Firefighter Fitness and a Healthy Breakfast Cereal
Working out with firefighters can be intimidating.
Our friends at Whole Foods have been active in extending a 28-Day Challenge to their communities, encouraging customers and team members to become more plant-strong through the Engine 2 Diet. While the 28-Day Challenge ended on July 19th, that same shared desire to see our communities active and healthy continues.
Angela and I had an opportunity to attend the Firefighter Fitness kick-off at Whole Foods Oakland. We had shipped cases of our Engine 2-approved healthy breakfast cereal, Uncle Sam Original with the intention of handing out boxes to workout participants. Uncle Sam is featured in the popular Rip’s Big Bowl recipe and as so many of our Uncle Sam customers already know, is a good foundation for staying full until lunch.
On this morning of the Firefighter Fitness class, Renee, a woman who had driven from Danville to meet Rip, the Engine 2 Diet creator, and who was getting ready to start the challenge personally. Her enthusiasm was contagious. As we waited for the workout to begin, we also met a firefighter from Napa, Tony, and his wife. He told us how his wife had been vegetarian for a very long time and had tried to persuade him to join her. After reading the Engine 2 Diet book and having the connection of being a fellow firefighter, he became convinced to take his own 28-Day Challenge and had since adopted and continued the eating regimen afterwards because he felt so good. His story, his positive attitude and his concern for fellow firefighters’ health was what this event in Oakland was all about.
Soon, two Oakland firefighter engines pulled up and it was almost time to get things started. Rip welcomed everyone to the workout as pop music began playing from the speakers.
Angela and I found spots on a greening set up in front of the store and along with Whole Foods customers began stretching and squatting as Rip led us. One exercise in particular was challenging me and a firefighter working out behind me encouraged me to keep going. I loved the community aspect of being there to pass out cereal boxes and there to work it out with Oakland FD and others.
After the workout, the firefighters headed off to a Build the Best Salad You Can Think of activity and we passed out Uncle Sam. It feels good to be involved in the local community. It feels amazing to work out in a forum like this firefighter fitness class. I look forward to future opportunities that let us do both again.
Be well!
Annelies
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