How old are you?
Not sure if I’m asked this because of my youthful appearance or my goofy personality, either way I’m 46. And I don’t color my hair (yet)
What do you eat?
My diet has evolved over the years. I’ve learned that if I don’t fuel my body it will not perform like I’d like it to. I exercise enough that I can and need to eat over 2,000 calories a day, which I struggle with. It’s surprisingly hard to eat enough with out the help of sugar and junk food.
Most days my food menu looks something like this:
- Breakfast – plain oatmeal with a little honey , 3 egg whites, plus 1 whole egg omelet and fruit
- Lunch – salad, fruit, tuna on whole wheat bread or the previous night’s dinner left-overs
- Dinner – some kind of combination of lean protein and whole carbs with veggies such as chicken and brown rice, pork tender loin with sweet potatoes or whole wheat pasta and sauce.
The method for each meal is the same: Lean protein, whole carb, fruit & veggies and NO SUGAR. Check out the Eat Clean Diet. It is not a very exciting diet and it does take discipline. I didn’t start eating like this in one day but over several years. Believe me my family was none too happy when I started buying skim milk and whole wheat bread but they adapted. And so can you.
Why do you workout so much?
I was in ad sales for many years, which is a tough industry. I could present all the right stuff but the client had to have and be willing to spend the money. So much of it was not in my control.
After years of raising teenagers, I can only preach and ground so much. I can’t control their every move.
Exercise was something I could control. I could work hard and I could get results. Turned out I was pretty good at it.
Why do you run so much?
I started running because I wanted something competitive to do.
There’s not much for a grown women to do: Tennis? Golf? That required club memberships and people to play with or against.
Running can be done solo or with a buddy or with a group. Plus you can get started with a minimal investment of running shoes.
Part of me just wanted to over come the fear of holding back. I had very little self esteem when I was in high school and would never have had the courage to try out for sports. When I was in 10th grade, the girl’s basketball coach actually came and asked me to try out for the team and I was too afraid to do it. Who knows I might have been a basketball or track star? But I let self-doubt hold me back. I’ve spent my entire adult like taking care of a family. So it wasn’t until I was in my 40’s that I felt I had the freedom to start trying.
So, I run because I can. And I train because I want to be better.
I want to get in shape or lose weight, but I can’t do the things you do. How do I get started?
The same way you eat an elephant (which it seems like I have to do sometimes to get enough calories in me) one bite at a time. But the metaphor applies because all you have to do is take the first step. It’s a growth process, start slow and do the best you can, the main thing is to just start.
A good trainer or boot camp instructor should supply you with adjustments to the work out. You do what you can do with the goal of one day, doing everything that you want to do. But every journey begins with the first step. It’s okay if you are slower, not as strong or more out of shape. That won’t change overnight. But after taking the first step and setting realistic goals things will change. But nothing changes until you take the first step.
So, the answer is to just start.
Will you kill me in boot camp?
No. Killing people is not good for business.
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