Welcome to the New You.

You are amazing!  No, really. Just think about it. Your smile warms another person's heart. Your skills allow you to do your job and care for you family. Your body carries you where you need to go.  You are amazing and all you have to do is....exist!
Our job at the Northside Fitness Challenge is to give you the tools to help your body work more efficiently. Our goal is to help you find ways to meet YOUR Goals by the end of the 16 week program. Before you begin, here are a few recommendations.
Check in with your health care professional. Let him/her know you're participating in the NSFC and make sure there is no reason you shouldn't take part in the program. Keep in mind, this isn't a race. Yes, a contest is involved -- but the main focus is helping you meet your individual goals in the safest and healthiest way. We'll give you a variety of information, so you can find the solutions that work for you. You can work at your own pace. No one is expecting you to run a marathon unless that's your goal and your body is ready for that challenge. If your goal is to be able to walk up and down the stairs without stopping for air, then we'll work on that. If your goal is to get through the day without wanting to fall asleep at 2p.m. --we'll help you with that, too.
Next, we recommend you find a way to track your intake and output. This serves two purposes. First,
The Northside Fitness Challenge is about giving you the tools to meet your goals -- the rest is up to the New You.  A good ol' fashioned spiral notebook will work just fine. Write down what you eat, when you eat and how much. Also write down the exercise you do each day -- what types of activity, the duration etc.
There are a variety of on-line trackers available. Just check your favorite search engine for ideas. Here's one we found that looks pretty good and it's available for most smart phones and computer formats.
My Net Diary
This holds you accountable to the most important person -- you! Also, if you run into a road block or plateau, your physician, trainer or support team can use the diary to track down problem areas. It may also help eliminate any issues. For example, if you've been honest about what you're eating but aren't meeting your weight loss goals, you and your support team can help you find foods that fuel your body more efficiently. If that's not the problem, your health care professionals can help you figure out what is or isn't happening in your body.
This is the most important recommendation!
 Have fun!


Here are a couple of songs to get you ready for action!

and

Just for fun: