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PUT YOURFEET FIRST
How to Choosethe Right RunningShoes for You
Gold Medalist
ALY
RAISMAN
TALKS ABOUTHER OLYMPICCAREER AND
WHAT TOEXPECT THIS
SUMMERIN RIO
7 Key ChangesTO THE U.S.
DIETARY
GUIDELINES GET
MOTIVATEDCHALLENGE YOURSELF
WITH THE ULTIMATEFITNESS BUCKET LIST
MAKING
A DIFFERENCE Shabnam Islam
Is a New Kind of
Fitness Crusader
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O X Y M O R O NHello SPEED CUSHION.
Introducing The Clayton. Maximal cushion. Minimal weight. So you can fly.
hokaoneone.com
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COVER STORY
14 Finding a Perfect Balance After leading her squad to multiple medals in the 2012 Summer
Games, gymnast Aly Raisman faces new challenges as she competes for
for another shot at glory in Rio this summer.
By Chris Mann
TRAINING & LIFESTYLE
22 2016 Spring Shoe Review Put some stylish spring in your step this spring with these top choices
for running and fitness footwear.
By Cregg Weinmann
24 The Ultimate Fitness Bucket List Need a goal to motivate you? Do you suffer from fitness FOMO?
Then check out this list of physical challenges and adventures to try.
By Jim Brandt
28 She Contains Multitudes Personal trainer, kinesiology professor, physique competitor, TV
host—Shabnam Islam is a force in the fitness world.
By Jim Schmaltz
NUTRITION
18 New Rules (for better nutrition) The Dietary Guidelines for Americans have been revamped. Here are
the seven key takeaways from these well-researched rules.
By Alexandra Black, MPH, RD, LDN
DEPARTMENTS/COLUMNS
4 Welcome
5 The Active! Life News and notes on all things fitness, health and nutrition.
Compiled by the Editors
12 Food Smarts: How To Get Kids To Eat Right Here are some tips and resources to help you keep your family healthy.
By Stacy Achua
32 Results: Thomas McNamara Setting goals and getting serious helped this
young man to realize his lifelong dreams.
10Never miss aworkout again.
Contents
6The wondersof fiber.
24
12
Find your fitness bliss.
18Making smartfood choices.
Feed yourchildren well.
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Volume 12 issue 1. Get Active! magazine (ISSN 1520-8397) is printed twice yearly in the U.S.A. and is distributed through leading gyms and health club facilities. ©2016 by
IHRSA. Title is protected through a trademark registration in the U.S. Patent Office. Canada Post International Publications Mail (Canadian Distribution) Sales Agreement No.
1041622. Published by IHRSA, 70 Fargo Street, Boston, MA 00221. All Rights Reserved. Third Class Postage paid at Pewaukee, Wis. POSTMASTER: Send address changes
to: Get Active!, c/o IHRSA, 70 Fargo Street, Boston, MA 00221. Please enclose mailing label or call (800) 228-4772. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is pro-
hibited. Canadian GST#893770475. Printed in the U.S.A. Neither IHRSA nor Get Active! magazine is affiliated with any healthcare practitioner, health-food store or healthcare
facility. Every effort has been made to establish that the individuals and firms in Get Active! are reputable and will give reliable service. The appearance of these advertisements
does not constitute an endorsement by Get Active! or IHRSA. Get Active! does not endorse any form of medical treatment, nor does it encourage you to undertake any such
treatment on your own. We urge you to see your family physician before undertaking any kind of medical treatment. IHRSA accepts no responsibility or liability, either e xpresse d
or implied, for any products featured, advertised or demonstrated herein.
EDITORIAL Jim Schmaltz EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
Jay Ablondi PUBLISHER
Pamela Bunn MANAGING EDITOR
ART
Lee Corbin ART DIRECTOR
PRODUCTION Tami Georgeff CONSULTING PRODUCTION DIRECTOR
CONTRIBUTORS
Stacy Achua, Alexandra Black, Jim Brandt, Chris Mann,
Thomas McNamara, Kristen Walsh, Cregg Weinmann
ADVERTISING SALES
ihrsa.org/cbi
Main Office Number(800) 228-4772
(617) 951-0055
fax: (617) 951-0056
Michele Eynon VICE-PRESIDENT OF ADVERTI SING
(617) 316-6760
Meghan Tassinari SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
(617) 316-6801
Mireille Rivara SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIV E
(516) 442-2682
Will Finn ADVERTISING BUSINESS DEV ELOPMENT
(617) 316-6755
CIRCULATION AND SUBSCRIPTIONKristen Walsh ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER
INTERNATIONAL HEALTH, RACQUET & SPORTSCLUB ASSOCIATION Joe Moore PRESIDENT & CEO
Anita Lawlor CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
Helen Durkin EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF PUBLIC POLICY
Jay Ablondi EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF GLOBAL PRODUCTS
IHRSA
Seaport Center
70 Fargo St., Boston, MA 02210
ihrsa.org
healthclubs.com
Copyright 2016 IHRSA
2 IHRSA | www.hea l thc lubs .com
l I l l l l l
I l I l l l l
l I ll l :
: I l l l l l ll l
I l l l l
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GA! on the WebVisit HealthClubs.com
Find more fitness infoand a club directory at
HealthClubs.com.
HealthClubs.comUnlike magazines, an active lifestyle
doesn’t take weeks off. That’s where
HealthClubs.com comes in. This
comprehensive site begins where
the publication ends, providing an
ongoing conversation with the
fitness community, where training,
nutrition and lifestyle tips can be
gleaned from a multitude of resourc-
es. HealthClubs.com also features
a search engine that locates quality
health clubs
anywhere you might be, highlighting
those facilities that participate in
the IHRSA Passport Program.
Stay in touch with the global fit-
ness community by regularly visiting
HealthClubs.com.
LIKE US ON FACEBOOK!
Join the red-hot Get Active!
online community at Facebook.com/GetActiveMagazine. You’ll
get magazine updates, quick
polls, fitness tips and meet
other active people who love to
live fit and healthy lives.
I
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4 IHRSA | www.hea l thc lubs .com
Truth be told, there is no medicine known
to mankind that has the protective power
of regular exercise. Consider these undisputed
facts: Regular exercise…
• reduces the risk of premature death;
• lowers the risk of heart disease, type 2
diabetes, hypertension, breast cancer, colon
cancer, and stroke;
• relieves depression, anxiety, stress,
and insomnia;
• lowers resting heart rate, reduces choles-
terol, and increases metabolic efficiency;
• is essential for weight loss andweight management.
Every day, more and more doctors, health
educators and health journalists are contin-
ually communicating these benefits. As a
result, the general population has become
more aware of the “magic” power of exercise,
and the implications for society over the
long-term is decidedly positive.
Research has also shown that people tend
to have substantially more success adhering to
There Ought To Be A Pill…Wait! There Is!Exercise is the magic cure you seek.
ABOUT IHRSA
The International Health, Racquet
& Sportsclub Association (IHRSA)is a nonprofit trade association
representing health clubs, fitness
facilities and industry suppliers
worldwide. Every day, IHRSA
members help millions of people
obtain better health through
exercise. To find a quality IHRSA
club, visit healthclubs.com.
CEO & PRESIDENT
Joe Moore
IHRSA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Molly Kemmer
Chairperson
MediFit Corporate Services/EXOS
Jim Worthington
Newtown Athletic & Aquatic Club
Derek Gallup
New Evolutions Ventures
Jim Zupancic
Stafford Hills Club
Larry Conner
Stone Creek Club and Spa
Missy Moss
Nike Athletic Centers
Ray O’Connor
Wisconsin Athletic Club
Mark Stevens
The Houstonian Club & Spa
Gustavo Borges
Academia Gustavo Borges
Allison Flatley
Corporate Fitness Works
Rasmus IngerslevkFitness World & Wexer Virtual
Bill Beck
Club Fit Jefferson Valley
Robert Brewster
Ex-officia
The Alaska Club
::Publisher’sWelcome
their exercise regimen if they belong to a health
club or social group than those who do not.
For millions of men and women of all ages,
their involvement with a health club has
become an integral part of their lives. Their
health club is not only a place where they
work out, but it is also a place where theyoften connect with friends and neighbors—
and meet new like-minded friends, too.
By belonging to a health club, you’ve made
a life-affirming choice to take control of your
own destiny. And by making Get Active!
available to you, your health club has made a
commitment to you, a promise to provide you
with all the tools and resources you need to
meet your fitness goals.
More than 63 million (one in five) Americans
utilized a health club last year. Our ranks grow
each year—and with each new convert, the
exercise cure begins to work its magic.
Speaking of cures, the leaders of the world-
wide fitness industry gathered in Orlando in
March to celebrate IHRSA’s 35th Anniversary.
One highlight of the week was a gala event
that raised money for Augie’s Quest, an
aggressive, cure-driven, not-for-profit associ-
ation focused on treating amyotrophic lateral
sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s
disease. Get Active! is proud to have support-
ed Augie’s Quest since its inception 11 years
ago. Over the past decade, Augie’s Quest has
raised more than $45 million that has gonedirectly toward finding treatments and cures
for ALS. I encourage you to learn more about
how you can help by visiting and supporting
augiesquest.org.
Yours in health,
Jay Ablondi
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S E P T E M B E R / O C T O B E R 2 0 0 5 5
TheActive!Life| | E x e r c i s e | | F i t n e s s | | H e a l t h | | W e l l n e s s | | F o o d | | N u t r i t i o n | | B Y T H E E D IT O R S
T h i n k s t o c k
EXERCISE & FITNESS
Smart Choice:Working out is a proven
brain booster.
Join A Gym, Add 10 Years To Your Brain
Regular exercise helps seniorsearn an extra decade of improvedcognitive function.
Maintaining a healthy brain while you age
depends on numerous factors, but research
continues to support the role of exercise in extend-
ing cognitive health in seniors. A new study pub-
lished in Neurology discovered that older adults
who engaged in moderate-to-intense exercise
retained a higher level of brain health than those
who didn’t. In fact, the seniors who weren’t active
displayed an extra 10 years of “brain aging” com-
pared to those who did exercise regularly.
In the study, mental capacity was measured
in tests that determined “processing speed” and
reliability of memory. And while the mechanism
of exercise’s effect on the brain wasn’t complete-
ly clear, researchers believe that greater blood
flow and other improved health markers may
be factors. The average age of study subjects
was 71 years old.
Another recent study found that lack of
fitness in your middle-age years raises your chances of developing dementia
later in life. According to research from
the Academy of Finland, those aged
about 50 years old with poor fitness lev-
els are four times more likely to develop
dementia within 30 years than fit people.
THE TAKEAWAY These studies join other research
demonstrating the strong connection between
exercise and brain health for aging adults. Try to
engaging in moderate levels of exercise at least
three times per week.
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Fitness inmiddle-age helpsreduce cancerand heartattack riskOne study discovered that
men who are fit at midlife
have a reduced risk of can-
cer by 33% over those who
aren’t fit (JAMA Oncology);
and another study foundthat those who are fit in their
50s are unlikely to die of car-
diac arrest during exercise.
(Circulation)
Weight trainingincreasesblood healthThose using resistance training
increased the width of their red
blood cells, a sign of healthier
cardiovascular system.
(Circulation)
TheActiveLife || EXERCISE & FITNESS
6 IHRSA | g e t a c t i v e ma g a z i n e . c o m
That’s the percentage of Americans who lead a healthy lifestyle,
according to the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Survey. The criteria
used for a healthy lifestyle were not smoking, engaging in moderate
exercise, eating a healthy diet and having a normal range of body fat.
Moms who want to give their newborns a
running start in life should keep their
gym memberships active well into their preg-
nancy. A new study by scientists at the Baylor
College of Medicine have found that children
born to mothers who exercised during pregnancy
are much more likely to stay active long aer
leaving the womb.
While the Baylor study was with mice, the
researchers note that their results dovetail
with other studies that have found similar
results. Senior author of the study, Robert A.
Waterland, PhD, says that the offspring of
active moms were 50% more likely to exercise
than those born from sedentary mothers.
Waterland says the controls in the mice study
make these results more applicable to human
subjects. “We studied genetically identical mice
and carefully controlled the amount of physical
activity of the mothers before pregnancy,” says
Waterland. The study was published in the
FASEB Journal.
THE TAKEAWAY If you’re pregnant, speak to
your doctor about engaging in an appropriate
exercise routine. You just may be giving your
baby a valuable life advantage.
ExerciseRx
BORN READY:
FITNESS STARTS
IN THE WOMB
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Thinkstock;iStockphoto
GET ACTIVE! 7
Training Day 1
Q Machine abdominal crunch:
30 reps
Q Hyperextension: 15 reps
Q High-cable pulldown: 25 reps
Q Side-to-side bend: 25 reps
Q Hanging leg lift: 15 reps
Q Bar twist: 15 reps
Training Day 2
Q Decline crunch: focus right
and left side, 15 reps each;
straight, 20 reps
Q Leg raise off bench:
20 reps
Q Bar twist: 30 reps
Q Side-to-side bend: 30 reps
If you’re serious about taking your core muscles to another
level, here’s a two-day-a-week routine to really concentrate
on your abdominals. While you wouldn’t want to train other
muscle groups more than once per week, abs are a different
story, and can benefit from the extra work. Just separate theworkouts by 3-5 days to recover from soreness and go for it!
DO THIS ROUTINE!
ABS YOU CAN BE PROUD OF
FIT FACT:A study found that overweight men lost more fat
and less muscle while doing a combined program
of weight training and aerobic exercise. Those who did only aerobic exercise
lost 78% as fat; and those men who dieted and performed aerobic exercise and
strength training lost a whopping 97% as fat! (Source: Medicine & Science in
Sports & Exercise)
[ research shows ]
Lack of exercise
worse thanobesity formortality riskIn a study of 334,000
European men and women,
researchers found that lack
of physical activity had an
increased association with
early death than those consid-
ered obese. (American Journal
of Clinical Nutrition)
More Exercise =More Fat Loss forOlder WomenPostmenopausal women who
exercised five hours per week
lost significantly more body fat
than women who worked out
for half that time. The women
who exercised also developeda more pleasing waist-to-hip
ratio. (JAMA Oncology)
Beginning your weight-training set with
a single set of light weight may increase
your muscle-building results, says new
research in the European Journal of Applied
Physiology . The process works like this:
• For your first set, use lights weights—
about 20% of your 1-rep max (1RM)—for as
many reps as it takes to reach failure.
• Rest 30 seconds, then do 3 sets of reps
with 75% of 1RM, with one minute of rest
between sets.
Researchers noted that the subjects whotrained this way built more muscle mass
than those who skipped the first light set.
THE TAKEAWAY Give this method a try and
see if you increase your results.
LIGHTEN UP
TO BUILD UP
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8 IHRSA | g e t a c t i v e ma g a z i n e . c o m
TheActiveLife || F O O D & N U T R I T I O N
LOSE FIGHT, GAIN MUSCLEAT THE SAME TIMEScientists at McMaster University in Canada
rolled up their sleeves in service to finding the
secret sauce to solve the puzzle of losing bodyweight while adding muscle mass. The research-
ers took a group of 40 men and put them on a
weight-training regimen with a low-calorie diet.
However, one group of men received a high-pro-
tein, low-calorie diet, while the other group con-
sumed much lower quantities of protein.
In the end, both groups lost weight, but only
the high-protein group gained muscle.
“These guys were in rough shape, but that
was part of the plan. We wanted to see how
quickly we could get them into shape: lose some
fat, but still retain their muscle and improve
their strength and fitness,” says Stuart Phillips,
a professor in the department of kinesiology atMcMaster and senior investigator of the study.
“We expected the muscle retention, but were a
little surprised by the amount of additional fat
loss in the higher-protein-consuming group.”
THE TAKEAWAY The results may not surprise
trainers who have long recommended higher
levels of protein than is usually recommended
by mainstream nutritionists. The study, pub-
lished in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,
will be followed up by the team at McMaster with
another one focusing on women.
JUNK FOOD JUNKS UPTHE BRAIN
Eating high-fat foods ravage the gutand affect brain circuits.High-fat diets harmgood bacteria in thestomach and inflamebrain regions that control appetite.( Appetite)
Eat Less
With A
Fiber DoseTo help control appetite,
try adding a 20–30-g dose
of fiber per day to your
diet. Researchers from the
University of Liverpool found
that the addition of fiber
made people feel less hungry
and eat 5% less food, which
can make a big difference in
your weight-loss goals.
THE TAKEAWAY Fiber is
relatively inexpensive andimproves numerous physi-
ological functions. Add it to
smoothies if you don’t like
taking it on its own.
[ research says… ]
Fry your foods inolive oil.If you just can’t help yourself
from frying your foods, use
extra virgin olive oil, which
will increase antioxidants
that boost overall health.
(Food Chemistry)
Drinking lots ofgreen tea rejuve-nates skin.Five cups of green tea daily
improved skin quality and
helped protect skin from
ultraviolet radiation, accord-
ing to a study in the Journal
of Nutrition.
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train smart . TRAIN HARD
I H R S A . O R G / S T O R EY o u r r e s o u r c e c e n t e r TM
s
s
e
es
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sparked an old idea that had been shelved
for more than five years.
Ablondi and Stan Tran, IHRSA’s
association management systems admin-
istrator, had started working on a
children’s book in the late 2000s
but put it on hold due to time
restraints and the recession.
With his new revelation,
he went to Tran and seta deadline to finish, and
publish, the book.
“Active from A to Z” is
IHRSA’s first foray into pub-
lishing a children’s book. The
56-page publication is full of bright
illustrations by Tran that complement
Ablondi’s rhyming about animals being
active and accompanying fun facts.
“I feel I have good editorial instincts,
but I never thought myself as a writer
or author,” says Ablondi, who oversees
IHRSA’s magazines and reports. “I know
how hard it is to write a book and know
how much talent it takes.”
Tran is no stranger to drawing, as he
is the man behind IHRSA’s CBI magazine
cartoon, “Out of Shape.” Tran says the two
are not so different, as he often featuresanimals in the monthly strip.
“I think there was a smooth transition.
The book and cartoon have the same art
style … and both involve animals,” says
Tran, who also has a comic strip for From
Scratch Pet Food.
IHRSA dipping into the children’s book
pool shouldn’t be too surprising. Part of the
organization’s mission is to help provide
solutions for the growing obesity epidemic
and dearth of inactivity by both adults and
children. So, a book that IHRSA envisions
will get kids interested in exercise with
their parents’ participation fits in perfectly.
WILL INSPIRE ADULTS, TOO
“This book will introduce them to other
sports. Kids and parents need to under-
stand that exercise needs to be part of
their lives,” Ablondi says. “The
idea of the book is to help
parents understand that
not everything is sitting
in front of a computer
screen and watching TV.They can do new sports
like racquetball or skate-
boarding over time, but
why not expose them when
they are first learning?”
With bears playing baseball,
cheetahs on cycles and elephants on ellip-
ticals, children will be introduced to new
animals, physical activities and
exercise equipment.
Conveniently, another part of IHRSA’s
:: IHRSAWire
10 IHRSA | www.hea l thc lubs .com
Have Passport, Will TrainHitting the Road This Summer? Hit the Gym, Too, with IHRSA’s Passport program.KRISTEN WALSH, ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER, IHRSA
IF YOU ARE A MEMBER OF A HEALTH
club that participates in the IHRSA
Passport program, you are entitled to dis-
counted (or even free, in some cases) guest
privileges at a worldwide network of health
clubs when you travel. Guest fees are dis-
counted by at least 50% for a minimum of
one visit. Passport guests may only visit
clubs that are located at least 50 miles/80
kilometers away from their home club. Logon to healthclubs.com/passport for details
and to find participating health clubs.
MAKING FITNESS FUN FOR KIDS
When Jay Ablondi, IHRSA’s executive
vice president of global products, was
reading to his daughter Elle, now 5½,
he noticed there were plenty of alphabet
books, but not necessarily many that had
a message of exercise.
That gave him an idea. Or, actually,
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mission is to help grow the industry and
its member clubs. Those reading the book
now could easily be future members of
IHRSA clubs.
“For our industry, the idea is that it’s
never too early to instill healthy exercise
habits,” Ablondi ays. “Most of the mil-
lions of health club members in the world
are adults. Many health clubs may not
cater to kids but they can convey the mes-
sage to parents to instill exercise habits
and make it fun to exercise at an early age.
They want their children to live healthy
lives, and what better way than to have
exercise be part of their daily routine?”
IHRSA associate member Helix, creator
of the Lateral Trainer, decided to sponsor
the book. President Lenny Snyderman
says the book struck a chord with him
and that is why he decided to have Helix
be a part. He says he feels kids these days
don’t heed the words he often heard as a
child: “Go outside and play.”
“Today, we see less and less of [kids
exercising] with limited freedom due to
safety concerns as well as the growingdependence on ‘electronic’ activities,”
Snyderman says. “I was very pleased
to see someone taking the time to write
about children and fitness while utilizing
the power of IHRSA to raise a subject that
really needs more focus in our country.”
Jim Schmaltz, editor of IHRSA’s Get
Active! magazine, and designer Samantha
Cuozzo contributed to the book. If you’re
interested in purchasing please visit
ihrsa.org/active-a-to-z. K r i s t e n W a l s h ( 2 )
GET ACTIVE! 11
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::FoodSmarts
How To Get Kids To Eat RightBegin with the basics—e.g., breakfast, healthier snacks—and build from there.
BY STACY ACHUA
12 IHRSA | www.hea l thc lubs .com
It’s one of the most difficult challenges parents face: getting
your children to eat healthy. While it seems impossible at times,
there are a number of simple steps you can take to tilt the odds
in favor of your kids getting the nutrition they need to be healthy
and happy.
One thing’s for sure: It matters. Research continues to support
the importance of a healthy diet for small children and adoles-
cents, even when it comes to mental health and cognitive abilities.
The need for more effort for family nutrition is clear. Obesity
rates have nearly tripled among youth over the past three
decades. Today, about 1 in 3 children and teens in the U.S. is con-
sidered overweight or obese.
So here are some steps to take to keep your family healthy and
happy at the dining room table.
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DAILY GUIDELINES FOR CHILDREN’S NUTRITION *
Here’s what experts at the Mayo Clinic recommend for children and adolescents.
Children ages 2–3
Calories: 1,000–1,400
Protein: 2–4 oz
Fruits: 1–1.5 cups
Vegetables: 1–1.5 cups
Grains: 3–5 oz
Dairy: 2 cups
Children ages 4–8
Calories: 1,200–2,000
Protein: 3–5.5 oz
Fruits: 1–2 cups
Vegetables: 1.5–2.5 cups
Grains: 4–6 oz
Dairy: 2.5 cups
Girls ages 9–13
Calories: 1,400–2,200
Protein: 4–6 oz
Fruits: 1.5–2 cups
Vegetables: 1.5–3 cups
Grains: 5–7 oz
Dairy: 3 cups
Boys ages 9–13
Calories: 1,600–2,600
Protein: 5–6.5 oz
Fruits: 1.5–2 cups
Vegetables: 2–3.5 cups
Grains: 5–9 oz
Dairy: 3 cups
Girls ages 14–18
Calories: 1,800–2,400
Protein: 5–6.5 oz
Fruits: 1.5–2 cups
Vegetables: 2–3.5 cups
Grains: 6–8 oz
Dairy: 3 cups
Boys ages 14–18
Calories: 2,000–3,200
Protein: 5.5–7 oz
Fruits: 2–2.5 cups
Vegetables: 2.5–4 cups
Grains: 6–10 oz
Dairy: 3 cups
* Data from the mayoclinic.org
GET ACTIVE! 13
Set the right example.This seems obvious, but you may sur-
prise yourself with how much unhealthy
food you may eat in front of your kids. Be
mindful of your own habits, especially
when the young ones are around.
Replace junk food withhealthy snacks.
Food companies are becoming much bet-ter at creating tasty finger foods that can
replace those treats with heavy calories.
While your kids may demand a specific
favorite you may disapprove of, you can
always augment their cravings with fruits
or low-calorie replacements. It’s OK to
start with minor changes, especially if
you have fussy eaters to deal with. Small
reductions in fat and sugar add up.
Make breakfast mandatory.New research published in Public Health
Nutrition found that kids who eat break-
fast tend to get higher grades in school.
Starting the day with breakfast is also
linked to children eating better through-
out the rest of the day. With 8–12% of
school-age children skipping breakfast,
and 20–30% of adolescents missing the
first meal of the day, it’s clear that moreparents need to strongly encourage chil-
dren to eat in the morning.
Eat as a family as oftenas possible. This not only helps boost family cohe-
sion, but it also makes for healthier fam-
ilies. Research shows that children who
don’t eat with their families at least twice
a week were 40% more likely to be over-
weight than kids who do eat with their
families. One reason is that home-cooked
meals tend to be more nutritious than
other options.
Don’t be too strict.Being too restrictive with what your chil-
dren eat can backfire. Making healthy
choices should always be framed in pos-
itive ways, or else your child will rebel
and associate good nutrition with nega-
tive reinforcement.
Use free resources to help create
nutritious habits.You don’t have to be a dietitian to make
healthy meal choices for your family. One
resource you can try is choosemyplate.
gov, which has a number of tools to help
you track your meals and support overall
healthy eating. Created by the USDA, the
site offers advice specifically designed for
multiple age groups, including small chil-
dren and adolescents. Nutrition.gov is
another site that provides information and
guidelines on healthy eating for children.
Families who eat together are healthier!
Research shows that children who don’t eat with their
families at least twice a week were 40% more likely to be
overweight than kids who do eat with their families.
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emember Mary Lou Retton and Mitch Gaylord? Back
in the day, U.S. gymnasts who struck Olympic gold
made off with their shiny neckwear and retired theirstar-spangled leotard. So why has Aly Raisman, who
nabbed two gold medals and one bronze at the 2012 Summer
Olympics in London, opted for an Olympic encore in Rio this
August, subjecting her post-teen body (she turns 22 in May) to
a few extra years of strain and pain?
“I felt like I wasn’t done,” Raisman says between training ses-
sions at Brestyan’s American Gymnastics Club in Burlington, Mass.
“When I finished with the [2012] Olympics I did take a year off, but
I always knew that I wanted to come back. My gut was telling me
I wasn’t done with gymnastics yet. And I’m kind of addicted to it.
I love it and I work hard. I want to win. I think about winning 24/7.”
Not that the telegenic athlete hasn’t already made quite the
name for herself on and off the stadium floor. During her “year
off,” Raisman cha-cha’d her way to the finals on “Dancing withthe Stars” and solidified her role-model status with girls and
young women by espousing the importance of a healthy self-
image—no matter your body type.
“Cosmopolitan just did an article online listing me with
Lindsey Vonn, Misty Copeland and other athletes, stating how
we’ve all said we’re not a size zero and we’re OK with that,”
Raisman says. “I don’t have the typical gymnastics body type.
We all try so hard to fit in, to look a certain way, but we all have
different body types, and it’s OK to be a size zero—but it’s also
OK not to be.” The natural beauty extends her message of self-
care as the new ambassador for Revision Skincare.
14 IHRSA | wwwhea l t hc lubs .c o m
a perfectbalance
As Olympic star Aly Raisman seeks to earn a spot
on the Rio squad, the gymnast explains how she
deals with competitive pressure, body acceptance
and a brutal training schedule.
BY CHRIS MANN
r
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GET ACTIVE! 15
bouncing back Raisman’s winning attitude and work(out) ethic are ways of life
that may have developed in the womb. Her mother, a formerhigh school gymnast, enrolled the duo in “Mommy and Me” gym-
nastics classes. Just months after graduating from high school,
Raisman captained the U.S. women’s gymnastics team, alias
The Fierce Five, to a team gold in London—all while capturing
Olympic gold in the floor exercise (the first U.S. woman to do so)
and a bronze on the beam.
Raisman seemed to hit the perfect balance of mind-body con-
trol, especially during her stellar floor performance. “I’ve learned
when I compete—and I think the other girls [would agree]—that
the less you overthink, and kind of let your body use muscle
memory, the better. I’ve been doing some of these routines for
years, and I work out some days up to seven hours, so by the
time the meet comes, I’m always prepared.”
But nerves got the best of her at the 2015 World Championshipsin Glasgow in October. Raisman tumbled out of bounds during her
floor event, placing her a disappointing fifth in the all-around, and
was edged out of competing in the final.
Still, she remains determined to make her second Olympic
team. “Everyone has rough days,” she says. “Of course, I wish
I had done better. But I think everything happens for a reason, so
I’m using it for motivation. Because obviously next summer is the
most important.”
As the road to Rio shortens, Raisman reflects on the training
and nutrition that have made her a powerhouse gymnast and
fierce inspiration the world over.
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16 IHRSA | w w w .he al t hc l ubs .c o m
take a nap and a bath. And I use sleeves
called NormaTec. It’s like this machine
that compresses my legs, my lower back
and hips. It works great for recovery. And
then my workout is from 5–9 p.m. By the
end of the day, I’m really exhausted. Myeyes are like half closed by my last event.
Gymnastics is probably one of the only
sports where you don’t have an off sea-
son—you’re always going. I got one day
off after World Championships, then I was
back at the gym. It’s always go, go, go.
The day after the meet, my coach [Mihai
Brestyan] says, is always preparation for
the next competition. He’s old school and
Romanian, and they don’t really believe
in taking breaks. So I trust him.
GA: What type of gymnastics training
gives you such strength and power for
your floor routine?
AR: When I do two workouts a day, I’ll
do about an hour and a half of cardio and
conditioning [in between event rehearsals].It’s not like in the movie “Stick It” where
they show [gymnasts] running in and
going around the floor a couple of times
and stretching. You really have to train
your body to endure all of the tumbling
and pounding that it takes, because you’re
flipping, and there’s so much force when
you land. Especially if you try to stick your
landing versus taking a step, there’s so
much more shock on your body, and it
hurts more. It takes a lot of conditioning
GET ACTIVE: How are you feeling about
your chances for more Olympic gold?
Aly Raisman: I feel good. In 2012,
I exceeded my expectations. I hope it
goes well in 2016, but if it doesn’t, I’m
still always going to be an Olympicchampion. It’s amazing just to do it once.
Hopefully I can do it again, but I have to
tell myself that if it doesn’t happen,
I can’t let it be the end of the world.
GA: Is it fair to say you’re now eating,
sleeping and breathing your training?
AR: Yes. Monday, Wednesday and Friday
I go [to the gym] in the morning and at
night. So I’ll do 8:30 a.m. to 11 or 11:30
a.m. Then I’ll come home and usually
“The ESPN Body Issue was the most fun I’ve had and most comfortable I’ve
ever been at a photo shoot. It’s given me the confidence to just go out there
and be completely naked and show off how hard I work for it every day.”
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GET ACTIVE! 17
to hold your body up, especially when
you’re doing so many numbers every
single day.
GA: Which weight-baring exercises give
you your muscular physique?
AR: People always ask me if I bench
press or lift. But we pretty much only
do body-weight exercises. The [main]
thing I use weights on is when I do hand-
stands against the wall and put 2- or 3-lb
weights around my ankles. I’ll hold the
handstand for about a minute. I do one
exercise with a medicine ball on my back.
And I do squats with 25-lb weights on
each arm; it’s actually just bending your
knees and elevating [versus] squatting
with a huge amount of weight like peopledo at the gym. Sometimes I still have to
climb a rope with a 10-lb weight around
my legs. It’s kind of scary. Lately I’ve
been doing just a 3-lb weight. Since I just
got back from World’s, I guess that’s my
coach’s way of letting me rest. [ Laughs]
GA: How often do you eat to fuel these
relentless workouts?
AR: I’m not one of those people who
just have breakfast, lunch and dinner.
I like to eat small meals every hour and a
half to two hours. Then I don’t get to the
point where I’m absolutely starving. I feel
like I have more energy. Of course, I’m
working out so much that I do sometimes
feel exhausted or sluggish. And that’s
why you need to refuel your body. I think
people don’t understand the impact that
having the right food and hydration has.
GA: What foods keep you revved up for
maximum fitness?
AR: I’ve learned that carbs before a work-
out are everything, at least for me. I thinkit’s the secret to having a good workout
and being fit. I have brown rice a lot. In
the morning, I’ll eat skim milk with cereal
and whole wheat toast. Everyone thinks
carbs are the enemy, but there are a lot of
healthy options. I love watermelon. And a
banana before a workout is great. I have a
banana and a granola bar in my bag at the
gym. After my warm-up, if I feel like I’m
losing energy, I’ll have something to eat.
and am not super tired, I’ll do a face
mask. It makes me feel like I’m having a
little mini-spa day. I look forward to put-
ting on my skincare products. It’s refresh-
ing and makes me feel good. It makes me
feel pretty, so I like doing it. [ Laughs]
GA: Being confident in your own skin
is a core message you embody. How
did posing nude in 2015 for ESPN
the Magazine put this to the test for
you personally?
AR: It was funny because the ESPN Body
Issue for some reason was the most fun
I’ve had and most comfortable I’ve ever
been at a photo shoot. I know that sounds
so weird, but it was one of my most favor-
ite shoots I’ve ever done just because itwas so empowering. It was so amazing to
be able to feel that comfortable.
I wouldn’t have been able to do it a few
years ago. So I think it’s given me the con-
fidence to just go out there and not care
and be completely naked and show off
how hard I work for it every day. Q
Chris Mann is a freelance writer, author and
digital-media producer (ChrisMann.TV).
GA: In terms of focused mental energy—
and nerves—what did you learn from
your 2015 Worlds missteps that you’re
taking with you on the road to Rio?
AR: If there is such a thing, I almost
wanted it too bad. I wasn’t able to kind
of channel being calm and nervous at the
same time. I think I was overly anxious
and overly excited to get out there and
compete. I realized I need to learn to be
in the moment and remember to take a
deep breath. Just calming your breathing
makes a really big difference. I have to
learn how to take a step back and relax
a little more.
GA: How do you relax and renew away
from the gym? AR: I like to have “me time” a lot. When
it’s not freezing in Boston, I like to go for
walks. And about once a week I do a thing
call “The Salt.” It’s like a float tank and
you float in saltwater. You’re in a little
pod and you lay there for about an hour.
Normally, I fall asleep [doing it], but even
if you don’t fall asleep, just to kind of turn
your mind off, it’s very relaxing and ther-
apeutic. And if I have time after a workout
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18 IHRSA | www.hea l thc lubs .com
Cart Smarts: Dietary
patterns and sensible
portions are the key
to healthy eating.
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GET ACTIVE! 19
Thinkstock
NEW RULES!
(for betternutrition)
THE DATA IS IN. HERE ARE THE SEVEN THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
ABOUT THE REVAMPED DIETARY GUIDELINES FOR AMERICANS.
BY ALEXANDRA BLACK, MPH, RD, LDN
Nutrition can seem complicated, and research keeps discovering new
ways that food affects our health and happiness. That’s why every five
years, a group of experts in the field of nutrition and health review current-
ly available nutrition-science research. These experts, known as the Dietary
Guidelines Advisory Committee, submit a report of their findings to the United
States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS), who then use the information in the report to establish the Dietary
Guidelines for Americans. The guidelines are intended to help Americans make
healthy food and beverage choices, and to provide a foundation for nutrition and
public health programs and policies. The Dietary Guidelines have been published
every five years since 1980.The guidelines change every few years as more medical and scientific evidence
becomes available. For example, recent updates include easing restrictions on
total fat intake and removal of dietary cholesterol as a nutrient of concern. This
article highlights seven things you can take from the Scientific Report of the 2015
Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee to improve your diet. For more information
on the guidelines, visit health.gov.
1Everyone agrees about fruits and vegetables.The advisory committee noted that fruits and vegetables were the only dietary
component identified in every conclusion statement, across numerous health out-
comes considered. This means that across a wide breadth of research, fruits and
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20 IHRSA | www.hea l thc lubs .com
vegetables were consistently identified as
beneficial for health and part of a healthy,
balanced diet. On the flip side, consump-
tion of sugar-sweetened beverages (think:
soda, juice) and foods and refined grains
were consistently identified as detrimental
to health across all health outcomes. There
are plenty of opportunities to add fruits
and vegetables to the diet, for example by
adding a variety to a sandwich on whole
grain bread, choosing salad over grains
a few nights per week, adding greens to
a fruit smoothie, or by adding fresh berries
to oatmeal.
2Red meat is stilla red light.
Studies providing moderate to strong evi-dence regarding red and processed meat
consumption evidence consistently con-
cluded that higher red and processed meat
intake was detrimental to health. Red
meat includes animal proteins of red color
suck as pork, beef, veal, goat and lamb.
Processed meats include those such as
bacon and sausage that have been altered
by salting, curing, smoking, fermenting or
other processes to lengthen preservation
and improve flavor. Think of red and pro-
cessed meats as more of a garnish than a
staple of a health-enhancing diet. Instead
of red and processed meats, try healthier
protein options like chicken breast, eggs,
turkey, and fish, and other seafood.
3Sugar is not so sweet.Evidence has been mounting that
sugar and sugar-sweetened beverages
are linked to negative health impacts,
including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular
disease and obesity. There have been
initiatives across the United States,
North America and Europe to reduceconsumption of sugar-sweetened bev-
erages, including a limit on the size of
these beverages, a per-ounce tax on their
purchase, and the addition of warning
labels to their packaging. The report con-
firms much of the evidence that higher
consumption of sugar-sweetened bever-
ages are harmful to health. Instead of a
soda of fruit juice, opt for water, naturally
flavored water (think: cucumber water)
or seltzer.
4You can still enjoyyour cup of Joe.
The research in this review on caffeineconfirms that moderate coffee intake—
identified as about 3–5 eight-ounce cups
per day totaling 400 mg or less of caffeine
(e.g., a Grande Starbucks is about 320 mg
of caffeine)—is not associated with nega-
tive long-term health effects. Rather, coffee
consumption is linked to a reduced risk of
type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease,
and there is some evidence for a protective
link between caffeine and Parkinson’s
disease. You can work coffee (or tea) into
any balanced diet, but try to keep it to one
large Starbucks or less per day.
5Pattern is the key.While previous versions of the
Dietary Guidelines focused on individual
nutrients, the 2015 report placed a higher
emphasis on overall dietary patterns. The
breadth of research indicates that overall
dietary pattern is much more important
to boosting health than individual nutri-
ents. The advisory committee concluded
that healthy dietary pattern is one that is:
• High in fruits and vegetables, nuts,legumes (like beans), seafood and
whole grains;
• Moderate in low- and non-fat diary
and alcohol;
• Low in red and processed meat, sugar
sweetened beverages, sodium and
refined grains.
Of course, this dietary pattern could
fit almost any diet—vegan, vegetarian,
Paleo, gluten free, Mediterranean and
low carb, just to name a few.
The advisory committee also recom-
mends focusing on overall dietary patterns
instead of simply cutting back on lesshealthful choices. For example, instead of
swapping a diet soda for a regular soda,
drink water instead, or choose foods high-
er in unsaturated fats (like salmon) over
those higher-fat foods (like sausage).
6The future is now.A portion of the report focused
on food sustainability. The Advisory
Committee identified a diet high in plant-
based foods and low animal meat con-
sumption as the dietary pattern with the
lowest environmental impact. A sustain-
able diet can be maintained on a number
of dietary patterns, including the vegetar-
ian and Mediterranean diets.
7Physical activity isstill important.
In addition to more healthful nutrition
habits, it is important to work on other
lifestyle habit changes to promote overall
health. These changes include cutting
back on sedentary and screen time,
eating fewer fast-food meals or mealsout of the home, and more family meals
prepared in the home. Numerous studies
have concluded that diet and exercise
programs combined work more effectively
than either one alone. Q
Alexandra Black, RD, MPH, LDN, is
IHRSA’s Health Promotion Manager. She
is a physical-activity advocate with experi-
ence as a college athlete, clinical dietitian,
CrossFit coach and nutrition blogger.
Mediterranean Rules:
The regional diet is an
ideal diet choice for
all populations.
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SHOEREVIEW
Saucony Hurricane
ISO 2
On Cloudflyer adidas Ultra
Boost ST
Nike LunarTempo 2 New Balance
Fresh Foam 1080
Finding the best shoe for you has
traditionally begun by assessing thecharacteristics of your feet and gait,
and then matching them with the features
and properties of a particular shoe. If you had
a neutral gait, then your need for specialized
shoes was reduced. However, if you rolled to
the inside of your foot, called overpronation,
the thinking was that you required a more
heavily supported shoe.
This approach was based on the science-
and construction-based solutions of 30
years ago. The notion of overpronation,
and the thinking behind it, continued until
recently. The (oversimplified) idea was that
runners who overpronated risked injury if they
didn’t run in shoes that employed a structure
to correct the excessive motion.
The recent minimalist movement set in
motion an exploration and rethinking of these
long-held tenets. Yes, the use of geometry
and lighter materials have improved
running shoes and their performance.
But more importantly, it has resulted in a
paradigm shift toward the understanding
that running shoes by themselves don’t
prevent overuse injuries, because they can’tcontrol overpronation. This doesn’t mean
the accepted stabilizing technologies are
unnecessary. They actually help to resist the
premature breakdown of the shoe’s structureand performance, playing a key role in the
comfort of both your runs and your wallet.
They just can’t stop the motion that your feet
are inclined to take.
The motion of general foot types is best
served, first, by certain footwear properties,
components and designs, and, second, by
an individual runner’s preferences for fit and
feel. Of the two, fit and feel trump properties,
components and designs. All feet pronate,
and some—depending on their movement
patterns—pronate more than others.
What we suggest is a starting point within
the categories of running footwear styles,
but it’s only a starting point. Runners are
very fond of their go-to shoes, and a large
percentage of runners have been guided
toward a particular shoe at the suggestion
of a running specialty store. That suggestion
starts the learning process for what works
for runners. With all the services your local
running specialty store provides, it’s a great
place to start your search.
Keep running, my friends.
— Cregg Weinmann, Running Shoe Reviewer
for Fortius Media Group, LLC
AWARD WINNERS
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361º Shield HOKA ONE ONE Vanquish 2 MBT GT16 New Balance Fresh Foam 1080
Pearl Izumi N2 v3 adidas Ultra Boost ST Altra Provision 2.5 ASICS GT-2000 4
Brooks Ravenna 7 Mizuno Wave Inspire 12 Saucony Hurricane ISO 2 Skechers Forza
Brooks Neuro HOKA ONE ONE Tracer Mizuno Wave Catalyst New Balance Fresh Foam Zante
Newton Gravity V Nike LunarTempo 2 On Cloudflyer Saucony Kinvara 7
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GET ACTIVE! 23
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24 IHRSA | wwwhea l thc lubs .com
There’s no expiration date on the human body, but as you age, one truism remains: use it or lose it. Staying active
should be a lifelong habit, but workouts at the gym and weekend warrior outings with friends can keep you stim-
ulated for only so long.
There’s nothing like the feeling of accomplishment that results from completing a difficult task, and challenging
yourself in a new fitness event is a great way to get the most out of your potential—and your life. Before you reach an
age when getting out of bed is an epic task, you should attempt one of the goals we’ve listed below. Not only are they
fun and rewarding on their own, but they’ll make you feel more alive, and teach you just how much you can accomplish
when you put your mind to it.
A word of caution: These events require proper preparation and training, so do your homework. Always consult with
your physician before beginning a new training regimen.
RUN A MARATHON
This footrace covers a distance of 26 miles and 385 yards, and
is run by men and women of all ages. Most major cities have an
official marathon, and it’s also a competitive and Olympic sport.
Many marathons are held to benefit charities, which is a draw for
many first-timers.
•How to prepare: One word: run. If you’re not a lifelong jogger
or runner, build up your distance capabilities gradually, and
make sure your heart is healthy enough for the extra work. And
invest in quality running shoes.
•Premier event: The Boston Marathon is the most famous foot-
race in the U.S., and despite the terrorist attacks in 2013, this is
still one of the most popular athletic events in the world, with
over 38,000 runners expected in 2016.
•Alternatives: If running more than 26 miles is too much, you
can try shorter runs, such as 5Ks and 10Ks. A popular race (12K)
is the annual Bay to Breakers in San Francisco.
•Fun fact: The marathon was created to honor a heroic Greek
soldier named Pheidippides, who ran from a city called Marathon
to Athens in only 36 hours.
•For more info: Visit marathontraining.com and marathonrook-
ie.com for tips on getting started.
THE
ULTIMATEFITNESSBUCKET LIST
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GET ACTIVE! 25
IN A RUT?
WANT TO PROVE THAT AGE
IS ONLY A NUMBER?
TRY ONE—OR MORE—OF THESE
CHALLENGING EVENTS.
BY JIM BRANDT
DO A TRIATHLON
A triathlon is a three-stage race that includes swimming, cycling
and running that’s performed continuously. There are four differ-
ent course lengths for a triathlon:
1 Sprint: swim (0.47 miles); bike (12 miles); run (3.1 miles);
2 Intermediate (or Olympic distance): swim (0.93 miles); bike
(25 miles); run (6.2 miles);
3 Long course: swim (1.2 miles); bike (56 miles); run (13.1 miles);
4 Ultra: swim (2.4 miles); bike (112 miles); run (26.2 miles).
•How to prepare: Beginners should get their feet wet, literally,
in a short sprint triathlon before tackling anything more demand-
ing. But this is an event that requires tremendous endurance, andshould be rehearsed before the real thing. You also need to do
your quick-change prep by learning how to quickly change in des-
ignated areas from swim trunks to biking gear to running attire.
•Premier event: The Ironman World Championship held in
Kailua-Kona has attained near legendary status since launching
in 1978. This is an ultra distance event, and is televised on major
networks. As you can see above, the required lengths are brutal.
•Alternatives: There are plenty of triathlons held in different
regions, so if you want to tackle this swim-ride-run trifecta, jump
into a sprint triathlon somewhere near you by checking the web-
sites in the next column.
•Fun fact: The triathlon became an Olympic sport at the 2000
Sydney Games, utilizing the intermediate distance.
•For more info: Visit triathlon.org and usatriathlon.org.
RUN AN EXTREME OBSTACLE RACE
Many variations exist of this new phenomenon of racing, climb-
ing, crawling and jumping through difficult, muddy terrain
and daunting obstacles, while avoiding, in some cases, electric
shocks. The most famous promotions are Spartan races and
Tough Mudder, which have different difficulty levels and dis-
tance requirements.
•How to prepare: Cross training is essential when gettingready for one of these events (in fact, CrossFit-style functional
training is a good prep workout style for these races). With so
many different types of races to choose from, you need to do
your homework before committing to a specific event. Extreme
obstacle races are great for camaraderie, so do it with a friend or
group of friends when starting out.
•Premier event: Because this is still a relatively new competi-
tion, there is no one true premier event, as Tough Mudder and
Spartan battle it out to be the top promotion.
•Alternatives: There are tons of more manageable races, many
of them called “mud runs” or “adventure races.” Events like the
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26
IHRSA | w w w he al thc l ubs .c o m
“Superhero Scramble” has more of a party atmosphere than the
more challenging Spartan and Tough Mudder.
•Fun fact: Both Spartan and Tough Mudder races were devel-
oped by former military and Special Forces personnel who want-
ed to bring the team-building and adrenaline-pumping nature of
their training to the masses.
•For more info: Both spartanrace.com and toughmudder.com
have plenty of resources to get started, as well as extensive list-
ings of regional events.
CLIMB A MOUNTAIN
As long as there have been summits to breach, men and women
have tried to scale them. Mountain climbing requires not just
strength (to carry equipment on steep inclines) and endurance,
but an ability to handle high-altitude effects on the body. Also,
climbing can be an expensive sport, considering time invested
and amount of gear required. But when you make it to the top,
there’s no feeling like it.•How to prepare: Experience counts when climbing. You
don’t begin on the highest peak; you need to do one- or two-day
climbs to know what equipment to bring, how to set camp, feed
yourself, and maintain your energy for daily climbing. You also
need to know when to turn back if the weather isn’t complying
or some other unforeseen difficulty arises. Competent first-aid
skills are a must.
•Premier peak: Obviously, Mt. Everest is the ultimate summit,
but that’s out of reach for most people, especially since the
recent tragedies there. Same with other exotic summits, like
K2 and similar Himalayan peaks. There’s plenty of challenging
climbs in the homeland, including Mt. Whitney in California, the
tallest mountain in the contiguous U.S. The Rocky Mountains
are also a favorite destination.
•Alternatives: You can hike places like Mt. Whitney without
spending days ascending it. While you won’t get a view from
the top, you’ll enjoy beautiful scenery and great exercise. For
inspired hiking ideas, visit modernhiker.com.
•Fun fact: A common mountain climber’s motto is, “climb
high, sleep low.” This means that after you get used to a higher
altitude, descend some distance to sleep during the night to helpavoid complications from altitude sickness.
•For more info: See climbing.com and summitpost.org for tips
on where to climb and how to prepare. Q
[FITNESS BUCKET LIST: Now With Extra Crazy]Perhaps the events we listed in the main article aren’t daring enough for you. Don’t worry—there’s plenty of death-defying
events for you to try. Of course, you may actually kick the bucket during one of these, so try at your own risk.
HANG GLIDING
While the safety record ofhang gliding continues to
improve, it’s still considered
high-risk, with one fatality
per about 1,000 flights in
the U.S. Learning training
and safety are essential, but
you do fly. (See windsports.
com for more.)
SPARTAN DEATH RACE
The name says it all, asdoes the official website:
youmaydie.com. While no
two Death Races are alike,
you’ll likely be on the move
for over 70 hours, sleep
little or not at all, carry a lot
of weight and be forced to
complete torturous tasks.
We warned you.
ULTRA MARATHON
This is a marathon multi-plied, usually under intem-
perate conditions. While
there’s no set time for an
ultra, they can last any-
where from six hours to 10
days, and cover hundreds of
miles. (See ultramarathon-
running.com for more.)
CLIFF DIVING
While Red Bull has madethis a competitive sport with
reasonable safety measures
and actual diving boards,
unregulated daredevil cliff
diving is what most adrena-
line junkies seek out, usually
in Central or South America.
(See redbullcliffdiving.com
for more.)
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:: IntheClub
She Contains MultitudesBeauty queen, TV host, college professor—Shabnam Islam uses multiple platforms tobring the life-affirming power of fitness to the global community. BY JIM SCHMALTZ
28 IHRSA | www.hea l t hc lubs .c o m
SOME PEOPLE HAVE RESUMES SO
stuffed with accomplishments that you
wonder if they have a clone or two walk-
ing around helping them collect credits
and honors. Shabnam Islam—professor,
writer, fitness competitor, beauty queen,
personal trainer, philanthropist, multi-
media host—has led just one life, but it’sbeen uniquely productive. The common
denominator in her pursuits and accom-
plishments—besides hard work and a
curious intellect—is fitness.
A Bangladeshi-American, Islam
adopted a fitness lifestyle at a young
age after battling body-weight issues.
She started as a gymnast, then became
a collegiate volleyball player before
gravitating to the field of kinesiology,
where she earned a master’s degree
in exercise physiology and a teaching
position as a professor of kinesiology at
California State University Northridge.
Professor Islam’s journey through
academia has had a few diversions, to
put it mildly. She won the title of Miss
Bangladesh 2013 for the Queen of the
Universe pageant, and when ruling the
universe wasn’t enough, she tried a
stint playing roller derby (as a bruising
blocker) and competed in physique com-
petitions, all while honing an expertise
in numerous exercise disciplines, such
as Olympic lifting, kettlebell instruction, yoga and others. She was named one
of L.A.’s top-five personal trainers by
LA Confidential Magazine, and hosts a
local show, “Eat, Move, Live LA!,” that
focuses on healthy living. Despite filling
these disparate roles, Islam finds time to
participate in a program that offers fit-
ness and nutrition instruction to families
living in low-income neighborhoods in
Los Angeles, a charitable endeavor she’s
especially passionate about.
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GET ACTIVE! 29
We met up with Islam in between host-
ing duties at IHRSA’s Live Studio, which
was held at IHRSA’s international trade
show in Orlando in late March. She spoke
candidly about her ongoing projects and
her recent battle against a life-threatening
illness that forced her to be hospitalized
for months.
Get Active: How do you go from being
Miss Bangladesh to a kinesiologist?
Shabnam Islam: I would like to say that
Miss Bangladesh kind of filled in the gaps
of what I’m doing for my career. If you’re
going to be onstage interviewing and
hosting, you should try it in all parame-ters of life. It was different, and it’s inter-
esting to be judged solely on what you
look like. Then again, that’s predominantly
like the fitness industry, right?
GA: It’s predominantly human nature,
too, isn’t it?
SI: Right, but I believe the pageant gave
me a platform to talk about my charity
work. I run a lot of free fitness programs
for low-income communities in the city of
Los Angeles. Not everybody has access to
this information, and being fit is not about
what you look like. It’s taking action and
being active.
GA: Would you say that the principles
of fitness help these people in other
areas of their lives?
SI: Absolutely. These are people who
genuinely want to learn, who are strug-
gling with diabetes, hypertension, high
cholesterol, and they don’t have access
to information or how to readily use the
information. They feel overloaded andoverwhelmed. And so it’s important for
people like us, who are kinesiologists, to
have a public-health stance. We are here
to make our country healthier. We have an
obesity epidemic happening, and the only
way to combat obesity is to increase levels
of physical activity and proper nutrition.
And instead of ignoring these people who
face negative health consequences, we
should go out of our way to help them and
to teach them.
GA: How do they react when they
start learning?
SI: They’re so grateful. These are people
who get up at 5 a.m. and bring you freshly
baked pie because they can’t afford any-
thing else. You see the changes in their
blood panels, in their cholesterol levels,
and they’re happy. We encourage families
to come together, because we realize that
if you target the parents, it has a trickle-
down effect. So not only are we making
families healthier, we’re making the fam-
ily dynamic stronger. I believe physical
activity has the power to do that.
GA: How difficult is it to get them toeat right?
SI: I think it’s just showing them that, lis-
ten, a value meal at McDonald’s will cost
you almost $8. You can feed a family of
four in one meal for $8, not just per per-
son. It doesn’t always have to be organic
food, it doesn’t have to be expensive.
Eating healthy can be affordable. They
can go to their local grocery store, buy
some slightly processed chicken breast,
take the time to cook it with their family,
eat as a family unit, and you start to see
those changes in behavior occur.
GA: What do you learn from these
families when you work with them?
SI: Honestly, I’ve spent most of my career
in the fitness industry, and it’s very easy
to make judgments about people when
you don’t know their situation. Teaching
at a university and having over 15 years of
experience in the field has shown me you
don’t always understand someone’s posi-
tion. You need to learn to sympathize and
not judge, because we’ve all been over-
weight. We know what it’s like to overeat,
indulge over Thanksgiving and Christmas.We know that it doesn’t feel good to
walk around when we’re 5, 10 lb heavier.
Imagine what that’s like when you’re
100, 200 lb heavier? If you take the time
to think about it and reflect on it, I feel it
could change anybody’s viewpoint.
GA: Do you think the fitness industry
is doing a better job of serving
special populations?
SI: I think there’s still a big gap with
some people. We are starting to see a
huge boost in social media, which is
giving people an avenue to talk about fit-
ness, but when you look at Instagram or
Facebook, you rarely see people who are
obese and overweight posting, and when
they do, unfortunately, a lot of people
shame them, which is just not the way we
should be. We can make this country a
healthier place if we just stop judging.
GA: What sort of lessons have you
learned about staying body positive?
What would you tell a young girl who maybe has some self-esteem problems?
SI: Not a single cell in your body is the
same today as it was, say, five years
ago. You are a brand-new person. You’re
constantly changing. So there’s nothing
about you that you should compare to
somebody else who may be the same age
as you. From the smallest microscopic
level, you are you. So to compare and
contrast does nothing but actually make
us insecure.
“You need to learn to
sympathize and not
judge, because we’ve all
been overweight,” says
Islam. “We can make this
country a healthier place
if we just stop judging.”
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30 IHRSA | www.hea l thc lubs .com
GA: What did you take away
from your experience of being
Miss Bangladesh?
SI: It was a great experience.
I met some incredible women
from all over the world, but
I realized that this platform is
not for me. If you do something
and learn that it’s not meant
for you, it’s probably the best
learning experience you can
have. I do figure competitions
and lots of other things, but it’s
important to remember that
I am not defined by one char-
acteristic. I am not just a body-builder. I am not just a profes-
sor. I am not just a woman. I’m
a multitude of things, and it’s
OK to view yourself as a jack-of-
all-trades and a master of none.
GA: What inspires you?
What keeps you going?
SI: That’s a great question.
I always find myself being very
self-motivated, which I know
doesn’t happen for a lot of
people, but there’s a reason for
that. I was very sick between
2012 and 2014, so I went from
being really fit to really sick.
GA: What happened?
SI: They thought I had cancer
at first, then thought I had all
sorts of other diseases, and it
ended up being a neurological
disorder. But I was so sick.
I lived at Cedars-Sinai hospital
for more than a year. When you don’t have control over your
life, when you are too ill, too obese, too
busy, nothing feels good; it’s the worst
point in your life.
GA: Are you fully recovered now?
SI: Everything’s fine. But I’ll never forget
it. I know what it was like to live in a hos-
pital bed, depending on everybody to feed
you, bathe you, change you, clean you,
and you’re only in your 20s. I know what it
was like to almost lose my life to a disease,
and the only thing that my doctor said that
kept me alive was that I was very healthy
for the first 28 years of my life. And I’ll
always remember that health is wealth. Q
To contact Shabnam Islam, email her at
[email protected], or visit her web-
site, shabnamsays.com. Follow her on
Twitter.com/shabnamsays; Instagram.com/
shabnamsays; and Facebook.com/shabsays.
“I know what it’s like to live in a hospital bed,
depending on everybody to feed you, bathe you...
And I’ll always remember that health is wealth.”
:: IntheClub
Shabnam Islam (right) interviews
Molly Kemmer, IHRSA chairperson,
at the IHRSA 2016 trade show.
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Enjoy Discounted Guest
Privileges Worldwide
When You Travel
If your club is a member of IHRSA and participates in thePassport Program, you are eligible for guest privileges at a
network of clubs worldwide when you travel.
Ask a club employee for program details.
Search for clubs online at
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I’VE BEEN OVERWEIGHT SINCE
I was 5 years old. Everyone in my
family besides my aunt is over-
weight and unhealthy. Genetics is
a big factor, but so is upbringing.
I didn’t have the best childhood.
My mom, a single parent, has some
mental health issues, so at age 11,
I moved in with my uncle. You find
ways to cope with that kind of trau-
ma. Food made me feel better, so
I ate to negate my feelings.
At 22, I moved back with my mom
temporarily to assist my aunt—an
energized and energizing PR exec—
in helping my mom recover from
knee-replacement surgery. My aunt and I went to an event where I was photographed
wearing on old suit of mine. When I saw those pictures, a switch in my head went off.
I was like, I can’t believe that’s me. I do not want to look like that. Fortunately, my aunt is a force who pushed me in the right direction—by forcing me to
go to the gym.
Motivation to Change
For the first few months, she was like, “I don’t care if you go and sit on the stairs at the
gym—but you’re going. You’re not sitting in the house.” So I went. And I went.
It’s the same story for everyone, really, when you start your journey with diet or exer-
cise or both: the first few months can feel miserable. But there’s something in you that
switches, and it becomes a habit. It becomes that thing that kind of grounds you. But one
of the trainers I worked with put it in perspective. He said, “If you put your health and
fitness first, everything else in your life kind of falls into place.”
::Results
32 IHRSA | www.hea l thc lubs .com
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough
His words stuck with me. I started going
to the gym three to four hours a day. My
trainer invited me to train for a Tough
Mudder—a 13-mile obstacle race. Having
an event to train for taught me how to
set small goals, which in turn gave me a
reason to keep hitting the gym. So I set
a series of weight-loss goals for that race,
which I ran at about 260 lb. And then
I trained for my next event. If you’re going
to the gym and know that in four months
you’ll have to run 16 miles up and down
a mountain—which is what I did last fall
at the Spartan Race in Vermont—you have
a clearer sense of what you’re working for.
I also started eating right and writing
down everything I consumed, other than
water. I counted calories. I focused all of
my attention on my fitness and health.Soon, the dead-end job I was in turned
into the job I have now at a nutrition
store, where I help people write diets and
get ready for fitness shows. I dropped a
lot of weight, and went back to college
full-time—and I have a 3.7 GPA. Now I’m
on my way to fulfilling a lifelong dream
by becoming a police officer.
Progressing with your fitness goals
gives you the backbone, drive and deter-
mination to base the rest of your life on. Q
Overcoming ObstaclesUsing extreme races as his goal, he discovered he could meet the toughest challenges. BY THOMAS MCNAMARA
Thomas
McNamaraAge: 24
Residence: Boston
Height: 5’ 8 ½”
Before: 22 years old / 360 lbAfter: 24 years old / 200 lb
Total pounds lost: 160
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F o r t h e f r s t t i m e
, s t a b i l i t y a n d su
p p o r t c o m e i n a n
u l t r a l i g h t p a c k a g
e . T h e n e w O n C l o
u d y e r, b u i l t f r o m
Z e r o -G r a v i t y f o a m
, w e i g h s l e s s t h a n
1 0 o z y e t o e r s
u n r i v a l l e d s u p p o r t
a n d c u s h i o n i n g c o
m f o r t. I t s p a t e n t e d
C l o u d T e c
® s y s t e m m e a n s a s o f t e r l a
n d i n g a n d a m o r e
e x p l o s i v e t a k e - o . L o n g r u n
s h a v e n e v e r f e l t s o
s h o r t.
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