Week One

Saturday, September 17 we were introduced as the West Family YMCA and the West Locust Hyvee Healthy Family at Browning Field in Moline where the QC Healthy Families Event was held. Lots of family fun--Punt, Pass, & KIck, bounce house, kite flying, free food, and a health fair. There we met our Wellness Coach from the West YMCA, Wyatt. With so many of us, he will have a challenge on his hands! More info Monday with Wyatt.

Monday, September 19 we all met with Wyatt our Wellness Coach. Steve went alone before work. The kids and I went at 5. The expectations of the Family Makeover Challenge were explained. We must workout 3 days each week. Points are earned on a daily basis. We need to meet with Wyatt weekly. Wyatt set us up for two free months of membership along with half price membership for a year!  We will meet with Janet Macon, Hyvee Dietitian every other week for one hour. We need to set 3 goals. We need to take photos of our pantry, the refrigerator, and before photos of the family. We also need some photos of us doing family activities and eating together. Nelson Chiropractic will provide us with services during the challenge! We received a tour of the West YMCA. Then Wyatt showed Mom (and Dad) how to use the treadmill and elliptical. The expectation is that we workout once before we meet again the end of this week. Wyatt suggested a program called Kids Fit for the kids. Meets Mondays and Wednesdays from 5:30-6:30--kids go there (its free) and mom can work out while the kids are supervised! Friday Wyatt intends to teach the kids to play racquetball so they could play racquetball or attend open gym while Mom works out! Cariyana hung with the kids for a bit of Kids Fit and then sampled the Child Watch area. Two-hand touch football was a "little over her head!"

At the end of the challenge all the Support members will meet and decide who the winning family is. The winning family accrues $250 cash and $250 in Hyvee gift cards, second place and third place are lesser amounts of cash. 4th and 5th place win two massages from Nelson Chiropractic. We have already "won". We have received gift enough in the Wellness Coaching and Dietitian advice! This will be life changing for our family!! The timing is right!

Karen and Steve's first assignment. Workout at least once before meeting with Wyatt the end of the week.

Tuesday, September 20th Steve and I got up at 5:30 am to walk together in our neighborhood. We had talked that this was one thing we could do together. We walked in the dark for 20 minutes. We got some great UNINTERRUPTED talk in! Something that is difficult at times with a large family and parents who work separate shifts!  In addition, Steve walked on the treadmill 30 min at the YMCA before he went to work. I walked on the treadmill at 5pm. I was scared to death someone I knew would be there that I knew or that I would fail in someway. The treadmill made me anxious, not really feeling comfortable with the surroundings, etc. I managed the treadmill on 3 (incline) and 3 (speed) for 30 min. HR 135. After I tried to do the elliptical. 2 minutes is all I managed. The elderly woman next to me did 30 minutes on hers! I might need a refresher from Wyatt. Its hard work! I am definitely not comfortable on it. Something to get used to I guess.

Wednesday, September 21st Steve worked out prior to going to work. At work today I noticed my neck and shoulders and upper arms were stiff. I presume from me holding on to the treadmill. Steve says I am not supposed to (hold on)? I missed that message!  I texted Wyatt. He told me this was muscle soreness, not to baby it and just keep being active and I would feel better as the week goes on. Today I tried to sneak in a workout during Xavier's football practice. The stars were aligned just right. I made it to the YMCA (but a bit late) with Alexis and Joe. I checked Joe in at Kids Fit (kickball today) and Alexis went to Zumba! Just enough time to do the treadmill, no eliptical. Just not enough time. HR 130. I guess I need to increase my settings!! Teh good news is I am feeling more secure on the treadmill. I was able to keep one hand free and and just barely hold on with my right hand. I had to check Joe out of Kids Fit early and Alexis out of Zumba in order to hurry back to Blue Grass to get Xavier from football. As the weather progresses to winter, sneaking in a workout might not work! We shall see.