Congratulations and thank you to all of our members and guests that helped to fill up the very first box of used shoes to be shipped off to Africa and refurbished for resale! ReRun shoes is an independently owned non-profit organization operating out of western Massachusetts, dedicated to packaging and shipping used shoes from the States to African nations, where they are then refurbished and sold at an affordable price on the local market. ReRun shoes simultaneously helps to keep used shoes out of American landfills while helping out less fortunate nations overseas.

Excel Fitness has sent the first full box of used shoes, totaling 40 pairs, back to our partners at ReRun Shoes. In just one month we had great success filling the box located in the lobby of the gym and are ready to start filling up box number two! Bring any used pair of shoes, doesn’t matter what kind, to start doing your part to keep shoes out of our landfills and improve the economy of several sub-Saharan nations!

Please visit the gym and talk with any one of our trainers if you have any questions or are looking for more information on how to get involved.

Andy Fazzina, N.A.S.M, C.P.T

My goal in life is to lead by example, but in order to lead you must learn how to follow. We all have choices to make every day and why not make a healthier choice by doing the right thing. The past is the past, but the choices we make today help us lead a better and full filling life style for tomorrow.

Experience:

I’m an experienced Soccer coach of youth through college as well as a gymnastics coach.  Therefore I am well versed in working with one on one and small groups.  I also feel very comfortable working with the human body.  Through my experience and education, I am aware of proper biomechanics and am certified to work with all ages, young and old.

Education:

Brandford Hall Institute 2012

Certification:

N.A.S.M (National Association of Sports Medicine)

CPR/AED

Motivational Quote:

“Procrastination is the thief of tomorrow”

Gary Maher                                          B.S., UMass Amherst

Motivation for Fitness:

For over 20 years, I have been committed to helping individuals achieve a healthy and active lifestyle.  The first step is to realize and accept that you need to make some changes if you want to have success.  Believing and then practicing this truth will ultimately give you the results you want.

 Fitness is NOT a 12 week program, or until you reach your goal (this almost invariably relates to weight loss, or body composition change) but rather is from now until you die. This is a dietary and lifestyle change that can be permanent if you choose.

 Remember-we are creatures of habit.  Good habits can take over if they are nurtured.  Don’t ever say “I can’t”.  We choose to do things or not to do things!  We as humans are prone to take the easier way.  We like comfort and ease. Take comfort in this… Clean eating combined with regular, intense exercise, and plenty of rest will make you look and feel a way that you may have only dreamed of.

 Trainer Specialization:

 I will design a custom exercise and nutrition program for you, combining all aspects of fitness…strength training, cardiovascular fitness, flexibility, and nutrition.  “Being fit” and “looking good” is about making changes first on the inside and then on the outside.

 Experience:

I have been in the fitness industry since 1990, and earned a degree in Exercise Science from the University of Massachusetts. Before coming to Connecticut last year, I was in San Diego for 12 years running a personal training business, training all over San Diego County, as well as the General Manager for the San Diego Athletic Club. I worked as a Fitness Director at The Longfellow Sports Club in Natick, MA for 7 years prior to that. I have also taught spinning, boot camp, CrossFit, boxing, abs, and stretching classes.

 “EARN your shower everyday!”

 Thirty minutes of daily exercise can protect against breast, colorectal and endometrial cancers. Some studies indicate it may have a protective effect on prostate cancer and mesothelioma too. In addition to cancer prevention, exercise benefits cancer patients during the treatment phase of their illness. It also improves long-term survival prospects and quality of life concerns for cancer survivors.

As everyone knows by now, physical activity is essential for good health. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) describes exercise as one of three energy balance components. Along with a nutritious diet and healthy body weight, regular exercise makes a huge impact on a person’s general health and well-being.

The Exercise-Cancer Connection

Fatigue, nausea and loss of appetite are common side effects of cancer therapy, particularly radiation treatment and chemotherapy. Daily physical activity may reduce these symptoms or lessen their effects. Exercise is an energy booster and it also boosts strength and mood. This can make the battle with cancer a little easier.

Perhaps the most important exercise-cancer connections are the quality of life improvements enjoyed by those who get regular exercise. Healthy physical activity performed on a daily basis improves balance, coordination and overall fitness. It enables better immune system functioning and helps patients control their weight. It also reduces the stress and anxiety associated with the cancer experience.

The choice to be active is more important than the actual exercises a patient chooses to perform. The best activities and exercise environments are those that engage the body, mind and spirit.

Cancer Fitness Recommendations

The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR)  recommends thirty minutes of physical activity every day. Sixty minutes of exercise is even better, but this amount is not always possible. For cancer patients and cancer survivors, the right amount of exercise depends on their condition. It is best to start at a slow and relaxed pace and work up to the recommended intensity and duration.

Fitness experts at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Center and other cancer research facilities have developed exercise plans based on AICR guidelines. These plans are specially designed to fit individual patient needs and lifestyles. Patients should ask their doctors about recommended cancer fitness programs.

Everyday activities generally count toward daily exercise if they are moderately intense actions. Many patients find it easier to break up their 30-minute sessions into shorter, ten-minute sessions. In time, they can increase the exercise duration or intensity to suit their new level of fitness. Please see an Excel Fitness certified personal trainer for more information on exercise benefits for cancer treatment and other tips to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

David Haas

Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance

Visit David’s Blog at http://www.mesothelioma.com/blog/authors/david/

Excel Fitness is proud to welcome ReRun Shoes to our gym. ReRun is a “social enterprise with an environmental mission, committed to sustainable development.”  They take donations of used shoes (all varieties)  and send them to different countries in Africa where they are refurbished by local micro-entrepreneurs and brought to market at affordable prices. ReRun thereby diverts reusable shoes from ending up in North American landfills while also supporting the developing economies of countries such as Mali, Guinea and Liberia.

Beginning in June, Excel Fitness will be housing a ReRun Shoe Box where members can deposit old shoes that would otherwise be thrown away.  There is no obligation, just an opportunity to do something to help the environment and support less fortunate peoples. As the box fills up, we will be sending the shoes back to ReRun headquarters to be distributed overseas. The plan is to keep going as long as our members are supporting the project by bringing in old shoes. For more information on the program please visit: http://www.rerunshoes.com/ or for information on Excel Fitness participation talk to Ilicia.

On Saturday, June 2, Color Me Rad came to Hartford.  This race is as fun as a run can get!  Over 2,000 people attended the race held at Rentschler Field where participants were adorned in all white.  Needless to say, that wouldn’t last long.  The fun part about the race is that you end up looking like a bag of skittles.  Throughout the course, there were “Color Stations” set up, and volunteers are there to throw colored corn starch at you.  Or if you are in Jeff Roux’s group, he did the honor of coloring you himself by overtaking the color station and dousing his friends.  What a fun way to spend a Saturday morning.  If you missed out, head to Boston on July 15 to take part in this non-timed, fun run.  If not, Color Me Rad will be back next year and I highly recommend this fun way to exercise.

Heather Claflin B.S. Exercise Science

I am a serial dieter. For me, exercise, even intense sweaty butt kicking sore for days exercise is not enough to maintain my desired weight.  Over the past year I gained 10lbs to which I credit stress and a lack of care with my eating.  With summer right around the corner I decided it was time to buckle down and get back to the lifestyle (I say lifestyle and not diet because there is nothing temporary about healthy eating habits) that I know works for me. My goal: lose 15lbs by my birthday.  The cornerstone of my program: Logging!

I have been a calorie logger for years. So much so that I can tell you the calorie count in most foods off the top of my head. I continue to log because it keeps me accountable. Every piece of food that goes in my mouth as a graze through my day is added to my log. This may seem overwhelming to some at first but I have found that there is nothing more motivating and empowering then truly being in control of how and what I eat. Keeping my numbers (calories, protein, carbohydrates and fats) in check makes me feel like I’m running the program rather than being a slave to my diet.

Logging also gives me an opportunity to plan the next days food the night before. I allow myself 1200 calories and try to plan out at least 800 of them before I start my day so that I don’t find myself reaching for something unhealthy because suddenly I’m starving. Planning as such also gives me a little wiggle room every day for that random unintentional snack.  I am three weeks in to my new program and have already lost 8lbs. Im feeling better, more in control and definitely happier with myself. Dieting gets a bad rap; its often associated with deprivation but it doesn’t have to be. Eating better in conjunction with your exercise routine and tracking how, what and when you eat should be empowering and confidence building!  For more information or advice on logging programs see Ilicia at Excel Fitness.

By Ilicia Balaban, CPT

Heather Claflin-Coy is an experienced fitness professional having been in the industry over seven years.  She graduated from Southern Connecticut State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Exercise Science/Human Performance. After obtaining her degree, Heather worked in the corporate fitness industry which included assisting in managing Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina’s fitness and wellness program.  During those years in North Carolina, Heather helped in creating a healthier work environment for the employees at BCBS by leading health fairs, incentive programs, and fitness related programs.

Aside from the corporate fitness industry, Heather has coached Conard High Schools varsity cheerleading and gymnastics teams, taught lectures at the University of Hartford, and has had ongoing continuing education in exercise science.

“Do something each day that makes you break a sweat. Find activities that are fun for you and that you will stick to.”

Education and Primary Certification:

• BS Exercise Science/Human Performance, SCSU, New Haven, CT
• Internship St. Francis Hospital Cardiac Rehab and Fitness Center, Hartford, CT
• Current American College of Sports Medicine Health Fitness Instructor
• American Aerobic and Fitness Association Personal Fitness Trainer

Additional Certifications and Experience:

• 2009 American College of Sports Medicine continuing education summit, Atlanta, GA
• 2008 Yoga Essentials online continuing education
• 2008 Exercise and Obesity home study
• 2008 Certified Gliding Fitness Instructor2006 Mind Body Fitness online home study
• 2008 AFAA Personal Fitness Trainer Certification
• 2005 CPR/AED Certification
• Experience teaching group exercise classes
• Kickboxing, Step aerobics, Yoga, Pilates, Sculpting, Bosu
• Experience teaching health/fitness related lectures

Relevant Job History:

• 2005-2010 Corporate Fitness employee, Medifit Corporate Services
• 2005-2010 Worksite health screener, Health Fitness Corporation
• 2007 Personal Trainer, Planet Fitness, Shelton, CT
• Collegiate Soccer player