Spirit 92.9

The Novak Family

Hi all,

    It is I, Scott Novak, and we, the Novak family are wrapping up our first full week with our trainer. It has been alittle crazy trying to get to the gym but are finding out that being a bit of a night owl is coming in handy. We usually get to the gym round 9 p.m. and our trainer is ready and waiting for us. Ok, so I am a pretty big guy, haven't been in a gym probably since I was in high school, so I was abit worried at the start of all this. After the first night I was feeling great, found myself wanting more and finding that my apprehensiveness melting away at being, well very self-conscious about my appearance and well, size. Don't know how to explain it but it was all gone after that first night and we got to the business at hand, working out, and feeling great while doing it. We got tips on taking the work outs home and Joan and I had fun actually working out together at home, and that's great, lots of encouragement along with lots of laughter. It was fun. Ya I said it, it was FUN. While working out you can feel what its doing to you the "BURN", and after, the stiffness, the aches abit. What I didn't know was what it was really doing to me. I didn't find that out till Joan and I went grocery shopping. I needed something from the automotive department and left the cart behind. I noticed the little ache in my back I usually get wasn't there. I didn't use the cart to lean on as I usually do. So, this is what it was like after 1 week. WOW. I have lost 5 pounds. I think I can get use to this. It truely is a great feeling.

Scott

Hi All, Laurie here from the Nyhammer Family.

We've had a pretty good week. Brent and I were able to workout together on Wednesday with the trainer and then I did yesterday by myself. Brent and I have never worked out together...there were a few moments of frustration, but overall it was really good. The trainer had us do some stuff where we were forced to use teamwork - that was really good. With our opposite schedules there isn't much time for us to get on the same page most days, while we try to, we don't always succeed.

I find myself constantly struggling with the nutrition aspect of weightloss. We are meeting with the nutritionist on Monday so I'm looking forward to that. It's hard to cook for Brent and I, and also make it "kid friendly". Thankfully our kids aren't too picky, but still enjoy corn dogs and chicken nuggest every now and again. Last night I made a chicken spinach low cal dish and my almost 3 year old daughter was chanting to go to McDonalds...she did NOT like the dinner..! However once she got hungry enough she ate it.

Otherwise I'm really needing to work on giving credit where credit is due. My whole life I've struggled with not being satisfied. For instance, I lost 6 pounds this last week. 6 pounds is great...but of course I wished it were 10. So I continue to pray and ask that God will help me overcome that downfall, so that I will appreciate any success no matter how big or small.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Laurie

Greniger family

Just an update from "MOM" of the Greniger team.....

Our entire family has really jumped on board with this excercising thing. We go to the gym as much as we can. Hope & Ian went today, Ian lifted weights and Hope is building strength on the walking track, they ended with some time in the hot tub. We will all go back on Thurs evening and have a session with the personal trainer (MIKE) and he will get me going on some specific excercises and goals.

It was so fun to meet the other experts last Saturday and also to spend time with the other families in the competition! I think we are all wishing eachother the best. Jim will be meeting with Dr Saetre tomorrow.

My biggest mountains to climb this week are finding time to eat right. We run a goat farm. Yes goats, and lots of them (50 soon to be 100 I suppose). We are in the middle of kidding which means barely any sleep and no time to do anything let alone try and plan or eat a decent meal!  We will keep trudging along though!We are suppose to be doing a food diary. I'm embarrassed to write down that I've only been eating toast and cereal most of this week! Thats all I have time for! Bad, bad mom.

We are working on it! 

Heidi

Nyhammer Family

Hello from Brent.  Thought I'd tell you a little about our last week.  It has been a little hectic trying to work in this new routine for the biggest gainer, but I am really enjoying it.  I found I had more free time than I thought to get things done.  I have been trying to finish our basement before our little girl turns 3 in February, so that has kept me busy.  We started that project long before we were able to be a part of this great program. 

As for the biggest gainer, we have really enjoyed getting back into the gym and working out.  Laurie discovered yoga and really loves it.  We have both met with our trainer and have enjoyed the new workouts he has started us on.  Its a good thing we only meet with him once or twice a week.  Its going to take me that long to recover from the last time. 

We are in the process of setting up meetings with our other experts.  I am looking forward to meeting with Dr. Saetre, our nutritionist.  I work evenings and have adjusted my eating habits to that schedule.  When I go to lunch there is limited availability on what to eat.  It will be nice to see what is better for me of the choices I have available.  We are also going to meet with Cory Terres, our financial expert.  When we talked to him on Saturday at the introduction at the radio station, he sounded like he had some good ideas for us to be more responsible with our money. 

Until next time

Brent

The Novak Family

Hi, this is Joan to tell about our week.  Got off to a slow start with mom getting sick on Sunday- but were  off and running Monday.  Went to the gym for the first time with Jakob, Greg, Scott and I.  We had a blast!  Did some cardio, weights, and shot some baskets.Met with our personal trainer on Thursday.  Her name is Krista, and she is awesome!  She is very patient with us, and quite bubbly!  We had a great workout- but Scott said his arms were sore.  Then the kids and I had breakfast at the station on Saturday while Dad was at work.  We were late as usual, and I had a little trouble finding it from Little Falls- seems I only knew the way fro Pierz!!  However everyone was very kind and patient with us even late!  Thank you 929 an dpanel of experts and other families.  Thanks also for the wonderful breakfast- my children certainly enjoyed themselves, as did I, and also for the tour of the staion, they were really excited to find out how the station worked. Got to meet Corey th Financial Guy- can't wait to get together with him to help us learn how to get on the"same page" with Scott, he says he's got some tips for us...  Also met the nutritionist- she seems like she will be wonderful- she is going to try to help us come up with some easy meals my whole family can eat and enjoy while I am still going to stay on my low- carb diet.  Also looking forward to meeting with Jim Otremba our life coach - I will be visiting with him this week.After that the kids and I did one of our family hours at the gym together.  Greg and Gabe played basketball together, Christopher and Ben checked out the daycare, and played ball with us at the end.  Chloe and I did a cardio workout on the bikes, and than played ball.  Chloe, Mike, and Greg all tested out the track.  It was a lot of fun, and a good workout for mom, I went up and down the stairs no less than seven times for bathroom trips, and things the kids needed!They can't wait until next weekend to go again! Scott and I and Mike met with Krista again tonight(Sunday) She helped us do another good workout!  Tonight I feel it a little!  Still loving it though! Can't wait to see what this week brings..... Joan 

THE GRENIGER FAMILY--FROM Chelsea (oldest daughter)

Hello! Just thought i would share about how it's been going for me this week...

We met with Mike our personal trainer on Tuesday and that really got me excited to get moving!  we didn't actually work out with him that day, but we worked out as a family.  I was scared i was going to be really sore so i didn't do to much, and knew  that i could have pushed myself harder.  Jim worked out with Mike on Thursday morning, I have yet to schedule a time with him.  I am curious to see what he has in mind for me!  I have a baby belly i am trying to get rid of, just had a c-section though, so i am a little nervous about abdominal exercises. I've gotta try though i know. 

Friday afternoon my sister Hope and i went to workout and we did AWESOME!  not to toot our own horns, but we worked hard! i did all sorts of machines for arms and legs, and we went on the balls for stomach stuff and push ups and squats.  man was i sore though!

This morning we met with the experts, and i cant wait to get going with them!  I told the financial guy today that he better get ready, because Jim and I NEED HELP!  he said he was up for the challenge!  We are very behind on bills and our credit isn't very good at all... in part due to the lost of jim's job last fall.  i am anxious to see what he has in mind to dig us out of the hole we\ are in!  

we worked out after the meet and greet this am and i can already feel a change in how much easier it is to exercise.  it is very encouraging!  but i still hurt from working on muscles i didn't remember that i had!

My biggest struggle this week has been with food i think!  wanting to go get ice cream after a workout!  felt like i burned it off, why not reward myself!  I really want to find the balance of decreasing sweets dramatically, but at the same time have a diet that i can live with, so for example total avoidance of sweets just isn't realistic to me.  but maybe it's going to be working on portion sizes??? 

well, i guess i am just as chatty as my husband jim!  i will let someone else post too!  see you at the gym!

chelsea

The Novak Family

Hi,

We are the Novak's from Little Falls. My wife Joan and I have seven...yes seven kids, and have enjoyed 16 years married to each other. We have three boys in high school, a daughter and son in elementary school and two little boys at home. So schedules here can be quite hectic and many things get left undone, or put on the back burner, or "that can wait till next payday." We are excited and so thankful that God has given us the opportunity to actually do something together that will benefit the whole family on so many different levels of our lives together. TOGETHER, being the most important part of this all I think. And I have to say EVERYONE is on board, and that in itself is a victory.

So we meet the trainer tonight, kinda excited, scared...will let ya know how it goes...

Scott

Greniger Family

Wow....can you say Spiritual Warfare???

This is our first week as the Biggest Gainer competition family. It has been exciting thinking about all the changes we are going to make and actually STARTING to make. You know how that goes though? You know how it is when you finally make a decision to start spending more time with God? Then BAM it all hits you. There are some things that have been thrown at us this week that have made it difficult to keep our focus where it needs to be! arghhh. We wont give up though!Hope & Ian met with the personal trainer on Tuesday evening. "Mike" the trainer is actually excited to work with these two since they both need to GAIN weight and muscle.We are anxious to meet with all the experts this Saturday!  Thanks Spririt 929 !

Heidi (mom Greniger)

A hello from part of the Greniger family

Hi there, this is Jim, one of the contestants on the Greniger family team. Our team consists of My mother-in-law Heidi, brother-in-law Ian, sister-in-law Hope, my wife Chelsea, and myself. Tonight we met with our trainer for the first time and got started with some basic exercise. It was a blast! I put together a short video which you can watch below.

See you again soon!

-Jim

The Nyhammer Family

Hello!

 

This is Laurie from the Nyhammer family.   My husband Brent & I along with our children make our home in St Joseph.  We will be celebrating our 10 year wedding anniversary this year.  We have (3) wonderful children Matthew – 7, Mason – 4 ½ & Anna – 3.  Brent works for the Waite Park Police Department and I work for a local Financial Services Company.  Brent is also going to school part-time to earn his masters degree. 

 

We are so excited about the opportunity that God has given us through Spirit 92.9.  We received the call the day before Christmas and were so excited, what a great Christmas gift – the chance at health, wellness and balance.

 

Through this experience we are hoping to learn better communication skills for Brent and I as well as with our kids, work, life, family balance and to grow a deeper relationship with each other and ultimately God.  We are also looking forward to hitting the gym and reaping the benefits of exercise both physically and mentally.

 

Until next time~

 

Laurie Nyhammer