NEW FACE OF FITNESS

Description:

The YWCA offers a multi-faceted approach to the challenging task of reaching deconditioned and overweight individuals and brings them into a health club setting.

A non-intimidating program that combines exercise and wellness, New Face of Fitness is part exercise, part lifestyle modification and part support group. Provides the skills necessary to mainstream a person who is significantly overweight. Rewards, incentives and positive reinforcement are all based on health and wellness, not size and ability.

The New Face of Fitness program is being offered at YWCAs nationwide. Program founder Dee Hakala serves as program administrator and has personally trained local YWCA personnel.

Background:

Recognizing there are many misconceptions about fitness and body shape, there are few programs that have successfully reached the seriously overweight or out of condition and that have enabled these individuals to help themselves on a long-term basis.

The YWCA understands the vital importance of physical fitness for women of all body types and backgrounds. The YWCA has long understood that exercise goes hand-in-hand with self esteem and empowerment.

About Dee:

In 1989 weighting close to 350 pounds, with numerous medical problems, Dee began working out. Her health and well-being improved quickly and she started losing inches, without dieting.

The New Face of Fitness program was founded to counter the fear and humiliation Dee felt entering the club environment. While health clubs invite unfit people to join, they typically don't offer classes or programs that realistically address all fitness levels. Dee perserved and continued her own exercise program, ultimately becoming a certified fitness instructor and personal trainer through the American Council on Exercise, ACE and a certified Health/Fitness Instructor through the American Collega of Sports Medicine, ACSM.

After receiving her initial certification, Dee returned to her club and asked to teach. Although fit and toned, Dee is a large women. It was advertised that classes would be taught by an overweight person. Scores responded and now Dee's program has empowered thousands of individuals to become fit and health.

Dee has served as a fitness consultant to Nike Inc., Aetna Insurance Co., fullfills public speaking engagements with company's such as Sundstrand Corporation and Unum Insurance and authors articles on fitness.

Awards:

Dee�s efforts were rewarded in the summer of 1994; a panel of fitness professionals selected her program from nearly 100 entries to receive the inaugural NIKE Fitness Innovation Award.

Summer of 1996 Dee's efforts were recognized as a finalist for IDEA World Fitness Convention "Make Fitness Happen" Award and for a second time in 1997. In 1998, the New Face of Fitness program received the first ever Governor's Council on Lifestyle and Fitness Award for the State of Delaware.

Education and Training:

Northwestern Michigan College, B.S., marketing, 1980

Ferris State College

ACE (American Council on Exercise), certified fitness instructor

ACE, certified personal trainer

ACE, continuing education provider

AFAA, certified fitness instructor

AFAA, continuing education provider

National Speakers Association, member