From a Thankful Recipient...

After having a baby, I lost the interest/energy in my fitness journey but still desired the results. My son wanted to run a race and I was unable to pay for both of our registrations. S.T.A.R.S. blessed me with a Race entry Scholarship and my son and I ran our 1st 5K together. I pray that one day I'll be able to pay it forward. With one week of training, we went out and both landed (what we felt like were) good times. I met my primary goal (time) but not my secondary one. Since running this race, my inner fitness junkie has been re-ignited and I'm back on my fitness journey, with a new goal to finish in under 40 minutes...which I will do. :-) Thank you to S.T.A.R.S.! I now feel like I have STAR power, and I'm ready to drag a few girlfriends/family members out there with me! 

-Anonymous Scholarship Winner

S.T.A.R.S. bring home the GOLD AGAIN!

2015 GRAAHI Community Challenge Winners
2015 Best Dressed

The ladies have done it again. They brought home the trophy. We are proud to salute some SUPERS.T.A.R.S.! Congratulations!

Grand Rapids Brings Awareness to Infant Mortality

What: Infant Mortality Awareness/Infant Safe Sleep Awareness BABY BUGGY WALK IN THE PARK

When: 11 AM - 1 PM Saturday, 12/September

Where: Garfield Park

Sponsored by: Healthy Kent Safe Sleep Coalition
THE MICAH CENTER
Garfield Park Neighborhood Association

The United States Department of Health & Human Services Office of Minority Health and
the National Healthy Start Association annually promote a BABY BUGGY WALK IN THE PARK
to be held at local locations around the country to raise awareness of Infant Mortality.
We are happy to announce we'll be having our First Annual BABY BUGGY WALK IN THE PARK
in Grand Rapids! Our theme is FITNESS! FAMILY! FUN!

Grand Rapids Area Famers' Market Opens June 19th

Southeast Area Farmers’ Market Opens June 19

Fridays, 3-7 p.m., Garfield Park, 334 Burton St. SE 49507Saturdays,11 a.m.-3 p.m.., GR Ford Academic Ctr.,851 Madison SE, 49507· June 26, 27, Cooking Demos· June 27 Summer Celebration DJ & fun activities· July 10 & 11 Urban Foraging Workshop· July 31 & Aug.1 Make Your Own Personal Care Items Workshop

Learning My New Way

I knew something was going on but my symptoms were so inconsistent that I brushed it off. As a single mom, working full time, teaching fitness classes and running several times a week maybe I just needed a little break, right? Wrong! After cutting back, my symptoms became worse and more frequent. There were random times when I would get really dizzy or feel like electric shocks were shooting through my body.  I also kept getting extremely exhausted during my runs.  Then one day last September, my leg went numb and my eyesight started to blur.

National Women's Health Week May 10- May 16, 2015

Take The Pledge!

National Women’s Health Week is an observance led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health. The goal is to empower women to make their health a priority. The week also serves as a time to help women understand what steps they can take to improve their health. The 16th annual National Women’s Health Week kicks off on Mother’s Day, May 10, and is celebrated until May 16, 2015.

S.T.A.R.S. is reminding all women to get active, take some extra steps, schedule a yearly exam, spread the word. Be an ACTIVE participant. Not just a SPECTATOR! It's your time.

To take the pledge visit: http://www.womenshealth.gov/nwhw/about/

Moms who Run with their Daughters

We invite you to hear the story of 2 moms who will be participating with their daughters in an upcoming 5k. They share their stories, their journey, and the emotional enjoyment of being role models for their children and their community.


http://wotv4women.com/2015/04/13/moms-get-motivated-to-be-healthy/

The STROKE didn't STOP ME!

There were times when I could walk/run  during scheduled times.  With work and you all being on the other side of town makes it hard.  But I don’t stop meeting the S.T.A.R.S goal and what we stand for.  Between Zumba and walking at work (stairs are killing me J) I’m still doing what I can to represent S.T.A.R.S. 

Who else but God would have made it possible for a person like me to be at death's door with a stroke , paralyzed, battling Ulcerative Colitis,

220

220…220…220! That is the highest weight I’ve been. It almost seems unreal! I was shocked when the nurse told me that number. I wanted to cry, scream, and shout. I felt broken when she said 220 lbs. What had I done to myself? How did I allow myself to balloon to this size? I was in denial over my weight. What I saw in the mirror and what the scale said did not match up. I was told by loved ones "you carry your weight well." Thanks, but no thanks! I was too short to carry that amount of weight on my frame. 

It motivated me to start making changes, and then life got in the way and I plateaued.

Be Proactive And Not Reactive!

I have always been athletic but one day, I started losing focus of my eating habits and was not really working out. It was not until I went to the doctor one day and he told me that I had high cholesterol. Then he hit me with the big bug! That it was hereditary and that I would be on medication for the rest of my life! The crazy part is how he looked at me. He said that my cholesterol levels were so high and so low that he was surprised I had not already had a heart attack!

I immediately went into panic mode. I have a husband and kids. What will they do without me if something happens? I begin to pray and then heard God say, did you hear what the doctor said! He was surprised that you have not already had a heart attack! Did you not realized how I have kept you! I will continue to keep you but you have to put in work too!

It was then that I decided not to accept the doctor’s report! This is not hereditary!

I Am Not Perfect!

I am not perfect, but I try daily to start over and get it right. There are days where I give my all and days where I don’t give enough, but the key is that I don’t give up. No many how many times I fall short, I get back up and keep trying to get it right. This life of health is necessary and serious because I want to live a long, healthy, and prosperous life. This can only be if I take care of me in the midst of taking care of everyone else (meaning my husband and two boys). They’re a handful, but I am learning that I must take care of me in order to take care of them. We are all moms, spouses, sisters, aunties, godmothers, and daughters to someone but it is necessary for us to be selfish at some point in the day and give to ourselves. For me, that is setting the clock to get up and do some form of physical exercise while everyone is sleeping. If I don’t do it then, it won’t get done. Most days I don’t want to roll out of bed (like today), but I get up and get it done.

We Have not because we Ask Not

Shouts out to all the moms who just make it happen, those that are not afraid to ask questions, or go against the grain! I really wanted to participate in a race, but I had class. It was a local race and it was for a great cause, the Salvation Army Kroc Center. The 5k is a community event. Proceeds from the race support the scholarship fund, which provides $120,000 in scholarships annually to help families participate in recreational programs. In 2014, Dash Down Division raised over $5,000! I had class. I could not miss it and my girlfriends were packing up and heading out without me (I had to throw that part in). I thought to myself, I want to support this cause, I want the bling (yes, I run for bling) and other than this class it worked for me and my daughter's schedule. Basketball was over and we needed some mommy and daughter time. To make a long story short, I enlisted a runner gal pal to get the message to the race director in my absence! To my surprise, he replied with a YES! After class I headed to the location (I had packed my clothes just in case), had my husband meet me with my daughter dressed and we ran our 3.12 miles and collected our bling. Our first mommy & daughter virtual race. I am so glad I did not let fear or embarrassment get in the way! You never know what shiny treasure may wait! ;-)

Involve the Kids in your Fitness

For the moms out there with cable, did you know that there is a fitness channel for On Demand Subscribers? Well maybe you did. Do you use it? You are already paying for it. Also, I have recently discovered that there is a YOGA Jr. channel with free 8-11 minute work outs for you and your little one. My kids have fallen in love with Yoga and I love it! Try it. What a great, calming and relaxing way to put a little one down for a nap. Who does not enjoy good sleep!?!?

Also, what a better use of the remote control right? (that was for my couch potatoes) Get up and Get moving, incorporate the kids. This helps them value the benefits of exercise and healthy habits. If the mom is well and healthy, then all is right with the world right? :)

Everyday is NOT Easy!

Everyday isn't easy. Run at least one mile a day- a fitness streak/goal for March. It sounds easy but after working all day, girl scout troop meeting, washing hair, combing two heads of hair, One MILE WAS the furthest thing from my mind. I figured my 4-day streak was over. Training called for 6 miles. I just didn't have it in me. I thought about how I push my students in fitness classes to their limits.

Fit at 40

Fit at 40! That is my goal among other things in my life. 

Jokingly, I tell everyone I am trying to reach MILF (Google it) status! LOL! What I do know is that my life has to continue to change if I am to reach my goal. Currently, I have cut way down on sugar especially my love affair with chocolate. I love it, but it isn’t good for me. Not because of its deliciousness, but because I am allergic to it. I will break out in hives and give myself headaches for it, but since I’ve cut back on it I can feel the difference in my body. We all have our “guilty treats” and mine just happens to be the best thing on earth. I am pretty sure I am biased! LOL! I am doing cardio 6 days a week and strength training 3 of those days. One of my steps for being fit involves running. I am using the Couch to 10k app for improving my time.

Review of Dolvett Quince's 3-1-2-1

I love Dolvett Quince, he is one of the personal trainers from the hit t.v. show Biggest Loser. I love his smile and so it led me to request his book for Christmas 2014. I read the bio and it really spoke to me, but I admit I did not do the diet program or workout plan until 2015. I just completed the 21 day program. I did not complete the workouts because I generally work out on my own. The 21 day menu plan introduced me to some new meals and meal ideas. Spinach Chips! Yes!

I think my love for him pushed me to finish it more than anything, let me be honest! However, I gained some great things - tips, recipes, discipline, resistance for things I thought I could not live without. Here is my review: