (unless, of course, our pet left us something special to clean up!)

What can you expect from a pet photography session provided by Pet Imagery? Expect the shoot to be a fun, memorable experience that completely puts the spotlight on your beloved furry family.

They are the star of the show and deserve all the attention and affection they can possibly receive.

Expect the unexpected when working with animals and understand that is all a part of the fun! In the end, you get a wonderful collection of images and an experience to remember for years to come.

The bottom line is that pet photography should not be considered a novelty purchase or a special treat. It should be considered as important a purchase as your newborn photos or wedding photography.

How will you remember your pet when it’s time to say goodbye? The photos allow us to heal and provide comfort during our grief. They also serve as powerful reminders of the extraordinary bond we share with our extraordinary pets. Schedule your pet photography session today and stay in the moments forever.

Lauren Kaplan has been a working professional pet photographer in the Philadelphia area since 2007. Her business, Pet Imagery, has been awarded #1 Best Pet Photography (Philly Hot List 2012, 2010) and Best Pet Services (2013 Philly Happening List). Lauren provides memorable pet sessions in the comfort of your home or location of choice, allowing your pet’s true personality to shine. She resides in Philadelphia, Pa with her two all-black cats, Omega and Olympus.

September/October | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com

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PHILLYFIT | 31

FamilyFIT

an ’ t rin  ltiat unnin ory 



By Leslie Hudson

our volunteer management software,” said Carrie Maria, Monster Milers’ CEO and Founder.

F

ill up water bottle. Lace up running shoes. Open running app. Fix the leash and martingale on their running buddy.

This is the pre-running routine for Monster Miler’s volunteers, whose primary mission is to connect Philadelphia runners with homeless dogs as running companions. Over 330 “Milers” or volunteers take out pre-screened dogs from PAWS Wellness Clinic in Grays Ferry, the PAWS Adoption Center in Old City and the Street Tails Animal Rescue shelter in Northern Liberties on runs throughout the city and nearby parks.

“On a more exciting front, we’d love to set up a fostering arm of The Monster Milers in which we’d pull animals directly out of the city shelter, but we can’t do so without a stable funding base. This race will help move the Milers into our next phase of development. We want to go beyond adoption advocacy and actually start placing vulnerable animals into loving homes.”

Dogs grow anxious, bored, depressed and stressed after spending the majority of their days in small, confined spaces. When they receive a visit from a potential adopter, they either give off the impression of being depressed and aloof or wild with excitement. To take the edge off, “Milers” take dogs on daily runs, anywhere from a half mile to eight miles depending on the dog.

In addition to giving dogs much needed exercise, dogs gain basic training, social skills and exposure to thousands of potential adopters during runs and adopt-a-runningbuddy events at area races. Calmer shelter dogs result in quicker adoptions and more room for the 30,000 animals that flood Philadelphia’s shelters each year.

Monster Milers will host the Rescue Run, Philadelphia’s first 5k to promote animal adoption and rescue on Sunday, September 29th at 10 a.m. at the Navy Yard. During the post-race Rescue Rally, hundreds of runners and spectators will greet adoptable dogs, enjoy favorite foods from area food trucks, and meet local vendors and rescue organizations.

“We are an all-volunteer organization and this race is going to be our first big kick-off fundraiser. Specifically, the funds will be used to keep this all moving. Let’s be frank – it’s going to cover not-so-glamorous stuff like liability insurance and 32 | PHILLYFIT

Registration costs thirty dollars until race day, when it will increase to thirty-five dollars and all runners that pre-register receive a tech-tee. Runners can register for this timed raced by visiting http://www. active.com/running/philadelphia-pa/the-rescue-run5k-2013.

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September/October | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com

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This will be my 20th year riding in the MS150 City to Shore bike ride to raise money for Multiple Sclerosis. I will be riding 75 miles Saturday 9/28 and 75 miles back on Sunday 9/29. I would greatly appreciate if you would like to sponsor me by making a donation to MS. Go online to: http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR?px=1741138&pg=personal&fr_

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PHILLYFIT | 33

The Name’s BOND, James Bond The Bond Experience

By Mary Nearpass

M

eet David Zaritsky, an extraordinarily, hard working executive and President of Roska Healthcare Advertising; quite an accomplishment for a man in his mid forties. (A brief biography of his work history can be found at the end of this article). He is happily married and the father of two terrific kids, residing in Newtown, PA. As is all too common for many executives, all the intensity of climbing the corporate ladder leads to a pinnacle point in a successful career. However, by the time David was thirty-nine, he began to realize that he didn’t make time to incorporate appropriate diet and fitness into his lifestyle, until - James Bond.

One of David’s passions outside of work is the movies.

“I’ve always been a movie buff.

I’m a well-known James Bond fan. I remember my father letting me stay up late to watch Bond films with him on TV—a ‘bonding’ experience for sure. Once I had some extra money, I began collecting movie props and costumes. Today I have one of the largest archived Bond collections in the country, and often give tours of my private collection. Additionally, I use it for charity events and have even lured had clients visit with their families. That being said, my wife wants everyone to be assured that my world-class collection is sequestered in a separate and lower level of our home.”

David was never seriously overweight, but he was not in shape due to time constraints. Entertaining clients involves many meetings around dining out. During that time period, David didn’t monitor his caloric intake or quality of nutrition because it simply wasn’t foremost in his mind.

One day, in 2007, David was watching a James Bond movie starring Daniel Craig, sat right up in his chair and thought, “If I want to be like James Bond, then I have to work on looking like him!” Most of you have seen the physique on Daniel Craig, well, right then and there, David began to turn his light bulb moment into reality.

He began intensely researching all he could online about Daniel Craig’s build, and found a gluttony of information. He went so far as seeking out a twenty-five-year old personal trainer by the name of John Fulton, who has also become his sensei and colleague. John was a stunt extra in several films and had studied nutrition and exercise. He has a seventeen year background in martial arts and is a second degree black belt. He began training David with all of the workout routines that Daniel Craig does in order to maintain his shape.

Part of making the commitment to fitness is making the time to do it.

34 | PHILLYFIT

With David’s hectic schedule, typically speaking, on workout days he gets up at 4:30 am in order to fit it in. For David, it has become therapeutic and worth the discipline it takes to rise at that time.

The next hardest part of initiating a journey of fitness is the motivation to get the body moving and the heart pumping. “Once one finds the key motivation, the journey not only begins but continues along with consistency.”

Some people work out to look better to or for others. Some people work out because of doctor’s orders. Others, like me, work out to compete with themselves, to push themselves beyond their own perceived disciplines and limits. “That all being said, I have to admit that I use James Bond as a motivator. I have a wardrobe of Bond inspired clothes and immerse myself in the Bond essence, which includes listening to Bond thumping soundtracks to keep me pumped when I’m really pushing it in my workout.”

“Will I ever hit that echelon of looking like Daniel Craig? Probably not, but that goal and bar is raised enough that I am continually striving for that mark.”

When I began to seriously commit to fitness at age forty-two, I weighed in at 188 pounds on my 5’8 ½” frame. I lost seventeen pounds rather quickly, and have worked hard to maintain this weight where my body quite easy and naturally now resides. My wife and I work out five times a week. We have two kids, one is studying at West Chester University and is quite the artist, and the other is an aspiring film maker and editor. All four of us are avid walker/hikers.”

“We love hosting theme parties at our house, watching movies, enjoying wine and good cheese. As a matter of fact, just this past October, we hosted a Fiftieth Anniversary Bond Halloween Party.” David also loves traveling and can usually rustle up an adventure or two on even the most mundane trips. He is also the chief correspondent for a cool video podcast about living the James Bond lifestyle. www.thebondexperience. com. (You can go to the Videos icon on the webpage, scroll down, and see the video of the above-named Halloween Gala.)

Body-By-Bond, also known as, “How to get the Casino Royale Body”, is a three-part video series David also developed for those of you who may be interested in striving to achieve “the Bond Body” look. Currently, the three-part series of “The Bond Body, a James Bond Video Podcast, can also be found on David’s www.thebondexperience.com webpage.

Part one trains the chest and triceps, part two concentrates on the back and biceps, and part three focuses on the shoulders. Additionally, David created a seven-minute abdominal routine that is sure to challenge.

There will also be future discussion on the importance of protein and nutrition in general. “I myself will be ‘tweaking’ my diet to lower my carbohydrates (again) and to raise my protein intake. In addition, what arbohydrates I do eat will be before 2 pm in the afternoon.”

September/October | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com

You could literally spend hours just perusing the abundance of material on David’s website, and if you are a true James Bond buff, it will most assuredly be time well spent. You can even subscribe for free to the website via email, and share your very own Bond Experience(s) under the most popular Bond Blog Posts.

All of us have “bucket lists” or things on our “to-do” list while we’re still on this earth, Close to the top of the list for David is, you guessed it, to be a stunt extra on a Daniel Craig, James Bond movie.

Something tells me that just might be one he’ll be checking off soon.

David is an authoritative voice in healthcare marketing. He has worked with most of the top and mid-level pharmaceutical companies, setting standards for best practices and helping marketer’s triumph over challenges. With over twenty-two years of experience in direct marketing, multi-channel marketing (MCM), and customer relationship marketing (CRM), he brings a broad vision to his innumerable skill

sets, which include consolidation of messaging, brand identity, as well as global and regional marketing. David is an executive member of PhRMA and a tenured member of the PDMA. His articles regarding the pharmaceutical industry have appeared in PharmaVoice, Med Ad News, and Pharmaceutical Executive Today. The readers named him one of the 100 Most Inspiring People in the Life-Sciences Industry.

September/October | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com

PHILLYFIT | 35

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PHILLYFIT | 37

SEPT/OCT

calendar of events

PLACE YOUR CALENDAR LISTING BOXED LISTINGS FOR ONLY $75 CALL 267-767-4205 Sept. 11

Sly Fox Brewery Patriot’s Day Run 5K and team relays. One free beer to all racers over 21.

Time: Registration 5:30pm; race 7pm Place: Sly Fox Brewery, 331 Circle of Progress, Pottstown, PA Phone: 610-327-4843

Sept. 14

TALK 5K Trail Run and 1 Mile Family Fun Walk Time: Registration 8:45am; race 10am Place: 395 H Bishop Hollow Rd., Newtown Square, PA Phone: 404-293-4084 Conshohocken FunFest – 5K and 1-mile fun walk.

Time: Registration 9am; race 10am Place: Sutcliffe Park, 9th & Freedley Streets, Conshohocken, PA Phone: 610-322-4826 Web: conshyfunfest.com

Sept. 22

Penn’s 5K for the IOA and Memory Mile Walk Time: Registration 6:30am; race 8am Place: Penn Park starting at Shoemaker Green between the Palestra and Franklin Field, 3451 Walnut St., Philadelphia, PA Phone: 215-349-5258

Run/Walk to Break the Silence on Ovarian Cancer Time: Registration 6:45am; race 8:30am Place: Fairmount Park, Memorial Hall, 4231 Avenue of the Republic, Philadelphia, PA Phone: 856-292-3819

Main Line Run Time: Registration 7am; race 8:30am Place: Main Line Chamber of Commerce, 175 Strafford Ave., Wayne, PA Phone: 610-449-5037

Bill’s Hills 5K Run and 1-Mile Walk Time: Registration Friday, Sept. 13, 5-7pm, and 6am race day; walk 7:45am; race 8am Place: Conwell-Egan High School, 611 Wistar Rd., Fairless Hills, PA Phone: 215-771-5885 Email: BillsHills5k@gmail.com

Ouimet for Life – 5K and 1-mile fun walk.

Time: Registration 11am; race 1pm Place: Wilson Farm Park, 500 Lee Rd., Wayne, PA Phone: 610-256-6517

Caron’s 5K Run and Sober Q Time: Registration 9am; race 10am Place: Ridley Creek State Park Section 17, 351 Gradyville Road, Newtown Square, PA Phone: 610-328-3979

Sept. 15

KPVFC 9/11 Memorial Run 5K Time: Registration 7:30am; race 9am Place: 170 Allendale Rd., King of Prussia, PA Phone: 484-686-5900 Sarah’s Joy Foundation 5K Time: Registration 8am; race 10am Place: 1023 Sycamore Mills Rd. Lot 17, Media, PA Phone: 978-408-1573 9/11 Heroes Run 5K Time: Registration 1pm; race 2pm Place: Fonthill Park, Swamp Rd., Doylestown, PA Phone: 484-686-5900

Sept. 28

Variety’s 4-Mile Dash ’n’ Bash Time: Registration 2pm; race 3pm Place: 2950 Potshop Road, Worcester, PA Phone: 610-584-4366 Miss Pat 5K Run With Heart and 1-Mile Tricia Trot Fun Walk Time: Registration 8am; race 9am Place: Country Day School of the Sacred Heart, 480 S. Bryn Mawr Ave., Bryn Mawr, PA Phone: 610-527-3915 Manayunk Tomato Trot 5K Time: Registration, 2:30pm; race 4:30pm Place: 102 Rector St., Philadelphia, PA Phone: 267-971-4351

Sept. 29

Race for the Bottom Line – 5K/1-mile walk.

Time: Registration 7:30am; race 9am Place: Manor College, Jenkintown, PA Phone: 215-887-5122

Oct. 6

Run Wild 5K Race/1-Mile Walk Time: Registration 7:30am; race 9am Place: Elmwood Park Zoo, 1661 Harding Boulevard, Norristown, PA Phone: 610-834-1040, ext. 10 LCF Halloween Hustle 5K Time: Registration 7:30am; race 9am Place: Fairmount Park, Memorial Hall, 4231 Avenue of the Republic, Philadelphia, PA Phone: 203-506-1216

Oct. 12

Women’s Distance Festival 5K Cross Country Course Time: Registration 8:30am; race 10am Place: Rose Tree Park, Media, PA Web: womensdistancefestival.com Parx Casino and Racing Octoberfest 5K And: Mile Fun Walk.

Time: Registration 8am; race 10am Place: Parx Racetrack, Bensalem, PA Phone: Beth Coale, 215-639-9000, ext. 4215 Web: parxracing.com Penn Wynne Library 5K Run & Walk Time: 9am Place: 130 Overbrook Drive, Wynnewood, PA Phone: 610-642-7844

Oct. 13

Justice for All 5K Time: Registration 7:15am; race 8:30am Place: Fairmount Park, Memorial Hall, 4231 Avenue of the Republic, Philadelphia, PA Phone: 215-981-3731 Delaware County Run for Heroes 5K Run/Walk Time: Registration 7:30am; race 9am Place: Springfield Township Building, 50 Powell Rd., Springfield, PA Phone: 484-645-9567

Oct. 19

Kids Chance of PA 5/10K Fun Walk/Run Time: Registration 12:30pm; race 2pm Place: Northwestern Avenue and Forbidden Drive, Philadelphia, PA Web: kidschanceofpa.org/events/walk_info.php

Oct. 20

Radnor Run’s For Pete’s Sake Yoga/5K/1-mile fun run.

Time: Registration 7:15am; race 8:30am Place: Radnor Middle School, Wayne, PA Phone: 610-659-2659

Sept. 17

Oct. 3

Great Valley Corporate Center 5K Time: Registration 4:30pm; race 6pm Place: 16 Great Valley Parkway, Malvern, PA Phone: 610-647-7725 Web: www.gvcc5k.com

A Dare 2 Breathe Urban Challenge Time: Registration 3:30pm; start 4pm Place: 1150 Filbert St., Philadelphia, PA Phone: 856-571-5195 Web: www.dare2breathe.webs.com

Hero Run 5K Time: Registration 9:45am; race 10:30am Place: Collegeville Station Parking Lot, 3rd Ave. and Chestnut St., Collegeville, PA Phone: 267-230-9940

Sept. 21

Oct. 5

Oct. 26

Garage Youth Center 5k Trail Run Time: Registration 7:30am; race 9am; walk 9:30am Place: Goddard Park, West Grove, PA Phone: 610-869-4400 Rob Massaroni Memorial 5K Time: Registration 7:30am; race 9am Place: Robert K. Shafer Middle School, Bensalem, PA Phone: 267-614-4950 Alex Boyes Memorial 5K Time: Registration 8am; race 9am Place: Warminster Community Park, 300 Veterans Way, Warminster, PA Phone: 484-686-5900 Meredith On The Run 5K 5K and 1-mile walk to benefit Meredith School.

Time: Registration 8am; race 9am Place: 725 S. 5th St., Philadelphia, PA Phone: 215-351-7360 5K4K9S 5K & 1-mile walk to save dogs in high-kill shelters.

Time: 9am Place: 420 Militia Hill Rd., Ft. Washington, PA Phone: 215-654-8219 Web: 5k4k9s.ezregister.com

38 | PHILLYFIT

Manna on Main Street 5K & Fun Run Time: Registration 7am; race 8am Place: Knapp Elementary School, 698 Knapp Road, Lansdale, PA Phone: 215-855-5454 Web: www.active.com/running/lansdale-pa/mannaon-main-street-race-to-help-end-hunger-in-thenorth-penn-region-2013 Haverford Township Day Run for Merry Place 5K Time: Registration 6:30am; race 8:30am Place: CREC, Havertown, PA Phone: 610-892-8121 MMRF Race for Research Time: Registration 7am; race 8:30am Place: Fairmount Park, Memorial Hall, 4231 Avenue of the Republic, Philadelphia, PA Phone: 617-204-4229 Run for Benjamin Time: Registration 8am; race 10am Place: SAP Campus, 3999 West Chester Pike, Newtown Square, PA Phone: Brian Earp, 484-995-0537 Email: runforbenjaminearp@yahoo.com Web: www.facebook.com/#!/runforbenjamin.earp

Skeleton Skurry 5K, 1-Mile Family Fitness Treat Trail, and Halloween-costume contest.

Time: Registration 8am; race 9:30am Place: Pennypack Elementary School, 130 Spring Ave., Hatboro, PA Phone: Peg Reinhardt, 215-674-4545, ext. 1130 Flyers Charities Halloween 5K and 1-Mile Fun Walk Time: Registration 8am; race 9am Place: Wells Fargo Center 3601 S. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA Phone: 215-389-9426 Web: FlyersCharities.org/5K South West Center City 5K Time: 9am Place: Julian Abele Park, 22nd and Carpenter Sts., Philadelphia, PA Web: swccrun.org Spirit Run 5K run and walk, and 1-mile fun run.

Time: Registration 7:30am; race 9am Place: St. Andrew’s School, School Lane and Foss Ave., Drexel Hill, PA Phone: Owen Quigley, 610-626-6292

September/October | 267-767-4205 | www.phillyfit.com

Oct. 26 and Nov. 28

AHA! Ambler, Hatboro, Abington Y 5K Race Series 5K and walk.

Dates and Places: Oct. 26: Hatboro YMCA, Hatboro, PA Nov. 28: Abington YMCA, Abington, PA Cost: Adults, all three, $90 Phone: 215-884-9622

Oct. 27

Radnor Run Time: Registration 7am; race 8:30am Place: Radnor Township Building, 301 Iven Ave., Wayne, PA Phone: Christy Dernlan, 610-941-9595 Web: www.lunginfo.org/RadnorRun Martins Run 5K Run/Walk to Defeat Dementia Time: Registration 7:45am; kids’ race (ages 3-10) 8:45am; 5K 9am; walk 9:15am Place: Media, PA Phone: 610-353-7660, ext. 253 Web: martins-run.donorpages.com/5KRun2013 Ongoing South Philly Striders Running Club Yo! Get in Shape!

Meets Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6am at Geno’s Steaks, Ninth St. & Passyunk Ave., Phila., PA Meets Saturdays, 8am, Front & South Sts., Philadelphia, PA Email: info@southphillystriders.com Web: www.southphillystriders.com Highroad Cycles Saturday Morning Ride Average speed is 16 mph. You should be able to comfortably ride within this average speed, including some challenging hills, over 30 to 40 miles. Ride is weather permitting. Time: 9am Place: Highroad Cycles Doylestown, 73 Old Dublin Pike, Suite 4, Doylestown, PA Phone: 215-348-8015 Web: www.highroadcycles.com Keswick Cycle Cherry Hill Road Rides Saturdays, 7:45am Distance: About 40 miles.

Return to shop no later than 11:30am. Helmets are mandatory! This is an unsupported ride. Please carry at least one tube and pump/CO2. Food and water are highly recommended. “No rider left behind on a shop ride.”

Place: Keswick Cycle Cherry Hill, 305 E. Rt. 70, Cherry Hill, NJ Email: salesstaff@keswickcycle.com Phone: 856-795-0079 Web: www.keswickcycle.com Bikesport Mountain Bike Ride Distance: 2 loops. For all levels. Mountain bike required.

Time: Saturdays, 9am Place: Green Lane (Knight Road) parking lot, Green Lane, PA Email: Ginny Politz, ginny@bikesportbikes.com Web: www.bikesportbikes.com MTB on the Pennypack Trails Meet at the Pine Road entrance to Pennypack Park, Philadelphia, PA, Tuesdays at 6:30pm and ride till about 8pm. Come enjoy the great outdoors (without cars) after dark! Lights and a trail permit are required (go to www.fairmountpark.org/ TrailPermits.asp to buy a permit). Depending on the predicted weather and/or trail conditions, the ride may be canceled or rescheduled for another evening. Call or email to confirm that the ride is on or with questions.

Phone: 215-740-0973 Email: ride_with_cb@rocketmail.com Web: www.phillybikeclub.org Weekly Tuesday Runs With the Manayunk Running Club.

Time: 6:30-9pm Place: Sports Works, 4320 Main St., Manayunk, Philadelphia, PA Email: info@manayunkrunning.com Web: www.manayunkrunning.com Weekly Wednesday Group Runs Time: 6pm Place: Jenkintown Running Club, 416 Old York Rd., Jenkintown, PA Phone: 215-887-2848 Email: bob@jenkrun.com