K-Factor TEN Monthly Series–March 2021

As part of our K-Factor TEN monthly series, we will share ten questions and answers from people in the 50+ community with a fitness lifestyle each month.

Our goal is to help people get started and be encouraged, and know that it’s not too late to start, and anyone can do it.

This month we’d like to introduce you to Elizabeth Reisberg.

1. Please give us some background on how long you’ve been working out and what started you down the path of fitness?  My path has been on and off all of my life. I’ve enjoyed sports ever since I was a kid, which carried over into my teens and adult years. In high school, I began figure skating and trained five days a week. I also ran track and played basketball, volleyball, soccer … you name it. Despite being an athlete from an early age, I didn’t fully understand all the concepts of “fitness” and what it took to get great results. (I remember the days when we’d go out for cheeseburgers and fries after high school basketball practice!) In college, I learned how to lift weights, which was a real turning point at the time. Shortly after graduating from college, I got my first training jobs – one in a hospital and one in a gym. These were adjuncts to what I called my “real career.” But the “real career” had a price: fitness often took a back seat to work, even though I had learned how important it was and how great it made me feel. When I was 37 or so, I picked up figure skating again, which is really what got me keenly focused on my health and fitness. This lasted for about a dozen years until “life happened” again. So, in my mid-50s—worked to exhaustion, sick, and stressed—I knew I had to get back to this missing piece of my life, or else I might not have a long life to live. This was about 3½ years ago, and this time, there’s no going back! 
2. How did you figure out what to do in the gym – what exercises work? When I returned to the gym in earnest about 20 years ago, I read a copy of Muscle Media on a beach and read about Body-for-Life, the best-selling book by Bill Phillips. I got the book, read it cover-to-cover, and dove into the program. Many of the weightlifting exercises were already familiar to me, but what worked was using free weights instead of machines, splitting up upper and lower body workouts, and not doing everything in one day. Consistency was key. Subsequently, I worked with personal trainers and other fitness professionals to diversify my weightlifting routine and develop new challenges. I also devoured any information I could get about fitness and hit upon the best exercises that worked for me through some trial and error. 
3. Did you start and stop working out before it became lifestyle? Oh yes— and more than once! When I was in my teens and 20s, consistency didn’t seem to matter; I always bounced back quickly after taking a break, and I stayed relatively strong even though my consistency wavered. In my 30s, 40s, and 50s, I had some great stretches followed by fallow periods. These periods of inactivity had worsening consequences the older I got. The sad thing is that during these rough patches, I wanted fitness to be part of my lifestyle; I just didn’t let it. Now it’s a priority. I don’t see that changing.
4. Why did you stick with it? What are the main benefits for you? I feel so much better mentally, physically, and spiritually when I am lean, fit, and strong. Despite being 59, and despite COVID-19, I’m still an athlete. (I’m hoping our skating competitions resume sometime in 2021 or 2022 when it’s safe to do so.) Even in the absence of my main sport, I have plenty of motivators, the top one being my health. I feel vital and alive when I feel fit, and I have so much more energy to do the things that matter to me.
5. How do you motivate yourself on days you don’t feel like working out? How do you get past that? I have a giant wall calendar to track my workouts, with my yearly goal written at the top. Looking at that calendar motivates me because I know how many days I need to work out per week to meet that goal, which is non-negotiable. I also know that if I get going on days when I’m not feeling it, I will feel better – even if it’s just 50-100 squats or curls. One of the benefits of the pandemic has been being able to take early morning walks with my husband. I don’t count these walks as workouts, but there’s something about getting moving early, usually with a cup of coffee in hand, that sets the tone for the rest of the day. As a personal trainer, my other motivator is to “walk the talk” to serve my clients best. Knowing I am doing something that will help others gets me moving even when I am low on energy. 
6. Please give us some background on your nutrition, and were there foods or strategies you tried in the past that were mistaken? I’ve always eaten a pretty healthy diet (despite those high-school trips for cheeseburgers). I love to cook, and by making our meals at home, I know exactly what nutrients I am putting in my body. I eat small meals frequently, balanced between protein, healthy carbs, and veggies. Two big boo-boos of years past stand out in my mind: going out to eat (and drink) often because I’d be too tired to cook after a 12-hour workday, and a ketogenic/paleo diet recommended by a naturopath because I had high hemoglobin A1c as well as some other issues. I had never eaten a pork rind up to this point, but this is something she recommended for a snack. HUGE mistake. (Or should I say, “mis-STEAK”? I love steak, but not slathered in butter and served every day.) Luckily, I found another healthcare provider who was able to identify the illness plaguing me, and I turned my diet around 180 degrees. 
7. Do you have a “cheat day/meal” on your plan? If so, how do you keep a “cheat day” from becoming a cheat weekend or week? What technique do you use? I try to keep my food rewards to just one meal and one treat per week rather than a whole day, and I often split them up, so I have a treat one day and a free meal on another. I plan these out ahead of time in my food journal. Writing down what I will eat ahead of time and prepping meals and healthy snacks keep me from going off the rails. When I do enjoy a treat or special meal, I work out to help cycle the calories through (it also helps me from eating too much), and on my rest days, I eat clean.
8. “I don’t have time to spend hours a day working out and preparing meals” is something we often hear – how do you answer that?  I get it. I was that person, so when I answer, it’s from a place of experience. And when you don’t take the time to take care of your health, you likely aren’t going to have as much time, and certainly not quality time. Period. Regarding workouts, I usually pull out my own before and after pictures and explain how I got there with just half an hour of exercise, six days a week. Just half an hour! Meal prep can be done one or two days a week, with planning, smart shopping, and just a little time in the kitchen. Some people don’t cook, but shortcuts, such as pre-cooked grilled chicken, precut veggies, etc. Where I live, there also are some healthy meal delivery services that bring you either a box of premeasured ingredients and recipes or pre-cooked healthy meals. Where there’s a will, there’s a way! 
9. Do you have any tips to help beginners get started? Any ideas for those who may be intimidated about going to a gym or don’t believe it will work for them? Visit your local gym and ask for a free session with a personal trainer or a free group fitness class. Most gyms offer a complimentary session, evaluation, and/or gym orientation. It is money well spent to learn from a fitness professional and to get a program customized to your goals. Also, you won’t feel lost or out of place in the gym if you’re with a trainer or in a class. A trainer can also explain to you what you can expect in terms of progress and may be able to introduce you to others who have had results. Finding support from a professional and from friends or like-minded people who support your goals is crucial. 
10. What is your go-to Pizza or that cheat day treat you look forward to? Ahhh … pizza! A thin-crust Margherita pizza, or a mushroom pizza, would be my choice. I also like malfatti (boiled ricotta and spinach dumplings, served in tomato sauce). OK, I’ll be honest: Just about any Italian food works for me as a free meal. Served with fresh bread, of course. My favorite stand-alone treat is a fresh chocolate croissant. My free meals and treats have to be worth it, though. I’d rather skip the meal or treat than having something that doesn’t taste amazing!
    
    

The results you achieve will depend on your commitment to yourself, the application of training, realistic goals, and time frames. We can help and encourage you to take action. Contact K Factor Coaching today!

Elizabeth is a 59-year-old adult competitive figure skater and avid sports participant who happily “pretired” from the corporate world after 35 years to regain her health and enjoy life. Part of this redefinition now includes being a certified personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine and holding specializations in TRX training, group fitness training, and senior fitness. 

What has helped her immensely on this path is turning around her own health in her mid-50s. After losing more than 40 pounds of body fat and gaining muscle past the age of 55, Elizabeth is familiar with the challenges faced by women in particular, especially as they grow older. But she also knows that it can be done.

In addition to helping clients achieve their healthiest selves, Elizabeth works on her own fitness daily and is a freelance writer and editor. A multiple national gold medalist at the U.S. Adult Figure Skating Championships, she dreams of the day when the ice rinks will be open post-COVID. In the meantime, she is running virtual 5Ks and 10Ks because, well, the running medals are awfully cool.