The O-town Scene

January 06, 2011

The O-town Scene - Oneonta, NY

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Gone Running Get up off of that thing ‘Tis the season to make resolutions and promises that we will be good to our bodies after weeks of indulging in eggnog, spirits, delicious desserts and extra helpings of all that other good stuff slathered with grand- ma’s gravy. Let me make one thing clear before I start this column _ I am not a doctor (though I was an LPN and a health educator), and I’m certainly no nutritional or fitness expert. However, I do know a thing or two about health, and any fool can tell you steamed veggies are a healthier option than mashed potatoes covered in butter and gravy. I have gone on and off the latest diets or fitness crazes over the past decade. I’ve done lunges with Cindy Crawford, kicked air with Billy Blanks and his Taebo buddies, I’ve eat- ing chemically configured “fat-free” cheese the situation worse. Something changed for me in July 2009. I had become very sedentary. Sitting at a desk for several years after experiencing a serious motor vehicle accident, which resulted in a herniated disc in my back and caused some less than appealing consequences in my body. I wasn’t strong or toned at all. I couldn’t lift much without hurting myself. I felt flabby and lazy. One day I decided to start walking at a local track. I walked along at a brisk pace and people-watched the amazingly fit, young people cruising by me effortlessly with their MP3 players tuning out my huffing and puff- and salad dressings (they really need to go back to the lab on those items). I have tried a lot of things. Some have worked better than others in the butt-reducing department. Some actu- ally made ing. I was envious, and I wanted to see what “that” felt like. So, de- spite doctor’s orders, I decided to jog. I set a goal: “I will run this straight away.” And I did. Then I decided to go a little further and a little bit more, and soon I was all the way “I hopped off the fitness yo-yo I had been on for more than 10 years and decided to do something that was actually good for me.” around the track where I had started from. It was July, and I was sweating profusely, pant- ing, dizzy, about to vomit. It was right then (Dr. Phil might call it a “pivotal moment”) that my addiction began. I became a runner. I hopped off the fitness yo-yo I had been on for more than 10 years and decided to do something that was actually good for me. Did you know that if you just walk 2.0 MPH (for an average 150 lb person) you can burn over 150 calories per hour? That’s not very fast at all … trust me. You can definitely do that. Crank that speed up to 5 MPH (which is a decent, slow jog) and your calories burned jumps up to more than 500 per hour. I run for many reasons. I feel better and I look better. It reduces stress _ I swear sometimes my husband pats me on the shoulder and asks, “Honey, when’s the last time you went for a run?” (He says this very carefully). Movement is great for your heart, your joints and your mental health. I swear, even my skin looks and feels better. Looks like a great day for a walk/jog/run. — Danielle Tonner Danielle Tonner is a professional in higher education in addition to being a wife, mother and runner. Jan. 6, 2011 O-Town Scene 5

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