Participant: Dan Calhoun, marketing and advertising director, PGN Age: 32 Starting weight: 268 Height: 6 feet Weight lost in Month 1: 13 pounds Trainer: Jared Carter, Move Forward Fitness
PGN: Why did you agree to participate in Weigh It Forward? DC: It was a great cause and I thought that doing this so publicly would force me to stick with the program.
PGN: What are you hoping to achieve? DC: I’m hoping to lose weight and get into better shape. I’d really like to be in much better shape for the softball season. And have the opportunity to donate money for charity.
PGN: What’s been your greatest struggle with your weight? DC: I love food. And I love all food that’s bad for me — bacon, chocolate, you name it. I love to bake. Unfortunately, the best dishes that are out there are not healthy at all. So, food would be my biggest answer. The other would be timing and motivation. It seems there is always an excuse not to go to the gym or work out. I get really motivated in the beginning and then I just fall off. I lost about 64 pounds a few years ago on Weight Watchers, but it wasn’t sustainable. There was no exercise. I was in my early 20s, so the weight just flew off. Now that I’m in my 30s, it doesn’t come off that quickly. And the eating wasn’t practical. Although it was good for what it was, it wasn’t something that I could stick to on a regular basis.
PGN: What’s been the hardest thing so far? DC: The hardest part would still be finding time to go to the gym. It’s rough when it’s Friday night and I’m sitting in traffic and I want to go home and relax and start the weekend, and I still have to go to the gym. And passing by 5 Guys Burger and Fries. Can I take that back? It’s the squats. Do you know how many different ways there are to do squats? And the pass along … [an exercise where you lay on your back with an exercise ball between your feet, then pass the ball to your hands, bringing it above your head, then return it].
PGN: The easiest? DC: There’s never anything easy about this. But the workouts aren’t as scary as I thought they would be. When I’ve had trainers before, when I would leave the workouts, I would be so sore for days, I wouldn’t go back. With this workout, there are even days when I can get in and out of the gym in half an hour — and I’m still getting a great workout. Something else that has helped me is having the support of the other participants. Watching them is really inspiring to me. Seeing Franny so motivated by this really helps keep me going. Debbie and Micah as well — they help keep me going. When we are talking about how much weight everyone has lost so far, I was bummed out because I haven’t lost as many pounds, and they were there to keep encouraging me.
PGN: What do you like best about the program? DC: I like the one-on-one attention I get. [Carter] seems to genuinely care that I’m reaching my goals — that really helps me. I don’t feel like the 2 p.m. appointment: I feel like he’s there especially for me.
PGN: Has anything surprised you? DC: How quickly my clothes started fitting better. For me to already go down several waist sizes this quickly is really cool.
PGN: Tell me about your workout plan. DC: I’m using Jared’s “3 Weeks to a New You,” and then a long-term program. The workouts change every week. I do the same exercises Monday, Wednesday and Friday, then different ones on Tuesday and Thursday. The workouts last between 30 minutes and an hour.
PGN: And the food? DC: It’s really simple. No white or processed flour and no to low sugar. Eat every three hours; every meal must consist of a lean protein, good carbohydrates and a vegetable. There are some days where I’m not supposed to have any carbs at all and increase the protein. And no red meat. Fruit juice is also a big no-no because it causes spikes in your blood sugar. And I can do protein shakes as a meal replacement if I’m on the go.
PGN: Do you think this is something you can sustain after the weigh-in at Pride? DC: The nature of the challenge, I’ll stay with it through the duration. I’m hoping that I’ll be able to continue it forward. Don’t get me wrong, after weigh-in on that day, I’m going to run for a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup …
PGN: What do you think will be the hardest part to sustain afterward? DC: Not having a specific date to look forward to: It’s an infinite timeline. Hopefully, I’ll be in such a habit, in such a routine, that I will be able to keep it going.
Jared Carter, owner, Move Forward Fitness, 1616 Walnut St., Suite 702 www.moveforwardfitness.com Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist
PGN: What has your plan for Dan been? JC: I have a 13-week training for clients looking to lose weight and body fat. Since this is 16-17 weeks, we spent the first one to two weeks getting ready to move, then I have a three-week protocol — “3 Weeks to a New You.” He’s about to start the normal 13-week protocol. This uses a different type of exercise — functional, so using your own body weight, and built around shorter workouts, 12-45 minutes, which includes both lifting and cardio.
PGN: Tell me more about the exercise. JC: He’s doing six days a week, and doing resistance every day. One day is more intense. He’ll have a higher day, then a moderate day and incorporate lifting and cardio on each day. Workouts in the first week are 12-20 minutes; most are 35-45 now. For resistance, he’s doing a mix of lower, upper and core. We meet two times per week; the rest of the time he’s on his own, four times per week.
PGN: Tell me about his food plan. JC: He’s been doing really great. He eats a small meal every three hours with lean protein, good carbs and vegetables, with one cheat day a week. There is no calorie goal. If we are just trying to cut calories, you are going to lose muscle mass. And when it comes to calculating calories, 99 percent of people are going to be way off. So, when it comes to figuring out how much to eat, if it’s a flat food, like a chicken breast, it should be the size of the palm of your hand. If it’s not flat, like a potato, make a fist and try to match that. There are three things for clients looking to lose body fat: eliminate white flour and reduce sugar and alcohol.
PGN: What results are you looking for short-term? JC: I want to see him lose a significant amount of body fat. At the rate he’s going, he should be able to continue to lose a lot more. I expect to see significant body-fat reduction and a very big visual change.
PGN: And long-term? JC: This is not a quick fix, it’s a lifestyle. I want him — like all of my clients — to continue working out, learning how food works in the body, why it is important to incorporate resistance training and continue eating well. I don’t give people diets — it’s better to teach them how to eat and prepare them to not need me.