The Running Return to Reset Your Health

Hello, my name is Mary and you're listening to

Reset Your Health. Today I have Steve, my husband

with me. Hello, and we are reintroducing this

podcast and it's been since 2021 that we recorded

the last episode and while it's kind of bad planning

on our behalf, we're hoping to kind of share

some of the things that Mary has learned in the

health world since that time. So a lot has changed

since then. In the previous podcast, you can

go back and listen. We had talked about my weight

loss journey. So just to recap, I total have

lost 175 pounds and I've been able to keep it

off for roughly about 13 years. It took two years

to get it off and then I've been able to keep

it off. A lot has happened. We'll go into that

further into details and further up in future

episodes. But at the time that we recorded last,

I was just kind of starting personal training.

So I had already been teaching group fitness

for a few years, but then was transitioning to

personal training at that time. Since then, I've

been at a few different gyms. I actually have

tried a lot of different ways, but now I'm actually

a full time personal trainer. Averaging full

-time clients and at the gym that I'm at and

I just absolutely love it Definitely way different

type of career than group fitness. You would

think similar, but there's huge differences in

that Yeah, and it's been kind of interesting

watching your journey as far as becoming a personal

trainer as far as the the clientele that you've

you've helped and the fact that your schedule

is jam -packed, which is kind of unheard of in

the personal training industry. But what are

some of the things health -wise that you've managed

to have to jump over the hurdles of over the

last couple of years that have kind of hindered

your health journey some? that have kind of been

a learning experience and kind of looking back?

Well, I would first say so two years. Well, I

guess we're at about two and a half years. Twenty

twenty twenty two. So spring of twenty twenty

two, I know it was the fall of twenty twenty

two. I ran a half marathon. So in the past, I

had ran some five K's. I had done it's like 10

K mud run, all of these things. And I never fully

trained properly, I guess. I would train for

it and make sure my endurance was up. But I didn't

get proper shoes. It's like, oh, my word, one

hundred and sixty two hundred dollars for a pair

of shoes. It's crazy. And so I run in shoes that

probably were just. Well, not probably. I know

we're not proper for running. So finally, I had

a friend who really wanted me. She was like,

come on, Mary, I know you can do this. Run this

half marathon with us. And we had six months

before it. And so in March of twenty twenty two,

I started I started training and I got the first

thing I did was get fitted for proper shoes.

And because in the past, every time I tried to

run and do long distance running, I would get

ankle sprains, ankle stress fractures in my ankle.

Like I would constantly have these ankle issues.

So I decided to do it properly. I started six

months in advance. And mind you, this was not

coming from not working out, but I was solely

doing a running program and I get. proper shoes,

I started doing it properly, you know, running

shorter distances. And as the time as I kept

running and running, they got longer. Well, about

two weeks before my half marathon, my I went

to run a 10 mile run and my about five miles

in my left hip started hurting. I was like, OK,

that's kind of odd. But I just kind of kept running

through it. And I ran all the way back to the

vehicle. and I got my 10 miles in and I was hurting

a little bit but it wasn't until the next day

that I realized I could barely walk. So after

seeing a physical therapist and seeing what was

going on and stuff I did have a stress stress

fracture. He actually advised that I don't run

it the half marathon but if I was going to then

to wear proper brace all this stuff. Well, I

decided I would still run the half marathon and

I wore that proper braise that he told me to

and I was able to run the half marathon in a

good time. I had beat the time. I did two hours

and 25 minutes, may not be super fast for some,

but for me, it was beyond what I thought I would

be able to make it to. Well, after the half marathon,

I decided to give running a rest. I really wanted

to train for a full marathon. And I went back

to this physical therapist and he advised me

to stop long distance running. And by that time

I had fallen in love with running. I was probably

in some of the best shape of my life. I wanted

to get a full marathon in, but with my ankles

and I don't know if there's some of this is probably

genetic. I know my mom used to have it. issues

with her ankles. And so I don't know how much

is genetic and how much is just because for so

many years I would get injuries and then I would

still work out on them. But I decided to take

his advice and I stopped running, which was really,

really difficult for me. But I also knew that

if I didn't stop doing this, all I was doing

is causing my body damage. So I did stop working

out. Of course, I gave my ankle the proper time.

to reset and heal from the stress fracture that

it had. But I don't know, my obsession with exercise,

it was just hard for me to let something go and

go, you know what, I gotta do what's best for

my body. And now, over the past couple years,

he's let me run two to five miles if my ankle's

not hurting. So I do run two to five miles sometimes.

One of my clients this year, I ran a 5K with

her. We were getting her cardio up and stuff.

And so I ran one on 4th of July with her. I still

run with her once a week, most of the time and

stuff. But there's some weeks that my ankle starts

talking to me and I don't run those weeks. And

I'm just like, you know what? I'm just going

to do a heavy incline walk instead because I

can't handle that. I had similar situations,

which I can cover 14ers and what that all means.

But there are some of the highest peaks in Colorado.

I've been hiking those over the past few years

and I've had some issues with my psoas flaring

up. And so it's I guess over the past few years,

one of the main things I've learned is how to

listen to my body. And I think a lot of that

has to do with. the fact that I have taken a

lot of training at this point, a lot of courses

that explain really the damage that I'm doing

and how pushing through, it's not just about

pushing through for that day or that week. Over

the long term, we're causing a lot of damage.

So for instance, with my right ankle, I push

through so many injuries in that one that I know

no longer have the ligament is gone. So my bones.

rub on each other is what I've been told. And

so I have to wear a tape around the ankle pretty

much all the time just because it can hurt just

standing or walking. And so I guess what I would

want you to get the most from all of that long

story is the fact that there's a fine line when

it comes to exercise. Yes, you want to feel your

muscles growing. There's going to be some uncomfortable

because I've also had situations where people

don't want to get uncomfortable in the exercise.

And that's definitely something that we need

to get uncomfortable, but also knowing when the

limits are. One of the biggest things I would

say is joints. Pay attention to when the joints

are hurting, if an ankle is hurting, if an elbow

is hurting, if the knee is hurting. Pay a lot

of attention to that because a lot of times that's

a warning sign. If your quads are hurting while

you're doing a leg extension, well, guess what?

Your quads are just working and they need to

work during a leg extension. But you can tell

the difference and make sure you listen to it

if you're one that maybe has knee problems and

you're doing a bunch of squats, weighted squats

and stuff. I have to say a lot of people do weighted

squats horrible and I watch in the gym all the

time and drives me crazy. But if you're doing

weighted squats and your knees are just burning

all the time, you're probably doing something

wrong or maybe maybe you're doing the form right

and you're doing everything properly, but that

your body may not be able to handle that and

withstand that. So it just is a. Kind of a primer

here so that people understand your background.

What are your certifications and what what are

your Where where did you take your focus I guess

with your certifications Well, so certification

world can get quite difficult. I I originally

started with group cycle and Group cycle I ended

up getting it through Nita. Well found out that

one wasn't as accredited. So I switched it over

to AFAA and the American Fitness Association.

And with that, I ended up every two years we

have to get continued education. So I have to

get two CEUs every two years. Part of that has

to be done from, of course, CPR, AED type training.

And then the rest of it has to be done through

more courses that I take. And so. I got Cycle

while I switched it to the AFAA and then I decided

to get Group Fitness and that's where all that

started. About the time we moved here to Colorado,

so this would have been two years before we ever

did this podcast before, I decided, hey, why

not take personal training and nutrition? I took

those two courses. I was homeschooling at that

time, didn't think I would really use it as a

full -time basis. And that's when I became a

personal trainer and a national nutritionist.

Well, then another two years goes by and I have

to get another certification. And so I decided

last time was corrective exercise specialist.

So that's kind of somebody who comes after a

physical therapist. So it's not. I am not as

educated as a physical therapist. We definitely

work in different ways, but I'm kind of the,

I have to, I come after the physical therapist

or I work kind of hand in hand with the physical

therapist. Sometimes I do have clients who have

been released to do regular exercise and then

the physical therapist will send things with

me of what is going on. Maybe, you know, a hamstring

tear. or knee, I've worked with a lot of knee

replacements, things like that after the first

initial part of recovery after surgery and injuries.

So that one was definitely an intense course.

Right now, I'm on to my weight loss specialist

course. I haven't taken the exam yet. I'm almost

done with the course. So yeah. So back to your

running. What are some of the health benefits

of running and what are some of the things that

if you're going to run that you should kind of

watch out for? I know you touched on a little

bit of it, but what are what are some of the

health benefits of running compared to some other

exercises? Well, what's funny is running is actually

it can. I don't want to say it is bad for our

bodies. It can be quite stressful on our bodies.

It's a lot of pounding. And there is proper ways.

I've never had a running coach and things like

that. And if you want to get in depth, in depth

running, that's definitely the way to go. I'm

not a running coach. That's not something I could

help somebody get an exact perfect run. But it's

all about the landing. And most of us land hard.

So mine is ankle. But then other people end up

with knee issues. And maybe that's because of

different areas. Now, mind you, some of my ankle

issues are because my hips are off center. or

off my left hip is sitting higher than my right

side is. And so just because you're feeling pain

in the knee doesn't mean it's technically coming

from the knee. It could be the muscles that are

connecting to the knee. It could be coming from

the hip. It could be coming from the the way

the kinetic chain works. It can be coming from

a lot of different areas. But with that, I mean,

running is great for endurance. It's obviously

great for calorie burn. You can burn a lot of

calories within that hour of exercise or two

hours of exercise. But it's funny because one

thing I do know, for instance, if I'm doing an

incline walk and let's say I'm at an 18 % incline

on the treadmill at a three in speed, but then

I'm running and I'm at a 2 % incline, but I'm

running at a 5 .2 speed. Just as an example,

I actually am going to burn a very similar amount

of calories, but my body is not going to get

the hit that running causes it. So I guess what

I'm trying to say here is just listen to your

body and be careful because running is fantastic.

I mean, it's. It's great people get runners high.

I know some of you there's like a hate running

Probably like there's no such as runners high

except for I hated running when I started that

half marathon training and Within three months

into that training. I would get those runners

high the runner high and I I do miss that running

But just listen it's Decide if it's the right

thing type of exercise for your body And then

go from there. It does help burn a lot of calories.

It does help just lean you out. It helps give

energy. I mean, I don't think there's science

behind that. But you know, when I was running,

it just sets off these endorphins that just give

you more energy for the for the next few hours.

So. And it kind of also wakes up your cells and

your legs and like, especially if you have a

sedentary job like I do. It can give your legs

some of the much needed movement that it's not

getting throughout the day. But if you're not

a runner, just keep in mind walking. Obviously,

if you're just a sedatarian, you sit at a desk

all day and you haven't been in the gym over

the years and stuff. Starting with just regular

walking, you know, either flat on a treadmill

or outside on flat roads. but if you're one that

maybe you've had some issues like me, maybe you're

running and your knee is really bothering you

anymore or whatever is going on. I just hear

of a lot more knee pain with running. There's

runner's knee and different things, IT band syndrome,

all that stuff. So I guess what I'm saying is

if running is not something that your body can

handle. then it's okay to go a different route.

Maybe you do have decent endurance, do some incline

walking. Or maybe if you are in a gym, go and

do the stair stepper. Or get a stair step up

and just do stair steps. Stair steps, you know,

start with 100 of them. Or if you're doing good,

do 500 of them. Wherever you're at. So you can

definitely get into running if that's something

you want to do and some goals you want to do,

but if you're not at that place and you know

you can't handle that, then you can get it in

so many other ways. And the biggest thing is

you just want to make sure you're getting cardio

in because that's so, so important. Yes, we'll

touch base on resistance training and stuff in

the future, but Cardio is so needed. I mean,

it's exercising your heart and it's helping your

lungs. It's helping everything. You need cardio

in some way. So is there anything else you want

to bring up on this particular episode before

we kind of close out? Is there is there something

that you want to leave people with as far as

like maybe a fitness tip additionally to what

we've already talked about or Anything regarding

that? I don't think so. I think mainly just get

out there and get started. And I'm not saying

this just because I'm a personal trainer, but

a lot of times the gym and getting into exercise

can be very intimidating. It's something that.

You walk in and you're like, oh, my word, this

place is huge, or maybe it's not that big of

a gym, but all of these machines, I don't know

how to use this machine or I start using this

machine. And the picture shows these muscles

working, but I'm actually feeling in this other

place and whatever. Take the money and invest

in a trainer, maybe invest for two months, invest

for six months, whatever you get to do. but invest

so that you can learn how to use the muscles.

You can learn that equipment and you also get

accountability. You know, we're coming right

now. We're sitting in the middle of November.

We're coming into the new year and everybody's

going to, oh, I'm going to get fit for the new

year. But without that accountability piece,

a lot of times those people end up leaving the

gym by the second week of January. And it's like,

so. See what you can handle and or maybe a friend

if it's a friend that actually what I want to

say with that is I see a lot of people who try

to get a friend Hey, why don't you come do weight

loss with me or do some resistance and that friend

also is not one that's into the gym That can

be a little difficult because those two friends

who do not have a routine of exercise are trying

to keep each other accountable but yet neither

one of them have a routine. If you're going to

just find a friend make sure you find somebody

who does know exercise can help you with some

of those forms and has already set themselves

a routine in the gym and they'll just say okay

you have dedicated yourself to these two days

of the week or whatever and be willing to stick

to that. So as we we close out this episode so

in the future Maybe we can link or we're kind

of suggest maybe some good YouTube channels for

do -it -yourself home workouts that could help

people You know, maybe some stuff for stretching

that for people there might have some, you know

tighten muscles Maybe some, you know suggestions

with like a foam roller or things like that That

people could invest in And then, of course, if

people want to interact with and leave comments

for you for future episodes, these episodes will

be posted not only on iTunes, Spotify, and a

lot of those type places, but it will also be

on GeekCastRadio .com where people can comment

on the episode post or on our Facebook page as

well. And please let me know what you would like

to have covered. What are some topics? I already

have some in as an idea, things like sugar. I

wanna talk a bit about, you know, different nutrition

things, different exercise, resistance training,

things like that. But also remember, I'm a nutritionist.

So there's a lot of information I have there

too. So anything you may want to hear covered,

please let us know so that I can try to cover

it. And so this is something I do with my clients

in the gym. is a quote of the day. So I want

to add this into my show, so each of my shows

will have a quote of the day, and today is going

to be, you don't have to be good to start, you

just have to start to be good. And that's by

Joe Sabah. So with that, we have been Steve and

Mary, and we're signing off on Reset Your Health.

Bye. Yesterday, Mary's here to light the way.

Find the strength to stand and say goodbye to

old unhealthy ways. Morning light brings a brand

new start. Listen close and play your part. Transform

your mind, transform your heart. From the shadows,

you'll depart. Reset your hell -free new year.

Let the good days take control With each step,

watch blessings roll Healthy body, mind and soul

Mary's wisdom guides you through All the things

you need to do A path of health that's strong

and true A life that's made brand new Wipe away