First March Fitness Fair set

  • Published
  • By Linda Welz
  • 452 AMW Public Affairs
MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, CALIF. --  Are you feeling tired or run down? Do you need to learn to eat healthier or exercise smarter? Have you been experiencing health problems lately? Is your battery in need of recharging? If you answered 'yes' to any of these questions, then there's good news for you.

The first March Fitness Fair is scheduled for Saturday, October 2, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the base gym. The brain child of Col. Karl McGregor, 452nd Air Mobility Wing Commander, the Fitness Fair is a way to educate, motivate and energize Team March members to live a healthier lifestyle.

"Basically, it's a teaching moment. The Fitness Fair gives people an opportunity to see some things that maybe they don't have time to in their normal day-to-day lives. It brings professionals together in one place where folks who have questions can just walk through," said Col. McGregor.

All Team March members, military or civilian, are invited to the Fitness Fair which will have a shoe demonstration and foot assessment booth, a sport injuries workshop, gym equipment demonstrations, Zumba and yoga classes, table and chair massages, free nutrition and fitness pocket guides, healthy snacks, and much, much more.

"Anything you can give people to educate them on healthier lifestyles is a good idea," said Maj. Neal Ridge, 336th Air Refueling Squadron Flight Surgeon.

Major Ridge describes the United States as "an obese country" and points out that diagnoses of Type 2 Diabetes in children are on the rise.

"We have to change our way of thinking, how we eat and the choices we make about what we put into our bodies," he said. "The better you can take care of yourself in your 20s, 30s and 40s, the less pills you'll have to take, and the less medical complications you'll have in your 50s, 60s and 70s."

In his civilian career, Major Ridge is a family practice physician and he is familiar with the consequences when individuals don't choose a healthy lifestyle. He says too much weight on the body can cause certain types of cancer, heart disease, stroke, or knee and hip replacement because of early arthritis.

Excess weight-related problems aren't the only affects of obesity.

"It's not just the fat under the skin, but the fat that is glomming onto your organs--your kidneys, your liver, your intestines, your heart," Major Ridge said. "That's what you don't see. That's what causes a lot of the medical problems people have."

A lifestyle change to lose weight is good," he said. "Set some realistic goals. Lose 10 pounds over six months or a year. If you make that consistent, then maybe in three years you'll be down 50 pounds. Your body will definitely appreciate it. Even if you lost five or 10 pounds you'll feel better."

Colonel McGregor encourages individuals to make a lifestyle choice, to decide what's important to them. He challenges those who have issues with weight, smoking or unhealthy eating, to at least get started, which he says is the key.

"In the end you live longer for your family," he said. "You're healthier for a longer period of time. What's the real goal? The real goal isn't to get out alive. The goal is to be healthy for as much of your life as you can."

"Eating right is a small thing. We're not asking for a complete turn over. Crash diets are just the wrong way to go about it," the colonel said.

Instead, he recommends gradual adjustments in what you eat day-to-day.

"It may be that you give up soda or some high calorie food that you are always eating," Colonel McGregor said. "It may be that you give up dessert multiple days a week and only eat it one day a week. There are those small things that make a big difference over time."

Capt. Anna Ruiz, 452nd Mission Support Group Executive Officer and former marathon runner, is one of the Fitness Fair organizers. She says the fair will include a Fit-to-Fight information that will cover the new F2F requirements.

"It's to help people get excited about testing twice a year and teaching people how to maintain their health," she said. "This is not going to go away. We are going to be tested every six months. This is an opportunity to get some good information."

Speaking from a military perspective, Major Ridge said you have to stay healthy to be
able to deploy, to do your job and be able to support the Air Force and the Department of Defense.

"Staying fit and staying healthy helps you be the war fighter that you're supposed to be," he said.

Major Ridge hopes the Fitness Fair can show Team March members just how simple staying fit and healthy can be.

"You don't have to have thousands of dollars or the equipment of the pros to help yourself out a little bit. Just getting outside and doing something works," he said.

"Exercise is not just for the weight loss but also for the stress relief," Major Ridge continued. "Just get out of your office for 15 or 20 minutes to go for a walk. When you come back, you'll feel recharged."

Colonel McGregor invites everyone to come out to enjoy the fair and to look around without feeling pressure.

"If all you are is interested in one piece of it, then come see that one piece. Or stay for the whole thing, wander around, take a look and see what's out there," he said.

Colonel McGregor said this will be the first of many Fitness Fairs at March Field as he would like to make the information available to as many people as he can.