National Fitness Month

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Created on Wednesday, 04 May 2016 14:38
Written by Alexandra Conroy

fitnessmonthST. JOHNSBURY - May is National Fitness and Sports Awareness Month and RecFit in St. Johnsbury is teaching residents how to stay active. One instructor at RecFit teaches over 8 classes and tells us why it's important to get up and go.

 "It's about looking at your life and bringing balance so that when you start some kind of fitness program that you can feel good and that you can keep coming and keep consistent." RecFit instructor, Marlaina Renton said.

Renton believes it is important to gain control and balance of your life if starting to get into fitness. Having better sleeping, eating, and breathing habits will help to living a better lifestyle. She states that it is also important that if you miss the gym, to not skip your work out completely and find time for a walk.

"Honestly, just get up and go." Aleha Racenet said, who attends Rentons classes, but with a special purpose. Racenet is close to 8 months pregnant with her 3rd child and believes working out while pregnant is the best decision she can make for her baby.

"I try to have a healthy lifestyle anyway and it's so important to stay fit when you're pregnant," Racenet said. "A lot of women feel that it's a time to relax and not work out but honestly, mentally it helps me and also it helps the baby."

Racenet believes working out can make her a good role model for her children.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 60 minutes or more activity a day is recommended for healthier living.

"I feel great since I've been working out." Tara Lynn Scheidet of Sutton said. "Just 2 days a week and it feels amazing."

Renton teaches classes like cycling and pound, which are both different, but popular classes for RecFit. Cycling is more aerobic, whereas pound gets more attention for being different and has more intervals.

"You give them the right music so on the bike you are paddling those wheels as fast as you can. You got the visual that you're going uphill, and pound 'I had a bad day yeah I'm going to get all that out of there!' So I think that's the common line between the two," Renton said.

National Fitness and Sports Awareness Month continues throughout the month of May. "If I was to establish any kind of national holiday being a fitness instructor, I would say fitness month is an important thing." Renton said.

To celebrate Health & Fitness Month, the state of Vermont will hold it's 32nd annual 5K race May 14th at the Vermont State Capital in Montpelier where co-workers from businesses, government agencies and non-profit organizations will compete and exercise together.