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Shaping up in 2005
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Posted by nwv_admin Tue Jan 4, 2005 09:53:00 PST
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0 responses 0 comments A new year -- a new you.

From a size 14 to a size 2.

From wobbly to washboard flat.

Your resolve is strong at the beginning of January, but by the end of the month it's as weak as your legs after a 30-minute spinning class.

The dog ate your yoga mat, you started at the gym and ended up at the doctor, or your health club feels suspiciously like a meat market. While stuffing your workout clothes into the dark recesses of the closet, you are comforted by the fact that even though you have flabby thighs, your stomach covers them.

But before you throw in the towel Feb. 1, keep in mind there are many local success stories.

Three Northwest residents and athletes -- Lord Elliott, Mandy Denapole and Brian Yackovich -- have demonstrated the willpower and endurance it takes to form a regimen and stick to it.

They've shared their stories with The Voice and offer tips for achieving, at the very least, an improved you.


Lord Elliott
Age: 28
Occupation: certified dietician and Fitness 19 personal trainer
Claim to fitness fame: power lifter

"If you eat twinkies, you're going to look like a twinkie."

Lord Elliott doesn't beat around the bush when it comes to nutrition and fitness. "If you eat vegetables, you're going to look nice and lean," he said.

It's an honest, direct approach from a fitness trainer that equals real results for clients. "But you have to want it. That's key," said Elliott, seated behind his desk at Fitness 19 on a recent morning.

Though he's in great shape, Elliott isn't into intimidating newcomers. He's passionate about what he does and wants to share it with others.

"I love personal training so much. I always have. People generally come to me feeling their worst, and I want to change that," he said.

A Huntington Beach native, Elliott wrestled and played football growing up. He then became involved in competitive power lifting, which differs from weight lifting and can best be described as a test of pure, brute strength. It is comprised of three lifts: the squat, bench press and dead lift.

Elliott soon became a world-class power lifter, and even a Marine Corps coach. At his power lifting peak at age 19, he was able to squat 551 pounds, bench press 342 and dead lift 532. He belongs to a power lifting team in Bakersfield.

Elliott has been working at Fitness 19 for six months and incorporates his background in nutrition into his programs for clients.

The highlights of the program can be summarized into five basic elements:

1. Nutrition -- the difference between "eating healthy" and "eating right." Eating healthy can mean eating salads, chicken and rice. But if you don't pay attention to quantities and forget to eat a variety of food, you may not be eating right. Eating right means practicing portion control and getting the right amount of nutrients. Elliott said nutrition can count for 20 percent to 90 percent of your fitness goal and weight loss.

2. Cardiovascular exercise -- focus on calorie burning. If you're burning calories, you're also burning fat. One pound of fat is equal to 3,500 calories. At the gym, treadmills, bikes, stairmasters and elliptical machines are considered cardiovascular exercise. At home, try power walks or aerobic tapes. Engage in cardiovascular exercise a maximum of six times a week for an hour, or a minimum of three times a week for 20 minutes.

And remember, you should exercise slightly outside of your comfort zone -- but not too far out. If you don't have a heart rate monitor, Elliot recommends the "talk test." You should be able to talk in sentences -- at least one -- while exercising without gasping for air.

3. Proper supplements -- a.k.a. multivitamins. The average adult should take in anywhere from 2,000 to 2,500 calories per day, but most of us don't, and thus fail to get all of the vitamins and minerals we need. Elliot said to make sure your vitamins are meet the standrads of a licensed pharmaceutical company.

4. Resistance training -- weight lifting, tubal bands, etc. Resistance training burns fat for up to 24 hours, improves posture and alignment and leads to core strengthening. Focus on multi-muscle training. Try to train three times a week for 30 to 60 minutes.

5. Someone to put it together for you -- a coach, instructor or friend. Find someone who knows who you are and can help you find a routine that works for you. Remember, there are no short-term solutions to long-term problems.

Elliott's "hitting the gym" tips:

Don't wear heavy sweats. Wear clothing that is comfortable. Sweating a lot is not a sign of fat burning -- it's a sign of dehydration.

Always bring a towel to wipe off both yourself and the machines after use.

Bring a bottle of water. You should drink eight ounces of water every 15 minutes. Avoid sugary drinks while working out.

Wear the appropriate tennis shoes (cross training or running shoes.)

Take advantage of the free orientation offered by most gyms so you'll know how to use the machines properly.

Mandy Denapole
Age: 29
Occupation: Stay-at-home mom
Claim to fitness fame: Stroller Strides

"January is ‘Martinis and Manicures' month," said Mandy Denapole, smiling.

Sitting at a table at the Starbucks on Rosedale Highway with a hot drink, what Denapole was describing seemed far too fun to fit into the same category as "exercise."

But Denapole will be the first to tell you that if you don't enjoy what you're doing -- you're going to stop doing it.

"I was just so happy to find something I actually liked. You remember back in high school -- you did sports and stayed in shape because you were having fun. I love being with my kids, so I'm going to stick with it," she said.

"It" is Stroller Strides, a new exercise program designed for mothers with newborns and toddlers consisting of tri-weekly classes at Liberty Park.

Denapole is the organizer of the hour-long class, made up of power walking, stretching, aerobics and six stations of resistance training with elastic bands. Fences and picnic tables are also used for resistance.

Denapole said the opportunity to interact with other moms is a great motivator for participants, and -- in addition to manicures -- Stroller Strides hosts play dates, moms' nights out and self-defense classes.

"It's a chance for mothers to get out of the house and socialize with other adults," she said.

Born in Michigan, Denapole is the mother of three boys -- 4-year-old Vinny, 2-year-old Jake and 1-year-old Sammy.

As she reached her late 20s, Denapole didn't belong to a gym and wasn't working out. She heard about Stroller Strides, a San Diego-based company, about a year ago from a rather unlikely source -- her husband's ex-wife -- and promptly became licensed to offer the class, which is the first of its kind in Bakersfield.

The Stroller Strides motto is, "Fitness for Mom, fun for baby!" and she aims to uphold it.

Participants -- Denapole said there're usually about 30 -- attend the class with their children, who stay in the strollers. The mothers sing songs and nursery rhymes to entertain their offspring and punctuate movement.

"The kids can build relationships. My 2-year-old says, ‘Mom, I want to go to Stroller Strides,'" said Denapole, who added that by being fit, mothers are acting as positive role models.

"We're all aware of the childhood obesity problem. We may not have time to go to the gym, but this shows that we care about and respect our bodies and want them to do the same," she said.

Denapole noted that while some mothers may be intent on losing baby weight fast, she's flexible when it comes to the intensity of the workout and designs it to accommodate individuals of varying skill levels.

"My goal is to get you out there. Once there, you can do a little or as much as you want," she said.

Denapole's classes are open to any caregiver, male or female. Her territory spans from Snow Road to Maricopa, and she hopes to eventually get a partner to offer additional classes, possibly at Silver Creek.

"I never thought I'd be doing this, but I'm happy that I am," she said.

Denapole hopes that if you workout with her, important people will start to notice.

"One of our moms was so happy recently when her daughter said to her, ‘Mom, your legs don't jiggle as much anymore,'" said Denapole, chuckling.

Where: Liberty Park, 11225 Brimhall Road.
When: 9:30 a.m., Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Participants are asked to arrive 15 minutes early to register.
Cost: $6 per hourlong class, or $50 for 10 classes.
The first class is always free.
For more information: Mandy Denapole, 1-800-496-1230.

Denapole's tips for moms:

Pay attention to your posture. Nursing and bottle-feeding can leave you looking hunched-over. When you get into your car, for instance, sit up as straight as you can and adjust the rearview mirror, and stay erect.

Your goal should be to workout at least three times a week. If you can't go to the gym or Stroller Strides, buy bands or tubes so you can workout at home.

And remember -- a little activity is better than no activity.

Brian Yackovich
Age: 44
Occupation: North Bakersfield Recreation and Park District recreation supervisor
Claim to fitness fame: runner

You may have seen him departing his home on Santa Anita Lane: tall, sandy hair, pleasant and slightly blurred because he's moving quickly.

If you're up at 4:30 in the morning, that is.

"I have a 3-year-old and another who's 11 months. It's the only time I can exercise without taking away from time spent with them," said Brian Yackovich, who recently competed in a half-marathon from San Luis to Avila Beach and typically runs four times a week for a total of 25 miles a week.

Not too shabby, especially considering his schedule. As the recreation supervisor for the North Bakersfield Recreation and Park District, Yackovich and colleague Mike Thompson are nearly always on the phone, at a practice or dealing with daily personnel issues that arise when you're in charge of thousands of after-school and summer sports participants.

A dedicated member of the baseball team at Cal State Sacramento, Yackovich graduated and spent six years working for Taft's Westside Recreation before he came to NOR in 1989. Since then, his specialty has remained the same.

"Sports. For me, it's always been sports," said Yackovich, who noted, however, that some things have changed over the years.

"We've experienced so much growth in terms of participation because of the growth in the Northwest area," said Yackovich. After-school sports programs are open to those children in grades three to eight who attend Olive Knolls Christian School, Country Christian School or belong to the Beardsley, Standard, Norris, Fruitvale or Rosedale districts.

"As an example, when I first started doing after-school basketball in December of ‘89, we had 90 teams. Last year, we had 267 teams," said Yackovich, who works closely with the school districts.

Unlike some of the competitive organizations and leagues, NOR aims to be purely recreational and doesn't keep standings. "We don't turn anyone away, so we have participants of varying abilities," said Yackovich. "Other places, they might cut 30 and keep 15. That just blows a kid's self-esteem. We don't do that here. It's great to see kids improve and to see smiles on their faces. Plus, it keeps them out of trouble."

As a boy, Yackovich recalls playing for hours outside and finally getting called in when it grew too dark to see. Today, he urges parents to put a limit on video game and TV time and make sure their kids keep active. NOR offers sports such as flag football, volleyball, cross country, basketball, baseball and track. Practices are held at about 25 school sites. Elementary games are held Saturday and junior high games are held on weekdays.

"Because of how busy we are, the games are about the only time I get the chance to be hands-on," said Yackovich, who counts on site supervisors - usually teachers - to take care of the day-to-day supervision.

Yackovich is also in charge of the NOR adult volleyball clinics, the only offered in the city, which are held four times a year and usually attract between 20 and 24 teams made up of veterans and novices.
"People do it because they love the game, and it's a great social outlet," said Yackovich.

Most NOR programs cost about $40 or $50 a season, including the cost of uniforms. For more information, pick up the NOR "Options" brochure, visit www.norrecreation.org or contact the administrative center at 392-2000. After-school basketball practices begin Monday, Jan. 10.

Yackovich's tips for keeping children fit:

If you're a parent, work with your child on basic drills. As with anything, the more they repeat the drills the better they'll get at them.

Keep it simple. If nothing else, spend 30 minutes a day with your child shooting free throws.

Keep the "fun" in fundamentals. If you get too caught up in your child's performance, ask yourself, "Who am I really here for?" Remember, they're just kids, and 30 minutes after the big game they'll forget about it and go skateboarding.

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