Greensburg — Decatur County Family YMCA Fitness and Group Exercise Director Deena Hamer is geared up for another New Year’s game of health and wellness.

On Monday, the Y kicked off its annual New Year’s-themed “wellness challenge,” dubbed “New Year, New You Transformation” for 2013.

The challenge’s first two days, Hamer explained — Jan. 7 and 8 — were devoted to weigh-ins.

According to program materials, those weighs are being conducted on both days from 5 to 6 a.m., 8 to 10 a.m., 11:15 to 11:45 a.m., and from 5 to 7 p.m.

After the weigh-in, Hamer said, participants undergo body-fat, resting-heart-rate and blood-pressure measurements; the same measurements will be taken at the end of the 12-week program. Each participant will also receive one free personalized workout session with a YMCA trainer.

In order to make the program interesting and fun, Hamer has purposefully designed the challenge to work like a game, with points being awarded for exercising, for sampling our various YMCA classes, for weighing in each week, for keeping a weekly food log, for losing weight and body fat, and for participating in the program’s various weekly challenges.

Participants can also receive points for participating in YMCA events such as the upcoming Jan. 26 indoor Winter Duathlon.

Hamer herself will be teaching some of the program’s classes.

Class topics include, nutrition, effective and efficient workouts, supplement use, overeating, food labels and avoiding workout plateaus — among others.

According to Hamer, “Transformation” participants have a wide array of classes from which to choose. All the Y’s regular classes are available, including Zumba, indoor cycling, pilates, boot camp, yoga, and spinning — among others; many of the classes are free, while others require a modest fee.

Additionally, Hamer added, “This year we’ve added a 2-day-a-week boot camp class for all fitness levels.”

The boot camp sessions will be held Tuesday and Thursday nights in the Y’s blue gym.

Transformation participants, Hamer said, are also taught about food logs and encouraged to maintain one, with relevant materials made available and points awarded for maintaining the log.

The program’s first two weeks are critical, Hamer said, because participants who last at least that long tend to “find a workout niche — something they really like or even love,” which helps people stick with their exercise routines and encourages the longterm lifestyle change the program focuses on.

Participation in the program, Hamer said, is $30 for current Decatur County Y members, while the nonmember fee is $110; the non-member fee grants the participant a full, 12-week membership.

Additionally, program latecomers won’t be turned away, Hamer added; anyone can join late for a prorated fee.

The program will end on the same date for all participants regardless of start date, though, thereby giving latecomers fewer chances for accruing point and less chance of winning.

According to program materials, the first-place Transformation winner will receive $100 or a six-month Y membership; second-place will receive $50 or a three-month membership; and third-place will receive $25 or a one-month membership.

Additionally, each participant who completes at least 10 of the 12 weigh-ins will also receive a free tee-shirt.

For more information on the Decatur County YMCA’s New Year, New You Transformation, call 663-9622.



Contact: Rob Cox at 812-663-3111 x7011.