Have Media Will Travel

A blog about outdoor adventure, family travel, national parks, media, technology, marketing, fitness and me.

weight loss

Spot Reduction: We Can Stop Believing

by

This is POST 8 of my “fitness journey” blogging. For backstory, see Post 1,
Post 2, Post 3, Post 4, Post 5, Post 6 and Post 7.]

So, I’m at my personal training session with Steve Bechtel at Elemental Gym, in Lander, WY, yesterday. I’m hard at work on my last exercises of the session. They are abs-related. Incline situps to be exact.

Hiking up Cyclone Pass during a monster day hike from Sinks Canyon to Shoshone Lake to Baldwin Creek, above Lander, WY. According to my personal trainer, hiking hard up hills can help with fat loss.
Hiking up Cyclone Pass during a monster day hike from Sinks Canyon to Shoshone Lake to Baldwin Creek, above Lander, WY. According to my personal trainer, hiking hard up hills can help with fat loss.

I tell Steve that I’m actually able to see some of my abdominal muscles now, but not all of them. “I still can’t make them out near the bottom,” I explain, pointing to my pooch belly.

To this, he says, “Well the only way you’re going to get rid of that is with intervals.”

My training includes two days a week of intervals. This is one of my workouts.
My training includes two days a week of intervals. This is one of my workouts.

He must not have heard me, I thought. What do intervals have to do with my mid-section? (After all, “Don’t Stop Believing,” by Journey was blaring from the satellite radio…)

“No… I mean my abs, the bottom front part of them,” I add, this time pointing more directly to my stomach.

It was then that Steve asked me if I was asking about “spot reduction?” Spot reduction, meaning when you exercise and focus training on specific regions of your body so as to hopefully burn the fat off that area specifically.

“Yes, exactly!” I said.

“Spot reduction is a myth!” he exclaimed. Well, maybe not exclaimed, but he said it pretty emphatically. He explained how there have been countless machines built to promote spot reduction. Think of the ab devices we see on TV informercials during bouts of insomnia in the wee early morning hours. Also I think of the inner thigh and outer thigh machines you often see at gyms. I know as a woman, I’m the target audience of such machines.

“SPOT REDUCTION IS A MYTH,” IN STEVE’S WORDS:

As we wrap up my training session, Journey’s Don’t Stop Believing has (ironically) been replaced by Another One Bites the Dust, by Queen. Just great…

Elemental Gym is a fantastic gym and has some terrific programs and classes that will help you achieve better fitness, and some great personal trainers, including Steve Bechtel, Ellen Bechtel, Jagoe Reid, and Sophie Mosemann.

My Fitness Journey: What’s Next?

by

This is POST 7 of my “fitness journeyâ” blogging. For backstory, see Post 1,
Post 2, Post 3, Post 4, Post 4, Post 5 and Post 6.]

Feeling on top of the world Aug. 3 on top of the Grand Teton.
Feeling on top of the world Aug. 3 on top of the Grand Teton.

Those of you who have been following my fitness journey, and my progress over the last four months, know that I have lost 18 pounds and 9.3% bodyfat.

I have been working with personal trainer Steve Bechtel, of Elemental Gym, since March 27.

I have not only lost weight and fat, but very importantly, have increased my energy and feel much better. I can (almost) keep up with my three young sons now.

I also went on some 18- to 21-mile high altitude day hikes in our Wind River Mountains, and more recently summited the Grand Teton.

Many close to me are now asking, “What’s next?”

Steve and I talked today during my training sessions, in between sandbag heaving, what my goals are for this next stretch.

The 4 biggest reasons I want to stay fit. Photographed on Frye Lake are my husband, Jerry, and our three sons, Fin, Hayden and Wolf.
The 4 biggest reasons I want to stay fit. Photographed on Frye Lake are my husband, Jerry, and our three sons, Fin, Hayden and Wolf.

For one thing, my husband, Jerry, has back surgeries and rehab in the near future. He just had a 4-level fusion on his neck (c4-t1). And before the end of this year, he’ll undergo lumbar fusion. He has a future of back problems due to much congenital narrowing, etc. The Hawaii Ironman remains at the top of his life list and we have to get him in a condition where he can train and do it. Fortunately, he’s done many ultras and marathons and is tougher than normal.

So, one thing I’ll be focusing on is continuing to get stronger so I can handle all the lifting that running a household and raising three young sons involves during these next several weeks and months. Jerry is a fantastic husband who does most of the heavy lifting, so to speak, at our home and for our family, so it’s beyond my turn. 🙂

But in addition, I do want some specific fitness-related goals to ensure I keep making progress. I haven’t worked this hard and come this far to let it go or to retreat into my pre-March ways. So, I told Steve I’d like to lose another 3-5 pounds and another 1-2% bodyfat. I want to continue shedding my midsection. Heck, I’d also like to be able to do 20 pull-ups. That would be cool. (Roh-roh, this is a postscript to that last statement. I just learned the women’s pullup record at ETC is 18 pullups. Well, maybe I can take 12 months to do the 20.)

Figuring out what mountains to climb next, metaphorically speaking, is half the fun for me right now. When I'm fit the options are more vast.
Figuring out what mountains to climb next, metaphorically speaking, is half the fun for me right now. When I'm fit the options are more vast.

Steve reminds me my weight/body fat goals will get harder to accomplish now. I don’t have the surplus of fat and weight that I had four months ago, or even two months ago. So I’ll have to stay extra focused on my nutrition and up my training levels even more.

I can’t improve my nutrition/diet much more than I already have. (I guess this can only mean I must stop plucking the peanut M&Ms from the trail mix?) I trust Steve will be pushing me extra hard. (I received from Steve today my new 3xweek workouts that I do on my own, and they’re looking pretty interesting. We’re definitely changing things up and taking it up another notch.)

As for down the line a little, Jerry and I would like to considering doing the Wasatch 100 together. And, there are many 25- and 30-mile Wind River Range area day hikes I plan to do, yet this year before the snow flies, and next year. In fact, these long day hikes in our area are top of my list, as they take little time to do, and the country I can see in our backyard in a long, physical effort is unmatched.

And probably some more 50k trail runs are in my near future, as are some supported, long biking events.

Maybe I will clean the house. Or enroll in a wind surfing camp. Or how about a Denali expedition? Maybe? Who knows?

Readers: Please give me ideas for events or adventures you can think of, or have done, that involve lots of uphill hiking, mountains, endurance and stunning scenery. I’m all ears!

The point is I have options, thanks to my improved fitness. And besides, figuring out what mountains to climb next, metaphorically speaking, is half the fun.

It will be an interesting and challenging next phase. Follow me and I’ll let you in on everything. (And BTW, thanks to all of you for your support!)

I can’t recommend Elemental Gym enough. Yes, hiring a personal trainer or joining a gym costs money and time, but if you’re looking to improve your life and extend it, it’s a no brainer. It’s a far better investment than eating fast food or watching too many hours of television, or doing whatever it is that is taking your time and money that is not as healthy as improving your health. Elemental Gym has a fantastic gym, some terrific programs and classes that will help you achieve better fitness, and some great personal trainers, including Steve Bechtel, Ellen Bechtel, Jagoe Reid, and Sophie Moseman.

“Do Follow” Blog Directory

4-mth Fitness Update: “18 lbs, “9.3% body fat

by

This is POST 6 of my “fitness journey” blogging. For backstory, see Post 1,
Post 2, Post 3, Post 4 and Post 5.]

Paddling on Frye Lake near my hometown of Lander, WY, recently.
Paddling on Frye Lake near my hometown of Lander, WY, recently.

I woke up a little nervous this morning. You see, today marked my weigh-in, body-fat check and fitness testing at Elemental Gym. I’ve been working with personal trainer Steve Bechtel for 4 months now and every now and again I get weighed and tested.

Hiring a personal trainer and changing my ways has paid off big-time. During the initial 2.5 months, I lost 14 pounds and 7% body fat. Although I’ve continued working out hard and eating right during the last seven weeks, this morning I was uncertain if, or how much, weight and fat I lost. Add to that I was feeling bloated and heavy as I walked into the gym, where Steve greeted me with his testing game-face.

So imagine my delight when I learned I lost another 4 pounds and 2.2% of body fat. According to national body mass index standards, I’m now technically almost “very lean.” : >

My last 4 months – by the numbers.
My last 4 months – by the numbers.

I also am happy to report that I lost an inch in my hips and waist. (This better have been the case since I declined lots of homemade pies, my mother-in-law’s Swedish pancakes and Krispy Kremes during our trip to the Midwest a couple of weeks ago!)

We also performed a slew of other fitness testing exercises we did 7 weeks ago, and I was able to increase my reps in all categories.

For those of you following this blog and my pursuit of improved fitness, weight loss and energy gain, you know that I’m working myself out of a rut I had dug myself into for a period of four or more years. The results have been significant for only 4 months’ time, but the work has been very hard.

When I hired Steve as my trainer he said their goal at Elemental Gym is to get athletes, and all people wanting to become more fit, out of their comfort zone. Boy, has he succeeded in that.

Hiring a personal trainer is a financial, emotional and physical investment. It costs money and time, is a lot of work and can be emotionally challenging. But given the results I’m enjoying, the biggest of which I feel better and have more energy, are well worth all of the aforementioned investments. I’m enjoying a great return on all of them.

So if it sounds like I’m providing props to Elemental Gym and my personal trainer, it’s because I am. I wouldn’t be where I am after just four months without Steve’s tutelage and my investment and commitment.

Below is a graphic that shows how my comfort zone has expanded during the last four months. I’m now doing epic 20-mile day hikes in the mountains with no after effects or recovery needed, and have significantly more energy for our three young sons, my husband and my work. And, I have a Grand Teton expedition coming up on Aug. 1-4.

After 4 months of rigorous exercise and personal training, I've significantly expanded my comfort zone.
After 4 months of rigorous exercise and personal training, I've significantly expanded my comfort zone.

Elemental Gym has a fantastic gym, some terrific programs and classes that will help you achieve better fitness, and some great personal trainers, including Steve Bechtel, Ellen Bechtel, Jagoe Reid, and Sophie Moseman.

Fitness Spotlight: Lori Barney

by

(This was published in December 2009)

In this post, I want to talk about LORI BARNEY, one of my friends here in Lander, WY. Lori recently turned 50. You wouldn’t know it by her looks or her energy level. In fact, I always tease her that I hope I look like she does when I’m 45. 🙂

18 months ago, she wanted to crank her life up a notch. She started this journey by enlisting Steve Bechtel’s personal training expertise in January 2008.

Lori Barney, 50, of Lander, WY. Committed to training.
Lori Barney, 50, of Lander, WY. Committed to training.

“I started because I was not feeling as well as I thought I should,” explains Lori. “I was overweight and starting to get physically tired before I thought I should. I realized I was getting older, and wanted to enter the last, hopefully 1/2, of my life in great health and maintain it. The women in my family live into their late 90’s and I wanted the last half of my life to be as productive as the first. I wanted to be able to work all day and still feel great at the end of the day. I wanted to be able to ski with my sons, play with my grandchildren, run, bike, swim, fly my airplane, water ski, hike, golf, and ride my horse on a moments notice with no hesitation.”

Well I’m happy to report here that Lori has achieved all that, and then some, as a result of her 18-months-and-running commitment to fitness.

The results and accomplishments Lori attributes to her training commitment at ETC are many, including: Going from walking one mile, to running 8.5 miles; From 0 miles of biking to 104-mile bike rides; From lifting 30-pound weights in particular exercises to 90-pound weights.

“In addition, I can work in my yard for 10 hours, play a round of golf with my son, Nick, take care of office responsibilities and executive decisions, maintain my home and family meals, plus work out for an hour,” says Lori.

Elemental Gym has a fantastic gym, some terrific programs and classes that will help you achieve better fitness, and some great personal trainers, including Steve Bechtel, Ellen Bechtel, Jagoe Reid, and Sophie Moseman.

Commitment, the Dreaded Thing

by

This is Post 5 of my “fitness journey” blogging. For backstory, see Post 1,
Post 2, Post 3 and Post 4.]

Commitment. The dreaded word. It means to pledge, to make an obligation.

DSCN3704-reducedTwo of my favorite commitment-related quotes are:

“Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes; but no plans.” (Peter Drucker)

“There’s a difference between interest and commitment. When you’re interested in doing something, you do it only when circumstance permit. When you’re committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results.”

When I think of the word, commitment, I think of it as something that requires a strong will and hard work, but that is worthwhile.

If there are donuts in front of me and yet I find a way to eat a boiled egg and piece of fruit, that’s commitment. If I’m on vacation and I set the alarm for 5 am and get a workout in before the day of lounging starts, that’s commitment. If I eat a salad when everyone else in the car is feasting on French fries and chicken nuggets, that’s commitment. When Jerry and I chose to marry almost 17 years ago, and later chose to have children, those were commitments. When we started a business 15 years ago, that was a commitment.

We’ve all heard the saying, “Nothing worthwhile is easy.” Well, ain’t that the truth!

The results of all the above personal examples of commitments are positive and worthwhile, but none of them were, or are, easy.

Today I’m writing this as we drive to Iowa and Nebraska for some family visits. There will be lots of good food and excitement and probably a little stress from time to time that comes with all big family gatherings.

I can tell you, with 100% certainty, that it will be hard for me to stay committed to my training and nutrition regimen.

But I will.

DSCN3710-reducedThis is because I’ve made a commitment to lose some weight and fat, increase my fitness, and find more energy. After falling into a rut for four years, every day since I committed to getting out of the rut is a major achievement for me. I want to keep it going. I don’t want to take any steps backward. I’m afraid of failing and letting myself down.

“The only failure comes from within,” said Steve Bechtel , my personal trainer at Elemental Gym, during a recent training session. Boy, I agree with that. The biggest fear I had when I embarked on hiring Steve as a personal trainer three months ago to start climbing out of the deep rut, was that I would not stick to it, and fail.

Steve sums up commitment as much by stating what it isn’t as by what it is. “If you commit to something in your comfort zone, it’s not a commitment,” he says. If it’s easy, he doesn’t consider it a commitment.

After talking through it, we agreed that what makes something a commitment is when it involves making a major decision that represents a significant change. As a result, the stakes are higher. So the decision to make a commitment is one of the hardest aspects of making a commitment.

When I think of the term, commitment, I also think of time cost. And probably that’s another reason I don’t get warm and fuzzy when I think of the term, commitment.

As a long-time business owner, and now a consultant for the business we recently sold, wife, and mother of three young sons, my life is very busy. For me, time is worth more than money, and often I think I don’t have enough of it.

Lack of time is the best excuse for not committing to better health and fitness. Certainly it’s the most convenient. We use it to justify to ourselves, and to others, why we won’t commit to exercise. And we can be pretty convincing and compelling. I convinced myself over and over for four years that I had more important things to tend to than a serious fitness program.

Problem is, we’re not talking about some nonsensical thing. We’re not talking about making time to watch more television, or play more video games, or go on more vacations, or go out to the bar more, or to out to eat more, or to shop more. We’re talking about our health – our quality of life and our vitality.

And furthermore, the lack of time excuse is losing ground as a legitimate excuse for us not committing to regular exercise – and to improving our health.

If you’ve been following my fitness journey blog posts or reading the increasing amount of fitness-related articles in the national press, or talking to the trainers at Elemental Gym, you’re learning that if you exercise at high intensity, far less time is required to realize benefits. Steve says as little as 4 minutes a day of high intensity exercise a day can bring great fitness results. Certainly I’ve seen results of such a program first hand in the 14 pounds of weight loss and 7% of fat loss I’ve experienced in 3 months time. I’m not investing significant blocks of time but instead training really hard for a small amount of time several times a week.

Think for a minute about all the things we do in a day. Can we shave 10 minutes off your TV-viewing time? Maybe get up 10 minutes earlier? Or stay up 10 minutes more? Reduce computer or internet or email time by 10 minutes? Take a 30-minute lunch break instead of an hour lunch? Forego our entire lunch hour for exercise and eat a sandwich at the desk? When we look at it these ways, it’s not hard to find 10 minutes to spare for the betterment of our mind and health.

Personally, I get up extra early to get my exercise in. Jerry and I have three young sons. With each child we’ve had, we have grown accustomed to getting up a little earlier, if only to eke out a little extra time for ourselves. In the very early morning, while the kids are still sleeping, we find our time to exercise. Whatever works. But if you’re willing to get a butt-kicking and do high intensity, we’re just talking 10-24 minutes per session. Suddenly, the “I don’t have time” excuse no longer flies.

For more on time, here’s a video clip of Steve, on time, and the fact great fitness doesn’t require a lot of it:


I don’t want to focus on only my own experiences, successes or failures here. So from time to time, I’m going to provide a profile of someone else I know who’s committed to better fitness and share their experiences. This time I’m putting a spotlight on LORI BARNEY, a friend of mine in Lander, WY, who has made a great commitment to her training and fitness.

Elemental Gym has a fantastic gym, some terrific programs and classes that will help you achieve better fitness, and some great personal trainers, including Steve Bechtel, Ellen Bechtel, Jagoe Reid, and Sophie Moseman.