Posted 12:15 am Sunday, February 05, 2012
‘Biggest Loser' Family Promotes Fitness In Tyler
By COSHANDRA DILLARD
Staff Writer
Former reality television personalities Phillip and Amy Parham will make stops in East Texas this week for their Community Autism Resources Forum and Family Fitness Tour. The nationwide tour's focus is building a healthy body, mind, and spirit.
The pair were participants on season six of NBC's “The Biggest Loser: Families” in 2008, which led to a combined weight loss of 256 pounds.
Staff Writer
Former reality television personalities Phillip and Amy Parham will make stops in East Texas this week for their Community Autism Resources Forum and Family Fitness Tour. The nationwide tour's focus is building a healthy body, mind, and spirit.
The pair were participants on season six of NBC's “The Biggest Loser: Families” in 2008, which led to a combined weight loss of 256 pounds.
Mrs. Parham has written three books on fitness, two of which she coauthored with her husband. Since their television appearance, they've traveled the country for speaking engagements, promoting fitness programs and autism awareness.
The couple, who lives in Greenville, S.C., and has been married for 23 years, has a son diagnosed with autism. Mrs. Parham has said managing his condition led her to turn to food as a way to manage stress.
Parham said about 300,000 people applied that season to get on the show and since they had a chance to make a life change, they want to pass that on to others who may never get the opportunity.
The couple, who lives in Greenville, S.C., and has been married for 23 years, has a son diagnosed with autism. Mrs. Parham has said managing his condition led her to turn to food as a way to manage stress.
Parham said about 300,000 people applied that season to get on the show and since they had a chance to make a life change, they want to pass that on to others who may never get the opportunity.
“It's an opportunity for us to give back because we feel blessed,” Parham said. “We've worked through a lot of challenges in our lives so it's an opportunity to talk to the people about it. If you're always focused just on yourself, I don't think it's the right perspective, and your problems become bigger.”
Parham said they worked hard, watched what they ate and found support from those around them, including a coach.
“It's been probably one of the biggest life changes ever,” he said. “Everybody that comes through a process like that, whether they were on a TV show or not, have to work through a lot of things that they did before because there's a reason they got fat.”
Three years later, the couple has maintained their weight loss, for the most part. They've each gained a few of the pounds back. Nonetheless, their current lifestyle, and physique is the opposite where they were before the show.
Parham said they worked hard, watched what they ate and found support from those around them, including a coach.
“It's been probably one of the biggest life changes ever,” he said. “Everybody that comes through a process like that, whether they were on a TV show or not, have to work through a lot of things that they did before because there's a reason they got fat.”
Three years later, the couple has maintained their weight loss, for the most part. They've each gained a few of the pounds back. Nonetheless, their current lifestyle, and physique is the opposite where they were before the show.
90-DAY CHALLENGE
The Parhams' appearance on “Biggest Loser: Families” inspired them to give back to others also fighting for their health. They created philandamyfitness.com, a website promoting healthy living, and have since established a 90-Day Fitness Challenge to churches, organizations, businesses and community groups throughout the U.S.
Following their Lindale forum, the couple will stop in Tyler to promote their 90-day fitness challenge — a program that utilizes practical tips and accountability to get people on track to wellness.
For more than one year, Tyler business and government entities have joined for healthy living initiatives through the Fit City Challenge. Martin Krueger, owner and executive director at Learning Rx, said the Parham's tour fits perfectly with that mission.
“I think it's great because of the Fit City Challenge in Tyler,” he said. “They have a lot to offer as far as encouraging people. They really have a sincere heart to want to transform lives. That heart fits in with autism because nutrition, exercise, all that fits into special needs and autistic families. So, they have a dual purpose.”
Attendees will hear about the couple's weight loss, learn practical tips about weight loss, participate in a question-and-answer session and learn about resources available to help them on their journey to good health.
“Our goal is just to have people connected,” Parham said. “We want to get them excited and motivated, moving in the right direction and connected to the community, people who can help them work through that process.”
One of the strategies included in the program is how to keep track of activity and food intake.
“If you journal and write your thoughts, feelings, goals, water intake and food down every day, you're going to be twice as successful,” Parham said. “If you apply the proper discipline and put yourself in the right position, the good things will happen,” Parham said. “If you do what's right you'll get right results. We just try to help folks do that and keep them positive during the process.”
Parham said laziness led him to become obese and unhealthy. He was pre-diabetic, was developing fatty liver disease and had an enlarged heart. He said he had to learn that it was possible to reverse the damage, although it seemed extremely hard to do.
“The biggest lesson is the power that changes is there,” he said. “You just have to get in the right atmosphere and have to have the right people around you and decide that it is possible. The rules are the same for everybody and we just have to obey the rules.”
Rather than place a focus on how difficult getting fit may be, Parham and his wife preach about possibilities.
“Sometimes we don't know and sometimes we don't know that it's possible,” he said.
The new lifestyle has “spilled over to the kids,” who are 12, 14 and 16. They say they occasionally enjoy their favorite treats, but as parents, have adopted a “happy medium.”
“Our kids are a lot more fit and feel better about themselves,” Parham said. “We don't live off of fast food any more or completely processed foods.”
The Parhams wrote a book also titled “The 90 Day Fitness Challenge” and have a DVD of the same name. They have also written a kids fitness challenge called “The Amazing Fitness Adventure For Your Kids” and Mrs. Parham has written a book “10 Lessons From A Former Fat Girl”.
More information about the challenge can be found at www.Familyfitnesstour.com.
Following their Lindale forum, the couple will stop in Tyler to promote their 90-day fitness challenge — a program that utilizes practical tips and accountability to get people on track to wellness.
For more than one year, Tyler business and government entities have joined for healthy living initiatives through the Fit City Challenge. Martin Krueger, owner and executive director at Learning Rx, said the Parham's tour fits perfectly with that mission.
“I think it's great because of the Fit City Challenge in Tyler,” he said. “They have a lot to offer as far as encouraging people. They really have a sincere heart to want to transform lives. That heart fits in with autism because nutrition, exercise, all that fits into special needs and autistic families. So, they have a dual purpose.”
Attendees will hear about the couple's weight loss, learn practical tips about weight loss, participate in a question-and-answer session and learn about resources available to help them on their journey to good health.
“Our goal is just to have people connected,” Parham said. “We want to get them excited and motivated, moving in the right direction and connected to the community, people who can help them work through that process.”
One of the strategies included in the program is how to keep track of activity and food intake.
“If you journal and write your thoughts, feelings, goals, water intake and food down every day, you're going to be twice as successful,” Parham said. “If you apply the proper discipline and put yourself in the right position, the good things will happen,” Parham said. “If you do what's right you'll get right results. We just try to help folks do that and keep them positive during the process.”
Parham said laziness led him to become obese and unhealthy. He was pre-diabetic, was developing fatty liver disease and had an enlarged heart. He said he had to learn that it was possible to reverse the damage, although it seemed extremely hard to do.
“The biggest lesson is the power that changes is there,” he said. “You just have to get in the right atmosphere and have to have the right people around you and decide that it is possible. The rules are the same for everybody and we just have to obey the rules.”
Rather than place a focus on how difficult getting fit may be, Parham and his wife preach about possibilities.
“Sometimes we don't know and sometimes we don't know that it's possible,” he said.
The new lifestyle has “spilled over to the kids,” who are 12, 14 and 16. They say they occasionally enjoy their favorite treats, but as parents, have adopted a “happy medium.”
“Our kids are a lot more fit and feel better about themselves,” Parham said. “We don't live off of fast food any more or completely processed foods.”
The Parhams wrote a book also titled “The 90 Day Fitness Challenge” and have a DVD of the same name. They have also written a kids fitness challenge called “The Amazing Fitness Adventure For Your Kids” and Mrs. Parham has written a book “10 Lessons From A Former Fat Girl”.
More information about the challenge can be found at www.Familyfitnesstour.com.
GRAPPLING WITH AUTISM
The Parhams aim to help other families impacted by autism and will share their personal story with autism at forums in dozens of cities this year.
The Community Autism Resources Forum was created to give attendees the opportunity to learn more about resources available to families. Care providers and support groups, including Learning Rx, Assist Autism Foundation, Dr. Peter deWet, Parent Services, Andrews Center, At Home Healthcare, will be on hand during the forums.
The Parhams youngest son is autistic and they would find resources at a Learning Rx facility.
Following the success they had, they joined the Colorado Springs, Co. branch to create an autism resource forum. It was suppose to be a one-time event, but the success led to the current tour.
Each of the 83 locations had the option of bringing the couple's forum to its city.
“Learning Rx is just one of the providers to offer the community hope and let it know there's a lot of services out there that are out there and want to help them,” Krueger said. “We act as a resource. We're able to point them in the right direction.”
Autism is the fastest-growing developmental disability in the country, with one in 110 children being impacted by the disorder. It is a spectrum disorder, with symptoms ranging from very mild to severe. Symptoms may include difficulty with social situations, such as lack of eye contact, or the inability to empathize with people.
The forum is free and open to the public. To learn more about Phillip and Amy Parham, visit www.philandamyfitness.com.
The Community Autism Resources Forum was created to give attendees the opportunity to learn more about resources available to families. Care providers and support groups, including Learning Rx, Assist Autism Foundation, Dr. Peter deWet, Parent Services, Andrews Center, At Home Healthcare, will be on hand during the forums.
The Parhams youngest son is autistic and they would find resources at a Learning Rx facility.
Following the success they had, they joined the Colorado Springs, Co. branch to create an autism resource forum. It was suppose to be a one-time event, but the success led to the current tour.
Each of the 83 locations had the option of bringing the couple's forum to its city.
“Learning Rx is just one of the providers to offer the community hope and let it know there's a lot of services out there that are out there and want to help them,” Krueger said. “We act as a resource. We're able to point them in the right direction.”
Autism is the fastest-growing developmental disability in the country, with one in 110 children being impacted by the disorder. It is a spectrum disorder, with symptoms ranging from very mild to severe. Symptoms may include difficulty with social situations, such as lack of eye contact, or the inability to empathize with people.
The forum is free and open to the public. To learn more about Phillip and Amy Parham, visit www.philandamyfitness.com.
