How LifeBridge Health Employees Get in Shape for the Summer

You won’t find the Housewives of Carroll County gabbing with Andy Cohen on “Watch What Happens Live,” or snapping up a college tuition’s worth of bling at Tiffany’s. Instead of burning up charge cards, they’re burning up a sweat. Being one of the Housewives of Carroll County is how Jennifer Terrell, director of Volunteer Services and Business Outreach, is getting into shape for summer.

You won’t find the Housewives of Carroll County gabbing with Andy Cohen on “Watch What Happens Live,” or snapping up a college tuition’s worth of bling at Tiffany’s. Instead of burning up charge cards, they’re burning up a sweat. Being one of the Housewives of Carroll County is how Jennifer Terrell, director of Volunteer Services and Business Outreach, is getting into shape for summer.

“I went to the doctor for my annual physical, and she asked me what I did for exercise,” Terrell shares. “I had to be honest with her. I let her know my kids’ busy schedules did not allow any ‘me’ time.”

This realization sparked a new idea: She and her fellow moms spend many hours watching their kids practice; why not use that time to work out together?

“We are now the Housewives of Carroll County, working out two nights a week with a trainer,” Terrell says. “We definitely will be ready for the summer!”

Terrell may be ready for the season of pick-up sports, beach vacations and (gasp!) bathing suits, but what about those of us who might be off to a slow start (or who haven’t gotten off the launch pad)?

Jennifer Weaver, a fitness trainer at LifeBridge Health & Fitness, acknowledges that getting started is rough, and that we can be undone by our own high expectations. “People go into working out with high goals and when they don’t see progress, they can become discouraged and lose motivation,” she explains. “The first thing to remember is to start out slowly.”

Taking a flying leap into fitness is a sure-fire way to land smack in the canyon. The old adage that a journey of 1,000 miles starts with a single step proves true (and just imagine how many calories you’d burn in 1,000 miles). Start by touching base with a nutritionist and getting your eating on track. Let H2O be your BFF and stay hydrated.

Getting in shape doesn’t mean grinding away on a piece of equipment that looks like a medieval torture device; there are fun ways to boost your fitness. “Start with things that you know. If you run, start with that,” adds Weaver. “Add strength and toning exercises. Find somebody you want to work out with. When you don’t feel like it, you’ll have somebody to push you.”

That’s advice that Jennifer Terrell has clearly taken to heart. Other LBH staffers have found their bliss while buffing up in a variety of ways.
For dietary clerk Sharon Brailsford, that means a four-mile walk five times a week and a low-fat, high-fiber diet. Margie Krell, a social worker on the Behavioral Health Unit at Levindale gets her Zumba on. “This class [I go to] at Lifebridge Health & Fitness is a mix of salsa, cha-cha and just plain fun!”

LifeBridge Health & Fitness offers a variety of classes for its members. Employees system-wide are real VIPs; their monthly fee is 25 percent off the standard membership cost. If you’d prefer to boogie down closer to where you clock out, classes are available on a regular basis at both Sinai Hospital and Levindale in the evenings.

Leslie B. Welfeld, R.N., B.S.N., education specialist, Clinical Information Systems, e-Learning Department, Lifebridge Health, likes to dance as well. But she gets her groove on in the comfort of her home. “I just bought the ‘move package’ and Dance 3 Playstation game and now I am dancing off the calories with my 8-year-old daughter a few times a week,” she says. “Best workout ever.”

Tim Carl, a webmaster with LifeBridge Health, isn’t much of a dancer, but he prefers variety in his routine: He likes to run, play tennis and lift weights at the gym. If you’re a runner like Tim, one of the things that might help you shape up is a free (that’s right, free!) running clinic offered at Sinai Hospital. Held every quarter, the clinic pairs you with a physical therapist who will video your running technique and offer suggestions on how to improve your form. Be sure to check out the LifeBridge Health community calendar on lifebridgehealth.org for future dates.

Iyna Adams, OTR/L, CPAM, subacute rehab team leader, Northwest Hospital, gets help from a four-legged friend. “I ride my horses as often as possible,” she says. “It really works the abs when you jump.” Exercise not only gives her the chance to connect with nature, she also gets to bond with her teenage daughters. “That alone is priceless. There’s nothing better than getting off a 10-hour day then going riding in the woods or flying over jumps!”

Whether you’re rockin’ a team jersey, dancing shoes or even a saddle, you can fine-tune your physique this summer. The results will stay with you long after the heat fades and the picnic baskets have been packed up.

-Noel Lloyd