Healthy Living in Connecticut Blog

Matt Manning made the national news a month or so ago, when he won $50,000 in a bodybuilding.com contest. I contacted him because I wanted to learn more about his incredible transformation and how he did it. He agreed to do an interview for the blog. I thought his story could inspire others who think they can't get in shape because of age, work or other issues. Matt proves that with hard work and determination, you can transform your body and improve your health.

Matt's story inspires me on a personal level as I'm trying to tighten my skin with the strength training. He didn't have as much weight to lose as I did, and I know my skin was stretched out for many more years than his. But still, it gives me hope that maybe I too will have tighter abs after all this weight loss.

Hey friends, I wanted to take this opportunity to tell you about a new club in town. It's a Fit Club. Once a week we open our doors to the community and invite you to spend an hour working out with us. It is free of charge so all that is required is a positive mind, a healthy attitude and a smile.

The workout will vary from week to week. They will be announced ahead of time so you can be prepared. You will get to experience some of the hottest workouts from T25, P90x and Piyo just to name a few. The workouts will last anywhere between 30min-60.

This is awesome!

My trainer measured my body fat percentage yesterday with the calipers. There's a margin of 3 percent error, but the number was around 17.5! He figures even with the 3 percent error, my number is less than 19, so it has come down considerably!

I never was on a track team in high school. I didn't do much running in college. After college, I gained a lot of weight (and of course lost weight!), so how did I get into running?

The second challenge I was in at the Northwest CT YMCA back in the Fall of 2012, offered points for those that participated in a few marathons. I ran my first 5K race during the challenge. Although I haven't done a marathon since, I would like to do more of them.

Mat announced the super foods for the Fitness Commitment challenge weeks five and six.

Kale was for week five, and what an awesome choice that was! Kale is one of the most nutrient dense foods out there. It is one of nutritarian Dr. Fuhrman's favorite food choices. You should have kale everyday! Kale lowers your risk of cancer and supports your body's detoxification system. It has Vitamin A, Vitamin C and is very high in Vitamin K, which any Americans often lack. Vitamin K is essential for bone health and brain function.