Do you like to walk? Are you passionate about keeping our community clean?
A local community volunteer is gathering a group of friends and neighbors to stroll the community and pick up trash on Saturday mornings.
Please contact Ken Gornish - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for details!
Now Offering
Birthday Party Packages!
Celebrate your birthday at the New Holland Rec Center and have a splashing good time!
Packages include….
• Up to 12 Guests
• Use of our “Pool Galley” party room off the swimming pool for two hours
• Admission to the swimming pool
• A personalized theme cake from Achenbach’s
• Ice cream and drinks courtesy of Yoder’s Country Market
• Cheese Pizza from Sal’s
• Themed paper products from B&G Paper
• A t-shirt for the birthday boy/girl
Click here to download the flyer
Testimony from Mike Walden, Lost over 80 pounds!
Have you ever felt like a lost cause?? …Like becoming fit and healthy was for young people and certainly not for you??
If you have felt that way then you need to get to know Mike Walden.
In January of 2009, 45 year old Mike was sitting in his family room with his daughter one evening. With one hand on the remote control and a 12” dinner plate balancing on his belly, Mike was enjoying his evening meal…or so he thought. Mike’s teenage daughter looked over at him and said “wow dad, you even brought your own table with you”.
That very night Mike started to work out with a punching bag and free weights that he had in his basement. Because he injured his shoulder, Mike ended up at his physician’s office. Thinking that it was simply a muscular problem he was shocked when the doctor recommended a stress test for the following day. The good news is that Mike’s heart was “that of a 20 year old”, according to the doctor. However, the doc had sobering news for Mike. He told Mike that with his adult onset, type 2 diabetes, his high cholesterol, and, a myriad of other health problems, that he wouldn’t make it if he continued on the same path. One physician actually called Mike a “fat slob”. It was suggested that he join a gym, hire a personal trainer and a nutritionist and begin to get his life back.
The next challenge for Mike was to find a fitness facility where he would feel welcome and where he wouldn’t be just a number. He didn’t want a “cookie cutter” experience but something a bit more personal. In October of 2009, Mike walked in to the New Holland Recreation Center and he began a truly life changing journey.
Once a member at the NHRC, Mike met and hired Heather Zynn as his personal trainer. Mike describes Heather as being a “wonderful, beautiful, Person”. He reports that Heather’s tough, persistent yet caring demeanor was just what he needed. Heather designed a program for him, suggested the proper foods to eat and checked on him regularly both at the Center and via email. Heather also introduced Mike to Body Pump, a barbell class that he absolutely loves. In talking with Heather, she said that two words describe Mike Walden…”determined and diligent”. She reports that Mike “took everything I threw at him and is open to any advice”.
In addition to Heather, Mike credits Fitness Director, Brent Watkins and fitness staff member, Mark Stevens with encouraging him when he mentioned wanting to compete in a 5K…something he had never done before. Brent contributed tips for training and increasing his speed while Mark offered helpful advice as a seasoned racer. In his first race, Mike came in just under 50 minutes and now he is competing 5K’s in well under 30 minutes. Mark commented that “with Mike’s determination he will surely move on to 10K’s and even half marathons”.
A diet of fresh, healthy foods coupled with a personalized fitness program has been a life changer for Mike Walden. He has gone from 258 to 175 pounds …a much more manageable weight for his 5’ 5” frame. Mike has also gone from an astounding 12 medications to 3, and, he hopes to be completely off of all meds in the very near future. His waist size dropped from a 44 inches to 32 and he has traded double X shirts for mediums.
When asked, Mike says that what keeps him coming back to the Rec are the people. He says that the employees have been “wonderful” and that everyone from the front desk staff to the fitness staff and even fellow members have been so friendly and helpful. In fact, Rec Center member, Linn Wetzel, has become a friend and training partner for Mike.
Now that Mike has changed his life he has a renewed energy for his passion, painting. He paints abstract art with acrylics on canvas and his work is being courted by collectors and gallery owners alike. Mike also runs a large antique co-op in Adamstown and is raising his teenage daughter alone.
So, the next time that you think that fitness and good health are for “other people”, just remember Mike Walden. If he can do it, you can too!
Rodney Zeiset, Lost over 100 pounds!
I would like to share with you how the New Holland Rec helped me change my life. Well let me start by introducing myself. My name is Rodney. In January of 2009, I made a promise to myself to make a better, stronger, healthier me for the sake of my family and myself.
I'll step back nearly 12 months ago on January 21, 2009 when I weighed an astounding 318 lbs. I just completed my physical therapy from a lower lumbar back surgery that corrected four herniated discs. As well as other uncorrected issues like bad knees, borderline diabetic, and high blood pressure all before I turned 31. I realized that I needed to do something about it and do now.
Facing reality was the hardest because a part of me said it isn't going to work because I tried many times before and only failed, so what makes this time any different. I stopped myself short of saying that and I will have to face it. I will live with the consequences that I put myself in from the previous years of simply not caring about my body. I chose to try the gym thing again since they just built a new rec right next door to my office. So I am going to try it again.
On January 21, 2009, I had Meredith perform my first body assessment. I was not shocked with the results because I already knew I was in poor condition. She probably doesn't know that she started this change that day. She discussed what I should start doing. I took that information and applied it to the little determination that I had. My first step toward my change was 15 minutes on the elliptical. Wow those 15 minutes were hard and already my doubts were going through my mind for I was out of breath; it felt like it was a chore. I told myself this isn't going to work for me. But I reminded myself that I made a promise to drag myself out of bed every morning and go to the gym for 4 weeks. (By the way I was no morning person so this was a big adjustment of its own.) After the four weeks are up I can quit, guilt free, and say that didn't work and there is a genetic issue and I am going to live the way I am. I pushed through the first week. At the end of the first week I went to the dreaded scale to weigh in and I was shocked I already dropped 2 lbs. That was a big encouragement to me. (If I only knew what I know now.) So week two came around and I pushed it a little harder. And sure enough I dropped other 1 lb. Wow 3 lbs in 2 weeks. I caught myself saying this just might work. I went and set my “would-be-nice” goal to hit 265 lbs by the end of the year. I did some talking with C.P. Weaver, a personal trainer at the NHRC, and discussed that if I would tweak my eating habits a little I might meet this goal a little faster. We discussed my calorie intake and a number of other things. But there is no way I am going to cut out the pizza and French fries and the occasional Big Mac. Still to this day the only item that I cut 100% out of my norm is the soda.
I did some research on the Internet and found a great web site that helped me put everything together and get educated in what I needed to do to meet my goal. I logged all of my food, exercise, and weight. Within 4 weeks I dropped 15 lbs. With this slight change people around me started to see a difference. These words just added to my determination. By June of 2009 I already hit my goal weight of 265 lbs. By this time the task that was only a dream had became real. So I figured I don't want to stop here; I am having fun and I still have some to lose so why not set another goal.
My new goal was to lose a total of 100 lbs. I continued to press on to that goal. From June until now I have hit several walls and didn't see the results at the same speed. But I continued to push through with the help of friends at the gym and my wife and encouragements from friends and still reading information on how to push through these times. There were many times I was very frustrated with myself but I knew I couldn't blame it on anybody else and that I needed to push myself to the limit each and every time.
So here I am today 228 lbs, not quite a 100 lbs less than I was a year ago. It has changed my lifestyle. I have more knowledge in fitness than I did a year ago. I look forward to helping other people achieve their weight loss struggle goals just like mine. I consumed a lot of information that I have found that worked for me and learned that the only thing from stopping you is your will to do so.
As you can do the math I did not meet my 100lb goal but I am going to continue pushing for it. I have also set another goal for myself that is a big stretch but it is something to work towards this year. So if you see me in the gym please come up and say hi. It will be greatly appreciated and it will keep me pushing toward my goal.
Thank You New Holland Rec and Staff and my wife for being there for me and the support.
Pat Fierras from East Earl PA
I walked through the doors of the New Holland Rec Center on opening day and had no idea what to do. I joined a water aerobic class taught wonderfully by Tracy Carlson. In the pool I learned about the free assessment and orientation at the Fitness Center so I signed up. I was not surprised to find out that I was overweight and not in great shape. I found out that my Polar Body Age was 62 when I am actually 58 years old. I asked what to do and was advised by Hilary Sauder what I should consider a good course of action. Based on her professional advice I pulled out some old weight loss guides and started a daily diary of what I ate and what physical activity I did that day. I have spent 3-5 days a week in the Fitness Center doing no less than 1 hour of cardio each day and working on the weight machines and free weights in between. As I became comfortable with my workout, I would increase the amount of weights and the intensity of the cardio machines so I could continue to be challenged. With a weekly routine of working in the Fitness Center I have become very conscious of the importance of this new lifestyle I have adopted. As I learn how to use the weight machines, the cardio machines and the free weights I have become very comfortable at the Fitness and Wellness Center. Never at any time did I ever feel intimidated working out in this facility. The fitness trainers such as Mark and Kristin have been instrumental in my quest for health and fitness. This is all very new to me since I have never in my lifetime been physical in any way.
Now eight months have gone by and I decided to do a second assessment. I am happy to say that I have lost 42 pounds, 9% of my body fat, and down six sizes. My blood pressure is under control, cholesterol levels are down and I feel better than I have felt in years. I am not where I want to be, however, I am not too far away either. With the support, patience, professionalism, and kindness of my husband, the trainers and all of the staff at the Rec Center, I feel confident that I will reach my goals happily.
Dave Snell, Sales Person at Door Solutions in New Holland, joined the Rec Center because he was out of shape and overweight and wanted to do something about it. He had a full fitness assessment and found that his Polar Body Age was 72 (he is actually 53 years old). Dave signed up with C.P. Weaver, a Certified Personal Trainer at the Rec, and started working out twice a week. C.P. set Dave up on a schedule of spending one day on his arms, shoulders and core and another day on his lower body. Eager to feel better, Dave also spent an hour on the treadmill twice a week. After 7 weeks of working out, Dave had a second fitness assessment and found he hadlost 10 pounds and lowered his Polar Body Age to 60!
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©2009 New Holland Recreation Center • 123 N. Shirk Road, New Holland, Pennsylvania 17557 • 717.354.4747 • info@newhollandreccenter.org