Issue 14March 2015

We’re not just a gym...

Centre Preschool and 4Kis a great place for your child to grow

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Stop Saying Tomorrow.......Tomorrow Starts Today!! Have you ever started a fitness program and then quit? If you answered yes, you’re not alone. Many people start fitness programs but stop when they get bored or results come too slowly. Here are seven tips to help you stay motivated according to Mayo Clinic Staff.

1. Set goals Start with small goals and then progress to longer range goals. Remember to make your goals realistic and achievable. It’s easy to get frustrated and give up if your goals are too ambitious. Ask a personal trainer to help get you started!!

For example, if you haven’t exercised in a while, a short-term goal might be to walk 10 minutes a day three days a week. An intermediate goal might be to walk 30 minutes five days a week. A long-term goal might be to complete a 5K walk.

2. Make it fun What keeps you on your toes and excited? Find a sport or activity that makes you smile. If you’re not enjoying your workouts, try something different. Join one of our adult sport leagues such as basketball or pickleball. Take a Zumba class. Discover your hidden athletic talent. Remember, exercise doesn’t have to be a chore — and you’re more likely to stick with a fitness program if you’re having fun.

3. Make physical activity part of your daily routine No more excuses!! Schedule your workouts as you would any other activity. Start with small choices throughout the day to get more activity. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Walk up and down sidelines while watching the kids play sports. Do sit-ups, planks or lunges while you watch TV at night.

4. Put it on paper Are you hoping to lose weight? Boost your energy? Sleep better? Manage a chronic condition? Write it down. Seeing the benefits of regular exercise on paper may help you stay motivated.

You may also find it helps to keep an exercise diary. Record what you did during each exercise session, how long you exercised and how you felt afterward. Recording your efforts can help you work toward your goals — and remind you that you’re making progress.

5. Join forces with friends, neighbors or others No one fights alone. Invite friends or co-workers to join you when you exercise. Work out with your partner or other loved ones. Play soccer with your kids. Join a fitness blog. Take one of our group exercise classes at the Centre.

6. Reward yourself Remember to take in the moment after each exercise session and relish the good feelings. Holding on to those feelings with help exercise become a part of your daily activities. A new pair of shoes can help too! Celebrating with a new pair of walking shoes or new tunes to enjoy while you exercise helps inspire you to hit those long term goals.

7. Be flexible If you’re too busy to work out or simply don’t feel up to it, take a day or two off. Be gentle with yourself if you need a break. Getting back on track as soon as you can is the important part.

Now that you are excited and have your enthusiasm back, get moving! Set your goals, make it fun and give yourself some credit for sticking with it. Remember, staying active is not a fad it’s your life. From time to time when you feel your motivation slipping review these tips.

Jennifer WilliamsOperations Director

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Message FromOperations Director Centre

Connections

Highlights3 A Great Place for Your Child to Grow

5 Evan Baczynski

6 Fuel-Up every Three to Five

7 3 Generations

8 Be Heart Healthy

Issue 14, March 2015

New Richmond Area Centre428 S Starr AveNew Richmond WI 54017715-246-2252www.nracentre.comwww.facebook.com/newrichmond.centre

Board MembersJean Needham, PresidentJill Schreck, Vice PresidentPaul Mayer, TreasurerGary Bakke, Secretary Bill BuellJeff Moberg Marilyn Peplau

Administrative StaffDarian Blattner, Executive Director Jennifer Williams, Operations DirectorJackie Huff, Member Experience DirectorAmanda Fall, Business ManagerVince Dreyer, Properties ManagerLarissa Ruud, Youth, Teen and Family ManagerMegan Lyons, Child Care ManagerColleen Davis, Marketing and Communications Manager & Magazine Editor Kyle Koll, Training and Sports ManagerDonald Klitz, Fitness Manager

Centre Mission Statement Health, Fitness and Fun for All Ages

3 Core Value Relationships We choose to share lives and believe that every member has a story. We are open to all.

Helping your child grow every day is the mission of the Centre Preschool and 4K programs. Right now, while we endure the last few months of snow and cold, many parents are making plans to send their young children to Preschool and 4 Year Old Kindergarten in the Fall. As a parent myself, it doesn’t get easier but knowing my kids will be in a safe place, with great teachers, and learn a little bit every day sure helps.

One of our 4K teachers, Megan, took some time out of her busy day to talk to me. I walked away from our hour together with a smile and an excitement about what my daughter might encounter this fall if she is lucky enough to get to attend the Centre 4K.

The Centre Preschool and 4K are play-based, which means activities are grounded in play. This allows kids to learn while playing rather than spending much of their time at a desk or table. Studies prove that at that age, it’s the most successful and productive way for kids to learn.

Each week the class will study a theme. They’ve covered topics such as:

• transportation which includes what things can help us go and types of vehicles• the arctic and antarctic, fun facts like penguins and polar bears both live in the cold, but on opposite sides of the world and never meet in the wild• farm animals• dental health & healthy bodies• community helpers which meant meeting and visiting with a firefighter and a police officer

The teachers had a fun surprise planned for their artic and antartic theme when they asked the kids to bring in empty milk jugs. The kids witnessed an igloo being built right in their very room. The igloo became their book nook, which is a place they can quietly and privately read.

Activities with intention and an objective was something that stuck with me the most while talking to Megan. I learned that all their activities have an intention behind them, even something as simple as playing with playdoh. Playdoh is great for strengthening their hand muscles to eventually hold a pencil. They play sensory games that have multiple learning objectives. The teachers put items in containers and they must guess what’s in them based on weight and sound. They make their predictions using picture cards. The items might vary from coins to little fabric pom poms. They learn to listen, analyze, think, process, and sometimes change their predictions. Another activity they do that seems simple but has a big purpose is one to one counting. They point to one object and count it and move to the next object and count it. It prepares them for reading.

Centre Program Spotlight

Centre Preschool and 4Kis a great place for your child to growBY COLLEEN DAVIS, MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

continued on next page

4 Core Value Integrity We hold ourselves accountable to our members, community and each other.

The Centre curriculum focuses on the whole child. While academics and social skills are very important to the Centre, the teachers also know and experience every day how important being physical is to the kids. They utilize the pool, gym, and playground to “get their wiggles out” every day. As most parents of young children right now will know, with the cold we’re experiencing, kids come home and are bouncing around the house, full of energy, and any little bit that they can play that off helps! In addition, the Centre Preschool class swims once a month and the Centre 4K classes swim twice a month.

Their large motor activities range from using the playground, pool, and gym. Some of their gym activities include 4K Fitness, led by Kyle, the Centre’s Training and Sports Manager. They talk about the importance of breakfast, eating fruits and veggies, drinking water, exercising, and doing things like Red Light Green Light and jumping jacks.

The kids really grow from September to May. The teachers witness it on a regular basis. They grow in independence and confidence. As an example, a kid that wouldn’t even go in the pool is now swimming right next to his classmates.

The daily schedule ranges from a morning meeting during which they talk about the weather and the calendar, to small groups and working on being a good friend, sharing toys, and handling emotions, to reading stories about their theme, a snack, large motor activities, and “centers” where they might use the smart board, art supplies, blocks, and dramatic play costumes. The day end with a cleanup song and saying goodbye.

We have 5 fulltime teachers and all of the Centre’s Preschool and 4K teachers have a teaching degree. We are blessed to have highly educated staff teaching kids here. Both programs have existed since we became the Centre in 2009. We are proud of the kids that have walked through our doors and went on to the next stage of life It’s been 153 kids from Preschool and 301 kids from Centre 4K, and counting!

Spaces for kids this fall are still available. We are happy to share that we still have room in our Preschool classes for this fall and the New Richmond School district is still accepting applications for the fall 4K program for all locations in the community.

For more information regarding our Preschool and 4 Year Old Kindergarten, please visit www.nracentre.com or contact Megan Lyons at mlyons@nracentre.com or 715-243-0849.

Centre Preschool and 4Kcontinued from previous page

5 Big Hair Audacious Goal To become the healthiest community in America

Centre Staff Spotlight

Evan BaczynskiBY JENNIFER WILLIAMS

OPERATIONS DIRECTOR

Evan, along with his family, have been members since 2003, long before it was even the Centre. Close to their home in New Richmond, they joined the Centre because it had all the amenities the family was looking for. Evan, a product of the New Richmond School District, graduated from NRHS in 2009. He has since attended Marquette University (Milwaukee) where he graduated in 2013 with a double major in history and philosophy, cum laude. His career goal is to join the diplomatic corps as a Foreign Service Officer in the State Department. He aspires “to serve my country and protect Americans abroad as well as maintaining the balance of foreign interests.” While in the process of studying to become a Foreign Service Officer, he is currently working part time here at the Centre at the Fitness Desk!

Evan has been active his whole life taking part in sports, weightlifting, and martial arts. He stated that “being active gives me peace of mind and a sense of accomplishment.” Practicing martial arts instilled in him discipline at an early age along with the drive to push toward new goals. More recently, lifting weights has become a great way for him to continue to push toward new goals. “Even though it’s a long process, it’s a great feeling knowing that each day I’m improving, stronger than the day before.” He also enjoys the social aspect and seeing friendly faces when he comes to work out.

When asked why he wanted to work at the Centre he commented that he enjoys talking with and getting to know the members. “The members are great and talking to members about life experiences has enlightened me about potential opportunities my future could have.”

Volunteering is nothing new for Evan. He has been going on mission trips for 8 years as a youth participant as well as returning as an adult chaperone for high schoolers. This past summer, he even gained employment with the same interdenominational organization as a manager. He also volunteers for Destination Imagination, a lifelong passion for him. Evan states that it’s hard for him to see it as volunteering because he has so much fun doing it.

Evan’s story made me realize that the Centre means as much to the member as it does to the employees that work or volunteer here. The Centre’s core purpose is about creating a place where people feel they are an essential part of the community of friends with common interest. Thank you Evan for sharing your story with us and inspiring us to do good work in our community.

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Fuel-Up every Three to Five BY MARY JO BRUNNER, MS RD CD

FAMILY FRESH MARKET DIETITIAN

A lot of people think the less food they eat, the more their waistline will shrink. Well, that’s not really the case because skipping meals in order to reduce caloric intake typically backfires by the end of the day. When you skip meals altogether or don’t include snacks throughout the day, you tend to overeat in the

evening on unhealthy options because you’re feeling “staaaaarrrved!”

Eating something every three to five hours is a good rule of thumb because it helps keep the metabolism revved up to give you the energy you need and keeps you feeling satisfied throughout the day. There are three nutrients in the diet that provide calories and energy--carbohydrates, protein, and fat. It’s important to include a combination of these at meals and snacks because they’re broken down differently by the body. Carbohydrates, found mostly in breads, grains, and fruits are broken down the fastest and give us energy for about 1-2 hours. Protein, commonly found in meat, cheese, nuts, and eggs stays with us a little longer, keeping us satisfied for 3-4 hours. Finally, fats are broken down the slowest and give us energy for about 4-5 hours. If you combine some protein, carbohydrate, and fat when eating, you’ll feel fuller longer and avoid those late night junk food binges.

For more information about eating right, contact me at mary.brunner@spartannash.com.

Here are some healthy snack suggestions:

Small handful of almonds & low fat string cheese

Apple slices with 1 tablespoon peanut butter

Whole grain crackers with 2 oz sliced turkey breast

Small handful trail mix and light yogurt

Low fat cottage cheese and medium piece of fruit

Homemade fruit smoothies

Hard-boiled egg and whole grain crackers

Air popped popcorn without butter

Celery and 2 tablespoons hummus

We’ve experienced some really cold temperatures lately, if it were really warm right now, what would you be doing?

Playing basketball at Starr Elementary with Jossy.

Ben

Swimming at Lake Elmo Beach.

Lilly Anna

Taking a walk and reading on my new deck.

Julie

I’d still be coming here but also working out in my yard.

Rose

Walking my dog.

Nancy

members thoughts5

Core Value Health We focus on healthy life choices and support people in reaching their potential.

Eating Healthy

7 Core Value Sustainability As a non-profit, we are committed to developing a sustainable resource engine to power our future.

Centre Member Spotlight

3 GenerationsBY JACKIE HUFF

MEMBER EXPERIENCE DIRECTOR

Meet Juan Scheid (grandmother to Briana), Rebecca Crichton (mother to Briana), and Briana Beebe.

The first time you see all three come in together there is no doubt that they are related. Rebecca has always known about the Centre and in fact took her children to swim when it was the Friday Aquatic Centre. Both Rebecca and Juan took swimming lessons there as adults.

Rebecca and daughter, Briana, started walking outside during the summer, but with winter approaching, they made the decision to join the Centre. Then Juan also decided she needed something to build strength, so she also joined. Juan started swimming first and later added the machines in the fitness center. Rebecca and Briana have also taken advantage of the Centre’s Personal Training Program with Jeanna as their trainer. Now they also participate in classes taking advantage of the many opportunities provided by the Centre.

Juan shared a little about her name and how her family came to the Midwest. Juan is pronounced Ju-waun. When asked about the unusual name for a woman, Juan told the story of how it happened. Her dad emigrated from Germany in 1902 at the age of 14 along with his 16-year-old brother to work at a German flour mill in New York. When they worked off their passage they came to Southwest Minnesota and bought a farm. She said her dad saw the name somewhere and liked it, but, not knowing this was a Spanish name, he pronounced the name Ju-waun yet kept the spelling Juan.

Briana said, “One of the best things about being here is you always feel comfortable.” Rebecca echoed those thoughts: “Everybody here just does their own thing.” Juan said, “It is really like a family here, and when you are at the Centre you get to know other participants which is so nice and also makes it more fun to be here. We got invited to a holiday brunch and got to know more people and had a great time and good food.” Rebecca said that she figures when you are at the Centre, people—other members and staff—always seem to be happy because they are exercising which releases endorphins!

It is wonderful that the ideals of fitness, health, family, and fun has reached across three generations and has come to be amongst us at the Centre.

“It is really like a family here, and when you are at the Centre you get to know other participants which is so nice and also makes it

more fun to be here”

8 No One Leaves the Same

Exercising Healthy

Be Heart HealthyBY KYLE KOLL

TRAINING AND SPORTS MANAGER

Heart disease is a growing concern in America. According to the CDC, 1 in every 4 deaths last year was associated with heart disease. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women with Coronary Heart Disease being the most common type of heart disease, killing nearly 380,000 people annually.

Six key healthy lifestyle habits can help you prevent heart disease, while their unhealthy counterpart can increase your risk.

Eat a healthy diet. Choosing healthy meal and snack options can help you avoid heart disease and its complications. Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Eating foods low in saturated fat and cholesterol and high in fiber can help prevent high blood cholesterol. Limiting salt or sodium in your diet can also lower your blood pressure.

Get to a healthy weight. Being obese is linked to higher LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglyceride levels and to lower HDL (good) cholesterol as well as high blood pressure and diabetes. Being obese or even just overweight can increase heart disease risk. Eating healthier and eating fewer calories will help you shed excess pounds.

Get regular exercise. Leading a sedentary lifestyle and not getting enough physical activity are linked to heart disease. Not exercising brings up a variety of general health risks as well, all of which in turn raise heart disease risk: obesity, high blood pressure, high triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol and diabetes. On the other hand, getting regular physical activity can lower all these risk factors. National guidelines are to get at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity exercise.

Stop smoking. Tobacco can have as serious an effect on your heart as it does on your lungs, raising both heart disease and heart attack risks. Cigarette smoking promotes atherosclerosis; nicotine, the addictive substance in cigarettes, raises blood pressure; and carbon monoxide reduces the amount of oxygen that blood can carry. Exposure to secondhand smoke can increase the risk of heart disease in nonsmokers.

Drink less. Too much alcohol harms your heart in many ways. It raises blood pressure and triglycerides, a contributing factor in atherosclerosis.

Reduce stress. Easier said than done! Stress can increase your risk of a heart attack and a stroke.

For more information, contact me at kkoll@nracentre.com or 715-243-0843.

Six key healthy lifestyle habits can help you prevent heart disease:

Eat a healthy diet

Get to a healthy weight

Get regular exercise

Stop smoking

Drink less

Reduce stress

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No One Leaves The Same