Local family commits to get fit

Quality family time has taken on a whole new meaning for the Actons of Sackville.
For the past nine weeks, seven Acton family members have gotten together four times a week to pull, push, run, crunch and squat their way to a healthier lifestyle.
"At Christmas time, we had all started talking about how to get ourselves in better shape," said Sandy MacQuarrie, the son-in-law of the Acton clan as well as the fitness coach for the family.
The group -- which includes Robert Acton, his wife Laura, daughters Debbie Phinney, Donna Beal and granddaughter Rebecca Phinney, all under the watchful coaching eyes of Sandy and Robert's daughter Darlene Acton - committed to training together four times a week as they work their way toward getting fitter, faster, stronger and healthier.
"It's really neat to see a 70-year-old grandfather and his 19-year-old granddaughter working out side by side," said Sandy.
The group assembles in Darlene and Sandy's gym on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays for short but strenuous workouts and lessons on nutrition. The group's workout regimen follows the principles of a fitness revolution sweeping North America, the Crossfit program. The husband-and-wife team of Darlene and Sandy are the family's strength and fitness coaches, both certified as Crossfit instructors.
"We have four classes per week, 30-minute workouts that are constantly varying," said Sandy, noting each workout is scaled for individual family members.
Crossfit, an exercise craze that is said to hark back to the "no pain, no gain" days of fitness, focuses on strength and endurance training. Participants are exposed to strength training, Olympic lifting, running and embracing the unexpected. Emphasis is placed on healthier food choices, stressing the proper combination of lean protein and complex carbohydrates.
Getting fit is not easy, said Sandy. The dedication to work through the short workouts means a total commitment to the program.
Robert, who turns 71 next month, shows that the program fits everyone. Sandy said Robert has experienced strength increases, flexibility and a decrease in his overall body fat percentage.
Laura, he reports, has dropped her overall body weight each week and is stronger than ever before. She has so far lost more than 20 pounds.
Donna, a runner, needed to build core and upper body strength and the results are starting to show already.
Debbie is exercising as never before and is constantly encouraged by her family and surprises even herself with how much she has accomplished in a short time, he said.
Rebecca, after years of basketball and soccer, has a newfound enthusiasm for this total body training. Not many 19-year-olds get to work out with their mother and grandfather, said Sandy.
Darlene and Sandy have trained and competed at the local, regional, national and international level over the course of their athletic careers.
Darlene is a twice-national champion in the Firefighter Combat Challenge, all-Canadian basketball player and is an avid squash enthusiast.
Sandy, program director at the Atlantic Paramedic Academy, also trains hard for, and competes in, the annual combat challenge.
This past summer, he brought home the gold medal in the 45-and-over division after completing the course in 2:04. Sandy also enjoys squash, Crossfit and hockey.
As the Actons commit to what they hope will result in a true success story that could be used as an example for others, they are supporting, encouraging and pushing each other along the way (and having fun while doing it).
"If you put your heads together, you can come up with some pretty unique ways to get fit," said MacQuarrie.