Tammy Polenz[/caption]Michell Spoden —Today I talk to Tammy Polenz, from Mentor, OH, the author of Think Fit 2 Be Fit. Polenz is the owner of the eco-friendly Vedas Fitness club, and she serves as wellness coordinator for the Cleveland Hopkins Airport. In our conversation, Polenz shares her knowledge about fitness questions, thinking, and green/positive lifestyle.
Michell: Tammy, please tell us about your Green Gym and how you got started?
Tammy: I’ve been interested in ‘green’ or ‘eco-friendly’ for many years now and have had an intense desire to create a self-sustaining facility because of that interest. I believe that you cannot get healthy if your environment is unhealthy. This is true emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and physically. Environments can evoke physical vitality. We experience this all the time, especially when spending time in nature. Understanding this is one of the reasons why creating a ‘green environment is important to me. Plus living green leaves less of a footprint in the world, something many of us are coming to understand and appreciate for many reasons.
Michell: Please tell us about your new book and what inspired you to write it?
Tammy: My book Think Fit 2 Be Fit is something I started about 10 years ago, at a time when wellness wasn’t as popular. The reason why I started writing it was because many people just didn’t have the understanding about healthy nutrition that they have now. Coupled with my personal story, it teaches people the basic fundamentals of a good nutrition. It also integrates competitor secrets I learned in order to compete nationally and make it into Oxygen Magazine – the same secrets that models use to get in tip top shape for cover shoots on muscle and fitness magazines. When people read it, they are usually surprised at how easy it is to read and how quickly they begin to see results.
Michell: When it comes to getting “fit”, why do you think going to the gym is better than other types of fitness options? Or do you? If so please give us your input?
Tammy: Getting fit doesn’t have to revolve around a gym. Getting fit involves just being active. It’s about challenging yourself in a variety of ways. Pushing yourself to lift heavier, walk further, run faster, bike harder, or just do more activity overall. Working out should be challenging enough, so that daily activity becomes a breeze to endure. Exercise should be fun and exciting, something that you look forward to doing. Therefore, when planning an exercise program, choose fun activities and participate in them often.
Michell: So when you say “think fit”, what do we mean by it? What is the right kind of thinking?
Tammy: Thinking fit means exactly that. If you want to be fit then you have to think like a fit person. Fit people think about healthy foods and then eat those foods. They think about incorporating activities in their schedule that involve movement and then stay active because that is what was on their mind. See, whatever is in your head is the direction your body will go. If you think about eating chocolate then your body will find it to eat, but if you think about fruit or a fish then your body will follow that thought. Therefore, fill your head with proactive thoughts. The better the thoughts, the better the outcome of those thoughts. In the end, it is your thought that leads you to action, so change the way you think and your actions will follow, then success will be yours.
Michell: Do you think eating right is more expensive or not?
Tammy: Eating healthy will always be the less expensive alternative in the end. There are a variety of foods that you can buy, which are inexpensive and go a long way. Some of those foods include brown rice, oatmeal, Quinoa, eggs, fruits, and vegetables when they are in season, etc. Yes, some healthy foods like steak, chicken or fish can start to add up. This is especially true if you have a large family. The key is to be creative with your food by combining it. For example, you can combine chicken or steak with brown rice, corn, beans, and salsa for a pretty healthy and tasteful meal. This inexpensive meal can feed a large family for only a few dollars. Another thing to keep in mind is, if you eat lots of junk food, you will have more cravings and in response a tendency to eat more often. This can cause your grocery bill to escalate as well. Highly processed foods usually have low nutritional value and tend to be high calories. This can produce weight gain and a whole host of other medical related problems over time. Consistently making poor nutritional choices will affect medical costs, an indirect expense associated with your grocery choices. You may save some money initially, but cheap food becomes very expensive when you compare it with the expense of your health and vitality.
Michell: Do you believe staying healthy with gym also improves one’s relationships, like those in one’s family and at workplace?
Tammy: Your body is your temple and what resides within, your sprit or what you call self, it affected by the health of that temple. Think of it this way; your body is like your home. A solid structure can provide shelter, warmth, comfort, a place to feel safe, and a place where personal relationships can thrive. If that home is in good condition then you will experience all of these things to their fullest capacity. But if your home has holes in the roof, no heat, the walls are falling down, the stairs are creaky, and you are getting very little sunlight or too much sunlight. If this is the case then your basic needs for protection are not being met. Living your day-to-day life in a state of lack, where you are uncomfortable all the time, can have an effect on your entire life including your personal relationships. It’s hard to have a good personal relationship with yourself if you feel uncomfortable, let alone someone else. When we feel good, it shows through. We act very differently when we feel good as opposed to when we feel bad. We have a tendency to treat others differently dependent upon the way we feel. Feeling healthy and happy.
Michell: What is one of your most favorite quotes and why is your favorite?
Tammy: “In life there is no such thing as staying the same; either you are striving to make yourself better or allowing yourself to get worse.” ~ Unknown
This is my above-all favorite quote, because it sums up everything life. Life is about movement; if you are not moving, you are dying in some sort of way. The key is to live and live vivaciously. I live my life like this and it has made for an exciting journey.
Michell: Do you have any future goals or events to share with our readers?
Tammy: I always have numerous goals I am working to attain simultaneously. Goals are a very important aspect of life and without them we would not get the opportunity to experience a sense of accomplishment, like that which happens after each one is conquered. Right now, my main goals include growing my business and spending all of my extra time with family and friends.
Michell: Tammy it was a pleasure doing this interview with you and we wish the very best to you in all of your endeavors. Please keep in touch.
Visit Tammy Polenz’s Vedas Gym online at http://www.vedasfitness.com/.