In Podcast #11 of Becoming Elli, Jill and Chris share their experiences with the Cleveland Half Marathon. Running 13.1 miles with less training than they would have liked, Jill and Chris found that changing expectations made for a fun event.
Listen today to hear about:
* Expo
* Parking
* Expectations and attitude
* Weather and what to wear
* Running the 13.1 mile course through downtown past the stadiums, into the Flats, up into Tremont, past Ohio City, down through Gordon Square and finishing in Public Square
* The food and the medal
* Fun in the Beer Garden and listening to live music
Finishers – 2018 Cleveland Half Marathon
In the tips section, Chris shares her tactics on how she works to maintain her weight loss so she can maintain a healthy weight. It’s challenging road to find the right mix of exercise, sustainable recipes, and mindful eating patterns.
1) getting on the scale
2) keeping track of the food
3) signing up for a race and training for it
4) focus on joints, ligaments and muscles
5) exercise moderately
6) use GO TO recipes
What tactics do you use to maintain your weight loss? Do you feel it’s like a marathon trying to maintain weight after a weight loss?
Becoming Elli where women over 50 inspire each other to become fit and strong.
“Love Yourself more. Love yourself more to take care of yourself before others.”
“My mother’s death scared me into weight loss research.”
“Forgive yourself when you make mistakes and start over. Every day is a new day. Move past it.”
In Episode # 10 of the Becoming Elli Podcast, Jill and Chris interviewed Nancy Jasperse about:
Her struggles with weight
Yo Yo dieting as a teen, into college and gaining weight through 3 pregnancies
How she cleaned up her lifestyle
What she eats now to maintain the weight loss
Where she gets her exercise inspiration
How she navigates restaurant meals
Her Sunday meal prep routine
In the tips sections, Jill and Chris share their thoughts about restaurant eating to maintain a weight loss.
Nancy’s Story
Nancy said she has always struggled with her weight. This is her story:
“As far back as elementary school, I was always the biggest and sometimes tallest kid in the class. I think my love of food started around 4th grade or so. My father was in the Navy and was out to sea often. When he was gone my mother used food as both a reward and a coping mechanism when things didn’t go as planned for me. I don’t fault her for this, she was raised the same way.”
By high school, I was maxed out on clothing options. Lane Bryant was the only clothing store where I could buy pants. So I decided to diet! I didn’t know one thing about nutrition, so I basically starved myself, eating handfuls of raw vegetables and spoonfuls of peanut butter. The weight came off, but of course that wasn’t manageable long term.
College brought on more yo-yo dieting. With each year, I’d go up and down in weight. Right around my senior year of college, I found myself engaged and excited to plan a wedding. So dieting kicked into high gear.
Shortly after getting married, I got pregnant with my first child. It was during this extremely stressful first year of motherhood, my weight gain exploded! Instead of bouncing back, I gained 100lbs. It was the first time I’d see the 300lb number on the scale.
As scary as seeing that number was, it didn’t stop me from getting pregnant two addition times — High risk from start to finish each time. Just as before, each baby brought on a stressful year. I gained 72 more pounds. My highest weight was a whopping 372 lbs. When I saw this number, I was terrified.
I didn’t know where to start. I knew nothing about weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight. But I decided the best thing I could do was try and reduce what I was eating and take a small walk each day with my children. Within the first few days, I’d lost 20lbs. Looking back, I know this was a lot of water weight and my body telling me it was so happy to have some water and a walk!
Sadly, what happened next in my life changed everything. My mother died unexpected. One day I was playing Scrabble at my dining room table with her and the next day she had a massive stroke. She was 54. I was 29 with three children.
Her death scared me into weight loss research. I knew I needed to clean up my lifestyle if I intended to watch my children grow up. I wanted to be more active with them, run after them, not be exhausted from simply hauling them out of car seats and walking them into school! Simple tasks at 350+ lbs were so very tiring.
I researched Weight Watchers, Atkins, Keto, SlimFast, calorie counting, liquid diets, salad only diets, every fad diet you can imagine. I settled on calorie counting. Added MyFitnessPal to my smartphone and started tracking all the food I ate. I continued walking around my neighborhood. And in just a couple of months, I had lost 50lbs. Then the dreaded plateau hit. I was stuck! The research started again. I decided to add lifting a few weights at home and walking. After a few weeks, I broke the plateau.
The evolution from 372lbs to just under 200lbs took just over three years. There were several rounds of plateaus and calorie adjustments. I changed up my diet a few times, around every 7 or 8 months to shake up my metabolism. I believe long term weight loss is possible if you’re willing to branch out and try new things, both nutritionally and physically.
I’ve maintained my weight loss for just over two years. Lately, I’ve used the Keto (ketosis) method to keep myself in check. Every now and then I’ll check a keto calculator to make sure I’m eating the correct amount of macros/calories. You can find a keto calculator by simply googling “keto calculator” and entering in a few basic pieces of information such as height, weight and age. Such a helpful free tool to use!
Just recently I’ve decided to try to get to 185lbs. Let’s cross out fingers and hope I can get there!
Listen to Episode #10 of Becoming Elli to find out how Nancy lost over 150 pounds and kept it off for more than two years!
Getting Healthy:
Interview with Melanie Hinde – Episode #9 of Becoming Elli Podcast
Melanie Hinde quit smoking and lost weight following a major health issue. In Episode #9 of Becoming Elli, Melanie joins Jill and Chris to discuss her journey to health and fitness.
While dealing with health issues, Melanie is working to be fit and strong. Her inspirational story provides listeners with motivating discussion. Listen as we discuss:
Her thoughts on eating a Mediterranean diet for weight loss
How she stays motivated throughout her health issues
What she does to work out with her pacemaker implanted to treat her heart condition
What she shares with other women on line to inspire them
She shares her workouts on video along with food ideas. For example, she posted a 12-minute $60 grocery haul video where she shows her snacks, breakfast, lunches, afternoon snacks and prework meals for the week.
She also posts motivational messages regularly on Instagram and on her Facebook page.
In 2008, Juel Fitzgerald lost over 50 pounds and now maintains her weight loss through healthy eating habits and walking.
Not just walking around the block, she is one SERIOUS walker. In fact last year, she walked 1500 miles.
She has walked 6 full marathons, many half marathons and many many many 5K’s!
Juel shares with us her experience with walking the Bataan Memorial Death March, held at the desert of the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. It is known as one of the most difficult marathons in the US. It took her 9 hours of hiking through the desert and during that time, about 25% of the participants dropped out. In today’s podcast she describes how she prepared for this unusual marathon, both physically and mentally.
She also shares the best fitness advice she ever received and plays along with the lightening round.
Diane is an everyday woman who works a lot of hours at her job, has children and grandchildren, and is active in her church. She finds time to work out in some way six days a week and looks and feels fantastic.
A few years ago Diane Berkley decided to see how strong and fit she could become.
In episode number 7 of the Becoming Elli Podcast, Jill and Chris interview her and she shares her workout secrets with our listeners. In this episode, you will learn:
How she works out
What she did to gain muscle
How she has added running into her routine
How she eats to stay lean and strong
How often she eats
“I see women working out in the gym, struggling to change but things stay the same. So I asked my trainer… What makes the difference?”
Bonus – Stay tuned at the end of the podcast tips for how to get a bit more active!
Please leave a comment below and let us know what you found helpful or interesting about this podcast. Thanks for listening!
In podcast #6 “Taking Care of Yourself, When You are Taking Care of Others”, Jill and Chris discuss ideas and strategies to keep eating healthy foods and squeezing in time for exercise when it is really inconvenient.
Whether you are called out of town to care for a loved one who is ill, or waiting at the hospital while a friend or loved one is undergoing a procedure, you have to take care of yourself first. Sometimes it sounds easier than it really is.
Logically we know that we can’t take care of others, if we don’t take care of ourselves first. It’s like the way they describe the masks on the plane. Taking care of yourself has to come first – or you won’t be able to help your loved ones.
In this podcast we offer suggestions for what food to pack, how to plan and what not to eat as well as several ideas for unusual ways to get exercise that you may not have considered.
Click on the links above if you want to subscribe or download the podcast. If you just want to listen to this one episode, you can just click the play button below to listen from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
Stay in touch with us! We love to hear from you. Either leave a comment below or send an email to Chris chris@becomingelli.com or Jill jill@becomingelli.com.
Quick Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Podcast Feed
Perhaps you have been in this situation too and have some suggestions for us. Please leave them in the comments below!
In episode #5 of the Becoming Elli Podcast, Jill and Chris talked with Brian Kennell, personal trainer & business owner, about:
Muscle Mass
Interval Training
Strength Building
Cardio Training
He said that he used to get questions from his clients about how to lose weight, but in recent years the questions have changed.
“Instead of focusing on losing weight to be healthier — yes, that is part of it, but there is more to it than that…
The things my female clients over 50 are asking me are more performance based, more health based, more fitness based instead of just ‘Can you help me lose weight?”
‘I want to be able to run a 5K with my kids, and not be in pain during or after.’ or ‘I want to go skiing with my husband this winter. Can you get me in shape for that?’ It’s what your podcast is all about.
If you want to lose weight, it’s a different formula. If you want to be healthy, if you want to be fit, if you want to be active, it’s a different formula than weight loss.”
He shared some “don’t miss” exercises that all women over 50 should be doing and ways to stay fit when you only have 15 minutes to work out.
You may be surprised to hear that he also mentioned some exercises that probably are not appropriate for women over 50. (Bet you can’t guess which ones!)
Background:
With more than 15 years working in the fitness industry, Brian Kennell has worked at sports performance facilities and a medically based fitness facility – as both a trainer and manager. He now has his own personal training business, BKennellFit, where he will travel and meet people to train on location – at a park, on the trails or their home.
Brian has a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science and a Master’s Degree in Exercise Physiology/Adult Fitness, both from The University of Akron.
He wrote his Master’s thesis on a popular supplement ingredient and also had a poster presentation at ACSM National Conference.
Certifications:
ACSM Certified Personal Trainer
TRX Certified
Background:
While he was not very athletic as a kid, he loved sports but felt that he didn’t really excel at anything. After he began lifting weights in college, it all came together. Since then, he has competed in natural bodybuilding competition, started training for powerlifting, ran a half marathon, and is training for a full marathon.
Stay in touch with us! We love to hear from you. Either leave a comment below or send an email to Chris chris@becomingelli.com or Jill jill@becomingelli.com.
Quick Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Podcast Feed
Brenda started gymnastics when she was five years old and competed at a high level for 15 years. She decided to go into exercise as a profession when she was a junior in High School. With a major in exercise science, Brenda earned a Bachelors of Science degree from Kent State University.
Brenda holds the following certifications:
NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine) Certified Personal Trainer
NASM Fitness Nutrition Specialist
She owns and operates Iron-Oak Fitness in Solon Ohio. Iron-Oak Fitness is a gym with daily challenging workouts.
In this podcast, Brenda explains the following to us:
1) Olympic LIfts (one rep max of a thruster, dead lift, power clean)
2) Endurance
3) Metabolic conditioning (cardio)
4) AMRAP (As Many Reps As Possible)
Most trainers will offer a free session. Brenda suggests that we ask them: why is this good for me? What muscle is working? Trainers should be able to answer your questions. Also, they should ask you if you have any past injuries so that they can develop a program to work around your injuries. They should follow up with you.
After a work our you should be sore (DOMS – delayed onset muscle soreness) where your muscles ache 24 hours after the workout, increasing around 48 hours but goes away after 72 hours.
If you have pain in your joints or only on one side or a sharp pain, that may be an injury, not muscle soreness.
Strength or Cardio? A combination is best with 2-3 days of full body strength conditioning and cardio workouts for 30-60 minutes on the days you are not strength training, with one rest day a week.
Brenda stresses being consistent. If you fall off your workout routine, just get back into it. If you only have 20 minutes, walk around the block.
Brenda suggests that you track your food in My Fitness Pal (a free app) for 2 weeks before making any changes. She suggests that her clients try to aim for 40% Protein, 30% Carbohydrates and 30% Fats as a starting point. Try this before adjusting. My Fitness Pal can easily show you the percentages when you track your food.
What should people do more of: “Take my advice.”
What should clients do less of: “Complain. I would never suggest to a client that they try something that they aren’t ready for.”
Brenda has also had experience competing in triathlons and Crossfit competitions and tried out for American Ninja Warrior. She decided to do an Ironman-length triathlon after reading Becoming an Ironman while pregnant with her second child.
To reach Gym Owner – Brenda O’Hara, visit Iron-Oak Fitness in Solon, Ohio.
Web: www.iron-oakfitness.com
Email: Brenda@Iron-OakFitness.com
www.facebook.com/Iron.Oak.Fit
www.instragram.com/ironoak.fitness
www.twitter.com/iron_oak_fit
www.pinterest.com/ironoakfitness
ironoakfit.tumblr.com/
Brenda O’Hara – Background
Education: BS Exercise Science, Kent State University
NASM Certified Personal Trainer
NASM Fitness Nutrition Specialist
Experience: 15 years competitive gymnastics.
10 years as a personal trainer including experience in a medically based facility and position as a metabolic specialist working with a variety of clients, metabolisms, different injuries, limitations, and goals
Vision: To help as many individuals as possible regardless of age, gender, goals and limitations. To help people have the best quality of living they’re capable of achieving.
In episode 3 of the Becoming Elli Podcast, Jill and Chris discuss how they lost weight, got into working out and what they did when they started. They explore a variety of topics about getting stronger and fit as well as what worked for them and what they learned to avoid.
Helpful Tips:
How to maintain healthy food diet while having fun with friends.
Please leave a comment below about the podcast to let us know your thoughts. Is there one of the topics we mentioned that you’d like to explore further? Do you agree (or disagree) with the thoughts we shared? Let us know!
Chris and Jill are the hosts of the Becoming Elli Podcast.
Episode number 2 of the Becoming Elli podcast introduces Chris Brown and Jill McCauslin, the hosts and publishers of Becoming Elli – where women over 50 inspire each other to become fit and strong.
This episode gives a short background on the hosts and provides an idea of what the Becoming Elli podcast, website and community will focus on. It also includes ideas on how to find workout friends.
In episode #2 Meet the Hosts of the Becoming Elli Podcast we discuss:
How we got inspired to create Becoming Elli
Why is it called Becoming Elli
Why becoming part of a fitness community makes such a big difference
Why we feel it’s important to develop a community of like-minded
How we are working toward becoming fit and strong
How we changed our attitudes towards food, exercise and being active
Tips Segment: How to meet other people to workout with
Links mentioned in this episode:
Strava.com – a website and an app for “athletes” who run and bike. Through an app on your phone you can become friends with other people and cheer them on with comments and “kudos”.
FitBit.com – a website and an app to track steps, calories used and work-outs. Uses wearable technology (zip or watch synced with your phone.)
MeetUp.com – a website that helps people in the same area with similar interests find each other (No, it’s not a dating app!)
Becoming Elli Facebook group – We are considering creating a closed Facebook group where the Becoming Elli community can meet to inspire each other and share info. Please email us with your thoughts or leave a comment below.Thanks for listening!
We’re participating in the Weekly Wrap to tie in with other fitness sites:
Linking up with the Weekly Wrap sponsored by Holly and Wendy.
Melanie, AKA Princess Ninja, has almost 100 videos on 
In this podcast, Brenda explains the following to us:
