Posted by on March 26, 2009, 5:18 pm

This seminar was a very inspiring and educationl one. I learnt more about the needs of kidney transplant patients from guest speakers Dr. Alan Benvenisty (transplant surgeon) and Shara Lazar (registered dietician). I was touched and inspired by all the transplant patients enthusiasm and willingness to learn and partake in the fitness routine I had designed for them. They were all very eager to get exercising and snack on the delicious muesli bars kindly donated by Carmans Fine Foods. I would like to thank everyone at St. Lukes Hopsital in the renal department who helped me with the cooking and distributing of the delicious chicken stirfry that I prepared. I will attach the recipe in my next entry.
My motivational talk touched on key points, two of which I would like to breifly share with you here.
1. Your best compteition is that which is against yourself. Always try to be better than you were yesterday in any way possible. One method of accomplishing this is by identifying one of your weaknesses and aiming to improve on that weakness on a daily basis. Let’s say it’s not being able to perform a squat without falling forward. Begin by squatting without weight on your back or by your sides. Slowly lower yourself down to a point where you can squat while maintaning a flat back and good balance. Once you have perfected this move, aim to repeat your performance the next day and continue to challenge yourself by aiming for more squat depth over time while maintaining good posture and balance.

2. Multiply your strengths and strengthen your weaknesses. Focus on your best attributes, use them to their full potential, and always try to improve on areas of yourself that need work. If one of your strengths is your ability to interact and meet people, and you have not as yet joined a gym because you feel you need a workout partner. Take the leap, join a gym and start socialising with people in the center. Just by talking and befriending people you should be able to find yourself a training partner. By using your social networking strengths you have strengthened your position as someone who can now be further motivated to exercise by taking the action to employ a new workout partner and friend.

Our next Food and Fitness Fare is next week at St. Lukes and I am very much looking forward to speaking to and meeting the pre-transplant patients. If you are interested in attending please contact me.