C.W. Avery, Central City, Galowich, Morris
Known for her maternal charm and endless hugs, Judith Kirkeeng, one of the Galowich Family Y’s most beloved members, often goes by Grandma Judy.
Grandma Judy is a charming, lovable woman who was born and raised in Joliet. She’s a regular at the Y, where she participates in one or two classes every morning—rain, snow or sunshine.
“The Y is kind of like my home,” she says, while drinking coffee after a Friday morning Zumba session. “This is an everyday thing for me.”
Juggling ActIf you need some advice in time management, turn to Y member Diana Hernandez. In just under a year, Diana managed to lose 50 pounds while juggling time as a nursing student, working part-time and raising her daughter, Gisselle.
Since last February, the C.W. Avery Family YMCA has served as a home away from home for Diana, where she spends six, if not seven, days a week. Although she admits it’s tough, Diana plans to stay committed to her new and improved lifestyle. Diana says she came to the Y with a goal of losing 80 pounds and she plans on reaching her mark.
In support of her goal, Diana splits her time at the Y taking Zumba, Turbo Kick and Body Pump classes, among others. Her niche, however, is running. In fact, Diana, a former high school track and field athlete, was able to return to the racing world in 2013, and participate in two 5K runs: The Dream Run at Humboldt Park and the Santa Hustle, a Christmas themed run throughout the streets of Downtown Chicago.
“Paleo” is one of the hottest buzzwords right now in the world of nutrition. However, for as much as we hear the term, it is really misunderstood. At its most fundamental, paleo means eating unprocessed whole foods like our paleolithic ancestors, the cavemen, would have eaten. These foods, the proponents say, are what our bodies are designed to eat, and that all the processed foods available today wreak havoc on our digestive systems and hormones, increasing our risk for most modern diseases.
Paleo staple foods are those that were available before the invention of agriculture: meat—preferably organic; seafood—preferably sustainably raised; eggs, nuts, vegetables, fruits, and healthy fats.
Excluded are all grains—such as wheat, rice, and oats; all legumes—such as beans, lentils, and soy; starchy veggies like potatoes; dairy, alcohol, and all processed sugars and artificial sweeteners.
One of the biggest criticisms of the paleo diet is that it is meat-centric and deprives the body of necessary nutrients from carbohydrates. This, however, is simply not true. While meat certainly is an important part of the menu, the bulk of the menu should be vegetables, fruits, and healthy fats. And lots of eggs!
Climbing To The TopSometimes the best stories are the most simple. Take John Vessel, for example, a Galowich Family YMCA member. John, the humble guy that he is, insists his story is “nothing elaborate or anything.” In a span of seven months, John, at age 44, lost over 60 pounds, and gradually worked his way to top physical form. He says his routine is pretty basic: He lifts weights and does some cardio. Not much more to it.
Like I said, John is a humble guy.
In late 2012, he realized he needed to live a healthier lifestyle, and put his Y membership to use.
“I thought, ‘I’ve got to give this a shot. I’m not getting any younger,’” he said.
John started swimming up to a mile a day—before ditching the lap pool for the wellness center, where he could do his cardio and listen to his iPod (“I couldn’t have done it without music.”).
