Campaigning ahead of everyone else
The Mindanao Daily Mirror
(page 24 & 19-June 09,2009-Tuesday)

Holiday Gym and Spa is constantly in the forefront of healthy living campaigs that all Dabawenyos are urged to engage.

These activities include regular physical activity to improve overall health and to reduce risk of many health problems. Physical activity is a leading example of how lifestyle choices have a profound effect on health. The choices we make about other lifestyle factors, such as diet, smoking, and alcohol use, also have important and independent effects on our health.

Physical activity has been defined as any bodily movement produced by the contraction of skeletal muscle that increases energy expenditure above a basal level.

However, the term "physical activity" will generally refer to bodily movement that enhances health. Bodily movement can be divided into two categories:

Baseline activity refers to the light-intensity activities of daily life, such as standing, walking slowly, and lifting lightweight objects. People vary in how much baseline activity they do.

People who do only baseline activity are considered to be inactive. They may do very short episodes of moderate- or vigorous-intensity activity, such as climbing a few flights of stairs, but these episodes aren't long enough to count toward meeting the physical activity guidelines. Baseline activities are normal lifestyle activities.

Encouraging people to increase their baseline activity is sensible for several reasons: increasing baseline activity burns calories, which can help in maintaining a healthy body weight; some baseline activities are weight-bearing and may improve bone health; there are reasons other than health to encourage more baseline activity. For example, walking

short distances instead of driving can help reduce traffic congestion and the resulting air pollution; encouraging baseline activities helps build a culture where physical activity in general is the social norm; short episodes of activity are appropriate for people who were inactive and have started to gradually increase their level of activity, and for older adults whose activity may be limited by chronic conditions.

Health-enhancing physical activity is activity that, when added to baseline activity, produces health benefits. Brisk walking, jumping rope, dancing, lifting weights, climbing on playground equipment at recess, and doing yoga are all examples of physical activity. Some people (such as postal carriers or carpenters on construction sites) may get enough physical activity on the job to meet the physical activity guidelines.

As the nation prepares to celebrate Independence Day on June 12, Holiday Gym is also busy preparing its own way of celebrating independence by holding a free aerobics class on that day at People's Park from 5 pm to 7 pm. Interested participants are urged to come in their comfortable workout attire. No registration fees will be collected, this is absolutely free.

This year, the event will be purely a coming together of fitness enthusiasts from all over the city to celebrate their freedom to become healthy and active in whatever way they want: engaging in sports, enrolling in a gym, or exercising in the comfort of their own homes.

This year's activity will be dubbed "Free to be Healthy & Active: Libreng Ehersisyo Para sa Masa!". HGS will be giving special prizes for the early bird, the most senior participant, the youngest participant and those coming in Independence Day-inspired workout attire.

Meanwhile, HGS is set to offer a new fitness class. Starting June 15, Brazilian Juijitsu classes that will be held from 6 pm to 8 pm every Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

HGS is also proud to include in its roster a new group exercise instructor

Who is certified as International Les Mills Instructor in Body Pump, Body Jam, Body Balance & Body Combat. Gladys Lim is a Malaysian-Chinese national and will be in the Philippines for a short visit. Lim was selected to audition for Asia Pacific Les Mills Presenter and Trainer last September 2008 in Bangkok, Thailand. Lim is a Group Exercise Instructor in California Wow XperiencePte. Ltd., Thailand and teaches Body Pump, Body Balance, Body Combat, Body Jam, Cycling, Bums & Tums, Hip Hop Dance.

Lim will be teaching kickboxing, core classes, spinning and hi-lo jam.

For further inquiries, please visit Holiday Gym and Spa now, located along Torres St., Davao City or call telephone numbers 222-3041. You may also visit their website: www.holidaygymandspa.com or check out the latest top of the line gym equipment at www.campaigningforhealthyliving.com.

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