contents - Fitness Edge Media

contents
Published by:
Fitness Edge Media
Writer / Editor:
John Hutchings
Photographer:
Jenniffer Merida,
PhotoCHICA
Contributing Writers:
Michael Cocquyt
Dr. Jessica Germano-Fokin
John Hutchings
Paul Iatomasi, Jr.
Steve Lochner
Andrea Mosher
Shaina Sidoti
Graphic Designer:
Maia VanOrman,
Messenger Post Media
Advertising and Subscriptions:
[email protected]
Cover Photo by PhotoCHICA
Hair and Makeup provided by
Mackenzie Hutchings
of La Salon Bianca
Disclaimer: Please be advised that the information
contained in this publication in its entirety is intended for
personal, non-commercial purposes only. Additionally,
the information contained within does not constitute, is
not intended for, nor should be interpreted as a substitute
for guidance from a licensed medical professional or
certified athletic trainer. You should always seek the
advice of a qualified professional regarding your unique
situation. Fitness Edge makes no warranty, express
or implied, concerning the accuracy, completeness,
reliability, timeliness, correctness, suitability or
merchantability or fitness for any purpose of the content.
In no event shall Fitness Edge, it’s employees, sponsors,
advertisers or contributors be held liable or otherwise
responsible for any damages resulting from the reading
or use of any content. Any reference to commercial
products or services by trade name, trademark or
otherwise does not constitute or imply any endorsement
or recommendation by Fitness Edge.
Trainers of the Month Frank Gigante and Shalom Singer-Gause................ 2
Healthy School Trinity Montessori School....................................................... 4
Bodybuilding Mr./Ms. Rochester Championship.............................................. 6
Recipe Caprese Salad Skewers............................................................................ 7
Lifestyle Fit to Guard........................................................................................... 8
Technology Fat Guy Goes Skinny ................................................................... 11
Cover Story The Road to Recovery: Eating Disorders and
the Power of Fitness.......................................................................................... 12
Outdoor / Adventure Mountain Workout...................................................... 17
Trainers’ Corner Good Nutrition: It’s Not Just About the Food.................... 18
Supplement Corner MCT Oil.......................................................................... 19
Love Talk With Dr. J How to Deal With Rejection........................................ 20
Personal Trainer Directory............................................................................ 21
Rochester Fitness Calendar.......................................................................... 23
First Person The Jungle Jog............................................................................ 24
Social Media...................................................................................................... 24
Letter from the EDITOR
If I have learned anything in these past 10 months, it’s this; get a good elevator pitch. I
know fitness. It’s easy for me to talk about. Explaining Fitness Edge Media, well, that’s been a
challenge, but I think we’ve done it Fitness Edge Media produces and shares great fitness-related content across our multimedia
platform of print, radio, web, social media and events to inform, motivate and inspire people to
develop the habits that lead to success in their personal health, fitness and well-being. We’ve
changed our logo to reflect our mission.
Fitness Edge was developed for EVERYONE from highly competitive, splendidly conditioned
athletes who rarely miss a workout to those who struggle with motivation and think they’ll never
reach their fitness goals…and everyone in between. In short, Fitness Edge was created for you.
Our cover story features three courageous women who allowed me to tell their stories of
living with Eating Disorders (ED). It was a bit unsettling at times while chasing this article. Not
because of any discomfort with Liza, Nicole or Jen’s condition, but rather, the responsibility I had
to tell this story authentically as an untrained person without a lot of experience dealing with the
subject. I also wrestled to remember if I had unintentionally said or done anything that could
have been damaging to someone who had struggled with ED in the past. It reminded me that
I’ve always been a tad bit afraid of the ‘power’ that is transferred to fitness professionals by the
public who trust our information so completely. Speaking on behalf of the public to myself and my
colleagues, “don’t you dare give information that you don’t know entirely the consequences of.”
We as an industry tend to simplify things to the point it all can start to sound like, “try harder.”
ED is not easy to understand even for trained professionals. It’s insidious. I found myself playing
back the last 30 years in my head wondering “Is it possible that one of my children, family
members or even my wife struggled with ED without me noticing?” I am thankful that the
society we live in today seems more informed and empathetic
to those with disorders that once were hidden out of shame and
open to productive discussion about them, but we still have a
ways to go. The saying, “if it helps one person, it was worth it,”
comes to mind here. But honestly, I hope it helps ALL people
suffering with ED with the message of hope we have inside.
I want to thank Liza, Nicole and Jen again for their incredible
bravery and strength; it was a privilege to work with you. I know
it wasn’t easy. I applaud each of you.
There’s more information, motivation and inspiration inside,
so without further ado, here’s the July/August issue of Fitness
Edge Magazine. I trust you’ll find what you need.
Best,
John Hutchings
Fitness Edge Media
Trainers of the Month
Frank Gigante
F
rank Gigante partners with Peter
Fountain to form Natural Pro Fitness
Coaching, combining to bring over
25 years’ experience to local and online clients. Frank is an accomplished
Professional Natural bodybuilder, having won many accolades and awards
onstage. His online videos offer a
no-nonsense approach to fitness that
speaks to everyone from the beginner to elite. His affable manner and
encouraging approach has earned him
a large following. If you’d like to train
with Frank, email him at [email protected] or go online at
www.naturalprofitnesscoaching.com.
Congratulations Frank Gigante! You are
our Fitness Edge Trainer of the Month!
How/Why did you start in the Personal
Training business?
After earning my pro card as a natural, drug-free, bodybuilder, I wanted to
share how to incorporate health and
fitness into people’s lifestyle without
having them live in the gym or follow
restricted diets.
What certifications do you have?
I have the Mental Strength Life Coaching Certification through Gregg Swanson and am currently renewing my
personal trainer certification through
NCPPT.
How do you keep your fitness training
knowledge up to date?
First, I live this lifestyle. More than
anything it is a passion I have explored
for over 20 years. I stay up to date in
the latest research in training, nutrition, and supplements by reading and
2
| fitness EDGE
following other fitness professionals
and researchers whom I trust. For the
past 2 years, I have enlisted the help
of Craig Yarnall, a natural pro bodybuilder and coach to help me with contest
nutrition. It’s given me firsthand experience of how small changes affect the
body, by applying these things to my
own contest preparation.
What group courses have you taught?
I just completed two this month. One
was a Wellness Webinar through ROC
City Wellness that busted myths and
offered practical strategies people can
use on a daily basis to achieve a healthy
and fit lifestyle. Also, “What to expect,
when you are expecting to compete”,
was a seminar at Empire Fitness, for
first time fitness competitors who want
to prepare for a show in the near or distant future. We will be doing monthly
seminars at Empire Fitness.
How important is nutrition to you in creating clients’ regimens?
“You can’t out-train a poor diet.” Nutrition is perhaps more important than
training. If we can properly fuel the
body and utilize it efficiently, we can
accomplish so much more physically,
mentally, and emotionally. As a lifetime
drug--free bodybuilder, I stress how important proper nutrition is in achieving
goals whether it be adding muscle, losing bodyfat, or preparing for a contest.
Tell me about a time when a client was
unhappy with your work. How did you
handle the situation?
We had a client unhappy with our approach to contest preparation. For
months, the client loved the training
and nutrition we were creating. As we
got closer to competition, the client
was unable to trust the process. We
parted on good terms, which is important. I wouldn’t compromise the principles of sound nutrition and training.
Imagine a client is discouraged during a
training session. How do you keep him
motivated?
It can be discouraging when we look at
where we want to be and how far we
have to go to get there. I remind the
client that any worthwhile goal requires
small, consistent efforts. In any one
session, I sharpen my clients’ focus,
look at what we’re doing right and use
that as momentum to move forward.
July / August 2015
Where will you be in 2 years?
I will help many others on their fitness
journey, whether as competitors or
those desiring to live a healthy lifestyle.
I also plan to be among the top natural
bodybuilders.
What is your personal training
‘philosophy’?
“Start where you are. Do what you can
with what you have and are capable of
at that moment.”
If you weren’t doing personal training,
what would you be doing?
I’d be a woodworker. I enjoy the creative outlet and the serenity of my
shop.
Favorite workout music?
Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Rocky
themes, and Hulk Hogan’s entrance
music.
Favorite fitness ‘gadget’ or ‘hack’?
My ipod and ear buds. I always have
my lifting belt, a pair of lifting straps,
and a chain for doing weighted dips and
pull ups too.
Your major influences in the fitness business?
Jim Stoppani, Dr. Joe Klemczewski and
Craig Yarnall
People you want to thank for support?
My mom and dad, Pete Fountain, Jenniffer Merida, Matt Arthur, Howie and
Beth Barber, Craig Yarnall, and my two
daughters, Gabriella and GinaMarie.
Number 1 piece of fitness advice you give
others?
“Quality over quantity.” Learn proper
form and technique in order to get the
most out of each movement.
Shalom Singer-Gause
I
started my personal training business
because I realized the positive impact I
was having on my clients and I wanted to
do more. I loved it! I wanted to continue
to help others reach their goals without
limitations. It’s amazing to take the
things you love in life to the next level.
What certifications do you have?
NFPT Master Personal Trainer
NFPT Resistance Specialist
NFPT Endurance Specialist
NFPT Nutrition Specialist
WITS Certified Personal Trainer
Instructor
Zumba
Zumba in the Circuit
Aqua Zumba
How do you keep your fitness training
knowledge up to date?
I love reading the latest fitness info
out there. There are so many different
approaches to training, staying on top
of them you are always reading, and
or trying out something. As a Certified
Personal Training Instructor, I am
continuously given the updates of the
new approaches to training and how to
implement them to our students to train
their clients.
What group courses have you taught?
I’m a Zumba girl! It’s kind of hard to
believe but I love dancing and reggaeton
is my favorite. The classes I teach are
Zumba, Aqua Zumba and Zumba in the
circuit. While in college I had taken a few
nutrition courses and currently have my
NFPT nutrition specialist certification
What diet and nutrition education have you
received?
Always, always, always when meeting
with a new client during our consultation
we first go through a thorough medical
evaluation. Very specific goals short
term and long term, nutritional goals
while defining the definition of a
diet! Measurements, weight body fat
percentage, step test, strength, flexibility
and form. Then watch out for success.
How important is nutrition to you in creating
clients’ regimens?
Nutrition is like the top dog of a
successful program, but like I tell my
clients it’s You, ME and your refrigerator.
It just doesn’t work successfully if
everyone isn’t following the same game
plan.
Teaching a Zumba class there’s always
a way to show different ways to move
your hips and pop it! There’s always a
way to modify a step and I’ll go up right
next to them and dance showing them
how to bring their dance moves up to
the next level or down while keeping it
funky!
Tell me about a time when a client was unhappy with your work. How did you handle
the situation?
Well to this day I have not experienced
that, but if that was to happen I would
direct them to the next person who I
think would meet their goals, because
every trainer is not the same and not
for everyone that’s why it’s great to
know your competition yet still working
together.
Imagine a client is discouraged during a training session. How do you keep him motivated?
It is common for a client to become
discouraged during a training session
or become bored with training routines.
That is why I tend to keep things
exciting. I always have different ways
to train, like training outside on the river
trail instead of training in my gym. As my
clients often tell me “Shalom what do
you do sit at home thinking of new ways
to kill us.”
What is your sales style, if you do sales?
What do you consider ‘sales’?
Sales are not my forte, but staying
involved with different community
activities and referrals are my thing!
No previous sales job, I hate it! But my
Husband Jabrel Gause absolutely loves
sales. He’s the Sales King! However, in
the past, while I was training at the gym,
members would always ask me if they
could sign up with me. As a result, my
own training sold itself.
Where will you be in 2 years?
In about 2 years I will have finished
developing the fitness project I am
currently working on. Also looking to have
a few more WNBF Pro Figure Titles under
my belt, as well as looking to expand my
business just a bit more! Sure to be an
exciting journey ahead of me.
What are your personal fitness goals?
My long term goals in the fitness industry
are to complete my fitness program I
am currently developing and make it
an international success. I will continue
educating people on the wonderful
benefits of living a healthy, balanced,
active lifestyle while still able to enjoy a
little ice cream!
What is your personal training ‘philosophy’?
My philosophy is intrinsically written in
the name of my business and mission
statement. Pearl’s Physique, believes
that everyone is unique. Therefore, like a
pearl one becomes individually sculpted.
Living a balanced lifestyle with proper
nutrition, training and healthy state of
mind transformation begins.
If you weren’t doing personal training, what
would you be doing?
If I wasn’t able to be a personal trainer,
I’d probably be back in the aquatic field,
and teaching Physical education full time.
Favorite workout music?
Fav. work out music for strength training
is whatever my training partner Rod
Kendrick puts on, but my cardio is most
deff. my Zumba hits! I always am dancing
on the treadmill, stepper or elliptical, so I
can stay on top of my routines for class!
Favorite workout apparel?
I have no fav. Everything looks good
together when you’re in the gym! But
my sneakers have got to match!
Favorite fitness ‘gadget’ or ‘hack’?
My all time fav. Fitness gadgets are my
cable machine, Ab roller, Bosu ball and
just a good set of free weights!
Your major influences in the fitness business?
My major influences are Sam Muratore,
Rod Kendrick and living the life of a
natural body builder.
People you want to thank for support?
The people I want to thank the most
are first of my husband Jabrel Gause
for his love and encouragement, my
training partner Rod Kendrick for taking
me to the next level, Sam Muratore who
was vital to my start, parents for always
pushing me, Sister, Staff Sergeant
Ateaya O’meally for getting on my
nerves asking about all the fitness stuff
and my brother for being there for me.
My family is amazing. Thank you! And of
course my clients are truly amazing, love
you all and thank you.
Number one piece of fitness advice you
give others?
My number 1 piece of advice to others is
work hard for what you want, BUT stay
FOCUSED on what you need. One step
at a time shows a great road to success.
July / August 2015
fitness EDGE |
3
Healthy School
Trinity Montessori School
T
rinity Montessori School, located at
the French Road entrance of Nazareth College at 100 Golden Flyer Drive,
is the Fitness Edge Healthy School of
the Month for July (www.trinitymont.
wordpress.com.) Developed by Italian
physician and educator, Maria Montessori, who opened her first classroom in 1907, ‘Montessori’ education
emphasizes independence, freedom
within limits and respect for the child’s
natural psychological, physical and social development. I’d call it ‘free range
education’ in that where some of the
traditional protocols of our public or
parochial system are restrictive for the
logistical needs of that system; Trinity
Montessori throws open the ‘cage’ and
says, “Be free!” providing safety and
security, of course, but that done, children are empowered to learn in a way
that’s best for them. I had the fortune
to meet Drs. Jessica and Dan Shand
and their children who attend Trinity,
Dominic, 5 and Julian, 3. Sharing my
mission, I asked for their thoughts on
the health/fitness environment at the
school. Jessica shared, “The Montessori curriculum encourages movement
throughout the day, not just during their
gym play or outdoor activities. Rather
than a typical classroom, with rows of
desks and chairs, the children are free
to complete their work sitting on the
rugs, at larger tables or standing. This
subtle difference, I think, makes children much more aware of their bodies,
celebrates their need to move around
and keeps the mind-body connection
open.”
who pick up a few bucks in college and
stay in shape pursuing it as a hobby,
of course.) Savage-Katz is also Trinity’s Yoga Enrichment Coach. As the
oldest known form of exercise, Yoga
has many benefits – here’s 38 (http://
www.yogajournal.com/article/health/
count-yoga-38-ways-yoga-keeps-fit/)
including #36 “Encourages self-care”
which fits perfectly with Montessori’s
approach to preparing students for life.
Physical Education Teacher, Michael
BellaPianta, or Mr. B, rounds out the
children’s physical development with
a variety of activities that teach basic
fundamental skills from our contemporary sports, but more importantly, competition is kept to a healthy level, with
team play and cooperation receiving
Lili and Olivia Rue
Rue Family
the most emphasis. Character building
is a hallmark of Mr. B’s programming,
as he personally loves the opportunity PE offers in teaching principles of
respect, integrity and honesty. The
program highlights physical activity,
maintenance of a positive attitude, development of good sportsmanship and
movement competency. This happens
in an atmosphere of attention to the
individual and placing importance on
“personal best” effort. The main goal
is one of wellness for life. That said,
I had the pleasure of being in the
audience for the students of Drama
Coach, Liza Savage-Katz’ presentation of ‘Earth’, a production that was
conceived, written, produced and
acted almost entirely by the children.
‘Fitness’ as much as anything is creatively applying knowledge and effort
to an objective and I can definitely
see these children as future yoga, cycling and boot camp class instructors,
constructing well-balanced, effective
classes with killer soundtracks (as
doctors, scientists and world leaders
4
| fitness EDGE
July / August 2015
Shand Family
there’s nothing like a good old fashioned game of four-corners dodge ball
to teach a young person everything
they really need to know in life…so Mr.
B ‘rolls out the balls’ every once in a
while too! In addition, BellaPianta administers the Fitnessgram assessment
consisting of push-ups, sit-ups and a
20 meter pacer run test. The Shand
family gave Trinity high marks for PE
as well saying, “Even at an early age,
the children get exposed to a variety
of physical activities and how they
are beneficial. For example, both our
boys have come home and shown us
new stretches they have learned and
why they are important (“to warm up
my legs” or, “too keep my back flexible”). They are exposed to more common sports like soccer and tennis, but
during special summer programs also
get exposed to sports like fencing,
rock climbing and Capoeira. I think that
having these exposures at an early
age teaches them that there are many
ways to be active and celebrate movement.”
Good nutrition is one of the cornerstones of a healthy lifestyle and
the children learn about forming good
habits early. Dr. Shand offered these
observations, “Trinity does an incredible job of teaching healthy food choic-
es and helping students maintain a
healthy relationship with food and
where it comes from. Families contribute to daily snack days, and are encouraged to provide foods from each
of the food groups for snack. Snacks
are left on the snack table and children
are free to pause for snack time when
their bodies say they need it. They
even learn that food preparation can be
fun- both our boys have learned how to
bake muffins with fresh fruit and make
healthy popsicles!”
The running club meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays to train for the
Mondo Moto (meaning ‘world in motion’) 5K Walk/Run, an annual fundraiser for Trinity held at Nazareth College in
June. I attended the fourth annual run
on June 7th. There was a ¼ mile kids’
run around the track, but some competed in the 3.1 mile ‘adult’ version,
like 4 year old Olivia Rue, who completed the course with her dad, Billy, who
proudly declared that she only walked
a couple of times! I met the rest of the
Rue family, mom, Lili and older brother Nicholas, I knew I had discovered
a family of fitness enthusiasts! Billy
and Lili and the kids train with former
Division 1 basketball star, Gina Andrecolich Montesano at Game Plan 4
Life. Both children take Karate lessons
at KimeKarate, where Nicholas, who is
8, is very focused on attaining his Orange belt. In addition, Nicholas plays
soccer for the Pittsford Mustangs and
Olivia does gymnastics at RGA in East
Rochester and takes swimming lessons at the Y. I asked what the Rue
family liked best about Trinity Montessori, “We cannot say enough about the
positive impact the Trinity Montessori
philosophy has had on our children. We
have seen such experiential growth in
their personal and social development.
The Montessori experience has helped
lay the foundation for them to become
independent and self-motivated. Possibly the best thing is that they truly
enjoy learning, our kids love going to
school! Now what parent wouldn’t be
proud of that?”
otherwise, with her disarming personality, gentle demeanor and strong leadership. When I asked about the culture at Trinity, “Healthy people and a
healthy planet is the only way to look at
the future.” She said, adding, “You are
never too young to accept the responsibility for your own good health and
wellness. That leads to a brighter future for the world!” Lorraine Scarafile
heads up a fantastic program that embodies the values of health, fitness and
well-being that we had in mind when
we created the Fitness Edge Media
Healthy School award presented by
Power Train Sports & Fitness. We are
pleased to bestow the honor to Trinity
Montessori School for the months of
July/August 2015. Congratulations all
and enjoy a healthy summer!
Every ship needs a captain and
Trinity is privileged to have principal,
Lorraine Scarafile at the helm. On race
day, Lorraine introduced me to her
grandson and quipped that “not all
200 students are my grandchildren.”
But I have a feeling that the children
of Trinity Montessori School might feel
July / August 2015
fitness EDGE |
5
Bodybuilding
6
| fitness EDGE
July / August 2015
and introducing the
FIT BIKINI
INVITATIONAL
Effortlessly Healthy
Happy Summer Everyone!
I’m happy to announce that Effortlessly
Healthy has expanded our catering service to
bring our signature EH meals to your next party
or corporate event! Also, we’ve had so many
people asking where our restaurant is, we’ve
gone and added our new EH take-out restaurant!
The new spot is super convenient, located at
1921 South Avenue and is only a minute down
the road from College Town and the new Costco.
Beginning this July, you will be able to order
your favorite EH food truck meals, including
our Healthy Trash Plates, salads and wraps,
whenever you’d like!! Can’t get out of the office?
No worries, we will be offering delivery too.
Have an awesome summer and be sure to follow
our food truck on the Effortlessly Healthy page
on Facebook and bookmark www.ehmeals.com
for event catering, new menus and food truck
locations!
Peace & Love!
Shaina, Owner
Now, to the recipe… Sheila Kennedy, I know
you’ve been waiting for another one. These
amazing Caprese Salad Skewers are a huge hit
at our catering event. They are fairly easy to
make, super cute and great for summer parties!
Buy One, Get One FREE
at the Effortlessly Healthy Food Truck this summer.
Recipe
Caprese Salad Skewers
Ingredients:
- Fresh Mozzarella (if you can find the little mozzarella
balls buy those because it will save you time!)
- 1 container grape tomatoes
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup Balsamic Vinegar
- 1/4 cup Honey
- Skewers (or not if you want
to make a scoopable salad)
How to make:
So simple!
1.Grab a saucepan and stir the balsamic and honey
together over high heat.
2.Once the mixture has come to a boil, reduce heat to
low and simmer until the vinegar mixture reduces to
roughly 1/3 of a cup. (yes, reducing anything makes
a lot turn into a little). This should take about ten
minutes. Make sure you stir frequently because you
don’t want to burn it. Be patient and seriously, let
this simmer on low and stir, stir, stir.
3.Once you have successfully reduced your vinegar let
it cool down for about ten minutes and then put it in
the refrigerator to cool a bit more. I like mine to be at
least 50 degrees before I put it on anything.
4.When you’re ready to make your skewers alternate
your mini tomatoes, mozzarella balls, and basil until
you can’t fit any more on the skewer.
5.Once all of your skewers are made, drizzle your
balsamic reduction on top!
Want to turn this into a meal?
Grill up a piece of chicken, cut it in slices and serve it
right on top of your salad!
Exp. 8/31/2015
July / August 2015
fitness EDGE |
7
Lifestyle
Fit to Guard
T
he U.S. Army plans to reduce the
active force from about 490,000 to
475,000 soldiers next year. The Army
will, however, put a priority on existing
weapons systems such as the AH-64
Black Hawk and CH-47 Chinook helicopters, like those housed at the Rochester Airport.
I caught up to Mark Wilson and Jon
Stormm recently to discuss the increased importance of physical fitness
in the face of today’s shrinking military.
The men and women of our Armed
Forces provide this nation’s security
and protect our freedoms and way of
life. It’s a job Wilson, Stormm and their
fellow soldiers take very seriously. It
was a typical Friday at the hangar; the
guys were getting in their workout in
the weight room and in between sets,
I grabbed this interview.
Sergeant Major Mark H Wilson has
served 35 years in the U.S. Army and
National Guard. Wilson is among the
nearly ten percent of the Guardsmen
who are full-time and is the Battalion
Commander for the 6-42 AVN stationed at Rochester Airport where they
maintain a fleet of UH-60 Black Hawk
helicopters in the 1-69th Medevac
Company and the CH-47F Chinook
Company 3-126th AVN, also known
as “The Kong.” Mark had enlisted in
the Army at 17, wanting to be a Military Policeman. A small snafu on enlistment day changed that plan. You
see, Wilson had emigrated here from
England with his family in 1969. He
wasn’t a U.S. citizen. He couldn’t be
an MP…but, if he chose aviation, he
Left to right: Sergeant Major Mark H. Wilson, John Hutchings, Sergeant Jonathan Stormm
could enlist that day as planned. His
course was set; it was also where Wilson was introduced to physical fitness.
We all hear stories of ‘boot camp’ and
the grueling physical training that new
soldier endure; Wilson took to it. At
52 years old, I saw the enthusiasm that
he has for the ‘grind’ of the workout.
Uncle Sam pays full time soldiers one
hour per day to work out and Wilson
and Stormm make the most of it…
cranking out supersets between body
parts like kids in a candy store. Mark
was training shoulders and biceps with
ab exercises worked in, while Jon was
knocking out a back and bicep session.
Wilson shared that he is currently doing double sessions, coming in to base
before work to do cardio on the bike.
The intensity in the room was palpable,
it was definitely a ‘gym guy’s’ kind of
afternoon. Currently, Sergeant Major
Wilson is applying for funding to refurbish the workout rooms on base.
The equipment they use is serviceable (Stormm was doing pull-ups on
a length of black pipe fastened to the
girders in the ceiling with chains) but
suffering from 15+ years of use and
need of maintenance…it’s certainly no
LA Fitness in there!
Sgt. Major Wilson is also the Battalion Master Fitness Trainer. The MFT is
8
| fitness EDGE
July / August 2015
a program created by the Army to certify soldiers who show interest and aptitude, and have earned the privilege,
as personal trainers. The soldiers of
the 6-42 have a good team in Wilson
and Stormm (more on Stormm later) to
help them meet the standards of the
APFT (Army Physical Fitness Test). To
ensure fitness and readiness, soldiers
must score a passing grade (adjusted
for age) in push-ups, sit-ups and a two
mile run. It’s a pretty big deal. Soldiers
who fail any portion of the APFT must
re-take the entire APFT within three
months (unless they have an approved
medical profile). Soldiers who fail the
APFT are flagged in accordance with
Army Regulation 600-8-2, Suspension of Favorable Personnel Actions.
Individuals who are flagged for APFT
failure are not eligible for promotion,
reenlistment or enlistment extension.
The Sergeant Major’s approach here
is simple and clear, “Win the mental
game, teach lifestyle, train for life and
the APFT test will take care of itself.
Nutrition is a component, we’ll identify
and adjust.”
Sgt. Jonathan Stormm is the flight
engineer on the Chinook. He loves
what he does. As he says, “There’s
nothing like riding with the clouds under your boots” and he gets out on
the ramp (the back of the helicopter can stay open when
in flight) every chance he gets. Stormm has deployed for
three tours of duty in Afghanistan, even taking a bullet to
the arm on one tour, (Wilson has deployed four) despite the
danger of their work, both men are passionate about what
they do. Staying physically fit assists enormously in this
regard. Stormm has a deep personal interest in fitness (and
plans to pursue it professionally as a civilian someday) and
is a certified personal trainer, he cannot sit for the Master
Fitness Trainer program until he is promoted to E-6, as a E-5
he serves in an unofficial capacity as Wilson’s assistant until
then. Both Stormm and Wilson, along with help from Staff
Sergeant – May, utilize the ABCP – Army Body Composition
Program – as a measuring tool and benchmark to keep soldiers on track between APFT tests, as well as promoting
the healthy habits and lifestyle that keep our forces strong
for duty. Wilson’s team will help design and implement exercise and nutrition programs to assist the 50 full-time and
approximately 400 traditional Guardsmen in meeting the
standards. But, just like in the civilian world, ultimately it
is up to the soldier whether they adhere or not. Of course,
Wilson, Stormm and May aim for a 100 percent success
rate, they’re Fitness Edge’s kind of soldiers.
In today’s military, the National Guard must be ever ready
to defend. More than ever, they are called to duty in our
many and complex missions and conflicts around the globe.
Fitness Edge recognizes these brave men and women for
their service and salutes Sergeant Major Wilson, Sergeant
Stormm and Staff Sergeant May for their work in keeping
them fit to do so.
YOUR
OICE
BEST FCOH
R
Fitness equipment,
cycling, apparel,
accessories,
training aids,
nutrition,
service and
installation
installation.
Visit our
in-house bike shop!
(585) 218-4110
749 Panorama Trail
Rochester, NY 14625
www.rochesterfitnessequipment.com
July / August 2015
fitness EDGE |
9
10 | fitness EDGE
July / August 2015
Fat Guy Goes Skinny
by Steve Lochner
Technology
I
’m the type of guy that likes to play video games and computers. I also like relaxing with friends and family and indulging in good food. A LOT. Hence, my lifelong struggle
with my weight. At my heaviest, I tipped the scales at 337.
I was self-conscious, unhappy, and generally uncomfortable
in my own skin. I tried to lose weight. I would vow that
today would be the day…until about 11am…then maybe
tomorrow would be the day…and so on. I tried weight loss
plans, programs, diets, and fads, only to result in fail after
fail. I’m not the type of guy that likes math. In fact, I really
dislike math. So when diets require math, counting, adding, converting, etc., that’s when I would give up. After all,
would video games be any fun if you had to add up your
own scores? I think not.
One day, a friend of mine, who is lucky enough to have a
metabolism that supermodels envy, sent me a series of pictures from a calorie counting app that he was using, of the
most indulgent food ever, and its calorie count. “Thanks,
buddy; send indulgent food pics to your fat friend…real
nice.”
My friend showed me the app he had discovered; LoseIt!
This app counts the calories (and macros) in the food you
eat, adds up your daily total, shows you how much you have
left, and records it so that with just one tap, you can compare today to yesterday, so you can compete with yourself
PALEO ON PARK AVE!
Year: 2010
Weight: 337 lbs
Pant Size: 46”
Shirt Size: XXLarge
Year: 2014
Weight: 198 lbs
Pant Size: 33”
Shirt Size: Large
to beat your best score! An app that does the math for you!
And it’s set up like a game! You can even connect with other people that are losing weight using the same app, for
encouragement, community, or competitions! All of this on
a device I carry around anyway. I had officially run out of
excuses. The LoseIt app turned weight loss into a game! I
started entering my food into the app every time I ate and
began losing weight almost immediately. In the first week,
I lost 6 pounds. In the first month, I lost 20 pounds. This
app combined my love for technology and gaming with my
desire to lose weight, and I was winning the game!
Here I am, 3 years later, 150 pounds lighter, and I still log
my food daily to maintain my weight loss. It’s easy and fun,
and it helps me stay on track! Now people come to me;
the ‘video-gaming foodie’ for weight loss tips, which still
shocks me every time. What’s my first piece of advice for
anyone that asks for my help? “Get the LoseIt! App and just
start logging!”
Special Offer
Mention this ad
and receive
5.00
OFF
$
$30 purchase
Offer does not apply to alcohol.
Expires August 31, 2015
585.360.4165
Full menu at roamcafe.com
Welcome to ROAM Cafe. We are a full
service restaurant and bar located in the
heart of the Park Avenue Neighborhood in
Rochester, NY. Open seven days a week
serving drinks, lunch, dinner, desserts and
Sunday brunch. The kitchen is open until
11pm. Stop in and join us today! Inquire
within or contact us about catering and/or
private events.
Find us on Facebook for more
specials and discounts.
Steve Lochner is the Creator and Chief Motivational
Officer at Fat Guy Goes Skinny. Steve’s passion for health
and fitness stems from his personal transformation
from a life time of food indulgence, where his weight
peaked out at 337 lbs, to taking control of the situation
and working hard to lose 150lbs! This journey led to the
creation of the #fatguygoesskinny brand. ALL Steve’s
results were achieved through healthy diet and exercise
and he will share his secrets here each issue of Fitness
Edge Magazine or go now to www.fatguygoesskinny.
com. Follow his motivational posts on Instagram@
fatguygoesskinny
July / August 2015
fitness EDGE | 11
Cover Story
The Road to Recovery:
Eating Disorders
and the Power of Fitness
I
n 2003, Liza was looking through some
photos that were on her Mother’s, Gabrielle, coffee table. She came across
one of a fit healthy little girl climbing out
of a pool. The photo caught her attention as she felt a familiarity, but couldn’t
place the name of the girl in her memory. Liza asked, “Mom, who is this little
girl?” after failing to recognize the face.
Gabrielle took the photo, looked briefly
and answered, “Why, that’s you!” Liza
had not looked at pictures of herself as
a child for a long time because of the
shame she felt as a child for being chubby. She never really was chubby. It was
all in her mind.
Liza Savage-Katz suffers from Body
Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), a condition
that distorts how you view yourself in
any number of ways. BDD involves the
belief that one’s appearance is unusually defective and needs to be hidden or
fixed; this belief often manifests itself
through thoughts that are pervasive and
intrusive. Liza put herself on her first
self-imposed diet at age 6. Not even really knowing what a ‘diet’ was, she had
been exposed to enough adult conversation on the subject to know that it must
consist of ‘less’ food, bland food and boring food. She took her spaghetti without
12 | fitness EDGE
sauce and passed over bread in the beginning and soon thereafter began what is
known as ‘restricting’ food intake around
12 years of age. Restricting is the term
applied to intentionally starving oneself,
even while suffering from terrible hunger
pangs, it is primarily associated with Anorexia Nervosa. Liza has struggled with
the aforementioned BDD and Anorexia,
and Bulimia during her developmental
years and Binge Eating Disorder through
her adult life. Over 12 years ago, she
joined a 12 step recovery group, where
her sponsor has 26 years of recovery experience to share with Liza. She shares
strategies, such as “eating for sanity”
where ‘healthy’ is the byproduct. That’s
the thing with eating disorders (ED), they
are mental health conditions marked by
extreme emotions, attitudes and behaviors surrounding weight and food issues.
They generally are more ‘managed’ than
‘cured.’ For Liza, along with Nicole and
Jennifer who we’ll meet through self-authored essays later in this article, being
in the fitness field can be especially risky.
As we’ll see in the rest of Liza’s story,
it’s not uncommon for a simple trigger
to set an unhealthy chain of events into
motion. Trainers, exercise partners, even
strangers can unknowingly talk about a
July / August 2015
meal, food or related event in a way that
can result in a backslide to a bad place.
Overeaters Anonymous is a terrific resource for anyone who may be currently dealing with the issues we chronicle
here, even if you aren’t sure if you suffer
with an eating disorder, call 585-2345435 to find out more. The call is confidential and discretion is assured.
In 1998, Liza landed a dream job in
London, England as a Senior Art Director and with great excitement; she made
the move across the Atlantic. She had
been a competitive swimmer in school
and immediately looked for something
that would keep her in shape. Her ED
was in a manageable phase, but she
was till preoccupied with weight control over being healthy in her quest for
exercise. Being near the Thames River
reminded her of watching the Head of
the Genesee Regatta and she found herself a rowing club, the Sons of Thames.
Savage-Katz began work in the advertising business, working on accounts for
L’Oreal and other major fashion companies. Seeing hundreds of thousands of
dollars expensed on edits that literally
airbrushed photos of supermodels began to take a toll on her attitude toward
her work. Near the end of her time in
the advertising world, Liza shared that
she literally became nauseous each time
she walked through the door into work
each day. Yet she maintained her health
and fitness as well as she could buying
a flat down by the river where she could
run three miles to the rowing club, workout and run back home. Liza discovered
Yoga during her time in London, because
Madonna was into it, and not only incorporated it in her workouts, but took
it back to share with fellow rowers, including world class coaches and Olympic
athletes with the University of London’s
Crew team and with her boathouse, the
Tideway Sculling School. There were
triggers during this time too. Despite her
success and status as the ‘health nut’
among her work and social groups, Liza
still battled her thoughts, which told her
that she didn’t deserve to win. Along her
running route, there was a convenience
store with all the sugar, salt and grease
laden fare that they are known by. They
would call to her and sometimes the call
was too strong to resist. Fitting into a
size 4, she was still unhappy with her
body, Liza looked into liposuction. That
was London.
Upon discovering what liposuction
would cost, it dawned on her… about
the same amount that a trip around the
world for a year would cost! Savage-Katz
planned an ‘epic’ world trip slash plan to
get ‘super-fit’ and embarked on her next
chapter in life, life with ED. This phase
was marked with scuba diving adventures in Thailand and Australia, 21 trek
through the Everest Region and a Yoga
teacher training in Kathmandu, cycling
the South Island of New Zealand and
the Gold Coast of Australia. 100km bike
rides by day followed by eating binges
at night. Although Liza was expending
a huge amount of calories by day, she
undid that and then some at night. She
had developed full blown Exercise Bulimia, where one compulsively exercises
to offset the effects of the binge eating
they engage in. The text book definition
that says that exercise bulimia negatively affects one’s health is an understatement, as it is generally accompanied by
a mental state pockmarked with anxiety,
panic, fear and depression.
In one instance, Liza was staying with
some new friends in Brisbane, Australia.
One morning, the hosts left for work for
the day and Liza was left home alone
with an angel food cake that had a small
slice taken out from dinner the night be-
fore. Becoming obsessed with the cake,
Liza decided a slice for breakfast was ok
but then finished the whole thing. Immediately, feelings of guilt over have
‘stolen’ from her friends and panic over
being ‘caught’ filled her mind. She began a bike ride/quest to find the bakery to
replace the cake. Spending a good part
of the day riding around Brisbane, Liza
was loathing herself for having not had
the control to not eat the cake and was
filled with a manic fear of not being able
to find the bakery. She finally was able
to locate the exact cake she had eaten
and rushed home to beat her friends’ arrival from work. Having narrowly accomplished that, Liza then realized that she
must eat the same amount of the sliver
that was originally missing from the cake
to conceal her ‘crime’. That is the madness that typifies many ED’s. One last
item before we follow Savage-Katz to
California; one of the triggers that led to
this behavior was the lack of a structured
schedule on her worldwide excursion.
Many people who successfully manage
ED’s understand the value of maintaining habits that are safe, comfortable and
somewhat predictable…that can be accomplished to a large degree by structured scheduling.
By the time Liza got to California,
her ED had taken control. Like a self-described ‘crack-addict’ she would obsess
about food and find relief from the obsession with exercise, a good majority of
the day. On one particularly challenging
evening, she went to the Cheesecake
Factory and bought 5 slices of cheesecake. She ate half of each slice & then in
disgust threw them away in their packaging, only to take them out of the trash
a few hours later, to finish them.
The irony of being in a beautiful city
while suffering some of the darkest
times of her ED was not lost on Liza,
her shame only drove her deeper. Fortunately, Liza’s aunt, who happened to be
a retired psychiatric nurse, lived nearby
and Liza stayed with her and her family
for a long visit. It was here where Liza’s
recovery began in earnest. Dinners with
family, sharing experiences with those
who loved her unconditionally (and had
the ability to help) was very healing.
Liza settled in Venice with her lifelong
friend, Linda. There, she started training
and dancing at Gold’s Gym, teaching
and training at YAS Fitness Centers and
Sports Club LA (now Equinox), as well
as for the Center for Movement Educa-
tion and Research, Rana’s Arts Club, and
cycling with some of the UCLA team.
Shortly thereafter she started her spiritual journey at Agape Spiritual Center & the
Self Realization Fellowship and deepening here understanding of yoga as a spiritual practice.
At this time she met her former husband. Happily married and pregnant, Liza
felt she was “better” and didn’t feel she
needed to be part of her 12 Step Recovery program. She left her support system and the security of structure again.
After giving birth to their son, Liza was
befallen by post-partum mania, years of
bingeing and dieting had destroyed her
coping mechanism.
Living on the beach in Santa Monica, at least she had no financial want
and her husband provided a lifestyle
that many would envy. Then, about the
time her son was 2 ½ her mother-in-law
suddenly and tragically died. Liza’s husband moved back to Israel and unable to
deal with his grief, but for a very short
visit back, never returned. So much of
Liza’s self-worth was derived from her
marriage, her identity was left shattered.
Ultimately, this was the bottom. But that
pushed her back into the structure, the
fellowship and the 12 steps again. She
also went into outpatient treatment at
Malibu at one of the treatment facilities
she had once taught yoga at. It was the
defining period for Liza. She gravitated
toward following the Higher Power that
is the central part of the 12 Step recovery
program. After treatment and being in
recovery again, she started teaching and
training at 5 Point Yoga Malibu, Malibu
Gym, Hot 8 Yoga, STAR Education, and
NAAM Yoga. At NAAM, Liza befriended
Tommy Rosen. Tommy is the founder of
Recovery 2.0 and a huge leader in the recovery movement.
Being a single Mom in LA was challenging and even though she had tremendous love and support of her friends
and community, she decided going back
to her roots was the best choice for her
and her son.
Liza moved back home to Rochester
about 2 years ago. Once again having the
love and support of her parents and her
remarkable friends has created the community that is truly healing. Today, her
passion for the community in which she
lives is what fuels her. It’s giving back…
the part that was missing for so long..
and being part of something bigger than
July / August 2015
continued on page 14
fitness EDGE | 13
EATING DISORDERS from page 13
herself that provides focus and structure
in her life. Among the many organizations and activities that Liza is involved
with and on behalf of, to note, she is a
coach and competitive rower for Genesee Rowing Club and coach for Brighton
Rowing Club. Being part of a team and
having a goal to improve performance for
the betterment of the team has all but
eliminated thought of specific body image goals.
Liza started a local productions company and is filming ‘Flow Fusion Yoga,
Yoga for Athletes Sequence” which will
launch this summer. She is also creating
with one of the founders of Move with
Me Yoga Adventures, a children’s educational and fitness television series called
“Kaleidoscope ME” where social and
emotional learning is incorporated with
fitness. Kaleidoscope ME’s mission is
to impact the lives of our youth by providing programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values and promote
healthy choices through yoga, music,
and movement.
Liza Savage-Katz
She is at home in her work, having
traveled so far from those days in the
advertising world when her work was
about the pride and the pay. It was early this past Thanksgiving morning when
Liza startled the snowplow driver at 5
am on her street when she took an apple and bottled water out to him while he
worked. In a brief conversation that followed, the snowplow driver said “I love
my job driving trucks.” Liza witnessed
his authentic joy in what he did. It was a
moment of clarity for Liza. She realized
that one doesn’t have to be a ‘rock star’
in life to find happiness. Finding one’s
purpose is really much more fulfilling.
Nicole Mickol
Recovery is never complete. Unlike
most addictions, you cannot stop eating food but there are ways to create a
loving and supportive relationship with
it. To stop evolving is to risk going back.
Liza has surrendered to a Higher Power.
In this she trusts. Some days are better
than others, but Liza has learned and
has been blessed with practices for getting through each day. This created the
evolution of her and because of this she
can find gratitude for a disease that created much pain and suffering. Liza has
learned to live life on life’s terms.
Nicole Mickol
Jennifer Jacobs-Alfieri
14 | fitness EDGE
Fitness Edge featured Nicole Mickol
in our Transformation Tuesday Facebook
July / August 2015
segment in June of 2014. I think it’s important to hear the ‘voice’ of those who
have done it, as their voice carries the
perspective developed by real life obstacles and victories along the way. A year
later, Nicole is one of the Rochester-area’s top CrossFitters, inspiring through
example. Here, in her words from 2014,
is Nicole Mickol.
“The past four years have been a
struggle with restrictive eating, weight,
body image and confidence. In 2010 I
suffered from Anorexia Athletica which
is an obsession with obtaining minimum
calories and maximum exercise. I was
106 pounds, taking in about 850 calories a day, and terrified of 90% of foods.
I was running as a form of punishment
for eating the foods that I enjoyed and
often skipped meals entirely. I lost my
muscles, my curves, and began losing
hours of sleep because I could not fall
asleep on an empty stomach. Food was
an obsession that dictated my entire life
and not once did I look in the mirror and
think it was good enough.
Unfortunately this disorder and others
like it are far from uncommon and in the
gymnastics and dance world in which I
grew up in, eating disorders are everywhere. Women, as young as elementary school, would do anything for a flat
stomach, a thigh gap, or thin arms. I remember my 7-year-old self not wanting
to sit all the way down in a chair because
my thighs looked too big. Why do women feel the need to starve themselves
for a number on the scale? Why do we
obsess over calories and deprive ourselves in order to fit into a near impossible size? Why do we feel like our value
in society is measured by how thin we
are? My story is not about losing weight,
it’s about gaining confidence. It’s about
building a healthy relationship with food
and being proud of how far I’ve come.
In the year and four months that I’ve
been a CrossFitter, I’ve participated in
five paleo nutrition challenges. I have
acquired so much knowledge about the
foods and nutrients that this type of intense exercise requires. I have discovered new recipes, learned new cooking
methods and have been successful with
weekly food prepping. I have learned
that eating a large plate of protein and
veggies for dinner is better than eating
5 saltine crackers, even though the second choice has fewer calories. I have noticed the increase in energy, endurance,
and strength that eating right allows for.
Most importantly, I have learned to accept and even be proud of my athletic
body type. The person I was four years
ago was weak, both physically and mentally. Today I am healthy and happy and
although I am 25 pounds heavier, I am
much more comfortable with who I am.
I don’t know if I ever would have
gotten to this point without CrossFit
and Nutrition Challenges. I will admit, I
was one of those girls that was hesitant
to lift heavy weights because I did not
want to get “big and bulky”. I was also
tentative to try paleo because for me it
meant an increase of proteins and fats.
Now, I can’t even imagine my life without CrossFit and healthy eating. This nutrition challenge in particular has been a
real hurdle. I went an entire eight weeks
without regretting anything that I ate or
drank, which for me is a major accomplishment. I just recently got rid of my
old size 1 jeans that I will never fit into
again, and honestly, never want to fit in
to again. On this journey so many people have asked me “Why are you on a
diet?”, or have rolled their eyes at my
healthy eating, but this is why it’s important to me.
This 60-day nutrition challenge is
coming to an end for the gym but it will
have a lasting effect on me. I can final-
ly say that I have overcome my issues
with food and I am proud of the things
my body can do. I have learned new
skills, accomplished goal after goal, and
surprised myself with what I am able to
lift. I plan on continuing with 80/20 paleo,
because I have finally found that balance
between giving my body the foods it
needs while also treating myself every
once in a while. Being a part of CrossFit Fairport has given me so much; new
challenges, a healthy relationship with
food, best friends, mental strength, a
support system, motivation and encouragement. And I am so grateful for that!”
Jennifer Jacobs-Alfieri
Jennifer Jacobs-Alfieri is fitness personified. Whether she’s pushing you
through a high-intensity interval workout,
swinging kettlebells or working the mitts
in the boxing ring; you are going to be
motivated to bring your best each time
Jen is your trainer. Add this energy and
enthusiasm to her personal story of overcoming ED’s and you’ll understand why
Jen is one of our town’s most inspiring
fitness personalities. In her own words,
here is Jen’s journey.
“My personal definition of Anorexia
Nervosa is that it is a physical disease
of mental anguish; my struggle started
in my early teens and only got worse as
I grew older. Growing up, I was expected to eat everything on my plate, I was
expected to get good grades and I was a
very competitive dancer.
As a dancer, I was once told at a convention in NYC to “get my fat ass off the
floor.” That fat ass weighed about 115lbs
at the time. Another time, there was a
comment from a judge once, who said,
“You weigh too much for the tiny lady
that you are.” Dancing can be a cruel
world, so you have to be thick skinned...
but those comments stick with you.
I was determined to be perfect and
to me that meant ‘skinny’. I started using laxatives, water pills and diet pills to
control the calories I put in my body. It
was not unusual for me to take an entire box of laxatives in one night and that
was when I would eat. I didn’t sleep well
because I couldn’t fall asleep on an empty stomach. I could barely get through
a dance routine and I started losing hair
due to lack of proper nutrition. I was hospitalized. I weighed 90 pounds. I got a
little better after the hospital stay, but
quickly started to go downhill again just
a short time afterward.
“I had my first son at age 22. I still
July / August 2015
continued on page 16
fitness EDGE | 15
EATING DISORDERS from page 15
regret how I hated being pregnant back then. That should be
something to celebrate and instead I struggled after all I had
to eat for the baby I would eat just enough for the baby. After
giving birth, the weight started coming off again and again and
again I married his father one year later and weighed 88 lbs
the day of my wedding. I can remember my best friend crying
when she helped me into my wedding dress. The tears were
out of shock and concern because she could see every bone in
my back. I started to get a little better after getting married; after all I had a family that needed me to be healthy. At 25 I had
my second son this time pregnancy was a little more enjoyable but the struggle was still there. He was 2 when I started
performing with local dance teams. I was back in the spotlight,
and that meant being judged again. Looking back, it was not
a wise choice. I was not happy in life because I couldn’t find
happiness in myself. This disease is insidious; it strips you of
your self-worth. I can remember looking at my two baby boys
sleeping and thinking, “I need to stop. I need to get well.” I
tried various diet and exercise routines and my struggle with
food went on until my late 20’s and early 30’s. Somehow I
made it through. I don’t know how. My love for my two boys
was enough to keep me healthy enough to survive it.
“Then I went through my divorce. Shortly after that my
mother became very ill. I can remember thinking, “She did
nothing to deserve this and here I was hurting myself every
day. Wake up girl! These boys need their mom!”
“Turns out, that was the adversity I needed to get myself
better. ‘What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger’ isn’t just
a great Kelly Clarkson song after all. It was my reality. I started getting really healthy after that. Oh, I struggled with every
pound I gained, but I knew it was for the best.
“Nine years ago, I walked into ROC Boxing because my son
was taking lessons and shortly afterward I started boxing classes and kettlebell training. Of course the competitive part of me
loved sparring and the foot work and hand eye coordination
that I had from dance made it an easy transition to boxing. ROC
Boxing owner, Coach Dominic Arioli has become my very dear
friend AND work out partner. We began training for Kettlebell
competitions too and in my first competition in 2010, at age 38,
I took gold in biathlon event (10 minutes of kettlebell jerks and
10 minutes of kettlebell snatches for combined total reps.) To
date, I have won 6 gold medals and 1 silver and last year my 20
year old son competed as well and we both took gold. I was so
happy and proud. I was finally healthy, and more than that, I had
embraced my strength. I had been afraid of looking too muscular for most of my life…in a twist of irony; these muscles are
what finally make me happy in my own skin. Recently, I found
an old box of clothes and my son asked, “Why do you have
these little girls’ clothes?” I had to answer, “Those are mine.”
He looked at me and said “That’s gross!” From the mouths of
babes.
I’m 43 years young; I wear size 6, weigh 138 pounds and
feel fabulous! I am finally able to love myself when I look in the
mirror. I am finally able to enjoy food. That struggle will always
be there to look my best, but I have learned to replace ‘skinny’
as my standard with a new definition - STRONG. I am finally
able to say strong is beautiful.”
Impress Your Guests
with Stuart’s Spices!
For the freshest flavors we grind, blend & package
right in our Spice Shop
Over 200 Spices, Seasonings, Peppers, BBQ Rubs,
Sausage Mixes & More
No MSG or Gluten • Salt-Free & Low Salt
Coupon
Buy 2, get a FREE Sea Salt
Not valid with other coupons. 1 per person.
Expires 5/15/15. Valid at Shop only.
754 Clinton Ave S. Rochester, NY
(at the edge of Rochester’s South Wedge)
585-436-9329
M-F 9:30 to 5:30 Sat 10 - 4
Sat (Apr-Dec) - also at Rochester Public Market
StuartsSpices.com
Locally owned since 1992
16 | fitness EDGE
July / August 2015
Outdoor / Adventure
Molly’s
Yoga Corner
is the ultimate
destination for
anyone looking to
experience the
many health
benefits
attributed
to yoga.
Two Locations!
1000 Turk Hill Suite 220
Fairport, NY 14450
713 Monroe Ave 2nd Floor
Rochester, NY 14607
Phone: 585-202-1347
Mountain Workout
“We believe by improving your
physical conditioning any adventure
is possible. The mission of mountain
workout is to bring the outdoors
and fitness worlds together, to help
people enhance their outdoors
experiences
through
specific
training and exercise. “
It was interesting to see the importance
of specificity when comparing out
performance outcomes. In my recent
training, I have been focusing on cycling
to get ready for my next century ride
next month. My climbing partner on
the other hand has continued his usual
walking to work (mind you his walk is a
5k each way) and rock climbing practice.
The results weren’t surprising. I hit
the start strong and pushed the pace
however after about half way point
Mr. office worker was crushing the
personal trainer. At the end of the
day both of us were pretty destroyed
equally, but this pushed the argument
for specificity of training such using a
program like this Training for multi peak
climbs on mountainworkout.com.
What is next?
Here is a hint, Pamplona, Spain in July...
For the complete blog entry, along
with some great photos go to www.
mountainworkout.com now.
Blog entry from June 5, 2015:
Great Range Traverse
We started our trip with a 10:00pm
start in Rochester NY driving to arrive in
Keene Valley at 4:00am. See the GRT
Nutrition Article on Mountainworkout.
com for our super-breakfast before we
headed up on the trail by headlamp.
The goal for the day was ambitious
at least. Backpacker magazine rated
this as the “third hardest day hike in
America” and it is much deserving:
12 mountains total, 10 of which are over
4000 feet of elevation, and 30 miles to
travel (our route was extended), much
of which is on your hands and feet
scrambling to stay on the mountain.
Many do not consider this a traverse,
due to the fact you do not follow a
ridge, but rather climb mountain after
mountain, in repetition. This was a
true test of our mountaineering skills
and of course overall fitness.
Michael Cocquyt, Founder of
Mountain Workout (pictured on
the right). A self-titled adventurer,
Michael is passionate about the
outdoors and never letting physical
limitations get in the way of an
amazing experience. He has
a Master’s degree in Adapted
Physical Activity and has traveled
the world working in the fields of
physical education, fitness, outdoor
education and conservation.
www.mollysyoga.com
July / August 2015
fitness EDGE | 17
Trainers’ Corner
Good Nutrition:
It’s not just about the
food; it’s in your habits.
by Andrea Mosher
W
hat if your nutrition coach told you that you could eat
whatever you wanted as long as you ate it slowly, in
a peaceful atmosphere and stopped eating when you were
80% full? You might go out and look for a new nutrition
coach. Or, you might just think about it. Really think about
it. And then you might actually do it because you really love a
challenge. Thinking about the way in which you eat and actually changing your behavior are the keys that unlock healthy
nutrition habits that last a lifetime and not just a few weeks.
When I coach my nutrition clients, I focus on habits. I find
that most people know what to eat. They have read all of the
latest fitness information and have been bombarded by ads
claiming to promise quick weight loss if you just eat this and
not eat that. They are also stressing about calorie counts and
macronutrients (proteins, fats, carbohydrates) and wondering and worrying if they are eating the right things for their
body shape, blood type, hair color, etc., etc., because some
authority that was on the internet said it was true.
Calorie counts, macronutrients and super foods all have
validity when it comes to good nutrition but when it comes
to mastering life-long body transformation, the focus needs
to shift to HOW you are eating and WHY you are eating instead of WHAT you are eating. In your lifetime, you will not
always have someone around to tell you what you should be
eating. And even if you did, you will find other information
out there that will contradict what you believe. When the
focus shifts to YOU – your body, your emotions, your hunger
cues, nothing else can contradict that. And that is why your
habits make all the difference.
What is a habit?
A settled or regular tendency or practice, especially one
that is hard to give up. A recurrent, often unconscious pattern of behavior that is acquired through frequent repetition.
An acquired mode of behavior that has become nearly or
completely involuntary.
Research has shown that it takes 21 – 30 days of daily
practice to lock in the foundations of a new habit. You don’t
make them or break them overnight. And just like brushing
your teeth is a learned habit, mindful eating can also be a
practiced and learned habit.
The first habit I focus on is that of Eating Slowly. It is a
foundational habit that is the building block for many others.
Many people think that they are already slow eaters. Oftentimes, they think they are eating slowly because they are distracted by other things and lose focus of what they are eating, how they are chewing and how full they are becoming.
They may be the last ones to finish a meal, but they have no
idea what they just ate. The same holds true for people who
18 | fitness EDGE
July / August 2015
eat fast. Sometimes they are a busy parent taking care of a
young child at mealtime. Sometimes they are watching TV
while they are eating. Sometimes they are working while
they are eating. In either case, there is little or no attention
paid to whether a person is still hungry or not. Either the
food is gone or the time has passed, but the feeling of hunger is rarely addressed. I have asked my clients to practice
the opposite behavior of what they have been doing. I ask
them to sit in an atmosphere with little distraction - to take
a bite of food and then put their fork down and not pick it up
again until that food has been chewed and swallowed.
After a few days of practicing this habit, people start to
notice some things. The already slow eaters notice that
they enjoy their meals a little more and aren’t snacking on
something nasty an hour later. The fast eaters are starting
to notice that they are full before they’ve finished all of the
food that they piled onto their plates. Hello, portion control!! This is just one example of how focusing on HOW
you eat can lead you on the path of WHAT to eat.
Eating slowly also gives you a chance to evaluate the other things going on in your life. Take a minute to breathe
and ask yourself this question: “Are your daily choices and
habits giving you the results you want?” Yep, asking you
to think again. If the answer is yes, then whatever you are
doing, keep doing it! But if the answer is no, you might
consider slowing down and taking a good look at your behaviors.
“Good habits are hard to develop but easy to live with.
Bad habits are easy to develop but hard to live with.”
-Brian Tracy
Author, speaker, entrepreneur
Andrea Mosher is a Certified Personal Trainer through
the American College of Sports Medicine with over 12
years’ experience. She is a Certified Fitness Specialist
with the YMCA of the USA, a Certified Level 1Nutrition
Coach with Precision Nutrition, a Certified TRX trainer, a
Certified GRIT Instructor with Les Mills and has a Masters
in Fine Arts from the Rochester Institute of Technology.
Email Andrea at [email protected] and follow her on
Twitter @PlateStrength
MCT Oil
by Paul Iatomasi Jr
M
edium chain triglycerides are
a type of dietary fat thought to
offer a range of health benefits. Found
naturally in coconut oil and palm kernel
oil, medium chain triglycerides are also
sold as dietary supplements. All dietary
fats are molecules made up of carbon
atoms linked in chains. The main form
of fat in the American diet, long chain
triglycerides range from 12 to 18 carbons
in length. Medium chain triglycerides,
on the other hand, range from 6 to 10
carbons in length. Since most traditional
fats in the human diet are long chain,
consuming more Medium chain
triglycerides gives you a better chance
of burning up the dietary fats in your diet
instead of storing excess fat by the body.
The shorter chain length of medium
chain triglycerides is said to impart
unique properties that may enhance
human health. One unique property of
medium chain triglycerides is that they
are absorbed intact and delivered directly
to the liver to be used for energy. Other
types of dietary fats must be broken
down in the intestines and made into a
different type of fat to be transported in
the blood before they can be used for
energy.
What are some uses for Medium Chain
Triglycerides?
In alternative medicine, medium
chain triglycerides are said to help with
the following conditions: celiac disease,
Alzheimer’s Disease, cystic fibrosis,
digestion problems due to partial
removal of the stomach, gall bladder
disease and liver disease. In addition,
medium chain triglycerides are touted
as a natural remedy for improving sports
performance and promoting weight loss.
Like I stated earlier, it can aid in weight/
fat loss due to the fact that it is not as
readily stored as fat because the body
will use it as a preferred source of fuel to
be utilized and burned.
Several small studies suggest that
medium chain triglycerides may help
promote weight loss. In a 2003 study
published in Obesity Research, for
instance, 24 healthy but overweight
Supplement Corner
men consumed diets rich in either
medium chain triglycerides or long
chain triglycerides for 28 days each.
Study results showed that the diet
rich in medium chain triglycerides was
associated with a greater loss of body fat
(perhaps partly due to increased burning
of calories).
Additionally,
a
2002
research
review published in the Journal of
Nutrition concluded that medium
chain triglycerides may aid in weight
control when included in the diet as
a replacement for fats containing
long chain triglycerides. Drawing their
conclusions from animal-based studies
and clinical trials, the review’s authors
note that medium chain triglycerides
appear to increase energy expenditure
(i.e., the burning of calories) and promote
satiety (the sensation of fullness after
consuming food).
How many forms of MCT Oil are sold on the
market place and what are my options?
The most common supplemental
form of Medium Chain Triglycerides
is in the form of Coconut Oil. MCT Oil
would be just as preferred, just not as
easily found sometimes. Both will work
the same. You can find Coconut Oil
in the form of hardened form (almost
Crisco like) which can be heated into
liquid. It also comes in liquid form but is
not 100% pure but close to it because
it needs other ingredients to keep it in
liquid form. They also sell it in capsule
or soft chew form as well. I would
recommend people who are interested
to go see me or my good friend Justin
who owns and operates a GNC located
on Mt.Hope in College Town Plaza.
Paul Iatomasi is a
Professional
Natural
Bodybuilder, Nutrition
Specialist and Contest
Prep Coach as well as
a Bodybuilding Contest
Promoter and Fitness
Model. Paul can be reached via email
at [email protected] or follow
him on Facebook and Instagram (Paul
Iatomasi Jr).
College
Town
GNC
1385 Mt. Hope Avenue
Rochester, NY 14620
585-623-8709
July / August 2015
fitness EDGE | 19
How To Deal With
Rejection
W
hy isn’t my date calling me back?
I’ve text three times and still no
response. Should I or shouldn’t I try
again? Sound familiar??? I am sure everyone has gone through these same
questions in their head at one point or
another. The truth is... if they are not
responding to you, then move on!! It’s
not worth your time to chase anyone. I
know rejection is tough, but the more
you feed yourself with questions like
this the more you are setting yourself
up for what I call the D’s -disappointment, despair and distress. We cannot
control anyone else’s actions. If you put
your best foot forward and this person
is not giving you the time of day, then
they don’t deserve you! The same can
be said for many other areas in our
lives, including fitness. All too often,
I hear from my clients that they want
to set healthy goals week after week.
When I ask them what is holding them
back, the number one response tends
to be fear! Fear of failure, fear of not
being good enough, fear of losing, fear
of rejection, to name a few.
Dr.
Jessica
Germano-Fokin
(aka Dr. J) obtained her Doctoral
Degree in Mental Health Counseling
and Supervision from the University
of Rochester. She is the owner of a
private practice, called Sexual Health
Discoveries, which offers services from
a personal growth model approach in
order to provide individuals and couples
with personalized services in the area of
sexual health and relationships. Dr. J is
also a Partner at a private practice, called
North Coast Counseling, which provides
specialized sexual abuse evaluations
and treatment for victims, families and
perpetrators. Furthermore, she is the
Founder and Owner of Discover Your
Match, LLC, which provides personalized
and professional dating consultation
services, workshops, seminars, and
exclusive social events to help you to
20 | fitness EDGE
Here are some ways to help you to
deal with rejection and move on:
Reconnect With Yourself: While
“chasing” and hoping this person
would contact you, you probably lost a
part of yourself; well.. at least you lost
time and the ability to focus on yourself. Same can be said when setting a
goal for you but comparing yourself to
others. To each is own! DO YOU!!
Break All Ties: You can’t have your
cake and eat it too, so you’re better off
getting rid of any information pertaining to that person. Trust me... there is
truth to the statement, “Out of sight,
out of mind!” Same said to old (bad)
habits. If you are looking to eat healthier, then you can’t have your cupboards
full of junk food.
Engage In Something Fun: Not only
will this help to distract your mind, it
will also get the dopamine, serotonin
and endorphins flowing through physical activity and by engaging in laughter. We can always use laughter in our
lives!
Use Your Supports: Those people
who care about you and love you want
to be there to help...so let them! You
know you are loved, so embrace it.
Pushing them away because it’s not
the “kind of love” you want, is not going to make you feel better. If anything,
it can make you feel worse. Allow people in!
See a Professional: We can all use
help at times. When we are sick, we
explore and discover yourself in order
to truly find your match. Fitness Edge
is very excited to present ‘Love Talk
with Dr. J’ to provide the opportunity
for our readers to talk about various
personal and sensitive topics. Be sure
to stay tuned in and in touch for exciting
information and meaningful dialogue.
Let’s make this interactive!
Please connect with Dr. J through
the platforms listed here:
Dr. Jessica Germano-Fokin (Dr. J)
Discover Your Match, LLC
Ph. (585) 310-2855
[email protected]
www.sexualhealthdiscoveries.com
www.northcoastcounselingny.com
www.discoveryourmatch.com
Twitter @DiscoverYrMatch
Facebook ‘Discover Your Match, LLC’
July / August 2015
see a doctor to feel better, right? So
why not do the same thing for when
your mind is not feeling well? A therapist can help you to work through
those uneasy thoughts and feelings. In
addition, medication, such as an SSRI,
might be helpful with creating relief
and stabilization - just for a little while in order to help you to be able to focus
on your true desires, wants and needs
in life.
Most importantly, although it might
feel like it at the time, you are NOT
alone!! We live and we learn. Life is experiential and exploratory, so hold your
head up and keep doing YOU!!
Xo,
Dr. J
Get
Bronzed Skin
all summer long
at Glow!
Mention this ad for
$10 Off your first visit.
Rochester’s
Spray
Tanning
Headquarters
• Trained & Certified
Technicians
• Certified Organic DHA
• 5 Minute Application
• Flawless Coverage
• Never Orange
Sunless Tanning Inc.
2229 Monroe Avenue
585-621-GLOW(4569)
glowsunlesstanning.com • @glowrochester
facebook.com/memissglow
“Get Your GLOW On!”
Personal
Trainer
Greg & Kerry Davis 585-398-3035
[email protected]
-Certified Personal Trainers
-Licensed Massage Therapist
-Certified Infant Massage Therapist
Dan Dirkx 227-4480
[email protected]
-CrossFit Level 1 & 2
-CrossFit Olympic Lifting
-CrossFit Kettlebell
-CrossFit Gymnastics
-CrossFit Endurance (running)
[email protected]
MATT LIQUORI
ASFA Certified Personal Trainer
ASFA Sports Nutrition Specialist
585-402-4037
[email protected]
Elizabeth Luckin 585-752-2640
[email protected]
[email protected]
-NFPT CPT
-NFPT Nutrition Specialist
-COOPER INSTITUTE CPT
-CROSS FIT LEVEL 1
-HIKF AND ISCA KETTLEBELL
-PIYO
-CPR/AED
directory
Kathy McClare Just MY Fitness, Inc
[email protected] • Justmyfitnessnow.com
-IFPA Certified Personal Trainer;
-IFPA Certified Sport Conditioning Specialist
-WNBF Pro Natural Bodybuilder 1995 to present;
-WNBF Pro Natural Fit Body 2010 to present
-3 WNBF Pro titles, 5 amateur titles
-Lifetime drug free athlete & competitor
-Resist-a-Ball Instructor (Swiss Ball)
-50 years young, long-standing, professional trainer that has
been active in fitness world for some 30 years!
Justin Merriam 474-7368
[email protected]
-AFAA Certified Personal Trainer
-Attitude Nation Olympic Lifting Certification
Andrea Mosher 455-0051
-Certified Personal Trainer: American College of Sports Medicine
-Certified Fitness Specialist: YMCA of the USA
-Certified Nutrition Coach: Precision Nutrition Level 1
-Certified TRX trainer: TRX Suspension Training
-Certified GRIT Instructor: Les Mills
Natural Pro Fitness Coaching
-Peter Fountain & Frank Gigante
[email protected]
Sharon Perry-Ferrari 400-0004
[email protected]
-ACSM CPT
-Certified Postural Alignment Specialist
-LMT
Full trainer bios at
www.fitnessedgemedia.com
Amanda Petroccione
[email protected]
-Holistic Nutritionist-Institute for Integrative Nutrition
-CrossFit Level 1
-AFFA Certified Personal Trainer
-NASM Performance Enhancement Specialist
-NASM Fitness Nutrition Specialist
-RTS Resistance Training Specialist
Shalom Pearl Singer 585-694-1062
[email protected]
http://www.pearlsphysique.com/
-Certified Personal Trainer Nfpt
-Certified Zumba Instructor
-Certified Aqua Zumba Instructor
-Certified Zumba in the Circuit Instructor
-Certified Thai Cru Instructor
CHELSEA SCHENK 585-746-4613
Certified Personal Trainer: NFPT
Certified Les Mills GRIT Coach
Certified Les Mills Body Flow Instructor
ADVOCARE Independent Distributor
[email protected]
www.ADVOCARE.com/130739001
Lauren Wheeler 602-799-9823
[email protected]
http://fullcirclefitnessllc.com/
-NESTA Certified Personal Trainer
A surgeon’s skill, an artist’s perspective...a woman’s touch.
D’A more
CERTIFIED BY THE AMERICAN BOARD OF PLASTIC SURGERY
Kimberly J D’Amore MD 585-393-1550
198 Parrish St • Canandaigua, NY 14424
www.kimberlydamoremd.com
July / August 2015
fitness EDGE | 21
22 | fitness EDGE
July / August 2015
Rochester
Fitness
calendar
Molly’s Yoga Corner on Monroe Avenue: Classes for July/August
Mondays 9:30-11 am Yin Yoga w Sandra
Tuesdays 6:45-8 pm Raja Yoga w Hannah (sliding scale fee $5-$10)
Saturdays 9:30 – 10:45 am How to Chill the F*** Out with Jesse
For complete schedule, go to www.mollysyoga.com
Rochester Parkour Little Ninjas Camp
Rochester Parkour, 1344 University Ave, Rochester , Dates: July 6-10 and August 10-14,
1:00 – 2:30pm, www.rochesterparkour.com, [email protected], 585-204-7537.
$100 member, $120 non-member. Ages 3-5.
WODchester Games
Saturday, July 11, 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM. CrossFit Rochester, 3750 Monroe Avenue,
Pittsford, www.eventbrite.com/e/wod-chester-games-2015-tickets-9676353233
Miracle Field 5K for Challenger Baseball
Saturday, July 11 at 9am, Publisher Parkway, Willink MS , Webster, Bill Kehoe 585-473-8337, www.challenger5K.eventbrite.com, $25 until 7/7.
The Seneca Park Zoo Jungle Jog & Seneca Mile
Sunday, July 19 at 8:30AM (registration starts at 6:30AM in the Wegman Lodge in lower
Seneca Park) www.senecaparkzoo.org, $25 - 5K, $15 - 1 mile, kids (1-7) fun run – FREE.
The Fitness Edge Media 2nd Annual Rochester Fitness Festival
Saturday, August 8, 9am to 10pm, Martin Luther King Park at Manhattan Square, Court
St., Rochester, $5 admission, www.fitnessedgemedia.com
Mr./Ms. Rochester Bodybuilding Championships and the return of the one and only
Mr. America Competition
Saturday, August 8, 4:30PM, Eastridge High School, 2350 E Ridge Road, Irondequoit,
Jim Rockell, 747-1999 or Joe Christiano, 747-5598, www.mramerica.life
RPS 2-Day NY State Powerlifting Championships
Saturday/Sunday, August 8-9, 8:30AM, Victory Baptist Church, 32 Wildbriar Road,
Rochester 14623, Gene Rychlak Jr., [email protected], h 610-948-7823 •
c 484-363-3983, http://meets.revolutionpowerlifting.com/
CrossFit Chili Summer Smackdown
Saturday, August 15, 2015 from 8 AM to 3 PM, CrossFit Chili/Forge Fitness,
1861 Scottsville Rd.,Suite A, Rochester, https://www.eventbrite.com/e/crossfit-chili-summer-smackdown-tickets-17099325543
“Bells on the Beach” International Kettlebell and Fitness Federation
Sanctioned Competition
Saturday, August 15 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM Ontario Beach Park,180 Beach Avenue,
Rochester, Contact Dom Arioli at Roc Boxing and Fitness,
585-880-0385, [email protected]
The Fifth Annual Rochester Triathlon presented by SMP
Saturday, August 22, 2015, 8AM, Durand Eastman Beach hosted by RATs, Lake Shore
Blvd at Kings Hwy N, Rochester, Sprint and Olympic Distances, http://www.rochestertriathletes.com/rochestertri
3rd Annual Stop the Trafficking-End the Cycle 5K Run/1 Mile Walk
Saturday, August 29, 2015, 5K Run 8AM, Mile Walk. 8:45AM. Meridian Centre Park,
2025 South Winton Road, Rochester, To benefit Angels of Mercy, Inc. Entry fee 5K/mile:
$20/$15 before Aug. 1; $25/$20 after Aug 1, register by August 1 and receive a T-Shirt!!
Raise $100 for FREE registration. https://runsignup.com/Race/NY/Rochester/StoptheTraffickingEndtheCycleRunWalk
SATURDAY,
JULY 11 9am
Start on Publishers Pkwy
near Willink Middle School
and finish on VanIngen Drive
near Challenger Miracle Field
in Webster, NY
WHEELCHAIR ATHLETES
WELCOME
AWARDS
Top 3 Male and Female finishers
Top 3 Male and Female Wheelchair Athletes
Top 3 Male and Female finishers
in age groups: 14 and under, and 5-year
age groups from 15-19 through 80 and over.
Times and finish places determined
by “gun” timing
Race Shirts for
First 500 Entered
Information?
Contact Bill Kehoe
Race Director
473-8337
or
[email protected]
To register online
enter “http://challenger5k.eventbrite.
com” in your address bar
July / August 2015
fitness EDGE | 23
First Person
Social
Media
Connect with
Fitness Edge
Media on Social
Media for up to
the minute local
fitness news and
motivation!
Like us on Facebook to be motivated daily,
including ‘Transformation Tuesday’
by local fitness success stories.
www.facebook.com/fitnessedgemedia
Subscribe to our YouTube channel to
see where we’ve been in the world of
Rochester Fitness, including leading fitness
facilities, professionals, and events.
www.youtube.com/fitnessedgemedia
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram to
win prizes! Tag your fitness photos with
#lifestoughgetfit for a chance to win cool
prizes! Be selected as our weekly winner
and win a $25 ROAM Café Gift Certificate!
Twitter @FitEdgeMedia
Instagram @fitedgemedia
Go to our website to subscribe to our
Fitness Edge Constant Contact weekly
newsletter for a condensed overview of
all that goes on at Fitness Edge.
www.fitnessedgemedia.com
24 | fitness EDGE
The Jungle Jog
O
ne of the many running events on
the Rochester Summer calendar is
the Jungle Jog 5K and Seneca Park Mile
to support our Seneca Park Zoo. Over
the years, this event has definitely one of my favorites and
has a place in my heart that
always brings a smile to my
face when I think of it. I can
give you many reasons for you
to register for the Jungle Jog
and make it a tradition of your
own.
Here’s three off the top of my
head:
1.You get to run part of the
course in the actual ZOO!
Yes, it’s one of the area’s
cruelest first half of 5K courses with a
steady climb uphill out the lower park,
but the reward is running in the ZOO!
(and downhill finish!)
2.You are supporting one of the true jewels of our community. We are blessed
with a world-class zoo and what better
way to help support than by running
this event. This year, you’re supporting Lemurs too! P.S. Buy a membership while you’re there. There’s some
cool prizes you can win by fundraising
too:
• Raise $50 and your race fee is waived.
• Raise $100 and your race fee is waived and you get a free Dri Tech T-shirt.
• Raise $250 and your race fee is waived, you get a free Dri Tech T-shirt and two tickets to Party
July / August 2015
Madagascar (for people 21+) OR a lemur plush (for < 21)
• Raise $500 and get everything
mentioned above AND a lemur
experience at the Zoo!
*Please note: You will still
need to register as a runner in
order to participate in the Jungle Jog 5K. Participants who
raise enough to have their fee
waived will be given a direct
registration link that will allow
them to sign up free of charge.
If you have questions about
setting up your page please
contact Aimee Hofmann, Jungle Jog 2015 Coordinator at
585-336-7217.
3.It’s one of the most family friendly running events in town. Strollers abound
(did I mention the hill?) There is the
Seneca Park Mile and 50 yard fun run
just for kids! I can’t speak for the 2015
event, but I remember POPSICLES
being a big part of the post-race festivities. The park is a great place to carry
in a picnic if you want to stay around
and of course, there’s the ZOO!
The accompanying photos are from
2007, when my wife Kim and I participated in the 5K and 4 or our children
ran the Seneca Park Mile. Trophies
were earned that day that still reside on
the kids’ dressers 8 years later. It was
a fantastic day and a wonderful memory. I hope that you’ll attend this year’s
Jungle Jog on July 19th (details in the
Rochester Fitness Calendar on page 23)
and make some memories too!