Andy Busek fighting a life long battle aganst obesity

Andy Busek

The number one health problem facing Americans today is obesity which is a result of our inability to control our need to consume in excess.

We are blessed to live in a country of abundance and it is easy to fall victim to the quick, easy and relatively inexpensive trappings of fast foods.

Weight affects millions of people in this country where we are conscious of size and what society tells us is acceptable beauty.

Excuses for our inability to eat right, exercise and take better overall care of ourselves range from the “lack of time”, to the “you only live once” concept.

I agree that we “only live once,” but shouldn’t that one time be filled with making the right choices concerning our overall health and productivity?  Being overweight brings with it a series of health aliments such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.

For Andy Busek his struggles with weight began as a youngster and manifested itself when he started working as a cook during and after college.

“The more I worked the less time I had to exercise,” Busek said.

As a youth Busek remained active playing Pop Warner football and joining the swim team by the time he was 10 years of age.  By age 12 he became a sixth place finisher in swimming in the state of Georgia as his family traveled around the country with his father being in the Air Force.

Already large as a teenager Busek began to balloon even more once he became a chef and with his extra pounds came a host of weight related ailments.

“I started working as a cook during college and began eating more and exercising less,” he said.  “I first started working at a French Restaurant where I sampled almost everything I cooked and soon found myself tipping the scales at 300 pounds.”

It wasn’t until Busek became diabetic and had his gall bladder removed that he started to make changes in his consumption of foods.

“I changed my diet by removing sugar and white starches and I increased the amount of vegetables in order to control my blood sugar,” Busek said.

The changes weren’t easy for Busek as he is constantly surrounded by food and today works as the pastry chef at Kilauea Lodge in Volcano Village.

“I love food, especially pastries and chocolates,” he said. 

Busek has, over the past few years, won a variety of cooking and pastry contest, placing second as professional in the Kona Chocolate Festival in 2008 and winning the 1997 Sam Choy poke contest for his mac nut poke creation.

“I’ve won certificates in sauces, stocks and pastries from Cordon Bleu, France and have won many local awards as I was a member of the American Culinary Federation,” Busek said.

Busek remained active in swimming for many years doing the Hapuna Rough Water swim throughout the 1980’s and in 1984 tackled the Volcano Wilderness Marathon a 26.2 mile trek around some of the roughest terrain in the world.

“When I did that marathon in ’84 I lost 15 pounds on that single day,” Busek said.

At age 55 Busek continues to struggle with his weight, but has made a consorted effort to exercise more and eat healthier.

“I’m trying to do triathlons and work on my swimming, biking and running throughout the week,” he said.

Since 2000 Busek has entered a number of triathlon events and realizes that with more consistency he continues to get better at what he does.

“I know that I cannot stop exercising or I’ll gain all the weight back,” Busek said.  “I also feel better when I exercise and I keep getting better and better at participating in various events the more that I do it.”

At age 55 Busek is still large, tipping the scales at 228, but he has made great strides in his fight against obesity.

“I continue to set fitness related goals for myself as I enter various community races to really compete against myself,” he said.  “These races help me stay motivated to continue working out in order to see how far I can push myself.”

Like most people struggling with weight related issues Busek sees his battle as a lifelong process.

“I am now off medications because of my improved diet and regular physical exercise,” Busek said. 

Busek has some simple advice to those that are struggling with their weight and that is to eat more vegetables and exercise regularly.

“Eating right and staying away from fatty foods is one of the keys,” Busek said. “I still struggle everyday with my weight, but at least now I am winning that battle.”

In his book The Affluent Society, John Kenneth Galbraith wrote, “More die in the United States of too much food than of too little.”

Andy Busek in doing his best in the fight against obesity through regular physical exercise and by making smart choices in the food that he consumes.

 And someday should you happen to see a health conscious jogger doing laps around Liliuokalani Gardens remember to smile, say “woof” and never shy away from “Running with the Big Dog.”

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Billy “The Ghost” Barnett wins Waikaumalo 7 mile challenge

 Big Island Road Runners
Waikaumalo 7 Mile Challenge
February 27, 2011 @ 7:30 am
Waikaumalo Park, Ninole, Hawaii

Billy “The Ghost” Barnett prepares for start of 7-mile challenge

Pictured on far right wearing red shorts, Barnett is undefeated in 2011 races

7	Mile Run				Pace
Plc	Name	Division		Time	(min/mi)
1	Billy Barnett	<<< Overall >>>		40:39	5:48
2	Keoni Ucker	Open		43:01	6:09
3	Chris Mosch	Open		44:03	6:18
4	Justin Pang	Open		45:08	6:27
5	Isaiah Sato	Open		45:54	6:33
6	Paul Mauser	Open		46:33	6:39
7	Nick Hagemann	Open		47:11	6:44
8	Nick Muragin	++ Master ++		47:38	6:48
9	Lyman Perry	Master		48:12	6:53
10	Keith Marrack	Master		49:24	7:03
11	Steve Pavao	Master		52:46	7:32
12	Robyn DeBenedet	<<< Overall >>>	F	52:56	7:34
13	James Imai	Open		53:08	7:35
14	Derek Dominguez	Open		53:10	7:36
15	Kirsta Andrew	Open	F	53:35	7:39
16	DJ Blinn	Master		54:56	7:51
17	Lory Hunter	++ Master ++	F	55:56	7:59
18	Rob Van Geen	Master		57:21	8:12
19	Ray Ibarra	Master		57:26	8:12
20	Maka’ala Cruz	Open		58:21	8:20
21	Melissa Braswell	Open	F	59:14	8:28
22	Nina Hagemann	Open	F	1:00:18	8:37
23	Barbie Nakamura	Master	F	1:01:24	8:46
24	Emily Kingery	Open	F	1:02:16	8:54
25	Harris Kaneshiro	Master		1:02:30	8:56
26	Donna Wong-Yuen	Master	F	1:04:00	9:09
27	Charlie Bostwick	Master		1:06:24	9:29
28	Andrea Hess	Master	F	1:07:15	9:36
29	Marti Banks	Master	F	1:07:38	9:40
30	David Hammes	Master		1:07:41	9:40
31	Kim Furumo	Master	F	1:08:48	9:50
32	Lindsay Englund	Open	F	1:09:02	9:52
33	Tiffany Lindsey	Open	F	1:09:24	9:55
34	Richard Grothmann	Master		1:09:48	9:58
35	Daria Cunningham	Master	F	1:11:15	10:11
36	Morgen Bahurinsky	Master	F	1:14:51	10:42
37	Betty Ben	Master	F	1:15:46	10:49
38	Kimi Jackson	Master	F	1:15:47	10:50
39	Lee Collins	Master	F	1:19:56	11:25
40	Bob Scales	Open		1:21:15	11:36
41	Rick Otani	Master		1:26:03	12:18
42	Claire Shigeoka	Master	F	1:34:06	13:27
43	Marie Kuramoto	Master	F	1:34:06	13:27
4	Mile Run				Pace
Plc	Name	Division		Time	(min/mi)
1	Stephen Hunter	Open		28:30	7:07
2	Carmen Garson-Shumway	Open	F	30:27	7:37
3	Timon Skinner	Open		34:00	8:30
4	Aleksandra Beloborodova	Open	F	37:08	9:17
5	Dawn Patterson	Open	F	37:28	9:22
6	Leslie Terada	Open		38:03	9:31
7	Bobby Nakamura	Master		40:00	10:00
8	Keleala DeCosta	Open	F	40:51	10:13
9	Cherie Berg	Open	F	41:09	10:17
10	Norman Skinner	Master		44:30	11:07
11	Dixie Newman	Open	F	48:48	12:12
12	Richard Alderson	Master		49:24	12:21
13	Rihei Grothmann	Open		52:43	13:11
14	Jordan Hirae	Open		52:43	13:11
15	Sharon Ibarra	Master	F	1:01:15	15:19

BIIF Opens Tennis Season – full results

WHS star Sarah Dvorak

Boys     Waiakea 5 , St. Joseph’s 0

Singles:  Kaito Mizutani (WAK) def. Gunnar Austin Lee (SJ) 6-1, 6-0

Singles:  Andrew Matsuura (WAK) def. Sawyer Rogers (SJ) 6-0, 6-1

Doubles:  Christopher Simons (WAK)/ Gary Murayama (WAK) def. Christian Borris (SJ)/ Jack Fisher (SJ) 6-1, 6-3

Doubles:  Samuel Matsuura (WAK)/ Daniel Matsuura (WAK) def. Sebastian Ohara-Saft (SJ)/ Caleb Ananda-Stout (SJ) 6-0, 6-0

Doubles:  Brandon Hamamoto (WAK)/ Tevyn Gomez (WAK) won by default

Girls    Waiakea 5, St. Joseph’s 0

Singles:  Sarah Dvorak (WAK) def. Amber Masulit (SJ) 6-0, 6-0

Singles:  Candice Roddie (WAK) def. Rina Iwami (SJ) 6-3, 6-4

Doubles:  Skye Matsuura (WAK)/ Karyl-Lin Yamakawa (WAK) def. Samantha Thorsen (SJ)/ Rena Iwami (SJ) 6-2, 6-0

Doubles:  Lindsey Kimura (WAK)/ Kayla Yamada (WAK) won by default

Doubles:  Malorie Murakami (WAK)/ Kaylan Young (WAK) won by default

Boys   Kealakehe 5 , Honokaa 0

Singles:  Spencer Travalino (KEAL) def. Austin Char (HON) 6-0, 6-2

Singles:  Chris Lysiuk (KEAL) def. Denn Aleta  (HON) 6-1, 6-0

Doubles:  Jeffrey Gelman/Chandler Daub (KEAL) def. Kana Sproat/Gabriel Ramirez (HON) 6-0, 6-0

Doubles – Chase Richmond/Shoyo Tsukamoto (KEAL) won by default

Doubles  David Jackson/CJ Kow (KEAL) won by default

Girls   Kealakehe 5 , Honokaa 0

Singles:  Daisy Green (KEAL) def. Lyn Martinez (HON) 6-0, 6-0

Singles:  Cierra Abellera (KEAL) def. Kuulei Kent (HON) 6-3, 6-4

Doubles:  Tiera Makaiwi/Michelle Reed (KEAL) def. Monica Carlos/Kelly Greenwell (HON) 6-3, 6-2

Doubles:  Kristin Winther/Mai Kobayashi (KEAL) def. Tia Greenwell/Jenna Matsumura (HON) 6-0, 6-0

Doubles:  Yoko Nedlic/Maura Montenero (KEAL) def. Alyssa McDaniel/Camelia Witt (HON) 6-0, 6-0

Boys    Kohala 1 , Parker 4

Singles:  Elliott Warkus (PAR) def. Andrew Trump (KOH) 6-3, 3-6, 10-6

Singles:  James Werner (KOH) def. Ryan Fitzgerald (PAR) 3-6, 6-3, 10-7

Doubles:  Kai Inaba (PAR)/ CJ Brown (PAR) def. Dylan Snelling (KOH)/ Jerome Arellano (KOH) 6-0, 6-3

Doubles:  Jesse Tarnas (PAR)/ Grant Nair (PAR) won by default

Doubles:  Ryp Ring (PAR)/ Charlie Charbonneau (PAR) won by default

Girls   Kohala  , Parker 

Singles:  Emilie Skladzien (PAR) won by default

Singles:  Kyley Nishimura (PAR) won by default

Doubles:  Marit Winborne (PAR)/ Madi Pozner (PAR) won by default

Doubles:  Keala Prietto (PAR)/ Lysha Matsunobu (PAR) won by default

Doubles:  Erika Hannon (PAR)/ Rachel Dunn (PAR) won by default

 

Punahou wins HHSAA Division I Title – places 5 on all tourney team

DIVISION I     CHAMPIONSHIP

 

PUNAHOU (11-2-1)  2          3 – 5

KAISER (14-3-2)      0          0 – 0

 

Goals: Mountan Mitchell 36^th minute; Mitchell 40^th; Scott Granger 47^th; Mitchell 58^th; Colin Williams 74th.

Below is the All-Tournament Team for the JN Automotive Group/Hawai’i High School Athletic Association Division I Boys Soccer State Championships.

(as selected by tournament staff)

F — Mountan Mitchell, Punahou

F — Rowen White, Kapolei

MF — Scott Granger, Punahou

MF — Jason Khamvongsa, Kaiser

MF — Brad Pena, Roosevelt

MF — Joshua Perry-Kruse, Kaiser

D — Kaimi Fairbairn, Punahou

D — Kalei Gallarde, Kapolei

D — Brayden Prothero, Kamehameha

D — Chandler Teruya, Punahou

GK — Charlie Yamamoto, Punahou

Most Outstanding Player — Mountan Mitchell, Punahou

Honokaa wins HHSAA Division II soccer championship – Shiraki MOP

DIVISION II

 

CHAMPIONSHIP

KAPA‘A (13-1)         0          1 – 1

HONOKA‘A (11-2-2)            2          2 – 4

 Goals: Joshua Robinson (Honoka‘a) 29^th minute; Justin Warren (Honoka‘a) 32^nd; Calvin Rux (Kapa‘a) 45^th; Dylan Shiraki (Honoka‘a) 76^th; Robinson (Honoka‘a) 77^th

All-Tournament Team from the JN Automotive Group/Hawai’i High School Athletic Association Division II Boys Soccer State Championships.

(Selected by tournament staff)

F — Matt Domingcil, Kapa’a

F — Chris Maeda, St. Anthony

F — Josh Robinson, Honoka’a

MF — Landy Eng, Hawai’i Prep

MF — Malachi Kobayashi, Hawai’i Prep

MF — Calvin Rux, Kapa’a

MF — Dylan Shiraki, Honoka’a

D — Robert Connors, Honoka’a

D — Tony Connors, Honoka’a

D — Bryce Mizoguchi, St. Anthony

GK — Maika’i Coelho, Honoka’a

Most Outstanding Player – Dylan Shiraki, Honoka’a