PROGRAMS AT THE WASHINGTON HEALTH SYSTEM WILFRED R. CAMERON WELLNESS CENTER HELP KATHLEEN SMITH STRIKE THE PERFECT BALANCE WHERE HER HEALTH IS CONCERNED.
When you are choosing a place to keep up with your physical fitness, you want to find the right fit. For Kathleen, the WHS Wilfred R. Cameron Wellness Center checked off all the boxes.
“It was very convenient. The staff is well-educated, the physical building is beautiful, and a wide spectrum of classes are included in your membership,” Kathleen says. “There are options for individuals of all abilities.”
MORE THAN JUST A GYM
Exercise is simply one portion of what the facility offers to members. Kathleen has benefited from the center’s commitment to four critical pillars of health—mindset, movement, nutrition and recovery.
“The WHS Wilfred R. Cameron Wellness Center is truly an all inclusive gym for all demographics,” Kathleen says. “The staff provides guidance to help you establish a mindset of commitment. They emphasize that success comes from pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone.”
For Kathleen, that meant working with trainer Kenny Rosenbauer, BS, NSCA-CSCS, XPS, XFS, and Jackson Momplaisir, MS, EP-C, XPS. Since working out with Rosenbauer and Momplaisir,
Kathleen has enjoyed improved stamina, the ability to reach overhead, which was once an impossibility, decreased pain and enhanced capacity to do outdoor tasks.
“Without movement, life does not get better,” Kathleen says. “Kenny has been so supportive and is a wealth of knowledge. He and all of the trainers have provided nothing but positive experiences.
They provide the ability to partake in a variety of exercise options at different levels with consistency.”
SAFETY FIRST
Kathleen has been impressed by the trainers’ focus on safety when guiding individuals through their exercise plans. Whether someone is lifting weights, using an exercise machine, or trying Pilates or yoga for the first time, the team takes care to guide each person through the exercise sessions appropriately.
“There is nothing more amazing than when you come into this facility and see people overcoming their challenges,” Kathleen says. “The trainers all work with your limitations, modify and constantly correct. They provide great preventive support.”
Kathleen is also appreciative of the attention paid to nutrition at the WHS Wilfred R. Cameron Wellness Center, where registered dietitians provide helpful, delicious recipe recommendations and
cooking demonstrations. In addition, they pay close attention to those with food sensitivities.
“Nutrition is such a key player in the wellness journey, and the dietitians are terrific about helping you understand the importance of healthy food choices and goal-setting,” Kathleen says. “There is never any judgment.”
AT YOUR OWN PACE
Kathleen notes that the mindful approach to movement and nutrition continues with the Wellness Center’s focus on rest and recovery. Specifically, workout sessions may incorporate the use of the therapy pool, as well as the spa and classes, making the WHS Wilfred R. Cameron Wellness Center an ideal venue for individuals who need to take things slowly.
“Each and every one of us has individual goals and expectations of our wellness journey,” Kathleen says. “Recovery is constantly stressed in classes and programs by instructors and trainers. The ability to recover allows you to achieve more toward your goals.”
Recovery specialists with the WHS Wilfred R. Cameron Wellness Center also offer restful therapies such as acupuncture, aromatherapy, massage, reflexology and Reiki.
A POWERFUL PARTNERSHIP
Enhancing the holistic approach to whole body health is the facility’s commitment to working with WHS clinicians, a collaboration with which Kathleen is particularly impressed.
“It has been exciting to see the hospital provide a structure for preventive medicine through the WHS Wilfred R. Cameron Wellness Center. Preventive medicine is the future, and it is great to see everyone working together to make that a reality for our community,” Kathleen says. “Healthy lifestyle habits that are taught at the center can have a significant impact on conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol. In addition, thoughtfully planned exercise programs can help address the needs of athletes, individuals recovering from catastrophic injuries, and people living with chronic diseases, such as multiple sclerosis.”