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Editor's note: There's no doubt about it, childhood obesity is now a nationwide epidemic. There are more than nine million overweight kids in America. In tonight's promoted story by NBC Chief Financial Correspondent Anne Thompson, you'll meet a woman who is doing something about it. Below, she offers her own account of how she's "Making a Difference."
March 11, 1996, marked the day that my dreams were realized. It was on this day that I opened the door to Body By Brandy’s Aerobics Studio in Roxbury, Mass. As a Division I basketball player and marketing representative for Reebok, I always had a passion for exercise. Unfortunately, in my community, like so many other urban communities I have visited, there was an absence of fitness facilities.
Seeing a void in the availability of services that would increase awareness around health and living healthy lifestyles in my community, I was inspired to become a certified aerobics instructor. I began my career teaching aerobics classes at a local community center and dedicated all of my energy to learning about the fitness needs of the people of my community while relishing in my dreams of opening my own fitness facility.
Although opening my own aerobics studio accomplished my goal of providing a service to a community that is plagued by diabetes, hypertension, high blood pressure, and a host of other coronary risk factors, I wanted the people in my community to have more. Over the past five years I worked tirelessly on finding a new space, developing a business plan and finding a bank to finance my vision.
It was just one year ago that this dream became a reality and I was able to move from the facility at which I started my journey -- a mere 3,000 square feet consisting of two renovated studio apartments -- to a facility that is 15,000 square feet, and allows me to provide a space where members of the community can make “their bodies their business” through creative fitness programming, health education, self empowerment and community outreach programs.
One would think that the realization of my dreams would have been enough to satisfy me. However, what has bothered me tremendously over the past 10 years is the declining health of America’s youth. Our youth are plagued by obesity and obesity-related illnesses due to inactivity, diet and too much television. It is my belief that our children and children all around the world need to get up and get moving in pursuit of establishing and sustaining healthy lifestyle habits! Parents need to serve as role models and communities need the resources to help parents empower their children to get fit for life. It is this belief that led to the establishment of Body By Brandy 4 Kidz, a non-profit organization that seeks to lead the charge against childhood obesity and its impact on our youth.
Partnering with just an idea and no fiscal backing, I presented a family fitness DVD called “The House is Getting Fit” to Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Massachusetts. The DVD teaches families that fitness can be fun and also strengthen their bond. Produced in conjunction with The South End Community Health Center, Blue Cross/Blue Shield supported the concept and asked where I would like to go from there. The rest is history! We were able to bring together like-minded agencies like the United Way of Boston and Good Sport, who supplied the equipment for BBB 4 Kidz non-profit. Children’s Hospital of Boston, the leading medical facility for youth in the state, can now prescribe to children diagnosed with obesity or obesity-related illnesses free participation in BBB 4 Kidz through a free program we created called “Fitness In The City.”
Ten years ago I was like a child, just dreaming with a healthy mind, healthy body and a strong heart. Today my dreams have been realized, and Body By Brandy Fitness Center and Body By Brandy 4 Kidz sit on the side of the housing projects were I grew up. As the signs hang from the building and the music vibrates the walls and the people come and go, making fitness a part of their daily routine, I know that there is a child out there just like me and I am humbled that I have been able to be a part of the creation of a place where their dreams can be realized and their lives can be changed “one workout at a time.”
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Sick transit
Brandy I am african american also I am in the process of opening an aerobic studio myself in about 4 months. I have been a salon owner for 15 years and began going to a boot camp and I love it. I lost 40 poungs in 4 months excercing and eating healthy and really staying on my meal plan. It has inspired me to help others. I have been studying material from the AFAA and will take my test in August. I also want to help out my people with excersing and proper nutrition. I am curently attending an aerobic/bootcamp style program and i live an hour away, so I'm going to bring one to my area. Do I need some other kind of approval from the city or state to open this type of business? I will have no equipment, just steps and balls, and jump ropes the rest is all cardio and resistence using our bodies. Do you have any advice for a 35 year old female trying to get a business up and running?
alisa, ohio (Sent Apr 6, 2007 9:10:26 AM)
Brandy, congratulations goes out to you! You are a true inspiration and idol for our students here at JQUS and all around Boston. On behalf of the whole staff -- we are extremely lucky to have you as a teacher here. May your gym grow and grow and reach more and more kids!
Laurie from Josiah Quincy Upper School, Boston (Sent Jun 9, 2006 10:34:11 AM)
Thank you Brandy. You are an inspiration for me, as a CPT who truly wants to be part of the solution to fight back against obesity. I wish you nothing but success and continued growth! I sure hope that one day, some of your young gym members become fitness gurus themselves and remember to give the gift of health to their neighbors, friends and relatives! Thank you very much!!!
(Sent May 22, 2006 6:45:46 PM)
Brandy, thanks for seeing a need and filling it. You are an amazing inspiration. What can we as parents do to affect our local school lunch programs? It seems that nutrition education and action would be make the efforts complete for our obese youth.
angie, ofallon, mo (Sent May 22, 2006 11:21:34 AM)
Dear Brandy,
My husband told me to watch NBC's Nightly Newscast this past Friday. I have a dream like you to see children to become healthy active adults.
As a Physical Therapist, former elementary school P.E. specialist and mother of 3 children, I know the importance of a healthy lifestyle. I want to develop a facility like you have for kids to just learn that staying fit is fun. Schools are at risk of reducing or having no P.E. in the elementary grades due to budgets. We can't let that happen, because it is crucial to get children interested in staying fit. We, as parents, need to stay involved and interested in our state's budget for education to prevent the dwindling of P.E. instruction.
Andrea, Newbury Park, CA. (Sent May 21, 2006 11:06:27 AM)
Brandy, this is an awesome thing you are doing for young people. As a woman who became overweight in my mid-forties, I know the pain of trying to get the weight off. If children are encouraged to exercise early, it will hopefully follow them into adulthood.
JJ, Indianapolis, IN (Sent May 20, 2006 9:09:54 AM)
Brandy,
I read about your gym in the Boston Globe and have been sharing it with people I meet as an example of someone who is "being the change." I am a Yoga teacher at the Baptiste Power Yoga Institute and I not only teach adults but also kid yoga. I'd love to talk to you about integrating some yoga into the kids' work outs. Please contact me so we can talk further!
You are an inspiration!
Karen
Karen Fabian, Boston MA (Sent May 20, 2006 7:39:49 AM)
Brandy,
Hearing about people like you is an inspiration to me. I've been developing my own martial arts program to get kids moving and to have fun doing it. I remember in my childhood we played games in the street and had so much fun that we kept it going long after dinner and after we were exhausted. Our kids dont have that today and thanks to people like you they can reclaim that "fun time" that people my age had as kids.
Mary Watson, Newbury Park, CA (Sent May 20, 2006 12:56:12 AM)
Congratulations Brandy on development and implementation of your mission and realization of some of your vision. Your story is very inspirational particularly in this day and age where so many stories are negative. Our childrenn need you and I for one wish you continued success.
David Pearson Boston, MA. (Sent May 20, 2006 12:13:36 AM)
Good for you! We are creating a documentary that features stories just like your and we'd love to talk to you. WE created a program in which the very chidlren you are trying to reach actually run and manage the fitness in their schools. It is calle Generation FIT and you can see some video clips at http://www.generation-fit.com Let us know if we can help you -
J Shasek Bend OR (Sent May 19, 2006 10:32:10 PM)
Brandy, thank you for your excellence. I taught dance classes at Manual Arts HS after the first Watts Riots, before Title 9. I have worked in two court systems in LA and OC and I worked at IBM. Your understanding to use technology, your athletic brilliance, and your devotion to your community show us how to fight this very universal problem.
M R Hamilton, Newport Beach, CA (Sent May 19, 2006 9:13:37 PM)
Hi Brandy, years ago when I enjoyed working out I wanted to have a small studio for women. I wanted to include nutrition, stress reduction, and guest speakers to keep us motivated. My sister and I now want to do something like that for "tween girls". I enjoyed seeing what you are doing in Mass. Keep it up!
JUNA, Phoenix, AZ (Sent May 19, 2006 9:06:50 PM)
Congtratulations! This is just what our kids need. Do hope this will grow to every city in America. Our children really deserve a place where they can strengthen their bodies and really understand the benefits. Nice to see someone like Brandy is dedicated to building fitness in our young Americans.
Lydia Keough, Denver, CO (Sent May 19, 2006 8:25:32 PM)
I think this is a great idea to get kids away from TV and computer games and get them moving and shaping up. It's important for the future of these young people and also for the future of our nation. I hope a lot more people latch onto this. Congratulations and keep spreading the good work and open a lot more places like this.
(Sent May 19, 2006 7:41:20 PM)
Brandy, I'd love to speak with you to explore the possibility of doing something similar where I live. I am also a former Div I women's basketball player as well as a Div I assistant basketball coach, now attorney and personal trainer.
Chana - Baltimore, MD (Sent May 19, 2006 7:39:52 PM)
This is an excellent idea! It has a multiple impact on children that are obese. This program will start good exercise habits and build self-esteem amongst our issue laden youth. GREAT JOB!!!
Cyndy, Washington, DC (Sent May 19, 2006 7:32:06 PM)
What an amazing story. The world is a much better place because of Brandy. With almost 20% of America's children suffering from obesity, there can never be enough Brandys.
(Sent May 19, 2006 7:10:39 PM)
Excellent!!!! Excellent idea Brandy. Now this show be an afterschool program that would benefit children, parents, teachers and those livingin the community. We have a lot of community schools that act as extension of the neighborhood school. A free service for children that engages them until as late as 6p.m. for those parents who don't have a caregiver to look after the children. I, myself, would participate because it would be on grounds. I am an elementary teacher.
Cheryl M. Darden, St. Louis MO (Sent May 19, 2006 7:08:27 PM)
This was a fantastic "feel good" piece...We all need to do our part to help young America....
Charlie-Boston (Sent May 19, 2006 7:02:45 PM)
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