METAIRIE, LA – The Jefferson Chamber Foundation, Councilwoman Jennifer Van Vrancken and FitLot, Inc. celebrated the opening of the first FitLot Outdoor Fitness Park in Jefferson Parish at Bonnabel Boat Launch on Thursday, June 16, 2022 during a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The 1400 sq. ft. FitLot has an open, circular design ideal for circuit training classes; and its combination of equipment can be used for a wide variety of training methods. The shaded, safety-surfaced space includes a combination of cardio, strength, balance, and flexibility equipment designed for use those of all abilities ages 13+. The park’s cardio stepper, chest/back press, elliptical, and hand cycle all include dials so users can adjust resistance; and QR codes at each station link users to instructional videos demonstrating how to safely use equipment and perform exercises.

“Providing people a place to enjoy outdoor exercise and activity encourages healthy living and builds a stronger community,” said Councilwoman Van Vrancken. “This FitLot gives residents one more thing to enjoy at the already bustling Bonnabel Boat Launch, which is centrally-located along Metairie’s beautiful Lake Pontchartrain lakefront.”

“The Jefferson Chamber Foundation is ecstatic to unveil such an important asset that makes exercise readily accessible within our community,” added Jefferson Chamber President Ruth Lawson. “This FitLot Outdoor Fitness Park immediately elevates the fitness offerings in our parish and is consistent with our LiveWell Jefferson initiative of creating and cultivating a culture of health and wellness for our business community and parish residents.”

With park and programming funding provided by Council District 5, the Jefferson Parks & Recreation Department plans to hire local fitness professionals to offer free workout classes for residents. Director Mario Bazile explains, “JPRD is excited to offer exercise classes in this incredible atmosphere. What a wonderful way to make Metairie fit!”

Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic residents sought the outdoors, looking for new ways to stay active, improve health, and build better connections with family, friends, and neighbors. Hearing the needs of the community, Councilwoman Jennifer Van Vrancken partnered with the Jefferson Chamber Foundation and FitLot, Inc. in a shared goal to make access to outdoor gyms and free workout instruction readily available to all Jefferson Parish residents. This goal is now being realized as we cut the ribbon on a new FitLot Outdoor Fitness Park at Bonnabel Boat Launch.

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Students, health advocates and educators across the nation are urging elected officials to take action to protect youth from the harmful effects of tobacco as part of the Take Down Tobacco National Day of Action held on April 1, 2021.

Take Down Tobacco Day (TDTD) is the signature platform of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, which is designed to empower young people to stand up and speak out against the tobacco industry. The “Day of Action” is the culminating event for the year-long tobacco advocacy program. 

Louisiana students, as part of the TDTD activities, participated the Next Era TDTD Video Contest sponsored by The Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco Free Living (TFL). Participant videos focused on the dangers of vaping, tobacco use, nicotine addition, how to quit, and the negative impacts of tobacco and vaping in our State. The top three contest participants will be announced on the Next Era’s blog on Thursday, April 1^st at 8AM and will receive stipends for first, second and third place.

“We are so proud of the advocacy work our students are doing across Louisiana to educate their peers, community leaders and lawmakers on the harmful impacts of vaping and tobacco products,” said Kenyatta Royal, Youth Engagement Sr. Coordinator for The Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living.  “Normally our students would be engaging with lawmakers at the State Capitol as part of our Take Down Tobacco Day of Action activities, however due to Covid-19, the video project will serve a similar purpose and will encourage students and lawmakers alike to take down big tobacco in Louisiana.”

According to the 2019 Youth Tobacco Survey data, vaping use among Louisiana middle school students almost doubled and almost tripled among high school students. In fact, 34.4% of Louisiana middle school students and 59.9% of high school students said that they have vaped and specifically reported trying JUUL products, an extremely popular e-cigarette manufacturer among youth.

“The proof is in the data,” said Royal.  “Our youth are being targeted by tobacco companies as ‘replacement’ tobacco users with gateway products like vaping, flavors and hookah. Our work empowers both youth and community leaders to activate their voices and to speak out against the tobacco industry and encourage our lawmakers to protect them from the harmful effects of tobacco by strengthening public health policies.”

If you are interested in standing up and speaking out against tobacco and its impacts on our communities and our youth, visit We Are Next Era.org.

To learn more about Take Down Tobacco Day of Action click here.

To learn more about tobacco usage among youth and young adult populations in Louisiana click here.

Give up all alcohol from Ash Wednesday (February 17) until Easter (April 4)

Many people choose to do a version of ‘wellness’ spring cleaning, whether it’s giving up something post-Mardi Gras (for Lent or not), a belated resolution reboot, or simply an expansion of our continued journey of self-awareness.

And we get it. The idea of going alcohol-free for an extended period may be daunting. Drinking is layered into so much of our culture, and easily becomes engrained as part of our weekly, or sometimes daily routines.

On the plus side, you don’t have to go it alone. This #AlcoholFreeFor40 challenge comes with ample support throughout. And trust us, the rewards are so worth it.

Why Take This Challenge

Let’s be clear, this self-experiment isn’t about saying that alcohol is a bad thing. We’re all familiar with the potential health benefits of moderate alcohol consumption, including boosting our “good” HDL cholesterol and reducing our overall risk of heart disease. (By the way, “moderate” drinking is defined as not more than seven drinks a week for women, and not more than 14 per week for men).

But what we don’t seem to hear as much about are the potential drawbacks of even just slightly-above-“moderate” alcohol consumption that can outweigh potential health benefits.

Drawbacks to even casual drinking include inflammation, where you can see and feel the puffiness and redness in your eyes, your face, your whole body. But that’s just the inflammation that we can see and feel. Inflammation is also happening on a cellular level, the type of inflammation that increases our risk for more significant issues, such as heart disease, liver disease, stroke, arthritis, and certain types of cancer.

Alcohol interferes with our sleep patterns. It may make it easier to fall asleep, but it also makes it harder to stay asleep. It also can hinder our quality of deep sleep. The immediate result: foggy thinking and low energy. And we know that sleep is intricately linked to our weight, so it’s not just the calories from alcohol that are a concern when it comes to weight – this continued pattern of disrupted sleep can also directly contribute to increased abdominal fat and weight gain.

Interestingly, we tend to think of alcohol as something that relaxes us, but if we take it even just a little too far, it can have the exact opposite effect. Alcohol can actually inhibit our ability to manage stress, interfering with our body’s stress response, which can exacerbate any underlying anxiety issues.

Even if you aren’t drinking so much that you’re likely to be at an increased risk for these more serious side effects, for those of us who just drink regularly – one or two drinks a day, for example – it’s likely that we’re feeling less-than-optimal in our daily lives. Our baseline “normal” just isn’t as solid as it could be. Yet it seems normal, because we’re used to it. We may not even realize that, every day, we’re actually a bit sub-par, with a general low-level feeling of sluggishness that we’ve come to live with as “normal”.

So, that’s why we’re proposing this self-experiment of a 40-day alcohol detox.

What to Expect

Here’s just a snapshot of the many benefits that this extended detox will have on your mind, body and spirit.

Within days you’ll notice more energy, improved sleep quality, clearer eyes with less under-eye circles.

Within one week you’ll notice less fluid retention and can start to see brighter skin (conditions like rosacea often improve). You’ll also likely notice fewer cravings, along with better mental clarity and focus.

Within a month you can start to see and feel the changes in weight (particularly if alcohol was contributing a significant bit of excess calories) as well as healthier hair, nails and digestion.

Beyond 40 days: The benefits aren’t limited to just the days of the challenge. Feedback from past participants is that for many, the Alcohol Free for 40 challenge is a reset that stays with them as a part of a broader lifestyle change.

Before You Start

Take the time to establish your baseline metrics. Do this before you stop drinking, or shortly after.

Metrics to capture:

• Record your weight (and body composition if possible)
• Check your blood pressure
• Take a close-up photo of your face so that you can see the details of your eyes and skin.
• Ask your doctor to run the following labs that are indicators of overall health and/or specific markers of inflammation, liver health or alcohol toxicity:CBC (Complete Blood Count)
  • CMP (Comprehensive Metabolic Panel)
  • Lipid Panel, GGT (Gamma glutamyl transferase)
  • Vitamin B12 and Folate Panel
  • hs-CRP (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein)
  • ESR (sedimentation rate)
  • Or sign up with your region and we will do your health analysis for you!

Join for free and coordinate these metrics on your own or pay just $25 to receive in-depth pre- and post-challenge metrics, including body composition analysis, weight, blood pressure, and before-and-after photos for both pre and post-challenge.

And check out the #AlcoholFreeFor40 Facebook group – it’s your forum to ask questions, follow the journey of others, and share your own experiences, challenges, successes, zero-proof cocktail recipes and photos.

Use the #AlcoholFreeFor40 hashtag on social media and visit www.AlcoholFreeFor40.com for full details and links to sign up.

Feedback + Stories

“This past weekend was the 3 year anniversary of my wife being alcohol free! She has an app counter on her phone and she looks at it every day. I think she’s as proud of this change as anything in her life. She hasn’t had one drop. She’s healthier, stronger and happier than ever.”

“I drink on occasion but it’s very rare and usually just to be polite. Maybe a sip of wine. I certainly haven’t had a hangover in years! I have friends who are convinced that something negative happened to serve as the catalyst – but the reality is that it’s all because of the AFF40 challenge!”

“If you only knew how much this challenge changed my life. After doing the 2016 #AlcoholFreeFor40 Challenge myself, my wife joined me for the 2017 Challenge. Fast forward, and she just finished one full year alcohol free! And while I haven’t been a teetotaler, I can count on two hands the number of drinks I’ve had in a year. I’ve totally changed my mental state.”

“Over this past year, we have had significant family and job changes that are positive, but stressful, as to be expected. But I can’t even imagine if we would have tried all of this while still drinking. ”

“When you first started the #AlcoholFreeFor40 Challenge, it seemed like an interesting personal challenge. I did not expect it to have this type of impact. It’s hard to explain; but alcohol is simply not part of my life anymore. So, thank you. Thank you for the motivation and the seed to change. It’s really enlightening to think about tackling big issues with a small challenge. It’s a great life lesson!”

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About Ochsner Eat Fit

Eat Fit is a nonprofit initiative of Ochsner Health, designed to help the community live their healthiest, strongest lives possible. The team of Eat Fit dietitians works closely with local restaurants, markets and other foodservice establishments to identify and develop dishes that meet the Eat Fit nutritional criteria. These items are identified directly on the menu with the Eat Fit seal of approval, making the healthy choice the easy choice when dining out.

Free to all restaurants and foodservice partners, Eat Fit encourages nutritious choices whether an individual is looking to lose weight, feel better or look better, as well as help to manage health issues including diabetes, cholesterol and high blood pressure.

With more than 300 partners, Eat Fit has expanded across the state to include Eat Fit Northshore, Eat Fit BR, Eat Fit Acadiana, Eat Fit Shreveport, and Eat Fit Monroe.  

The Eat Fit team connects deeply within the Eat Fit communities, serving as a resource for all things wellness. Download the Eat Fit smartphone app to find participating restaurants with full nutrition facts of Eat Fit menu items, as well as recipes, community wellness resources, and to connect with a health professional in your area. And check out the Eat Fit Cookbook, a compilation of 125 recipes from 40 Eat Fit partners, at www.EatFitCookbook.com. Follow Eat Fit on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and visit www.OchsnerEatFit.com for more information about Eat Fit in your region.

Are you a fierce leader who wants to make a difference? Join the #WATCHME Live Fierce movement in February and inspire others to live without limitations. The health and well-being of your employees is top of mind. Help them adopt the Live Fierce mentality and show the world how they can turn challenges into opportunities in 2021. It is time to take back our lives.

What are some #WATCHME ideas for you and your teams?

• Focus on mental health and encourage a no-meeting day to allow employees to recharge.
• Allow a longer lunch break with a designated time for employees to walk or exercise for physical health or meditate or do yoga for their mental health.
• Encourage employees to spread awareness about women’s health.
• Go Red for Women by wearing your red, have your building go red, hold a Zoom best-dressed contest on National Wear Red Day, Friday, February 5.
• Participate in the 2021 New Orleans Go Red for Women Digital Experience on Friday, March 5.
• Encourage a virtual potluck staff meeting with healthy recipes and show the participants using #WATCHME Eat Healthy.
• Challenge others to live healthy with you, like adding steps to their daily goals and staying more active every week in February and beyond.

Make a splash on Social Media:

• Post a quick video to social media showing how you can take action and use hashtag #WATCHME.
• Send your video to Mary.Fein@heart.org. Be sure to give permission for use in our created materials.

If you are interested in learning more to contact the local AHA at AHANewOrleans@heart.org or to visit www.heart.org/neworleans.

About the Greater New Orleans American Heart Association: The Greater New Orleans American Heart Association fosters collective action through our local programs and partnerships that aim to improve quality of life, increase opportunity, and ensure care for all our neighbors. Every member of our community should be able to achieve well-being supported by the places they live, learn, work, play, pray, and heal. Connect with us locally at Heart.org/nola or on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

1)    What inspired you to stay healthy and fit in the first place?

Three years ago in August, I turned 39 years old. I was walking up the stairs when I realized my knees were really hurting… and then out of the blue, it hit me – I am a hot mess and I’m going to be 40 in a year: I was 100 pounds overweight, working 70 hours per week, smoking like a chimney, and constantly worried to the point that I needed Ambien on an almost daily basis.

While I had a successful software development company, I certainly didn’t feel like a success. I felt empty and anxious. I was burnt out and exhausted.  I knew it was time to make a change. I needed more than a quick fix. Surface-level changes – temporary diets, new workout fads, etc. – weren’t going to cut it this time.

It was time to reprogram myself in order to tap into my full potential and experience authentic success along with a deep sense of fulfillment.

I found mentors in the form of trainers and peers who were successful and fulfilled. I used my time in my EO Forum to focus on personal growth. I read voraciously — from “Man’s Search for Meaning” and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s “Total Recall” to “Tools of Titans” and everything in between.

One by one, I applied new “processes” to my life – early morning workouts, reading instead of watching TV, daily gratitude and goal setting, meditation, and intermittent fasting.

Today: 

• I’m at a healthy sustainable weight
• I’ve quit smoking, 
• I generally work no more than 50 hours per week, 
• and I sleep like a baby. 
• Best of all, I’ve managed to find happiness in the now, while still actively pursuing aggressive professional and personal goals.

2)    How has an active lifestyle influenced/changed the way you work?

It’s changed everything. 

• Because I work-out early I have time before the day starts to actually plan it.
• My energy levels are high and my mood is even, therefore I make much better decisions
• I’m much more focused on doing one thing at a time to completion instead of spreading myself too thinly
• I lead people with much more patience and clearer direction
• I inspire my people to get more work/life balance including wellness
• My business has doubled in revenue, headcount is up 50%, and employee satisfaction is 9/10 (it was 6/10)

3)    What sports activities do you participate in?

• Compound weightlifting 3 days per week (1 hour)
• Cardio + ROMWOD 4 days per week (1 hour 10 minutes)
• Daily Meditation (20 min, 2/day)– which I consider weightlifting for the brain

4)    How much time per week do you spend working out/staying healthy?

• 12 hours / week

5)    Many CEOs/leaders say they lack the time to stay fit. What motivational advice can you give them to get started (based on your experience)?

A couple points here:

• The time you invest in fitness is nothing compared to
  • The efficiency of the time you work
  • The financial impact of you making better decisions
• There’s no point in being successful if you can’t enjoy it because
  • You have no energy for your home life
  • You die or are incapacitated early because you let your health slide
• Start small. One habit at a time.  Do it for 30 days, and then once it doesn’t take any willpower to do, add another habit.  Remember, if you add more than one at once you’re more likely to give up.
• Visualize a Heaven and Hell
  • Heaven: what your life looks like in 5 years if you get fit – e.g. “I have a ton of energy, my kids have a role model, my spouse finds me attractive”
  • Hell: what your life looks like if you don’t – “I’m obese, my knees hurt.  I have no energy and cope with alcohol and food.  Kids learn bad habits from me.”
  • If you have a clear vision of the outcomes, then you’ll be able to find time to get fit!  Mentally and physically

Written by: Neel Sus, CEO, Susco
Neel is a believer in conscious leadership who’s mission is to help people lead more fulfilling lives.  As the CEO of Susco, his company achieves that mission by creating business software and mobile workforce apps for mid-market organizations that their employees actually enjoy using while being more productive