Stayfit Wellness – The Woman, The Work, The Will! That’s how I think about Stayfit Wellness!
The Woman of course is Renay “General” Grant. The Work is the multi-facet exercise programs that she teaches. It does not matter if you are as fit as a linebacker on an NFL football team or if you’ve been a couch potato for the past 20 years, Renay has the knowledge and ability to adapt her training so that there is real benefit for the client! The Will, that’s what the client has to bring to the sessions. The will to put in the effort to try each exercise she instructs you on, the will to continue to strive to get better, i.e., to get improved stamina, get stronger, make your body more flexible, improve your balance, etc., etc. Finally, the client must have the willingness to be pushed by Renay. (Don’t let the pleasant demeanor and wonderful smile fool you, she will work your butt off! She has the ability to make clients work hard and think they’re enjoying it.)
I became familiar with Stayfit Wellness in 2018 when I was coordinating a program at my church for a group of men. The program was conducted by Vanderbilt University and was focused on improving the health and wellness of African American men by teaching exercise and nutritional information and measuring results over time. About halfway through the program Renay Grant (StayFit Wellness) was assigned to our group as our exercise trainer and nutritional instructor. At the end of the Vanderbilt study, the men were so encouraged by the results they were achieving that they agreed to self-fund a continuing program with Renay as our instructor for both exercise and nutrition. Due to the positive results from doctor’s reports and physical appearance for men, a women’s group was also formed with Renay (StayFit Wellness) as the trainer. With the onset of COVID in early 2020 these groups morphed into a combined group of women and men and a virtual exercise program through ZOOM was born and continues today.
The Stayfit Wellness goal of motivating, transforming and improving the health and well-being of clients is on target. You only have to look at headlines and commentary by highly reputable scientist to see that exercise is medicine. Here are a few examples.
How Strength Training Can Help You Live Longer
Live Longer and Move Longer, Too
Roger Fielding, PhD, professor, biochemical and molecular nutrition, Tufts University.
Robert Linkul, certified strength and conditioning specialist; owner, Training the Older Adult, Shingle Springs, CA.
WEBMD HEALTH NEWS 8/31/22
Health benefits of physical activity: the evidence.
“We confirm that there is irrefutable evidence of the effectiveness of regular physical activity in the primary and secondary prevention of several chronic diseases (e.g., cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, hypertension, obesity, depression and osteoporosis) and premature death. “
CMAJ. 2006 Mar 14; 174(6): 801–809.
Even a Little Bit of Exercise Boosts Women's Brain Speed
American Academy of Neurology: Effects of Sex, APOE4 and Lifestyle Activities on Cognitive Reserve in Older Adults.
CNN: “Think More Quickly as you Age by Boosting Exercise and Mental Activities, Study Says”
WebMD Health News 7/21/22
As my chronological age seems to be moving at a faster pace than ever, it is my hope that my cognitive age don’t move so fast. I attribute my reasonably good physical and mental health at age 76 to God’s grace and mercy and to exercise. I have been a life-long exerciser starting with running and playing with my many siblings in the yard to hard work on our farm to basketball in high school and college, to military training, to regularly using the exercise facility at my company. However, with age, work commitments and family involvement there were several years where exercise became important but not urgent for me. Since retirement exercise has taken its rightful place in my priorities.
I sincerely believe that exercise helps me keep a positive outlook on life..makes me keep dreaming about things that I still want to achieve. In other words, I don’t exercise with the thought of having the physique of a young man, I exercise to maintain physical health that will let me carry on with my activities for daily living. While working out with Renay at Stayfit Wellness can’t remove the wrinkle from my face, regrow my hair or turn my beard from gray to black, these workouts certainly help with my overall physical condition…including strength, mobility, balance and endurance!
My prayer is that I maintain independence for whatever number of years I have before God calls me home, and that keeps me going. I want this for myself in order to always be able to take care of all my personal needs and I want if for my wife and daughter. I pray that they do not have to disrupt their lives to take care of me. I know exercise is a key to helping maintain independence, especially the range of exercises that Renay puts clients through in her Stayfit Wellness classes,
On occasion Charles Grant shows up as the trainer for Stayfit Wellness. He offers a twist in exercise routines that he refers to as “Trickeration”. It is fun but hard work! On other occasions Tasha Jones will show up and put clients through Yoga routines. If you think you are flexible and in shape, just try Yoga!
