Double time
0 Comments | Buffalo News, Oct 25, 2008 | by Jane Kwiatkowski
It’s just past 3 on a weekday afternoon, and school teachers from Nativity of Mary School in Williamsville are minutes into their staff meeting when principal Cherie Ansuini directs the attention of her colleagues to the video screen at the front of the room.
Without missing a stride, the roomful of teachers begin to watch the video. Some reach for their water bottles. One wipes away sweat. Another checks his elliptical screen to see how many calories he’s burned.
Call it a walking conference, where participants hop on treadmills and elliptical trainers rather than taking seats at a meeting table. They sip water — not coffee — and leave their suits at home. At the Healthy Living Support Network on Main Street in Williamsville, a new approach to wellness is stressed.
“Exercise is such a part of everyone’s life now, that incorporating it into a meeting doesn’t seem too off-base,” said science teacher Jennifer Kiss, 32. “Distraction is good. I don’t have to think about me sweating and working so hard. I would give it an A. When you spend all day in the classroom, coming to a meeting outside the classroom is cool.”
With obesity rates soaring, more and more people are looking for new ways to incorporate exercise into their lives. Locally, some fitness centers have responded with innovative programs.
*Healthy Living Support Center, 8566 Main St. Williamsville (www.gohealthy.us/580-3402).
Distinguishing factor: A walking conference room with elliptical trainers and treadmills.
Other services: Nutrition education and counseling, behavior counseling and fitness instruction. Also, Walking Book Clubs, Bike Book Clubs and Bike Room Movie Night.
Staff: Registered dietitian, licensed social worker, certified personal trainer.
Membership: Family and individual packages available, as well as business package.
When Jennifer Baran opened her Williamsville wellness center earlier this month, she had multitasking in mind.
“There’s a certain group of people who sign up with a gym in January and stop going by February,” said the licensed social worker. “We’re targeting the individuals for whom the traditional system didn’t work, providing a taste of physical activity while they’re doing other things. Some people need the distraction.”
That’s why on this day the Walking Conference Room is full of elementary school teachers who are exercising while conducting a staff meeting.
“I’m a multitasker,” said Amy Peters, a sixth-grade teacher. “It’s nice to be up and moving, and we were still able to focus and talk. This was great, especially at the end of the day. It got everybody motivated.”
Another day would see book club members walking their way through a novel discussion. Bike Room Movie Night, on the other hand, would feature pedal recumbent bikes for movie buffs who can exercise and eat popcorn simultaneously.
“There’s more than one component to living a healthy lifestyle,” Baran said. “I started out thinking I could do supportive counseling service to help people lose weight or implement healthier lifestyle changes, and then it evolved into a group approach.”
Baran’s wellness center also offers nutrition counseling, support groups, fitness education and motivational support to clients while they exercise on treadmills, ellipticals or recumbent cycles. Her “Exer-Buddy Registry” matches individuals looking for exercise partners.
“Imagine a work space on a treadmill,” Baran said. “Walking desks! People are really excited about the idea of doing two things at once although healthy cooking classes may be a stretch.”
*Medically Oriented Gym, 1801 Grand Island Blvd., Grand Island (www.gimog.com/773-1600)
Distinguishing factor: On-staff physical therapists coordinate with doctors on a patient’s health and promote long-term exercise programs with supervision.
Staff: Physical therapists, certified personal trainers and fitness class instructors.
Services: Fully equipped gym for medically compromised as well as healthy members.
Membership: Open fitness facility includes full gym and variety of group classes. Also by physican referral for physical therapy/ exercise.
Group fitness: Variety of classes, including Silver Sneakers.
On Grand Island, the MOG (pronounced mawg and standing for Medically Oriented Gym) brings a medical component to the fitness table. Owner Russell Certo is a physical therapist who has been treating patients for 26 years.
“I would treat the patients and then pass them off to a gym with some instructions and hope these instructions would be followed,” said Certo