Linda's Story

That's right, I have another success story to share.  If you've read everything I've written so far, you'll have read a little bit about my story which led to me being able to share Tina's story.  Well, Tina's story has led to another success story; this time, it's a lady named Linda.

A couple of months ago, Linda approached me.  She knows Tina and said she had seen how I helped Tina.  She wondered if I could help her, too.  We sat down and talked for a little bit about her goals and what she wanted to do.  Because of health reasons, she wasn't ready to start formal exercise, but she walks constantly at work and as much as possible outside of work.  She couldn't do much, due to painful bone spurs in her feet, as well as other foot problems.  But she did what she could.

Understanding this, we decided to simply talk nutrition.  She asked questions, and I answered them to the best of my knowledge, experience, and ability.  Finally, I asked her if she had a piece of paper; she pulled out a grocery store receipt.  I pulled out my pen and--on the back of this receipt--wrote down a sample nutritional plan for one day.  We talked about it, and she decided she would give it a try.  I reminded her that I was a certified personal trainer, not a certified dietitian, and her response was, "I know.  But I've seen how you've changed, and I've seen how you helped Tina."  So, she took my plan and was very excited.

Over the months, she has given me occasional updates about how things are going for her.  Today, along with telling me that she has lost 27 pounds in a couple months, she gave me the most exciting news I have heard from her yet.  Following are some of the things she said during our conversation:

"I feel so good!"

"I've had a hard time staying on my diet through Christmas, but I'm getting back on it on Monday... and I've been able to maintain my weight throughout the holidays.  I've lost 27 pounds, and I haven't put any back on."

"I'm no longer tired.  I used to go home and just sleep, and I don't feel like that anymore!"

"The doctor is surprised that I can walk without my bone spurs hurting at all."

"I don't have to have that foot surgery now... because of all the weight I've lost!"

The 27 pounds in a few months, yes that is exciting.  But no pain from her bone spurs, that's cool!  And not having to get foot surgery because she's dropped the weight, that is just downright awesome!!!  She was obviously very excited about that, and that makes me excited, too!  This is why I decided to get into this: to help people improve their quality of life.

Way to go, Linda!

Happy New Year!!!

I hope everyone had a great Christmas, Hanukkah, or other holiday.  If you celebrate Kwanzaa, I hope you're enjoying your holiday season, as well.  Though different cultures, regions, religions, or nations celebrate different holidays, there is at least one that is world-wide: New Year's. (Ok, so there's the Chinese New Year's that is different from the "regular" New Year's, but it's still a new year celebration.)  And along with the universal celebration of New Year's comes the almost universal tradition of setting new year's resolutions.  Even if you don't want to call it a resolution, most everybody will set themselves a goal or two for the new year.  Whether it's to find a new job, advance in your current job, finish or go back to school, start a family, exercise more, eat better, watch less TV, read a new book, or whatever it may be.

One of my goals for the new year, or a resolution, is to take at least one first place age group finish in an Olympic distance triathlon (click here for an explanation of different triathlon distances). Another one of my goals is to use my race season as a fund raising effort for a charitable group.  I have a couple groups in mind, but haven't decided on anything yet.  I need to do this soon, as well as contact the charity to see what I need to do to get this going.  I have never done anything like this before, but I think it will be a great experience.

What about you?  What are some of your resolutions, or goals for the new year? 

If any of them have to do with fitness, I would love to be a part of it.  Whether you want to lose weight, pass a fitness test, run your first 5K or marathon, I would love to help!  I just re-certified my NSCA-cpt last night, so I'm good to go!  Check out my personal training page--look for the link on the right side of this page, or simply click here to go right to the page--to see what will work best for you. 

To help out even more, I am also offering a special for anybody who signs up with me in January:

If you sign up (in January) for a 6-month program at Timpanogos Fitness, there will be no charge for your fitness assessment; this is a $35 value!

If you sign up with me (again, in January only) for 6 months (at your home/outside of Timpanogos Fitness), your first session will be free!  This is a $20-$50 value, depending on where you live and how long the sessions are that you want.

I hope everybody has a very happy New Year's celebration, and I wish you all the best for the coming year.  May it be one of happiness, joy, love, hard work, determination, new adventures, old traditions, and success in your worthwhile causes! 

Happy New Year!!!

12 Days of Christmas

Merry Christmas, everyone!  I am home alone Christmas Eve morning.  I really wanted to still be sleeping right now, but my body decided it's time to wake up.  And it's not listening to me when I tell it to go back to sleep.  So I decided I would send out this little Christmas present to everyone.

As this is a blog about fitness, my Christmas gift to you is a "12 Days of Christmas" style workout.  This is what we did at boot camp Thursday morning, and then I adapted it a little for all my personal training clients.  Below, you will find a list of twelve exercises.  For some, you will need a pair of dumbbells.  The way you want to do this workout is to do one rep of the first exercise, followed by two reps of the second and one rep of the first.  Then you'll do 3 reps of the third, 2 reps of the second, and one of the first.  Follow that up with 4 reps of the fourth, 3 reps of the third, 2 reps of the second, and one rep of the first.  Keep adding exercises, with the number of the exercise corresponding to how many reps you will do of that exercise, until you have done 12 reps of the twelfth exercise, 11 of the eleventh, 10 reps of the tenth, 9 of the ninth, 8 of the eighth, 7 reps of the seventh, 6 of the sixth, 5 of the fifth, 4 of the fourth, 3 reps of the third, 2 of the second, and one rep of the first exercise.  Just like the song, but a lot less annoying... and a lot better for your health and pocket book, too! Enjoy!

1. Ladder Run (or 30 seconds of Mountain Climbers, if you don't have a marked basketball court for ladders)

2. Stupids (Start on your hands and toes.  Keeping your body flat and your feet still, walk your hands out as far as you can, and then walk your feet back in to the starting position.)

3. Single leg Squats (3 per leg)

4. Alternating Push-Up Planks (Start on your hands and toes again, in a push-up position. Walk your arms down so you're now resting on your forearms, in a plank position.  And then walk back up into a push-up position.  That is one rep.)

5. Burpees  (start standing. Drop down to a crouching position with your hands on the ground.  Using your hands for support, kick your feet out behind you, do a quick push-up, then bring your feet forward again, and jump as high as you can in the air, extending your arms up above your head.)

6. Russian Twists (Sit on the floor with feet elevated so that your balancing on your tailbone.  Grab a dumbbell in your hands and twist side to side, letting the dumbbell touch the ground on each side.  For this exercise, touch the dumbbell to each side 6 times.)

7. Lunges with a Hammer Curl (This one will also be 7 lunges per leg.  Each time you lunge forward, do one hammer curl, which is simply a bicep curl but with palms rotated inward so that they are facing each other.  Of course, you'll need your set of dumbbells for this one, too.)

8. Leg Lifts (Lay on the ground with legs fully extended.  Keeping your legs as straight as possible, raise them up off the ground as high as you can, and then lower them again without letting your feet touch the ground before starting the next lift.)

9. Single Leg Hip Raises (Again, while lying on the ground, bend your knees so that your feet are flat on the ground.  Now lift one leg up in the air.  Keeping that leg up in the air, raise your hips up towards the ceiling as high as you can, and then lower your hips without letting them touch the ground before starting the next lift.  Do 9 on these, and then switch which leg is in the air and do 9 more.)

10. Squats with Shoulder Press (You'll need your dumbbells for this one again.  Holding the dumbbells by your ears (palms facing forward), squat down as far as you can go, pushing your butt back so that your knees don't go out past your toes. As you stand back up, make sure you're pushing up through your heels, and fully extend your arms up over your head.  Lower your arms back to the starting position, and begin your next squat.)

11. Single Leg Calf Raises (Stand on one leg and raise up on that toe as high as you can.  Do this next to a wall if you need help with balance.  You can hold your dumbbells in your hands to increase resistance.  Or, to increase the range of motion, do this on a stair and--as you come down--let your heel drop below level; just make sure you have a wall or railing to hold on to.)

12. Jumping Jacks (Yup, just like when you were in Third grade!)

Merry Christmas!!!

Suggestions for Surviving the Holidays: Increase Your Metabolism without Thinking (too much)

After giving some tips to help control food cravings, I figured I would share some tips I have about exercise.  These are some simple ways to increase thermogenesis (burn more calories) without thinking too much.

Perhaps you have heard the acronym N.E.A.T.  Maybe you haven't heard of it, or you have but don't know what it means.  N.E.A.T.  stands for Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis.  It is simply a fancy way of saying, "burning calories in ways other than a formal exercise or training session."  So, how can you increase N.E.A.T. without exercising?  Here are some of my suggestions.

Walk
Simple enough, right?  Believe it or not, most people don't walk as far or as fast as they think.  Studies have shown that the speed with which you walk has some influence on how long you will live; the faster you walk, the greater the chances of living longer.  How?  The increased speed strengthens both your heart and lungs. However, there is no reason to suddenly make speed walking your normal walking pace. Simply try increasing the speed you walk just a little.  If you typically take 30 steps in 60 seconds, try speeding up to 30 steps in 50 seconds.

With the faster walking, try walking a little bit more everyday.  Buy a pedometer; these are cheap and easy to use.  Clip it on your belt or pants, and it does the counting for you.  Track how many steps you take, and try to increase that number by a mere 25 steps per day.  If on Monday, you take 10,000 steps, take 10,025 on Tuesday, 10,050 on Wednesday, 10,075 on Thursday, and so on.  By the next Monday, you'll be taking 175 more steps than you did the week before! Some simple ideas to help with getting in more steps each day include: parking farther away than you usually would when you go to a store or holiday party, taking a couple trips to the car when you get home from shopping (instead of lining your arms with all 10 bags at once), using the stairs instead of the elevator, and getting up to change the channel or volume on the TV (instead of using the remote).

Fidget
This one's easy.  Movement burns calories.  Sure, the speed or intensity with which you move will determine how many calories you burn; the higher the intensity, the greater the rate of calorie burn.  But tapping your toe or heel while you sit at your computer updating your facebook status will burn more calories than if you just sit still while working on the computer.  A couple other ways to do this: tap your toe while listening to music, twiddle your thumbs while standing in line at the grocery store instead of reading the tabloids, adjust the way you sit in your chair every couple of minutes (as often as possible without annoying others), or stretch your shoulders while you walk.  Sure, these won't burn a ton of extra calories, but there are studies that suggest that fidgeters tend to be leaner.

Ditch the chair
Ok, so this one isn't always possible, but try standing more often.  The same studies that suggest that fidgeters tend to be leaner also suggest that people who stand more during the day also tend to be leaner.  This will also help strengthen your leg muscles a little more, as you will have to depend on those muscles, rather than the chair, to hold you up.

Another way to do this is to replace the office chair with an exercise ball.  Though this may not always be possible at your place of employment, you can easily do this at home.  Depending on which medicine ball you get, and where you get it from, they can cost about $10... which is a LOT less than an office chair.  As it attempts to roll around, you will have to use your abdomen, lower back, and even some leg muscles to stabilize the ball.  This will not only help you fidget without realizing that you're fidgeting, but it will also strengthen your ab and lower back muscles specifically.  And muscles burn more calories at rest than fat does, so stronger muscles will help you burn more calories.

Move while watching TV
Instead of fast-forwarding the Tivo or DVR during commercials, get up and move around.  Do some crunches, push-ups, or even tricep dips off the edge of the sofa.  Maybe try jogging in place or do some jumping jacks.  You can even do this during a particularly boring part of the show or TV movie, rather than just waiting for the commercials.

Enjoy the season
Again, this is a time of joy.  Enjoy the lights, the songs, the parties and gatherings (without over-indulging), and everything else that goes along with this wonderful holiday season. Kiss your significant other under the mistletoe (or anywhere else that is appropriate); this raises the heart rate which translates into burning some extra calories.  And don't forget to laugh; this is another great calorie burner!

Merry Christmas and happy holidays!!!

Suggestions for Surviving the Holidays: How to Curb Your Food Cravings instantly

The Holiday season is in full swing.  Thanksgiving is over, and Christmas is close at hand.  This is a wonderful time of year for family gatherings, company parties, staying in on a cold winter night, and snuggling in front of a warm fire.  It also typically seems to be the time of year when everybody complains about gaining weight. With this in mind, I would like to give a few suggestions to help you limit or completely stop any holiday weight gain.  Yes, it is even possible to lose weight during the holidays.  

Everybody, I'm sure, recognizes the main cause for holiday weight gain: eating too much.  And not just eating too much, but eating too much of the sweets, treats, goodies, etc.  These are the same things that cause weight gain any other time of year, but they are in more abundance during the holiday season.  And with more abundance seems to come more cravings.

Food cravings can attack us all, from the 5-time Ironman finisher to the newly-recovering couch potato. They are unavoidable, and to deny their existence will make you more vulnerable when they attack. The best thing to do is to have strategies in place to combat cravings and to meet them head on. Here are some great tricks to curb those cravings:

Stop Cravings Before They Start.

Cravings often occur when your body is missing some nutrient or type of food that your diet has been lacking. You can prevent them by making sure you're eating small, well-balanced meals and snacks throughout the day. As a matter of fact, if you're eating whole foods every 3-4 hours, your belly will stay relatively full and your blood sugar will stay level. Without dangerous dips in your blood sugar, you're less likely to crave quick fixes like simple carbs or bad fats.

Hydrate!

Did you know that sometimes what our brains register as hunger is actually our bodies trying to tell us that we're dehydrated? Yes, your body can mistake thirst for hunger.  The next time a craving hits you out of nowhere, make it a point to drink a full glass of water. Not only will it fight "hydration pangs," it'll also curb your cravings by filling your stomach.

Distract Your Taste Buds.

Sometimes cravings hit because you're stressed or bored and your mouth needs something to do. A great trick is to pop a piece of sugarless gum or a breath mint. The burst of flavor will refocus your palate and nip that craving in the bud. Usually when your mouth is already full there's no room to want anything more.

Don't Eat. Act.

Sit down and make a list of 10 things that you can do instead of succumbing to your cravings. Keep the list close at hand and refer to it often. It may sound cheesy, but it's a great weapon against those pesky cravings. Your list might include going for a walk, taking a quick shower, playing with a pet, or chatting with a loved one. The point is to focus your attention elsewhere and recondition your mind to crave something more active instead of the food you don't need.

Rule Your Cravings with an Iron Fist.

Sometimes it's less about craving a particular food and more about general impulse control. The next time you are hit with a diet-busting craving, clench your fists as you tell yourself that you will not indulge. Research has shown that the physical activity of clenching your fists can help you assert control and be conscientious in your decision making.

Remember: Sharing Is Caring...For Yourself

If you just can't resist a piece of cheesecake or that side of fries, try splitting one serving with a friend. There are three reasons why this strategy halts the damage cravings can inflict on your fitness goals. First, you'll get a satisfying taste, preventing you from feeling deprived and possibly opening yourself up to a dangerous binge later on. Second, by splitting the portion you instantly cut down on the calories and bring your treat down to manageable levels of sugar, fat, and sodium. Lastly, you get instant support in your healthy decision from your like-minded friend. Just make sure you and your cravings-buddy split a single portion - not an entire extra large everything pizza.  

Enjoy the Season!

These are not new tips, and are not exclusive to me, but hopefully they will prove helpful.  Most of all, remember to enjoy this holiday season.  Cherish your friends and family. Smile a little more.  Look for more opportunities to help others.  If others try to help you, accept their service gratefully.  Sing the songs of the holiday season.  Laugh! 

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

The first run in my new shoes

It's been less than two days, and I am loving my new shoes already. I have really been wanting to get in a run in them, rather than just wearing them around the house, so this morning I made it happen.  I met with a client for half an hour at 6:00 a.m., and my next appointment isn't until 8, so I strapped on my shoes and went for a run.  I am trying to allow myself plenty of time to transition into this new type of shoe, so I decided not to go too far or too fast.  After a five-minute warm-up on the treadmill, I let my speed top off at 6 mph, which is a ten-minute mile.  I just went for 1 mile and then let the treadmill take me into a cool-down.

It wasn't far or fast, but it sure felt good! Even in such a short time and distance, I could feel the difference these shoes make.  My leg muscles did have to work a little differently, but it felt so much better than any other shoe I have run in (which, admittedly, has not been a whole lot: Asics, Sauconys, and Newtons). And my forefoot and toes finally have the room they need!  Yes, my fat feet could relax and run as if I didn't have a shoe constricting them.

Perhaps the most telling thing, though, is how they feel now.  I still have some time before my next client, so as I write this, I am also doing an upper body weight work-out.  Usually after a run, I want to get my feet out of my shoes as quickly as possible.  I've done weight work-outs barefoot before, just because I had to get my shoes off to let my feet breathe and relax.  Today, I still have my shoes on as I do my weight work-out (and take occasional breaks to write), and it feels really good!  The Altra box was right: it actually feels like I'm wearing slippers, not shoes! But these are "slippers" with enough support that I can run in them!

I love these shoes, and now I can't wait to start getting in some longer runs in these things!!!

My new running shoes

Have you ever given or received an early Christmas present?  Have you ever bought yourself a Christmas present?  Well, today, I kind of did both of those. A couple weeks ago, I received a holiday bonus from one of my jobs, and today I received a rewards card from my bank. So I went out and bought myself an early Christmas present: a new pair of running shoes!

They aren't just any running shoes; they are shoes that I have wanted almost all year long.  They're a relatively new brand (hit the market back in April or May) and are Competitor Magazine's editor's pick for most innovative shoe of 2011.  I am the new owner of a pair of Altra Instincts!

What makes these shoes so special?  Well, take a look and you will see.

Do you see what makes them different?

In most running shoes, the sole at the heel is almost--or exactly--twice as thick as at the forefoot. In the first picture of my new Instincts, however, you'll notice that the thickness of the sole at the heel is just as thick as the sole at the forefoot. Altra calls this "Zero Drop." This allows a more natural, mid- foot strike when running, which leads to less impact and shock being absorbed by the knees. Hopefully this will help alleviate the sore IT band that I've been nursing all year.

According to the brochure that came with my shoes, this Zero Drop will also strengthen the Achilles tendon and lower calf, both of which have been "neutralized" by "a lifetime of wearing an elevated heel..."  I've only worn them for a couple of hours today, but I can tell you that I can already feel them working my calves more. I'm sure this is partially because my calves are already sore from yesterday's lower body work-out that included 30 seated calf raises, 65 single-leg standing calf raises (per leg), and 75 double-leg standing calf raises (alternating between toes straight, toes in, and toes out), but that soreness just made it easier to tell the difference when I put on this new pair.

As for the other main difference, you'll notice in the second and third pictures that the front of the shoe does not look normal, either.  Instead of coming to a point (and squishing the toes together) as most running shoes do, Altra has copied the shape of the foot.  Again according to the brochure, this "helps alleviate forefoot pain, bunions, neuromas, and other pathologies.  Toes spread naturally and relax in the shoe. [The] foot maintains its proper anatomical position. [This] allows for maximum shock absorption and powerful toe-off."  I haven't run in them yet, nor have I worn them enough to attest for all this professional sounding stuff, but I can't tell you how comfortable they are!!!  I have relatively wide feet (or at least I think of them that way), and it has been impossible to find shoes that don't feel like they're squeezing my feet... until now!!!  My feet finally have room!

Now I just can't wait to run in them!!!

Boot Camp

About a month ago, I received a text message from the Aerobics Coordinator at the Orem Fitness Center. I have been instructing a weight training class twice a week there for more than a year, and the Aerobics Coordinator apparently has been pleased with my work enough that she offered me a new class: the fitness boot camp!

I have been wanting to start a boot camp and have been trying to figure things out in my head.  So when I received the text saying that the instructor for the fitness center class was moving, I immediately jumped on the opportunity.  I started going to the class to get an idea of how the instructor ran it, as well as to get to know some of the people who attend and to let them get to know me a little.  I wanted to make the transition as smooth as possible, and let people be comfortable with me.

And I hope that worked, because last night was the first class I taught; this morning was the second.  I felt a little intimidated about it last night, but I tried to make sure that didn't show.  I felt a lot better about it this morning (other than being tired), partially because it was the second class, and partially because the class this morning was so much larger.  As strange as that may sound, the larger class was somehow easier.  We ran, did lunges, squats, push-ups, renegade rows, shoulder presses, crunches, planks, Russian twists, hip raises, bicep curls, tricep kickbacks, calf raises, and ran some more... not necessarily in that order.  It was a lot of fun, and the people who attended said it was a good work-out.  I guess we'll see if they really liked it at the next class tomorrow afternoon and Thursday morning.

For anybody who's interested, this Boot Camp is a "free" class, "free" meaning with the purchase of either a monthly, yearly, or daily pass to the Orem Fitness Center.  It is held on Mondays and Wednesdays at 5:00 pm, Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:00 am, and Saturdays at 8:00 am.  I would love to see a lot of people there!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!! What a wonderful time!

I know it's a day late, but I just wanted to wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving. That is probably self-evident by the title of this post.

I love Thanksgiving.  If I had to pick a favorite holiday, it would probably be this one.  Maybe it's because it is all about being grateful for what you have.   Maybe it's the amazing variety and assortment of pies and other delicious foods that bring a wonderful aroma to the entire house.  Maybe it's because of the huge family gathering and the laughter and excitement of all the children.  Maybe it's a combination of all of those.

This Thanksgiving was exceptionally wonderful.  My fiance and I decided to host, with the help of her sister and brother-in-law.  Her family came down from Boise, and my sister and brother-in-law came down from Logan.  I also had my three kids this year, my fiance's uncle here in Orem came with his wife and their three kids (who are basically the same age as my three), and another aunt came with her husband and daughter (who happened to be about as old as my middle child).  Altogether, we had 25 people in attendance at Thanksgiving dinner.

As would be assumed and appropriate for such a large gathering, there was an enormous amount of food.  We assigned everyone to bring something, and nobody disappointed.  We had two different turkeys (one seasoned with maple, one with rosemary), mashed and baked potatoes, two large crock pots filled with stuffing, vegetable trays, home made rolls, green salad, fruit salad, green bean casserole (which most people there actually enjoyed), deviled eggs, and probably 16 different pies!  After eating, we visited for an hour or so as the 7 children ran around playing with each other, their laughter filling the different rooms they ran around to and played in.  We eventually all came together for games of "What If?" and "Werewolves" (a more "complicated" version of "Mafia").  To say the least, it was an amazing feast of Thanksgiving.  Everyone seemed to have a very enjoyable time.  I, myself, am very grateful for everyone who came, helped out, brought food, or just enjoyed the day with us. 

I read an article in the Daily Herald newspaper yesterday titled "Gratitude is good for your brain."  Apparently, in the past few years, psychologists have started doing experiments to learn more about the science and brain chemistry behind "one of humanity's most powerful emotions."  According to the article, "One of the reasons why gratitude works so well is that it connects us with others."  Undoubtedly, the results of these initial studies do not teach us anything knew about being grateful: it is a "positive emotion" that can make us feel better, and it can help others feel better, as well. This is why Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays.  It is a wonderful time of year to slow down from all of the hustle, bustle, and distractions of daily life--the struggle to secure for ourselves our wants and needs--and to remember what we do have, what we have been blessed with. It is a beautiful time to let our family and friends know how grateful we are to have them in our lives.  I am, again, very grateful that I have had the privilege to spend this Thanksgiving with my children ( the light and joy of my life), my fiance (the light and love of my life), her family (an amazing group of wonderful people who, fortunately, feel like part of my family), and my sister and her broth-in-law (two more amazing and wonderful people). 

And I would also like to an extend a heartfelt thank-you to any and all of my readers, wherever you may be throughout the country or throughout the world. I hope you enjoy my writings, and I hope to be able to provide some more entertaining stories for your enjoyment.  Have a happy Thanksgiving weekend, and remember to be grateful as we transition into the Christmas season, the new year, and the business of everyday life.  Happy Thanksgiving!

Season Encore: Elevate Indoor Triathlon

Two months ago, I competed in the VikingMan Olympic distance triathlon in Heyburn, Idaho (for a breakdown of race distances, see my post "Going the distance..."). I took second place in my age group and then basically took a month off.  I didn't do nothing, but I rested and took it easy on any swims, bikes, or runs that I did; I mostly just biked to work until the weather started getting too cold. 

After a month off, I started focusing on weight training. Because it is getting too cold to bike or run outside, and because running on a treadmill isn't my favorite activity, I figure this is the perfect time to rebuild my strength base and prepare for another season of racing. I have been focusing on weight training for the past month, and I feel really good.

Last night, however, the triathlon bug bit me a little too hard, and I couldn't ignore it.  Almost right across the street from my house (I can walk there in the same amount of time it takes me to drive there.. maybe less), there is a gym called Elevate.  Elevate specializes in triathlon training.  Along with traditional gym equipment--free weights, machines, treadmills, and other cardio machines--Elevate also has a room of CompuTrainers (hook up your own bike and ride as if you were outside) and a room with two Endless Pools.  A USA-Triathlon certified coach also works through Elevate. 

Every January, March, and November, Elevate puts on an indoor sprint distance triathlon: 10 minutes swimming in the Endless Pool, 13 miles biking on the CompuTrainer, and 3.1 miles running on a treadmill.  I participated in these races back in January and March of this year.  Last night, I decided to sign up for the November race, which was held today.

I showed up at Elevate at 10:20 a.m. this morning, 40 minutes before my scheduled start time.  I signed in, got body marked (my race number--22--on my right arm, and my age on my right calf), and then suited up.  There was nobody scheduled to start at 10:30, so we hooked up my bike to the CompuTrainer, and I started early.

First was the swim.  The Endless Pool shoots a constant stream of water at you, and you swim against the current.  Everybody swims ten minutes, and each person is awarded a time bonus or penalty depending upon how fast the current is set.  The default current is set at 1000 psi.  For every hundred psi above 1000 psi, 1 minute is subtracted off the participant's overall time.  As the pool tops out at 1600 psi, the largest time bonus they were giving was 5 minutes off for swimming at 1500 psi.  I jumped in the pool, and the owner of Elevate asked me where I wanted to set the current.

"What is the fastest anyone has swam today?" I asked.

"1300 psi," he told me.

Knowing that I had to take advantage on the swim, I told him, "Let's do 1600!"  I was not going to be outdone here!

So, he set the pool to 1600 psi, counted down from 3... 2... 1... GO!

I was off.  Staying comfortable in the water, I was great for the first 8 minutes.  After that, I started to fade, and I wasn't sure if I would be able to finish at that pace; I wasn't sure how much longer I had.  Luckily, about a minute later (at least, I'm guessing it was about that long), I got a signal from the triathlon coach that I had one more minute in the pool.  I lengthened out my stroke, relaxed, and finished the entire 10 minutes at 1600 psi... the fastest swim of the day!

It was then off to the bike.  This is probably where I need to do the most work.  The swim comes almost naturally to me, as I grew up swimming competitively in Las Vegas.  The run is my weakest of the three, so that is what I typically spend most of my time working on.  The bike is very enjoyable, so when I go out for a work-out on the bike, I usually forget that I am working out and just enjoy the ride.  I had the equivalent of 13 miles to ride today, and I wanted to push myself.  I am still waiting for the official times and splits to be posted on the Elevate website, but my unofficial time was about 34 minutes and 56 or 57 seconds, which is more than two minutes faster than this same race back in January and March.  Very happy with my performance, I jumped off my bike, took off my bike shoes, pulled on my running shoes, and hopped on a treadmill. 

I was off on the run... though I knew I was going nowhere for the next 3.1 miles.  I gradually increased the speed, and eventually started doing intervals.  I increased the speed by 0.2 miles per hour for one minute, then decreased the speed by 0.1 mph for the next minute, and  kept repeating that so my average speed was constantly increasing.  Like I said, the run is my weakest of the three events.  My fastest 3.1 mile (5K) run is 21 minutes and 14 seconds.  I did mine today (again, unofficially) in 21 minutes and about 58 seconds.

Being done with the run, I slowed the treadmill down to a nice, slow walking pace so I could cool down.  I also stopped the timer on my watch and looked at my unofficial time.  Unofficially, and before subtracting my time bonus for the fast swim, I did this race in 1 hour, 8 minutes, and about 40 seconds.  My time bonus will take off at least 5 minutes. I tried to talk the owner and triathlon coach into giving me a 6-minute time bonus for maxing out the pool; we'll see if they went for it when official times are posted. 

Either way, I "went nowhere FAST" (Elevate's slogan for these races) and ended up with one of the fastest times of the day. Even more importantly... I feel GREAT!!!  This was my 9th and final race of this year, a race I wasn't even planning on doing until last night... a great encore to a great racing season. If I can do this in the middle of my post- (or "off-") season, when I'm focusing on weight training rather than my swim/bike/run training, then I am excited to see what I can do next year!

Tina's Story, Part 3

After a couple days, Tina's apprehension and nerves got the better of her trust and excitement. She approached me and said, "I am eating so much! There is no way I am going to lose weight!"

I assured her she was not eating "so much."  True, she was eating a lot more than what she had been eating, maybe twice as much.  Yes, she was eating (what felt like) all the time. I asked her how she felt, and she said she felt great but was never hungry. I told her that was good and convinced her to keep trying it for the rest of the week.

After a week, she came back to me, and after a brief chat to see how she was doing and make sure she had followed both her nutrition and exercise plan, I put her back on the same scale I had weighed her on a week earlier.  Of course, our conversation included her telling me that she was sure she had not lost any weight. However, to her astonishment, in just a week, she had lost four and a half (4.5) pounds (2.04 Kg)!

I didn't have to say much after this, of course.  Tina immediately trusted me and was ready to do whatever I asked her to do.  We continued to work together for the next 11 weeks.  I gave her a free 12-week program, and we met every week to weigh her, test her body fat, and write up new nutrition and exercise plans.  We gradually increased her daily caloric intake to 1600 Calories per day, then cut her back to 1200 Calories per day, and then built her back up to 1400 Calories per day, which is where we leveled off. I had her doing weights 2 times per week, and cardio 4 times per week.  As long as she was doing what I asked her to do, she lost weight. And even more importantly, she told me she had never felt better!

Tina's Story, Part 2

A week later, Tina came back, food journal in hand.  We did an official weigh-in to see how much she weighed at the time, and then I sat down to look it over. As I did, one thing jumped out to me more than anything.

"Tina," I said, "you're not eating enough."

Not eating enough?!  But she was trying to lose weight! Isn't that what you're supposed to do to lose weight, cut calories?!  Yes, but she had cut them too drastically.  Not to the point of anorexia, but to the point that it was causing her body to store as much energy as possible.  This news floored her, so I explained a little of how the body works, as it had been explained to me.

The human body is an amazing thing; it can adapt and change, while still remaining constant.  Thousands of years ago, humans were hunter-gatherers.  One thing this meant was that people didn't always know when they would have their next meal, nor how big that meal would be.  So the body adapted; it began storing food so that it had the energy it needed until the next meal came. And how does the body store food/energy?  As fat.

This adaptation has remained, though our eating habits have changed.  Now, we can get something to eat on almost every street corner, and almost everywhere in between.  Whether it be a fast food restaurant, a sit-down restaurant, a gas station, a grocery store, or our own food storage, we have an abundance of food sources.  If we want something to eat, we go get it, usually with very little effort. However, our bodies have not fundamentally changed.  We can train them to adapt, but Tina was eating so little that her body was saying, "Ok, I don't know when I will get my next meal, nor how big it will be.  I better hold on to what she is giving me now."

So, Tina and I sat down and wrote out a weekly meal plan.  I told her I wanted her to eat 1200 Calories a day.  I also wanted her to be eating every 3 hours, which worked out to 5-6 times per day, rather than the 2-3 times she was accustomed to.  This would train her body that it was getting food on a regular, constant basis, so it could use, rather than store, the energy she was feeding it.

Her eyes got wide as she saw "how much" I wanted her to  eat, especially when she saw I was allowing her to eat a Skinny Cow brand ice cream bar every night.  She expressed to me her fears that she would be eating so much, and that there was no way it would translate into weight loss.  I asked her to try it, just for one week.  She said she would, and went on her way, armed with her weekly meal plan, as well as a moderate exercise plan we had written out that included two days of weight training and three days of cardio.  She was a little apprehensive, but she trusted me and was excited to give it a try.

To be continued...

Tina's Story, Part 1

About 6 months after I became a certified personal trainer, a friend and co-worker approached me with her dillemma. Her name--as you probably have already guessed, thanks to the title of this post--is Tina.  She told me that she was having problems losing weight.  She went on to explain that she had cut her calories and was trying to exercise regularly.  Still, the weight was not coming off; in fact, she said she was still gaining weight.  How was this happening?

We went on to talk a little about what she was eating, and what she was doing for exercise, every day.  It seemed to me that she was trying to do things right, but I also had some suspicions and thoughts of what coud be done better.  Despite this, I told her that I didn't want her to change her routine for a week.  All I wanted her to do was write down everything she ate. I didn't care if she counted calories, fat grams, carbs, or anything else; if I needed to know that, I could figure it out.  What I did want to know, however, was (1) what she was eating, (2) how much she was eating (portion size), and (3) when she was eating (what time).  I told her not to change anything else, just to write down this information--plus any exercise she did--for a week.

To be continued...

Sports Nutrition Workshop

This past Friday and Saturday, I had the opportunity to attend a Sports Nutrition Workshop, presented by Nancy Clark (M.S., R.D.) and Dr. Bill Evans (PhD), in Salt Lake City. I won't take up space here to list all the credentials and backgrounds of the two presenters; if you want to read those, visit these websites: www.sportsnutritionworkshop.com and www.nancyclarkrd.com

I will say that both of the presenters are very educated AND experienced in the field of sports nutrition. Between the two of them, they have worked with all the "Big 4" professional sports teams in the Boston area (football's Patriots, baseball's Red Sox, basketball's Celtics, and hockey's Bruins).  Nancy Clark has also written a number of books, and I picked up three of them: Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook, Nancy Clark's Food Guide For Marathoners, and The Cyclist's Food Guide: Fueling for the Distance.  I figure they will be very helpful and informative, and I plan to use them extensively in both my personal and professional lives (especially if they work as well as the author claims).

The workshop, itself, was also very informative and definitely well worth the money.  Much of what was discussed was not new to me, but the way it was presented did offer a new, fresh perspective.  And there was much that was new to me.  I plan on sharing some of that right here over the coming weeks and months (though, some I will keep to myself, so-called "tricks of the trade," and if you want to know them, you'll either have to study, attend this workshop, or just come see me!).

The highlight of the workshop for me, however, was that I got to share Tina's story.  Nancy Clark talked a little bit about someone who came to see her and the program she prescribed for that person.  The question came up, "Well, what happened with this person? Did you see results?"  Nancy's answer was, "I'm not sure; she never came back."  Because I had a similar experiece with a friend and client that did provide results, I raised my hand and shared that story: Tina's story. When I was done, there were a few questions for me!  Yes, the registered dietitians, food scientists, and nurses--who paid the big bucks to hear these nationally acclaimed authors and researchers speak--had questions for me!  A simple personal trainer! They wanted to know more of what I did!

So, what is Tina's story?  Check back soon to find out!

Going the distance: An explanation of triathlon race distances

In reading over my first few blog posts, I realized I have used some terms that may cause a little confusion, or at least cause someone to wonder, namely: Sprint, Olympic, and Half.  Though these words are very familiar to everyone, how they relate to the world of triathlon may not be as familiar.

A triathlon is composed of 3 different sports. You start out by swimming, typically in a lake or ocean (some form of open water, though I have done some in pools).  You then immediately transition to the bike, after which you strap on your running shoes for a nice, relaxing jog (or a fast run, depending on how competitive you want to be).  There are 4 different race distances when it coms to triathlon: Sprint, Olympic, Half Ironman, and Ironman.  Instead of letting you wallow in your own confusion/misunderstanding, or making you go somewhere else to figure out what these mean for a triathlete, I will define each of those for you right here, right now!

1. Sprint Distance:
     --1/2 mile (750m) Swim
     --12 mile Bike
     --5K (3.1 mile) Run

2. Olympic Distance:
     --1 mile (1500m) Swim
     --25 mile (40K) Bike
     -- 10K (6.2 mile) Run
          (You will also sometimes see this race distance called a 5150, as you cover 51.5 kilometers over the course of the race.)

3. Half Ironman (also sometimes called 70.3):
     --1.2 mile swim
     --56 mile Bike
     --13.1 mile Run (this is the same as a half marathon)
         (Add these numbers up, and you have covered 70.3 miles in the race, hence the name Ironman 70.3.)

4.  Ironman
     --2.4 mile swim
     --112 mile Bike
     --26.2 mile Run (you guessed it... that is a full marathon)

In the 3 years I have been racing, I have come across some variations in each of these, and have even done some shorter ones that the race organizers called "Splash" distances.  But these are the 4 generally accepted distances.

Photo Shoot

A couple of months ago, I was able to share my story with the employee magazine of the company I work for.  They advertised that the January 2012 issue would be dedicated to health and fitness, and they asked employees (or associates, as the company calls us) to share their stories.  Thinking nothing of it, except that it would be a nice excuse for another paid break, I sat down at one of the work computers and submitted my story.

About a month ago, when I had forgotten all about this, I received a phone call at work.  The person on the other end of the line said they were from the magazine and would like to interview me over the phone.  At the end, she told me that someone would be in touch with me about getting some pictures from my races.

I, again, completely forgot about the interview and submitting the story until I received another phone call this past Monday.  It was a local photographer who had been hired by the magazine for the sole purpose of setting up a photo shoot with me.  We scheduled it for this morning at 9:00 a.m.

At the scheduled time, I met the photographer at Vivian Park in Provo Canyon.  He had picked out a spot about half a mile up the road where the scenery was absolutely stunning.  The leaves on the trees right behind us were a bright yellow, the mountains were green, and the sky was perfectly blue.  The sun was even poking up over the mountain and through the leaves just right!  He set up the camera, had me stand right in the middle of the road with my bike, and began shooting.

He took pictures for about an hour.  Needless to say, I am not a supermodel, and 95% of his pictures are probably of the exact same pose.  But he seemed happy with what he got and kept saying that the pictures will look really good.  Unfortunately, I haven't seen the pictures and don't have any to share. I had to sign a release saying that the company and magazine have all the rights to the pictures, and that I cannot even use the name of the company or any of it's subsidiaries without written consent.  And since I do not have that written consent, I have been using the terms "the company" and "the magazine" in this post (but those of you who know me well, and/or work with me, know what I am talking about).

This is only the second time I have done something like this.  The first was for the newspaper in Dessau, Germany, that did an article on Mormon missionaries when I was serving in Dessau.  I am not completely comfortable in front of a camera like that, and it was a very cold morning, but it was a fun experience.  I am looking forward to seeing how a couple of the pictures turn out when the issue comes out in January!

My Story, Part 3

For the next three months, I trained and trained, until the morning finally came.  I made my way to the race venue, set up my transition spot, and then waited.  I got there plenty early to make sure everything was ready and I wasn't hurried, but that also meant that I had to wait until the race started.  But the race finally started, and I killed the swim, froze on the bike (it was a cold, early spring morning), and perservered on the run.  I finally finished... in under an hour and a half!  The only way I can describe the feeling when I crossed the fininsh line is to say I knew that if I could do a triathlon, I could do anything!

With this new sense of empowerment, I set out to change my life.  I decided that I wanted to help people feel the same way I did.  I began studying at Provo College and within a year was a certified personal trainer.  I now train at Timpanogos Fitness, a private fitness studio in Orem, Utah.

I also continued racing.  In 6 months, I had lost my 40 extra pounds (and I have kept them off for the past two years) and competed in two more triathlons.

It has now been over 2 and a half years since my first race.  I have competed in 15 triathlons (the last eight all being in the past 6 months).  I took second place in my age group at both of the Olympic distance races I did this year, and I also finished my first Half Ironman this past August.  And this is just the beginning!

After completing my first race, I was talking with some of the other participants.  One guy told me that when he started racing, he would add his own body marking which said: DLF > DNF > DNS.  What this means is: Dead Last Finish is greater than Did Not Finish, which is greater than Did Not Start.  Life is full of challenges.  These are what make us stronger, faster, smarter... better than (and greater than) we were before!

My Story, Part 2

My decision to begin training for a triathlon was fueled by more than my extra 40 pounds and what I called my "fat-boy pants." I was also diagnosed as "mildly clinically depressed."  Those were the exact words.  Because of this diagnosis, a few people who were in my life at the time began begging me to see a doctor and get on depression medication.  Ironically, the one who was most vocal about this was on a couple of depression medications that were not working for her.  Though I do believe that these medications can be beneficial, I knew they were not for me. I wanted to try something different; I wanted to tri! So, with these motivating factors, I began training in January of 2009 for my first triathlon.

My training started slowly.  I swam as far as I could three times a week, which--despite my swimming background--was only about 300-500 meters to start.  Being winter time in Utah, my bike work-outs consisted of a half hour on the stationary bike.  My runs were the most pathetic; after walking one lap on the (short) indoor track (6 laps equals 1 mile), I would alternate between jogging slowly and walking for 30 seconds each, repeating that 10 times. This is where I started in January 2009.

My work outs increased in both duration and intensity.  These increases were much greater and quicker in the pool and on the bike than they were on the run, but I made the appropriate increases in running, as well. I had to; I had signed up to compete in my fitst triathlon on the 28th of March.  With only 3 months to train, I wanted to be ready to finish the 300 meter swim, 12 mile bike, and 5K (3.1 mile) run of the Icebreaker sprint distance triathlon.

To be continued...

My Story, Part 1

In order to properly share what I plan to do with my race season next year, I have decided that I would like to share my story.  That way, not only will you have a better idea why I do this crazy thing called triathlon, but you will also have something to read until I solidify my plans for next season.  So, who am I, and why do I tri?

For anyone reading this who may not know me, my name is Scott Swift.  I grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada (as opposed to Las Vegas, New Mexico), and was a very active kid.  My dad started me in competitive swimming when I was about 6 years old.  Swimming took up most of my non-school life during my childhood and early teenage years; the last few years of competition, I was swimming 2-3 hours a day, six days a week.  During my junior and senior years, I changed from swimming to volleyball, which--surprisingly--meant a lot more running than I expected. (Running has never been my favorite sport or activity.)

After I graduated from high school, I was still involved in sports and physical activity, but on a much more recreational--and much less competitive--basis.  My focuses over the next decade were varied, including: college, serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and starting a family.  As life went on, physical activity started to dwindle... until, that is, in January of 2009, at the age of 29 and facing the dreaded 30's, I stepped on a scale for the first time in years (maybe decades) and found that I was about 45 pounds overweight.  I also realized that my pants, waist 36" (I am 5'11"), were so tight that I had to suck in my gut when fastening them and didn't need a belt to keep them up.  This is when I knew I had to change...

I decided right then and there (yes, as I was standing on the scale) that--despite my repugnance for running--I was going to attempt to enter the world of triathlon!

To be continued...

Trying this again...

Ok, so I've tried this blog thing before and really didn't do much with it.  But I am going to try this again.  This time, however, I am going to try it to document my race experiences during the 2012 race season.

2012?  Yes, you read that right.  I know it's 2 and a half months before 2012, and then about another 4 months after that before the race season starts.  But I am trying to do something extra special with this next race season, and it deserves extra planning and preparation.

What is this something special? Follow my new blog, and you will find out!!!