As part of my new web series, The Role Model In You, here is my most recent interview. The Role Model In You series discusses how individuals were influenced as a child to lead a healthy lifestyle. It covers who influenced these individuals, the changes they made in their life to be healthy, and the message they would like to convey to the youth of today. Our guests include doctors, soccer stars, Super Bowl champions, entrepreneurs, celebrities, and just regular people looking to share their story. I hope you enjoy it!

1. Your name, title, and age? What do you do (or did you do) for a living?

My name is Don Doward I am a Certified Fitness Trainer, Master Trainer, Executive Chef and I am 57 years old.

2. Who was the person that inspired you as a child to eat healthy and stay fit? What was their relationship to you?

That would be Jack Lalanne every morning I would get up to his TV show. He would say ok kids go get Mom out of the kitchen tell her its time to exercise and that’s what I would do.

3. What did they do to inspire you?

Now there are exercise programs on almost every station but he was a pioneer but not only did he teach you some exercises but talked to you in a tone that was engaging and on a level that could be easily understood. You could feel the passion in the way he talked of course I didn’t know why at the time but I could feel that this was a good thing.

4. How did their lesson change your life?

When he was a youngster he was very sickly, when I was 12 years old I had rheumatic fever leaving me in the hospital and with a heart mummer. But I could remembered that he used exercise and good foods to his advantage and I tried to do the same although I didn’t know how to improve at the time I tried to read and learn as much as possible and I am still trying as this field grows at a rapid pace and still there are so many people that just don’t know how to implement all they have heard into a healthy lifestyle.

5. Do you convey their message to kids in your life presently?

I have been working with youth groups on basics of fitness and meal planning, I have started a fitness program at a local fitness center for children between 10 and 14 years old. To teach them some exercises and some easy ways to change the choices they make at home and school. I am currently working on a program to bring this to the local school systems. With 8 grandkids I have a wide range of ages to test my program on.

6. What would be your main message to children today to lead healthy lifestyles?

The main thing that I think that we need to get across to our youth is that you don’t need to give up everything to be healthy but you do need to make some changes. Ou can go out to eat, play on the computer but be sure to have time to exercise and make the smart choices no matter where you go to eat with your friends or family there are always better options This really is a lifestyle and it is for the entire family. Children live what they see at home.The choices we make everyday will decide the quality of our life.

7. Do you have a web site you would like to promote….web address only?
www.nefitdesign.com