Going to the River City to Spread the Word About Proper Fitness and Nutrition

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

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 because 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