TOPS release

							                                                            FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
                                                   Kimberly Greene • Ron Sonntag Public Relations, Inc.
                                                            (414) 354-0200 x110 • Kimberly@rspr.com
                                                                       Beth Maniero • TOPS Club, Inc.
                                                              (414) 482-4620 x43 • bmaniero@tops.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 24, 2011

EDITOR‟S NOTE:
For more information on the TOPS chapters in your area, please visit www.tops.org. If you would like to
speak with a local representative from TOPS, please contact us.


      TOPS Offers Ten Tips to Build Physical Wellness
MILWAUKEE, WI – Physical wellness can be a launching pad to help you spring
energetically into the warmer months. While it can be a year-round priority, Physical
Wellness Month is celebrated in April, making pointers on physical activity especially
timely.

According to TOPS Club, Inc. (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), physical wellness involves a
healthy lifestyle that allows people to experience daily activities without undue fatigue or
physical stress. TOPS emphasizes that, regardless of weight, everyone can benefit from
movement and balanced nutrition. Rather than dictating one single approach to becoming
physically active, TOPS encourages members to seek sound advice and provide support
to each other to establish their own exercise program.

Many TOPS members from across the country rely on walking to become active.
Because walking even a short distance is attainable for most, members can gain a feeling
of accomplishment. John Gillespie, a TOPS member, speaks for many when he says, “I
used to walk four to five blocks a day. Now I can do four to five miles a day.” John has
lost 95 pounds. Garnette Brunett, another TOPS member, says, “I started to really get into
walking my dog. It was easy, and I saw results immediately.” She has lost 38 pounds.

Amy Goldwater, M.S., educator, former body-building champion, and physical fitness
expert for TOPS, points out another benefit of physical activity: endorphins. Exercise
puts necessary stress on your body, triggering endorphins. “These are extremely
important and can make you feel wonderful,” Goldwater says. “It‟s the body‟s natural
exercise high that might also be referred to as „being in the zone‟ or „having a second
wind.‟ The timing is individual. Endorphins will kick in sooner during a workout for
some people and later for others.”


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                              Page 2 – TOPS Offers Ten Tips to Build Physical Wellness

Goldwater offers ten tips to increase physical wellness:

      Start an activity slowly to increase the odds of sticking to it. Easy choices - such
       as taking the stairs instead of the elevator - can burn a few extra calories. To
       begin, Goldwater advises, take the elevator up and walk down.

      Make activity a daily routine. Set a time and keep a regular rhythm. Goldwater
       recommends exercising when personal energy is the highest. For instance,
       morning people should schedule their activity early in the day.

      Goldwater encourages people to vary their workouts, especially when lifting
       weights. She says it‟s very important to let muscles recover by cross-training,
       which uses different muscle groups.

      She advises extending the length of time spent walking rather than increasing the
       speed of walking. Movement gets the heart pumping and oxygen flowing to the
       brain, which is the desirable body state to sustain. So remember: Longer is better
       than faster.

      Enjoy spring fever. Go outside to walk, jog, bike, roller-blade, garden, walk the
       dog, or play tennis.

      Breathe in fresh air by simply being outdoors. Goldwater points out that fresh air
       adds oxygen to the body and improves anyone‟s energy level.

      Get enough sleep on a regular schedule. Goldwater says 7.5 hours is often
       recommended, with a standard sleeping and waking cycle.

      When walking, Goldwater advises, aim for an activity level between 6 and 8 on a
       scale of 1 to 10. If walkers can chat easily, they need to pick up some speed, but
       if they can‟t talk at all because they‟re out of breath, they need to slow down.

      Keep an achievement log of physical activity, listing miles, pace, and progress.
       Goldwater says meticulous recordkeeping might be overwhelming for some, but
       even a simple chart is useful.

      Reward accomplishments. Incentives along the way can add motivation to stick to
       a goal. Goldwater notes that any activity you do will get you on the road to
       becoming physically fit. You can even do chair aerobics. Also, she emphasizes,
       it‟s never too late to start.


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                              Page 3 – TOPS Offers Ten Tips to Build Physical Wellness

TOPS Club, Inc. (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), the original, nonprofit weight-loss
education and support organization, was founded more than 60 years ago to champion
weight-loss support and success. Founded and headquartered in Milwaukee, Wis., TOPS
promotes successful weight management with a philosophy that combines healthy eating,
regular exercise, wellness education, and support from others at weekly chapter meetings.
TOPS has about 170,000 members in nearly 10,000 chapters throughout the United States
and Canada, and several chapters in Europe.

Visitors are welcome to attend their first TOPS meeting free of charge. To find a local
chapter, view www.tops.org or call (800) 932-8677 for more information.


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