| Contest
Winners Cook Up a Healthier Lifestyle |
By Erin E. Fogg 
Observer Staff Writer |
| After the first month of 12 weeks of health and fitness
training she won in a contest sponsored by The Observer and
ReCharge Wellness Center, Bette Sullivan bubbles with excitement.
|
| Not only has she changed her outlook on fitness, but she
has a better understanding of how food and nutrition fit into
a healthy lifestyle. And she's trimmed more than seven points
from her body fat percentage. |
| "I am noticing my balance, strength and energy level
is improving, Sullivan said. "I am definitely feeling
better. |
| Sullivan entered the "New You in the New Year contest
because she had tried every dieting and exercise trend imaginable.
Plus, she wanted to set a better example for her son, Brian,
15. As contest winners, the Sullivans began working with personal
trainer Donald Poindexter in early January. |
| Sullivan said motivation has been the key ingredient for
her and Brian's success. She said Poindexter's advice has
turned exercise into enjoyable activities. Her son is especially
encouraged on the basketball court by the results of Poindexter's
workouts. |
| Looking ahead, Sullivan said she and her son will help each
other continue a healthy lifestyle even beyond their three-month
period at ReCharge. "Some days we're tired, we're not
as motivated, she said. "But then we pump each other
up and have a blast. |
| In addition to Poindexter's fitness coaching, they're working
with ReCharge's registered dietitian and chef, Michele Powers.
"My goal was to get each of them on a regulated meal
plan, Powers said. |
| Before Powers created their meal plans, the Sullivans kept
food journals for a week. Powers said the journals highlight
trends in her clients' diets and help her counsel them about
their choices. She developed Sullivan's meal plan to encourage
her to eat smaller meals more frequently and her son's plan
to help him choose healthier alternatives for breakfast and
lunch. |
| Sullivan said she didn't expect to be told to eat more frequently.
She said she was stuck in the mindset of, "Eating less
equals a loss in weight. And following Powers' suggestions
took a leap of faith. |
| "I made a commitment to myself that I would trust the
advice that Donald and Michele gave me even if it was counter
to what I was comfortable with, Sullivan said. |
| From Powers, Sullivan learned that skipping breakfast and
occasionally lunch creates an unbalanced diet centered around
a large dinner. "I learned that one thing that keeps
your metabolism going is eating more often and eating a variety
of food rich in nutrients, Sullivan said. "I've never
thought so much about balance and nutrients as opposed to
calories. |
| Her son is also learning fast, Sullivan said. She sees him
making healthier choices as he prepares lunches to take to
school. "That's not Mom prodding him, she said. "He's
becoming more aware and making better choices on his own. |
| Armed with new knowledge about portion size and balance,
Bette and Brian Sullivan were ready for the kitchen. Powers
advised that proper food preparation and cooking techniques
are important to making a wellness makeover a lifestyle change
rather than a temporary fix. |
| "We've been working on low-fat cooking techniques,
how to get flavor out of fresh vegetables, herbs and spices,
not oil or butter, Sullivan said. |
| She said the cooking sessions have become a bonding experience
with her son. They've brought the knowledge home with them,
grocery shopping and doing label comparisons together. They
even spent a weekend stocking their refrigerator with plenty
of healthy food options before Sullivan left on a one-week
business trip. |
| Powers said she is excited about the Sullivans' motivation.
"They've really taken what I've told them and run with
it, she said. "They really enjoy their time together
and are very motivated. |
| Powers' nutrition training complements Poindexter's mantra
of focusing more on health and fitness and less on numbers
on a scale. Poindexter said in the month he has been organizing
their workouts, the Sullivans have experienced dramatic changes
in their body fat percentages. |
| Measurements taken Feb. 11 show Bette Sullivan's body fat
percentage dropped 7.4 percent from Jan. 7, and Brian's dropped
6.4 percent. |
| Poindexter said both clients had no regular exercise plan
prior to starting with him, so a general shock to their systems
contributed to the results. "I didn't expect this big
a change so quickly for the both of them, he said. |
| Aside from the body fat percentage, which may not change
as rapidly as the Sullivans adapt more to regular exercise,
Poindexter said he has seen general improvements. "Brian
has a lot more energy and doesn't have to take as many breaks,
Poindexter said. |
| Sullivan is also exhibiting increased energy as well as
greater stability and stamina, he said. The goals for the
remaining two months of exercise sessions include sustaining
their progress while incorporating more multi-muscle activity.
"Now that the muscles are more stable, we're going to
start bringing up the intensity a bit, Poindexter said. |
