Yesterday, I attended 1 one of the 3 Transition New Orleans Recreation Task Force Public Meetings – held by the New Orleans Recreation Department Citizens Advisory Panel (NORDcap). The goal of NORDcap is to provide recommendations for the development of high quality, broad-based playgrounds, facilities, programs and services creating a sense of community, enabling a safe and secure environment, and enhancing New Orleans’ quality of life.

By far the biggest thing that clearly stood out last night is how extremely passionate the citizens of New Orleans are about improving recreational opportunities and facilities because of how critical it is to the proper formation of our youths.

Coaches, parents, children and communities leaders stood up one by one; taking their 2 minutes and 30 seconds to express their concerns, disappointment, and burning desire to see changes in NORD and to see community parks, facilities and programs returned and be properly managed.

In the last five years, since Katrina, it’s clear that the citizens of the city, the parents, coaches, booster clubs and volunteers have put forth the efforts, the money, the time, love, and care in reviving the parks, and organizing the programs.  The citizens of New Orleans are heart broken by the recent raise of violence and are demanding change and better opportunities, and programs for the kids in the city.

The members of the NORDcap chaired by Rod West, CEO, Entergy New Orleans, Inc. and Roy Glapion, Founder and past President, Citywide Testing & Inspections, Inc., listened carefully, took notes and have a big job to fill in making the best possible recommendations to Mayor Mitch Landrieu.

To find out more about the New Orleans Recreation Task Force I recommend listening to the New Orleans Recreation Department Citizens Advisory Panel presentation to the New Orleans City Council, August 28, 2009 – Rod West clearly articulates the current situation, the issues that need to be addressed, the challenges ahead, and mission NORDcap has undertaken.

I personally stood up last night, stepped to the microphone and expressed that as the parks and recreation centers are revived, it’s critical that the entire family and community is taken into account. As the CEO of Be Fit NOLA – what I’ve discovered is how many people have no access to any kinds of facilities or ability to exercise and workout.  I do believe it’s critical to setup programs for kids but it’s also imperative to give parents access to exercise programs and equipment.  Lets setup Green Gyms in our parks…lets invest in the health of the citizens in New Orleans by providing parks and recreation centers that support all – people of all ages.

I really hope that amazing things will happen in the next few years…real change, real improvement, real innovation.

It almost feels like we are rotating between world class races and music festivals from one weekend to the next.  With French Quarter Fest coming to an end today – it’s time for a race…so next Sunday, New Orleans will host the Ochsner 70.3 Ironman.  Last year, the race broke a world record for being the largest 70.3 in the world. What do we mean by 70.3?!?  Well, this race is definitely not a walk in the park; it’s a grueling combination of a 1.2 mile swim, a 56 mile bike and a 13.1 mile run = 70.3 miles.  The race will start at the UNO Research and Technology Park and end in Jackson Square. The award ceremony will be held at Woldenberg Park.

(Click on images for larger image)

Swim 1.2 Miles

Bike 56 Miles

Run 13.1 Miles

I couldn’t confirm the race was sold out, only 3,000 participants are allowed, but registration for the race is closed. This is the kind of race that requires a lot of preparation.  You don’t wake-up in the morning and decide to run an Ironman.  You need to train properly and invest the money in the right equipment…normally getting a racing bike is the biggest expense.

New Orleans will once again host a list of world class athletes for this event: Last year’s champions, Brent McMahon (a former Canadian Olympian) and Natscha Badmann of Switzerland are returning. Also, Australian Chris McCormack (who has won 11 Ironman titles and been named Triathlete of the Year four times) will make a repeat visit. Other seasoned pros signed on include Rasmus Henning from Denmark and U.S. racers Andy Potts and Joanna Zeiger.

Also, just like the other race events – there is going to be an Expo two days prior to the race.  The Health and Fitness Expo will feature a wide variety of multi-sport products, apparel, as well as healthy lifestyle goods and services. The expo is being held at the Hilton New Orleans on Friday April 16th, 10am-6:30pm and Saturday April 17th, 9am-7pm.

It’s getting to be that time of the year, Spring and Summer, when everyone wants to be in better shape, or a little healthier.  The New Year’s resolution is over and some have fallen off the initial “push” to start the new year off right.  It’s tough to join a gym and have a goal in mind only to realize you’re not sure how to achieve it.  For example: losing body fat, gaining muscle, improving endurance, etc…  Well, there’s a lot to understand when it comes to the human anatomy.  You’ve got to know how it works in order to achieve maximum results.

For those of you who may be discouraged about your results so far, or haven’t taken that first step in joining a gym because you might be a little intimidated – there is hope!  It’s still a new year and there’s plenty of time…the hot weather might pretty much be here already in New Orleans but you can still look and feel better by summer! You can still join a gym and most gyms offer a free initial evaluation with a certified personal trainer (PT) when you sign up for  a membership.  If you weren’t told about that, you may want to ask.

An initial evaluation is a one-on-one session with a PT and usually takes about an hour to complete.  The evaluation will cover a basic overview of your lifestyle, health, diet and a couple of tests to gauge your current strength and endurance.  Generally, the personal trainer will take your blood pressure, your weight, ask you to perform a sit & reach test (for flexibility), and measure your body composition (lean mass & fat).  The strength test may include an exercise to determine muscular strength and sit-ups (or crunches) to measure muscular endurance.

Once that’s all complete, the PT will give you the results of all that information.  What kind of results?  You’ll find out where you are at on a health scale of “Poor, Fair, Average, Good or Excellent”.  You’ll be able to hear the recommendations for training the PT may have in mind for you based on those results.  At that time, the PT may be able to explain a couple of tips about a creating a balanced program that may help in achieving the results you want.  Then it’s time to decide.

At this point, some people feel comfortable enough to move on by themselves; they may have just needed to get some extra motivation by seeing where they stood from a health perspective.  If you’re thinking about going solo, always remember, if you have any questions about an exercise or how to use a machine, don’t hesitate to ask a PT – they should have no problem helping you.   Others may be ready to take the step in having a PT train them.  If you select to work with a personal trainer – he or she will use your evaluation to establish a structured program to guide you towards your goals.  We’ll get into program structure and design in the next post.

How many of you hate going to the gym because it’s too crowded, your intimated, or you don’t want to get stuck in a long term contract that you can’t get out of?? If you hate running on a treadmill like a hamster on a wheel, outdoor fitness boot camp might be for you. I know I would much rather be outside exercising and enjoying the beautiful New Orleans’ weather.  This is what outdoor fitness boot camps provide.

Fitness boot camps take fitness out of the gym and into our local parks and green spaces. At XLR8 Fitness Boot Camp we are outdoors jumping hurdles, running agility ladders, and meeting new friends who all have one purpose in mind; to get healthy.

A common misconception about boot camps comes from the words “BOOT CAMP”. People think “Am I going to get screamed at?” This is very far from the truth. There is no reason to be scared; you won’t find any screaming drill sergeants!!  You will find a support system with instructors who have an optimistic outlook that says, despite the odds and challenges of leading a healthy lifestyle, the future is promising. Some boot camps are for women only, but other boot camps, like our boot camp is designed for men and women of all fitness levels.

As a boot camp instructor/owner, most of the questions I get are from people who are new to fitness – they feel like they will hold the group back. The thing to know about boot camp is although it’s considered “group exercise” – the majority of boot camps are designed for you to be able to go at your own pace. Believe me, you can put your mind at ease, no one is watching or judging you…other people are worrying about their own ability to perform the best they can.  You do as many repetitions as you can within the amount of time, whether it be 3 or 30. Boot camp instructors are there to motivate you to do your personal best.

So I know you are wondering what types of things do we do in a  boot camp class. Each class is an hour in length. There are no two workouts that are the same.

Workouts include:

cardiovascular, muscular endurance, strength training with dumbbells and body bars. We also take campers through group challenges, partner resistance, medicine ball drills, agility hurdles and ladders, plyometrics and obstacle courses. Tons of repetitions will tone the muscles and the fast pace drills will keep your heart pumping.

RESULT = a serious workout and great calorie burner.

If you are looking for something that reaches Beyond the Gym to get motivated and inspired – you might really want to consider trying out one of the boot camps being offered around town.

When choosing a boot camp here are somethings to keep in mind:

1. Size: Be sure to ask about the size of your class.  If you are not comfortable in large groups and you want to ensure you get more personal attention, I recommend going with a boot camp that limits their class size. You can also check on instructor to student ratio.  It’s possible to have a larger group with multiple instructors.

2. Location: Most boot camps are early in the morning, you do need consider accessibility to where your boot camp class is being held.  A boot camp closer to home will be easier for you to get to…and the distance won’t be an excuse for you to not go.

3. Women or co-ed: Like I already alluded to, some boot camps are co-ed and some are for women only.  If you have a preference one way or the other – this will impact which boot camp you participate in.

4. Cost: Boot camps do vary in cost so ask around and find out what you’ll be getting for what you’ll be paying.

5. Duration: Some boot camps are 4 weeks long, some 6 weeks and some even longer…perhaps a shorter boot camp to try it out is better for you before making a bigger commitment or perhaps you already know you want to commit to losing weight in the next 6 weeks before a big event so you want a longer program.  Who knows! Just know you have options.

6. Read Reviews and Feedback: Do take the time to read reviews on third party sites like Be Fit NOLA to find out what others are saying about the boot camp(s) you are considering.

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Emily Eoffreceived her M.S., in Health and Exercise Science from Louisiana Tech University, as well as, her B.S. in Kinesiology and Health Promotion. She also holds her personal training and group fitness instructor certificates from some of the leading certification programs in the country. As a motivator, role model, and leader, Emily brings nine years of experience in the health and fitness industry to her XLR8 Fitness business.

What a day!! What a race!! Today was the 32^nd Crescent City Classic – over 20,000 runners and walkers lined up on Decatur to participate in this world class 10K race.  The gun and canon – yes, canon, promptly went off at 8:30 am after the Marine Corps Color Guards and Marine Corps Band finished the National Anthem.

Although at first rain threaten to make an appearance, not a drop came down before, during or after the race…which is good because everyone was enjoying the after the race festivities at City Park. The cloud coverage was welcomed, since you can work up quite a sweat running 6.2 miles.  The mixture of cloud, sun and the low 70s made for a gorgeous day for the race.

The Crescent City Classic attracts world class athletes who come to New Orleans to set world records but to me, the real heroes of the race are the people of all ages, sexes, shapes and sizes that come out to run and walk.  People really do come out in troves to participate…some dressed up, some pushing baby strollers and some pulling coolers filled with beer and jelly shots.

It really is one of the best races in New Orleans.  The course starts off in the Quarter, down to Poydras…around to Rampart and on Esplanade all the way to City Park.  It’s a very scenic route.

At the end of the race many people enjoyed some delicious jambalaya and a ‘few’ folks enjoyed some Abita beer.  Okay…most folks also enjoyed some Abita beer.  I guess they earned it after running 6.2 miles!

Congratulations to everyone who ran and thank you to the Crescent City Fitness Foundation and Times Picayune for putting this event together for the city each year.  You can get your race results here.

Below are the pictures I took. Also, check-out the Times Picayune Slide Shows.

We are joining great cities of the likes of Boston, San Francisco, Toronto, San Diego, Philadelphia and Nashville in holding a HealthCamp in our wonderful city of New Orleans.

HealthCamp is an unconference inspired by the popular BarCamp conferences, which are intended to allow people to share and learn in an open environment. It is an intense event with discussions, demos and interaction from attendees.

The purpose of the HealthCamp is to bring together health, fitness and wellness professionals in the Greater New Orleans area to share knowledge, network, and open dialogues around the challenges, issues, and concerns they face every day.  As well as, brainstorm, explore and discuss solutions, ideas and the latest innovations, policies and technology available.

An unconference means that the attendees are the presenters – this is a user generated conference.  There is no keynote speaker and planned agenda for the day.  However, we are establishing some guidelines and tracks.

HealthCamp NOLA will explore 4 different tracks:

Technology

Sessions in the technology track will vary from discussing improving or extending the efficacy of health care by embracing social networks, open standards, and the latest web and mobile technologies to new breakthroughs and latest technology available or being developed that will change the way health services are provided.

Prevention/Wellness:

Sessions in the prevention and wellness track will focus on discussing and addressing what can be done in our community to educate, assist, motivate and encourage people to take preventive measures to prevent diseases and health problems. What can be done?  What are the biggest factors affecting the members of our community? How can health care and fitness professionals best support and help each other? Etc.

Policy

Sessions in the policy track will focus and vary from discussing federal, State and city policy that impact health and wellness providers.  This could include anything from funding issues and concerns, privatization of local hospitals, and the impact of the Health Care Reform Bills recently signed by President Obama.

Business

Session in the business track is to discuss the state of health and wellness businesses, opportunities and entrepreneurship in the health and wellness industry.  What opportunities exist in New Orleans? What type of businesses already exist – what makes them successful?

This will be an extremely beneficial event to all health, fitness and wellness professionals in the Greater New Orleans area – the energy, opportunities and networking generated from unconferences can’t be compared to anything else you have attended in the past.

Our first priority in bringing this event to New Orleans is finding a location that can support 100-150 attendees.  A space with 4-5 classrooms.  The event will be held on a Saturday.

As soon as we have reserved a location, we will accept sponsorships.  Sponsors are critical to make this a free event for attendees.  The sponsorship will be used to pay for the food for the day, possibly the facility and t-shirts.  NO MONEY is made by the organizers of this event – this event is being organized by volunteers…currently myself and Tung Ly; assisting us is the HealthCamp Organizer Mark Scrimshire.

You can stay abreast of what’s happening by joining our Facebook Group and following us on Twitter.

Today, we have an inspirational interview with Jacques Courseault – a medical student at Tulane University School of Medicine and Co-Founder/Program Designer of Don’t Weight to Lose.

Don’t Weight to Lose (DWTL) is a 501c(3) non-profit organization designed by Tulane medical students, to promote long-term behavioral changes in terms of diet and exercise habits. DWTL ultimate goal is for each program participant to develop practical lifestyle changes without diet or exercise fads. They aim to promote small changes in nutrition habits, without sacrificing cultural characteristics in taste; and to increase physical activity, without needing sophisticated exercise equipment.

Q: Can you tell us a little more about Don’t Weight to Lose?

Jacques Courseault: Don’t Weight to Lose (DWTL) is a faith-based non-profit health and wellness organization based in New Orleans. Basically, Ryan Jupiter and I came up with this idea as first-year Tulane medical students. There was a program that I ran, as a personal trainer, called “Fat Tuesday,” where we offered free body composition and cardiovascular screenings at the Reily Center (Tulane’s gym). Ryan and I were working out one day and were discussing ways to bring a program like Fat Tuesday out into the community. After a year of research and development, DWTL was born. DWTL is now an 8-week program, held twice a year at Franklin Avenue Baptist Church. Components include physician speakers, health screenings, free exercise equipment, exercises classes and personal counseling from medical students. At this point, we have seen around 500 participants, and many noted significant health improvements.

Q: How does someone become a participant in the Don’t Weight to Lose program?

Jacques Courseault: Visit www.dontweighttolose.org and sign up for our newsletter. We release dates 2 months in advance for people to sign-up. If you don’t want to wait, we have tons of exercise and nutrition information available on our affiliate websites www.ExerciseMenu.com and www.DrGourmet.com. I am the Chief Editor of Exercise Menu, and Dr. Timothy Harlan is a chef turned Tulane Internist who developed Dr.Gourmet.com.  There is tons of great information on both sites.

Q: How much personal attention do the participants receive?

Jacques Courseault: One of the great aspects about DWTL is the personal attention that participants receive from our medical students. We have about 25 volunteer medical students that are trained in exercise and nutrition counseling, in addition to, what they are learning in medical school. Each student is assigned to three to five participants. Students review body composition readings, nutrition diaries and workout logs with participants during each session. There is really a strong bond that develops…

Q: You mentioned it’s faith-based health and wellness program – can you explain that a little more?

Jacques Courseault: Faith-based meaning that we address health issues from the mind, body and spiritual perspectives. Obviously, you have to take physical action, by increasing physical activity and making health food choices to improve your overall health. What is not so obvious is that many of these issues have a psychological and spiritual basis to them that should also be addressed. Having a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, I have designed this program based on particular theories to address behavior change. Obesity and other chronic diseases have also been linked to psychological disorders, such as stress and depression. Last but not least, is the spiritual component. Making sustainable lifestyle changes is difficult. By making the connection that God has blessed us with the gift of life and health, I try to teach our participants not to take this time we have for granted. In addition, the church offers a support network that provides encouragement when the temptation to revert back to previous ways arises.

Q: What inspired you to start Don’t Weight to Lose?

Jacques Courseault: I love New Orleans and the potential that this city has. Nothing can compare to the culture of this city. At the same time, I realize that overindulging in our food and leisurely activities can lead to serious health problems. So, I asked myself “How can we improve the health of this city and still eat great tasting foods and enjoy ourselves?” The answer is to teach small and practical changes that can drastically improve health. The people of New Orleans want to be healthy; however, it’s not always clear how to do that, especially with the day-to-day fads that pop up in mainstream media. Therefore, it is my passion as a personal trainer, physician and citizen of this great city to teach these practical changes.

Q: Have you reached out to former participants?  Have they maintained the new habits they developed during the program?

Jacques Courseault: Being a member of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church and from seeing previous participants at various health fairs or at other functions, we realize that our changes look to be sustainable. We have also received many testimonials about the positive changes people are noting in their lives. One participant reported at 40-pound weight loss, and we have had quite a few that reported 25 pounds or more. We are working to set up a screening session of all of our former participants to see if these changes have been sustainable as we hoped.

Q: How do you feel about the health and fitness scene in New Orleans?

Jacques Courseault: The health and fitness scene in New Orleans has notably improved after Katrina. The greatest improvement that I have seen is at City Park, with the addition of the new walking and biking tracks. New Orleans provides many avenues for outdoor exercise. One can walk through the French Quarter, bike on the levees, play pick-up soccer at Audubon or join any of the many run/walks that are held here each year. Unfortunately, there is a lack of indoor facilities. To address this problem, I have developed ExerciseMenu.com, which allows people to workout in the comfort of their own home. Resistance training, or weight lifting is important, but we can maintain better health if we regularly participate in outdoor activities.

Q: We hear you are graduating this year – what’s next for you? Will you be staying in New Orleans?

Jacques Courseault: I will never leave this city. I had a wonderful four years at Tulane University School of Medicine, but will now hang up the green and white for the LSU purple and gold. Starting in July, I will begin my residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. I love this field because I can combine my exercise passions with medicine, in order to help people maintain their physical health. I will also continue to make sure that DWTL contributes to improving the health and wellness of this city.

With the passing of the Health Care Reform bill, hopefully more people are becoming aware of how policies (and laws) have an impact on the current and future health of our country.  It’s important that the right issues are addressed and supported.  One of the organizations in New Orleans that is researching, educating, and serving on Advisory Committees in service to our community is the Prevention Research Center at Tulane.

The Tulane Prevention Research Center (PRC) is one of 37 Prevention Research Centers funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  The Tulane Prevention Research Center studies the impact of physical and social environments on obesity and collaborates with community partners through policy, education and communication strategies to build healthier communities in New Orleans and beyond.

Here is a highlight of how PRC is serving you and the health of our community:

Healthy Eating Projects

Core Research Project on Neighborhood Food Environment

PRC core research project examines the relationship between availability and promotion of healthy and unhealthy foods and consumption.  The project explores whether changing the food environment is predominantly low income, New Orleans neighborhoods will result in improvements to residents’ food purchases, diets and change in weight status.

Nutrition and Obesity Policy Research Network

PRC is working in collaboration with the national Nutrition and Obesity Policy Research Network (NOPRN) to advance research on policy and environmental approaches to obesity prevention.

New Orleans Food Policy Advisory Committee

PRC serves on the New Orleans Food Policy Advisory Committee (FPAC), an advisory body to the New Orleans City Council which is made up of diverse members from the public, private, and civic sectors.  PRC directed research and advocacy for an FPAC initiative to improve access to grocery stores, farmers markets, and other fresh food retail outlets in neighborhoods.

Active Living Projects

Physical Activity and Policy Research Network

PRC is a collaborating center on the national Physical Activity and Policy Research Network (PAPRN).  This network works to identify physical activity policies and determinants, describe the process of implanting policies, and determine outcomes of physical activity policies.  The Tulane PRC will develop a community play index for playground and schoolyards.

Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities

New Orleans is one of 41 sites nationwide selected by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities Program.  The PRC will support the KidsWalk coalition to increase the walkability and bikeability of New Orleans, particularly around schools.

Bike Lane Research

The PRC received a Rapid Response grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to study the impact of new bike lanes throughout the city on ridership.

Safe Route to School Evaluation

The Safe Route to School Evaluation Study is examining the attitudes and possible barriers to children walking or biking to and from school. In collaboration with the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, the Tulane PRC has collected community and school-level information thoughout planned sites in Louisiana.

The Lafitte Greenway Evaluation

The planned restoration of the Lafitte corridor includes pedestrian and bike path that will link 7 neighborhoods, parks, historic sites, retails areas and community spaces. The PRC received Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Active Living Research funding to conduct a two-year baseline evaluation of neighborhood residents’ physical activity levels before the renovation of the Greenway is developed.

(Source: Tulane Prevention Research Center handout)

We are less than two weeks away from the Crescent City Classic which will be taking place on Saturday, April 3^rd at 8:30am. I ran the Crescent City Classic last year – it was without a doubt the biggest race I had ever participated in.  Just like the Rock N’ Roll Mardi Gras ½ & Marathon attracted large crowds and top class athletes…so does the Crescent City Classic.

The CCC 10K is known as one of the world’s greatest 10K races.  It runs on a flat, fast, 6.2 mile course that lends itself to world records, as well as to those who just want to get some exercise.  The run starts at Jackson Square where the Marine Corps Band provides the runners some entertainment (it personally helped settle my stomach, last year). Runners than run to Poydras, up to S.Rampart/N.Rampart to Esplanade and than on to City Park.  In City Park, the runners are welcomed by cheering fans, food and festivities. The weather last year was absolutely perfect.

This is a race for everyone.  I ran it a little under an hour last year and saw people walking, saw military formations, and people in costumes etc.  People were having fun, enjoying the fresh air, and getting some exercise!!

If I didn’t have plantar fasciitis I would be running it again this year. If you are planning to run and have not registered, I HIGHLY recommend you register online. It’s a bit of a mad house the days before the race so it’s best to register ahead of time.  Online registration will close at midnight, Sunday, March 28^th.

Concurrent with the CCC, will be the Crescent City Classic Expo at the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel, 500 Canal Street in downtown New Orleans. Held on Thursday, April 1 and Friday, April 2, the free expo will feature exhibitors showcasing the latest in running apparel, shoes, exercise equipment, nutritional and wellness products, fitness services, and much more.

Race Day Schedule

6:30 a.m. Buses begin running from City Park to start area near Jackson Square
8:15 a.m. Final Announcements, Dignitary Welcome and the National Anthem
8:30 a.m. The Times-Picayune Crescent City Classic Begins!
9:00 a.m. Post-Race Party and Festival begins near finish in Tad Gormley Stadium
10:00 a.m. Complimentary Bus takes participants back to Canal St.
10:30 a.m. Awards Ceremony and Giveaways from stage in Tad Gormley Stadium
11:00 a.m. Festival Bands resume playing
1:00 p.m. Festival officially ends, Complimentary bus transport to Canal St ends

For more information – visit the Crescent City Classic Website. Let us know if you are running by leaving a comment!!

Spring is almost here and we’re already benefiting from some gorgeous weather – there’s no better time to “Get Active and Get Outdoors!”

One way to do that is by joining the New Orleans Outdoors Meetup Group.  The New Orleans Outdoors Meetup Group is:

“A group for local outdoor enthusiasts of all levels of ability and interests. If you enjoy being out in the wilderness, and appreciate open skies, good food and great company – welcome! Grab a spot around the fire and let’s explore the great outdoors together.”

The group has 642 members and they’ve had 150 meetups so far that varied from camping trips, canoeing trips, bike rides, kayaking, volleyball at Coconut Beach, and climbing excursions. Joining a meetup group is a wonderful way to meet new people who share the same interest(s) has you.

Partaking in outdoor activities with friends, being active, getting some fresh air, and having fun are all great things for your health!!