Indianapolis Go Red BetterU Challenge

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Carla on WTHR

Carla did an outstanding job explaining the BetterU Challenge to Angela Cain during WTHR's Focus segment. Watch it here: http://www.wthr.com/story/817967/focus

Monday, March 7, 2011

Heart: What a simple word for such a complex organ.

Heart=English

Il cuore=Italian

El Corazon=Spanish

Le Coeur=French

So many beautiful ways to say heart! Being a nurse, I generally think of the heart as a functioning organ, for my patients. I think of the heart as a beating mechanism, a powerhouse that allows for life; but I never thought of my own heart beating for my own life. Sounds crazy, I know! To be a nurse and not think of my own heart? Well, I am also a woman, wife, friend, daughter, sister, etc. As we all know, being WOMEN sets us up for taking care of others and putting their needs before our own...just like a nurse, mother, wife.

Also, being WOMEN, we are learning that heart disease (not such a beautiful word) is the number one killer of women age 20 and over. Fact: One woman dies from heart disease (there's that disgusting word again) every minute! So, having the honor and opportunity to be a BetterU Challenger and having increased my knowledge about heart disease, healthy choices and lifestyle changes, I must admit that my view of what my own heart means is changing.

Now that I am acknowledging my own heart, I have questioned what the simple word HEART means. Love, health, life? Initially I thought heart meant health. Taking care of my patients, means keeping them healthy. Well, why not take care of myself, and become healthier? Which in turn means that my lifespan will increase. Which will end in the great result of being a HEALTHier me, living a longer LIFE, with much more LOVE to share. What does your heart mean to you? How far are you willing to go to keep that precious powerhouse healthy?

This week marks week 1 of our 12 week journey. My personal goal this week is to focus on my cardiac workouts, increasing their length, resistance and level. I look forward to improving my hearts endurance, no matter what sweat equity is required! I know that I will be more successful some weeks than others. I hope to learn how to be my own best cheerleader and put myself first through this process!

Go Red For Women to learn how to Love a Heart Healthy Life!

Natale

Better U: Week 1

The Better U program for our four challengers -- and for you, if you've signed up to join them -- begins today. The Getting Started section of Week 1 on the Better U website asks you to think of two women who are important to you. The odds are that one of the three of you will develop heart disease. Now is a great time to reach out to those women and ask them to join you in this journey.

If you haven't yet signed up to participate in the free, 12-week Better U program, you can do so by clicking the link at the top of this page or clicking right here.

The Better U tool will help you set a goal for the week in at least one of the following areas:

Physical activity
Healthy eating
Lowering your heart disease risk
Making lasting changes

You'll also be encourage to choose way to reward yourself when you meet that goal.

We hope to make this blog a place for dynamic community conversation. Leave a comment below telling us what goal you've selected or how you intend to reward yourself for a job well done.

I can't wait to hear from Peggy, Carla, Annette and Natale to see how the first week of the Better U program is shaping up for them.

Amy Magan
2010 Better U Participant

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Are you ready for a Better U?

How often have you said to yourself, "I'm starting my diet (or exercise program) on Monday"? Well, this coming Monday, March 7 is THE day.

On Monday, March 7, the four 2011 Better U challengers -- Annette, Carla, Natale and Peggy -- will lead the charge toward better heart health for hundreds of women in Indianapolis and beyond. You can join them.

Sign up to begin shaping your Better U by enrolling at www.GoRedForWomen.org/BetterU. Choose March 7 as your start date.

The free, online program will help you improve your heart health by focusing on small improvements -- one each week for 12 weeks. Our Better U challengers will be using this blog to share their successes (and challenges). We hope you'll leave comments here to share yours as well.

Sign up today. Invite a friend or two to join you. Because this time, we really are starting on Monday.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

2011 BetterU Challenge set to begin on March 7

Because 90 percent of women have at least one risk factor for heart disease, the American Heart Association is encouraging everyone to take the free 12-week BetterU Challenge.

Women who enroll will have access to a variety of online tools and will receive daily tips in their e-mail inboxes.

In Indianapolis, the American Heart Association has chosen four women to be the "face" of the challenge. Those ladies will be introduced at the Go Red For Women Luncheon on Feb. 25 and will encourage all 1,000 attendees to enroll in the program.

We encourage you to follow the progress of our four challengers right here on this blog. Better yet, take the challenge with them. Enroll today at www.GoRedForWomen.org/BetterU.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

WomenHeart hosting event for women with heart disease

WomenHeart Indianapolis is inviting local women who live with heart disease to attend a fun night of food and drinks. The evening will offer women with heart disease a chance to meet other women like them. WomenHeart offers a peer-to-peer support program for women living with heart disease. The free event will be held at 6 p.m. on April 29 at Arthur M. Glick JCC, 6701 Hoover Road. To RSVP, visit http://tinyurl.com/IndyWomenHeartevent or e-mail marie@womenheart.org. For more information on WomenHeart, log onto www.womenheart.org. The American Heart Association is proud to support WomenHeart.

Friday, April 2, 2010

Subtle changes

Over at my personal blog, I posted some "before" and "after" pictures of myself -- one from last fall and one taken just the other day. The transformation is pretty awesome, if I do say so myself.

While I'm enjoying the changing shape of my body, what I'm really grateful for is the subtle changes that I'm finding as I continue this journey, even though the Better U challenge is officially over.

I'm talking about things like:

I went to the playground with my kids the other day. Instead of sitting on a bench watching them (as I would have before), I ran around, chasing my youngest, laughing while I was at it.
My last trip to the movie theater found me sipping a Diet Coke and nothing else. No Twizzlers. No popcorn. No peanut M&Ms. That's a big savings of calories and money!
I took my kids downtown to enjoy the Final Four festivities today and instead of driving around looking for the closest parking, I chose a free parking lot that was "only" a mile away from Lucas Oil Stadium.

There are still plenty of things I need to work on -- getting more strength training in my workouts, passing up sweets -- but I feel like many of these choices are becoming second nature for me. And that feels great!

Meet the BetterU Challengers

Julie B., 42, Marion – Julie was diagnosed with high blood pressure at age 14 even though she wasn’t overweight at the time. She has struggled with her weight for the last 15 years, has high cholesterol, arthritis and back problems. Her father had a heart attack 18 years ago, and Julie does not want to follow in his footsteps. She is pursuing a career in the medical field and wants to be a good example to others.

Laura, 55, Greenfield – Laura has a family history of heart disease and is looking to become a better role model for those she influences as a nursing instructor. Laura had quit smoking for 15 years, but resumed the habit about 1 ½ years ago. She would like to quit.

Molly, 35, Yorktown – Molly was a cheerleader in high school and was active in sports, but started struggling with her weight 15 years ago. She does part-time work for Ironman and doesn’t feel like the type of person who should represent that company. Molly has already started training for a 5k and is eager for the BetterU program to help her make changes for a healthier lifestyle.

Pamela, 42, Indianapolis – Pamela has struggled with weight her entire life. In April, she was put on high blood pressure medication. Already motivated to make changes, Pamela has lost 15 pounds while working with a wellness coach at work. BetterU can help her continue her journey.

Paula, 62, Greenwood – Paula recently retired after 40 years as a teacher. She was shocked when she needed aortic valve replacement in 2007, but it wasn’t enough of an impetus to cause her to stop smoking or adopt a healthier lifestyle. She loves to travel and wants to stop smoking and lose weight as part of a healthier lifestyle.

Renee, 63, Indianapolis – Renee’s mother passed away from a heart condition, and Renee has already had three stents implanted. She’s started taking care of herself, and is paying it forward by taking an 81-year-old friend to aerobics two days a week and to yoga once a week. Renee would like to get off some medications she is taking, and is looking for the professional guidance of the BetterU program to help her take the right path.

Ruthann, 58, Fishers – Ruthann suffered Sudden Cardiac Arrest “out of the blue” five years ago. She was in a coma for four days and in the hospital for 12, yet came out of the experience with no physical or mental disabilities. She had a pacemaker/defibrillator implanted and has since gained a lot of weight. She is looking for motivation to start and maintain a healthy lifestyle that can give her many more years.

Past BetterU Challengers

2011 BetterU Challengers
Natale, 28 – A staff R.N. who teaches patient families to take care of themselves, Natale knows it’s time to follow her own advice. Her hectic 12-hour days leave little time for herself. She’s ready for a change.
Carla, 37 – Carla doesn’t believe in dieting, but she has already made some positive changes to what she eats. Now she’s looking to keep up with her 70-year old father, who can climb the sand dunes in half the time it takes her.
Annette, 45 - Annette decided 2010 was her time to become a BetterU. She started exercising and eating right and lost 55 pounds. She wants to stay motivated and to inspire others.
Peggy, 57 – Peggy is obese and taking several medications. She lost her father and both maternal grandparents to heart attacks and knows this is her opportunity to change her fate.
2010 BetterU Challengers
Ruth Holladay - Ruth has a family history of heart disease. Her mother had a number of strokes and her father died of a heart attack at 46. A devoted grandmother, Ruth knows that now is the time to put herself first for a change. You can also find Ruth at RuthHolladay.com

Kimila Brown - Unhealthy lifestyles can sometimes be packaged in healthy looking packages, or so it would seem with Kimila. Although she’s not overweight, Kimila admits she no longer exercises. Once an avid bodybuilder and softball player, Kimila says she now barely remembers to eat. After several personal tragedies, she started smoking again – a habit she had quit for nine years. She spends all her time and energy working long hours as a teacher and working on a second master’s degree. She knows she is not healthy on the inside and doesn’t want to follow the same road many in her family have taken - her father died of heart disease and her grandparents both had strokes.

Dee Leonard - Heart disease and obesity runs in her family. She lost her grandmother to heart disease. Newly married, Dee knows she should be looking forward to a bright future. Instead, she worries about her future. Already overweight and never having been at a healthy BMI, she wonders what she will look like at 30 years old. Dee wants to learn to enjoy fitness and start making healthy meals for her family -- so that when she has children, she can bring them up in a healthy household.

Amy Magan – The mother of three, Amy wants to make sure she is around to see them grow up. She takes medications for her blood pressure and cholesterol. She feels this is the perfect time to change her life. She plans to attack the BetterU Challenge with humor and the support of her family who have vowed to be her personal cheerleaders. For more of Amy's efforts, check out The 4th Frog Blog.

Jessica Woodson – Jessica’s father died from a stroke. She said her family never even knew he had a heart problem. Overweight her entire life, Jessica knows she could be headed down the same path. She suffers from high blood pressure and her dosages of medication keep going up. She feels like there is so much she never accomplished because of her weight. She says she “wants to be able to cross my legs for a change” and doesn’t want to be the “girl with the cute face” anymore. For once in her life, she wants to know what it feels like to be healthy.