I think people should realize how kind Shannon Roberts, the membership director at The Fitness Center, has been.

For those who have not noticed, the center has a friendly staff.

My son, Dale Brashers, passes away this past July. Readers may recall the story about his death, published under the headline “UI Department Head dies in campus office.”

Dale was a member of local health clubs for years. He obviously liked The Fitness Center because he passed up other exercise facilities to go there.

When I called to inquire about his membership, I also asked how much it would cost for me to participate in their club while in Champaign settling his affairs.

Roberts, a precious young lady, offered me a complimentary membership for this time period.

LOU BRASHERS

BodyWork Associates is a group of professional massage therapists that have been located in downstate Illinois since 1982 and inside The Fitness Center since 1989. These dedicated therapists bring the very best in massage therapy to the Champaign community. They have grown to be one of the larger massage therapy clinics in the Midwest.
People come to us for three distinct reasons -

Stress Reduction
Performance enhancement
Pain Relief

Combine massage therapy with your workout regimen and discover your full fitness potential.

Click Here to link to BodyWork Associates website 

Before & After

130 Pounds Later

“I’ve experienced an increase in energy, strength, weight loss and personal growth. “

I never knew there was an inner athlete inside of me waiting to be unleashed. I also never knew that I would enjoy going to the gym, and the biggest part of that is the staff. They are like family, and I feel so very blessed to know them.

The Fitness Center has the staff, tools and support that you will need to take charge of your body and fitness goals. The Fitness Center can change your life.

I would recommend joining the Fitness Center to anyone who is looking for more than just a gym.

Today I have excellent blood pressure, I’ve decreased my medication, and am building stronger bones!

Three years ago I decided  I needed to lower my blood pressure and try to increase my bone density through exercise. Although I wasn’t overweight, I wasn’t fond of exercise so I knew a personal trainer would be needed to keep me motivated. I had seen The Fitness Center advertisements on television and decided to give them a try. They paired me up with Dar and the fit couldn’t have been more perfect for me.

If you’re needing to get fit and want to do it in a safe setting with friendly trained professionals, then join The Fitness Center, you won’t be sorry!

I just wanted to share my experiences with healthcare this year and how they relate to The Fitness Center.

On March 9th of this year, I came in and did my regular workout. I had been coming in about 3 to 4 times a week and had begun to see some good results, in addition to feeling great.

On the 10th, I woke up with a strange tingling in my lower legs and feet. Knowing this was not normal, I drove myself to Provena’s Emergency Room. By the time I arrived I had become so weak that I collapsed as I walked in. My legs were paralyzed. By 10:30, family members had arrived and the doctors told us that they thought I had Guillan-Barre Syndrome. Its a rare (1 out of 100,000-200,000 get it) syndrome were a virus tricks your immune system into attacking your nervous system. It destroys the linings of the nerves which causes them to short circuit and symptoms from tingling to weakness to paralysis results. There is nothing they can do to stop it and the only option is to let it run its course and then do therapy to repair the damage. 97% of the people that are stricken survive and 70% of the survivors have a substantial or complete recovery. Unfortunately, my case was particularly nasty and by mid-afternoon of the 11th, I was paralyzed from the neck down and placed on a ventilator to breath. I began to wake up 4 weeks later. I had been transferred to a hospital near Chicago to wean me off the vent and begin rehab. I was ultimately hospitalized for 3 and 1/2 months and had therapy 5-6 days a week for 2 more months. My heart stopped once (obviously they got it started again!), I lost 60 lbs (I DO NOT recommend the diet plan !), and am still suffering the effects of weakness in the hands and feet and some balance issues.

How does this relate to The Fitness Center? The first time I was taken out of bed and placed in a wheelchair was in late April. I was rolled into a sling and lifted by a glorified engine hoist and swung over the chair. When I looked at my thighs as I was all scrunched up in the sling, I was emotionally crushed. They had the consistency of a large sandwich bag filled with Jello. I moaned and said “Oh great. All that work at the gym for nothing”. The doctor overheard me and asked what I meant. I told him of the regimen I had been on and he said “Well if it hadn’t been for the workouts (at The Fitness Center) you wouldn’t have survived.” Kind of put it all in context didn’t it?

Anyway, I found out later that in the early weeks, the doctors had given me less than a 1% chance of surviving and had even mentioned removing me from life support. After it appeared that I would survive, they were thinking that a recovery period of 1 to 1 and 1/2 years would be in order. But because of the workouts at The Fitness Center, I was able to return to work fulltime at Worden-Martin ( a great, classy company that went waaaaay beyond the call of duty to help me during this ordeal) and am living by myself for the first time since early 2008.

Please Thank your staff for making The Fitness Center such a friendly and inviting environment that would help a former couch potato into a lifestyle that ultimately saved my life. I’m looking forward to starting my workouts this weekend. Thanks again Lori.

Oatmeal
Start your day with a steaming bowl of oats, which are full of omega-3 fatty acids, folate, and potassium. This fiber-rich superfood can lower levels of LDL (or bad) cholesterol and help keep arteries clear.

Opt for coarse or steel-cut oats over instant varieties — the coarse and steel-cut contain more fiber — and top your bowl off with a banana for another four grams of fiber.

Salmon
Super-rich in omega-3 fatty acids, salmon can effectively reduce blood pressure and keep clotting at bay. Aim for two servings per week, which may reduce your risk of dying of a heart attack by up to one-third.

“Salmon contains the carotenoid astaxanthin, which is a very powerful antioxidant,” says cardiologist Stephen T. Sinatra, MD, the author of “Lower Your Blood Pressure In Eight Weeks.” But be sure to choose wild salmon over farm-raised fish, which can be packed with insecticides, pesticides, and heavy metals.

Not a fan of salmon? Other oily fish like mackerel, tuna, herring, and sardines will give your heart the same boost.

Avocado
Add a bit of avocado to a sandwich or spinach salad to increase the amount of heart-healthy fats in your diet. Packed with monounsaturated fat, avocados can help lower LDL levels while raising the amount of HDL cholesterol in your body. Health.com: What puts you at risk for high cholesterol?

“Avocados are awesome,” says Dr. Sinatra. “They allow for the absorption of other carotenoids — especially beta-carotene and lycopene — which are essential for heart health.”

Olive oil
Full of monounsaturated fats, olive oil lowers bad LDL cholesterol and reduces your risk of developing heart disease.

Results from the Seven Countries Study, which looked at cardiovascular disease incidences across the globe, showed that while men in Crete had a predisposition for high cholesterol levels, relatively few died of heart disease because their diet focused on heart-healthy fats found in olive oil. Look for extra-virgin or virgin varieties — they’re the least processed — and use them instead of butter when cooking. Health.com: Good fats vs. bad fats — what to eat

Nuts
Almonds, walnuts, and macadamia nuts are all full of omega-3 fatty acids and mono- and polyunsaturated fats.

Almonds are rich in omega-3s, plus nuts increase fiber in the diet, says Dr. Sinatra. “And like olive oil, they are a great source of healthy fat.”

Berries
Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries — whatever berry you like best — are full of anti-inflammatories, which reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer.

“Blackberries and blueberries are especially great,” says Sinatra. “But all berries are great for your vascular health.” Health.com: How I survived a heart attack at 43

Legumes
Fill up on fiber with lentils, chickpeas, and black and kidney beans. They’re packed with omega-3 fatty acids, calcium and soluble fiber.

Spinach
Spinach can help keep your ticker in top shape thanks to its stores of lutein, folate, potassium, and fiber.

But upping your servings of any veggies is sure to give your heart a boost. The Physicians’ Health Study examined more than 15,000 men without heart disease for a period of 12 years. Those who ate at least 2½ servings of vegetables each day cut their risk of heart disease by about 25 percent, compared with those who didn’t eat the veggies. Each additional serving reduced risk by another 17 percent.

Flaxseed
Full of fiber and omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, a little sprinkling of flaxseed can go a long way for your heart. Top a bowl of oatmeal or whole-grain cereal with a smidgen of ground flaxseed for the ultimate heart-healthy breakfast.

Soy
Soy may lower cholesterol, and since it is low in saturated fat, it’s still a great source of lean protein in a heart-healthy diet.

Look for natural sources of soy, like edamame, tempeh, or organic silken tofu. And soy milk is a great addition to a bowl of oatmeal or whole-grain cereal. But watch the amount of salt in your soy: Some processed varieties like soy dogs can contain added sodium, which boosts blood pressure.

Copyright Health Magazine

How can you set the example and get them off on the right foot if your habits aren’t that great? Consider taking these steps to put yourself and your family on the road to better health and fitness:

• Work closely with a personal trainer – Exercise is one of the best ways to get yourself and your family in shape. Coming up with a program that will suit the needs of family members of varying ages isn’t easy though. A trainer can help you pick a plan that works for you while encouraging family members to get involved. You may even want individualized plans that also include family exercise time that’s fun. Taking bike rides together, walks or even jogs through the park might do the trick.
• Make eating right cool – Children are not born with a hatred for fruits, vegetables and other healthy food choices. They learn to scorn these things when processed, sugary and salty snacks and treats are introduced into their diets. Reserve the unhealthy snacks and fast-foods for occasional treats and make the healthy options the staples in your house. Also make sure your family sees you eating healthy foods. If you munch on grapes, yogurt or whole grain crackers in between meals, your children will be more likely to do the same. At mealtime, present healthy options, but do take the steps to make them tasty and enjoyable. Grilled or broiled lean meats, fresh vegetables, whole grain side dishes and other similar choices are healthy and they can offer a lot of flavor.
• Make exercise fun – When it’s your time to exercise, don’t let your kids hear you complain. If you really can’t handle the idea of a trip to the gym on a particular day, load up the kids in the car and go to a park for a hike. Or, just head to the backyard for a game of Frisbee or something fun. You’ll know it’s exercise, but your kids won’t.
• Work on breaking bad habits – If you smoke or drink too much, take steps to kick these habits. When children see their parents smoking or drinking, they associate these behaviors with being grown up. They also believe they are acceptable. Keeping drinking down to low or moderate levels or giving up tobacco can send your children the message you want them to learn.

If you want your family to become healthier and more fitness conscious, you may have to take the first steps. When your children and even your spouse see you having fun, they are likely to follow your example. Working with your trainer or the pros at your fitness center can help you get off on the right foot to effect a change for yourself and your family.

• 3 1/2 cups water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, optional
• 2 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped, optional
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, plus more, to taste
• 1 cup lowfat milk, divided
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions
In a medium saucepan, bring the water and salt to a boil. Stir in the oats and raisins, reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, uncovered, for 5 minutes.

In the meantime, place nuts, if using, in a dry skillet over a medium-high flame, and toast, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

When the oats are cooked remove pan from the flame and stir in the vanilla and nutmeg. Swirl in the brown sugar and place the oatmeal in serving bowls. Pour 1/4 cup of milk on top of each bowl, and top with toasted nuts and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Note: For a quicker version using quick cooking or plain instant oatmeal: Cook the oatmeal according to the directions on the package. Stir raisins, brown sugar, and nutmeg into the cooked oatmeal. Top with milk, nuts (toasted or un-toasted) and cinnamon

Where: The Studio (3 Blocks from Lionhess Elementary School)

When: From 7pm – 8:30-pm

More Info: Email or Call Us!

So what’s your favorite post workout meal?

Leave a comment below and tell us your favorite healthy after-workout snack.