Thursday, September 27, 2007

For the Kids

Our service organization focuses exclusively on helping kids. I believe one of the most profound ways we can help kids is to fight the overweight problem in our country:
1) By doing so we teach the kids by example the value of healthy living.
2) By staying more healthy, we are physically able to help young people throughout our lives.
3) Healthier lifestyles will mean fewer of our dollars are siphoned away solving weight-related health problems, which now totals about $2 Billion a year JUST IN MISSOURI!

By joining with my friends to "compete" against other teams, we ALL win no matter where we place at the end of this venture.

Rick McKernan
Downtown Optimist Club

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Mission Statements

I want to set an example for my oldest son Payton (a three year old who dislikes going to bed and equally dislikes waking up); that waking up early in the morning is not a bad thing. Rather, it is an opportunity to get fit and have fun while other people are sleeping.
By following my example, he will crash early at bedtime without argument, and rise early without complaint!!!
-Mike Messer

My goal/mission is to lose a few pounds and establish a habit of regular exercise.
-Mike Hatchett

My goal is to lead by example in the health and fitness movement. By doing the deal of proper nutrition, hydration and exercise we can be the role models who make a difference in the development of good habits for the kids we reach. I want to illustrate that we are more products of our decisions than victims of our genetics or environment.
-Wes Brown

My mission is to lose 5 pounds by eating more “veggies” and walking.
-Tom Marrero

Mission: 189 NOW - Reduce 5-10 pounds and improve my balance & survival.
-Buck Rikli

To adopt a consistent and sustainable program of activity and weight control.
...Or to regain my Vin Diesel-like figure, whichever comes first.
-Rick McKernan

I want to consistently maintain a regular exercise routine and encourage the ones in my network to join me. I have a 3-year-old little girl (Macey) and I plan on being her Superman so I must be in the best shape possible. My personal goal is to have 25 members of my network start regular exercise routines. I plan on training for one hour every day starting at 5:30 a.m. (My Hour of Power.)
-Nick Baker

My mission is to get as close to 200 pounds as soon as I can. I’m planning on doing it by walking, but I don’t know if I can walk enough to get it down that far so I also have to watch my diet. Probably got ten pounds to go.
-Joe Sestak

I was a professional bodybuilder for 10 years and my body fat percent is at 17%.
My goal is to help people (mostly over 40) realize this is the time when our bodies (muscles) need exercise more than any other time in our lives. As with all in life, if you don't use it, you lose it. I want to help people understand, "The body is the temple of the mind."
-Steve Henderson

Monday, September 17, 2007

Introduction: Shape Up Challenge Day 1

All nine members of Has Anyone Seen My Spare Tire? are also members of the Downtown Columbia Optimist Club, which is a service organization for community youth. Today is the first day of the Shape Up Missouri competition. This is the second season that Has Anyone Seen My Spare Tire? has competed in this event to lose weight and stay in shape. This season they hope to break their record of 54 pounds average weight lost and 5500 minutes of average activity.
The team also hopes to be an example to the youth by challenging themselves to shape up and stay in shape. They are all concerned with the rise in childhood obesity.
This blog will chronicle their experience.




Seven of the team members.
From left to right: Team Leader Mike Messer, Wes Brown, Joe Sestak, Arthur "Buck" Rikli, Mike Hatchett, Rick McKernan, Nick Baker



By Amber Hanneken, reporter
Columbia Missourian