Shaw-London Ward and Lisa Crenshaw Exercise Because They Want To!

As a fitness professional, I rarely hear people say, “I just get up and walk when I feel like it." Instead I usually hear: “I don’t have time, I don’t like to walk by myself, I won’t walk in the rain, or the dark or the wind or extreme heat." I also hear: "I go to the gym, but once I get there I don’t know what to do"; "I joined a dance class but stopped going after a month;" and "Once I get home I won’t go out again."

But then there’s Shaw-London. You may have seen him once or twice walking down Pinole Valley Road, always wearing shorts, hat and ear buds if he’s not with Alan, doing his thing: walking.

I saw him at the Pinole Farmers Market on Saturday and stopped him to ask, "Why? What makes you walk so much?" He said a few years ago he made the decision to begin a walking program He now walks six miles a day during the week and one day on the weekend. He once walked all of San Pablo Avenue in one day! He started in Oakland and after 7.5 hours and a bit tired he and his best friend, Alan, along with Alan’s three kids, had done the whole thing. Shaw has lost around 70 pounds and says his memory and energy levels are better. He walks no matter what the meteorologists predict. Rain or shine, he’s at it.

 There is a direct correlation between exercise and cognitive function.

“The part of the brain that enables us to exercise, the motor cortex, is located only a few millimeters away from the part of the brain that deals with thought and reason," according to an article by David Niemen in the latest American College of Sports Medicine's Health and Fitness Journal.

There has been a recent study showing that moderate exercise improves mental states of mind. Our brains calm down, yet new ideas come in, thought patterns change and we are able to cope and tolerate situations in a more positive way.

The other person who amazes me with her dedication and will to change is my longtime friend, Lisa Crenshaw. In March of 2010 Lisa joined Weight Watchers in Pinole. Her goal is to lose 100 pounds. By June of last year Lisa had lost 20 pounds. She then joined Boot camp and began being more active on her non-workout days.

Lisa had never exercised in her life. The biggest change is that she is toning and becoming stronger as she reduces her body weight. Diet, along with an exercise program, is key to any permanent changes. Lisa also bought a bike. Every Saturday she walks or rides her bike down Pinole Valley Road to her Weight Watchers meeting, and every Saturday I get a text of how many pounds she's lost. Those numbers don’t lie.  Although she still struggles at times with her love for cookies, chocolate, bread and chips, she is very thankful that each day a new choice arises, a new journey begins, a new avenue of success presents itself.

Lisa also takes Zumba classes. She participated in a 10K Walk on Thanksgiving. She is determined to get back into her wedding dress for her 25^th wedding anniversary. As of today, Lisa has lost 60 pounds, 5.5 inches off of her waist, and 6.5 inches off of her hips. As you readers know, waist circumference is a measurement of health.

Lisa attributes much of her success to the support of her fellow boot campers, her Weight Watcher buddies, her sons, Dustin and Derek, and of course her loving husband, Rick. She wants to be healthy and to be able to enjoy her future grand babies. The hardest part of all of this is not giving up, to keep moving, keep on going and to find the conviction that both Shaw and Lisa have: to do it because they want to.

Sue D'Alonzo is a personal trainer and a boot camp instructor. She has been in the fitness business for more than 30 years. She lives in Pinole, trains in Berkeley and is the owner of .