SPORTS 'N SPOKES

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Get Smart

It's that time of year again. The presents are unwrapped and put away. The holiday parties are over. The decadent meals have come and gone. And now we're bombarded with advertisements about gym memberships, weight-loss plans, diet pills, and meal programs. So, now what?

Establishing realistic health and nutritional goals and getting started on an exercise program at home or the local gym are the topics of the two articles in this special section.



Setting Goals

by Gillian Goodfriend

Perhaps you are thinking about last year and how you had every intention of getting more active and eating more healthfully. If you're like many Americans, you experienced frustration and even disappointment that you didn't achieve the health goals you thought you would have over the past year.

The world in which we live is extreme, and the messages all around us can be overwhelming. On one hand, everywhere we turn we see dieting ads and weight-loss gimmicks aimed at dropping a significant amount of weight in a short period of time. At the same time, we are surrounded by oversized portions, 24-hour restaurants, late-night delivery, and all-you-can-eat buffets.

With the mixed messages surrounding us, it can be difficult to know how to achieve better health in a realistic way. Author and motivational speaker Denis Watley has said, "The reason most people never reach their goals is they don't define them or ever seriously consider them as believable or achievable. Winners can tell you where they are going, what they plan to do along the way, and who will be sharing the adventure with them."

If you talk to most people and ask them what their health goals are for the New Year, generally you hear the same things: "I want to lose weight," "I want to eat better," "I want to start exercising." These are inherently good goals, but they lack definition.

First of all, when it comes to goal-setting, it's important to make sure the goals you set are something you really want, not just what sounds good or you think you should do. In addition, goals stated in the positive are much more motivating than those in the negative. For example, instead of saying, "I am not going to stay inside all day on Saturday," try "I'm going to call a friend and go for a walk or wheel around the neighborhood on Saturday instead of staying inside." Stating your goal positively will help you view it as a good thing to do and not as a result of what you had to avoid.


The author poses some questions to determine if your goals are SMART (find out what the five letters stand for), and she also discusses long- and short-term goals.



Taking the Leap
by Megan Purpora

Getting in shape and staying in shape is not easy for anyone, but for people with disabilities it is a significant challenge. According to a report conducted by Healthy People 2010, a national health promotion and disease prevention initiative, an astonishing 56% of individuals with disabilities get no physical activity.

By using an American fixture, the gym or health club, many people with disabilities can introduce exercise into their lifestyles and reverse the statistic previously listed. The key to creating and maintaining a fitness action plan is choosing the right gym.

Commercial Gyms

Believe it or not, most large commercial gym chains already have equipment accessible for people with disabilities, as many pieces of popular items are designed with adjustable features.

"Life Fitness is committed to providing equipment that is suitable for exercisers of all abilities," says Stephanie Weiss, spokesperson for Life Fitness, a global leader in the design and manufacture of fitness equipment for commercial and home use. "Our exercise bikes and treadmills allow for easy access for all exercisers. There are modified level controls on the handlebars, a new color for the seat-height adjustment arm, a tactile label for the seat position, a special pedal with a heel strap, and a platform to reduce the step height. In addition, contrast lines and a larger logo are on the edge of the running belt to assist visually impaired exercisers."

Just by thinking smart, a gym can make a few simple changes that are quick and effective for all members. One easy adjustment is to optimize the layout of the physical space to accommodate a variety of people.

Specialized Programs

Many communities offer full-day programs for people with disabilities. Some of these "day habilitation" programs include exercise components.

Programs like the Liberty Club in Baltimore, operated by Chimes Maryland, focus on the concerns of each individual. Its exercise rooms are carefully equipped and supervised by specially trained staff.

"Once the physician's referral is complete, allowing the individual to engage in physical activity, the Liberty Club's medically certified staff works with the pace of the given person. We use video instructions and outside facilities to allow for a wide range of activities," says director of Vocational Services for Chimes Maryland, Pam Ledsome.


In this article the key word is LEAPS—find out about the five guidelines in helping you choose the appropriate gym for you.

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