FEATURED MEMBER: Marti

This week's Featured Member is Marti.  I met her months ago when I did Jill's "One Plate Wonder" workout with her Choose to Lose team.  She has transformed herself, and she is dedicated to the changes she has made.  

Marti in October, just before her first half marathon

Tell us a little about yourself.
I have one daughter who is about to turn 18. She is a senior in Gull Lake. I have been married for 12 years to John Veld.  I enjoy golfing with my family, and we do that as much as I work out. I also enjoy bowling, playing poker, volleyball, and I have recently started running. I have worked for Lake Michigan Mailers for 10 years where I am the Operations Manager with offices in Kalamazoo and South Bend.

What is your usual weekly workout routine?
I work out 5 – 6 days a week, and I always warm up with a 1 mile interval run on the treadmill or Arc. My typical workout routine is working out with Carol (trainer) twice a week, 1 solo workout per week (duplicate one of Carol’s workouts from a previous week), and 1 or 2 classes per week. I usually try and hit a Super RPM and Combat/Attack and then I run outside at home once or twice a week, usually trying to get in one long run of 5 – 8 miles. I also really enjoy Power Yoga when I am very sore.

M- 10:15 am Power Yoga or 5:30 RPM
T - Workout w/ Carol
W – Solo workout at lunch or 9:15 am Attack
H - Workout w/ Carol
F - Solo workout at lunch or 5:30 p Combat
S – 9:15 Super RPM or run at home
S – Long Run at home
  
What are your go-to snacks and meals?
I am not a vegetarian, but I do not eat red meat, pork, etc. I only eat chicken & seafood, not necessarily for health reasons. My main source of protein comes from egg whites, chicken, shrimp, and peanut butter.

I eat about 12 dozen egg whites a day (and yes, I throw away the egg yolk. I do not use the egg beaters; they are too runny for my taste).  I love vegetables and mainly eat iceberg lettuce, red & orange peppers, cucumbers, green beans, asparagus, and broccoli.  I consume all the greens I want all day long when I get hungry and eat about every 2 – 3 hours. I try and limit my fruit, but usually have an apple w/ peanut butter, grapes, or a banana every day. I also make a homemade pico de gallo salsa that is natural and very healthy that I put on everything from salads to egg whites and chicken.

On a daily basis, I have almost eliminated most processed foods and focus on eating 100 grams of protein a day, drink 100 ounces of water, eat natural foods, and I supplement with protein shakes. I also try to limit my carb intake, but focus on healthy whole grain carbs – quinoa, lentils, oatmeal, and beans.

How do you balance being active with the demands of your daily life?
This is not easy. I make a plan for the week ahead of time and schedule my workouts and block out the time on my work calendar so work appointments do not get in the way. Then, I follow the plan and make my workouts a priority and I commit to them. If I know I can’t make a workout class at the gym I make sure I schedule time to run during the day. This may mean getting up earlier than normal to make sure the workout can fit into my daily plans that day. At first it was difficult with my family, but they soon realized how important it was to me and now will ask when I am working out during the day and plan their activities around that as well. My daughter also works out with me at the gym and enjoys the classes too. I set a goal for her to go at least once a week.

What is a fitness or healthy living goal you have for yourself?
Initially, I just wanted to lose weight and get my health on track. I was diagnosed in December 2011 as being pre-diabetic with high blood pressure, high BMI, and poor blood work, etc.  That is in place now, and I received a clean bill of health from the doctor. I would like to maintain that and focus on accomplishing events. I ran my first ½ marathon in October 2012 and finished 1 minute under my goal of 2 ½ hours. My goal is to run a full marathon in October 2013 in Grand Rapids in less than 5 hours. To train for the marathon I plan on participating in some ½ marathons along the way, focusing on my speed, and some fun-run 5 & 10Ks (color run, Borgess, and some Warrior Dashes). I also want to complete a Duathlon in the summer of 2013.
  
What do you like about being a member at SWAT?
Wow, there are so many GREAT things at SWAT! The trainers are AMAZING! I love all the Group Fitness classes, personal training,  and variety they offer everyone at different levels. Also, if you listen while you are working out at the gym you get great tips and suggestions for diet, workouts, and changes to help achieve your personal goals. Everyone is so friendly and willing to help from the staff to other members. It’s like a family that is very supportive!

What is your favorite class at SWAT?  Why?
I love RPM! It is a huge bang for the buck…it is a quick 45-minute workout and you burn 700+ calories.
  
Do you have a person who is your healthy living/fitness inspiration?  Who and why?
There have been many people who have inspired me, mostly the trainers of SWAT… they have all been supportive in their own ways and offer comments and suggestions when we bump into each other at the gym. It is the ongoing support from everyone and words of encouragement, eating suggestions, and workout regiments that have gotten me through!

Healthy Cookies

During this holiday season, food temptations are everywhere for most people.  I don't even like most holiday cookies, but I always find myself sampling them to make sure.  I've found a much better alternative!

On Saturday, my friend Nancy hosted a Friendsgiving brunch.  She made some awesome gluten-free, dairy-free, and added-sugar-free cookies for which she had found the recipe on Pinterest.  Having just completed a 9-mile run, I was famished.  I definitely indulged in the pumpkin pancakes and bacon at brunch, but these cookies were my favorite!  I made a big batch of these last night and froze them, and I'm going to take them with me on my long runs.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray (this was not in the original recipe, but I found out the hard way that I should have done this!).  In a bowl, combine 1.5 cups oats, 1 cup unsweetened applesauce, 2-3 mashed bananas (works better if they're really ripe), and whatever other ingredients you'd like to add.  For example, I added some raisins, cinnamon, vanilla, and a few chocolate chips (this took away the dairy-free and sugar-free status, but if I'm using them for long runs, I need something that'll give me energy quickly).  Other suggestions would be dried cranberries/blueberries/cherries, almonds, cocoa powder, protein powder, coconut flakes, etc.  Bake them for about 25 minutes.

Struggling

I'm having a super hard time lately. I begin each day with a resolution to eat healthily and watch portions, and I give up by about 10 am. I actually tell myself there's no point because I've never been able to effect long-lasting, real change anyway. Why do I do this to myself?

The most frustrating part is that I've done this so, so many times. I'll lose weight and reach a goal, then within a couple months the weight is back and even more difficult to lose the next time. I am afraid to step on the scale; when I think about it, I get a tightness in my chest and an upset stomach. I don't really even need the scale, though- my tight pants are telling me what I need to know.

A friend, who has seen me do this time and time again, suggested that perhaps I am just too stringent and hard on myself, and that's why I swing the other way so easily. Another friend and I were discussing how we have never felt comfortable in our own skin (I can remember being embarrassed to be seen in a bathing suit at age 7 because I thought I was fat), and maybe we never will. That doesn't seem like a great way to spend this one life we're given, but also, I suppose things could be a lot worse. If this is the main burden in my life, then things really aren't so bad.

In the meantime, I'm still going to set my daily goal, and hopefully I'll be strong enough (today maybe?) to tell that devil on my shoulder to shove off.

Good Form Running Clinic

Last night, I went to the Good Form Running clinic at SWAT, presented by Rob Lillie, Gazelle Sports' store manager.  A lot of the Choose to Lose participants were there, and I hope they got as much out of it as I did!  Rob was entertaining and informative, and I left feeling like I had the tools to improve my running and possibly avoid further injury.

Rob explained that GFR was developed to help people move over the ground more effectively.  As Rob put it, "Running is no fun if you're beat up."  That's how I have felt most of the last year - beat up.  With tendinitis in my left foot, capsulitis in my right foot, and now a diagnosis of arthritis in my right knee (and I'm betting my left knee too...it has some of the same symptoms, but I haven't had an MRI on that one), I need to do everything I can to protect myself if I want to keep running and avoid more "-itis" of any kind!  Rob explained that a lot of running injuries, such as tendinitis and IT band syndrome, come from poor form (although, I'm pretty sure my genetic hypermobility contributes as well).

There are four parts to GFR: posture, lean, midfoot strike, and cadence.  I'll explain those (as best as I remember!) below.


1. Posture:  You want to keep your body moving forward.  This sounds obvious, but often, when we're out of alignment while running, that is what causes injuries.  Keep your arms swinging forward and back, keep your head up looking at the horizon, and squeeze your abs and butt to stay tall.  Rob gave us a trick to use while we are out running, which he calls RESET.  To reset, stretch your arms up as high above your head as you can.  Your body will automatically squeeze those posture muscles to do this.

2. Lean:  If you lean slightly forward while running, you'll learn to use gravity to help move your body forward.  This is just a slight lean - usually only a few degrees.  To practice this, lean against wall at home (facing wall, hands in front of you) and then let go- how far can you comfortably lean without putting your hands on the wall and without falling?  This is about the lean your should have during your runs.

3. Midfoot Strike:  One of the biggest issues we have is striking on our heels, which can cause injuries.  Try just hopping and landing on your heels - not a very natural move, right?  It's hard to keep your balance!  Try the same thing on your toes - easier, but still not as natural.  Then try it landing on your midfoot.  This is where you want your foot to strike when you're running.  To practice, hop from one foot to the other, getting your knee up and landing on your midfoot. 

4. Cadence:  Rob said cadence is the most important part of GFR.  Basically, you want to increase the number of steps you take per minute.  This does not necessarily mean you'll go faster right away; it means you'll have a shorter stride and take more steps (the shorter stride also helps with midfoot strike).  More steps and a shorter gait leads to less time during each stride to fall out of good posture.  It also recruits your biggest muscles (quad and hamstring), keeping you in alignment and helping to prevent injury.  For running, your goal is somewhere around 160-180 strides per minute.  There are a few different ways to practice this.  You could run for 30 seconds, counting your steps on one foot.  If you multiply that number by 4, you'll get your strides per minute.  Repeat this, trying to increase the number each time.  Another way is to run from one point to another, counting the number of strides you take.  Repeat this distance, the next time trying to increase your number of strides.   When out for a run, try counting your steps for 30 seconds out of every five minutes; eventually, your body will develop muscle memory.

Rob said a great place to start practicing GFR is on hills - you can't heel strike on a hill because of the incline.  He also said a byproduct of being efficient while running is that you'll be faster eventually, though that is not necessarily the goal for GFR.  Rob also discussed the Galloway method, saying that's a great way to get into running.

I know Gazelle offers GFR clinics on Wednesdays (6-7:15 pm, I think) - I highly recommend it to anyone interested in improving their running or walking form!

Tuesday, November 13: Good Form Running Clinic!!!

The Good Form Running Clinic comes to SWAT this Tuesday, 11/13, at 7:30 pm. 


The Good Form Running clinic provides an overview of what we consider the most important biomechanical issues influencing running form. We present key points in a simple and easy to apply manner while giving individual feedback and attention. The objective is to provide GFR attendees with the necessary tools to run easier, faster, and injury free. No registration necessary.

Go, legs, go!!

I ran 18 miles today.

You know, for fun.

My dear friend Kenny is training for the Disney marathon in January, so I decided to accompany him on his long run today. Like me, his longest run to date is 17 miles...the difference is that he did that two weeks ago; I did that three and a half years ago. My longest run recently was 11 miles two weeks ago.

I mapped out a six-mile loop through Portage. We took plenty of water breaks, and we were able to keep up conversation the entire time. Kenny is pretty speedy usually, but his long run pace is about 10:30; we stayed between 9:30 and 11:00 the whole time. Kenny is the one who got me started doing the run 4 minutes, walk one minute method, and that definitely helped.

By the last four miles, though, I was hurting. It was a struggle to make my legs move, and forcing myself to start running after each walk break was a huge mental feat.

HOW DO PEOPLE DO MARATHONS?!?!? I can't imagine going over 8 miles beyond that.

Veggie Burgers

Last night, we made our own veggie burgers for the first time - super yummy and super healthy!  Even the kids liked them (well, at least they didn't complain too much - I think we'll be able to serve them again without a revolt!).

Ingredients
1 can black beans (or garbanzo or kidney beans)
1/2 c. oats
1 medium onion, quartered
1 egg
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
water, as needed

Directions
Put all the ingredients into a blender or food processor; pulse until they are chopped (but not soupy!).  You may need to add water or more oats.  Form the mix into patties and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes (mine were pretty runny, so I stuck them in the freezer for about 5 minutes after refrigerating them).  Heat a small amount of olive oil or cooking spray over medium heat.  Cook the patties for about 5 minutes on each side.

We topped ours with avocado and tomato.  Next time, I think I'll add spinach, carrots, and maybe even some wild rice or quinoa to the blender.  I actually doubled the recipe so we'd have extra; they seem to reheat really well. 

Food Addiction?

Today, I stayed home from work with a sick kiddo.  He was napping, and all I wanted to do was eat (even though I had a million other things to do...clean, put away Halloween stuff, clean, scrapbook, clean, fold laundry, and clean).  I needed to stay away from the pantry where the Halloween candy was (sidebar: I made it through Halloween completely candy free!), so I decided to relax and read my most recent issue of Newsweek.  I came across this article and found it super interesting.  What are your thoughts?  Is food addiction a cause of obesity in some people?  Is treating healthy eating like an addiction recovery program as opposed to a weight loss solution a logical option?  Should some addictive foods be treated the same way we treat cigarettes and alcohol as far as marketing and warning labels?  My answer is yes to all of those questions.