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From Husky to Healthy
My name is Carmen Tirella, and I have been a
member of Razor Sharp for about three years. I grew
up a typical Italian "husky", which was how my parents
referred to me. I wasn't heavy; I was a husky. I have
always had to watch my diet because my weight
would fluctuate all of the time. I exercised on and off
my whole life, mostly lifting weights and taking karate
with the kids, but I rarely made the time to do enough
cardio. In my early college days, I weighed about 165
pounds, but I managed to gain 40 additional pounds
by the time I graduated at the age of 21. Following
graduation, I lost 30 of these pounds, but that was the
official launch of what seemed to be a never ending
yo-yo of my weight until I topped the scales at 235 lbs
for my wedding in 1992. I always gained a little more
weight than the previous time. From 1992 until 2008,
my weight ranged between 195-235 pounds, never
getting close to my college weight. I probably hit both
weight extremes 4-5 times in the last 18 years. On
top of this, I was smoking, drank a lot of coffee, ate
excessively, and ate very late every night. For nearly
15 years, I went to the gym in the morning with my 20
oz Dunkin Donuts Coffee. In 2005, I even took and
passed the personal training course, but I could never
seem to find the right balance of the other critical
factors such as proper diet, cardio, and lifting
weights.
In the summer of 2007, I was faced with the reality
that I was now officially a size 40 in pants. I decided
to sponsor a biggest loser contest at work. I offered
to double the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prizes for
anyone that lost a higher percentage of body fat than
me. Well I didn't win, and several employees did very
well, but it was a success because it helped me shed
the first 30 pounds to bring my weight down to 205
lbs. In addition, my wife Darlene decided to start
working out with me in fall of 2007, which made it
more fun for me and improved my consistency. We
also started to take some of the classes that are
offered, including Ernie's Boot Camp and Ringside.
Thank you Ernie for teaching me what lunges are!
As a result, I dropped another 30 pounds by March
2009, beating my goal weight of 180 lbs by 9 pounds.
My record low since college was 171 lbs, and I have
now dropped my goal to 165 lbs.
I believe that several factors finally came together
which allowed me to lose 65 pounds and hopefully
will allow me to keep the weight off. First, I stopped
smoking in March of 2008; this gave me 10 times
more energy and endurance. I stopped drinking
coffee and diet soda, instead drinking mostly water
and unsweetened iced tea. I controlled my diet by
limiting food- portions, and I stopped overeating late
at night. I simply ate less volume, and more nutritious
food. My family and I ate salmon 3-4 times per week.
Lastly, I worked out steadily for 18 months, much
harder than I had before. I rarely missed more than a
day or two in a row. I really believe that if I had not
learned to balance all of these factors, I would not
have had such great success. Over the years, I have
tried one or two of these items, but I never combined
them to achieve the results I have now.
Since I now have the formula, I think I can keep this
weight off. I'll see you in the gym!
~by Carmen Tirella
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Greetings!
Hello and welcome to the August issue of the Razor
Sharp Newsletter. It finally feels like the
summer we've been waiting for is here! Enjoy the
heat outside as well as the hot workouts
inside! Take
a class, shoot some hoops or go for a swim and
then cool down with a refreshing smoothie!
Please keep in mind also, that next month we will be
holding a week-long silent auction to benefit the
Special Olympics of Southeastern Wisconsin. If you
or someone you know would like to donate an
item to the auction, please contact Tenille or Laurie at
321-0200. Thank you!
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| Pools to Close for One Week in August |
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During the last full week in August (Monday the 24th
thru Sunday the 30th) both the lap pool and therapy
pool will be closed for mandatory draining, cleaning,
maintenance and repairs. We apologize for any
inconvenience this may cause you. The pools will
reopen on Monday, August 31st. If you have any
questions please contact Dan Neumann, Aquatics
Director at (262)321-0200 or
dneumann@razorsharpfit.com.
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| Refer a Friend and You Could Win a TV! |
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Need a TV? Or do you want a new one? We may be
able to help! If you refer a friend to join* Razor Sharp
Fitness during August, not only will you receive
$20 in club bucks, you will also be entered in a
drawing to win a 42" flat screen TV! The more people
you refer, the more chances you have to win!
*Regular referral program rules apply. Contract
must be completed by August 31st. Winner will be
drawn at noon on September 1st. Need not be
present to win.
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| Registration Now Open for Razor Sharp Fall Sports Leagues |
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Basketball and volleyball leagues are now being
formed and are open to members and non-
members. Leagues include: competitive co-ed
volleyball on Monday nights; men's competitive
basketball on Tuesday nights; women's competitive
basketball on Wednesday nights; and co-ed
recreation volleyball on Thursday nights.
Registration forms can be picked up at Razor Sharp
Fitness or printed off the website at
www.razorsharpfit.com. The competitive volleyball
league deadline is Monday August 31st, the men's
competitive basketball deadline is Tuesday August
25th, and the recreation volleyball deadline is
Thursday September 3rd. The women's competitive
basketball deadline is yet to be determined. For any
additional questions feel free to contact Mike Jelacic
or Dan Neumann at (262)321-0200, or by email at
mjelacic@razorsharpfit.com and
dneumann@razorsharpfit.com.
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| Treat your Stress with Acupuncture |
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Those crazy days of summer are going full force
now. With the days staying light longer, we all try to
pack as much as possible into each one: work,
exercise, family time, keeping up the yard and house
chores. Often time for rest is pushed back until quite
late. Keeping up this hectic pace can actually be quite
stressful, and take its toll on our health. Acupuncture
can help us maximize our ability to deal with stress
and give our energy a much needed boost. Treatment
is designed to boost the immune system, loosen
those tight muscles, and help with relaxation so the
hours of sleep are more restorative.
Your acupuncturist may use points on various parts of
the body to address specific complaints, and may
also use different accessory techniques to enhance
the treatment. Gua Sha or cupping can help to relax
those muscles that were long forgotten and found at
the family picnic, or ease the effects of that stiff neck
and sniffles that developed after the day at the beach
got rained out. What ever the cause of your stress, a
visit to an acupuncturist can help you cope. So come
in for an appointment with Kelly or Juanita and let
them help you keep up the summer pace and feel
better while you do.
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| Dr. Michael Tiffany, Aurora Health Care OB-GYN, To Discuss Hormone Replacement Therapy |
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You may have heard much in the media about
hormone replacement therapy and the benefits and
risks associated with it. During menopause, which is
a natural part of aging, hormone levels can vary.
Menopause can cause hot flashes, night sweats,
vaginal dryness, and sleep disturbances. Hormone
replacement therapy can help lessen the effects of
these symptoms. Some women also use hormone
replacement therapy to guard against osteoporosis.
There are also risks, however, associated with
hormone replacement therapy according to the
National Institutes of Health. Those risks vary
depending upon the overall health of the woman and
the type of replacement therapy used.
To help sort it all out, make plans to join Dr. Michael
Tiffany, OB-GYN, Aurora Medical Center, as he
discusses the latest information and options
regarding hormone replacement therapy during a
FREE presentation from 6 p.m.-7 p.m., Wednesday,
August 12, at Razor Sharp Fitness. He will also
answer questions. For more information or to RSVP
for this class please contact Razor Wellness
Consultant Suzanne Williamson 262-321-0200 or
email swilliamson@razorsharpfit.com . This FREE
program is open to members and non members.
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| Razor Sharp Welcomes New Trainer Valerie Hubbard |
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Valerie graduated from the University of Wisconsin-
Parkside with a double major in Applied Health
Sciences and Fitness Management. During her time
at Parkside, she qualified for Division II nationals
seven times and was twice an All-American while
running cross country and track. Valerie will soon be
certified through the NSCA, and is currently
teaching "Intermediate Aquasize" as well as helping
out at the front desk. Valerie's
dedication, fitness knowledge and schedule
availability make her an asset to the training team
here at Razor Sharp.
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| Massage Special Extended Through August! |
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Our massage therapists are offering 20% off of their
one-hour massages through the month of August.
Treat yourself to a well-deserved massage with one
of our 4 amazing therapists. This special is available
to members and non-members alike so make sure
to tell your friends! Call 321-0200 to book your
appointment today! (Sorry, the discount does not
apply to gift certificates.)
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| Lose Weight the Right Way! |
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Our Transitions Weight Loss Program has all the
tools to ensure successful weight loss and/or weight
management. The fall 12-week program begins on
September 16th. To find out more about this
program, please attend one of our FREE
informational overviews: Wednesday, August 12th 11
am-11:30 am & 7:30 pm-8 pm; Monday, August 17th 5
pm-5:30 pm; Saturday, August 22nd 10 am-10:30 am;
and Wednesday, September 9th 6 pm-6:30 pm. If you
have any questions, please contact Razor Sharp's
Wellness Consultant Suzanne Williamson, RN, BSN
at 321-0200.
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