I recently attended the most fascinating event that incorporated healthy eating and fitness targeting the Latin community. Morning radio personality Eddie "Piolin" Sotelo in collaboration with Beachbody have teamed up to launch a series of events aiming to help with the obesity problem in the Hispanic Community. This event, which entailed a workout, information stations throughout offering special offers, deals and samples had a great turnout. Being designed for 50 people and superseding that number, the creators of this event were very happy about what this could mean to the Latino sector of the community. Families came out and children as young as toddlers participated in the workouts and enjoyed the tasty treats from Shakeology while being showered with information about exercise and the path to a healthier lifestyle. Health and Fitness is often testimonial driven and this particular set up was no exception. I had the opportunity to meet Dr. Hiram SantisTeban, one whose story was dynamic and inspiring. Hiram, a native of Puerto Rico and Health Education Specialist embarked on his own journey of information regarding food and the Latino community, explaining that according to his research 20-40% of the Latin community develops Diabetes before the age of 18. He contends that we are socialized to use "any excuse to eat" and are suffering from the greatest problem of all: lack of information. He has teamed up with this mission to use his story as motivation for others to get on track. He himself lost 235 lbs in the course of five years by making a lifestyle change. Understanding that the better choices for eating can be more costly, he stands firm in the belief that they are nowhere nearly as costly as the health care costs of bad health and diseases. In addition, he offered several alternatives that are cost effective, for better eating.
- Get to know your butcher, there are several cuts of meat that are perfectly organic and good and have to be discarded for not meeting esthetic requirements.
- Go to the Farmer's Markets they have several deals on produce that also have to be thrown away due to a mere look.
- Tuesdays and Thursdays he professes are the best days to shop; that is when you can enjoy the Managers' specials, which usually result in a 20-30% mark down.
SantisTeban's passion for better living is fueled by the catastrophic statistics about the Latino lifestyle and life expectancy; his story is truly evidence that a mental change can manifest into a drastic physical one.
This challenge issued by Sotelo who is more than just a radio personality that has interviewed President Obama, Marc Anthony, Jennifer Lopez and many more; Piolin is a community activist that stood fast in the face of misappropriated illegal immigrant practices and is known for his activism in the community. From hosting this event to leading in the workouts to interacting and sharing with community members, it is not a surprise that this man feels a certain way about his mission: " It's easy to talk about the problem, but I wanted to go a step further by providing education and proven methods of getting into shape. That's what this program is all about." If you missed this event, fret not, there are more on the horizon, keep visiting the Beachbody website as a new date is coming soon. Take that opportunity to make a move in a positive direction: a long, healthy and fulfilled life.
Comments