USA Health and Fitness Tour – Everyone can take some of that time they  squander as Benjamin said and get a great cardio workout, strength workout, yoga workout, boxing workout, medicine ball workout and many more to choose from! Do something for a workout that you love and enjoy and change it up every couple weeks, Eat healthy and you’ll wake up to find a brand new you!

                                                     Kevin Saunders – Tour Across America

KSaunders-ebook

 

 

Make time in your life to eat healthy and get some cardio exercise, strength conditioning, and plyomeric conditoning and many others.

Over a period of grueling months and a few weeks and , Kevin pushed his wheelchair from one end of America to the other, over 2,500 miles, meeting with local officials and families along the way to share his insight on the nation’s health crisis. In one stop after another, in big cities and small towns, he

to the other, over 2,500 miles, meeting with local officials and families along the way to share his insight on the nation’s health crisis. In one stop after another, in big cities and small towns, he spread hope and advice improving the well-being of communities across the country.

Despite the thousands of interviews and sponsors that the effort generated, however, Kevin’s work still wasn’t done. In an effort to better understand how it became so hard to stay fit in this world, and continue sharing his message of hope and encouragement, Kevin took his tour overseas. By pushing through Europe and meeting with politicians and experts, he was able to gain – and share – a new perspective on what’s happening in America’s grocery stores, restaurants, and dining room tables.

This was a recent picture of me taken to replace my old B&W. There pictures are for autographs when I visit school or do the "Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour" a I founded the “Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour” nonprofit 501-c-3 dedicated to educate and empower our nation’s youth, parents, teachers, administrators and the American people about the importance of staying active and making healthy choices for balanced nutritional meals or healthy snacks until it becomes a habit for a lifetimeor a normal way of life.

Health and fitness remain at the core of Kevin’s personal mission today. We invite you to contact us with your questions on his fitness related programs, and how they can make a difference in the lives of your audience members.

                      “Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour“

Recently we  founded the “Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour” nonprofit 501-c-3 dedicated to educate and empower our nation’s youth, parents, teachers, administrators and the American people about the importance of staying active and making healthy choices for balanced nutritional meals or healthy snacks.

Thanks to proper fitness activities and proper eating habits I am able to live a full live. I traveled the world as a member of the USA Paralympics team, as a top motivational speaker, inspirational athlete, motivational coach and even pushed across America thousands of miles on the BIG PUSH across America for health and nutrition to prepare for the next herculean event the “Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour”

Our mission with the “Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour” a nonprofit organization 501-(c) (3) is to serve as a catalyst to educate and empower our nation’s youth grades 3-12, parents, teachers, administrators, city mayors, community leaders and state governors and state leaders and Americans to empower them to become self- motivated to utilize the tools, resources and “My Healthy Daily Lifestyle Journals” to make daily educated healthy decisions so making healthier lifestyle choices becomes a way of life.

Our purpose is to educate our nation’s youth, parents, teachers, administrators and the American people about the positive effects of physical fitness and proper nutrition, in such way that they are inspired to actively make healthier choices on a daily basis for a lifetime. We have partnered with the top fitness and nutritional people in America to accomplish this.

Our goal is to cover all 50 states giving approximately 4,000 presentations to the schools grades 3 – 12 and approximately 4,000 presentations to city and state officials and leaders. For the school’s students and other Americans that follow the tour through the media and the schools and city and state governments and leaders we give presentations too. We want them to be able to download all this information from the top fitness experts, top trainers, aerobic experts such as Dr. Cooper and the Cooper Institute has partnered with us. They have invented the NutriGram ®_and Fitness Gram ® We also partnered with top nutritional and Fitness experts so our nation’s youth, teachers, parents, administrators and Americans can download this information to their computer, Mp3 Player, iPhone, iPad etc.

                                                                                                                    

Thanks! I wish you all much happiness, health, prosperity, lots of friends and good luck wherever you go.  My favorite verse is Philippians 4:13 “I can do everything through HIM who gives me strength.”  - “There’s NO Shortcut to Success just good old fashioned hard work! Set your goals high and Never Give Up! because; “There’s Always a Way”

Have a reat day and “Keep fighting the great fight!” YES YOU CAN! —Get Fit! All the Best! Kevin and the “Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour”

Get a hard cover, soft cover or ebook written interviewing some of the best Fitness & Nuritional working people and athletes or people who just like to stay in shape at their job or a vacaton or night out on the town. This is a resource to parents, teachers and older Americans that are tryring hard every day to set an example of what it takes to be fit for their kids and many others.

 

 

FIT OVER 40. A fitness breakthrough from Jon Benson & Tom Venuto – Jon & Tom Role modeled some people from all walks of life who like Benganmin Franklin said Dost thou love life then do not squander time.

 

 Kevin Saunders saw firsthand in his own life how fitness and exercise can create a personal revolution. But despite the important work being done on the President’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports, he realized that many people were still struggling to find healthy options for their own lives. So, to raise awareness of the issue, he did the one thing he knew best – decided to push forward.                                                                                            

The adequate amount of rest is essential for me in order for me to be able to perform at peak athletic ability. This saying is true for any top athlete trying to do the best they can do. Here is an article that really explains the how your body is effected by lack of sleep and how it perform when the appropriate amount of sleep is gained.

Rest and Recovery an Important Component to Any Fitness Routine

We live in the age of extremes. We have to be the fastest, baddest, biggest and the best at everything we do. This is America! When speaking of cars, computers and the speed at which we receive our text messages, our all or nothing attitude is a definite advantage, but it is this mind frame that has lead us to gigantic food portions, exponentially rising obesity related healthcare costs and the first generation of children with a shorter life expectancy than their parents. We certainly are the biggest and baddest in terms of girth and the quality of our nutrition, that’s for sure.

It works the other way, too. We want instant gratification, instant results and immediate weight loss when adopting a fitness routine. In the age of the Biggest Loser, where contestants work out 8+ hours a day, every day, and see double digit weight loss, it’s easy to get caught up in the idea that more is better. Unfortunately, our bodies don’t work that way.

Our bodies don’t respond well to extremes. If you eat too much food, you gain weight. However, if you eat too few calories, your body shuts down and your weight loss screeches to a halt. The same goes with exercise: you have to find a happy medium to coax your body to change.

This may come as a shock, but your workouts are not when you become stronger- when you rest is when you become stronger. When you lift weights, you are causing little tears in your muscle fibers. You are injuring yourself. When you rest those muscles, the fibers begin to heal themselves, and grow back together stronger and bigger than they were before. Thus, you are able to lift more weight and your muscles become bigger. If you don’t allow those muscles adequate rest, however, the fibers will never heal and continually weaken and rip, never giving you the results you are looking for, until eventually you injure yourself with a pull or tear.

Each muscle needs 48 hours to heal after a workout. Anything less than that is setting yourself up for injury. Now, this doesn’t mean you can only work out every other day. You can safely workout every day of the week if you want, with a little bit of planning. Each muscle group needs 48 hours to rest and heal, so you can alternate muscle groups each day. The easiest split is upper body one day, lower body the next, but you can split up your body in any way you choose.

 Rest is just as important for your progress as the time you spend in the gym. In addition to giving your muscles a break, make sure you eat enough protein and drink enough water to facilitate muscle growth.
Read more: http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/130802/20110405/muscles-muscular-strength-and-endurance-protein-rest-strength-training.htm#ixzz1IsNDXcSv

Kevin’s Personal Journal

6:00 a.m. CST – We finished packing up the trailer and got ready to leave for Hosston, where I stopped pushing yesterday. Before I could start pushing for the day, we first had to return to Mayor Shipp’s office to pick up the proclamation we missed yesterday.

Texarkana proclamation - names it Kevin Saunders Day for his efforts to improve education for Fitness & Nutrition from Mayor

9:30 a.m. CST – We returned to Mayor Shipp’s office and picked up the proclamation from Texarkana that was already framed for me. Thanks Mayor! It was our privilege to serve our country and our community to help make available education to hlep people of all ages make better choices for Fitness activities and what they eat. This way they can get fit a whatever age they may be by making the best choices possible for to enable them to get balanced nutritional meals and healthy snacks in the right portion sizes. Doing that along with some activities every day before they know it they’ll look in their mirror an say; “Wow were did this great person come from? Who looks better has more enegy and is always ready to go!” That’s what happens when you get the proper education so you know all the specifics about what kinds of food to eat and when depending on your level and kinds of activities. I always say: ‘Education was and continues to be the basis for all my achievements in life.” After the terrible accident that through me over a 2 story building and over 300 feet throught the air landing on a concrete parking lot. My body broken over at my chest like you bend at the waist. Spending almost a yeat in the hospital getting completely out of shape as I mentioned it was my Rugy friends from Corpus Christi, TX and getting educated on what it takes to be a great wheelchair athlete, ecducation on proper nutrition learning what to eat and fitness activities learning what kind of training regimines I could use that would help me to make to the top as a wheelchair athlete. I stay educated for my training, resting, what I ate, when and how much and what kinds of foods were best and I kept pushing my body chaning workouts so I continued to get faster and faster.    Click on the link to see Kevin Saunders World Champion Paralympian so that no matter who you are you can reach dreams you would have Never thought possible:  

 You accomplish by pushing hard and once you’re in great shape, you work out on one plan for a while, then when that start to get easier you change to another one that’s more challenging and so on and so on until your the best in America and then, the World. It’s tough because when you are traning so hard and so disiplined about how you work out and what you eat,  it very hard you’re always hurting during workouts and sore after them.

Kevin speaking with Tony Robbins at his NLP Certification in Hawaii. Kevin loves working with Tony as he always gives it his all and has a deep seeded passion to help others Awaken the Giant Within and transend their current limitations!

Like my friend Antony Robbins says; “That’s how we grow and push past our current limitations by streching out of our comfort zone and reaching goals we may have never dreams possible because we pushed ourselves out of our comfort zones. Start saying; Yes I Can like my friend Tony Robbins – Entrepreneur, Author & Peak Performance Strategist  – World Authority on Leadership Psychology – Peace Negotiator & Humanitarian – Strategic Advisor to World Leaders – Successful Entrepreneur & Honored Business Strategist – Philanthropist – Award-Winning Speaker – Internationally Best-Selling Author – Mass Media Veteran – Authority on Peak Performance – Innovator in Psychology and Intervention – Family Man. Here is a link to read more about Antony Robbins incredible achievements: http://www.tonyrobbins.com/biography.php

Tony Robbins lays out his plans for Glendora High School already speaking & planning like a man well beyond his years in 1978.

 Tony went to High School in Glendora High School with another friend of mine Dawn -Evans- Thomas now a resident in Downs, Kansas. She knew Anthony Robbins as they were both graduates back in high school class of 1978. I have a small picture of Tony Robbins as a Senior in the Glendora High 1978 year book. As I will show you later Tony was small but already thinking BIG! With great ideas on how to improve things in his school, no wonder he was elected Student Council President. Dawn “Evans” Thomas has a son Miles who is a junior at Lakeside High School in Downs, Kansas and Miles is becoming a champion as well. He was a running back and linebacker on a great football team this year who only had 2 losses and lost to the team that almost won state, He also played on the boys basketball team at Lakeside High in Downs, Kansas who finished 19 -2 with their 2nd loss coming in the substate championship game. They lead the oppenent for 3 straigt quarters and lost by only 2 points between them and the state boys basketball tournament, Miles also won the state in Kansas power lifiting contest with a total of 1035 lbs. on total lifts. Which also tied the all-time state recored for that weight class. Miles also went out to California for a football camp and won the bench press competition for running backs for 19 coninous reps with 185 lbs. Way to go Miles! To champions by way of Glendora High and the class of 1978.

Miles Thomas at his recent high school prom as a Junior at Lakeside High April 2011

10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. CST – I pushed on into Shreveport from Hosston on Highway 71 one of the toughest pieces of road I had tackled up to now on the BIG PUSH across America. I say that because more 18 wheelers passed me or came at me.  I saw one or more every couple of minutes, in fact one 18 wheeler was passing a me and a car near me another semi was coming the other way and the person in the car decided to turn without signaling. He about ended up with an 18 wheelchair on his lap coming through his side door. It must have been his lucky day as the 18 wheeler passing hit his big horn and laid on the air brakes he left long black skid marks on the pavement but managed to miss the absent minded driver by inches. I don’t think the person in the car ever knew how close they came to a life and death situation.

Kevin cruises into Louisianna towards Shreveport, Louisiana The toughest strech of highway he was yet to see!

So I was staying closer to the shoulder on Highway 71 and moving as fast as possible to get to Shreveport, Louisiana.

Shreveport Louisiana with semi's flying by as he trys to stay far to the right side

A picture with the 18 wheelers coming flying by and a car in front.

After the near miss of the 18 wheeler hiting the car Kevin says on the shoulder area and pushes hard as another 18 wheeler passes him on Hwy 71

2:00 p.m. CST – I made it to the outskirts of Shreveport and was really glad to be off that high 18 wheeler trafficked road. As I pushed into the city limits I received by received a police escort made up of motorcycle officers and police cars and police officers on their feet clearing the way

Kevin with police escort into Shreveport Louisiana hitting speeds of 30 mph downhill

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I couldn’t help but tell them I sure could have used your guys support on Highway 71 on the way down here. They took me through the city to our sponsor hotel, Sam’s Town Hotel/Casino, where we will be staying for the next two days. Sam’s Town offered to sponsor us while we were in Shreveport.

Kevin at Sams Town his sponsor hotel for Shreveport, LA

I just wanted to thank them. If you are ever in Shreveport, I recommend staying at Sam’s Town. It is an excellent hotel and everyone there is extremely nice and the most comfortable beds I’ve ever slept in.

BIG PUSH whelchair athlete promotes education for proper fitness & nutrition awareness

When we I was pushing there were three television networks and a newspaper – The Times – which cover Shreveport – Bossier city – ARA – LA – TEX area.

Louisiana and is greated by the local media on the BIG PUSH across US interview they said would show up later that night

They had came out to see me push into the hotel a few aired my story on the evening news like the attached video clip.

7:30 p.m. CST –I worked extra hard on gettingthe blog written and editing the pictures for today and getting captions on them and  getting them uploaded. I went to bed very early because I was extremely exhausted from pushing in the extreme heat and extremely dangerous conditions today.

Kevin shows that being paralyzed from the chest down you can still be fit in TEXas, ARKansas, and nearby LouisiANA = Texarkana

Wikipedia says; “That Texarkana that Col. Gus Knobel, stated a railroad surveyor, coined the name^]. Local lore suggests that, before Texas’ annexation by the US, lawlessness ruled in the area that at times was claimed by various nations” Texarkana was founded in 1873 on the junction of two railroads. The name is a portmanteau of TEXas, ARKansas, and nearby LouisiANA.”.

As you can see,  I found myself in a city that was half Arkansas, half Texas and part Lousiana.

Despite all the lore of the old west Texarkana it turned out that it was a friendly place and they welcomed me with my message of improving education for Texarkana’s youth, parents, teachers, administrators, local workforce and other Texarkana’s.

In 2008 new guidelines for physical activity were released by the United States Department of Health and Human Services. The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (PAGA) recommend that adults obtain at least 150 minutes/week of moderate-intensity physical activity, or 75 minutes/week of vigorous-intensity physical activity, or a combination of moderate and vigorous physical activity¹.

 These levels are those necessary for substantial health benefits which include decreasing the risk of premature death; decreasing the risk of diseases such as heart disease, stroke, some cancers, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and depression; decreasing the risk of high blood pressure and high cholesterol; and improving the ability to function in everyday life. The guidelines are very similar to previous recommendations but provide more flexibility in how physical activity is accumulated across the week. Previously the guidelines stated that at least 30 minutes on a given day were necessary as a minimum². Now, however, there is no daily minimum as long as physical activity is performed in 10-minute bouts and accumulates to the recommended amounts for the week.

What does this all mean?
Regardless of how you measure it, the bottom line is Americans need to move more! We are not meeting the minimum physical activity recommendations needed to benefit our health. Below are some tips to help you achieve the guidelines.

• Ditch your car and try more active modes of transportation.
• Pick up the pace while doing household chores.
• Take walk breaks at lunch.
• Reduce the time you spend being inactive for example watch a little less TV.
• Choose exercise that you find fun.
• Do your own yard work or wash your own car.
• Make time for family walks for example after dinner or on Saturday mornings.
• Play with your kids.

While all activity is good and burns additional calories, in order for it to count towards the recommendations it needs to be moderate-intensity. You don’t have to break out in a sweat but you should feel like you are pushing yourself a bit. This should cause an increase in your breathing and a warm feeling in your muscles

Kevin’s Personal Journal

Total miles pushed: 40

8:00 AM – We loaded up and got ready to meet the Mayor of Texarkana and to push. We were loaded and ready to go by 9 am and made it to the Mayor’s office by 9:30 am.

Mayor Shipp awards Dora with a special beautiful pin from Texarkana for important people who visit. We were very honored.

9:30 AM – We drove down Stateline road to the office of Mayor Horace G. Shipp of Texarkana, AR. I had a thorough meeting with the Mayor and explained to him the points of our tour. I challenged the Mayor to work to create lasting health and fitness initiatives for all citizens of Texarkana. I presented the Mayor with a certificate and a sculpture on behalf of the ‘Big Push Across America’ tour. The Mayor presented Dora, Andy, and I with special state lapel pins. He had also prepared a proclamation from the city to present to me, but forgot to present it. We will pick it up in the morning.

Kevin interviews Channel 3 ABC KTBS Texarkana Kevin tells them about BIG PUSH and the huge need for education our nation's youth for proper Fitness Activities & Health nutrional meals & snacks. So they have the knowledge to make better choices on a daily basis for a lifetime.

Media Present: After meeting with the Mayor, I did a brief interview with KTBS Channel 3 ABC of Texarkana. Reporter Julie Moore and photographer Mike Moore both did a great job in getting the interview. The station was able to use a lot of the B-roll footage that I provided them, as well as a lot of material that they filmed themselves to put together a great piece. I told Julie Moore the reporter that the BIG PUSH across America and my presentations to schools and city and state leaders was about helping educate our nation’s youth, parents, teachers, administrators and Americans about proper Fitness Activitires, sports and proper nutrition, So they have the information how to get information so they can choose a balanced nutrional meal or healthy snack or make one themselve. The very best fitness trainer, nutritionists and body builders will tell you to be in great shape it is 70% more or less what you eat and 30% more or less how much you exercise, Whatever it is you start slow but pick up the inensity as the days, weeks and months go by, Just like if you went out for sports in Junior High or Middle School, High School etc, you always have to go see a Doctor before you are allowed to start practicing, The same goes for execising if you are starting something you need to see you Doctor first!

I also told Julie how the BIG PUSH across America is just the prelude to the bigger “Fitnesss 4 All 50 State Tour”  I told Julie that I han’t been in a wheelchair all my life. That when I was young I loved sports starting in Junoir High / Middle School and played varsity sports in college and after I graduated from Kansas State University, the first thing I did after I got my job as a Federal Inspector for the USDA in Corpus Christi, Texas was joined the local rugby tea and the YMCA. Then before I knew it I was blown up in one of the worst explosions in TX & US history of its kind – I was thrown over a 2 story and blown over 300 feet through the air and landed in concrete parking lot left paralyzed from the chest down in a wheelchair.  Most people with my type of disability never leave home since life is so tough no core balance and you have to drain your bladder with a catheter every 3 to 4 hours a day and it used to take me 10 minutes to get up shower and get dressed, NOW that same action takes 2 plus hours – I because I lost the function of my body from the chest down 2 I have to do all these medical things that I never had to do before. I guess it like a young guy like me just turning into an old man really fast. But,  Thanks to proper fitness and proper eating habits I am able to live a full live. I even pushed across America thousands of miles to prepare for the next herculean event the “Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour”

Our mission with the “Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour” a nonprofit organization 501-(c) (3) is to serve as a catalyst to educate and empower our nation’s youth grades 3-12, parents, teachers, administrators, city mayors, community leader, state governors and state leaders and Americans to inspire and empower them to become self- motivate to utilize the tools, resources and “My Daily Healthy Lifestyle Journals” to make daily educated health decisions so making healthier lifestyle choices becomes a way of life.

Our purpose is to educate our nation’s youth, parent, teachers, administrators and the American people about the positive effects of physical fitness and proper nutrition, in such way that they are inspired to actively make healthier choices on a daily basis for a lifetime. We have partnered with the top fitness

Our goal is to cover all 50 states giving approximately 4,000 presentations to the schools grades 3 – 12 and approximately 4,000 presentations to city and state officials and leaders. For the school’s students and other Americans that follow the tour through the media and the schools and city and state governments and leaders we give presentations to. We want them to be able to download all this information from the top fitness experts, top trainers, aerobic experts such as Dr. Cooper and the Cooper Institute has partnered with us. They have invented the NutriGram ®_and Fitness Gram ® We also joined with the top nutritional experts so our nation’s youth, teachers, parents can download this information to their computer, Mp3 Player, iPhone, iPad etc. Dr. Cooper “Known as the Father of aerobics” his team has made video games to teach nutrition. Here is a link to what the Cooper Institute is doing http://www.cooperinstitute.org/  So that this current generation stays fit and it is just a normal day to do a fitness work out and pick something really healthy to eat. When people don’t do that then that’s not normal for them, they want to get back on track like an elite athlete would to stay on pace for the GOLD! That is just what the goal of massive “Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour a nonprofit organization 501-c-3.

Our vision is for our nation’s youth to understand the significance of taking part in physical fitness, activities, sports and making good nutritional choices. We will use daily personal accountability journals for students to help them set short and long term goals, and for them to make the necessary changes to lead healthier lives

Thanks! Kevin Saunders  www.KevinSaunders.com – www.KevinSaunders.com/blog – Is covering the-  BIG PUSH – the prelude to the “Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour”

After finishing the interview, we drove to the post office on the line between Texas and Arkansas for a photo opportunity. We were told that this post office is the second most photographed federal building in the U.S. Andy took my picture with the officer who was going to escort me to the city limits of Texarkana.   

Doing some of the media shots for TV & Newspaper Kevin with police escort from Texarkana raise their hands in victory after a great reception for the BIG PUSH for education for proper Fitness Activities & healthy balanced nutrional meals or healthy snacks!

I pushed down Highway 71 all the way from Texarkana to Hosston, LA. The road had a shoulder that was not too bad to push on, though it was rough at parts.

Kevin heads out of Texarkana pushing hard up hill towards Hesstion, LA

Kevin heads across the state line pushing hard on Highway 71 to Hesston, Louisiana - Highway 71 had semi's 18 wheelers going back and forth every minute. Kevin saw a gu turn left in front of a passing semi and almost got broad sided that terrible for the driver of that car. Gald they just missed each other!

I am very thankful that there was some shoulder to push on because the traffic was very bad.

There were more semi trucks down this road then there has been during any other day of pushing.

Kevin strokes his racer hard from Texarkana to Hosston, LA it was a long day Health & Fitness Summit Mayor & community leaders & Media Hwy 71 was one of the toughest streches of highway I have ever traveled with BIG 18 wheelers constantly coming & going.

6:30 PM – After reaching Hosston, we loaded back up into the Jeep and drove back to the Baymont in Texarkana. We did some maintenance on my racer and got ready to leave for Shreveport, LA. We downloaded our pictures, video and put captions and wrote blog and cooked something healthy to eat.

11:00 p.m. See you tomorrow because “There’s Always a Way” to get in shape when you get educated with the right information of what to eat and when and NEVER NEVER GIVE UP!

 NEW YORK, NY (CNN) — We all know exercise is good for the heart and preventing cardiovascular disease, even in children. But what kind of exercise is the most beneficial?

BIG PUSH Brochure - covers Kevin route and has all the facts about 17% of nation's youth is obesity and two thirds is over weight and Kevin is going to push his racing wheelchair 2,500 miles to promote fitness activies & good healthy nutrionally balanced meals & healthy snacks on the BIG PUSH across America!

We all know it’s healthy to get moving, but which movement is best for the heart, especially when it comes to children?

A new study published in the American Journal of Human Biology finds that high intensity exercise, such as fast sprints, is more beneficial for kids, than traditional endurance training, such as long distance running.

Researchers at the University of the West of Scotland recruited a group of volunteer school children, forty seven boys and ten girls, and randomly divided them into moderate and high intensity exercise groups.

The high intensity group’s training consisted of a series of 20 meter sprints over 30 seconds, the moderate exercise group ran steadily for a period of 20 minutes.

Study results showed that both groups cut their cardiovascular disease risk factors, such as lowering blood pressure, dropping sugar levels and losing weight.

But it took the high intensity group a much shorter time to achieve the same health goals

Researchers say the results demonstrate that brief, intense exercise is a time efficient way to improve heart health in adolescents.

http://www.todaysthv.com/news/article/152261/126/Best-exercise-for-kids

Kevin’s Personal Journal

11 AM – We went on to Hope, AR to pick up miles we missed yesterday and also to visit Bill Clinton’s childhood home. We went on a tour guide with Ms. Louise who took me on a tour of former President Bill Clinton’s home. I left her a copy of my book, There’s Always a Way and a copy for Joe McNiel a young man from her church that was also paralyzed. Joe was also getting into wheelchair athletics, but was having some problems and challenges so I helped give him some tips to help him do better. I left Louise with some brochures to hand out to people including Joe and I hope that he would be inspired by it as well.

Kevin with tour guide Louise at Bill Clintons child hood home in Hope, Arkansas

*Note* Andy had a flat tire for the past two days.

 We stopped at a bike shop near Arkadelphia to get the tire repaired, but the tire blew again. We were unable to find a tube that would fit Andy’s bike so he was unable to get many pushing pictures.

Kevin cruising at 35MPH down the rolling hills from Hope, Arkansas to Texarkana, Texas 47 miles of pushing for the day!

1 PM – I pushed to make up my miles from Hope to through Texarkana. It was a total of 47 miles and took just over 4 hours. I pushed around some in Texarkana, AR & TX. Almost made the 50 mile a day average we figured I would have to keep to stay on schedule.

Kevin raises his arms in Victory in two states at one time. As you can see by the sign he has one arm in Arkansas and one in Texas on the - BIG PUSH!

4:30 PM – We got back in the Jeep and drove closer to the Texas state line and at the Texas/Arkansas state line at the US post office to take pictures. I had my arms raised in victory for proper health and fitness for two states, one arm was held high in Texas and the other arm was raised in Arkansas. Then I pushed over to the Texas state line and had my picture taken as I pushed over the line.

6 PM – We went back to one of our BIG PUSH sponsors the Baymont hotel and took a break for a healthy balanced meal. I ate mine the proportions the dieticians for extreme athletes had given me which was 60% good carbohydrates 30% lean protein and 10% good fats from natural food sources.

7 to 11 PM – We uploaded the pictures for the past two days and updated by writing our information of who we meet what times I pushed, what times I gave a presentation how the long the push was how hilly or mountainous it was and much more goes into a good log or blog onto the internet so people that were following the tour could keep up with it. —- This is the same way we want the students to keep track of what they do each day what

11:30 PM – Made to bed made it before midnight getting your rest is so important. If you have long full days

To the left is the logo for the "Fitness 4 ALL 50 State Tour" to the right is the back side of the Medallion which was made for the "Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour". These will be given to the girl & boy in every school we visit who serve as an example of doing their very best to eat good healthy balanced nutritional meals or healthy snacks and are doing 30 to 60 minutes of exercise. That inspires their peers to get fit!

 You can see more of what we have done on the BIG PUSH pushing over 2,500 Miles across America in my racing wheelchair to help promote Fitness activities and proper nutrition for everyone, one community at a time.

I founded the “Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour” nonprofit 501-c-3 dedicated to educate our nation’s youth, parents, teachers, administrators and the American people about the importance of staying active and making healthy choices for balanced nutritional meals or healthy snacks and do a better job letting people know about the tour –you can see many  posts on my blog at:  www.KevinSaunders.com/blog Then choose on the right side of the page the Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour in red.

Here is a little info to help tell you more exactly what it is I am doing with the “Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour”

I am trying to let everyone see what my team and I are doing for the – Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour- and what my partners like the top fitness and nutritional partners are doing as well in America. We want to share with you what they are doing to help reduce obesity and overweight kids in schools across America. Also how you can find this information on LlinkedIn and other Social sites. Right now it posts in WordPress here in Revolutions my blog on my website at www.KevinSaunders.com  I know the BIG PUSH – & – Fitness 4 ALL 50 State Tour -  is a worthy cause because it will give kids the education & knowledge they will need to help them understand  the why, what, when and where would be the smartest choice for fitness activities and getting balanced nutritional healthy meals or snacks. Knowledge is power and NO ONE likes getting taken, right!  .

Here is a link to what the Cooper Institute is doing http://www.cooperinstitute.org/  So that this current generation stays fit and it is just a normal day to do a fitness work out and pick something really healthy to eat. When people don’t do that then that’s not normal for them, they want to get back on track like an elite athlete would to stay on pace for the GOLD! That is just what the goal of massive – Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour- a nonprofit organization 501-c-3.

I played college sports in college and the first thing I did after I graduated was to get my job as a Federal Inspector for the USDA in Corpus Christi, Texas was joined the local rugby team & YMCA. Then before I knew it I was blown up in one of the worst explosions in TX & US history of its kind – I was blown over a 2 story over 300 feet through the air [The length of a football field] and landed in concrete parking lot was left for dead. After one year in the Hospital I found myself left paralyzed from the chest down confined to a wheelchair for life. Paralyzed from the chest down with NO CORE Balance, most people with my type of disability never leave home. Thanks to proper fitness activities and proper eating habits I am able to live a full live. I traveled the world as a member of the USA Paralympics team, as a top motivational speaker, inspirational athlete, motivational coach and even pushed across America thousands of miles on the BIG PUSH across America for health and nutrition to prepare for the next herculean event the “Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour”

Our mission with the “Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour” a nonprofit organization 501-(c) (3) is to serve as a catalyst to educate and empower our nation’s youth grades 3-12, parents, teachers, administrators, city mayors, community leaders and state governors and state leaders and Americans to empower them to become self- motivated to utilize the tools, resources and “My Healthy Daily Lifestyle Journals” to make daily educated healthy decisions so making healthier lifestyle choices becomes a way of life.

Our purpose is to educate our nation’s youth, parents, teachers, administrators and the American people about the positive effects of physical fitness and proper nutrition, in such way that they are inspired to actively make healthier choices on a daily basis for a lifetime. We have partnered with the top fitness and nutritional people in America to accomplish this.

Our goal is to cover all 50 states giving approximately 4,000 presentations to the schools grades 3 – 12 and approximately 4,000 presentations to city and state officials and leaders. For the school’s students and other Americans that follow the tour through the media and the schools and city and state governments and leaders we give presentations too. We want them to be able to download all this information from the top fitness experts, top trainers, aerobic experts such as Dr. Cooper and the Cooper Institute has partnered with us. They have invented the NutriGram ®_and Fitness Gram ® We also partnered with top nutritional and Fitness experts so our nation’s youth, teachers, parents, administrators and Americans can download this information to their computer, Mp3 Player, iPhone, iPad etc.

Thanks! I wish you all much happiness, health, prosperity, lots of friends and good luck wherever you go.  My favorite verse is Philippians 4:13 “I can do everything through HIM who gives me strength.”  - “There’s NO Shortcut to Success just good old fashioned hard work! Set your goals high and Never Give Up! because; “There’s Always a Way”

Kevin Saunders - www.KevinSaunders.com – is about what I have done and do as a one of the top motivational speakers, safety speakers, school speaker, university & college speaking. I also speak to organizations, non-profit groups and I am a Speaker for Overcoming Adversity.

 www.KevinSaunders.com/blog – Is covering the- BIG PUSH – the prelude to the “Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour” a nonprofit 501-c-3 dedicated to providing the best education for Fitness and Nutritional Information to our nation’s youth, parents, teachers, administrators, city and state government leaders and community and state leaders and Americans so empower them to become self- motivated to utilize the tools, resources and “My Healthy Daily Lifestyle Journals” to make daily educated healthy decisions so making healthier lifestyle choices becomes a way of life.

The "BIG PUSH" brochure tells about the 2,500 mile push arcross America, giving presentations, media interviews amd it also has facts about the 17% of school kids are obese and two thirds are over weight. ...children are increasingly exposed to genetic and environmental 'triggers' that can lead to obesity and possibly diabetes according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. So we must take the fight to the streets and highways across America one community at a time to all 50 States!

 The ‘Big Push Across America Tour’ and the ‘Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour’ is designed to promote proper fitness and nutrition to the American people, but more specifically youth, parents, teachers, community leaders, and city and state officials. I do my best to keep up with the latest news on fitness, health, exercise and nutrition. So today during my daily web search I came across this interesting article from CNN on what researchers say is the best exercise for kids. Here is the article, let me know your opinion.

Kevin Saunders Senior Member of the Fitness Council with President Clinton breifing him in the Oval Office on the Fitness activities & programs - current levels of the different segments of the Nation's Population

 

With former President Bill Clinton being mentioned in today’s blog, I thought it would be a good time to tell you about the Alliance for a Healthier Generation which was founded by the William J. Clinton Foundation and the American Heart Association. The Alliance for a Healthier Generation works to address one of the nation’s leading public health threats—childhood obesity. The goal of the Alliance is to reduce the prevalence of childhood obesity by 2015, and to empower kids nationwide to make healthy lifestyle choices.

President's Council on Physcial Fitness & Sports - President Clinton presents Kevin Saunders with an award for his service and they talk over the current activities of the Council

Through the William J. Clinton Foundation, President Clinton promotes the values of fairness and opportunity for all. His vision is the Foundation’s mission: to strengthen the capacity of people in the United States and throughout the world to meet the challenges of global interdependence. Together with the generosity of citizens and volunteers, President Clinton and the Foundation are vigorously working to advance those principles that move us beyond differences to a common future of shared responsibility, shared benefits, and shared values.

A pretty cool thing that I want to mention is that the Alliance and the American Academy of Pediatrics have joined together with The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, to help families learn about healthy eating. The Very Hungry Caterpillar eats many foods on his journey to becoming a butterfly. With this book we can help children on his or her journey to grow up healthy and strong.

I had to opportunity to serve under President Clinton on the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports when he was in office. He is a great man and one that I have the utmost respect for. I was the only person reappointed to serve another term under his administration. He would always make the time to come greet me and my guests and would give me the “thumbs up” sign whenever he saw me at the White House or in the Rose Garden. I was the first person with a disability to serve on the President’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports under President George H. W. Bush.

To learn more information about the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, please visit www.healthiergeneration.org and for more information about the Clinton Foundation, please visit www.clintonfoundation.org.

Kevin’s Personal Journal

6:00 a.m. CST – We packed up the trailer and got ready to leave for Texarkana.

Kevin explains after his-Health & Fitness Summit - presentation about the BIG PUSH & the importance of education for proper Fitness & Nutrition to some of the ladies from the community leaders in Arkadelphia, Arkansas

7:15 a.m. CST – I pushed five miles from Caddo Valley to the city hall of Arkadelphia to meet with Mayor C.T. Hollingshead, City Manager Barbara Copelan, Rick Brumley, the director of Arkadelphia Parks and Recreation, and Ann Kelly, the City Director of Arkadelphia. Ann Kelly represents perfectly how beneficial a healthy lifestyle is. She is 73 years old, still works out and is still in great shape. She is going to be a pen pal of the ‘Big Push’ to keep us updated on how her fitness program is going. We talked about the benefits of proper nutrition and exercise. Ms. Kelly thought the idea of the healthy lifestyle journal to keep track of your progress was a fantastic thing to get people involved to take responsibility for and action for a healthy lifestyle.

Kevin tells listeners the 'BIG PUSH' across America over 2,500 miles for proper Fitness & Nutrition in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. How this was just the begining that the - Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour - would follow and be much more agressive with a bigger tour team and the best Fitness & Nutritional experts as partners of this huge 50 State Tour that would start the school year fall of 2012 & last approximatly 3 years. We will give around 4,000 presentions to schools in all 50 states & about the same # of Health & Fitness presentations around 4,000 to city mayors, councils & community leaders & state Governors, departmental & state leaders. It is a herculean task but one that must be done to bring the best tools and information to all areas in each state espescially our nation's youth, parents, teachers, administrators & school boards.

8:30 a.m. CST – We headed to the Arkadelphia radio station KYXK 106 FM for a taped interview with Lanny Brothers. I told him all about the ‘Big Push Across America’, how I was doing the Tour to inspire and motivate all people to get fit through proper fitness and nutrition, and that we were providing tools and resources to help youth, parents, teachers, community leaders and city and state officials. I told him that people could learn more by going to our website, www.kevinsaunders.com. Lanny recorded our session and wanted to play it several times to his listeners. He was also interested in having us on again sometime soon. He wants us to come back on the “Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour” as his guests.

We met another DJ named Sherry at the radio station office who told us that she would like to do a phone interview with us from the road. We took her information and I agreed to do an interview with her. Being able to reach others via radio is just as important. She wanted to tell the community about the “Big Push” and tell them my story as well. I’ve had the honor of being a motivational speaker for many years and love to inspire and motivate others to keeping giving life their very best and Never Give Up in their goals and dreams.

10:00 a.m. – We went by the new Arkadelphia Parks and Recreation facilities. Director, Rick Brumley gave us a tour of the new building, which has been open for only about nine months. The facility was impressive with a huge pool, indoor track and basketball court, walking trails, and a baseball field. I told Rick that I’d love to work with him on improving the health and fitness of the citizens of his community and also work with him by providing tools and resources to create lasting health and fitness initiatives for all citizens.

10:30 a.m. CST – I pushed 20 miles to Gordon, AR. The push took about 2 hours.

12:30 p.m. CST – I took a short water and Gatorade break and then pushed another 11 miles on to Prescott, AR where we met with Mayor Howard Taylor. I presented the Mayor with a plaque and a copy of my book. I told him about the purpose of the Tour and left him with brochures for the city council.

Kevin Saunders presenting BIG PUSH award to Mayor Howard Taylor of Prescott in front of City Hall after Health & Fitness Summit

2:45 PM – Breaking for lunch, I ate an apple and a granola bar and drank Gatorade and water.

*Note* – The terrain from Arkadelphia through Gordon, Prescott, and Hope was very hilly. It took a lot of endurance to be able to push up and down the hills.

Kevin navagating the curves & Hills through Gordon, AR Prescott, AR on his way to Hope, Arkansas the home of former President Bill Clinton

3:00 p.m. CST – I pushed on to Hope, AR.I took a picture by the city limit sign.

Kevin sits by the Hope AR city limit sign Welcome to Hope, Arkansas Kevin! It was a challenging push over through the steep hills, downhils and curves, now I'm here and ready to give another presentation!

 It took about an hour and a half to push 17 miles. When we arrived, we went directly to the Hope City Hall where we met with Hope City Manager, Catherine Cook. We presented her a plaque and my book for Mayor Dennis Ramsey in front of a sign that noted Hope as the birthplace of President Bill Clinton. This was a great moment for me since I had the opportunity to work on the Presidents Council for Physical Fitness and Sports during President Clinton’s time in office. We also left Catherine with brochures from the Tour to leave with the city officials.

Kevin received award in front of President Clinton's birthplace banner in Hope, Arkansas

4:30 p.m. CST – We immediately got into the Jeep and drove to meet with KTBS Channel 3, the NBC affiliate in Texarkana. At the station, we dropped off some a Beta tape of b-roll for them to use during out interview on Monday.

6:00 p.m. CST – We drove on and checked into one of our sponsors’, Baymont Inns and Suites, hotels in Texarkana.

We usually bought our food and just cooked it in our hotel room on a electric skillet so we could eat the right amounts of foods that we had good recipes for which gives you the satisfying taste for your palette. You need to have the right macronutrients which is a fancy way of saying protein, carbohydrates and fats. Because of my special needs for energy requirements, I was staying on a 60 percent carbohydrates and 40 percent protein diet and can’t forget fats which was around 10 percent.

Because I was averaging 50 miles per day, I had to keep my energy levels high. I was doing media interviews, presentations to schools, meeting with state and local leaders and of the communities we stopped at. I was really keeping busy. I also strive to do my best presentations every single time. I compare speaking to doing a marathon. I compare it to running or pushing in a racing wheelchair a 15K which is 9.3 miles AS FAST As You can GO – ALL OUT!

In a 15K  race a good time for the overall winning runner men is around 45 minutes plus and for the overall women race winners  the winning time  is around 55 to an 1 hour. As a professional speaker a when you give a great performance and it sounds like you are telling the story for time. The educational fitness and proper nutritional presentations to motivate the audience as a speaker and inspire the students, parent’s teachers and school administration takes between 45 minutes to 1 hour.

The – Health & Fitness Summits – that are given to the Mayor, city and community leaders and Governor, state officials and state leaders is given like it was the first time you ever presented it, but because you have spent so much time working hard on your presentations for the schools, parents, teachers and Administrators or the – Health & Fitness Summits –the local Mayor, city and community leaders or Governor, state officials and state leaders takes about 45 minutes to an hour as well and remember, as a professional speaker everyone of your presentation needs to be customized to that city or state and be given so that the audience is paying close attention because you make it interesting and compelling for them and as it was made just for them for their benefit and it was! The audience can spot a speaker how does not speak from the heart.

Spending all the time I had as a professional speaker, World Champion Paralympics wheelchair athlete and eating healthy food slow helps you feel full. Sometimes it is really hard to find healthy food that hasn’t had bad oils used on it. Or they have the vegetables soaked with butter. Why is the chicken breast to get at the reseraunt plump and juicy? Not because it is a young bird that has been caponized so it will grow much bigger than a normal chicken and you can sell them when they are young,

Now, the food industry wants to grow and sell fast so there is no time to take special care of the foods you may be tempted to eat In the restaurant or fast food store or convience store.  Sometimes those chicken breast are even injected with fat so they plump up and taste SOOO juicy and good. It is still possible to make those same foods taste good without putting on all the bad stuff. We will share with you some of the secrets from one of our partners for the – BIG PUSH –to find out how we do a better job to get people of all ages especially our nation’s youth to make healthier choices and be educated so they can determine freshness and quality of a product.

Family- Brother Gearld- NancySchoen-my-Grandma- Kevin in Overalls NO shirt - my Mother Freda- my Father Donald & my brother Daune

I’m really fortunate I grew up on a farm learned how to grow a garden just over a quarter of a miles long filled with corn, potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, bell peppers, strawberries, cabbage, lettuce, eggs, meets and more. I was in FFA where I went to judging contest to judge vegetables, fruits, meats, eggs, potatoes, rice and more. I was finished up high in the contest with many schools being represented from the Midwest. This has helped me I go with my wife Dora to the grocery store to shop as I explain how to choose the best product just as the adult judges did – the professional judges would explain and show you this is why we placed this piece of fruits, eggs, vegetables, meats etc. here with this grading – after our contest was over.

10:30 p.m. CST – We updated the –BIG PUSH- blog for today and downloaded pictures and put captions on the ones we were going to put load up on the website along with today’s blog. We went to bed.

During my down time, I like to read the news and see what interesting articles I can find about proper fitness and nutrition. Well today I was doing just that and came across something that I found very interesting especially in a world where people think everything can be solved my taking medicine.

Over the Counter: Nutrition key for kids with ADD/ADHD

The number of children diagnosed with a spectrum disorder has increased dramatically in the last decade. Spectrum disorders include attention deficit disorder (ADD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Asperger’s syndrome and autism. The severity of these disorders can range from a child who has difficulty concentrating in school to one who cannot communicate at all. In this column, we would like to focus on ADD/ADHD.

Many people wonder why the incidence of ADD/ADHD is increasing so dramatically. There are varying explanations, some of which are commonly understood and others which are controversial. One thing we do know is that schools are much more focused on diagnosing children who have ADD/ADHD. Years ago, these children were often simply considered “unruly.” Changes in diet over many years, with a shift to greater consumption of hydrogenated fat and refined sugar, is believed to have also played a role in this surge.

Another possible cause that has been highly debated is the measles/mumps/rubella vaccine. A higher incidence has been linked to children who have had the vaccine, but the research methods that have led to this conclusion have been called into question.

One thing they say in the article I read that especially caught my eye not only about our – BIG PUSH – across America to bring attention to the importance of bringing attention to the importance in taking part in regular fitness activities, sport and tips on how to make healthier choices for nutritionally balanced meals and healthy snacks. Also for the – Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour – a nonprofit 501 (c )(3) which will follow our – BIG PUSH – and our plan to start the – Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour – is tentatively scheduled for the Fall School year of 2012 to visit around 4,000 schools 3 -12 nationwide and giving presentations on proper Fitness and Nutrition and why the importance of getting the best information possible to the students, parents, teachers and school districts.

We will also be holding – Health & Fitness Summits – for each city Mayor, council members and community leaders which would be close to 4,000 Health& Fitness Summits I will give as well. We will also present one to every  Governor, staff and state leaders in all 50 states as well. I will use my skills that helped me become one of the tops motivational speakers in America. I am also an inspirational speaker, motivational coach and I given over 5,000 presentations over a thousand to schools I have spoken to across America about the importance of fitness as a fitness speaker, educational speaker, university and college speaker/ I also speak to associations, nonprofit groups and organizations about reaching and surpassing their goals and overcoming adversity. Also I get many requests as a safety speaker as I was injured shortly after college in one of the worst grain elevator explosions of its kind in U.S. and Texas history.

Like I mentioned because of our – BIG PUSH- promoting proper fitness and Nutritional one community at a time it caught my eye to see this article that talks about how it is essential when treating ADD/ADHD is to get nutrition and digestion in order. The wrong foods, those that are highly complex, fatty and sweet, are harder for the body to digest and can alter the natural balance among the neurotransmitters which regulate behavior. Many children in the spectrum have a digestive imbalance. This leads to craving a simple carbohydrate (white sugar and flour) which is very disruptive to one’s health. By correcting the digestive imbalance, the cravings for these bad foods diminishes, and the ability to digest more complex beneficial foods such as fish, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats improves.

The body has excitatory and calming neurotransmitters. Children with ADD/ADHD have an imbalance, with too many excitatory neurotransmitters and not enough calming nerotransmitters. This means children get too excited, lose their focus, and then “melt down” as they cannot gradually calm down.

Most insurance plans will cover neurotransmitter evaluation, which involves a simple urine test. The results of the test can help point treatment in the right direction.

With the proper nutrition, neurotransmitter balance can often be restored. Children who cannot adhere to the right diet can take supplements, such as fish oil supplements, which are available in many pleasant-tasting forms and can even be blended into a smoothie. There are also herbal supplements that can be helpful. Rhodiola, for instance, is an adaptogenic herb, which helps to fight stress in the body. What I read said, this herb can have the same effect as a medication used to treat anxiety and stress, but without the negative side effects.

Like most other medical conditions, stress can exacerbate ADD/ADHD as it robs children of the rest and sleep time that help to restore the body’s natural balance.

People often ask us about medication to treat ADD/ADHD. There is an analogy that we often use to explain how we believe medication should be used. Think about a house with a deteriorating foundation. To properly fix the foundation, the house has to be supported with beams while the foundation is repaired. The medications are just like those support beams, temporarily providing neurotransmitter balance while proper nutrition and the related proper digestive and bowel function is restored. Again, I urge anyone who is starting a new exercise program to see your personal Physician before taking any action.

According to this article, the medications can work well in the short term but can pose issues over the long term. They can exacerbate problems with sleeping, which is difficult because rest is such an important part of the equation. In essence, they enable children to tread water by keeping the negative effects of ADD/ADHD in check, but often they never fully restore the delicate neurotransmitter balance in the body.

Every case is different of course, and in each instance the medical team treating a patient should determine the best course of therapy. What I can say is that every case is different can also apply in some cases to each individuals needs for Fluid intake, nutritionally balanced meals and types of healthy snacks, amount of rest you need depending on your bodies needs. Also whatever your goals and dreams are and how committed, determined and how far you are willing to push yourself out of your comfort zone to reach them.  Here is a simple example in the next paragraph of this.

Example: For instance Lance Armstrong the 7 time winner of the Tour De France is the Most Famous Bicycle Race in the World and is one grueling and challenging bike races in the world as well. It’s also the world’s largest annual spectator event with millions of people lining the route to see the peloton (the large group of bike racing leaders) go by.  You can see on Lances site at this link http://www.livestrong.com/dares/ How his Live Strong dares you to change your lifestyle now and keep track of your of your daily food intake, exercise and much more. Lance and other Tour De France riders require about 7000 to 10000 calories per day because of their tremendous work they are required to do in this bike racing sport. The cyclists, like Lance and others require so many calories because the energy incredible energy they expend during the race. The race lasts 21 days and is 3,600 kilometers long or 2,200 miles the race is broken into day-long segments that average 150 – 200 kilometers per day or 93.2 – 321.87 miles, called stages. Individual times to finish each stage are aggregated to determine the overall winner at the end of the race. The rider with the lowest aggregate time at the end of each day wears a yellow jersey. The course changes every year, but the race has always finished in Paris.  

As you can Lances needs for the Tour De France or in his training to prepare for it would be far more than a person who is just starting a strength and aerobic conditioning program. If your goal is to lose weight then you have to burn more calories than you would consume. This way when you set your long and short term goals and keep track of the food you eat and what time of day and how much you will be able to determine the calories you consumed and also if you keep a record of your aerobic activity and strength conditioning what you did in each case and how long it took and how hard it was.

With strength conditioning you need to write the exercises you do and how many lifts you do and how much rest you take between lifts or (sets). This is why we have developed the – My Daily Healthy Lifestyle Journal – to help students write down their short and long term goals and keep track of what they eat and when and how much and record their fitness activities as  mentioned above. Then they rate their day at the bottom of each day on how they did in making the right choices for fitness activities what intensity level are you doing them at and eating right and their goals from 1 (Poor) -4,5 (medium) 6,7 to 8,9, 10 (Excellent)

By keeping track of your choices that precisely that allows you to see what is working best for you and what is not over a periods of weeks or months. It also allows you to start eliminating what is not working for you and incorporating more of what does work good for your personal needs. If you’re cheating on your – My Daily Healthy Lifestyle Journal – the only person that really ends up losing in the long run is you! On the - Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour – when we come through your area we want to see you succeed and reach your personal goals for your health, fitness and how you look and feel. So you are more alert and do better in your classes and have more endurance, flexibility and energy this allows you to get your work done and enjoy each day too!

We have become accustomed to quick fixes in our society. People are used to taking a pill and making problems go away. Often, however, the solution that takes the hard work, discipline and determination is the better approach. That is the case with ADD/ADHD.

It may seem difficult to transition a child to a diet rich with things that a child doesn’t like, such as fish, fruits or vegetables or other healthy choices. It has been our experience, however, that once children see the benefits of this shift, and once they feel more control over how they feel and how they act, they want to maintain the diet. It does not mean that they can’t ever enjoy a treat, but it must be done in moderation.

For frequent readers of this column, one theme is clearly dominant: What we put into our bodies is the best indicator of what we get out of them. Our country is dealing with record levels of such illnesses as autism spectrum disorders, diabetes and digestive problems like irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease. We don’t have all of the answers about causes, but we do know that balance in lifestyle and in what we eat is critically important to good health. Proper nutrition, exercise and rest are the three legs of the good health stool.

Read more: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/archive/x617855106/Over-the-Counter-Nutrition-key-for-kids-with-ADD-ADHD#ixzz1IfqWrEbq

Kevin’s Personal Journal

5:00 – Got up to get ready for our – BIG PUSH –to promote fitness and healthy nutrition one community at a time. The – BIG PUSH – the prelude for the – Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour – a nonprofit 501 (C) (3) organization 50 state tour with almost 4,000 presentations given to schools and around 4,000 given as Health & Fitness Summits to city Mayors, councils, community leaders and Governors, state officials and leaders. Our – Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour - organization’s mission is to serve as a catalyst to inspire, motivate and empower our nation’s youth, parent’s teachers and the American people through educational presentations given to between 3,000 to 4,000 schools in all 50 states to help them learn why making healthier lifestyle choices by helping each student develop a vision for their personal fitness activities and sports, making good daily nutritional choices and build internal motivation of those ideas. So they are motivated from within to seek out healthier choices on a daily basis.

Kevin pushes hard for fitness and to get to Malvern, Arkansas for his Health & Fitness presentation to the Mayor, city and community leaders.

7:30 a.m. CST – We departed for Malvern, AR for a meeting with the Mayor and the local newspaper.

Malvern daily text on Kevin Saunders BIG PUSH for fitness our nation's youth and all people across America - Malvern, Arkansas

8:30 a.m. CST –After a fast push to Malvern, I met with Mayor Northcutt of Malvern as well as Richard Tart, the Police Chief, William F. O’Keefe, the Assistant Chief of Police, and other city leaders where I gave them a presentation from the Health and Fitness Summit. They told us about a new Boys and Girls club that they are planning to open late next year. I told them about the mission of our ‘Big Push’ and ‘Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour’.

Kevin and the police cheif of Malvern discussing the new Boys & Girls Club that will be finished soon and bring needed fitness leadership to the community- While signing a book for the Chief of Police Malvern, AR

They were excited to learn that they could gain free access to the website to gain beneficial information and tools. I presented the Mayor with a certificate from the ‘Big Push Across America Tour’ as well as a copy of my book in front of the Malvern City Building. They wished us all the very best. The Mayor told me about how he had seen me on TV the previous morning.

Kevin answers questions after Health & Fitness Summit & explains to Mayor & Police Chief Malvern the importance of involving all citizens to achieve a healthier community and why providing the best tools, resources and information possible for their schools is develops that foundation for fitness Kevin and the police cheif of Malvern discussing the new Boys & Girls Club that will be finished soon- Kevin remarked "How great that will be for the kids and helping set and reach goals for their fitness and get them ready to be a success in life_While signing a book for the cheif of Police Malvern, AR

9:00 a.m. CST – We immediately drove to Benton, AR to fix a flat on Andy’s bike at a local bike shop.

9:45 a.m. CST – We met with Benton Sheriff, Phil Mask and the Saline County Chaplin, Doug Burk. Doug received a plaque from the ‘Big Push Across America Tour’ on behalf of the Mayor of Benton. I went over the key points of the Health and Fitness Summit presentation with Doug and Sheriff Mask to relay to the Mayor. I gave them each brochures with information about the ‘Big Push’ and asked them to encourage the Mayor to look at Imshapingup.com, which offers free resources to city officials. These resources enable communities like Benton to create lasting proper health and fitness initiatives and provide easily understood information that everyone can use. With the support of the community and with all citizens working towards a healthier community, the war with obesity can be won one community at a time because “There Is Always A Way Because You Never Give Up!”. They were very receptive of our invitation and both wished me well as I pushed on. They told me that they would make sure that the Mayor received the information. I left Doug Hunt with a copy of my book as well.

While in Benton, I also spoke with reporters from The Benton Courier Newspaper and the Bryant Banner. I covered the main points of the ‘Big Push Across America the prelude to the ‘Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour’ and told them that we were a non-profit foundation and that we whole-heartedly welcomed the support of any individual or organization. I told her that the readers could find out more at www.kevinsaunders.com  

11:00 a.m. CST – We drove back to Malvern, AR and finished our push from Malvern to Caddo Valley, a total of 32 miles.

3:30 p.m. CST – We finished our day of pushing. During the day, there had been a few light sprinkles. Later in the afternoon, those sprinkles became a full downpour.

While it rained, we made calls to the mayor and the media in Arkadelphia to set up times for meetings tomorrow. We also followed up on contacts in Hope, AR, and other cities we would be traveling through, for meetings with city officials and media in that city.

6:00 p.m. CST – We uploaded pictures and updated the log for the last few days. And we printed out certificates that we would be presenting to the city officials over the next couple of days.

11:00 p.m. CST – Download our pictures gave them captions & worte our blog for the day we made to bed early by 11 p.m. See you tomorrow on your the road and your road to fitness!                                                                                                                         Remember that There’s Always a Way to reach your goals and Live Your Dreams when you Never Give Up! on them! With my best! –

While I was in Arkansas I we kept working on our – BIG PUSH – research for the – Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour -   we hope to start in the start of the school year of 2012 so we continued our research to see how the state was getting involved in helping fight the obesity epidemic. Arkansas is actually becoming proactive in this fight and has started what they are calling the the Arkansas Coalition for Obesity Prevention. Here is a little more information about the coalition:

Mission:

Improve the health of all Arkansas communities by increasing physical activity and healthy eating to reduce and prevent obesity.

Vision:

All Arkansans value and practice healthy lifestyles through created and supported opportunities for physical activity and healthy eating

Goal:

Increase the percentage of Arkansans of all ages who have access to healthy and affordable food and who engage in regular physical activity.

If you would like more information, please visit http://www.arkansasobesity.temp1000.com/ 

It is great to see states join the battle and promote proper health, fitness and nutrition like the - Big Push – Across America’ does.

Kevin’s Personal Journal

Total miles pushed: 44

7 AM – I wanted to say a BIG THANK YOU! To Ernie Paulson the Sports Broadcaster for KARK Channel 4 Little Rock. You were a great supporter for the BIG PUSH and hope to see you next year when we travel through all 50 states on our Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour “organization’s mission is to serve as a catalyst to inspire, motivate and empower our nation’s youth, parent’s teachers and the American people through educational presentations given to between 3,000 to 4,000 schools in all 50 states to help them learn why making healthier lifestyle choices by helping each student develop a vision for their personal fitness activities and sports, making good daily nutritional choices and build internal motivation of those ideas. So they are motivated from within to seek out healthier choices on a daily basis.

Our last interview with Ernie Paulson and the Camerman Charlie a different angle as KARK ch 4 Little Rock has last morning interview. Thanks Ernie & Charlie we great appreciate you!

Starting to push from Little Rock state capitol to Benton, AR then Perke, Glenrose and got to our sponsor Baymont hotel in Malvern, AR

We departed for the State Capitol in Little Rock for a meeting with Ernie Paulson and KARK Channel 4 of Little Rock. Ernie Paulson did a more in-depth interview about the tour and wanted to make a longer piece that would air later in the week. Ernie’s photographer, Charlie, wanted to get various shots of me pushing around the Capitol Building on my way out of town. The entire interview and shoot took approximately 2 hours.

10:15 AM – We departed Little Rock on Highway 5 for Benton, AR. It was 12 miles to Benton.

Kevin flys down the road Little Rock to Benton - Perla-Glenrose- AR - Everyone he see's he says; "Let's get Fit!"

At Benton, we stopped for a quick interview with the local paper and met with city and community leaders.

Pushing it to the Limits with a message of Fitness for all!

After our stop in Benton, I had to push on the side of Interstate 30 for 9 miles to Highway 67. From the junction of Highway 67 to 229 I resumed pushing. There was a pretty good shoulder to ride on, but there were a lot of steep hills. I pushed for 14 miles into Glen Rose. From Glen Rose it was 4 miles Perla, AR.

Flying down one Hill - After going up and down through the steep hills through Benton to Perke- Glenrose, Aarkansas_ through the steep hills on the way from Little Rock to Malvern, Arkansas

Kevin replenishes his fluids and electrolytes with half Water & Gatorade on his way to Benton, AR then onto Perke, Gelnrose and ending in Malvern, Arkansas

5 PM – We loaded up from pushing and drove to our hotel to rest for the evening. We checked into the hotel and unloaded the trailer. Dora and Andy went to the grocery store to stock up on healthy foods. We ate dinner and got ready for the next day.

11:30 PM – As normal we downloaded our pictures we had taken for the day edited them put captions under them. Wrote our blog and uploaded everything to our website after we had finished everything we went to bed.  

Tomorrow will be another long day and we have miles to go! Miles to push many Revolutions on my wheel carrying a message of Fitness 4 All on our BIG PUSH we will have presentations to give, media interviews of all kinds to do. So we need our rest as it takes me longer to get to bed and get up because of  my paralysis being paralyzed completely from the chest down. It’s NOT EASY but you so me something worth doing that ever is…….making a difference is tough and so is changing people’s and our nation’s youth, parents, teachers and the American people’s mind about making healthier choices for eating right making better healthy choices for what they eat on a regular basis and finding the time or making the time to get involved in fitness activities or sports and go for it from 30 minutes to an hour – Break a Sweat!

Be sure to check with you before you start a new exercise program – we need to find a way to help people get a check up like we used to when I played football before we started practice, it shouldn’t be that hard!

Well, you all have good nights sleep and we’ll see you tomorrow because; There’s Always a Way to reach your goals and Live Your Dreams when you Never Give Up!    With my best,

Kevin pushing at the Arkansas state capitol in Little Rock

 People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don’t believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can’t find them, make them. – George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) Irish Playwright

We are very excited to have The Cooper Institute as a partner on the upcoming ‘Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour’. We will be partnering with them to help promote and make the communities aware of their FITNESSGRAM® and NURTIGRAM® programs.

FITNESSGRAM® was developed in 1982 by The Cooper Institute in Dallas, Texas. The objective was to increase parental awareness of children’s fitness levels by developing an easy way for physical education teachers to report the results of physical fitness assessments.
Student’s are assessed in three general areas of health-related fitness. Scores are evaluated against objective criterion standards that indicate a level of fitness necessary for health.
NUTRIGRAM® will be designed as an interactive, web-based educational site for schools (students in grades 3-5), teachers, and parents. The site includes nutrition knowledge and eating behavior challenges with a 3D, game-based learning center for use in classrooms or at home, empowering students to eat well and move more, while having fun.
The web site will be divided into three areas targeted to:
• Students
• Parents
• Teachers and Administrators
With this said, I came across this interesting article pertaining to the FITNESSGRAM® and how it is challenging the youth of America. Take a look the article below and let me know your thoughts!
Too Many Students Fail Fitness Test
http://belmontshore.patch.com/articles/too-many-students-fail-fitness-test

Kevin’s Personal Journal
3:15am CST- I just wanted to remind everyone that what use to be only 10-15 minutes in the morning now takes me over 2 hours to get up, ready and dressed for the day because I am paralyzed from the chest down. However I have a deep seeded passion for staying fit and helping educate, motivate and inspire our nation’s youth, parents, teachers, and the American people about the positive effects of getting involved in proper physical fitness activities and making better choices when it comes to what to eat. I want people to learn the importance of eating nutritionally balanced meals and healthy snacks in such a way they become self motivated and inspired to actively make healthier choices for a lifetime.This can only be achieved by working with our top fitness and nutritional people, like Dr. Cooper who is known as the “Father of Aerobics” .
5:30 a.m. CST – We departed for an interview with Ernie Paulson of KARK Little Rock. The interview started at 6:32 a.m. and lasted for about three minutes. Ernie was very excited about the story and wanted to follow up with us before we left town. We gave him our number and he told us that he would call. After returning to the hotel from the interview, we rested for a while and I prepared for my meeting with Chris Pyle, with the Governor’s Office, at the capitol building.

6 32 AM Sports Ernie Paulston NBC channel 4 Kevin about the BIG PUSH To help educate, motivate & Inspire Students, Parents, teachers, City & State leaders the American people

2:30 p.m. CST – We departed for the meeting with Chris Pyle, the Policy Advisor for Family and Faith for the state of Arkansas.
3:45 p.m. CST – We arrived at the State Capitol building in Little Rock, Arkansas. We went to the second floor of the building where we met Chris Pyle in the Governor’s Reception Room. There, we discussed Governor Huckabee’s Healthier Arkansas Initiative and how what I was doing with the ‘Big Push Across America’ tour and how it could help Arkansas’s efforts to reduce obesity and unhealthy living. Governor Huckabee himself had taken personal responsibility for his health and had lost a lot of weight and gotten in shape. He was eating good healthy, nutritional balanced meals and healthy snack, as well as becoming more physically active with aerobics and strength conditioning on a regular basis.

Arkansas Traveler Certificate From Governor Huckabee

He is a great example of what you can do when you put your mind to it and decide there is always a way and never give up. I told him that one of our sponsors, Imshapingup.com, was providing free memberships for government officials at both city and state level and how this would be the first virtual health and fitness portal. It would provide easily understood information that was measurable and could be used for accountability. Chris thought that it was a great idea and said that he would like to go ahead with working with us and that he would check into the website.
At one time, Gov. Mike Huckabee was a big man. He dreaded climbing the two flights of marble stairs in the Arkansas statehouse. He prayed there would be no reporters at the top because he knew he needed two minutes to catch his breath. Few knew how seriously Gov. Huckabee’s weight affected his health; he also tried to ignore it. His wake-up call came in June 2003 when his friend, former Gov. Frank White, whom he had seen just days before, died suddenly of a heart attack. Huckabee resolved to change his diet and lifestyle, and in about 10 months, he lost 105 pounds. By March 2004, Gov. Huckabee had lost 105 pounds and reversed all the symptoms of his diabetes. Now he’s focused on his state’s weight problem.

After our meeting we met some interesting people who worked at the State Capitol building. They told us the history of the building and about former President Clinton recently doing an interview for 60 Minutes in the Governor’s Reception Room. They also told us that the movie, “Stone Cold”, staring Brian Bosworth was also filmed at the State Capitol building. Most of the building was closed off for the filming of the movie. I know most people who watch pro football games will never forget the meeting of Los Angeles Raider #34 Bo Jackson RB, winner of the Heisman trophy in 1985 while attending Auburn University and were the 1st overall draft pick in 1886 and Seattle Seahawk #55 Brian Bosworth LB. During this game, Boshworth ran over Seahawks linebacker Brian Bosworth, who had insulted Jackson and promised in a media event before the game to contain Jackson

6:00 p.m. CST – We departed the State Capitol building and went out for dinner.

giving you a little different angle as KARK ch 4 Little Rock sets up to interview kevin

7:00 p.m. CST – We packed up the trailer in preparation for an early departure in the morning.

11:30 p.m. CST – After writing the blog and downloading the new pictures with their appropriate captions, it was time for bed. Keep on the road to staying active and making better choices to eat the best nutritonally balanced meals or healthy snaks because, “There’s Always a Way” when you Never – Never – Give Up! See you tomorrow – so get a good nights sleep because, we have miles to push places to go and people to meet and if you join me in my quest it makes the road more fun to travel.

With my best,

 Today I am 30 years old… well that is it has been 30 years since my accident that left me paralyzed from the chest down and confided to wheelchair. It all seemed like a dream and when I woke-up; I was face down in a hospital bed with massive internal and external injuries. I had to start thinking about overcoming adversity. I didn’t know where I was and I had a lot of overcoming adversity to do. I could vaguely recall some sort of explosion, but it didn’t seem real, why should I have to be overcoming adversity like this?  I was twenty four years old, newly married, with a baby on the way. I’d finished my college education at Kansas State University and gotten a good job with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) as a federal inspector inspecting grain elevators all along the Gulf Coast. Things were moving along great when life, literally, blew me away. It took tremendous spiritual inspiration and inspirational faith to help me in overcoming adversity like this. The challenges were tremendous and the deep depression was overwhelming. These were just some of the things I would have to overcome in order to get my life back.

Newspaper Headline the day after the explosion

 If you’ve never worked near a grain elevator, it might not sound that dangerous or explosive. After all, what could be so risky about a bunch of corn milo, soybeans and wheat lying around? As it turns out, quite a bit! You see, when the grain is moved, the grain dust that is generated becomes volatile when it’s heated and compressed. Grain dust is more explosive than dynamite and gasoline and approaches atomic energy based on the tremendous devastation caused by a grain dust explosion. Overcoming adversity like this can be an almost impossible task. The smallest spark can set off this Atomic bomb-like force that takes place in a grain dust explosion. And on April 7, 1981 that Friday afternoon at 3:10 PM CST in Corpus Christi, Texas, that’s exactly what happened.

During a grain elevator explosion, the temperatures can rise to an excesses of 1200 degrees fahrenheit

As part of my inspection, I’d noted that the dust collection systems, meant to take the deadly mixture out of the air inside the elevator, weren’t working properly. The head engineer for the Port of Corpus Christi who I had informed about the situation was not overly concerned, as he said it would cost millions to repair and they could not justify the expense at the time. Overcoming adversity within the corporate system  is difficult especially when you are telling them of a problem that to fix would be a costly expense for the company. At the time the company did not value the lives of their inspectors as high as they did for the cost to fix the problem. I have a tremendous passion for increased safety in the workplace that’s why I became a corporate safety speaker & business safety speaker, because I want to do everything I can to make sure no one has to endure the pain, be crippled for life, electrocuted, severely burned  or killed because of safety negligence. Not long after, I heard something that sounded like thunder, but felt like an earth quake. Everything was rattling, the ground was shaking and things were falling off shelves. In fractions of seconds the cracking and popping was so loud it seemed like it was going to split my head wide open.

Explosion- Kevin was thrown over 300 feet

I dug deep for my spiritual inspiration and I hung to my inspirational faith and I believed that some way I could survive what was about to happen. All of us are going to meet a time in our lives when there was a before moment and there was an after moment. Most people like me want to believe and hope you will be strong enough to keep going forward no matter what it was that happened because things will never be the same again. I prayed for the strength to go forward and to help me in overcoming adversity that was an incomprehensible force.

It was overcoming an adversity like I had never seen or heard before, because those atomic like force grain dust explosions were headed right for us. The floor jumped a foot up and down beneath us. We all knew what that meant; there was no doubt what was happening. The explosions grew in intensity and as I looked out the window of the USDA building. I saw those grain elevator silos, each with a two-foot thick concrete walls that were reinforced with 1 inch thick iron rebar built to withstand tremendous pressure, being blown apart like paper. I saw chunks of concrete weighing tons being thrown 100s of feet though the air coming right at us.  I knew it would take all my spiritual inspiration and inspirational faith and a miracle from God to survive this. I turned a caught a glimpse of my supervisor Albert Tripp out of the corner of my eye and the look in his eyes was of absolute terror. I noticed the blood drained from his face. He was pale white and he seemed unable to speak. Before another breath could pass, the biggest and most powerful grain dust explosion imaginable caught us.

Explosion-After dust still blowing hours later

Experts determined after the explosions that there were twelve grain dust explosions that ripped through the grain elevator that day at 1500 feet per second. When the biggest grain dust explosion came, the force from the blast hurled me right through the roof of the USDA office I’d been working in and completely destroyed it, leaving only the concrete foundation. I flew up over 100 feet in the sky, and over a two-story building, and finally landed on my head and shoulders in a concrete parking lot over 300 feet away, the length of a football field. When the paramedics arrived, they found my body broken over at my chest like one would bend at the waist, my chest was crushed, and blood and cerebral spinal fluid oozing out of my nose, ears, and mouth. My skull was crushed, lungs collapsed, broken bones, and massive internal and external injuries.  I could feel the live my soul slipping away out of my body.

Many lifes were lost

Although I was breathing when the paramedics found me, my vital signs where so low that I wasn’t expected to make it. I was not aware of it at the time but in the case of tremendous accidents like the grain explosion, the paramedics do what is referred to in the medical world as triage. They take people with the best chance of survival. Even in Corpus Christi, a city of over 350,000 people and all the suburbs, they ran out of ambulances and stretchers. So I was about to be left but thanks to the good Lord and one paramedic who didn’t want to leave me. I made it to the hospital on a blown off door in the back of a station wagon. They say the Lord works in mysterious ways. I don’t know what the odds were for me but they had to be astronomical. I knew the Lord must have a powerful purpose for my life.  After three to four weeks, and several surgeries, I was comatose and all but gone. In fact, I can remember a conversation between my doctors and a nurse who had stopped in. She asked what my prognosis was. They replied that they had done all that they could, but that I was going to die. I can’t blame them for saying so. They didn’t think I could hear anything, and the odds were with them. Realistically, I shouldn’t have survived. God was there telling me to hang on to Never Give Up and I fought for life with every bit of whatever strength I had left and I never lost my faith in God that I would survive.

People being carried out from the explosion

Ultimately, even though my physical injures didn’t kill me, the emotional trauma almost did. Depression, self-doubt and pity took hold, dominating my thoughts and reducing me to a shell of my former self. All the medial specialist in South Texas believe that things didn’t look good for me and I would notlive for much longer. I realized that my life was over. It wasn’t only my arms and legs that had been rendered immobile, but my motivational spirit had been lost in the blast as well.

 

With determination and a never give up attitude I  rose from those depths to become a top motivational coach, inspirational speaker, corporate speaker, sports speaker, business speaker, school speaker, college speaker, and high school, college and professional football speaker. I also worked hard, set my goals high and won the title of the “World’s Greatest All-Around Wheelchair Athlete.”

 

I was also humbly  honored to be the first person with a disability and paralympian appointed to the President’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports (PCPFS) by President George Bush  and was the only person reappointed to the President’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports by President Bill Clinton.

 I have worked alongside PCPFS chairman, former California Governor and long time friend who I deeply admire, the honorable Arnold Schwarzenegger.  President George W. Bush appointed me in 2004 to a special committee working with the PCPFS and HHS to come up with a plan to improve fitness and health for children with disabilities and we created the National Initiative on Physical Fitness for Children and Youth with Disabilities called the “I Can Do It, You Can Do It” program. 

 I became a top 100 motivational speaker and inspirational speaker. I was a principal actor and played next to Tom Cruise in the academy award winning movie ‘Born on the 4th of July’ directed by Oliver Stone. I worked with the Kansas State University football team with Head Coach Bill Snyder as the motivational coach and inspirational athlete to participate in what was later known as the ‘greatest turnaround in college football history’ and maybe all of sports. I also had the opportunity to learn from many other division one coaches who I admire greatly, such as Bob Stoops, Head Coach at the University of Oklahoma and his brother Mike Stoops, Head Coach at the University of Arizona. There are a host of other D-1 coaches that I greatly admire, as well as many NFL starts, some of which have played and won the Super Bowl.

Now my mission is to travel the country spreading the word of proper fitness and nutrition to today’s youth, parents, teachers, community and state leaders, and local and state officials through the ‘Big Push Across America’ tour. We will take what we have learned from the ‘Big Push’ and continue our mission through the ‘Fitness 4 All 4 50 State Tour’ in the Fall of 2012.

'Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour'

 Kevin’s Personal Journal

 5:00 a.m. CST – We departed the Baymont hotel for KTHV CBS Channel 11 interview. We arrived at 5:40 a.m. and met with producer Laura Kelley.  As I mentioned in previous blogs, I have to get up 2 to 3 hours earlier than when I was on my feet to take care of my medical needs. Because I am paralyzed from the chest down, little everyday things like getting dresses take 3 times longer than the average person. I remember the good old days when I could hop out of bed, shower and be out the door in 10 to 15 minutes but now I am on a mission to bring the message of proper fitness and nutrition to all.  I went on the air at 6:35 a.m. with anchor Amy Fox. The interview lasted approximately 5 minutes and I was able to cover all of our main points for the ‘Big Push Across America’ promoting proper fitness and nutrition to youth, parents, teachers, community and state leaders and local and state officials.

Kevin interview with Amy Fox KTHV CBS Channel

8:30 a.m. CST – We departed for an interview with the Star Herald and Jacksonville Patriot newspapers in Cabot, AR. We arrived at 9:45 a.m. and went in to interview with sports reporter Kevin Grinstead at 10:00 a.m. He was very interested in the ‘Big Push’ and asked many questions. He wanted to support the tour any and every way that he could as the sports editor. (I have heard from him since then. They printed a couple of articles in all five of their area papers. He said to be sure to update him with anything new.)

Jacksonville Patriot newspaper

Noon CST – After lunch, we returned to the hotel and uploaded the photos into the laptop. We had been having problems with our wireless modem all week, but we were able to get a slow connection. Andy called the wireless company and tried to figure out what was wrong with the high-speed connection. After two hours on the phone, going through step after step of modem configuration, we were told that the card would not work because we were out of the service area of our provider. When Andy got off the phone with tech support, we noticed that not only had the high-speed connection not been established, but now the slower connection was also unavailable.

2:00 p.m. CST – Because our email was down, Dora and I dropped Andy off at a local store to send out some picture files. We also wanted to get some of the larger proclamations scanned, but the store did not have a scanner large enough. While Andy was at Kinko’s we made some copies of our Beta tape of b-roll at a store in downtown Little Rock, AR.

7:00 p.m. CST – We returned to the Baymont hotel and went out for some dinner.

11:00 p.m. CST – After another long hard day, we went to bed. No matter what you many think, one thing always held true and most every successful person in life. That is that there is no shortcut to success but good old fashion hard work. You have to believe you can reach your goals, that’s why I say, “There Is Always A Way, When You Never Give Up!”

Keep up the faith and you will find a way to reach your goals.

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Take time to laugh – it is the music of the soul. — From an old English prayer.

Kevin pushing from Canada to Mexico

 

 A lot of time is spent these days talking about fitness. A lot of people think to themselves, “Yup! It’s time to get in shape! I just need a plan and I will really do it right. I’ll start on Monday.” Only Monday never seems to come. How many times have you thought about working out or eating better only to drop the ball? Maybe you even made dramatic promises to “lose twenty pounds by New Years day!” but never got past the thought. I admire the desire you have to get in shape, I even like that you recognize something in yourself you’d like to improve. Good for you! The only thing is you must get past the thought and create the action! When you start an exercise and nutrition regimen it is good to have a plan. You will have a more efficient and profitable work-out if you have a routine to follow.

Kevin doing an upperbody work out

 Also, nutrition can be tricky and you need a plan there as well. However, don’t let your lack of these things stop you from getting active – today. RIGHT NOW! Ok, right after you finish reading this. Something as simple as walking around the block or riding a bike is a great start. In fact, invite a friend and pass your new enthusiasm for fitness along to someone else! While you are walking you can start formulating that all important comprehensive fitness plan. The gym isn’t the only place you can get in shape but it can be a fun place to work out and get motivated by like minded people. Never been to a gym? No problem! Every day lots of people step into the gym for the first time. Even my pal Arnold Schwarzenegger had to have a first time so don’t sweat it! If you need help ask a trainer to assist you. Much of the equipment has instructions for proper use right on them.

Kevin pushing hard during a race

 Also, many gyms have beginner programs that will get you started. If weights aren’t your thing try one of the many group exercise classes gyms offer. I’m sure you’ll find something that makes you feel great and have fun while getting in shape. As for nutrition, stay away from fad diets and certainly don’t starve yourself. Eat sensibly and reference well documented sourced for your nutritional needs. So put your good thoughts to action – get moving, get fit and get started today.

Kevin doing a lat pull down

 That is why I decided to do the ‘Big Push Across America’ which is the prelude to the ‘Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour’. Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour is a non-profit organization dedicated to educate, motivate, and inspire the American people to set and reach high personal goals and accept personal responsibility for their health and fitness regardless of their challenges, adversities, or personal tragedies. Through government participation and corporate collaborations, we aim to directly teach the American people how to make healthier lifestyle choices.

'Big Push Across America'

By providing instructions and materials to students, parents, communities and states about the effects of physical fitness and nutrition on their bodies, they will be able to help make the connection between physical fitness and their ability to reach their goals, how to read food labels and how to create nutritionally balanced meals. Our goals is to inspire them to get motivated to make healthier lifestyle changes and provide some of the resources to make those changes, including coupons for free healthy foods from national health food vendors and daily personal accountability journals with fitness tips, nutritional tips, conversion charts, suggested shopping lists and information websites they can visit.

Kevin doing a two handed chin up on a bar

Kevin’s Personal Journal

We finally got a day off!

8 AM- We had breakfast a bowl of cooked oatmeal and 6 egg whites and a cup of coffee.

Dora and I went to the Mall near the hotel and she got her hair done.

3 PM – Dora and I ate a late lunch at a local great healthy restaurant.

We worked on catching up with bills, journal, shopping for medical supplies, groceries etc.

11 PM -Went to bed.

See you on the road tomorrow!

BIG PUSH - Fitness 4 All awards for Revolution America

Revolutions, beating the fitness crisis in america, one push at a time. “Never Give Up Because There Is Always A Way.”

Kevin pauses on the road to Little Rock_AR after the heat and humidity takes its toll

If you have the courage to begin, you have the courage to succeed. — David Viscott

 During my training for the ‘Big Push Across America’ tour, my fitness instructor would give me recipes like the one below to consume post-workout. This is a great shake to help replenish your body and muscles that will make you ripped.  

Shake Your Muscles

Eat immediately after your workout. A 12-week study conducted by Danish researchers found that older men who drank a shake with 10 grams of protein, 7 grams of carbohydrate, and 3 grams of fat (about the same as in a cup of milk) within 5 minutes after their weight workout gained muscle, but men who consumed the drink 2 hours later did not. For a serious post workout muscle-building shake, try this formula from Thomas Incledon, M.S., R.D.: Blend a half cup of fat-free frozen chocolate yogurt, a quarter cup of egg substitute, a cup of fat-free milk, a large banana, and a tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder, and drink. You’ll down 23 grams of protein, 52 grams of carbs, and only 4 grams of fat

KEVIN’S PERSONAL JOURNAL

 
8 to10 AM – We packed and loaded the trailer to get ready to move on to our sponsor Baymont hotel in Little Rock, AR.

10:30 AM – Pushed from Stuttgart to Humnoke, AR 14 miles. It took approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes to reach Humnoke.

Break 11:45 – Took a 5 to 10 minute break for Gatorade and water.

12 Noon – I pushed on to England, AR for another 14 miles. We arrived in England at around 1:15 PM. So I’ve pushed my wheelchair all the way from America to England. Ha!

Kevin on his way to Little Rock, AR has worn through the thick rubber on his second pair of gloves

Break 1:15 PM – Took a 15 minute break for an apple, granola bar, Gatorade and water. I need lots and lots of water.

1:30 PM – Pushed on for 34 miles into North Little Rock, AR. Half way through the push we took a short break for fluids. The heat and humidity were almost unbearable. When the humidity gets so high, your body’s natural cooling system, perspiration, can’t work efficiently. See, your body sweats in response to heat and the air dries it causing evaporative cooling. When it is too humid you get no evaporative cooling. To make a long story short – it’s miserable! You also have to be careful. If you are in the heat and suddenly stop sweating you might be nearing heat stroke so get in the shade, cut out excessive activity and drink some water.

With the humidity high before the BIG rain heading for Little Rock_AR Kevin has to hydrate himself frequently along the route-

Vitamins and minerals are substances found in foods we eat. Our body needs them to work properly. When it comes to vitamins, each one has a special role to play. For example:

Vitamins Information for the Daily Health Journal

- Vitamin D is needed for strong bones. Foods rich in Vitamin D are fish, egg yolks, liver, and fortified cereal.

- Vitamin C is important for keeping body tissues in good shape Also it helps your body resist infection. Foods high in vitamin C are citrus fruits, broccoli, cabbage, sweet red peppers, and tomatoes.  

- Vitamin A plays a really big part in eyesight. Foods rich in vitamin A are dark green leady vegetables, orange fruits and vegetables, liver, and milk that is fortified with vitamin A.

- Vitamin B has many different forms such as B1, B2, B6, B12 niacin, folic acid, biotin and pontothenic acid. Vitamin B is found in poultry and meats, fish and seafood, dairy products, beonst peas, and whole grains.

- Vitamin K helps in “clotting” as it stops the bleeding. Foods high in vitamin K are soybean oil, broccoli, leafy green vegetables, and dairy products like milk and yogurt.

- Vitamin E maintains a lot of the body’s tissue, like the ones in your eyes, skin and liver. Food high in vitamin E are sardines, nuts and seeds, wheat germ, egg yolks, and whole grains such as wheat and oats.

Mineral Information for the Daily Health Journal

*Note* – Dora called local Little Rock television station channel 7 contact “Angela” an hour before we arrived. Angela told Dora they would meet us out on the road when we got close to North Little Rock on Highway 165. When I passed the sign that said “Welcome to North Little Rock,” Dora called again about the television station meeting us. They said that they would be coming out in a white van with channel 7 logos on it. I pushed another 15 miles on into North Little Rock and noticed thunderstorms coming in from the North West. Andy had a flat tire on his bike just ½ mile before we reached Interstate 440. We pulled over at a gas station and Dora again called Angela at the TV station. Because of the lightning and thunderstorms rapidly approaching, and the fact that we were already well into North Little Rock, we decided to quit for the day. Dora called again to Angela at channel 7 to let her know that we would wait at the gas station for the camera crew. Angela told Dora that they were short staffed, and that it was doubtful if anyone would come out to meet us. The news teams get pretty busy when thunderstorms approach.  Angela said that she would try to meet up with us at a different time.

Kevin pushing through pouring rain in Arkansas

4 PM – We loaded up and drove to our sponsor hotel, Baymont. On the way we ran into rain where we had to pull off the road momentarily because it was impossible to see through the downpour.

5 – 6 PM – We arrived at our sponsor hotel, Baymont. We took a short meal break and then uploaded pictures and updated the log.

7 – 10 PM – Unloaded some office supplies and other things. We straightened up and organized the room to work more like an office. Dora bought a new Lexmark 3 in one printer, scanner and copier at Office Depot, since other one had been broken on the road.

11 PM – Went to bed.

 Eat Right, Stay Active…Because “There Is Always A Way!” when you set your goals high and “Never Give Up!”

Kevin tries to stay ahead of the rain as he grinds on the miles towards Little Rock_AR

Keep Your Stats, See Amazing Results

Test yourself often. Every 4 weeks, measure a variable—waist size, body fat, bench press—that equates to your end goal. “It’ll show you the tangible results of your training,” says Craig Ballantyne, C.S.C.S., a trainer in Canada. And that translates into motivation

If you want to get in shape and fit, there is no better time than right now. Take it from a college football player and world champion paralympian, There is no better time than right now to turn your life around!

Keeping track of your goals is a great way to see the progress you have made toward a happy and healthier you. This is why during the “Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour”, I will be giving all the youth, parents, teachers, community leaders, and city and state officials a daily healthy lifestlye journal. The journal will serve as an educational tool that reinforces the concepts taught in the school presentation.  It will help students accurately track their progress and assist them in evaluating their daily habits. It will also include healthy tips and formulas to help you achieve your goals.

Accountability Journal inside page template

The journal will also provide the youth with fitness and nutrition tips, as well as give them a place to write down what they ate for the day, the amount and at what time, what exercise(s) they did that day and the time and at what intensity level. These journals provide them daily accountability and it allows them to see what works best for them. It also shows them what is not working for them so they can eliminate in order to achieve their fitness and nutritional goals.  After each day, the students will rate their day and how eating healthy and proper fitness has made an impact on their life from 1 to 10. They will rate their day not only how they feel but also if they made the proper choice based on the tools that were provided to the student. By using the journal, students will learn how to be accountable for their health and how to make healthier choices. Just a note, please modify your goals based on your personal needs.

My Daily Healthy Lifestyle Journal

Please see some of the example sof the content that was send back to me from top fitness professionals, sports coaches, and college professors , etc. As you you can see each person has different opinions on the way they view proper health and fitness. The basic idea you can see from the below information is that the over all concept is the same. The one thing they all agreed on was the name, My Daily Healthy Lifestyle Journal.

 1. My goals for a healthier lifestyle are:
To improve my fitness, activities, and sports: ______________________________________________
For choosing balanced healthy food or snacks: ____________________________________________
Things I need to do in order to make healthier choices for myself: ___________________________

 2.  Being Responsible keeping track on a daily basis is the best way to ensure becoming a WINNER! How do you keep track daily of what you eat, how much of each, use your hand to compare – make a fist for the form in round form hold your hand by it and say it is bigger or smaller than my hand and use your hand out flat for flatter items on a daily basis is the best way to ensure becoming a WINNER! to do this you will need to write down everything you eat and when (The time of day) and what fitness activities or sports you have participated in___________ By getting educated about fitness activities or sports you have taken part in and what you did? What kind of fitness activity or sports did you take part in?  How long did it take you to do it? What time of day did you do it? FOODS I ATE TODAY & TIMES List all the foods you have chosen to eat and at what time you ate them or it and what it was and how much? Finding out what they do for you and how they work in your body is what helps lay a good solid foundation to become successful by getting in shape and eating right. DAILY PERSONAL Responsibility = WINNER! This gives you the ability to eliminate what does not work to help you get in shape and find foods that supply good balanced nutritional value and do not add fat to your body, bit can help you get leaner.

3. To achieve my short and long term goals I must plan the steps (things / choices I need to make in order to reach my goals) Refine my goals as I go (so as I start to notice things that work I stick to them and when I see one of the choices I have listed for that day or maybe several times over the week that DOES NOT Help me get closer to my goal I eliminate it. List what refinements you are making (such as choosing something that helps you eat better or stay active, lose weight and go over with your teacher to make sure you are refining your choices of each day / week / month / year until desired short and long term goals are reached and become a habit for you, a way of life.

 Or – To achieve my goals, I must plan what the steps I need to take and make necessary changes in my plan when my goals are not being reached.  Make a list of the changes you are making to help you eat better, stay active, lose weight, and live a healthier life.  Be sure you list the changes you are making each day, week, month, and year until you reach your goals.  Share this list of changes with your teacher.

4. SACRIFICES - List the things you give up in order to reach your fitness actives or sports goals. What I didn’t do __________ List the foods you did not eat – and List the more nutritional foods you did eat to give you a good balanced meal or healthy snacks in order to reach your desired weight, raise your energy level & get in better shape every day. 
SACRIFICE Examples for fitness, activities or sports: I didn’t play video games with my friend or brother or sister etc. I went out and shot basketball at my friends house. played played this (insert type of game) game outside etc.
SACRIFICE Examples for today’s food choices: I didn’t eat the double cheeseburger, double fries and a large jumbo coke that I wanted. I chose instead to eat a turkey sandwich with lettuce and tomato on wheat bread NO MAYO!

**Note to the more serious athletes** you many want to train more specifically in your particular sport or give more effort toward a particular goal. For example, what motivated me after my injury was guys that I knew and competed against when I was on my feet, achieving their goal that they talked about years prior to my injury. You really don’t know what you are capable of unless you put your mind to something or focus on your goal.

Or- Sacrifices – list the things that you are willing to give up so you can go up – to reach your fitness goals.  Give up-Go Up items: ____________________ (list the unhealthy foods and activities/habits you avoided) in order to reach your goals – weight, fitness, healthy lifestyles.  Examples: Fitness Choices- Went outside and played basketball with friends instead of playing video games.  Food Choices – Ate a turkey sandwich with lettuce and tomato and drank a glass of milk rather than eating a double cheeseburger, fries, and coke.

KEVIN’S PERSONAL JOURNAL

Kevin's hands flying on to the top of the push rims to power his chiar forward to Clarendon, Ark

7:00 a.m. CST – First thing in the morning, Dora went to Wal-Mart to exchange the printer.

10:00 a.m. CST – Since we had a little free time, we decided to get the oil changed and to wash the van and the trailer. Again, I had the privilege to meet an extraordinary citizen that overwhelmed me with their support of the ‘Big Push Across America’. After having a casual conversation with a woman who was also getting her oil changed, she gave the ‘Big Push’ a donation and told us that we had truly inspired her. I told her that I appreciate the gift, but that it was the support of individuals like her that made the Tour possible and gave me the encouragement I need to continue. I know she will spread the word and the Revolution will roll on and on!
1:30 p.m. CST – I met with Mayor Harry “Butch” Richenback, city and community leaders of Stuttgart, AR and gave a Health and Fitness Summit presentation for all in attendence. They were all very please and wanted to do the best they could to improve health and fitness in their schools and community.  We left him with a plaque and a copy of my book. He gave us some great souvenirs from the city. As usual, I discussed all of the points from the tour with him and the community leaders. It was a great meeting. They said they are excited for me to come back during my ‘Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour’ to see all the progress they have made.  As a motivational coach, fitness speaker, and a wheelchair athlete, I was very excited to come back and see their progress during my next tour ‘the Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour’.

Kevin Saunders after a Health and Fitness Summit

3:00 p.m. CST – We spent the rest of the afternoon and evening catching up on some errands and paperwork. Andy and I tried again to get a good email connection, but we could not secure one long enough to email anything. However, I was able to search for online articles about the ‘Big Push’ and my mission of spreading the word of proper fitness and nutrition to the American people. I saved them to a file. Every time I read the articles about the Tour, I am so impressed at how well written they are. Everyone understands what I am trying to accomplish and their writing is very supportive of my mission. I know my book “Revolutions” about the ‘Big Push Across America’ and spreading the word on proper fitness and nutrition is going to be well recieved.

With my book I hope to keep the excitement about getting in shape going and continue to educate people on the importance of physical fitness, good nutrition and making wise life choices. Because really, in the grand scheme of things it’s a lot easier to turn away from that big piece of pie than it is to lose the weight you gain from poor eating habits. Of course you can have treats from time to time. What’s life without a little pecan pie or chocolate cake? You just can’t make those sorts of foods regular dietary choices. Plus, you must get active. Keep your heart healthy through proper nutrition and a good dose of rigorous exercise. Your heart is a muscle and it’s one you really need to keep strong!  If you’re out of shape start slow. Maybe a walk around the block. Before you know it you will be doing more, getting more fit and your work-outs will become more intense.

10 p.m. CST – After finally catching up on all of our work, we were able to go to bed.

with wide open country Kevin cruises right down the middle of the highway towards Stuggart,Ark

“Unswerving loyalty to duty, constant devotion to truth, and a clear conscience will overcome every discouragement and surely lead the way to usefulness and high achievement”.  ——  President, Grover Cleveland, 1885–1889

By the time I reached into Arkansas  around Stuttgart, Arkansas my trip had gone from gleeful to grueling.  My shoulders ached constantly, my skin was burned from the sun and wind, and my hands became a home to permanent calluses and blisters.  In short, things were becoming difficult.  I wondered whether I’d be able to go on to finish, and I found that the fear of failure made the burden even worse.  When relief finally came, it wasn’t because I changed my route or did anything special.  Instead, I simply made the decision to stop worrying about things.  I knew that if I kept my wheels spinning, the rest would take care of itself.   And strangely enough, it did.

In this blog,  I take that revelation and apply it to what I learned about why education for nutrition and fitness is so important.  Mainly, that stress and fatigue, over time, take the same kind of toll as bad nutrition does.  Worse yet, the two usually go hand in hand.  The more stress we carry, the worse we feel, and that makes us more likely to seek out junk food and television instead of healthy alternatives. I conclude this section with some practical tips and advice for breaking that cycle.

To read the rest of this fantastic article of from the “World’s Greatest all-around Wheelchair Athlete” Exciting BIG PUSH across America to help America beat the Fitness Crisis one push at a time! Kevin Saunders gives his insight along with the top nutritionists, dieticians, Fitness trainers and the Cooper Institute who developed the NutriGram(R) and FitnessGram (R)
 
Please follow the steps to read on, to see how this today’s and the blogs to follow of this exciting adventure to help America get fit takes you another step closer to your own goals and dreams for your personal fitness activities and choices you make for your nutritionally balanced meals and healthy snacks.

Kevin closing in on Chatfield AR in the BIG PUSH he's cranking hard!

Quick Nutrition Tip of The Day!

I always make sure that I am eating healthy during my tour. Protein is a key nutrient to help build muscle and keep healthy. Just a quick hint, a correct portion of protein should be about the size of our fist.

Feed Your Muscles

Satisfy your sugar cravings immediately after your workout. Eat at least 20 grams along with some protein. The sugar will help carry protein to the muscles you’ve just worked. So have a soda with your tuna sandwich, but limit your sugar intake the rest of the day.

KEVIN’S PERSONAL JOURNAL

8:45 a.m. CST – We drove back to Marianna, AR, where we stopped yesterday, to continue the push towards Stuttgart, AR.

9:00 a.m. CST – Averaging 12 mph, I was able to make it to Monroe, AR in about two hours. The pushing was hard. The temperature stayed near one hundred degrees and the asphalt was soaking in ever degree and giving it back.

11:00 a.m. CST – I took about a 5 minute break to rehydrate my body by drinking water and to replenish my electrolytes by drinking a sports drink. It’s very important to stay hydrated when you work out. Always have water or sports drink and be sure to drink before you feel thirsty. Even just a little dehydration can affect your performance. Like I have said in previous posts, I usually drink a mixture of half water and half Gatorade to ensure proper hydration and allow myself to be at peak performance during the ‘Big Push Across America’.

Kevin drenched in sweat with humidity high Kevin Saunders pushing HARD to Roe, Ark city limits

12:15 p.m. CST – We arrived in Clarendon, AR after pushing for approximately 10 more miles after my break. In Clarendon, we took an hour to eat, drink, and rest. It was hard to eat healthy here but we managed. Remember when you eat out; ask them to prepare the food with no butter. Just a quick tip to save you some calories.

1:15 p.m. CST – The next 45 minutes was spent pushing the 10 miles to Roe. There was a considerable amount of traffic on the highway, so I had to be careful and go extra slow. Unfortunately, there was swampland on each side of the highway with hardly any shoulder to wheel on.

Kevin pushes down the long strech of Hwy through Arkansas hot summer days towards Brickeye_AR

2:00 p.m. CST – After taking a 5 minute break to get some liquids in my system, I pushed on towards Ulm, AR; approximately 7 miles away.

2:45 p.m. CST – We arrived in Ulm and took another five minute water and Gatorade break. It was so hot and humid; I had to be careful not to dehydrate myself. After the break, we started the last six miles into Stuttgart, AR.

3:15 p.m. CST – After an exhausting day, we arrived in Stuttgart, AR. We loaded up our equipment and drove back to the hotel.

Kevin pushing on highway 79 toward Mirianna Arkansas

4:30 p.m. CST – After working hard all day, all I wanted to do was rest and get some food. So we took about an hour and ate some dinner.

6:00 p.m. CST – We tried to do some work after dinner, but unfortunately, we kept having technical difficulties. The Internet still was not working, so Andy was unable to upload the today’s pictures. In addition to the Internet not working, we could not get our new scanner to work. We wanted to scan a newspaper article about the Tour. There has been so much publicity about the tour. Its great that the media has embraced this Revolutions tour. The media attention really helps spread the word about getting fit and living healthy.

11:30 p.m. CST – We went to bed.

Kevin Saunders is an in demand motivational speaker, wheelchair athlete and noted author.

Kevin at the Arkansas State Line

I think the purpose of life is to be useful, to be responsible, to be honorable, to be compassionate. It is, after all, to matter: to count, to stand for something, to have made some difference that you lived at all.

– Leo C. Rosten (1908-1977) American Writer

Quick Fitness Tip Of the Day

Here is a quick tip that most people do not know. Most people think the heavier the weight the more muscle they will build. While I was training for the ‘Big Push Across America’ my trainer have me little tips like this to increase my workout.

Go Light, Get Strong

Lift light weights fast to build strength. Your muscles will generate as much force as if you were lifting a heavier weight more slowly. Try it with the bench press: Use a weight that’s 40 to 60 percent of what you can lift one time, and do eight sets of three repetitions, pushing the weight up as fast as possible. Rest 30 seconds between sets

Stay tuned in for tomorrows fitness or nutrition tip.

Kevin digs deep & cranks hard over as he comes up a steep incline on his way to Stuttgart AR

KEVIN’S PERSONAL JOURNAL

Total miles pushed: 52

7 to 8 AM – We packed and checked out of the Baymont hotel. We left some flowers and a thank you card from us and the ‘Big Push Across America’ for the Baymont staff. They treated us with great hospitality and impeccable service.

9 AM – I resumed my push from West Memphis to Lehi, AR on highway 70 approximately 6 miles. From Lehi to Shearerville, AR it was 7 miles. At Shearerville we got on highway 79 South. I pushed on for 10 miles to Chatfield, AR. Andy was along riding the bike and taking pictures.

11AM to Noon after pushing 23 miles. I had Gatorade and water and ate a little chicken and a baked potato.

12 Noon – I pushed on 6 miles to Hughes, AR and another 8 to Brickeyes, AR. From Brickeyes it was another 5 miles to Soudan, AR. This was a tough 19 miles because the wind was blowing pretty hard into my face. We decided to take a break before we finished our 8 mile push in Marianna where we met with the Mayor Taylor and the newspaper.

Kevin Flys toward Towards Chatfield, AR Community with a message of education motivation & inspiration about Getting Fit

3 PM-I resumed pushing the last 8 miles toward Marianna with the slight hills and intense wind in the face, it slowed my pushing down at times below 10mph. We arrived into Marianna just before 4 PM. Once in Marianna we met Officer Kevin Evans who escorted us approximately 2 miles through the city limits of Marianna to Mayor Taylor’s office. I met with Mayor Taylor and City Clerk Kendon Gray between 4 and 4:30 PM. I presented the Mayor with a plaque in recognition of his commitment to lasting health and fitness initiatives for all citizens of his community and his support of our efforts for the Kevin Saunders’ ‘Big Push Across America’ the preamble to the “Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour”.

Kevin presents Mayor Taylor and city officials of Mirianna with plaque from the BIG PUSH tour

Several young girls from the community came by and brought their camera to take a picture with me since they had seen me on TV the day before in Memphis. Andy also took a picture of me with the young kids who were enthused about learn about proper fitness and nutrition in the Marianna area. It’s so very important that kids be active and eat right! With video games and two hundred channels on television many kids today spend all their time sitting down and get very little exercise. Childhood obesity is a real problem. Type 2 diabetes is being seen more and more in children where once it was mostly an adult condition. Fast food and no activity are two of the leading causes that push children down a road to ill health. I’m glad these young girls are excited about staying in shape and I hope their enthusiasm spreads to their friends

Some local kids from Mirianna wanted their picture taken with Kevin

The ‘Big Push Across America’ tour is all about getting America fit one person, one community at a time. The more people I meet, the more I believe it can happen because “There Is Always a Way If You Never Give Up!!”

We had some laughs with the Mayor. He said he wanted arms like mine. I told him that if he worked out enough he could get some, and I asked him to join me on the ‘Big Push Across America’. He said he’d think about it.

I also mentioned to Mayor Taylor that one of our tour sponsors: Imshapingup.com was providing free memberships to the city government so that they can log on and have access to easy to understand information about health and fitness. Staying educated about proper health and fitness is an important step towards maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Kevin gives careful thought to reporter Jillian Fry's questions about the BIG PUSH -Why Proper Fitness & Nutrition one community at a time

There were a ton of Media present in Mariana: The Courier-Index: reporter Edie Sanford and General Manager Melinda Huff. They took pictures and were also doing a story about our ‘Big Push across America’ and our purpose to inspire and motivate all Americans to get fit by providing resources and tools for cities like Marianna to create lasting health and fitness initiatives by providing clear and easily understandable information about fitness, nutrition, and many other aspects of good health and fitness for all citizens.
Note: I had another flat tire today, and my 2nd pair of gloves is almost worn out. Sometimes the equipment gives out but I never will! “There Is Always a Way If You Never Give Up!!”

Pushing the limits in the Benton Courier

5 PM – We loaded up the truck and trailer at the Mayor’s office and decided to drive on to Stuttgart, AR where we will spend the night.

6 PM – We arrived at our hotel and unloaded.

8 PM – We caught up the log and downloaded our pictures for the day so we could send them in to The Visibility Company so they could make the most recent updates to the website. However, we could not get a strong enough connection to the internet via our wireless internet card to send any of the updates to The Visibility Company.

11 PM – Went to bed.

Kevin approching the TN border now headed for Memphis with a message of Health & Fitness for ALL

I think I’d like to be remembered as someone who beat the odds through just plain determination. … that I persevered. Because I think that being somewhat of a pest to life, constantly plaguing and pursuing, will bring results. — Sylvester Stallone (1946-) American Actor

While being on the road for so long, Dora and myself have had to research tasty snacks that are quick and easy to eat while traveling. We know it is difficult to stay healthy all the time so we wanted to share some quick snacks with you that we found on the ADA’s website. The ADA is a great place to find information on proper nutrition. I would suggest you check it out. The snacks below are yummy and easy to prepare, not to mention low cost which is always a plus!

Tasty Snacks at 200 Calories or Less

This month is National Nutrition Month, we want to celebrate by choosing colorful and tasty snacks with 200 calories or less:

• One 6-inch flour tortilla with ¼ cup black beans and 2 tablespoons fresh salsa
• Three cups air-popped popcorn sprinkled with three tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
• One tablespoon of peanut butter spread on slices of a medium apple
• A colorful veggie snack with 6 baby carrots, 10 sugar snap peas or green pepper strips, 6 cherry tomatoes and 2 tablespoons reduced-fat ranch dressing for dipping
• One cup of tomato soup with five whole-grain crackers
• A toaster waffle topped with ½ cup blueberries and 2 tablespoons low-fat yogurt.

For videos, tips, games and other resources to help you eat healthfully this National Nutrition Month, visit www.eatright.org/nnm. Produced by ADA’s Strategic Communications Team

Even though National Nutrition Month is only the month of March but it really should be year round. Ask any body builder like Arnold Schwarzenegger said, “I don’t understand why people don’t treat the body like a temple. It is the vehicle that will get you through your life so feed it the best fuel.” Unlike a car, the more we use our body correctly over years, it runs better like a diesel RV.

Arnold, Kevin & Dora

Kevin’s Personal Journal

10:00 a.m. CST – The morning was spent running miscellaneous errands and getting ready to leave tomorrow.

Fox TV covers Kevin's BIG PUSH for Fitness & Nutrition through Memphis

2:30 p.m. CST – We departed the Baymont hotel and headed towards the Memphis City Hall. We arrived at City Hall just before our 3:30 p.m. meeting. However, after we arrived, we found out that the City Council meeting was running late so we had to wait a bit for the meeting to begin our Health and Fitness Summit presentation.

Kevin Saunders after his presentation of the Health & Fitness Summit- gets a round of applause from community members -citizens Mayor- city council -Memphis City Hall

Several council members, including Chairman Joe Brown, apologized for the delay. Chairman Brown called me to the podium where I presented my plan for the tour and challenged the City Council to work to start lasting health and fitness initiatives for all citizens to help promote proper fitness and nutrition. During the health and fitness summit presentation, I covered all of the points for why I was doing the ‘Big Push Across America’ as a prelude to the “Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour”. I told them that people could find out more information at www.kevinsaunders.com.

I presented Chairman Brown with a plaque and he thanked me for my efforts on the ‘Big Push’. The citizens in attendance gave me a round of applause and Chairman Brown presented me with a proclamation, a key to the city, and a pair of cuff links on behalf of the council and the City of Memphis. He also presented Dora with a pendant with the city emblem on it.

Kevin get presented a proclamation from the City of Memphis

I thanked the City Council for their time and great southern hospitality and told them that I looked forward to coming back and presenting them with an award for making Memphis one of the healthiest cities in America. This was an honor I was able to do because I was on the President’s Council of Physical Fitness and Sports.

Kevin tells viewers about his plans to help the nation through proper fitness and nutrition

6:30 p.m. CST – We stopped for a quick, healthy dinner downtown and then headed back to the hotel. Some people may be wondering how I can still eat healthy foods while on the road. It is not as difficult as you might think. It is all about making smart choices and taking personal responsibility for your fitness activities and making healthy choices. Ask  anybody who is a body builder like my friend Roger Applewhite from Houston, Texas who has graced the cover of all the top fitness magazines. You’ve got to push away from the junk foods and empty calories. If you must eat fast food be selective about what you choose and don’t make fast food your lifestyle. Healthy alternatives are out there and you owe it to yourself to find them!  Providing this knowledge is one of the goals I hope to achieve with the ‘Big Push’. Look at the top of this blog for some quick and tasty snacks that are 200 calories and below!

Roger Applewhite on the cover of a fitness magazine

8:00 p.m. CST – Andy uploaded the pictures from today from his camera and resized them for email. We printed out the itinerary for the next day and caught up with the log. I like to be well prepared for the next day to make sure I am on the ball when I am speaking to the youth, teachers, parents, local community leaders and city and state officials about proper fitness and nutrition.

10:00 p.m. CST – We did some pre-packing for the trip to Stuttgart, AR tomorrow. We wrapped it up around midnight and went to bed.

Kevin Saunders is a noted author, champion wheelchair athlete, and motivational speaker and coach.

Kevin taking a break which we all need when we work hard toward our life's mission at the Mississippi River in Memphis

Make yourself an honest person, and then you may be sure that there is one less scoundrel in the world. — Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881) Scottish Writer

Everyone is always asking me what are some minor things I can do to help improve my lifestyle and to promote proper nutrition and fitness. Well I was doing some research on the internet for healthy tips and came across this article. Here are some small things you can do during the day that can have a greater positive and healthy impact on your life. Remember “There Is Always A Way and Never Give Up!!”

http://www.medicinenet.com/health_tips/article.htm

To Improve Nutrition:

1. Buy whole foods — whether canned, frozen, or fresh from the farm — and use them in place of processed foods whenever possible.
2. Reject foods and drinks made with corn syrup, a calorie-dense, nutritionally empty sweetener that many believe is worse for the body than sugar, says Katz.
3. Start each dinner with a mixed green salad. Not only will it help reduce your appetite for more caloric foods, but it also will automatically add veggies to your meal. 

To Improve Physical Fitness:

1. Do a squat every time you pick something up. Instead of bending over in the usual way, which stresses the lower back, bend your knees and squat. This forces you to use your leg muscles and will build strength.
2. Every time you stop at a traffic light (or the bus does), tighten your thighs and butt muscles and release as many times as you can. (Don’t worry, no one will see it!) This will firm leg and buttock muscles improve blood flow — and keep you mildly amused!
3. Whenever you’re standing on a line, lift one foot a half-inch off the ground. The extra stress on your opposite foot, ankle, calf and thigh, plus your buttocks, will help firm and tone muscles. Switch feet every few minutes.

To Improve Stress Control:

1. Give your partner a hug every day before work. Studies show this simple act can help you remain calm when chaos ensues during your day, Katz says.
2. Have a good cry. It can boost your immune system, reduce levels of stress hormones, eliminate depression, and help you think more clearly.
3. Twice a day, breathe deeply for three to five minutes

To Improve Sleep:

1. Sprinkle just-washed sheets and pillowcases with lavender water. The scent has been shown in studies to promote relaxation, which can lead to better sleep.
2. Buy a new pillow. Katz says that studies show that pillows with an indent in the center can enhance sleep quality and reduce neck pain. Also, try a “cool” pillow — one containing either all-natural fibers or a combination of sodium sulfate and ceramic fibers that help keep your head cool.
3. Eat a handful of walnuts before bed. You’ll be giving yourself a boost of fiber and essential fatty acids along with the amino acid tryptophan — a natural sleep-inducer.

KEVIN’S PERSONAL JOURNAL

The day prior while driving to Memphis, thunderstorms had broken out on the way and it was raining pretty hard, but there was no lighting so I pushed in the pouring rain. I only got about 4 to 5 miles into the city of Dyess before the lightning and rain were so heavy that I was forced to stop. We noticed the road to Bassett, AR was unfit for travel in my racing wheelchair because the road was gravel. We looked the map over with our CEO had told us to do if we ran into roads that didn’t work for us. We decided to take highway 77 straight south to West Memphis. Since we were unable to push anymore today we drove onto West Memphis. It was raining and lightning so hard that Dora had to drive very slowly at times. We arrived at our sponsor hotel, the Baymont Airport location in Memphis at 5 PM.

Kevin pushing through pouring rain on my way to Memphis, TN!

6:00 a.m. CST – We woke up and got ready to leave for a radio interview with WHBQ 560 AM. We arrived at the studio in time for my 7:20 a.m. interview with Eric and Eli. They were great interviewers because they kept the interview very upbeat. During this time, I was able to state the full purpose of our ‘Big Push Across America’ tour as well as my personal story of my accident. I mentioned our website, www.kevinsaunders.com, so that people listening would be able to find out more about ‘ Big Push’. I also mentioned that we were a non-profit foundation and that I was pushing across America to help motivate individuals to live healthier lifestyles through proper fitness and nutrition. Eric and Eli asked how people could help and I again referred them to the website and said that we welcome any individual or organization who would like to be part of helping sponsor our grass roots effort to help shape up America, one community at a time.

Kevin tells listeners of his health and fitness in Memphis, TN

8:30 a.m. CST – Immediately after the radio interview, we left for an interview on “Live at 9”, which airs on the local CBS affiliate, WREG Channel 3. We drove to the Peabody Center, which is where the interview was taking place. Alex Coleman and Marybeth Conley interviewed me. They conducted a fantastic live interview and I was able to get all of our points across in the interview. I left them with a copy of my book, There’s Always a Way. They were amazed at what I was doing and again asked what the viewers could do to help. I referred them to our website and pointed to my black shirt that had the website printed on it. They wished me well on the rest of my ‘Big Push’ and on the ‘Fitness 4 all 50 State Tour’. They asked me to come back and see the improvements Memphis had made after being named one of the fattest cities. I told them it would be an honor and privilege to return and that I was sure with them helping to motivate the viewers that they could become one of the healthiest cities in America.

I use to get nervous when it came to media interviews but becuase I have been in the public’s eye through speaking to groups with disabilities, speaking to associations, speaking to non profit organizations, speaking to corporations, speaking to businesses, speaking to colleges, speaking to universities and speaking to schools, I have become very comfortable with media. With some of those groups asking me to do commericals and media interviews on their behalf, I have been able to become comfortable in front of the camera and get my point across to the viewing audience about proper fitness and nutrition during the ‘Big Push Across America’ tour.  I have also spoke on various topics like overcoming adversity, safety, motivation and proper health and fitness.

Kevin doing interview in Memphis with channel WTPY ABC 24 and WLMT UPN 30 promotes Proper Fitness & Nutrition on the BIG PUSH

After the “Live at 9” broadcast, another reporter for WREG Channel 3 pulled me aside. They conducted another interview with me for a program that aired later in the day. He also had his photographer take some footage of me pushing in my chair for the program.

11:00 a.m. CST – After the interviews we took a break for an early, healthy lunch at a local favorite restaurant in the Peabody Center and then returned to the hotel.

2:30 p.m. – We reattached the trailer to the Jeep and set out to meet some media for a short 1.5 mile push from the Airport Inn hotel to the Baymont. As we were leaving our hotel a reporter from the local Fox affiliate, WHBQ Channel 13 met us. They followed us to our starting point, where we met our police escort. I pushed the mile and a half very quickly averaging around 20mph plus the entire way. They were able to pull up alongside me in their van and get some footage while I was pushing.

Kevin getting police escort in Memphis from Officer Taylor

5:00 p.m. CST – We saw the story on the ’Big Push Across America’ on CBS WREG Channel 3. They did an awesome story and covered all of our main points.

7:00 p.m. – While Dora and I were out at dinner, we met Todd and Regina Ainsworth. Todd told me that his brother was one of the top heart surgeons in the South and that he and his wife both worked with the American Heart Association. He was sure that they would like to help us in our efforts in helping improve health and fitness for communities and people across America.

11:00 p.m. CST – Finally, it is time for bed. It may be hard for me to sleep tonight though. Memphis has been a wonderful city to visit. Everyone here has been so supportive of the ‘Big Push Across America’ the preamble to the ‘Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour” who’s mission is to inspire and empower our nation’s youth, parents, teachers and  the American people through education on proper fitness and nutrition so they can make healther choices on snacks and meals as well as exercise on a regular basis for a lifetime to come.

TTYL more about health and fitness,

Kevin

Vegetables Rainbows of Color -      Means more Nutrients for You!”

Kevin receives proclamation from Mayor Parker who is 81 & still very active. The tips Kevin received by Mayor Don Parker. Way to go Mayor!

 As I mentioned some of the tips were supplied by Kennet, MO Mayor Donald Parker who you will read about further down the blog. At 81 years old, he physically looked no older than his late 50’s. He accredited this to healthy eating and proper fitness. Which are the two things that the ‘Big Push’ and the ‘Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour’ is trying to promote.  It is so amazing to see how living a healthy lifestyle not only pays off now but in the future as well. Mayor Parker is living proof of this. With this being said, It’s National Nutrition Month®! And this year’s theme is, “Eat Right with Color.” Such a simple message!  A wise dietitian once told me, “While the science of nutrition is very complex, the art of eating (healthfully) is very simple”

So this month, instead of worrying about counting calories and grams of fat, focus building each of your meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) and snack plates with 3 or more colors. A rainbow of colors provides a variety of nutrients to keep you healthy. Here are some ideas for adding color to your meals and snacks from the American Dietetic Association. Add several foods from each of the color groups to your shopping list this week! Remember that fresh, frozen, canned, and dried fruits and vegetables all count!

Green produce indicates antioxidant potential and may help promote healthy vision and reduce cancer risks.

• Fruits: avocado, apples, grapes, honeydew, kiwi and lime
• Vegetables: artichoke, asparagus, broccoli, green beans, green peppers and leafy greens such as spinach

Orange and deep yellow fruits and vegetables contain nutrients that promote healthy vision and immunity, and reduce the risk of some cancers.

• Fruits: apricot, cantaloupe, grapefruit, mango, papaya, peach and pineapple
• Vegetables: carrots, yellow pepper, yellow corn and sweet potatoes

Purple and blue options may have antioxidant and anti-aging benefits and may help with memory, urinary tract health and reduced cancer risks.

• Fruits: blackberries, blueberries, plums, raisins
• Vegetables: eggplant, purple cabbage, purple-fleshed potato

Red indicates produce that may help maintain a healthy heart, vision, immunity and may reduce cancer risks.

• Fruits: cherries, cranberries, pomegranate, red/pink grape fruit, red grapes and watermelon
• Vegetables: beets, red onions, red peppers, red potatoes, rhubarb and tomatoes

White, tan and brown foods sometimes contain nutrients that may promote heart health and reduce cancer risks.

• Fruits: banana, brown pear, dates and white peaches
• Vegetables: cauliflower, mushrooms, onions, parsnips, turnips, white-fleshed potato and white corn

7:00 to 9:00 a.m. CST – We spent the morning packing and loading up the truck. This was something we had to do every day and it needed to be done in a timely manner so it does not throw off our schedule like yesterday. I had already been up by 5:00 AM because of my disability there are medical things and other things I have to do in order to get ready and get going. No doubt being in a wheelchair paralyzed from the chest down has made me a stronger person, man and individual still striving for excellence! Having that Never Give Up attitude is very important.

 11:00 a.m. CST – Later in the morning, I met with Mayor Donald Parker of Kennett, MO at the Kennett Municipal Airport. I presented him with a plaque on behalf of the ‘Big Push’ Health and Fitness Tour of America as well as an autographed copy of my book, “There’s Always a Way”. Mayor Parker is the perfect example of how Americans need to lead a more active life. He is 81 years-old and he looks great. Mayor Parker told us that he is not letting his age slow him down. He still flies a plane and tries to exercise regularly. And his energy does not stop there; he told us that he wanted to help with the Tour however he could. What a great example Mayor Parker sets for everyone. As Mayor Parker proves, anyone can achieve a healthy and active lifestyle, no matter what age we are. You just need to have good nutrition, lead an active lifestyle and stay educated about health and fitness. There’s new information all the time that can keep us strong, healthy, smart and fit so get involved and enjoy the fitness Revolution!

It's pouring pounding rain and drenched to the bone! But like the Mailman we have to get the mail delivered or in this case our message on Proper Fitness & Nutrition!

11:30 a.m. CST – I pushed towards Senath, MO during this time. Ran into some heavy rain, but just like the mailman whether rain, sleet or snow, we had to push on focusing on our mission.

Finished the "Health & Fitness Summit" with the community leaders and county officials.

1:00 p.m. CST – When I arrived in Senath, I met with Mayor Bud Brooks and presented him with a copy of my book, There’s Always a Way, and a plaque on behalf of the ‘Big Push’ Tour. The community leaders and Mayor Brooks were very much in support of our efforts to help America get fit. The support of local communities and businesses, large or small, is what it will take to win the war against obesity.

2:00 to 3:00 p.m. CST – I left Senath and pushed to the Arkansas state line.

I pushed to the Arkansas state line. I also refueled and got some healthy food in me and drank some of my half and half H2O & Gatorade mixture to replenish my macronutrients and electrolytes.

3:30 to 4:30 p.m. CST – We took a short break at the Arkansas state line. During the break, I ate an apple, some granola and drank Gatorade and water. Not only is it important to eat the right type of food to refuel my body, but it is also very important not to eat too much food. There is so much information in circulation now about what people should and should not do, that it is difficult to sift through it to find the correct information. Part of my goal is to provide individuals with the correct information, in an easily accessible way.  I value education and love getting the proper information of fitness and nutrition  to the people. The less time spent trying to figure out how to become healthier, the more time there is to BE healthier! Let’s start today and remember Never Give Up! Yes, you can!
4:30 p.m. CST – I left the state line and pushed to Leachville, AR.

5:15 p.m. CST – I continued to push until I reached Etowah, AR. Even though Etowah is a smaller community, their warm, enthusiastic welcome was huge! The energy I felt from the people cheering me on in the streets, gave me that extra rush I needed to finish the day. Everybody can get excited about proper fitness and nutrition; they just need someone to show them the way. After drinking some more Gatorade and water, I continued pushing. Remembering “There’s Always a Way” if you Never Give Up!

8:00 p.m. CST – We concluded our day near Bondsville, AR. After loading all the equipment into the truck, we drove back to our hotel in Kennett.

9:30 p.m. CST – When we arrived in Kennett, we ate a quick meal and ran some errands. It was about midnight before we went to bed. We’ve had some very long days, but have enjoyed meeting you so many wonderful people along our travels.

Signing one of my motivational coaching books for a corporate owner!

Signing one of my motivational coaching books for a corporate owner! As a professional speaker I have given many speeches to corporate workers. I’m always happy to autograph my books so the corporate leaders, school students, parents, teachers, college university students and professors to help keep them inspired as a motivational coach. As a top safety speaker also the leaders of companies where work safely every day is a key issue.  I hope they all those groups can benefit them by using my book to help them. Or get a copy of my safety video I helped design, that it can be used to help companies, corporations, schools, college’s universities, organizations & associations all have a safe environment to work in!See you tomorrow! So stay fit, eat right and Never Never Give Up! because, “There’s Always A Way”.   

Kevin pushes on with the heat index well over 100 degrees towards Kennett.MO

People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don’t believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can’t find them, make them- George Bernard Shaw

We do our best to eat healthy while on the road. It is always a challenge but we do our best to stick to it. One great thing we have learned is to ALWAYS read the food labels. You have to be very careful about products. If they say low fat, no sugar, low calories….just be aware that the bad has most likely been put somewhere else in the product. Simple tips for reading the label will save you from gaining inches in your waist. Here are some nutritional tips below  that you might want to download to your iPod, iPhone, etc.

Helping YOU Stay on Track to a Healthier and Happier Life:

A Quick Guide to Reading the Nutrition Facts Label http://www.eatright.org/Public/content.aspx?id=206

• Start with the Serving Size: 1) Look here for both the serving size (the amount for one serving), and 

the number of servings in the package, 2) Remember to check your portion size to the serving size listed on the label. If the label serving size is one cup, and you eat two cups, you are getting twice the calories, fat and other nutrients listed on the label.

• Check Out the Total Calories and Fat: Find out how many calories are in a single serving and the number of calories from fat. It’s smart to cut back on calories and fat if you are watching your weight!
• Let the Percent Daily Values Be Your Guide: Use percent Daily Value (DV) to help you educate how a particular food fits into your daily meal plan- 1) Daily Values are average levels of nutrients for a person eating 2,000bcalories a day. A food item with a 5% DV means 5% of the amount of fat that a person consuming 2,000 calories a day would eat, 2) Remember: percent DV are for the entire day — not just for one meal or snack, 3) You may need more or less than 2,000 calories per day depending on your level of activity. For some nutrients you may need more or less than 100%DV.
• The High and Low of Daily Values: 1) 5 % or less is low- try to aim low in total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. 2) 20% or more is high- try to aim high in vitamins, minerals and fiber.
• Limit Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium: Eating less of these nutrients may help reduce your risk for heart disease, high blood pressure and cancer: 1) Total fat includes saturated, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat. Limit to 100% DV or less per day. 2) Saturated fat and trans fat are linked to an increased risk of heart disease. 3) Sodium — high levels can add up to high blood pressure. 4) Remember to aim low for % DV of these nutrients.
• Get Enough Vitamins, Minerals and Fiber: 1) Eat more fiber, vitamins A and C, calcium, and iron to maintain good health and help reduce your risk of certain health problems such as osteoporosis and anemia.2) Choose more fruits and vegetables to get more of these nutrients.3) Remember to aim high for % DV of these nutrients.
• What Health Claims on Food Labels Really Mean: FDA has strict guidelines on how certain food label terms can be used. Some of the most common claims seen on food packages: 1) Low calorie — Less than 40 calories per serving 2) Low cholesterol — Less than 20 mg of cholesterol and 2 gm or less of saturated fat per serving 3) Reduced — 25% less of the specified nutrient or calories than the usual product 4) Good source of — Provides at least 10% of the DV of a particular vitamin or nutrient per serving 5) Calorie free — Less than 5 calories per serving 6) Fat free / sugar free — Less than 1⁄2 gram of fat or sugar per serving 6) Low sodium — Less than 140 mg of sodium per serving 7) High in — Provides 20% or more of the Daily Value of a specified nutrient per serving High fiber — 5 or more grams of fiber per serving.

The reason I eat balanced healthy snacks between meals is so I can have the energy necessary to do my presentations, media interviews, and then pushing my wheelchair anywhere from 40-60 miles a day depending on how far it is to our next event. So needless to say I had tremendous physical stress on my body so I had to be cautious of my intake. I needed to make sure I had the proper nutrients, vitamins, minerals and electrolytes. They help me stay excited in my interviews , during the health and fitness summits and during my push.

KEVIN’S PERSONAL JOURNAL

Kevin entering the Kennett city limits

7:00 a.m. CST – Due to some technical glitches, we were unable to receive the itinerary for the today until about 7:30 a.m. I do not like to wait this long to get the itinerary, I am the person who like to be well prepared for the activities that I will be participating in the next day. Being on time and keeping on schedule is something that is very important to me the way that teaching proper health and fitness to our nation’s youth, parents, teachers, local and state officials, and community leaders is important to me.   We had a few mechanical difficulties that slowed us down while packing to leave our Cape Girardeau hotel.  Unfortunately, these events made us late for our meeting with Mayor Harness in Advance, MO.  We missed the mayor, but the Mayor Pro Tem was there to meet with us.  I presented a plaque on behalf of the ‘Big Push’ Across America to the city of Advance and left them with a signed copy of my book, “There’s Always a Way”. I gave them the plaque to challenge him to help make the city a healthier place for all citizens by the time I return on the “Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour.

Kevin being interviewed by Stephen Bryant of KDEX in Dexter

12:00 a.m. CST – We left Advance and headed for Dexter. Because we were running late, we had to drive to a little outside of Dexter to meet some media. A reporter from the Dexter Daily Statesman met me outside of Dexter for an interview. The radio station KDEX also met me out on the road for an interview.  Media is very important for the ‘Big Push ‘Across America because it allows our message of proper nutrition and fitness to be broadcasted across America and not just in the current city we are in.  At the Dexter city limits, the city police were waiting to provide me with an escort to the mayor’s office.　

Saunders- Theres Always a Way to get fit

We met and presented Mayor Joe Weber of Dexter, MO with a plaque and a copy of my book, There’s Always a Way, on behalf of the ‘Big Push Across America’ to promote healthy eating habits such as meals and snacks, as well as proper fitness activities to help you stay active.  We told him that our goal was to provide resources and tools for the communities like Dexter to help its citizens live a healthier life through proper food choices and exercise.  Mayor Webster was very receptive to our message and was eager to have his city become a part of war against obesity. This was great news to hear and we can only hope our message of proper health and fitness can make an impact on other cities and towns like Dexter.

I decided to push the next 42 miles from Dexter to Kennett with only three short breaks for Gatorade and water. Keeping up the fluids is important! You do not want to get dehydrated on a push like this. I needed to be in peak athletic condition to be able to accomplish this push and spread our message.  On one of our breaks, we met a woman, who had seen me on TV and was waiting for me to pass through. Her husband told her he had seen us on Highway 25 and that if she waited around, she’d get to meet us. She was a great lady and was very inspired with the ‘Big Push’. She came up, talked with us, and gave us some water and a donation. What a kind lady!　That is just what the Revolution is all about! It’s about regular every day people that get caught up in the excitement and fun of living healthy and getting in shape. There were also some local watermelon growers across the road that had a 350-acre patch. They were so generous that they gave us a huge watermelon and a cantaloupe. What better to have on a hot summer day but a nice ripe and juicy watermelon. They were excited about getting to meet us and were supportive of our mission of proper health and fitness. The enthusiasm these individuals showed gave me some extra adrenaline and got me pumped up for the final push into Kennett, MO and believe me when it’s this hot you need all the motivation you can get!

5:30 p.m. CST – Upon arrival in Kennett we immediately loaded up and headed back to Advance.　 It took approximately 1hr for the return drive. On the drive back to Advance, I laid in the back of the van where I ate an apple, a granola bar, and drank water and Gatorade mixture to rehydrate and get my energy back up.　

When we reached Advance, Andy and I got out and started pushing.  It took almost two hours to cover 22 miles. By the time I was through, I was exhausted and my shoulders and neck were becoming strained and sunburned. Tomorrow I need to remember to lather on the sunscreen, HA!　　　　　　

After making up the mileage missed from this morning, we packed everything up and drove 40 minutes back to our hotel in Kennett. After a long hot day, a little rest and air conditioning will be nice.

Kevin paused at the top to view the plendor of the new bridge over the Mississippi River

Perseverance is a great element of success. If you only knock long enough at the gate, you are sure to wake up somebody.  – Longfellow

Along with my early breakfast in the morning of egg whites and oatmeal, I also make sure to keep some healthy quick snacks around as possible. Being on the road, it is hard to eat healthy. My wife tries to cook as many healthy meals as she can and keeps as many healthy snacks around. This allows me to have the energy to get my job done for the day and helps my metabolism stay consistent.

You want to try and think ahead so you do not eat the wrong foods. This was especially difficult while on tour because we did not know what these little towns had in terms of a grocery store. So when we would go through the bigger towns and cities, my wife would make a stop at the local Wal-Mart and pick up the bare essentials, i.e. eggs, oatmeal, fresh fruits and vegetable. 

My wife Dora, tries to cook the meals a few days in advance and put them in small containers to freeze them for later. Also something else that we have found out is when you set a schedule for your day it allows you to help regulate what you eat. For instance, we have a set time to wake up, we have allotted time to exercise, we know what time the meetings are going to be at, and I usually average 50 miles per day pushing my racing wheelchair down the road, etc. With all this planning it allows me to stay on track with my eating habits as well as making sure I get the appropriate amount of sleep. Some additional tips that help me stay on track are: 1) Staying on schedule, 2) Avoiding alcohol, 3) Eating healthy, 4) getting the correct amount of sleep (about 8 hours).

Below are some nutritional tips the day, courtesy of The Cooper Institute, http://blog.standupandeat.org/post/2011/03/Busy-Work-Day-Try-These-Tips-For-Healthy-Eating-On-the-Job!.aspx

Here are some healthy food combinations that are relatively easy to throw together even when you are short on time.

·         Oatmeal and fresh fruit

·         Sandwich with whole-grain bread and lean meats

·         Whole-wheat pita with hummus, avocado, lettuce, and tomato

·         Whole grain cereal and low-fat milk with fresh fruit

·         Vegetables with cottage cheese or yogurt dip

·         Fruit with low-fat cheese

·         Peanut butter with fruit,  vegetables, or whole grain crackers/bread

·         Nuts and seeds with dried fruit

·         Hummus with raw vegetables or whole grain crackers

·         Whole grain tortillas with low fat cheese

·         Low fat Yogurt and fresh fruit

·         Green leaf salad with tuna or boiled eggs on top with light dressing

·         Egg White Pancakes or muffins

KEVIN’S PERSONAL JOURNAL

Total miles pushed: 57

Weather Heat Index: 110, Temperature 98 degrees.

With the temperature that high, I continually push fluids. In the case for this massive push, the nutritionist who works with athletes that participate in iron man events, etc. prescribed half water / half Gatorade mixture to ensure that I am always well hydrated.

Yesterday, we did a practice run of my entry into the park. Because I was going downhill and having to exit the first exit off the bridge, I had to be very careful because my speed could have gone up to 60 or 70 mph so I needed to control it to make sure I made the exit. With the racing wheelchair I was pushing, I also needed to be careful to keep my speed constant because the front wheel of the chair is so pressure sensitive that any minor movement could send me and the chair flying in another direction. The front wheel is like the rudder of the rear of a sail boat, helping control the way it moves.  The ½ of pressure is great for controlling your racing chairs direction with a slight turn or shift of the body. It can also be extremely dangerous if you are going really fast.

Kevin pushing over the Mississippi River on Cape Girardeau's new bridge

9:30 A.M. Pushed from the junction of highway 3 and highway 146 over the Mississippi River via the new bridge in Girardeau, MO. It was 4 miles from the junction to the MO side of the bridge. We met up with a Cape Girardeau police escort on the bridge at the MO state line.

I pushed another half mile to meet with Mayor Kundtson and the community leaders in Cape Girardeau, MO. Here I gave them a presentation on proper health and fitness, something we now call the ‘Health and Fitness Summit’.

Kevin receiving a proclamation from mayor of Cape Girardeau

 The citizens of Cape Girardeau were so welcoming. They were cheering and clapping as I made my way in to the park.  The community really came out to support the ‘Big Push’ across America to spread the word of proper fitness and nutrition. Everyone on hand really embraced our message of trying to get all youth, parents, teachers, community leaders, and city and state officials involved in creating a healthier community  while promoting proper fitness and nutritional choices for meals or snacks for all citizens in the Cape Girardeau area.  

We told the community to “Never Give Up because There is Always a Way!” Tracy Glen, the public relations officer for the City of Cape Girardeau did a great job in organizing the event. Several health professionals from Cape Girardeau were on hand, including: Dr. Bill Logan from the fitness facility at Southeast Missouri Hospital, Sandy Duncan from the St. Francis Health Center, and Maryann “Miki” Gudermuth with the Southeast Missouri Alliance for Disability Independence Inc. It is nice to see the support of local health professionals, it makes the community aware that there is an epidemic happening and we need to do something about it.

Kevin presents sculpture to Mayor Kundtson of Cape Girardeau

There was a lot of Media Present including Wendy Ray reporter with KFVS a CBS affiliate in Cape Girardeau. Also on hand was Hunter Johnston from KRCU 90.9 FM a NPR affiliate, David Bloom from the Cash Book Journal Weekender, and Toby Carrig for a newspaper interview for the southeast Missourian.

Wheelchair Athlete pushes across the Mississippi River with Healthy Message

Mayor Kundtson presented me with a Proclamation declaring July 13, 2004 as Kevin Saunders’ Day in the City of Cape Girardeau. I presented Mayor Girardeau and the City of Cape Girardeau with a sculpture and challenged him to help make the city a healthier place for all citizens by the time I return on the “Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour”.  Cape Girardeau was sure taking the steps to become eligible to win the “Wellness City of America” award from the Wellness Council of America http://www.welcoa.org/ . This was something that I had the honor of giving out as a member of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports to cities that met the highest standards of wellness.

Cape Girardeau proclamation

Immediately after the meeting with the Mayor and community leaders, I pushed off with the help of police escort through the city. I pushed through the hottest temperatures of the day, but I made sure to keep my intake of water and Gatorade high.

Kevin follows the police car through Cape Giradeau

It took a total of 16 miles to reach the city limits of Cape Girardeau. It was H-O-T, HOT!! Here the heat index again approached 120 degrees Fahrenheit off the black pavement which I am only inches away. Pushing the racing chair with the hot air blowing in my face felt like a steaming hot furnace air blowing in my face.

12:30 – 1:30 PM- I took a break from pushing for food and hydration. Man, this stuff tastes so good when you’re really hot and have been exercising hard.  

I pushed from Cape Girardeau to Delta, MO approximately 18 miles. Then I pushed on for another 19 miles from Delta to just past Advance, MO. On the outskirts of the city, I chugged a full bottle of half water and half Gatorade mixture.

I finished my push at 4:00 PM in Advance, MO. We loaded up and returned to the hotel in Cape Girardeau.

4:45 PM- Media interview with local newspaper reporter Toby Carring of The Southeast Missourian.

Kevin starting up hill while riding alongside the Mississippi River

Optimism is essential to achievement and it is also the foundation of courage and true progress. — Nicholas Murray Butler

 Did you know it only takes an additional 100 calories a day over your maintenance level (the calories consumed each day to maintain your weight) to gain TEN pounds a year? That’s just a little over half a soda pop! With odds like that, how will you EVER get and stay in shape you wonder? Well never fear, Kevin is here and with the help of my friends that are at the top of their field in fitness and nutrition. Like Keith Klein and his team with www.eatingmanagement.com, world champion body building champion Lee Labrada http://www.labrada.com/ , The Cooper Institute  http://www.cooperinstitute.org/ in Dallas, Texas led by founder Dr. Kenneth Cooper M.D. MPH and son Dr. Tyler Cooper MD MPH with help from Charles Sterling Ed.D. who have developed the Fitnessgram® and Nurtigram®.

 I plan to motivate, educate and inspire you to live a healthier lifestyle through proper nutrition and fitness. The important thing is to STAY ACTIVE! The more you move the more calories your body burns so you can have the occasional extra treat. Also, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Muscle burns more calories than fat so build some good old fashioned muscle though aerobic activity, strength conditioning, healthy meals and snacks. Look out fitness world, here you come!  Muscle helps your metabolism stay high and will help protect you from injury. Remember to warm up by stretching or doing some light resistance band movements.  It’ll make you leaner, healthier and gives you more energy than you can imagine.

Kevin pushing to Cape Girardeau, IL

Here are a few tips to ensure optimal fat burning with limited muscle loss from Max Form Your Life By Sean Greene and Joe Wells, a book that I wrote the foreword to:

• Keep your protein intake high. Even if you have to cut some calories, keep the protein around 30-40% of your total calories.  For Example: Proteins:Lean ground sirloin, poultry (Chicken, turkey), ostrich, buffalo, fish, egg whites, cottage cheese, protein powders.
• Don’t cut out meals. Reduce calories a bit in each meal but never skip an entire meal. Remember, digesting food constantly will keep your metabolism going all day long.
• Eat only fibrous carbohydrates after 5:00pm and avoid starchy carbohydrates at night.  For Example: Carbohydrates (starchy/complex): (Only during the daytime up to 4:00pm.): Oatmeal, potatoes (most varieties), pasta, rice (brown and white), most other grains, all wheat product; Carbohydrates (Non-starchy/Complex): Spinach (natural diuretic), asparagus, broccoli, green peas, parsnips, all leafy green veggies and some squashes (zucchini), summer squash (yellow zucchini-like squash) 
• Limit intake of simple sugars. If you can’t avoid them, make sure to have them earlier in the day before your workout. For Example: Carbohydrates (sugars/simple): (very little and only during the daytime up to 1:00pm): Honey, all fruits, and fructose but particularly fruits such as apples, peaches, strawberries, bananas or pure crystalline fructose/high fructose corn syrup, candies 

That last one might not be your favorite benefit. Cardio is great too and will work your lungs and heart effectively. Cardio work outs would include running, bike riding, swimming, calisthenics, sports activities, practically anything that gets the heart pumping and works up a little sweat. By the way, your heart is a muscle and cardio is going to give it a good work out. Stay educated on nutrition as well! Start to learn how to read the labels on the food you buy and seek out advice from those that know what they are talking about. New information about nutrition comes out all the time and a lot of it can be confusing so be sure to educate yourself and don’t get off track. Here’s a tip, low fat doesn’t always mean LOW CALORIE. A bag of sugar is low fat but you shouldn’t have it for dinner!  Be sure to see a doctor and get a check up once a year to make sure you are healthy and able to engage in strenuous activity. Don’t starve yourself, eat sensibly, take your vitamins and enjoy all the benefits of living a healthy life.

Kevin racing down the bridge over the Mississippi River

Kevin’s Personal Journal

10:00 a.m. CST – This morning I met with Charlie Bargman, the Director of Parks and Recreation for the city of Chester, we met close to the Mississippi River and in front of the large bronze statue of Popeye. Elzie C. Segar, a resident of Chester, created Popeye’s character in 1929 so now Chester, IL is known as the home of Popeye the “Sailor Man”, a favorite cartoon series, comic book and even movie starring Robin Williams.   We were told that Elzie was a small man who worked on the riverboats on the Mississippi River.  Local legend has it that even though Elzie was small in stature, he never lost a fight. I like Popeye. He always looked out for the little guy and made sure he ate his spinach! ** Side Note on spinach: it was a non-starchy complex carbohydrate and is also a natural diuretic**Ha! I guess it is a little funny but it’s true. Eat right, stay fit and healthy and you can defeat the big old Brutus we call obesity. By staying healthy and fit you become a champion for healthy living and an example to the community.

Kevin talks with CBS affiliate KFVS of Cape Girardeau

Are you just one person? Are you important? Of course you are so get fit, active and sweat! You are an example that will inspire others to live healthier and be fit. If you tell each individual making the decision to get active and to take responsibility for their own fitness will make this revolution happen! I presented Mr. Bargman with a plaque on behalf of the Kevin Saunders “Big Push Health and Fitness tour across America” to help make their community more fit. You can do it!! I did it! So you should too, it would make you feel better.  The ‘Big Push’ is the preamble to the “Fitness 4 all 50 state tour” it’s purpose is to educate our nation’s youth, parents and teachers, and  the American people about the positive effects of physical fitness and proper nutrition, in such way that they are inspired to actively make healthier choices.
10:30 a.m. CST – Pushing around 12 mph, I wheeled the 28 miles to Grand Tower, IL.　

1:45 p.m. CST – I took a break by the Mississippi River in Grand Tower, IL. We had a little lunch and got some pictures pushing by the river. We visited with two men from a research center in nearby Carbondale, IL.

2:15 p.m. CST – Averaging about 12 mph, I was able to wheel 24 miles to McClure, IL. For part of the trip, Andy road along side of me on the bike and took pictures. It was a very hot and humid day, but the roads were great for pushing. The scenery made some wonderful pictures.　
4:30 p.m. CST – We left McClure, IL and head for Cape Girardeau, MO to check in at our hotel. When we arrived at the hotel, we ate and took a short break.

Herald Tribune - One Man, One Mission , One Push Across America

6:00 p.m. CST – Andy drove to the Mississippi Bridge that crosses the Mississippi River to connect Illinois and Missouri. He wanted to check out tomorrow’s route and find some good spots to take pictures.

Wow, tomorrow is going to be a big day!!! We have a meeting and presentation with the mayor and city officials. When I have a big day coming up I always like to do a “test run” on my entry especially since I will be coming off of the brand new Mississippi River Bridge into the park next to the water. After seeing it, I feel comfortable and am very excited to see what tomorrow has in store for me!!

Kevin gaining ground on the big truck heading for Chester, IL

Perseverance is a great element of success. If you only knock long enough at the gate, you are sure to wake up somebody. — Longfellow

Today, I had a chance to reflect on the past 3 weeks and 5 days. Like the Tour de France when it is in full swing, I wanted to write about that race and mention the similarities it has to what I’m doing. When  Lance Armstrong was going for yet another record breaking 8^th win of the most grueling race in the world of bicycling, he is not only trying to beat the odds, he is also sending a message to the world that you can win against cancer.  With the Tour de France lasting 3 weeks through grueling terrain and a fast pace, it takes a very savvy and well-prepared athlete to not only finish the event, but also an incredible one like Lance Armstrong to win it all so many times. I definitely think  Sports Illustrated nailed it on one year’s cover when the headline read, “Tour de Lance!”

Now, coming into the 4th week of my push across America, I am also sending an important message.  My message explains that if communities begin health initiatives, and if a majority of the citizens use these initiatives to maintain a healthier lifestyle, then we can win the war on obesity. Since the beginning of the Tour, over half of the people we have seen are overweight or obese. The problem of obesity is real, but it is not unbeatable.

When I was injured in the grain elevator explosion that left me paralyzed from the chest down and confined to wheelchair for life, I had to use proper exercise and nutrition while applying the principals of health and fitness to get my active lifestyle back. What I observe now, is a great number of people who are letting their bodies become overweight and obese because they do not have anything forcing them to be healthier and more active.  What they do not realize is that some day in their future they will suffer due to their poor health habits, from injuries like bad knee’s from carrying so much weight to health-related diseases like diabetes, heart diseases and many more that take a toll on our country’s healthcare costs that are well over a hundred billion dollars.

I also want to mention the four points I talked about with the two high schools in St. Louis and how they relate to Lance Armstrong and the Tour de France, and especially how they relate to the ‘Big Push’ Across America.
The points were:

1)         To “NEVER GIVE UP BECAUSE THERE IS ALWAYS A WAY!”

2)         It’s not what happens to you that matters, it’s how you choose to respond to what happens that is important.

3)         The only failures are the ones who don’t learn from their mistakes.

4)         Greatness is all around you.  Don’t be afraid to ask for help from someone who is successful at something that you want to do. 

Applying these four points is working for Lance and the other athletes in the Tour de France.  The points  are also working in Armstrong’s personal fight against cancer.  I am using these same principles in the ‘Big Push’ Across America.

1)         To never give up: I’m not going to give up until I’ve made it all the way through and reached out to communities all across America.  I’m pushing through all 13 states paralyzed from the chest down to inspire and motivate and to demonstrate that health and fitness is for everyone. 

2)         It’s not what happens to you that matters, it’s how you choose to respond to what happens that is important: In the case of being overweight and out of shape, it is not over until you are dead.  As long as people get the information about health and fitness and start applying it, they can get back to leading healthy, full, and enjoyable lives.

3)         The only failures are the ones who don’t learn from their mistakes- Right now, we’re in the process of working with the communities across America to create lasting health and fitness initiatives for all Americans.  These initiatives can help people learn from past errors and use that knowledge about proper fitness activities, sports and why choosing a nutritionally balanced meal or snack are key factors to getting in shape and starting a new lifestyle.

4)         Greatness is all around you.  Don’t be afraid to ask for help from someone who is successful at something that you want to do: 1) By providing all communities with information from the top fitness trainers, registered dieticians, top nutritionists and places like the Cooper Institute who have focused research and cutting edge developments on proper health and fitness activities, we are providing them with access to the best information they can get.  In addition, we are making it easy to understand and apply. 2) By the community embracing health and fitness, people can get the support of others in their community until it takes over like a revolution 3) By doing these things they can win the war against obesity.  

 KEVIN’S PERSONAL JOURNAL

It took me approximately 2.5 hours to push from Waterloo to Baldwin. Man it was HOT!

Kevin at Chester city limit sign- The home of Popeye

1:30 to 2:00 p.m. CST – There were many miles to cover and I was anxious to continue, so I only took a short break.  I made sure to replenish my body by drinking plenty of water and Gatorade and by eating some healthy food like fruit.  Even when I am not on tour, I usually eat three well-balanced meals a day with 2 healthy snacks if I am working out on a daily basis using cardio training with my hand cycle or racing wheelchair along with strength training with weights and plyometrics.  It is important to do this to keep up my metabolism.  Of course, these are not the large portions like most people typically eat. Eating two to three small meals during the day with 2-3 healthy snacks like a piece of fruit will keep your metabolism and energy levels up, stabilizes your blood sugar,  helps fight off hunger, and help you avoid eating too much in any one meal. Remember you have to judge your intake according to your needs.  My plans for incorporating healthy fitness and nutrition in every city, includes provide individuals with nutrition information similar to what I was provided at the Olympic training center or from top fitness trainers, coaches and nutritionist from the Cooper Institute.  Armed with motivation, clear goals, and accurate, easily understood information, almost anyone can achieve a healthier lifestyle all they have to do is “Never Give Up! Because There is Always a Way”.

As I pointed out, I only took a short break today so I could really make some mileage. I built up momentum and really kept it going. Any major undertaking, be it a trip across country, a personal diet, exercise plan, or an initiative to end childhood obesity – thrives on momentum. The initial effort gives way to small wins, which add up to big results over time. I will make it through this journey one revolution of my wheels at a time and we will defeat the obesity epidemic one person, one community at a time until the momentum of America’s health & fitness revolution can’t be stopped! My book, “Revolutions/Beating the Fitness Crisis in America One Push at a Time”, will chronicle this journey in more detail and hopefully continue to inspire people to get fit.

Hearld Tribune - One Man, One Mission, One Push Across America

2:00 p.m. CST – I continued on to Chester, approximately 18 miles.  The road was extremely hilly and full of curves. It took me over two hours to reach Chester.  But each hill and each curve was an obstacle I overcame.  The more adversity I overcome, the more motivation and inspiration I encourage in every individual.  Hills and heat, rain and pain, nothing will hold me back from completing my journey and I encourage you not to let anything hold you back from defeating your challenges and meeting your health and fitness goals because “There is Always a Way because You never Give Up!”

USA Tour Kevin pushes long strech of road

Tips of the week: Excerpt from Max Form Your Life by Joe Wells and Sean Green in which Kevin Saunders wrote the foreword. Kevin is a world champion paralympian and top motivational coach/inspirational speaker, member of the President’s council on physical fitness and sports under Presidents Bush Sr. and Clinton, served as an expert under President W. Bush and was recently nominated for chairman by Senator Pat Roberts.  

http://www.amazon.com/Max-Form-Your-Life-Incredible/dp/B000HD9CMM

There are a few basic rules that everyone should follow when setting up their own diet plan: (post-adolescent)

• Eat smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day. This will help speed up your body’s metabolism and keep you from storing fat. It will also help you control your hunger, making it easier not to binge or cheat.
• Keep your protein high. Remember, if you are incorporating a strength-training routine into your program, you need approximately one gram of protein per body weight. Even if you decide not to use weights, keep in mind that dietary protein eaten every 3-4 hours will prevent you from losing lean muscle tissue, even while doing aerobic training.
• Keep dietary fats to a minimum. While fat is important in our diet, too much makes it very hard to get lean.
• Watch your carbohydrate intake. Although carbohydrates are considered protein sparing, too many will prevent us from losing unwanted body fat. If you are burning dietary carbohydrates, it will be virtually impossible for your body to burn stored fat for energy.
• Make sure to eat protein right after you train. This is your “Window of opportunity” to help repair your muscles after they have just been broken down in the gym.
• Plan your meals with carbohydrates and fat earlier in the day. After 5:00pm, you do not want any more calories to come from starchy carbohydrates.
• Be sure to drink plenty of water. Protein has a dehydrating effect on the body and water will help moderate that, as well as help transport the nutrients.

With the humidity high Kevin has to hydrate himself frequently along the route

• Watch your sodium Levels. Too much sodium will cause you to retain water, which will blur muscle definition.

Did you know that the more we learn about fitness the easier it is to become fit! I believe my education from high school through college and beyond is the foundation to all my accomplishments. Without a good education, I would have been working with a real handicap! You may know the expression, “Plan your work and work your plan.” Well with fitness activities and making healthy food choices for meals or snacks so you can have the body and stamina you have wanted, that’s exactly what you need to do. Without a plan we have trouble achieving our goals. We wander down one path or another without any real idea if it will lead to our final destination. That is, another reason I want to motivate our youth to start their daily accountability journals to keep track of their fitness goals (ie: meals, snacks, etc). What are your short and long term goals? Are you working toward or away from your goals? I personally kept a journal as I trained to go to the paralympic games. It kept me focused, accountable and on track for all my fitness and nutritional goals, as well as my professional goals.

I became a better athlete, motivational coach, inspirational speaker, father, husband, boss and friend because I stayed focused, stayed fit with proper fitness and nutritional and told myself, you should “Never Give Up!” That’s true in life and in your quest for proper nutrition and fitness; you should approach your fitness goals with not only the destination in mind but a solid foundation of fitness and nutritional knowledge and education. You can buy books, research the web or hire a personal trainer if you feel you could use a little help or visit my website www.kevinsaunders.com . You need to know how much cardio you should do and how often. The same applies for your strength training routine. Muscle burns more calories at rest than fat so don’t ignore those muscles! You want a well balanced approach to fitness.  Proper nutrition is key when mixed with the right balance of vitamins and nutrients. Getting your rest is important as well. Now don’t put off starting your exercise routine because you’re waiting on a book or trainer. Just be sure to include education into your fitness agenda.  Before you know it, you’ll be the fit envy of all your friends and the person they turn to for health and fitness information. Keep coming back to my blog where I’ll be posting more tips and info on health and fitness. While you’re at it, go to my main site at www.kevinsaunders.com. You’ll find more information on my life’s story and can order my books covering motivation, fitness, nutritional and much more. Also stay tuned to our blog and read the updates from our “Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour.”

KEVIN’S PERSONAL JOURNAL

On a hot summer day, there is nothing like a cool drink of water in Waterloo,IL

 

I pushed approximately 24 miles total from Columbia, IL to just past Waterloo, IL. The sun pounded on me from above and the pavement baked me from below. A police escort from the Columbia, IL police department escorted me to their jurisdiction line where the Waterloo Police took over and escorted me to the Waterloo city hall to meet the city leaders. I met with Mayor Terry Kipping of Waterloo at city hall and gave them a presentation on proper nutrition and fitness from my health and fitness summit. Shawn Kennedy, the city collector, was also at the meeting. The Chief of Police, Joseph “Joe” Brauer was also present. The media present included Danny Kelley reporter from the Republic-Times the Herald and the Shopper from Waterloo, IL. Monroe County Independent Newspaper editor and reporter Ed Wienhoff was also there.

Kevin gets a break from his 20- to 30 mph from city to push on to the next city. Now it’s time for a water H2O break & a visit with the fast police escort officers, Mayor, city staff,  other officers and city leaders about fitness & proper nutrition.

It was a hot and humid day of pushing. I was very hot and soaking with sweat when I showed up to city hall in Waterloo. It was in the 90’s and one of the most humid days this year. I’ll be facing incredible heat, pounding rain, dangerous traffic, and all sorts of unforeseen obstacles on this trip. One thing I had to do for sure was to keep hydrated. Of course, it all depends on your physical activity, fitness level, and the weather. A simple calculation for determining your actual water requirements is to multiply your body weight by 0.6 and then divide it by 12. This will give you the number of 8 oz. glasses of wanted you need per day. Formula- Determining you water requirements: body weight x 0.6/12 (8 oz. glasses of water a day).  Even small differences in the terrain, like a five mile uphill haul – makes an enormous difference in effort to a guy in a wheelchair. Whatever happens I’m ready to overcome any adversity I might face. I’ll experience blisters, sunburn, sore muscles and more and it’s all worth it if I can inspire more Americans to get healthy and fit. The fatigue and stress I feel from my effort is comparable in a way to the stresses and fatigue too many Americans get from living unhealthy lifestyles. Many people don’t realize how much more energy and adrenaline they will feel by just exercising 3-4x a week.   

My trip will take a toll on me physically. The unhealthy choices many Americans make take a huge toll on their lives and when combined it takes a toll on American fitness and health as a whole. This is a key reason I felt the need to start the ‘Big Push’ Across America and make Americans of all ages aware of the harmful things they are doing to their body and how proper fitness and nutrition can play a positive role in their lives.  Poor health choices can lead to higher healthcare costs, lower productivity at work and general unhappiness and stress at a personal level. I encourage and hope to inspire all Americans to find healthy alternatives to greasy fast food and learn to enjoy the benefits in life exercise has to offer. The people I meet on this ‘Big Push’ tour give me hope. They are interested in what I am doing and while maybe unsure of how to get started are ready to live healthier lives. I’m going to do all I can to help them every step of the way and with every revolution of my wheels. Remember “Never Give Up! There Is Always A Way!”

Kevin speaking to our nation's youth about proper fitness and nutrition

 

“Things don’t just happen, You make them happen!”- Sean Greene

 9:00 a.m. CST – Roosevelt High School was my first stop today.  My goal was to inspire and motive all 700 students listening to my speech.  There were four important points I wanted leave them with. They were:

1)         To “NEVER give up because There is Always a Way”.

2)         It’s not what happens to you that matters, it’s how you choose to respond   to what happens that  is important.  Make good decisions! Make it happen! Like Nike says “Just Do It!”

3)         The only failures are the ones who don’t learn from their mistakes. Our kids tend to want to quit too soon. I encourage and try to motivate and inspire them to “Never Give Up! There is Always A Way!”  with hard work,  determination, and persistence anything is possible to bring out the champion that lies within us all.

4)         Greatness is all around you.  Do not be afraid to ask for help from someone who is successful at something that you want to do. I personally sought professional coaches to help me bring out my message of “Never Give up!” like Coach Bill Synder at Kansas State University. Another coach was Tony Robbins, who is an author, successful coach & founder of Robbins Research International. I attended his two week seminars as I strived to be the best person, author, athlete and motivational speaker I could become. 

Kevin's name on the big screen at Cardinals Stadium

I encouraged the students to improve a little each day and keep a journal to track their challenges and improvements. By keeping a daily journal, they can identify areas they need to improve and have accountability to make the necessary changes. When they look back at the journal they can see that even small improvements each day when added all up can move mountains. For the “Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour”, we will be providing the youth, teachers, and parents with the daily accountability journals to they can keep track of their fitness and nutrition choices. When I’ve followed up with students at other schools that took this advice to heart I’ve always found it was a strategy that really worked to improve their success in school. 

Kevin being introduced at the St.Louis Cardinals game

At the end of my talk, I presented an autographed copy of my book, “There’s Always a Way”, to the school’s library. This book is very inspiring and I know that many people will benefit from reading it. **If you would like to order the book you can find it in my store on my website www.kevinsaunders.com ** I really enjoyed my experience at the school.  The students were great and were very interested in hearing about the Tour and what I had to say.  I believe education is the foundation to all accomplishments and I encourage everyone to keep learning throughout their lives. Learning new things helps keep a sense of wonder and discovery within us and keeps us young.  I learned lessons of life from Coach Bill Snyder who orchestrated “the greatest turnaround in college football history” at Kansas State University.   I’m passionate about learning and strive to pass that excitement on to students whenever I present as an educational and school speaker.

Kevin's Book "There's Always A Way"

10:15 a.m. CST – We head to Beaumont High School, where I spoke to a much smaller group of about 70 students.  I really enjoy interacting so closely with students. I like getting a chance to hear what they have to say, getting to know their concerns and being able to give them the tools to overcome any challenges they might face. Many students and teachers have told me I really made a difference in their lives and their quest for an education and nothing makes me feel better. The school principal gave Dora, Andy, and I a “Not at Beaumont” t-shirt.  This was the principal’s most popular quote.  I also presented this school with a signed copy of my book, There’s Always a Way, as well as a copy of my comic book. Once my book Revolutions is done (the story of my journey across the country pushing my wheelchair) I’ll be sure to get them a copy of that as well.

Kevin pushing hard to help spread his message of proper fitness and nutrition

It was 5:47 am and I had been up for over 2 hours. This is because I am paralyzed from the chest down. When I was on my feet I could jump out of bed, get in the shower and take off in no more than 10 minutes. Now that same process is slowed down because of my high paralysis and takes 2 or more hours. It is tough, I am not going to lie but it’s worth it when you’re doing your best by bring out the champion and helping others bring their inner health and fitness champion out too!

Sometimes we all have to look at life and think of the possibilities. Like my long time friend and two time Olympic Pole Vault Champion Bob Richards best said it, “You have to have the will to win no matter what the odds.” Bob wrote one of my favorite books entitled, “Heart of a Champion.” In this book, he shares incredible true stories of athletes who have overcome hardships, disabilities, racism, sexism and more to become the world’s best. “Heart of a Champion” is about catching the contagious enthusiasm for individual greatness as well as the beauty of working as a team.

I still believe as individuals we all want to win or get to the top and reach our goals. I think Bob Richards hit the ‘nail on the head’ with his book and it is applicable as much today as it was over 50 years ago. In our case, it is the same inspiration, motivation and education we want to share with our nation’s youth, parents, teachers and Americans of all ages, that no matter what shape you are currently in that there is a “champion within you fighting to get out”. The inner champion in each of us wants to be fit, wants to get involved on a regular basis in fitness activities and wants to learn about eating the right balanced nutritional means or snacks.

So come tide along with us today as we work on bringing out the “Heart of a Champion” as we continue on the ‘Big Push’ across America the preamble to the “Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour”. The “Fitness 4 all 50 State Tour”, a non-profit organization 501(c) 3, in to St.Louis a city that is known as the “Gateway to the West”. That giant arch in St.Louis stands for what was at one time a chance for a new and better life as they traveled west in the 1800’s.

Kevin getting a proclamation in St. Louis

Our quest in St.Louis, today is to help promote fitness activities and proper nutrition to the city’s youth. We spoke at Memorial and Beaumont High School and met with city officials to present them with our idea of proper health and fitness through our health and fitness summit. They have a great start already here in St.Louis with the Department of Health, http://stlouis.missouri.org/citygov/health/. This website shows how hooked on health they are and we are here to help take it towards the next level. So let’s get started. Also check out http://www.co.st-louis.mo.us/ .

Kevin with students in St. Louis

KEVIN’S PERSONAL JOURNAL

5:47 a.m. CST – This morning I had an interview with “Today in St. Louis” on KSDK NBC Channel 5. (www.ksdk.com) We discussed the basic points of the tour, including  how to become active and healthy and how that will make you look and feel better, how I’m pushing across America paralyzed from the chest down to inspire and motivate the American people to get fit and meet with city and community leaders to provide tools and resources to create lasting health and fitness initiatives for Americans of all ages.  I explained the tour was a non-profit foundation and that people could find out more by going to our website, www.kevinsaunders.com/blog/ .  And as always, I welcomed any support from companies or individuals who wanted to help support our efforts and help us continue to bring our grass roots initiative to communities across America.

 Morning and early afternoon – After the interview, we spent the first part of the day unpacking and preparing for all the events we had lined up this week.  It is going to be a long week, but I am ready!  St. Louis is very supportive of the tour and everyone we meet wants to be involved. 

3:30 p.m. CST – We left the hotel and headed for Tony’s house.  Tony works for The Visibility Company and he helped plan most of the events this week in St. Louis.  Before dinner, we talked a little business.  Tony went through the week’s scheduled events to make everyone was up-to-date. This was something we tried to do at each stop on the tour to make sure that everyone was on the same page about our mission to promote proper fitness and nutrition to Americans of all ages especially our nation’s youth, parents, and teachers .  It was soon time for dinner, or maybe I should say it was time for the party.  Tony’s family, the three of us, and Brian (the head designer for one of our sponsors) were all there. I really enjoyed sitting down for a family-style meal.  Being on the road 24/7 makes it hard to do that.  It was very thoughtful of Tony and his family to invite us.  Unfortunately, a bad thunderstorm came through the area around 9 p.m. and ended the party.  It knocked the power out of a large portion of the city including Tony’s home.  We stayed a few hours later than we expected to at Tony’s house.  By the time, we were able to return to Baymont Inn and Suites; it was late in the evening.  We drove back in the darkness past blown over tree limbs and power lines. Tony’s house was without power for several days.

The whole situation made me think of how ironical people are.  Almost every day individuals face emergencies like the one the storm presented.  They do whatever it takes to overcome the crisis.  However, an emergency like the nation’s obesity crisis, causes damages everyday and there are no signs of it slowing down. Why are they not approaching this situation the same way?  I felt a renewed sense of determination for my mission to start the “Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour”.  I MUST do whatever it takes to help America overcome the obesity crisis.  Every city I visit, every person I talk to and every presentation I give to school or during the health and fitness summit  is a step in the right direction to helping spread our message of proper fitness and healthy eating habits.

Kevin and student from Beaumont High in St Louis

DAY 2

9:00 a.m. CST – My day began with an interview at the CCIN studio for the “Hooked on Health St. Louis” show.  I was very excited that I had the opportunity to be a part of this show.  St. Louis is working hard to become a healthier city and community and I am happy to help in any way I can.
 

Get Hooked on Health in St. Louis TV interview Kevin talks about his BIG PUSH - H and F tour across America

12:30 p.m. CST – Our next stop was at the historic St. Louis Arch.  We met with Rollin Stanley, a representative from the Mayor Slay’s office.  I received a proclamation from the mayor showing St. Louis’s support of the Tour.  Because of their commitment to health and fitness initiatives like “Get Hooked on Health St. Louis”, I presented the city with a sculpture.  I also challenged them to keep improving their efforts by getting even more community members involved in making their community a healthier place to live and take it to the community kids whether it be in the class room with their teachers or at home with their parents.After the meeting, we had a chance to visit with one of the photo journalists covering the event.  During our conversation, he talked about the great sporting events he covered over the last 17 years and the great athletes he met. Because of his experience, what he said next really meant a lot to me.  He said he really admired what we were doing for the people and communities of America to help them live healthier lifestyles.  Without help from people like this photojournalist, the ‘Big Push’ Tour  would not be as successful as it is.

St. Louis Proclamation

5:00 p.m. CST – Tonight, the St. Louis Cardinals played the Cincinnati Reds and I was being introduced before the game. The owner had me speak with the players; I gave them a short motivational talk like I have done so many times before for the Kansas State Football team.   (The Cardinals won their seventh game in a row; I like to think I added a little inspiration!).  We arrived at the ball field around 6:00 p.m. and we met Tony and his family at the stadium.  Tony introduced me to Steve Sacks and his family.  Steve Sacks set up the pre-game announcement with Marty Hendin, the Vice President of Community Relations for the St. Louis Cardinals.  The announcer introduced me and explained the ‘Big Push’ tour our to motivate and inspire all Americans to get fit through proper fitness and nutrition.   The announcement ended by encouraging them all to make their community a healthier place to live.  When he was finished, I tipped my hat to the crowd.  They even had me up on the big screen!  The fans were great and they gave me a big round of applause.  After thanking the crowd, I headed up to our seat to watch the game.  On the way, I met a couple of the players.  I told the players to bring out that “Heart of a Champion”( if the whole team did this they would win hands down) so hard and keep your focus so that the Cincinnati Reds would doubt their ability. That really is the key to life, “Never Give Up!” So often when things get hard we quit trying, quit working, quit everything and just plain give up.

 I never would have made it as a champion wheelchair athlete, motivational coach, inspirational speaker and author if I gave up. To be truthful, life isn’t easier when you give up. It just gets harder. When we give up we don’t succeed at anything. Without success each day becomes harder than the one before it. If we just put forth the effort, if we decide “no more losing! I will “Never Give Up”, I will work hard until I win!” then life will get better and better. We will come to expect to win and that attitude is what makes us winners in health, in our jobs, in all aspects of our lives. So “Never Give Up!, There’s Always A Way!”

Kevin explains the importance of health and fitness

 

Health and Fitness Tour Call Attention For Our Need to Shape Up

“I’m getting my kicks on Route 66! For bringing my message of fitness & nutrition to community’s along the way.”

 

This morning I reflected on the progress the tour has made and I came to realize some important issues.

I’m trying to aspire to promote proper fitness and nutrition habits for Americans of all ages especially our nation’s youth so it becomes a way of life.  As a society, we are used to starting something, finishing it, and then moving on with our lives and forget about it. For example, during K-12 grades, we get our diplomas and move on.  Some of us get a job, others start careers, and others get even more schooling before moving on.  Once we have jobs most of us put our time in and forget about work when we are off.

In my case since I was working towards a cause that I’m very passionate about, you don’t have very many opportunities to leave your job at the office. One reason is, at least for me and many other small business owners; you are trying to improve what you are doing all the time.

I’m pushing across America with a plan to help ensure that health and fitness becomes a permanent way of life for all of us. We all need daily maintenance to keep our mind and bodies healthy and fit, so we can do all the things that a well-rounded life can offer.  It’s important we understand the importance of lifelong health and proper fitness for our own sake, that of our families and loved ones, and for the betterment of our communities and our country.

Kevin cranks his hand-cycle up some steep hills near Bluemound and Taylorsville, IL

My mission is to help communities across America, and all individuals, establish a daily maintenance program, because we can’t all do it alone. That is why I’m working with schools, cities, states, local and state officials and community leaders to provide them with resources and tools to create lasting health and fitness initiatives for all citizens. Our goal is to provide a common message and a way for all communities and citizens to obtain clear, concise, and easy to understand information about health and fitness. It is hard enough to exercise and eat right without sorting through all the mixed messages and marketing hype.

So we want to make things simple and easy for young kids, students, teachers and other Americans. Just like my long time friend, Dr. Kenneth Cooper has done. With his team comprised of Dr. Cooper’s son Tyler,  Dr. Charles Sterling EeD and many other intelligent people at the Cooper Institute in Dallas where they created the NUTRIGRAM ® and FITNESSGRAM ®. I am honored to have them as a partner of our “Fitness 4 All State Tour”.

As I know their state of the art programs will help this country become healthier and reach their fitness goals faster and more effectively. The Cooper Institute along with other top fitness  and nutrition leaders will help us to one day soon make fitness activities and choosing balanced nutritional meals or snacks a way of life.

Just like we choose an umbrella or a rain coat when it is raining outside or put on sunglasses and SPF when it is sunny outside, our fitness partners can help provide that  protection through information that will allow us to adjust the amount of food we eat or fluids we drink according to our fitness activity level. I like to say that fitness activities and nutrition are joined at the hip like Siamese twins. They depend on each other to make the best choices because what effects one will in some way affect the other.

Kevin getting into deep water on his way to St.Louis

KEVIN’S PERSONAL JOURNAL

5:00 a.m. CST – I woke up and got things ready to go so I could get on the road. As I have mentioned before, one of my favorite country legends of all time Willie Nelson says it best, “On the road again. Just can’t wait to get on the road again”. We received a donation from Ron Sanderson, a guest at the hotel, that morning during breakfast. It was so very nice of him. It’s seeing contributions like the one Mr. Sanderson gave shows the power of people working together, to change your life and the lives of people around you in a way no one could ever know.  Dedicated to the ‘Big Push’ tour that is promoting healthier eating habits and daily exercise.

 Again, I just want to thank everyone who has contributed to this tour.  With their support and enthusiasm, I know the Tour will be a success and that together, we will be able to win the war against obesity. Like Nike says “Just Do It.”

7:00 p.m. CST – We went back to the Baymont Inn and Suites, one of our sponsors, in Litchfield and loaded all of our gear to get ready for our trek to St. Louis, “The gateway to the west”,  this weekend. 

9:00 a.m. CST -   After breakfast, we drove to a meeting with Litchfield’s mayor, Jon Dunkirk Jr.  We presented the mayor with a plaque on behalf of the Kevin Saunders for “Big Push Health and Fitness tour across  America”  to help make their community more fit. I also did an interview with the media that was at the presentation with Mayor Dunkirk at city hall. I told them about the mission of the ‘Big Push’ and how we are planning to do the “Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour” in the upcoming years to promote fitness and proper nutrition to our youth and the American people.  Everyone was very nice and we received a warm welcome.  Unfortunately, right after the presentation we had to leave immediately to catch up on the miles from where we left of the day before. I know what you are thinking….on the road again and away we go!

1:00 p.m. CST – From Blue Mound, IL  to just outside of Taylorsville, IL, I pushed the hand cycle.  For those of you who do not know what a hand cycle is it is a type of human powered vehicle powered by the arms rather than the legs, as on a bicycle. Only the gears are upside down compared to a regular bicycle. It has 3 wheels with a seat and back. It looks just like a bicycle turned upside down with arm cranks in place of the pedals. Here is a picture to see for yourself. This is a 24 speed hand cycle. Most hand cycles are tricycle in form, with two coasting rear wheels and one steerable powered front wheel. Despite usually having three wheels, they are also known as hand bikes.

 The total distance I cranked in the hand cycle was 10 miles.  Outside of Taylorsville, we met Jane Long, a reported from the Taylorsville Daily newspaper, the local newspaper.  She came out and took a picture right before a short down pour of a rainstorm came through.

3:00 p.m. CST – Due to some mechanical problems, I had to move from my hand cycle to my racer for the remaining four miles into Taylorsville.  The hand bike is usually a little easier than the racer, but today it was two or three times more difficult. I was unable to keep up my speed the way I wanted to because of the steep hills and gearing down that must be done. Encountering this type of difficulty made me reflect on how hard it is for some people to get in shape who will not put in the appropriate effort for countless reasons. Some people just make them up because it is easier to them than the alternative.  Because I was tired the night before and I didn’t want to check my bike, I paid the price the next day. So that is a lesson for anyone who takes things for granted.

Kevin trading off to hand-cycle on push between Bluemound & Taylorsville

As a motivational coach and inspirational speaker, I try to instill the need for discipline and never giving up on my audiences, it is so important as a speaker to build a synergy with your audience so that before you know it they are self-motivated and seeing themselves as they would like to be if they were full of energy. While training to be a paralympian, I knew I had to be prepared for anything, overcoming any adversity that might appear. Sometimes we get a little lax and get caught unprepared so you’re doomed from the start. That’s when we need to learn from the experience and make the effort to improve every day and “Never Give Up! Because There Is Always A Way”. 

As we continued through Taylorsville on towards Litchfield, I noticed that some of the drivers were a little more careless.  I guess it was because it was a holiday weekend. Regardless, we had to be much more cautious and be defensive drivers! Got to get to get to writing on the blog, editing pictures and videos so I’ll catch up with your all tomorrow—Bright and Early!

Kevin cranking with his wheelchair athlete friend

Health and Fitness Tour Calls Attention for Our Need to Shape Up

6:00 a.m. CST – It was not New Years but we were in Champaign, IL. We left some thank you cards and we spoke with people about the ‘Big Push’ and how we were trying to bring attention to helping America get fit by using education as a tool along with motivation and inspiration. We also spoke to them about doing health and fitness summits at each mayor’s office with the council members and community leaders from local hospitals, rehab centers, YMCA, Fitness Clubs , school boards and local business owners to name a few.

9:30 a.m. CST – We met with Mayor Gerald Schweighart from Champaign.  He presented us with a proclamation from the City of Champaign to thank us for make Champaign a healthier community and I presented the mayor with a plaque on behalf of the Kevin Saunders’ Health and Fitness Tour of America to help make their community more fit. The City also declared it “Kevin Saunders Day”.  I told Mayor Schweighart what an honor it was to be in Champaign, IL and what an incredible city it is.  I also spoke with Mayor Schweighart and the city council about how particularly impressed I was by the Olympic Park Memorial at Parkland College and how to help get the city of Champaign more involved in making it a healthier community.  The memorial stands as a symbol of how each athlete worked past their personal obstacles to reach higher levels and pursue their dreams.  This makes a very symbolic gesture of the purpose of our tour because now we are pursuing health and fitness for all Americans, one community at a time.  We are currently going through a series of plateaus as I wheel across America with this message of health and fitness to provide the resources and tools for all citizens especially our nation’s youth, parents and teachers in our schools.  I mentioned how I wanted to challenge Champaign, IL to be part of the campaign and start assessing their students and parents so that they can compete nationwide with other kids and adults. We have thought about the possibility of assessing some of the workforce. It is our goal to have all cities and schools have a standardized assessment on the knowledge of fitness and nutrition.

Proclamation from Champaign, IL

10:00 a.m. CST – We immediately left and picked up where Illinois State Trooper David Tendrix had escorted us the day before.  Monticello, IL was the next town we came to.  There I met with Mayor Bill Mitze and presented him with a plaque from the Kevin Saunders’ ‘Big Push’ tour of America. Officer Sergeant Mike Morstattwer led us out of Monticello towards Cisco, IL.

Kevin gaining ground on the big truck in IL

The local newspaper, Piatt County Journal-Republican, took some pictures of me today.  This paper is distributed weekly on Wednesdays. The media plays a critical role in this tour. They help me get the message out about what we are doing to the rest of the community or state.

I pushed on 7 miles west on Highway 48 to Cisco, IL.  In Cisco, we met a couple of extremely helpful people: Roger Jebe and Lloyd Turner.  Lloyd worked at a body shop and raced motorcycles.  He helped us put on some slow-moving vehicle signs and a safety light on top of our trailer. Our slow moving sign was too low and made it hard to see even with our emergency lights on the back of the trailer we are on. They are small and hard to see in the day light.  It was very important for us to get these signs put up.  Lloyd told us that when he came up behind us on his motorbike the he wasn’t sure what he was seeing and that he couldn’t tell how fast we were going.  Because he owned a body shop and raced bikes, he thought that it was imperative that we put the slow-moving vehicle signs up high and he helped us rivet the light onto the trailer so we could for sure be seen.  We owe him a great deal of gratitude and thanks for all of his help.  The people in the Midwest have really been good to us.  It’s always great to run into friendly people who are willing to help.

You can see all the great work Llyod Turner done to make the trailor visible

We also explained what the ‘Big Push’ was about and that what we were doing was to prepare for the “Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour”. We wanted to get the kinks out of our school presentation which are designed to help educate, motivate, and inspire our nation’s youth to become self-motivated to start making healthy choices. We wanted them to understand why getting involved in fitness activities and choosing healthy balanced meals and snacks to eat is so important and how it will benefit them. By presenting a Health and Fitness summit to the city leaders and city council, it will help them see the overall picture more clearly so they would want to help parents, teachers, students and community members make proper fitness and nutrition a priority and leave them with the tools to do so. It is already a proven fact that the more often youth and people of all ages that get involved in fitness activities at least 3 to 4 times a week along with making healthy nutritional choices for the meals or snacks that eat are more alert, they have a decrease in absents at work or school and more productive. Once people have a better understanding of what we are doing, the more interested the people are, they more likely to get involved. Thanks again Lloyd Turner of Cisco, IL, we greatly appreciate you and all your help!

Kevin and Roger at Cerro Gordo

 I met Roger Jebe when he cycled up and met us in Cisco.  He wanted to know if he could ride along.  I told him that we’d love to have him with us.  When I first saw him, I thought he was probably in his 40s, if not late 30s.  He was in great physical shape (great muscle tone and very lean) and he had a great bicycle and gears too.  It was only after wheeling the first ten miles with us that he told me he was 60 years-old. What a shock! He said he had gotten into bicycling in 1969 and never quit.  Isn’t that a great statement for health and fitness when it has the potential to take over 20 years off a person’s appearance?

Kevin and Roger push up a big hill in Cisco,IL

After we got into Decatur, IL, we went over Lake Decatur.  We noticed that there were some people out being active on jet skis on the lake.  I thought to myself how great it was that people were getting out and enjoying the beautiful day.  It is important that people be physically active.  It doesn’t matter what activity they use, as long as they are active. As we always say an object in motion tends to stay in motion. This way you keep up and can enjoy the fun things in life.

Kevin updating the blog at the end of the day in IL

6:00 p.m. CST – We got a little break along the way when we met Mike Taylor from WAND TV ABC in Decatur, IL.  He interviewed me and I told him that I was pushing across America to show America, one community at a time, how proper nutrition and fitness can have a positive impact on one’s lifestyle.  I told him that we were a non-profit organization and that we welcomed any individual or organization who would like to help support us in our efforts to bring the resources and tools to help Americans of all get fit.  Immediately after the interview, I got through the city and turned onto Highway 48.  I pushed 11 miles into Blue Mound, IL.  Here we finished the push for the day around 7:30 p.m.  We drove to the Baymont Inn and Suites, one of our sponsors, in Litchfield.  Here I met the hotel owners, Jane Douherty and Nancy Hyam, who are sisters.  I gave them each a copy of my book and took a picture with them.  After we finished downloading pictures, editing them and updating our blog, we needed our rest. Until tomorrow, another day of the ‘Big Push’ across America. Before we knew it, it was midnight and time to rest for the next day. We have to get in bed by at least midnight because tomorrow would be another ‘Big Push’ with kids to educate and inspire mayors, community leaders, youth and the American people.

Kevin with hotel Baymont Inn & Suites owners Jane Douherty and Nancy Hyem

“Enthusiasm is excitement with inspiration, motivation, and a pinch of creativity.”   ——–Bo Bennett

KEVIN’S PERSONAL JOURNAL

DAY 1

6:00 a.m. CST – We got everything packed up to leave for Champaign, IL.  Andy aired the tires in the trailer, Jeep, and racer to get ready for the push that would make up the ‘BIG PUSH’ in preparation for the “Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour”.  Our first media stop was in Lebanon, IN with Matt Hendrix from the Lebanon Reporter, a local newspaper.  In the interview, I told Matt that I was doing this to inspire and motivate all Americans to get fit.  I’m doing it to demonstrate that if I can do it, completely paralyzed from the chest down with no core muscles or balance, then anyone can become healthy and fit regardless of his or her current limitations.  I’m also providing clear, concise, easy-to-understand information about proper nutrition with balanced meals and healthy snacks and activities to partake in.  To win the war against obesity, I am working with city and community leaders by providing resources free of charge to create lasting health and fitness initiatives for all.  The battle will be won in the communities where people live, work, and play.  I truly believe lasting success can happen with the commitment of individual communities within the school systems, parents, teachers and community leaders like Lebanon, IL where the make it one of their priorities.  I want to encourage all community members to get involved in making their community a healthier place to live. The “Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour” is a non-profit organization and we welcome any support from individuals or organizations that want to help support our efforts, making grass roots health and fitness initiatives easily available to all Americans.

2:00 pm. CST – I presented a plaque thanking the city of Lebanon, IL for their commitment to health and fitness and for their support of the Kevin Saunders’ Health and Fitness Tour of America.  The City Treasurer, Debbie Offering, presented me with a key to a city.  She designed this key for people who make a positive difference in the city of Lebanon.  I was the first recipient of the key.  It was an honor for me to receive the key.  After the ceremony, a Lebanon police officer led me out of town and I pushed on to Crawfordsville, IN.  I averaged just over ten miles an hour; 22.5 miles took me approximately 2 hours. 

Kevin presents plaque to Mayor

8:30 p.m. CST – We arrived at the Champaign, IL location of one of our tour sponsors, the Baymont Inns and Suites.  We unloaded the gear, checked our email, caught up with the blog, downloaded pictures and videos, made some calls, and went to bed at around 10:30 p.m.

Kevin stops for photo-op at his hotel sponsor Baymont Inn Suites

DAY 2

I called Marty Morris, head of wheelchair athletics at the University of Illinois. We set up a meeting for 4 P.M. to give him a plaque at the Parkland College Olympic Memorial.

I pushed to city hall where I am giving a presentation for 45 minutes to an hour called the ‘Health and Fitness Summit’. This is where I present the latest state of the art information on fitness activities and the importance of eating nutritionally balanced meals and why it is so important to take part in fitness activities. Then we had a 20 minute discussion period on how the community leaders, parents, and other citizens could help do or begin to help make Lebanon, IN a healthier community.

12 noon to 1 P.M. lunch break

1:30 P.M. Met IL state trooper David W. Tendrix who escorted me as I pushed faster because the police do not like driving any slower than 20 mph so I kicked it in to high gear. We went just over 5 miles west on Highway 10 to Hwy 6 in Seymour, IN.  It always gets me fired up to go on the tour and push from 36 to 100 miles some days to keep on schedule. We also met with The Champaign News Gazette reporter and photographer Vanda Bickwell who took some photos as I was pushing out of town. I told them how well the health and fitness summit had went and how there had been some great ideas generated for making Lebanon in to a healthier community.  I realized that there was another media group to interview me. No matter how much longer it took, I was here to spread the message and promote proper nutritionally balanced eating habits and taking part, 3 to 4 times a week or more, in some type of physical activity.

Kevin crossing over I 55 in IL

2 P.M. to 3 P.M. short break after pushing in Georgetown

Immediately after pushing we jumped back into the Jeep and headed for a presentation with Marty Morris at the Olympic Memorial in Parkland College. What a beautiful city, so peaceful.
We arrived at the Memorial just after 3 P.M. Andy took some photos of the park and we waited for 4 when Marty would arrive.

As we waited I noticed the memorial tribute and thought about how it reflected our tour’s mission. Part of the text on the memorial read as follows:

“Viewers of the memorial move through a series of intermediate platforms marked by light bollards and granite aggregate, reflecting the plateaus achieved then surpassed as the athletes pursue their dreams. Then to the climatic, final, inscribed granite platform beyond the gateway… the smallest but grandest plateau… representing the pinnacle of achievement, here they can view the surrounding countryside. It is this rising progression that is a metaphor for the path traveled by Olympians as they compete, strive, and excel through discipline and desire.”

Reading this inscription reminded me not only of the struggle that I would be undertaking on this tour, but also of the struggle that many Americans face with health and fitness. For some the challenge may seem overwhelming, it is a series of steps that will lead them to a healthier lifestyle. I hope that through this tour we can help, by providing the tools and resources and by motivating, many Americans to reach their next personal plateau, and then the next one after that in the cycle of struggles that leads to a lifelong health and fitness lifestyle. Sports transcends ones current limitations and allows them to become healthier and happier.

4 P.M. I presented Marty Morse, a world class paralympic athlete and coach with the award for his tireless dedication to health and fitness for people with disabilities and for having coached three of the Olympic athletes listed on the monument.

5:15 P.M. Returned to the Baymont hotel left shortly after with Andy to go to Farm and Fleet, a store in Champaign. We bought flashing safety lights and slow moving vehicle signs for the trailer. We were also running low on healthy snacks that I like to have around when we travel. I find it hard to eat healthy on the road so when we have time to stop I make sure that we load up on nutritious snacks for the road.  We then went to Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club to buy some additional supplies and get some film developed.

Returned to the Baymont at 8:45 P.M

We ran errands for a total of 4 hours. It was an unexpected 4 hours, but we are not letting the unexpected trials slow us down on this tour. The trials are often unexpected, but they are just a test of our perseverance, courage, dedication, and determination. We are continually having new plateaus placed in front of us and are trying our hardest to meet them and continue on. I hope that this determination is contagious and that it spreads to the American people through our tour message.

Oh, our day is not over yet by a long shot, now it was time to start writing the blog for the day.

9 P.M. Began scanning in photos and updating journal to send in to, The Visibility Company, our command central for the tour. Finished with all updating at about midnight and went to bed.

“Limitations live only in our minds. But if we use our imaginations, our possibilities become limitless.”————– Jamie Paolinetti

THIS TOO SHALL PASS…

“If it is to be it is up to me…” Those words echoed in my head as I started my recovery from the terrible explosion that changed my life so drastically. I was in a wheelchair, my wife had left me and I was broke. Things were looking pretty dark but with the help of good friends and God’s grace I started to rebuild my life. I started working out with my Rugby buddies. They had me lifting weights and throwing a medicine ball around. At first I wasn’t sure it was something I wanted to do but before long it was something I needed. I learned to love the gym all over again. I learned to love life again.
We all face hard times. We all at some point face turning points. We can choose to fall into despair or learn to never give up and climb inch by inch into the light. Life is going to throw some things at you, that’s for sure. What’s important is that we are able to take the shots life throws and keep getting up moving toward the good times that come from working hard and smart toward our goals. It’s perseverance that makes us successful. It’s our ability to persevere over life’s adversities that will see us through until the sun shines again. We have power over our own happiness. Believe it, make it happen, choose to be optimistic and you will overcome any obstacle.

Right now people are losing jobs, gas is getting more expensive and the media is full of doom and gloom. Well, this too shall pass. Things will get better. The trick is to keep your chin up and do what you must to keep your head above water and keep moving forward. A good work-out never hurts and it doesn’t even have to cost anything! Take a brisk walk or run. Do some push-ups. Play ball with your kids. Just try to take advantage of any good times you can and make an effort to create more good times. Put your brain to work and innovate. If what you’ve been doing hasn’t been working then change! If you feel down, well that’s ok – we’ve all been there, but don’t stay down. Nobody ever won a fight by staying down when they could get up. You CAN get up. Whatever problem you face you can overcome it. I believe in you, all that’s needed is for YOU to believe in you. So look around, dust yourself off and realize there’s always a way. Look in the mirror and say “There is Always a Way” and to “Never, Never Give Up” Soon you’ll find there’s no challenge you can’t face and you’ll be happier and healthier. That’s all for now, go get some exercise!

KEVIN’S PERSONAL JOURNAL

10:00 a.m. CST – This morning I was presented a Proclamation from Mayor Peterson. As a way to thank the mayor’s office for their support and commitment to the Kevin Saunders’ Health and Fitness Tour of America, I presented Mayor Peterson with a plaque. I gave an impromptu motivational presentation to let everyone know the purpose for this tour and that I would continue spreading my message of motivation and inspiration during my journey. I am here to educate, motivate, and inspire people about participating in regular fitness activities along with proper healthy nutrition, one community at a time. I challenged the city to get in shape before I returned. I offered to provide tools and resources to help with the efforts that are currently ongoing in the Indianapolis area to make everyone healthier. My new book, “Revolutions”, which I am currently working on, is intended to be a great motivational tool full of tips and information about the tour. My other books, “Blueprint for Success” and “There’s Always a Way” are available as well at www.kevinsaunders.com.

Indianapolis Proclamation

It meant a lot to me that so many individuals showed up to show their support for the Tour. Among attendants was Robbie Barkley, Vice President of Advocacy for the American Heart Association. I am proud to be working with an organization like the AHA. It is exciting for me that even the local affiliates support me 100%. The media was also present. Many of the news stations showed their support by showing coverage of the Tour on both the 5:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. news spots. If we could keep the media attention on America’s fitness challenges perhaps we could motivate more people to get healthy and fit. I find that with a little inspiration, education, motivation, and perspiration great things get done.

After the presentation from the mayor’s office, two officers escorted me though the city. At the end of the city limits, I back tracked approximately 60 miles into Hagerstown and pushed back towards Indianapolis in two three-hour sessions with a one-hour break between each session. We arrived at the Baymont Inn in Indianapolis after 8:00 p.m.
8:30 p.m. CST – I called in for a radio interview with Steve Simpson from WIBC AM in Fort Wayne, IN. The interview was extremely enjoyable. Steve was very interested in and supportive of the Tour. I again encouraged the surrounding communities to become healthier by building lasting health and fitness community initiatives so that continue to help people of all ages can stay educated and continue learning new and different healthy activities and nutritious food or snacks to eat.

Kevin encourages the viewers about healty nutrition and fitness

Until next time—- Stay positive and remember when things get tough that “There’s Always a Way!” if you “Never Give Up!”

Kevin flys along as he turns on a hill in Indiana

8 a.m. CST- Today was great because I was able to fly from place to place with the wind behind my back and meet with many different people.  While I was in Portland, I presented Mayor Hozier a plaque from the Kevin Saunders’ Health and Fitness Tour of America.  Stephanie Arnold, assistant to Mayor Hozier, was another one of the interesting people I met today.  She is on the Olympic Women’s Archery Team that will be competing in Athens, Greece.  We wished her good luck and told her to bring back the Gold.  I also spoke with The Portland Commercial Review, Jay County’s daily newspaper.  They interviewed me about my history and the mission of the Tour. 

Kevin with Mayor Hozier in Portland, IN

I explained how I had overcome the tragedy I faced years ago to achieve goals I never thought were possible. I overcame adversity and found the motivation and inspiration to live my dream despite being completely paralyzed from the chest down and confined to a wheelchair from terrible explosion that destroyed the building we were in, killed my supervisor and catapulted me over a 2 story building and over 300 ft. on to a concrete parking lot where I was left for dead. I thought I was done for but I wasn’t. I was able to get involved with fitness and proper nutrition and come back to accomplish things that I would have never dreamed possible.  Most all because of being a Christian, I know GOD gave me a second chance because I still had a mission on this earth to do.

My current dream is to help fight obesity by supplying students, parents, teachers and Americans with the motivation and the knowledge they need to be successful in that fight. My book, “Revolutions”, will cover my methods and plan to achieve that goal.  We also talked about my motivational coaching and inspirational speaking career and how I used it as a platform to get my message across. 

 New Castle, IN.- I pushed two morning sessions, 20 miles each, with a little less than an hour break between. I pushed through Farmland, Modoc, and into Hagerstown. Then I had to get in the follow vehicle to get to New Castle in time for my 1:30 p.m. interview Indianapolis, IN that afternoon. I got back in the van and we quickly drove from Hagerstown to Indianapolis. But hey, I don’t let it keep me down. I’ll just keep rolling on spreading my message of proper fitness and nutrition to everyone that would listen especially our nation’s youth, parents, teachers, state and local government officials and community and state leaders.

I also met the police chief and some of the officers.  One officer, Officer Mark, led me through town and then out to the highway where I was once again “on the road again” a favorite song of mine by country western singing star Willie Nelson. I keep telling myself we have to learn all we can so when we  do the “Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour”, we should have most of the kinks worked out so our message to help educate, inform and inspire our nation’s youth and the American people about the positive effects of staying active and the importance of proper nutrition.

1:25 p.m. CST – A couple of blocks away from the Courier Times newspaper office, I got out of the follow vehicle and pushed to my interview. They interviewed me and took pictures for about 15 minutes.  We had an appointment to meet the media at the Baymont Inn, who was one of our sponsors for the “BIG PUSH” across America tour.  We are working on improving our skills for the “Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour” to help educate our nation’s youth, parents, teachers and Americans about the importance of understanding how getting involved in fitness activities and making proper fitness choices can positively affect each person and help them become more active and more alert to do better, feel better and have an opportunity to reach incredible goals in be a success with their lives.

"Riding for Fitness" Newspaper Article

4:30 p.m. CST – We arrived at the Baymont with time to spare; however, no media showed.  When a meeting falls through, it is disappointing for many reasons.  The main one is that I get so excited at the chance to reach out and deliver my message to new individuals; it’s a very disappointing let down if I am unable to do that because I have a tremendous passion to help America get fit. After all, it was my rugby friends that helped give me that second chance by getting me back involved in proper fitness and nutrition like I was when I was on my feet.  Also, I cut my interview short and lost pushing time by hurrying to meet the media.  So now, tomorrow, I have to back track to make up the mileage I lost but like I always say, “There is always a way when you never give up” so I become reenergized to make a positive start tomorrow.

The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be ignited.
-Plutarch

Media Madness in Ft. Wayne, IN

I pushed approximately 10 miles from downtown to the interstate with a police motorcycle escort. We averaged about 17 to 20 mph with the Police leading the way. I went to City Hall and received a proclamation from the Mayor on Friday,  a couple days before and now it’s time to move on to the next city. At the mayor’s office, I gave a health and fitness presentation to the city council member and community leaders which was received very well.

I am in the process of writing two books. I just finished “Conversations in Health” it will be out in August and “Blueprint for Success”. The other is titled “Revolutions” regarding the fitness tour across America and my plan is to get the country back on track to getting fit and helping them set personal fitness goals. My tour across America is providing a lot of inspiration to write about. I get exciting new ideas and meet great people all the time. As a motivational coach and inspirational speaker I stay busy and get to interact on a professional level with lots of people but it’s really nice to just get to talk to folks on the street and get them excited about fitness and proper nutrition. I have noticed that people really like to learn about how fitness and proper nutrition can affect their lifestyle in a positive way.

Side Note on Johnny Appleseed: Johnny Appleseed was a legendary American who planted and supplied apple trees to much of the United States of America. Johnny Appleseed’s dream was for a land where blossoming apple trees were everywhere and no one was hungry. A gentle and kind man, he slept outdoors and walked barefoot around the country planting apple seeds everywhere he went. It is even told that he made his drinking water from snow by melting it with his feet. Johnny was a friend to everyone he met. Indians and settlers — even the animals — liked Johnny Appleseed. His clothes were made from sacks and his hat was a tin pot. He also used his hat for cooking. His favorite book was the Bible. There are many tales about Johnny Appleseed. It is said that once Johnny fell asleep and a rattlesnake tried to bite him, but the fangs would not go into his foot because his skin was as tough as an elephant’s hide. Another tale describes him playing with a bear family.

KEVIN’S PERSONAL JOURNAL

Fort Wayne Proclamation

2 P.M. -We got ready and packed to leave for the park next to the city building where we met with Dianne Hoover, the Director of Parks and Recreation in Fort Wayne, IN who read the Proclamation from Mayor Richard. Media present: Ch CBS 15, ABC 21, and NBC 33. The Journal Gazette newspaper and a radio station were also present. All of the media did an excellent job. The awareness of my Revolutions Tour Across America and the need to battle obesity, bad food choices and sedentary lifestyles. We will have a stronger, leaner America by doing whatever it takes! Like my friend Lee Labrada, who is one of the all time great body building champions and like my other friend Arnold Schwarzenegger would say. Lee Labrada’s company Labrada Nutrition, www.Labrada.com, lean body coaching club and lean body contest is focused on helping people get lean and turn fat into muscle. Go to Lee’s site and look for the lean body contest or coaching tips. Who knows you may want to join the contest and see how you can do with the 3 month 12 week challenge and having Mr. Universe Lee Labrada be your personal coach. GO FOR IT!

Arnold Schwarzenegger & Kevin Saunders

We had a police escort to the city limits of Fort Wayne. We then returned to the Baymont Hotel to rest for the next day’s push. The people were the greatest and inspired me even more to stay motivated and keep on making those revolutions of my wheels across America!

“Education is not the answer to the question. Education is the means to the answer to all questions.”
– William Allin

Education was and continues to be a major force in my life. One of the reasons education is so important to me is because it is the foundation for all my accomplishments. Going to school showed me what strength, courage, perseverance and determination really meant and I was inspired to become self-motivated. By the way my mind and body responded mentally and physically to my “other workouts” proper cardio, strength training and eating balanced nutritional meals and healthy snacks I was able to persevere. This met my needs that enabled me to my achieve my fitness goals and go on to reach great heights that I would have never dreamed possible. Today, I continue to use the self- confidence gained from excelling in school in all my endeavors. I am a better husband and father, a stronger and more confident athlete, an author, a speaker, and the leader of the “Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour”. It’s a nonprofit organization that was founded to help educate, motivate, and inspire our nation’s youth, parents, teachers and the America people through educational presentations about proper fitness and nutrition.

The “Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour” is dedicated to providing the tools and resources to schools, parents and teachers in all communities. They will be able to use the their technology to download the information via the website to Mp3 Players, iPads, iPhones etc.This information comes from state of the art information , resources and tools that will actively engage people of all ages to set short and long term goals for their fitness, help them keep an accountability journal to write down their choices each day that they have made regarding fitness activities, sports or what they have chosen to eat that day for a meal or a snack. This will help each participant accept personal responsibility for their health and fitness regardless of their challenges, adversities etc. After the explosion that completely destroyed the building I was in at work leaving nothing but the concrete foundation and hurling me up over a 2 story building over 300 feet through the air onto a concrete parking lot. Ten coworkers were killed over and 40 injured in what expert’s said was one of the worst explosions of its kind in Texas and U.S. history. I was going to get my life back after becoming completely paralyzed from the chest down and being confined to a wheelchair.

I might never have recovered if it hadn’t been for the help of my Rugby coach and Rugby friends, Robert Hays and Bruce Acuna. We’d played together on the Corpus Christi rugby club before my accident, and they’d continued visiting me in the following days. Sensing that I needed a way to channel my hurt and frustrations in attempting to overcome adversity, they did the only thing they knew how to do – they took me to the gym. I wasn’t sure that I wanted to work out, but they wouldn’t take no for an answer. They drug me into the weight room and told me to start lifting and to “Never Give Up!” because “There’s Always a Way”. When I couldn’t do any more reps, they threw a medicine ball at me as hard as they could, taunting and daring me to return it with the same force. I started to remember what a big stress reliever exercise can be, and looked forward to longer, more vigorous workouts.

After spending almost a year in the hospital and hearing the doctors say; “Chances are Kevin’s NOT going to make it!” God gave me a second chance and I wanted to make the most of it. Thanks to their constant presence and wanting to see the great athlete that had helped them win rugby games, they pushed me until I was able to once again continue to use that self-confidence gained from excelling in school and fitness. Faith and determination is was what helped me to keep learning, growing, working out and eating right.

I have been blessed to be able to travel the world as a wheelchair athlete, a motivational and inspirational speaker and coach. Because of what I have learned from being well-educated through English, math, fine arts, science, correct eating habits and work out regimes from the Western cultures to the East, I can now apply these lessons to my particular needs and this has given me the opportunity to live a full abundant life. It is my deep desire to help all of our nation’s youth excel in their life’s endeavors by providing them with highly credible fitness and nutritional resources to help students lay the educational foundation necessary to build a solid base to help them establish fitness plans for their needs. This fitness and nutritional foundation will enable each student and person to make healthy nutritional choices that fit their needs as their activities and lifestyles change over the years.

When it comes to education for fitness activities and proper nutrition, I truly believe that “There’s Always a Way!” when you have credible education that enables you to maximize your potential through fitness activities which allows you to try new things that are challenging and rewarding, by being healthy and make healthy nutritional choices for meals and snacks so they NEVER- NEVER-GIVE-UP! On living a lifetime of fitness and energy so they are ready for whatever challenges or adventures come your way! ”

KEVIN’S PERSONAL JOURNAL

Total miles pushed: 66 today

Defiance, OH. It took almost 4 hours, where we met with the Defiance Crescent Newspaper at around 1P.M. and spoke with Jenny briefly who took our picture while they reporter was doing the interview. It should be interesting to see the differences in pictures from the start of this trip to the end. I’ve got a long way to go and will have to overcome adversity and tough times I know. Keeping my weight up and getting proper nutrition will be critical. As a motivational coach for Kansas State Football, I motivated the team to “Never Give Up!” and that “There’s Always A Way” to win. When all members of the team do this it usually results in a BIG Win and being a champion is great. But it doesn’t come without a lot of work mentally and physically for these young D-1 college football athletes. I always tell them that; “There’s no short cut to success just good old-fashioned hard work!” When you outwork all the other teams in college football you know you have made the ultimate sacrifice to be the best, you sweated the blood that it takes to be the very best! I firmly believe in those principles are true and whatever the hardship obstacles or challenges I will muscle through. After all, it’s only a few thousand miles; I’ll just take the revolutions of my wheels one mile at a time. That’s how you get things done. Just do the best you can and try to improve a little bit each day and the big picture will take care of itself.

Kevin doing TV and Radio Interviews in Ft. Wayne

Today I pushed 25 miles from Toledo/Perrysburg through Napoleon, OH, and another 37 miles through Mark Center, IN and Harlan, IN to Ft. Wayne, IN.

It’s the home of Johnny Appleseed and the Miami Indians who were defeated by major “Mad” Anthony Waynes for whom the city is named. He opened up the country to settlement and they begin construction of the Wabash Erie canal in 1840. It’s mainly a farming region and there are a lot of historical events that took place in that area. I would recommend any person research more on the historical Ft. Wayne, IN or take a visit, it’s a great place to see.

It was necessary for me keep my average over 12 mph uphill or downhill it doesn’t matter! Much like the mailman through rain, sleet or snow you have to get the mail to its destination. This ‘Big Push’ across America was carrying a message of fitness and proper nutrition. No exception whether its pouring rain, 120 degrees heat index coming off the black asphalt, wind blowing 20 to 30 mph right into your face, or crosswinds we had our share of challenges. Even with those obstacles and more, we always did what it took to make the scheduled meeting with the police in Fort Wayne. On days like that, my arms and hands get numb, sweat burns my eyes and my back and arms ached and my back hurt but I kept my speed on track and made my meeting. At highway 37 and I – 465, we arrived at Wayne’s gas station and food mart where we met a police escort. I pushed another 4 miles that took us on to the intersection of State St. and Maysville at St. Peters Lutheran Church to meet the media. We arrived to meet the media between 4:00 and 4:30 P.M. The people of Ft. Wayne were cheering me on. They pulled over and stopped for the police. It was an awesome town with great supportive people that got excited about the tour and me pushing across America in my wheelchair. There were trucks with the back full of girls and guys yelling and screaming “GO Kevin we are with you!” Then vans with their sliding doors open and girls hanging out yelling GO FOR IT! Truck and vans full of people yelling and supporting me I’d never seen so many in vehicles like that trying to drive by get a closer look and encourage you on, I greatly appreciated that. Oh, one note for the guys those girls in Ft. Wayne sure were pretty and I want to wish each you the very best and say; “Thanks again for that warm welcome!”

Everyone we met was very respectful and hospitable in the town of Ft. Wayne, Indiana as I’m sure they’re are to all their visitors. When the media asked questions I always rely on my training as a motivational coach, inspirational speaker, inspirational athlete, mission, purpose and passion for the tour allowed me to answer with tremendous enthusiasm. My mission was to help get every community more involved in physical activity and making healthy choices when it comes to the meals and snacks they eat. As you can see there are a lot of hats, I had to wear when it comes to speaking about fitness and proper nutrition to the media or to other groups I would speak to in each city to help improve the overall fitness of each community. It was a challenge but I loved to do it. I enjoy helping people learn and become more educated about fitness and give them information about how it can improve the quality of their life. I enjoy living that life by pushing approximately fifty miles a day spreading the word about fitness by sharing the resources and tools with the groups within each community, one community at a time like here in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. Jennifer from CBS did a great job even though I almost ran her over during the interview. HA! NBC and ABC also did excellent work. ABC’s segment did not air until later in the evening.

Wheeling to Fight Flabbiness- Ft. Wayne, IN Newspaper Article

The next day would be a big day as I would be speaking to the Ft. Wayne students about the importance of taking part in fitness activities and eating well balanced meals or healthy snacks. I met with the Ft. Wayne newspaper reporters another couple of early daytime TV and radio reporters. I also gave a health and fitness summit presentation to the Mayor, city and community leaders and had an open discussion afterword to get their thoughts on these important issues and how they are dealing with them and how they are affecting their community.

– Baron de Coubertin, The Olympic Creed

Training for the “Big Push” was grueling. My routine consisted of weight-training four days a week. My weight-training schedule was two days on and one day off for approximately two hours a day. I was training once again as a world champion athlete. Of course, I work out and stay in shape as a regular part of my life but this was taking it up a notch. I spend a lot of time on the road as a motivational coach, inspirational speaker, school speaker, sports speaker and safety speaker.  Some of the hotels I stay in have work out equipment and some don’t. Often those that have a gym don’t have equipment designed for a wheelchair athlete. Still, as a Paralympian and motivational coach I know how to improvise so I always make do. After all, “There’s Always a Way” and I Never Give Up! when it comes to fitness and eating right. Alert and full of energy so I am ready for whatever comes my way!  For the tour I wanted to gain as much muscle mass as possible since all of the miles on the road would lean me up and be a tremendous strain on me mentally and physically.

This extra muscle mass would also serve as protection for my body. Making sure I put my miles in on the road was another part of my training. I logged approximately twenty to thirty miles per day for two to three hours a day. My goal was to have an overall average of 50 miles per day so in the end of the tour, I would have traveled over 2,500 miles as I zig-zagged my way across America from one city to another. I hadn’t worked this hard since my days training for the Paralympics. I used the same methods to inspire myself and keep going that I teach as a motivational coach and inspirational speaker. Just keep moving forward because “There’s Always a Way.”  A body in motion tends to stay in motion and of course the reverse is true. Think like that and you’ll always be a winner. While doing my weight training and roadwork I used nutritional guidelines I had received from consulting with nutritionist, Keith Klein to make sure I had the proper nutrition and fluid intake ( such as half Gatorade and half water regimen) to keep me well energized before the Tour.

Prior to departure I also consulted with a registered dietician and nutritionist who deals with nutrition for Iron Man triathlon athletes regarding intake for the Tour. She prepared a nutritional guideline and fluid intake balance for me to use as I pushed an average of fifty miles a day. All this preparation gave me the necessary physical, mental and nutritional base to undertake such a monumental task. Still, I’d need all my self-motivation, inspirational faith and the discipline I learned as a champion wheelchair athlete to carry me through.

In my journey, I hoped to gain a new, first-hand perspective on America’s health crisis.  It was my goal to get each individual American thinking about fitness and taking action. Just think about it. If each of us could just make getting fit even a small part of their day it would grow into a mighty wave and change everything. With each turning of my wheels, I felt closer to my goals crossing America as a wheelchair athlete and bringing all Americans closer to getting in shape and understanding why keeping active and moving towards your fitness goals is so important.  As a Paralympic wheelchair athlete and a former member of the President’s Council on physical fitness & sports appointed by President H.W. Bush & President Bill Clinton, I had to opportunity to speak to thousands of school, organizations, corporations and government entities about the important role that fitness should play in your life. I had to the honor of being 1 of 20 people who was personally appointed by the president.  I was also put on a special project with the PCPFS and Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) to improve fitness for children and youth with disabilities under President W. Bush’s administration. I’ve seen the miraculous changes getting in shape and living healthy can make in a person of all different types and ages.  I truly want to motivate everyone to embrace a lifetime positive attitude and to never give up in their journey towards good health.

Kevin Saunders on a trek to get America Fit!

 Holy Toledo!

 On this day during the tour, we were honored to meet city council members at Toledo City Hall. Councilman Michael Ashford presented me with an official glass on behalf of Mayor Jack Ford.  I was also presented with a Proclamation from City Council representative Peter Gerken. Once again, the great folks from the media were on hand:  Channel 11 WTLO (CBS), Channel 24 WNWO (NBC) and the FOX affiliate. The Toledo Blade was also at the event. I told them about the goal of our “Big Push” across America which was to educate, motivate and inspire all Americans to get fit. I was doing this “Big Push” in preparation and to hone my skill for the “Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour”, a nonprofit corporation established to help educate, motivate and inspire our nation’s youth, parents, teachers and American people about the positive effects and importance of physical fitness and proper nutrition.

Kevin accepts proclomation and gift on television in Toledo

Local governments and the community seems to really be embracing what the tour is all about. It humbles and gladdens me to know the impact our fitness tour is having. I’m just one man but I’m picking up fitness partners all along my tour. Every person that makes the decision to be healthier and fit is one more revolution on the wheels toward our fitness Revolution!  That gives me a lot of inspiration and helps me stay self-motivated to carry on. The road is going to be long and tough, every bit of the pain and perseverance it takes, but it’s all worth it. Every person that I get a chance to speak to gives me more fuel for the journey. Every time someone gets motivated to get fit and live healthier we all win.  When I was the motivational coach for Kansas State Football, I tried to instill in the guys a sense of how important each individual’s effort was for the whole team.  Each player giving a little more, when combined as a whole, could make all the difference towards winning the championship. That’s how it is with fitness in America and the world. If each of us would just put in a little effort towards being more fit it would become a great movement, a revolution – and we would all be champions. So give it a try, just improve a little each day. You don’t have to move a mountain tomorrow. Just make a small improvement then another one and before long you’ll discover that you’ve moved that mountain!

Toledo,OH Proclamation

– William Mather Lewis

Moving Through the Motor City

 In recent years, the buckeye state has gained a reputation and notoriety for being something of a political bellwether.  Presidential candidates fight viciously for votes and opinions here because they know the state’s population – along with its diverse urban and rural areas – make it a good representation of our nation as a whole.

When it comes to fitness, the same ideas apply.  As I pushed from one end of Ohio to another, I found people of all races, beliefs and backgrounds. Each of them had a unique take on the battle for better health in America.

Kevin accepts key to the city in Blufton, MI

KEVIN’S PERSONAL JOURNAL

I started with pushing my wheelchair from South Rockford, Mi to Monroe, MI 22.5 miles. I had an interview with WNIC Radio, where we discussed the tour and my fitness initiatives for the nation, then we immediately left for a newspaper interview. Not since my Paralympic and wheelchair racing days had I done so much media but I was glad to get the media attention. I was able to use the skills I learned as a motivational speaker to clearly get my point across. America has an illness due to poor nutition choice and lack of exercise. We have too many channels on the television and not enough feet hitting the floor getting active. We are couch potatoes and computer zombies.

I have an excuse for sitting all the time,  I’m in a wheelchair! Yet I make sure to stay active and fit. Even in a wheelchair through hard work and God’s help,  I was able to become a world champion athlete. The least that people on their feet can do is actually get on those feet from time to time and move, jump around, play sports, ride bikes, and have fun! The best part of it is that it IS FUN and you will feel better, look better and you can become an inspiration to those around you. After the interview, we met Clint Lowery, and photographer Jon at the Heritage newspaper for an interview in Southgate Michigan. We told the paper our purpose to help America shape up one community at a time. We then continued on toward south Rockwood, Michigan. I pushed through Monroe, Michigan without a police escort. It started to rain near Monroe and half way through Monroe we met a reporter and a photographer from the Monroe Evening News. The reporters name was Valerie Tobias. Monroe, Michigan is Custer’s home town and we passed his monument as we pushed through. It started pouring rain after we passed Custer’s monument. For a while I thought I might need a snorkel!

I pushed my wheelchair 29 miles from Monroe, MI through Erie, MI than on to Toledo, Ohio. The rain subsided after we left Monroe and it turned into a bright beautiful sun shiny day. With a little inspirational faith, my prayers were answered and I was given a break! We took a rest after Monroe and then pushed on to Toledo. I pushed on down highway 125 into Erie and then we took Summit into Toledo. We went to meet the media at Lagrange and Summit, but the media was not there, so I pushed on and the media caught up with us in a parking lot. I guess they had a hard time keeping up with a determined man on wheels.

Kevin pushing through the drenching rain

As a top motivational and inspirational speaker and coach, Kevin Saunders, who is paralyzed from the chest down, shows kids, schools, teachers, and community and state leaders that anyone can get fit. As former Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger said, “Kevin’s broken body bears silent testimony as someone who has overcome tremendous adversity to get fit and beckons others to follow.”  Mr. Saunders, a world champion Paralympian and wheelchair athlete, will be carrying his message of health and fitness to thousands of schools across America.  Bob Richards, two-time Olympic Pole Vault Champion, said “One of the most heroic and valiant endeavors in sports I have ever seen is the effort and struggle of Kevin Saunders. I am inspired by his message in There’s Always A Way. He is not a dependent in this world but a thrilling contributor to this world…”.

– John Steinbeck (1902-1968) American Novelist

 The “Big Push” gets underway in the Motor City Media Interview

The “Big Push” gets underway in the MOTOR CITY

My adventure started in Michigan. I wanted to see Detroit – the nation’s fattest city – early on. It was in this first major stop that I caught a glimpse of the press attention that would become such a big part of my journey, and of the caring and concerned people that made everything worth the effort. I met some who were concerned for their families, and called in to radio shows to ask questions.  Others drove out to my route to catch a glimpse and offer encouragement.  I learned in those first couple of weeks why the problem can’t be solved in Washington – it’s too personal, affecting the lives of each and every family from shore to shore.  But I also saw hope, even in one of the most unfit corners of the country. People want to live better, healthier lives.  They just need someone to show the way.

 KEVIN’S PERSONAL JOURNAL

Dora and I’s first stop was to ABC news in Detroit, named the fattest city in America at the time. Every year it seems there is a new “fattest city”. My own city of Houston held the dubious honor at one time. I hope my tour will help transform America and we will be done with fattest cities. I yearn for “most fit cities” and “healthiest living” cities. It CAN happen. As a motivational speaker and Paralympic athlete I’ve seen dramatic change and miraculous dreams come true. All it takes is determination, inspirational faith, a never give up attitude and the will to make it happen.

We arrived at 6am for the morning show. After the morning show with ABC news we went to FOX for the 7:30 am interview with FOX TV. It went great and we continued on to Mexican town/Detroit at the base of the Ambassador Bridge. I could see the Ambassador Bridge from the Fiesta Gardens in Mexican town/Detroit, MI. Canada is on the other side of the bridge. I received a proclamation from Mayor Kilpatrick of Detroit, which was presented by Maria Elena Rodriguez. I also received a letter of support from City Councilman President, Pro Tem, and Kenneth Cockrel, Jr.

  11:30 A.M.- The Mexican Town and Detroit Police departments gave me an official send off with police escorts. As I entered a new suburb, the crowds were so large that they were drawing television coverage from news helicopters overhead. It was surprising to see the amount of support.

Police Escorts in Detroit

As I made it out to the open road, I thought about how the Motor City was even more geared up from the Pistons winning the NBA Championship and how the city was buzzing with excitement. All the Detroit residents, from the city to the suburbs, were out in full force. From thousands of fans in the street cheering on their winning team to hundreds of policemen making sure that no riots broke out, this turned out to be an excellent place to start our quest for fitness and health and gave me the lift I needed to push on harder and stronger on the “Big Push” for health and fitness across America.

I pushed approximately 27 miles,  the P.D. in all the suburbs of Detroit provided great support. I stopped in a park and I spent that evening at the Baymont in Southgate, MI, our hotel sponsor for the tour. This is surely a great start to a long journey full of thousands of miles of road, cities, towns and schools that lay ahead.

As a top motivational and inspirational speaker and coach, Kevin Saunders, who is paralyzed from the chest down, shows kids, schools, teachers, and community and state leaders that anyone can get fit. As former Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger said, “Kevin’s broken body bears silent testimony as someone who has overcome tremendous adversity to get fit and beckons others to follow.”  Mr. Saunders, a world champion Paralympian and wheelchair athlete, will be carrying his message of health and fitness to thousands of schools across America.  Bob Richards, two-time Olympic Pole Vault Champion, said “One of the most heroic and valiant endeavors in sports I have ever seen is the effort and struggle of Kevin Saunders. I am inspired by his message in There’s Always A Way. He is not a dependent in this world but a thrilling contributor to this world…”.

• Obesity has more than doubled in the US since the 1970’s, posing an unprecedented health risk to the general public; amongst children, it has nearly tripled.  (Center for Disease Control)
• Two thirds of Americans are now either overweight (defined as a body-mass index (BMI) of 25 or higher) or obese (A 30-plus BMI). http://health.msn.com/health-topics/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100261061
• Approximately 119 million Americans, or 64.5 percent, of adult Americans are either overweight or obese. Estimates of the number of obese American adults rose from 23.7 percent in 2003 to 24.5 percent in 2004. (Trust for America’s Health Study)
• Over 100 million Americans have metabolic syndrome, which is one step away from having type-2 diabetes. (Alternative Medicine America)
• Obesity has been cited as a contributing factor to approximately 100,000–400,000 deaths in the United States per year^[9] and has increased health care use and expenditures,^{[24][28][29][30]} costing society an estimated $117 billion in direct (preventive, diagnostic, and treatment services related to weight) and indirect (absenteeism, loss of future earnings due to premature death) costs. http://www.ajcn.org/content/82/1/207S.full

      http://win.niddk.nih.gov/statistics/

• Nearly 34 percent of adults are obese, more than double the percentage 30 years ago. The share of obese children tripled during that time, to 17 percent. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/14/health/14obese.html

• Now in 2010 things have gotten much worse with today’s millennium generation with 60% of our teenagers overweight and 17% of those kids are considered obese.

 
Of course, I could produce another hundred statistics to make my case, but the trend is clear:  Americans aren’t just getting fatter, we’re killing ourselves.  The food we eat, along with the exercise we don’t get, is destroying not only our health, but our quality of life.

Kevin Saunders: post accident paralyzed from the chest down. Before exercising and eating healthy then After implementing a proper fitness and nutritional plan

 
None of this is news, even if most of us haven’t been paying attention.  In fact, bookstores are overflowing with the latest diets and fitness fads.  If anything, we’re facing an information overload.  It seems that everybody wants to make a buck off our nation’s fat problem, whether it’s the burger stand selling greasy fries, or the author pushing the latest ‘miracle cure’ So why another title on fitness?

What gets lost in the noise about health and nutrition is a simple, reasonable discussion about what Americans can do – right now – to help themselves.  And my book, Revolutions, is written towards that end.   As a Paralympics champion and former member of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports, I’ve seen what changes in health and diet can do on a personal and national level.  During my time helping to shape our nation’s fitness policies, I began to see the current disturbing trend taking shape.  Determined to raise awareness of the problem, I did the only thing I could think of – pushed forward.

During a three and half-month tour, I pushed my wheelchair across America, North to South, stopping in big cities and small towns along the way.  Not only did I see some of our fittest (and fattest!) zip codes, I met concerned citizens at every stop.  In some cases, they were families struggling to make nutritious choices.  Other times, it was politicians working away to improve their citizens health.  In each case, however, the challenge was clear – to change habits and thinking, first at the individual level, and then within the community.

As a result of my journey, I gained a new, first-hand perspective on America’s health crisis.  I also gathered some attention to the issue, both from local radio, news and television outlets, and bigger venues like FOX News, USA Today and ESPN.  In the end, however, I knew I still needed to do more.  The first step in that direction is “Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour” Blog called Revolutions which you are reading now.  Within the pages of my book, I want to explore the challenges facing us today, along with practical solutions that hit the problem at every level.  Interspersed with tales from my push across the continent, I’ll mix in a brief history of our nation’s health, the story of how exercise saved my life, advice on proper nutrition and fitness, and strategies for changing the outlook in your community – no matter where that is. It is our vision for our nation’s youth to have a solid background, knowledge and understanding of the huge importance and the significance of lifelong positive implications of taking part in physical fitness, activities, sports and how to and why making good overall nutritional choices will have on their individual lives versus the negative implications NOT taking part in this initiative. We will use daily personal accountability journals for students to help them (write down & visualize themselves reaching their goals and taking action on them) set short and long term goals for participation in fitness activities, sports, making good nutritional choices along with choosing to make daily improved overall healthier choices.

Kevin pushes hard toward a healthier future

 
Our goal is to provide the how, what, where, why and when answers for each student. This was they know how being active and eating  properly balanced meals work together to help them stay alert and provides them the energy they need for their activities. How to find and get involved in activities or sports they find enjoyment in taking part in. How they can determine what food choices are best for their particular needs. What vitamins, nutrients, and minerals their body needs to keep them at an optimal performance level and what foods they can find them in. This helps them lay the foundation for their proper fitness activities and nutritional needs.

 With this information,  they can look at their personal daily journals over a period of weeks and months to see how  their personal choices and decisions they have made effects how they feel, their self esteem, how they see themselves, their energy levels, and increases their ability to learn. This type of accountability helps each student develop a personal desire to make the necessary changes to make better choices to lead healthier lives.  

During our 50 state tour, our focus is also to keep a balance between big and small schools, cities and towns located in the center, north, south, east and west corners of each state in all 50 states. Our vision is for our presentations to create a synergy with our audiences where we are able to become simpatico with the students with through a sharing of information, thoughts, ideas, examples and facts to help create a deep desire within the students by synergizing with them through our presentations, media interviews and website. To create an environment where students throughout each state are motivated from within to set and reach personal goals for their own fitness, health and well being. We will help create a desire within the students to become motivated and inspired to carry on active lifestyles, with good nutrition and making healthier choices on a daily basis for a lifetime.

 We are going to show America that the revolution is coming, and we can all take part during the “Fitness 4 all 50 State Tour”.

As a top motivational and inspirational speaker and coach, Kevin Saunders, who is paralyzed from the chest down, shows kids, schools, teachers, and community and state leaders that anyone can get fit. As former Governor of California Arnold Swarchenegger said, “Kevin’s broken body bears silent testimony as someone who has overcome tremendous adversity to get fit and beckons others to follow.”  Mr. Saunders, a world champion paralympian and wheelchair athlete, will be carrying his message of health and fitness to thousands of schools across America.  Bob Richards, two-time Olympic Pole Vault Champion, said “ One of the most heroic and valiant endeavors in sports I have ever seen is the effort and struggle of Kevin Saunders. I am inspired by his message in There’s Always A Way. He is not a dependent in this world but a thrilling contributor to this world…”.

If you are overweight it may lead to health problems see the BMI Calculator right of my Revolutions blog for to find your approximate body fat. For more information.

Since our website is also listed on our Revolutions blog site and our www.Fitness4All50StateTour.org  which is (currently under construction) will follow the “Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour” as we visit 3,000 over schools grades 3-12 across our nation, put on presentations to the students and also hold Parents meetings also were possible to help build internal motivation for youth’s parents so they also see the need to access the  credible information and links we have provided on our websites and free healthy food coupons and motivation also for colleges & universities, America’s workforce, State and local government organizations and local community members and their community leaders, we also want to stop by the Children’s hospitals when possible to encourage them by encouraging them to Never Give Up!

We want leave either posters or a medallion to our children in Children’s Hospitals to have collector’s item form the 50 State Tour and to provide them support, encouragement and motivation, inspiration by encouraging them to Never, Never, Never Give Up!  Also those children will be given the link to our “Fitness 4 All 50 Sate Tour” website, So all the current information and the most updated information along with the pictures, videos, articles and links when we at the lists of groups location and the pictures, videos info from our survey which is given before and after hearing a presentation form Kevin Saunders, the “World Champion Paralympain.”

By providing all audiences with an educational, motivational, inspirational presentation on how to become self-motivated or read the motivational quote each day, to help each person make the best choices for their needs, by utilizing the information, opportunity to look at the information they have been given or have access to. Which has been designed to help make those students and people have access to make better choices when it comes to:  “Fitness Activities, Sports – Balanced high Nutritional Meals or Healthy Snacks” information is also currently being listed on http://www.kevinsaunders.com/blog/

 Our vision is for our nation’s youth, parents, workforce and Americans to understand the significance of physical fitness and nutrition. By giving presentations to schools and providing them with credible information on how, what, when and why types of activities, sports, balanced nutritional meals, foods and healthy snacks do to them be healthier, so they can are more active have extra energy. To educate, motivate and inspire people of all ages to set and reach for they reach for their fitness goals and for them to make the necessary changes to lead healthier lives.

 We will cover each state north, south, east, west & center giving presentations to big, medium & small schools cities & towns. We will also hold Health & Fitness Summits for the Mayors, City Council & community leaders of those cities & towns to encourage them to want to help educate the public to build a healthy community. Our tour team will also meet with the Governors & their staffs with the same purpose to show provide them with the information we have so they can have it to help create a to the CDC – Center for Disease Control healthy state. We are doing this to help change the of 2/3 of the nation which is overweight & approximately 17% according % of those are obesity.

 Results from the 2007-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), using measured heights and weights, indicate that an estimated 17 % of children and adolescents ages 2-19 years are obese. In order to get more precise measurements the use of skin-fold calipers for adults and school students will get a more accurate reading.

According to the CDC – [ of Disease Control in Atlanta, GA] – For school students made up of children and teens, BMI ranges above a normal weight have different labels (overweight and obese). Additionally, BMI ranges for children and teens are defined so that they take into account normal differences in body fat between boys and girls and differences in body fat at various ages. For more information about BMI for children and teens (also called BMI-for-age),

Overweight and obesity are both labels for ranges of weight that are greater than what is generally considered healthy for a given height. The terms also identify ranges of weight that have been shown to increase the likelihood of certain diseases and other health problems

To define being overweight and obesity

According to the CDC – to be overweight for an adult is calculated using the BMI table if they have a BMI score of 25 to 29.9 which is based on height and weight  they are considered to be overweight.

Our nation currently spends around 150 billion dollars on obesity related diseases . By passing on this information that will help people read & understand what fitness activities do and can best help them reach their goals of what they would like to be. Also we want to help people understand how to read labels & now how things work. Say there is 40 grams of sugar in a drink, how can anyone visualize how much that would be? There is a formula; “just divide the number of grams of sugar per serving by 4 = 10 which would represent the # of teaspoons of sugar in that serving. We will be providing the schools we visit with Tips like this and a number of other subjects in the form of a personal accountability journal that has question to answer each day in the students notebook. So they can keep track of what you are in reaching your Health and Fitness Goals for the New Year.

Doing as well as finding out what works or doesn’t & eliminate those types of activities or foods. Then rate their day according to how well they did in making better choices to become or stay healthy and fit.

 As a wheelchair “World Champion Paralympian” I grew up like a normal child went to college and played collegiate sports. I was later injured as a Federal Inspector when the grain elevator I was inspecting sin my early to mid 20’s on the Gulf Coach of Texas exploded left 10 dead, over 30 injured and threw me over a 2 story building over 300 feet onto a concrete parking lot. I was not expected to live but after spending a year in the hospital and completely paralyzed from the chest down. After I recovered from a deep depression, I came back to become the “World’s greatest all-around wheelchair Athlete” and one of the top 100 speakers in America. You can read more see video or pictures on my website.

I greatly enjoy helping others like my rugby friends did me after I got out of the hospital they pushed me to workout play medicine ball & most of all they helped me get my life back even though I was completely paralyzed from the chest down. Now I have a great passion to help educate, motivate and inspire our nation’s youth to help provide them the knowledge so they to can get fit learn how to eat right. This way they will have an opportunity to reach goals they may have never dreamed possible. Thank you for your input!  Stay in touch! All the best, Kevin “Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour” ww.KevinSaunders.com

.As one of America’s top speakers & World Paralympic Champions, it is an event you won’t want to miss! Kevin Saunders has a tremendous passion and the leadership it takes to get the message about the tremendous importance of staying educated when it comes to fitness & staying in shape or making the best nutritional choices for balanced meals and healthy snacks.

Kevin’s goal is help provide the education and resources to enable to our nation’s youth to make the best choices possible. Kevin believes in our nation’s youth and giving them the ability by teaching students and giving them the power with education & knowledge so they are able to make wise choices for staying active and eating the good nutritional food by knowing how to make the right choices. By engaging our nation’s youth through technology so they have the information available to download on their iPhone, Mp3, iPod and to have up to date information to access for fitness & nutritional choices that will help them make the best choice possible.

On website we will have the information available for the people who want in a small notebook format, which will enable our nation’s students and parents to reach their personal or family  health & fitness goals and by having the tools and the knowledge at hand to in order to stay motivated for generations to come.

This way if things change they have the knowledge necessary to figure out what changes they ultimately need to make to keep then on the path to a fit and healthy lifestyle. Pass it on their kids so they too are equipped to make wise nutritional choices for balanced meals, healthy snacks and what fitness activities or sports would best fit their personal goals to stay in shape & get fit!
 
Kevin Saunders was the first person with a disability to be appointed to Presidents Council – Physical Fitness & Sports & Nutrition by President H.W. Bush and the only person to be reappointed by President Clinton where he served for two terms of the Clinton Administration as the Senior Member.
 
Kevin with help of a local Houston CPA Anegli Arjunani and her firm, Kevin was able to found the nonprofit corporation the “Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour” & move forward with his dream.  To help educate our nation’s youth, parents, workforce where possible and the American people about the positive effects of physical fitness and proper nutrition, in such way that they are motivated and inspired to excel search & find out the latest information, separate fact from advertising & actively make healthier choices for a lifetime and pass it on to their children.

That’s when Kevin decided to go forward with nonprofit corporation, “Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour,” by raising grant monies to fund this herculean effort! Kevin & a team will travel to all 50 states, in 2 to 3 years. Covering each state center, north, east, west, south, to educate, motive and inspire our nation’s youth, parents and workforce about education having access to knowledge with latest information technology to make better choices when it comes balanced nutritional meals, healthy snacks and get involved in fitness activities or, sports. Here is the Vision, Mission, Purpose & Organizational Summary for the Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour:
 

This medallion which the picture shows the front and back of it, will be given to the boy and girl who best exemplifies the qualities of someone who makes good choices for their fitness activities or sports and makes good nutritional choices for balanced and good nutritional meals or healthy snacks. They are to be chosen by the teachers, administrators, student class officers, student council of each of the over 3,000 schools we visit at which Kevin Saunders will give an educational, motivational and inspirational presentation to the students, teachers, parent and administrators.

.PURPOSE:
Our purpose is to educate the youth of America, parents and the American people about the positive effects of physical fitness and proper nutrition, in such way that they are motivated and inspired to actively make healthier choices for a lifetime and pass it on to their children.
 
MISSION:

Our Mission is to utilize our organization’s proven abilities with motivational & inspirational presentations & teamwork, as a catalyst in educating & promoting physical fitness & sound nutritional choices using technology devices as a medium to enable our nation’s youth, workforce & Americans to have the knowledge at their finger tips to get fit. We will build eternal motivation so each individual is self-motivated to seek out healthier choices on a daily basis, which will enable them to make better choices to lead healthier lives for a lifetime of quality living for generations to come.

VISION:
It is our vision for our nation’s youth, parents, workforce and Americas to have a solid background, knowledge and understanding of the huge importance and the significance of the having access to the knowledge which enables them to make lifelong choices of taking part in physical fitness that is appropriate for their needs, activities, sports and they will know how  and why making good overall nutritional choices helps you get fit, We will provide daily personal accountability journals entitled: “My Healthy Lifestyle Journals” for students to help them (write down & visualize themselves reaching their goals and taking action on them) set short and long term goals for participation in fitness activities, sports, making good nutritional choices along with choosing to make daily improved overall healthier choices.

 This way they can look at their personal daily  journals over a period of weeks and months and see how  their personal choices and each decision they make effects how they feel, their self esteem, how they see themselves, their energy levels, and increases their ability to alert, stay sharp and learn . This type of accountability helps each student develop a personal desire to make the necessary changes to make better choices to lead healthier lives.

Thank you for your input! Stay in touch! All the best, Kevin “Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour” ww.KevinSaunders.com

Here is the Vision, Mission, Purpose & Organizational Summary for the Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour:
 
PURPOSE:
Our purpose is to educate the youth of America and the American people about the positive effects of physical fitness and proper nutrition, in such way that they are inspired to actively make healthier choices for a lifetime and pass it on to their children.
 
MISSION:
Our organization’s mission is to inspire, motivate and empower our nation’s youth, through education to make healthier lifestyle choices by helping each student develop a vision for their personal fitness, activities, sports, making good daily nutritional choices and build internal motivation of those ideas so they are motivated from within to seek out healthier choices on a daily basis. So they can make better choices that will enable them to lead healthier lives for a lifetime of quality living for generations to come.  They will have that knowledge available to pass on to their family, siblings, children and grandchildren now and later in life.
 
VISION:
It is our vision for our nation’s youth to have a solid background, knowledge and understanding of the huge importance and the significance of lifelong positive implications of taking part in physical fitness, activities, sports and how to and why making good overall nutritional choices versus not taking action. We will use daily personal accountability journals for students to help them (write down & visualize themselves reaching their goals and taking action on them) set short and long term goals for participation in fitness activities, sports, making good nutritional choices along with choosing to make daily improved overall healthier choices. This way they can look at their personal daily  journals over a period of weeks and months and see how  their personal choices and each decision they make effects how they feel, their self esteem, how they see themselves, their energy levels, and increases their ability to learn. This type of accountability helps each student develop a personal desire to make the necessary changes to make better choices to lead healthier lives.

During our 50 state tour our focus is also to keep a balance between big and small schools, cities and towns located in the center, north, south, east and west corners of each state in all 50 states. Our vision is for our presentations to create a synergy with our audiences where we are able to become simpatico with the students with through a sharing of information, thoughts, ideas, examples and facts to help create a deep desire within the students by synergizing with them through our presentations, media interviews and website. To create an environment where students throughout each state are motivated from within to set and reach personal goals for their own fitness, health and well being. We will help create a desire within the students to become motivated and inspired to carry on active lifestyles, with good nutrition and making healthier choices on a daily basis for a lifetime.

ORGANIZATIONAL SUMMARY:
For the “Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour” which is a nonprofit organization dedicated and focused towards our nation’s youth to help educate, motivate, and inspire students and participants to set and reach daily personal goals and accept personal responsibility for their health, fitness, sports activities, making good and better nutritional choices and overall healthier choices regardless of their challenges, adversities, or personal tragedies.
 
We will provide “My Daily Healthy Lifestyle Journals” to the students in selected schools we visit throughout each state in all 50 states so they can see how their fitness, nutritional and overall health goals, minds and bodies are affected by their daily choices. Through government and corporate collaborations, we aim to directly educate our nation’s youth, parents, teachers, Mayors, community leaders, Governors and state leaders on  why, when, how and where to make fitness activities, sports and healthier lifestyle choices a normal part everyday life for our nation’s youth, parents, teachers, administrators, workforce, community and state. Why increasing the state budget to fund public schools with educational programs for fitness, activities and sports and nutritional classes is absolutely necessary and absolutely paramount for today’s millennium generation with 60% of our teenagers overweight and 17% obese with almost 150 billion dollars being spent in America on obesity related diseases, the time for action is now!

“Many people with disabilities are not dependents on this world but thrilling contributors!”

Kevin Saunders, a gifted, highly sought after motivational speaker, brings his disability empowerment message to help NASA Space Center in Huntsville, Ala. celebrate disability hiring month.

“Talent Has NO Boundaries!,” says Saunders. “Many people with disabilities are not dependents on this world but thrilling contributors!”

He’ll emphasize that message with his compelling personal story. Injured in one of the worst grain elevator explosions in Texas history, Saunders used physical fitness to overcome brutal physical injury. Over the past 20 years, Saunders’ achievements are unrivaled. He has won marathons, earned Olympic medals, served twice on the President’s national physical fitness council and is planning an ambitious 50 state wheelchair tour to encourage kids to make healthy lifestyle-choices.

“My message is loud and clear. Hiring disabled workers isn’t charity, it’s a savvy business decision,” said Saunders. “In overcoming great personal hardship, physically disabled workers bring an unmatched set of intangibles. Disabled people have the qualifications and the character to help any organization reach the stars.”

Saunders will share his incredible story of ‘Tragedy to Triumph’ as well as inspiring accomplishments of other people with disabilities. He is one of America’s top motivational speakers, and this event is one you won’t want to miss!

One spring afternoon in Corpus Christi, Texas, where Saunders worked as a federal inspector, a cascading series of grain dust explosions catapulted his body over 300 feet in the air, over a two story building and he landed hard on his head and back in a concrete parking lot. In addition to the harsh physical injury, Saunders spirit and self-concept were badly broken as well. Through physical fitness and sport, Saunders reclaimed both his body and spirit. For more on Saunders’ amazing story “Tragedy to Triumph” follow this link to his video: http://kevinsaunders.com/about.php

Saunders list of achievements is long and illustrious.

He is a three time Paralympian and World Champion. He has wheeled across parts of Europe as a physical fitness ambassador, earning a World Health Organization award in 2006 recognizing his dedication to fitness and health.

Kevin Saunders was the first disabled American to be appointed to the President’s Council – Physical Fitness & Sports & Nutrition and he served under both President George H.W. Bush and President Clinton. He received many commendations for outstanding contributions to that Council. US Senator Pat Roberts of Kansas nominated Saunders to chair Presidents Fitness Council under President Obama, a nomination unanimously supported by the Kansas State Senate.

Recently, he formed the nonprofit corporation, “Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour,” He plans to raise grant monies to fund this Herculean effort. Kevin & a team will travel to all 50 states, covering each state center, north, east, west, and south. His goal is to educate our nation’s youth on the importance of education, good, balanced, nutritious meals, healthy snacks, involvement in fitness activities, sports, all in an attempt to motivate them to make healthier choices a habit for a lifetime.

Kevin will give the students he talks with “Student Daily Accountability Pocket Journals” which contain goal setting for what they want to reach and tips on making better, healthier choices.

Kevin Saunders
Website www.KevinSaunders.com
PH: 713-686-0077 or CeLL: 713-440-4579

HOUSTON – It was 29 years ago this month that Kevin Saunders’ life was changed forever. “Thanks to the good Lord I got a second chance,” said Saunders. A grain elevator explosion left him paralyzed from the chest down so that second chance wasn’t going to be easy. “Physical injuries didn’t kill me,” said Saunders. “The self doubt and the deep depression that I went through almost did.” But a wheelchair race a year after the accident in Georgia changed all that. Since then, Kevin has made it a mission to encourage everyone, especially young people, to stay active and never give up. A message he learned through fitness.

“It means a great deal to me to be able to help the young people get excited about improving their education to enable them to make healthier choices for fitness activities and the foods they eat and to be able to make a difference in the communities across America,” said Saunders.

“Thanks to the good Lord I got a second chance,” said Saunders.

A grain elevator explosion left him paralyzed from the chest down so that second chance wasn’t going to be easy.

“Physical injuries didn’t kill me,” said Saunders. “The self doubt and the deep depression that I went through almost did.”

But a wheelchair race a year after the accident in Georgia changed all that. Since then, Kevin has made it a mission to encourage everyone, especially young people, to stay active and never give up. A message he learned through fitness.

“It means a great deal to me to be able to help the young people, to be able to make a difference in the communities across America,” said Saunders

“Behind ever great man is an even greater woman!” Kevin and wife Dora Saunders Summer 2010

That’s why Saunders who was recently nominated for chairman of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports has made it his mission to push his wheelchair through portions of all 50 states with his Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour. With a mission is to inspire and empower the American people, through education to make healthier lifestyle choices.

The vision of the Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour is for Americans to understand the significance of physical fitness and nutrition, as they reach for their goals, and for them to make the necessary changes to lead healthier lives. The purpose is to educate the American people about the positive effects of physical fitness and proper nutrition, in such way that they are inspired to actively make healthier choices.

Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour is a non-profit organization dedicated to educate, motivate, and inspire the American people to set and reach high personal goals and accept personal responsibility for their health and fitness regardless of their challenges, adversities, or personal tragedies. Through government participation and corporate collaborations, we aim to directly teach the American people how to make healthier lifestyle choices.

By providing instruction and materials to students and their parents, communities and states about the effects of physical fitness and nutrition on their bodies, the connection between physical fitness and their ability to reach their goals, how to read food labels, and how to create nutritionally balanced meals.  Our goal is to inspire them to get motivated to make healthier lifestyle changes, and provide some of the resources to make those changes, including coupons for free healthy food from national healthy food vendors, daily personal accountability journals with fitness and nutritional tips and conversion charts and shopping lists, and informational websites conversion tables for food and fitness activities. Kevin Saunders was the first person with a disability and Paralympian to be appointed to the President’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports by President George H.W. Bush and the only person reappointed by President Bill Clinton. He also served a special constituent expert for a Special Commission by the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and the Department of Health and Human Services to come up with a plan to improve fitness and Health for people with disabilities.

The plan is to tour the United States, visiting various cities in all 50 states, carrying the message of physical fitness and proper nutrition.

The core of the plan is to provide a focused educational experience in the form of a presentation to students in all 50 states.  The target audiences are students in public schools grades 3 through 12.  The presentation will be provided free of charge to the schools and will cover the following topics:

1. Motivation and inspiration to set and reach personal goals for personal fitness and to make healthier choices
2. The positive effects of physical fitness and proper nutrition on the mind and body
3. The connection between living a healthy lifestyle and the ability to reach one’s personal goals
4. The role of accountability and perseverance in making healthier choices
5. Where to find more resources, information, and support to make healthier choices
6. Recognition of one student in the school who exemplifies the concepts we are promoting

Students will be provided with educational brochures that summarize the information provided in the presentation.  Daily pocket accountability journals will be distributed to students, so they may begin their journal towards wellness. 

In addition, we will be hosting a meeting with parents at select cities.  At the meeting, we will share the key concepts presented to the students.  Parents will be encouraged to evaluate their family’s current health habits and make decisions to improve them.  We will provide direction and resources to help them be successful.  Coupons for free healthy food will be distributed to the parents, as well as tips for creating healthier meals and encouraging physical activity for the entire family.

To supplement our efforts and maximize their effectiveness, we will be meeting with local government officials and community leaders in every city that we visit.  We will host a summit that addresses the health and fitness needs of the city, facilitates discussion, and provides solutions to current health problems. 

We will create a website that is easy to understand and provides a wide range of physical fitness and nutritional information.  The website will contain tips on how to apply the information in everyday life, together with how to read food labels, conversion tables and much more.  We will make available templates for the accountability journal on our website Fitness4All50StateTour.com. The website will also provide links to other valuable resources, including websites and books.

To measure the effectiveness of our efforts, we will be using various tracking tools.  We will distribute a survey that evaluates the students’ attitudes and habits before and after the school presentations.  With the help of school officials, we will measure the students’ health statistics and habits before the presentations and at various time intervals after the presentation.  Parent attitudes and habits will be measured with a similar survey.  The effectiveness of the health and fitness summits will be measured as well.  We will collect data about the attitudes of the city leaders regarding physical fitness and nutrition and the health initiatives before and after the summit.

As the Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour is a non-profit corporation we would appreciate any leads or suggestions for getting the funding necessary to complete this 2 to 3 year tour to make a positive difference and reduce obesity in America one community at a time.

Also anyone who would like to write a letter of support to President Obama of Kevin Saunders as the next chairman of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports and his plan for the Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour. Please take a look at Kevin’s homepage at www.KevinSaunders.com and click on the link below the big blue NEVER GIVE UP! that says; Who is Kevin Saunders, and why should he be the Chairman of the President’s Council for Physical Fitness & Sports? There you will see some of Kevin’s Accomplishments experience and plan for the tour and also some sample letters. We greatly appreciate your support and look forward to seeing you in city or school near you!

Wishing you all the best,

The Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour team

Kevin enjoys speaking & motivating our nations youth to get fit!

2010 – The Kansas Senate unanimously passed Senate Resolution No. 1819 sponsored by Senator Janis Lee adopted by the entire SENATE body, supporting Kevin Saunders for the position of chairman of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports. After the reading of the Resolution the Senate & guests gave tribute to Mr. Saunders with 5 minutes of applause for his accomplishments and to support him to become the next chairman of the President’s Fitness Council.”

Kevin Saunders plan as chairman includes following up on what Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger started over 20 years ago as Chairman of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports when he visited all 50 states to advocate for daily, quality physical education and fitness. Kevin formed the non-profit corporation entitled’ Fitness 4 All 50 state tour and plans when appointed chairman to also follow First Lady, Michelle Obama’s lead fighting childhood obesity and support her; “Let’s Move” campaign.” Governor Schwarzenegger’s quote about Kevin says it best! “Kevin’s broken body bears silent testimony to one who has overcome tremendous obstacles to get fit and beckons others to follow.” — California Governor Schwarzenegger

Kevin Saunders will visit all 50 states with a plan to encourage schools and school districts, students, parents, teachers and administrators, city and state officials to become lifelong supporters of the initiative to create accountability for fitness education, increased fitness activities and providing healthier choices. Kevin wants to get students and parents involved with frequent PTA meetings with the support of National healthy food vendors and fitness leaders to help the diverse at risk populations to learn how to incorporate eating healthy and exercising into their everyday lives. Also providing students and parents with information and education on how to properly read and understand food labels. The National healthy food vendors will help by providing free coupons as incentives for healthy foods, simple recipes and shopping tips to students and parents. Part of this plan involves helping students and parents understand how they can buy healthy foods and prepare them together as a family at a lesser cost and how it is better for you than eating out at fast food or convenience stores all of the time.

Kevin will be criss-crossing each state with his team to share his motivational message of how fitness, eating right and making healthier choices gave him his life back after being blown over 300 feet through the air onto a concrete parking lot. Leaving him hospitalized for almost a year. Kevin found himself paralyzed from the chest down with no core balance when he reentered mainstream life. Kevin Saunders came back to become a world champion wheelchair athlete earning the title “World’s greatest all-around wheelchair athlete” and became one of the top motivational speakers in America. Kevin will share his message of “Tragedy to Triumph” with students in big, medium and small school districts across each state in America. Kevin also wants to provide students with daily accountability journals so they can set their short & long term goals for the education, fitness & making healthier choices.

Kevin will follow the administrations lead to encourage school districts to buy into the First Lady’s “Let’s Move” campaign using preventative measures for obesity by providing healthier choices improved fitness and activities all students can take part in. Kevin will also meet with Mayors, City Councils and community leaders and concerned citizens and state Governors and their Health & Human Services staff to get them on board to provide the partnerships with corporate and business leaders. In order to help provide and raise the funds necessary to build the lifelong support mechanism that will promote and provide the fitness education and activities, healthy eating choices necessary to help maintain a lasting permanent change to reduce childhood obesity. Kevin wants to help cut down on the hundreds of billions of dollars being spent by our national health care system on obesity related diseases.

Kevin learned firsthand after working with Head Coach, Bill Snyder and being part of the “Greatest turnaround in college football history” that you have to get the student / athletes to buy into the program. Then you have to get the University President and Board of Regents and other university leaders to buy in as well and help provide the support and funds necessary to help Kansas State University compete with other major Division-1 football programs in America. Then you have to get the support of the Alumni to financially support your goals as well as businesses like Nike for uniforms and many others. You have to also get people to see things differently in Kansas State football that was Coach Snyder convincing people after only 4 winning seasons from WWII to 1990 Kansas State only had 4 winning seasons. The 5 years prior to Head Coach Bill Snyder’s arrival the football team had only won 4 games. As you can imagine convincing people they could win football games and become champions in football at Kansas State took not only a great plan, leadership it took a great deal of effort in many different areas to truly make a lasting winning change for the better.
By getting everyone working together for a common goal to improve fitness education, activities and making and providing healthier choices for our youth we can win the fight against childhood obesity in America!

The resolution was presented in the Kansas Senate Wednesday afternoon to support Kevin Saunders to receive the position of Chairman of the President’s Council on Fitness and Sports. Saunders lives in Texas but is originally from Downs in north central Kansas. An elevator explosion in 1981 left him paralyzed from the chest down. Saunders is a two-timepPara Olympian and medal winner and was named the world’s greatest all-around wheelchair athlete in 1990.

Pictured here is Kansas State head football coach Bill Snyder and State Senator Janis Lee of Kensington.

Senator Janis Lee Sponsors Senate Resolution supporting Kevin Saunders for Chairman of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports The official presentation of the Senate Resolution to Kevin Saunders will be held February 10 at 2:35 PM on the Senate Floor at the State Capitol in Topeka, KS. The resolution supporting Kevin Saunders appointment to chairman of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports was adopted by the Senate body and a copy was sent to the President.

Topeka, KS (PRWEB) February 9, 2010 — Senator Janis Lee Sponsors Senate Resolution supporting Kevin Saunders for Chairman of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports.

The official presentation of the Senate Resolution to Kevin Saunders will be held February 10 at 2:35 PM on the Senate Floor at the State Capitol in Topeka, KS. The resolution supporting Kevin Saunders appointment to chairman of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports was adopted by the Senate body and a copy was sent to the President.

Senator Lee believes that Kevin would serve as the best possible choice to lead the President’s Fitness Council as chairman.

“I am extremely proud to introduce a Senate Resolution on behalf of Kevin Saunders. Despite being badly injured and handicapped in 1981, Kevin has dedicated his life to promoting physical activity and fitness among Kansans of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities. Through his advocacy, Kevin has positively touched the lives of countless disabled Americans and serves as a role model to us all.” — Senator Janis Lee

Kevin Saunders isn’t just a fitness icon; he is an example of the American spirit in action. Paralyzed from the chest down by one of the worst industrial accidents in our nation’s history — a grain elevator explosion that launched him more than 100 yards and should have left him dead — he has gone on to become a celebrated athlete, champion, and example for young people everywhere.

While a personal tragedy of that magnitude might have ended the dreams of most people, Kevin has turned his misfortune into a catalyst for self achievement, both in himself and others. Not content to simply accept a limited “life with a disability,” he used physical fitness as the tool with which he could reshape his life. Beginning with small, local races, he turned from a young man cut down in his prime to an emerging athletic force, winning regional, national, and eventually international competitions.

It’s possible that being a two-time Paralympian and medal winner who in 1990 was named “the world’s greatest all-around wheelchair athlete” would be impressive enough. These achievements, however, only scratch the surface. Following his performances in Korea and Spain, Kevin was appointed to the President’s Council by George H.W. Bush — making him the first person with a disability / Paralympian to serve on the council, and the only member reappointed by President Bill Clinton.

At the conclusion of that term, Kevin continued to serve the American people by pushing himself from one end of the country to the other, over 2,500 painstaking miles in all, stopping in cities and towns along the way to hold forums on fitness. He has made it his mission, should he be selected for service on the President’s Council again, this time as chairman he plans to visit all 50 states personally and do whatever he can to help Americans enjoy happier, healthier lives. His plan is to spend a minimum of two weeks in each state, not only meeting with political and community leaders, but motivating students to keep daily accountability journals with their short and long term goals for education, fitness and making healthier choices.

As someone with extensive experience on the President’s Council, not to mention extensive media exposure and a commitment to health and fitness throughout our nation, Kevin Saunders is the perfect choice for Chairman of President Obama’s President’s Council Physical Fitness & Sports. He understands exactly what it will take to build a healthier America, and he’s committed to doing whatever it takes to create lasting change.

At the state capitol of Kansas there will be many in attendance in support of Kevin Saunders appointment as the next chairman of the President’s Fitness Council, one of which will be Kevin’s long-time friend and supporter legendary Head Football Coach Bill Snyder of the Kansas State University Wildcats, who orchestrated the greatest turn-around in college football history and possibly all of sports. As Head Coach Bill Snyder said in his letter to President Obama, “Kevin Saunders through is determination, pride and faith in his country, his leadership capacity, his ability to command great respect from his peers, his honesty and loyalty, and the intrinsic value system he has in place, in my eyes become the perfect fit to chair the President’s Fitness Council. This country and its youth would profit amazing well from his selection.”

Another great supporter of Kevin’s is former 2-time Olympic Gold Medalist in the Pole Vault and first person to be featured on the Wheaties box, Bob Richards, who quotes “Mr. President, One of the most heroic and valiant endeavors in the world of sport that I have ever seen is the effort and struggle of Kevin Saunders. Crippled by a blast in a grain elevator and thrown hundreds of feet into a crumpled mass and unbelievably and miraculously fought to survive. Not only living, he resolved to take his crippled body and make a great contribution to life.”

Help Kevin Saunders wheel his way to Washington to serve the country as Chair of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sport. Visit www.KevinSaunders.com, go to the left and under the big blue NEVER GIVE UP! and click on ‘Who is Kevin Saunders and why should he be the next Chairman of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports?’ Then send a letter to President Obama today.

For any questions please feel free to contact:
Dora Ortiz at Saunders & Associates at info(at)kevinsaunders(dot)com
Website: www.KevinSaunders.com (on home page on left side below Olympic torch, below the blue NEVER GIVE UP! Click on pdf link entitled: “Who is Kevin Saunders and why should he be the next chairman of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports?)
PH: 713-686-0077

Fresh off a win at the Houston Chevron/Aramco Half Marathon 2010, Kevin Saunders hopes to ignite a grassroots movement, encouraging people to write letters to support his nomination as chair of the Presidential Physical Fitness Council. Saunders is a dynamic motivational coach, inspirational speaker, and accomplished wheelchair athlete. Show Kevin support by becoming a Facebook fan of the group dedicated to making him the chair.

Houston, TX (PRWEB) February 2, 2010 — He recently won the Houston Chevron/Aramco half marathon, now Kevin Saunders wants to share his amazing personal story with the nation. Soon President Obama will name a chair to lead the President’s Council on Physical Fitness. Saunders has been nominated, but he needs grassroots help — write a letter to support Kevin Saunders as chair of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness. Start today by becoming a Facebook fan of Kevin Saunders for Chairman of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness / Sport. His supporters have set a goal of 5,000 Facebook fans.

See Kevin’s ABC TV interview after the race where he talks about what he would do as Chairman.
As Governor Schwarzenegger said; Kevin’s broken body serves as a silent testament to one who has overcome tremendous obstacles and beckons others to follow Kevin Saunders’ audacious plan as chairman is to push his wheelchair through all 50 states over the next 2.5 years. He’ll speak in schools and visit the Mayors and city councils and Governors to see what the PCPFS can do, as well to encourage the entire community get fit.

“Kids need to see what choices take them closer to their goals or further away, and start refining and improving their choices. This tour also allows them to realize that most goals are not reached in days or even weeks but months and sometime years,” said Saunders. “I have a deep passion and drive to see that all of America gets fit! At each stop I want to have an activity such as a run, aerobics, and other physical activities accessible to most people. The tour is inspired by my friend and mentor, Arnold Schwarzenegger. When he chaired the committee, he visited all 50 state capitols. As Governor Schwarzenegger said; ‘Kevin’s broken body serves as a silent testament to one who has overcome tremendous obstacles and beckons others to follow’.”

Saunders was appointed to the President’s Council on Physical Fitness by President George H.W. Bush and was the only council member to be reappointed to the council by President Bill Clinton. He is a sought-after speaker, motivational coach, and author of five books. He has a proven, singular to communicate, not only about fitness as an essential, everyday tool, but way to truly overcome life’s most challenging circumstances. There could be no better role model to lead the President’s committee.

Organized athletic competition is only one element of his record of achievement. Saunders’ attempt to raise awareness of fitness and disability issues led him to wheel over 2,500 miles from Canada to México and serve as “Ambassador of Fitness” wheeling across several European countries, meeting with officials to advance disability causes.

Help Kevin Saunders wheel his way to Washington to serve the country as Chair of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sport. Visit www.KevinSaunders.com, go to the left and under the big blue NEVER GIVE UP! and click on ‘Who is Kevin Saunders and why should he be the next Chairman of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports?’ Then send a letter to President Obama today.

The Hon Barack Obama, White House Personnel, RE: Appointment Chairman Fitness Council
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave
Washington, DC 20500

cc letter to:
Kathleen Sebelius
Sec. Health and Human Services
200 Independence Ave SW
Washington, DC 20201

For any questions please feel free to contact:
Dora Ortiz at Saunders & Associates @ info(at)kevinsaunders(dot)com

Website: www.KevinSaunders.com (on home page on left side below Olympic torch, below the blue NEVER GIVE UP! Click on pdf link entitled: “Who is Kevin Saunders and why should he be the next chairman of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports?)

PH: 713-686-0077

prweb3295114.htm
Kevin Saunders 1st wheelchair person for Chairman President’s Fitness Council and Kevin Saunders 1st person with a disability for chairman President’s Fitness Council wants to push through all 50 states in his wheelchair promoting fitness4all by visiting schools with a motivational message and by handing out personal daily accountability personal journals for the students to set their long and short term goals for education, fitness and making healthy choices so they can see that their goals are not accomplished in days or even weeks but usually month and even years. I think  Kevin Saunders being a world champion Paralympic Athlete and one of the top 100 motivational speakers in America gives him an excellent opportunity to succeed and reduce the obesity epidemic in America.

The President’s Fitness Council would be greatly helped with Kevin Saunders leading them. With Kevin Saunders’ experience under two previous President’s Fitness Councils he has the background to get the job done right. As a former fitness champion, speaker, leader and motivational coach for Kansas State University football team who had the “Greatest turn-around in college football history” Kevin fits the needs to help lead the PCPFS and help America shape up!

Kevin Saunders has learned how to lead others to success. As Chairman of the President’s Fitness Council and the first disabled nominee Kevin Saunders will lead the Council to greater heights than ever before. As one of the first nominees Kevin Saunders will promote fitness to kids in schools across America. Kevin Saunders was nominated by US Senator, Pat Roberts this fall because he believes Kevin will be able to significantly reduce the obesity epidemic in America and that makes Kevin Saunders the best choice for the job of Chairman of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports.

Kevin Saunders as Chairman of the fitness council for the President will be a great leader to improve accountability for fitness in America. The President needs a man like Kevin Saunders a world champion Paralympian who was paralyzed from the chest down in one of the worst explosions in Texas history. The Obama administration will need to get a letter of support from each of us to support Kevin Saunders as his next selection for Chairman of his Fitness Council.

Kevin Saunders can be the next Chairman of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports - PCPFS with your support letter to the President and Secretary Sebelius. With your support Kevin Saunders will be able take the lead over other possible nominees or possible choices for President. When it comes to the President’s choices for Chairman of his fitness council he want’s aChairman who will help reduce obesity in our youth across America. Kevin has a plan to help motivate students across America to be accountable using their daily accountabilty journals for setting their long and short term goals for education, fitness and making healthy choices and making plans to reach those goals and refine them as they go by seeing what works best!

So, let’s all work to make Kevin Saunders the first choice to lead President’s Fitness Council. The President’s choices to lead Fitness Council should include a person like Kevin Saunders a who was injurd in one of the worst explosion in Texas history. In an explosion that completely destroyed the building Kevin Saunders was in leavin nothing but the concrete foundation and hurling him through the roof over 300 feet (the length of a football field onto a concrete parking lot) not expected to live and leaving him paralyzed from the chest down for life and confined to a wheelchair. Most would have given up, but Kevin Saunders went on to become the world’s greatest all-around wheelchair athlete.

When Kevin visit’s a school and students see him in a wheelchair his paralyzed body from the chest down bears silent testimony to one who has overcome incredible odds and beckons others to follow. Kevin Saunders is the bestPresidential Fitness Council nominations for Chairman possible. As one of the nominees Kevin Saunders can help make America more fit.                                 

When Kevin Saunders was nominated for Chairman he vowed to push his wheelchair through all 50 states promoting health and fitness. When it comes to your considerations for Chairman -  of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports – PCPFS think about Kevin Saunders and how his story of trgedy to triumph makes him the best choice to make. You can see more about Kevin at www.KevinSaunders.com  or got to www.Wikipedia.org  (Type in Kevin Saunders) to see a short encyclopedia type BIO about Kevin. The President’s selections for fitness council are extremely important to help improve our nation’s health crisis. Obama’s fitness council with the right Chairman can improve America’s fitness level. With Kevin Saunders as our next Chairman of the President’s Fitness Council he can lead a revolution in America one community, one school district, one state at a time and help improve fitness and sports participation for all levels of society across America.

Send your support letters for Kevin Saunders for Chairman to:

President Obama / Presidential Personnel RE: Chairman PCPFS
THE WHITE HOUSE
1600 Pensylvania Ave.
Wahington, D.C. 20500

and cc that same letter of support to:

Ms. Kathleen Sebelius Secretary Health and Human Services – HHS
200 Independence Ave.
Washington,  D.C. 20201

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
You will get a letter back from THE WHITE HOUSE because your opinion and your VOTE COUNTS!!!!

5:30 a.m. CST – We departed for an interview with Ernie Paulson of KARK Little Rock. The interview started at 6:32 a.m. and lasted for about three minutes. Ernie was very excited about the story and wanted to follow up with us before we left town. We gave him our number and he told us that he would call.

After returning to the hotel from the interview, we rested for a while and I prepared for my meeting with Chris Pyle, with the Governor’s Office, at the capitol building.

2:30 p.m. CST – We departed for the meeting with Chris Pyle, the Policy Advisor for Family and Faith for the state of Arkansas.

3:45 p.m. CST – We arrived at the State Capitol building in Little Rock, Arkansas. We went to the second floor of the building where we met Chris Pyle in the Governor’s Reception Room. There, we discussed Governor Huckabee’s Healthier Arkansas Initiative and how what I was doing with the Tour could Arkansas’s efforts to reduce obesity and unhealthy living. Governor Huckabee himself had taken personal responsibility for his health and had lost a lot of weight and gotten in shape. He is a great example of what you can do when you put your mind to it and decide there is always a way and never give up.  I told him that one of our sponsors, Imshapingup.com, was providing free memberships for government officials at both city and state level and how this would be the first virtual health and fitness portal. It would provide easily understood information that was measurable and could be used for accountability. Chris thought that it was a great idea and said that he would like to go ahead with working with us and that he would check into the website.

After our meeting we met some interesting people who worked at the Sate Capitol building. They told us the history of the building and about former President Clinton recently doing an interview for 60 Minutes in the Governor’s Reception Room. They also told us that the movie, “Stone Cold”, staring Brian Bosworth was also filmed at the State Capitol building. Most of the building was closed off for the filming of the movie.

6:00 p.m. CST – We departed the State Capitol building and went out for dinner.

7:00 p.m. CST – We packed up the trailer in preparation for an early departure in the morning.

11:30 p.m. CST – Went to bed.