From Obesity to Fitness -- The Journey for Three Women

At a recent athletic event for one of my children, I sat by a couple who had not seen me since December. I am down almost 40 pounds since January 5th and it is showing in my face and neck. Kelly asked how much I had lost and what I had been doing. I told her that I was putting in a lot of miles each week running, I was regularly mountain biking and was using My Fitness Pal to carefully watch my intake. Her response was, "Oh, why is it so easy for men to lose weight and so hard for women?" I could have let it go, but responded, "Maybe you think running 40 miles per week, biking and me depriving myself of one of my favorite passions, food, for months at a time is easy." She was embarrassed and nodded in acknowledgement. There was no friendship lost. She is one of the best people I know, and we have spoken since as though nothing was said earlier.

The point is that it may be easier for me or men in general to lose weight, but it is a bad assumption to assume that any individual situation is easy (or hard, or anything). We can only speak in generalities.

The success stories seem to have desire, discipline and pain tolerance at their core. Failure occurs when one is missing. Fortunately, all three can be improved.

Here I profile three women with similar stories on successive posts and make some observations. I will begin with Heather Dittenber. Heather showed up in my facebook news feed as a participant in a run. Though impressive, one of the best features of the photos below is not her weight drop, but her facial expression in successive years. The difference between the first three and the last three is stark.

Heather's Story

Pictures of Heather running the Fifth Third River Bank Run in successive years

I friended her on facebook, got her permission to do a write-up and asked her some questions.

D:  What made you decide to get fit?

H:  It was a combination of things. It started with my sister-in-law talking me into doing the 5th 3rd 5k. We wanted to do one that was huge I started running and exercising and joined the YMCA after that but never really changed eating habits. I got sick of always trying to stay out of pictures when my hubby would take pictures of our children. I hated buying clothes from the big girl catalog and hated sitting in the bench at the park while the kids played. I wanted to play with them.

D: What was your weight loss journey like?

H: I am 5'6" and my top weight was 298. My lowest was 173. I have a lot of that weight is extra skin and a lot of muscle. I met a trainer at the YMCA, and they were having a 'Choose to Lose' competition so I joined his team. In the 10 week program I lost 61 lbs . In that program I met a woman who was very into fitness she got me in to weights but I wasn't as strict with my diet so It took me a total of 10 months to lose 100lbs.

Side Note: I'm not sure if you are aware of the latest, big weight loss story, but Shape Magazine has decided to run with a story and photos of Brooke Bingham which show her excess belly skin after weight loss. The reality is that skin loses elasticity over time, and only surgery can remove it to any significant degree. When Heather talks about excess skin, it comes as a consequence of weight loss, unless you lose weight in your teens and even then there is excess skin. You can see Brooke's photos HERE.

 D: That is impressive! What other things do you do besides run and lift weights?

H: I like boxing but not great at it. I have a friend who has a boxing class at the Y and I love that. Other than that, no. I don't have tons of time with 2 younger kids and a husband and not willing to sacrifice running or lifting for much of anything

D:  Another blogger mentioned that your husband is very supportive. 

H:  I have a super supportive husband who will buy me all kinds of spices to change things up and he always has my food prepared when I get home from the gym. He has even started running and loving the gym. When the kids complain, he would always say.. 'mommy going to gym gives her more years with us. Please don't make her feel guilty.' He is my greatest fan. He has literally loved me through 'thick and thin.'

D:  Were you thin in High School?

H:  I was thin in High School

D:  How did you get heavy in the first place? Was pregnancy a part of it? 

H: I wish I could blame it on that. I became depressed around 22yrs old, and got put in anit-depressants. I put 60lbs on in 3 months and just continued to try different meds until one day I decided I wasn't taking this crap medicine any more, and I was going to fight it! I got out of the depression med free but still hung onto to weight. And I love food. I always say...unlike alcoholics who can choose to stay away from their addiction, food addicts have to eat to live.

D: What advice would you give someone starting out on their own fitness/weight loss journey?

H: Find something you love to do, and make meals ahead of time. Being prepared is very important! Drink water! We are made mostly of water if we don't give our body water it will hold onto what it has. Find a partner with like minded goals.

Heather is also an impressive weight lifter. She dead lifts 225, no grips. Her max squat is also 225. Her max bench is 165, and she leg presses 440.

Heather is open, kind and delightful. Her story is inspirational.

Maybe My Best Smoothie

This one may be the healthiest, best tasting smoothie I have ever made:

2 Cups frozen mango chunks
2 t Spirulina powder
1 T Chia seeds
1 Banana
2 t Honey
1 Cup leaf spinach

A Healthy Appetite is A Weight Loss Asset

As I finished a run earlier this week, a friend who is suffering from back and leg pain, partially due to excess weight, was finishing a walk. He asked me for some weight loss tips as he had seen my drop in weight over the last few months. I had not really thought of it until I started explaining to him what My Fitness Pal does for me, but my big appetite and food cravings were actually instrumental in my weight loss. Here is how it works,

My Fitness Pal status after breakfast and a workout

I really love food. I have set My Fitness Pal to allow me a calorie reduction that will result in a 1.5 pound per week weight loss. The way My Fitness Pal calculates my calorie allotment for the day is by taking what would be my normal calorie burn if I did no exercise and reducing that amount by 750 calories. 750 calories times 7 days results in a 5250 calorie deficit for the week which is equivalent to 1.5 lbs. 

The problem is that the 1680 calories allotted in a day with no exercise is just not enough to keep me from being hungry most of the day. The only alternative I have is to work out, and the harder I work out, the more I can eat later in the day. I mentioned on my weight loss page that although workouts do increase our appetite, they only do so at about a 70% rate. Meaning, that if you burn 1000 calories in a workout, you are only hungrier by 700 calories. The 300 calories left over are pure magic for me. 

My appetite got me out of bed this morning on what could have been a rest day. I have gone out running for the last three mornings including doing speed work on Wednesday. I could have easily and justifiably rested, but I got out of bed, went to spin class for an hour and burned 634 calories. 

The other powerful result of calorie restriction and a big appetite is that junk food has lost its bliss. All I have to do is read a label like this one and yuck!

150 calories and 90 of those from fat is not satisfying. Here are some alternatives with high nutrient density:

Banana 105 Calories

Apple 65 Calories

Pear 102 Calories

Tomato 22 Calories

Broccoli 50 Calories

For a long time, I thought my appetite was the enemy of my weight loss. Not any more. 

Food Tip -- Which Wich

Which Wich is great. I found a sandwich that is muy bueno. Here is a picture of my order:

The rye bread option has sent this sandwich over the top. Give it a try!

Ultra Runner Profile -- Zac Marion

Zac is a 28 year old pre-med student who currently works as the customer service and events coordinator for Altra; he is an ultra runner. I interviewed Zac and learned a ton about ultra running, faith, spirit, zen running, nutrition, weight loss and dedication. I present the paraphrased interview below.

Zac in his Altra office for our interview

D: How did you get into ultra running?

Z: I played football in high school and got a scholarship to play for the University of Utah at defensive end. I was fast, but needed to put on weight to compete at the D1 level. The university put me on a weight training regimen that caused my muscle strength and size compared to my frame, especially my pelvis, to stress my back, and I herniated two discs. It was the best thing that could have happened because it was then that I decided to serve an LDS mission. 

D: And where did you serve?

Z: Guatemala City South. I loved it, and I could not trade that experience for anything. When I got home, I married almost right away. I was heavy and out of shape. I weighed 230 pounds. In 2009 I started running a mile long, out and back route in my neighborhood all the while believing that running was punishment. Football had conditioned me to go hard in everything physical, so I did. A friend told me that I should try a novice triathlon, so I signed up. I took second in my division and did well on the run. Before long I hit the magic four.

D: I'm not familiar with that.

Z: The Magic Four is when you can run four miles comfortably after about four to six months of training. Running became a ritual. I was running about six miles per day, five days per week. 

D: What was your next organized event?

Z: A friend invited me to do Ragnar. I loved it. Two weeks later, I did a half marathon. I ran it in 1:32 and took first in my division. My next event was the St. George Marathon in 2011 that I ran in 3:17. 

Zac running in Southern Utah

D: What was your body weight at the time? 

Z: I had lost 85 pounds in one year. I like my race weight to be about 145 and my training weight to be 155.

D: My own weight loss has caused some people to be concerned, especially family members. The word anorexia has even come up and I am at 220. I can't imagine what people were saying about you. 

Z: Yes. Some family members were worried and asked my wife if I was sick or something. 

D: When did you do your first ultra?

Z: My first ultra was in 2012 at a 50K in Southern Utah called Red Mountain. I was working at Salt Lake Running Company at the time and got invited down to run it. I took third overall. The course was part pavement and part trails. The trails were so fun, I forgot it was a race. It was almost a spiritual experience for me. I got hooked on trails. Altra Embassador, Craig Lloyd passed me up to take second. After the race, we became good friends. 

Zac with friend Craig Lloyd

D: Have you done any hundred milers?

Z: I did Leadville 100. During 100 mile races, every emotion you could ever feel is compressed into one race. You test yourself in ways that can't be duplicated in other races. You feel elation, despair, faith, hope, sorrow, everything in a 24 to 36 hour period. You want to quit. You want to take a short nap for a while. You want to sit by a campfire for a while. There is every temptation to stop and rest. If there were ever a parallel to 'endure the the end,' it is most adequately captured in a 100 mile race. You must have faith in your training and you have to keep pushing through. 

Zac at Leadville. He's not dead yet.

D: You seem to me to be a purist. Of all the guys working here, Brian, Golden, Seth and everyone else, who is most purist about running?

Z: I am. Running is very spiritual for me. When I run, the only electronic anything I take with me is an altimeter watch. There is no music playing or anything else. Prayer is a big part of it. I am constantly thanking God for his creations and allowing me to be a part of them. I express gratitude for my body that allows me to enjoy the surroundings as much as I do. When I run I go out for hours and not miles. 

D: How competitive are you compared to Seth, Brian and Golden?

Z: I am probably the least competitive of the four of us. If I have a goal of a sub three hour marathon, and I could easily come in at 2:45, if there is a person that I can help reach their goal of coming in under three hours and I can help them through it, I will slow down, help them, and maybe come in with them at 2:58 or 2:59. I get more satisfaction out of helping people than I do out of a PR.

D: Is anyone faster than Seth?

Z: No. No one is. He is competitive, but he is not elitist about it. If he gets beat at the line by someone to take second, he is the first to congratulate them, and it is sincere. 

D: So you work with some pretty great people.

Z: Yes. I can't imagine working with better people.

D: Tell me about your Altra connection.

Z: I left New Balance to be with Altra. 

D: Have you ever tried to go back to some other shoe, any shoe?

Z: I have tried and nothing compares. Altra has nailed it. I love the lone peaks. I like the Olympus' for recovery runs because they are softer, but they keep me from feeling the trail.

D: That's funny. I like my Olympus' precisely because my mind can be other places than to worry about every rock and root and how I am going to finesse each obstacle. It is pretty much grip and rip. 

Z: That's true. That is what they are built for.

D: Talk to me about nutrition.

Z: My pre-race is horrible. It may include a burger, fries and a shake. I love shakes and have one several times a week. If I do eat a burger and fries, I balance it out with a lot of healthy stuff. You have to figure out what works for you and go with it. During a run I will eat one gel every two hours and 10 ounces of water. During a race, I do a gel every half hour and something solid every 50 miles. V-Fuel really works for me. Pop Tarts do too, but I try to avoid them because of all the bad stuff in them. The other things that really works is Justin's chocolate hazelnut packets. They really sit well with me and they have some fat. During a race or in hot weather, I take a salt tablet every hour or so. Generally I eat leafy green stuff and stuff from the ground up. Appetite has a lot to do with the amount of nutrients you consume. If there is a nutrient deficiency, your body will go into hunger mode until it gets its nutrient requirements. What you ate last is also important. It is the first thing your body goes to when it gets hungry. 

Zac at Antelope Island

D: What are your top tips for people starting out?

Z: Be consistent in training. Even on a horrible day, go out and run one or two miles. Start slow. Have fun. Find your motivation and remind yourself of it. 

D: What is your gauge as to whether you decide to rest or run through an injury?

Z: If it is annoying pain that does not affect my gait, I run through it. If it does affect my gait, I get it fixed.

D: What is your favorite trail?

Z: BSTF to Black Mountain. I also love Hope Pass. 

Zac at Hope Pass

D: Could you summarize your running philosophy?

Z: Yes. Run Well - Do Glad. Make people happy.

Note: Zac exemplifies his motto. If you see him at an event or on the trail, make sure you say hello.

Yerba Mate -- Two thumbs up

Yerba Mate is great stuff. It is chock-full of antioxidants and its caffeine delivery is unlike your standard variety Red Bull or Rock Star. I frequently brew it, ice it and fill my water bottle with it. It is also a great little morning drink. My preferred blend is to mix a bag of mate cocido with a bag of red zinger Celestial Seasonings tea and just wow.

I first ran across yerba mate in Chile and Argentina where proper consumption requires a dried gourd and a nickel plated filtering straw called a bombilla.

Mate, in parts of Argentina and all of Uruguay and Paraguay, is more popular than coffee is in the US. 

Unlike Red Bull and Rock Star, the caffeine delivery in mate is gradual on the way up and the way down. Guayaki, the high-end mate provider, has a great little video that explains some of this stuff and pitches their corporate responsibility. Guayaki is expensive as mate goes, but their various offerings of drinks, sodas, loose mate and tea bags are all exceptional. I buy the cheap stuff. 

Mate has been linked to some esophageal cancers. I am not too worried about it. I believe that some or all of this is caused by the temperature and quantity of the mate as traditionally consumed in Uruguay, Paraguay and Argentina. You can purchase loose mate in most natural food stores and in latino markets. Loose mate is very inexpensive on a per drink basis.

 Here are some links that talk more about mate:

http://ma-tea.com/pages/exercise-aid.html

http://radrunnergirl.blogspot.com/2013/05/hollywood-hills-yerba-mate-thrills.html

http://www.girlinmotion.com/tag/yerba-mate

http://www.yerbatea.com/?page_id=56

Today's Long Run Breakfast

I created a killer omelette this morning in prep for my long run this afternoon.

Start with Eggbeaters Southwest Style

Before pouring about 1/2 cup into an omelette pan, blend and heat the black bean mixture:

1 Can black beans
1/2 C plain greek yogurt
1/4 C pico de gallo
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp onion salt

Blend in a blender and heat in a microwave oven until warm.

Pour the eggbeaters into the omelette pan.

Flip the egg mixture over. I just throw it in the air over the sink and hope I don't miss.

Smear the top of the egg with the black bean blend.

Add a little shredded cheese.

Fold over and serve.

I added homemade wheat bread toast and homemade plum jam to the plate.

Two Really Good Smoothies

I have recently made two really good smoothies for different purposes.

Strawberry Ginger Smoothie

1 C Frozen Strawberries
1/2 Banana
1 T Fresh Minced Ginger
1 T Chia Seeds
1 Scoop Protein Powder
1/2 C Greek Plain Greek Yogurt
2 tsp Honey
Water

Pineapple Oatmeal Smoothie

1 C Frozen Pineapple

1/2 Banana

1/4 C Old Fashioned Oatmeal

1/2 C Greek Yogurt

1/2 T Chia Seeds

2 tsp Honey

Water

Soooo Good!

Please leave your own recipe in the comments. 

Today's Breakfast

My typical breakfast includes an egg white omelette and oatmeal with raisins. Here is the omelette:

1/8th Cup Shredded cheddar jack
2 Slices Canadian bacon
4 Egg whites
1/8th Bell Pepper
Spinach
Salt
Pepper

Add Tabasco on top. 

Nutritional Information: