Member Highlights
AHC Cycle instructor Robin Sparer shares her quest to a healthier lifestyle. Over the next few months, we will learn about her journey as she chronicles her diets, defeats and ultimate victory in improving her health and her outlook on life.
Robin’s Road to Recovery
By Robin Sparer
I’ve always been a curvy woman with an insecurity about my arms and legs that I deemed large. Looking back at pictures of myself, I realize thinking I was always heavy just wasn’t true; It’s just what I always thought.
As a child I was very athletic. I played field hockey and swam, among other things throughout my school years, until graduate school when time did not allow it. Even in college, I was athletic and involved in sports but the pounds still piled on. I stopped eating meat because I didn’t like it and it was a way to control my caloric intake. In the early 80’s there weren’t many alternative protein sources, thus my battle with carbs started. My dietary focus became carbs, “Athletes are supposed to eat carbs” was my way of thinking. By the end of graduate school I was tipping the scales close to 200 lbs. My weight was deceptive and the muscle mass I gained from my workouts helped me camouflage it, however, I knew something had to change. At age 28 I decided to join Weight Watchers, which was my first attempt.
My weight was deceptive and the muscle mass I gained from my workouts helped me camouflage it however, I knew something had to change. At age 28 I decided to join Weight Watchers, this was my first attempt. I lost 50 lbs on the program and got certified in Aerobics, Cycle and Personal Training. I started teaching Aerobics at Spa Lady and began to get really involved with cycling. I also would incorporate my 100 mile rides with a few 10k’s.
I had occasional slips ups of gaining weight but I would get back on the program and lose it again. I maintained good weight for many years thanks to my class instruction, cycling and running regimen. Every time I gained weighted I started reducing calories to lose weight but never really looked at what I needed nutritionally. I was training heavy for cycling events. I ate a lot of carbs and drank tons of sports drinks following the example of other “athletes.”
I first realized that I may have problems with sugar when I got a high sugar reading from a random blood test that put me in the pre-diabetic range. I was forced to take a good hard look at what I was really eating. I immediately stopped drinking sports drinks and that seemed to work. I knew from my education that carbs are needed for energy and that if you do not use them they convert to sugar and then fat. I began to realize that I didn’t need as many carbs/ sugar I could get from nature (fruit, nuts, beans etc.) and that I really just needed to eat more protein!
I stopped doing Weight Watchers as I found that the program was primarily directed towards those who were sedentary and not designed for my level of activity. My workouts were daily and intense and my diet really needed balance. As I started to get my dietary needs in order, I began to develop a few repetitive/over use injuries in my feet, including chronic plantar fasciitis. This would delay progress and was one of my first major setbacks.
Next month, we will follow how Robin overcomes her foot injuries and keeps herself motivated and on-track with the weight loss goals.
Copty Family Named Family of the Year
Every year, the USTA Maryland District Awards are presented annually at a luncheon. This year, long time Aspen Hill members, the Copty’s, won Family of the Year! Congrats, Nabil, Julie, Christina and John! Here are some more details via Mid-Atlantic Match Point:
“This is the quintessential example of a Maryland family dedicated to promoting and developing the growth of tennis. For close to a decade, the Copty family have routinely demonstrated their passion and enthusiasm for the fame of tennis by being involved in USTA Leagues, World Team Tennis, tournament play and volunteering for local community tennis initiatives. The family members are league captains, coordinators, Montgomery County Tennis association Board members, committee members, tournament players and teachers.”
Dave Pullen Named Umpire of the Year
The Association of Maryland Tennis Umpire (AMTO) Awards were held recently and our very own Dave Pullen was named Umpire of the Year! Dave is a staple in organizing junior tournaments (among other things) held here at Aspen Hill, including the Ken Guendel Memorial Holiday Classic and Maryland State Boys' and Girls' Tournaments. Congrats Dave! Here is some more information via Mid-Atlantic Match Point:
“Dave’s valuable and enduring contributions to tennis officiating in 2011 are numerous and include serving as referee of the Maryland District Adult League Championship. He also provided valuable lessons to help guide referees in future tournaments. He served as Vice-Chair for AMTO’s managing committee and in that capacity investigated insurance, association tax exempt status and web site.”
Mission: Slimpossible Winner – Dahlia Smith
Congrats to Dahlia Smith who lost 4% of her body weight during the program!
Member Testimonials
Feldenkrais Testimonials
Dear Peggi,
Thank you so much, I enjoyed my first session yesterday and I hope to return to your lesson on Wednesday. I know the Feldenkrais Method is going to benefit me greatly--especially with balance and flexibility, two key things I struggle with daily.
I also like the size of the group, the pace and your voice is soothing and caring; perfect for relaxation and mental focus. I felt perfectly relaxed -- a step towards improving my quality of life.
Thank you.
Peace,
Marlene
I was encouraged to attend the Feldenkrais class at Aspen Hill by Heather several months ago when I told her I was looking for something to improve my tennis movements. Largely out of curiosity I went to my first session. Initially, I was perplexed by the lack of physical effort and huffing and grunting required during the class and wondered how the slow, methodical and relaxed maneuvers would be of much assistance in a fast moving and physically demanding sport.
Only after learning to pay attention to the physical sensations in my body and being attuned to the slightest movement of my joints and muscles did I come to appreciate the delicate reorganization of postural and motor patterns in my brain that occurred by listening to Peggi Honig and following her instruction of the Feldenkrais method.
As a practicing neuroscientist certified in geriatrics and psychiatry, I am well acquainted with the latest knowledge concerning the continual regeneration of neurons in the brain and our on-going ability to alter our thoughts and behavior throughout life despite being senior citizens.
The Feldenkrais method as taught by Peggi focuses not only on the economy and grace and efficiency of movement (do more with less and do it better), but it has also proven to reduce the arthritic aches and pains associated with the chronic strain and stress of poor posture, and bad habits of overcompensating for incorrectly learned muscular and joint movements such as walking and bending awkwardly. My patients and I report reducing our pain medications by half and with increased muscle tone, attained through improved body posture and walking correctly, our mood is much better. I am ever surprised by the great variation in the range of motion our marvelous body can attain and pleased with the childhood flexibility and grace that can be regained even with advancing age.
Peggi is a natural teacher and a wonderful disciple of the Feldenkrais approach. We are fortunate to have her at Aspen Hill and I encourage all members to come and see what she does. Oh, yes, my tennis game has improved and I have not taken more lessons. I just move better knowing where my body is at all times.
Normund Wong, M.D.
Professor of Psychiatry
The Uniformed Service University of the Health Sciences
Former Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco; Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Kansas; Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Temple University, Philadelphia; Psychiatry Consultant to the Office of the Surgeon General, US Army
Water Aerobics or Bust
By: Deb Dixon
 Aquatic exercise has helped me obtain a 60 pound weight loss, a more toned body, and a positive outlook on myself and the world. No doubt, I appreciated the previous 173 pounds lost as a result of my gastric bypass surgery, but hit a plateau between 260 and 280 pounds, and stayed there for 18 years. Though pleased that I could get into a size 22.5 dress verses a 56, the threat of diabetes lessened, and my blood pressure became normal, I knew that I was still at an unhealthy weight. It was a matter of time before age and my high weight would start effecting my health again.
For years I was a member of a health club and half-heartedly worked out from time to time, got sore (not knowing the proper form) and stopped going. The only thing that I used the club for at that time was the Jacuzzi and steam room. With age and excessive weight, my joints were starting to give me problems. Back, knee and ankle pain had become a way of life. Living with low levels of pain that I was unconscious of limited my quality of life with each passing year. I did not like walking or climbing stairs and...God forbid, the idea of hiking!
Well, that was my life before the year 2000. I moved from Santa Barbara back to my home area in Green County Ohio. I got a membership at the local YMCA in Xenia, Ohio. The Y’s pool was on the way to the changing rooms and through the glass people could see the pool. Often the days that I would go, I could see aquatic classes in progress and my thought was, “look at those people, they are not working out, they’re just playing in the water…they are not getting a “hard” work out like me!” Of course, I could feel good about the unhealthy, “hard” workouts I was doing that made me sore and hurt my joints, and dropped out for months at a time. I felt “justified” while sitting in the Jacuzzi and feeling superior. Well, during one of those “superior” feeling soaks, Joan Padgett, the woman that ran the water aerobics classes came in. She invited me to try out her class. I lead her on a couple of times, and then feeling guilty that I did not follow through, finally attended one of her classes.
From the time I got in, the music, Joan’s aquatic exercise program and the support of the water rocked my world! The time flew by; I had fun, ACTUAL FUN, exercising. What a concept! It was amazing! Once I thought about it from the time I was a child, I loved being in water. It was the only environment in which I could move freely and feel confident. The only thing that I could think about after my first class was why I had not thought about water exercise in the first place. Needless to say, I became an enthusiastic participant in her classes, which she taught five times a week.
Through her coaching, generosity and vision, when she needed a sub, she called me. I loved teaching and became good at it. That went on for about five years, then I moved toMassachusetts with my husband, and set up an art studio (I am an fine artist too). I continued to attend whatever aqua classes I could find and in 2009 decided to pursue my AEA (Aquatic Exercise Association) certification. Once I obtained my AEA certification I became a member of ATRI (Aquatic Therapy and Rehab Institute) and got certified to work with various populations who have pain and function issues. Though I am not a physical therapist, the classes that I have taken through ATRI have given me insight and helped me to modify my aquatic programs for people who suffer from back and joint problems, MS, Fibromyalgia, Arthritis, diabetes and other health issues, thereby enhancing their time in the pool.
It is a gift to be able to say I absolutely love what I do. Teaching for me is not work but play, and a contribution to not only the client, but to me. After all, when a student comes up to me before class, smiling brightly with a twinkle in their eye to tell me while walking to class they realized that they forgot their ever present cane, and did not need it for that day…Now, THAT is a too cool. This is not a just a “job” but a calling and one I am privileged to have.
Have you tried my class yet? Check out my classes Friday at 9:30am and 10:30am!
Think Yourself Into A Healthy Body
By: Kathleen Lin
 When you don’t seem to see an improvement in your body after endless workouts and exercise programs you might be tempted to throw in the gym towel, but a change in the way you think can make all the difference in the way you look and feel. If you are like me, you have probably tried numerous strategies in hopes of making a difference in the results of your fitness training. I started off on the right foot, one in front of the other, getting to the gym armed with good intentions of committing myself to working out regularly. Initially the bulk of my weight came off within a year, but it was very difficult for me to either keep it off or rid myself of those dreaded ten extra pounds. I turned the wheels of every machine I could find, joined weight loss programs, attended nutrition classes, and picked the brains of Aspen Hill trainers. This served me well in learning how to exercise and eat right, but I couldn’t get those last few pounds off. A real breakthrough happened for me when I decided that I had to change the way I think about myself and my relationship with food and exercise.
I first set an empowering goal which was not only about weight loss but about achieving an athletic goal. I chose racquetball at the club because of its speed and endurance, and focused on getting better in that sport. As I improved in the sport, my self-esteem increased. This shifted the focus away from how many pounds I needed to lose to just taking part in something I enjoyed. It allowed me to become healthier without worrying as much about getting into a certain size of jeans.
I also had to redefine how food affects the way I feel and function on a day to day basis. Before, I used to treat myself to sugary treats and salty snacks when I needed a pick me up after a hard workout, only to have my energy level drop like a ton of bricks. I used food as a reward for all my hard work at the gym. I found myself in a vicious up and down cycle of weight loss because of my “rollercoaster” ideas and choices about food. I once heard a French woman say that the reason Parisians are not obese, despite their rich diet, is because they take the time to sit down and enjoy tasting their food without over indulging. Tasting something was all they needed to do to have “experienced” it. I decided that I should not deprive myself of the experience of tasting food as long as I did not over-indulge. This allowed me to save the calories for something else that I wanted to try later.
Eventually, I also began to eat better and choose healthier foods to fuel my body for greater workouts. I believe in the expression “everything in moderation.” This also holds true for how much time you put into your workouts. Shorter, concentrated, and more energetic workouts seemed to help focus my efforts. Finally, I had to stop getting down on myself for not overcoming the battle of the bulge. Although I am not where I want to be, I am enjoying the changes and the process of reaching my goals. When I see the changes as a result of my new way of thinking, I am encouraged to keep thinking positively about my future. Taking small steps and setting attainable goals prevents me from getting discouraged. Choosing healthier enjoyable activities helps me to move forward in my health and fitness goals. The secret is in the way you think, so think of yourself as reaching your greatest hope for weight loss and fitness and you will. |
