member spotlight
The
12-Week
HAC
Lifestyle
Challenge
by Lisa Maguire,
Garrett Powell,
& Rachel Mayan
The HAC Lifestyle Challenge wasn’t necessarily about losing weight.
It was about making meaningful changes that would result in an
overall healthier state of being. Leading a healthier, more fulfilling
life can’t only be based on the numbers on the scale. It’s based
on how you feel. How “healthy” you are medically. What you’re
able to do when you’re not overtired, overstressed, overfull, or out
of shape. While many people in this challenge did lose weight, and
some a significant amount, weighing less doesn’t automatically make
you healthier – carrying less fat does.
Carrying too much body fat can increase
the risk of type 2 diabetes and other serious
medical conditions such as heart disease,
stroke, and high blood pressure. While
carrying excess weight also has many
adverse, and even serious, health effects, if
you can change the amount of body fat being
carried, the right kind of weight loss is sure
to go with it. Weight can be lost in the form
of water, muscle, or fat, so we chose to judge
the HAC Lifestyle Challenge
contestants based on the
percentage of body fat lost.
(because it’s not just how much you eat, it’s
what you’re eating), working out regularly,
getting adequate rest, and managing stress
levels are all major factors in getting to where
you want to be.
We are so proud of everyone who
participated in the 2016 HAC Lifestyle
Challenge. Our 31 participants chose to
work with a personal trainer either once or
twice per week and were
given a detailed handbook
for success, access to our
exclusive “Lose it for Life”
blog, a fitness and nutrition
journal, and weekly weighins. After just a short three
months, a combined total of
427.9 inches, 242.2 pounds,
and 133.7% body fat were lost! Great job to all
who took the challenge, and a very special
congratulations to our top three finishers,
Suzanne, Susan, and Jason.
It takes hard
work, dedication,
and a whole lot
of willpower.
Body fat is the
percentage of the total body
mass that is fat vs. lean. In
order to change the amount
of body fat, a person must
lose fat. Simple, right? Well,
the trick here is to try to retain – or even
gain – muscle in the process. If a person eats
a diet that is too restrictive, or doesn’t work
out, or over eats but works out like crazy, it
will be difficult to change body fat percentage
meaningfully – this is where the “lifestyle”
part comes in.
Saying “today’s the day” and beginning
the commitment to a life of health and
wellness isn’t always as easy as it sounds.
It takes hard work, dedication, and a whole
lot of willpower. Eating a well-balanced diet
Interested in changing your lifestyle
and ready to take on The Challenge? Look
for information about the next 12-Week
HAC Lifestyle Challenge in the fall, and for
now, consider making some of these small
changes that can have a big impact.
7 CHANGES YOU CAN MAKE TODAY
8
HACHEALTHCLUB.COM
•
Set a limit for yourself on how many
times a week or month you can eat
out, and once you’ve reached that
limit, commit to cooking at home.
•
Try something new in your exercise
routine – a new class, targeting a new
muscle group, etc.; the variety allows
your body to be challenged.
•
Next time you’re on the treadmill, add
an incline, increase your speed by
even one notch, or add just 30 more
seconds to your normal workout.
•
Swap out your office chair for an
exercise ball, or graduate to a
standing desk.
•
Commit to planning just three of your
weekly meals and pack just three
lunches for work. Once you get into
the habit, up those numbers!
•
Set a time in the evening that you
can’t eat past and hold yourself to it.
•
When serving yourself at a meal,
take just one scoop less than you
normally would.