Ryckman: Kick-start

MS inspires author's 30-day shape-up plans

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

For Michelle Theall, the news came more like a slap in the face than a kick in the butt.

She had been athletic all her life, even ran on her college track team. And suddenly, she began tripping and falling. She twisted one ankle, then the other. She became the person everyone else warns about a curb or a step.

Her hands began to tingle. Her fingertips went numb. Her muscles felt weak and heavy - "like I was trying to sprint underwater," says Theall, 39.

The diagnosis: multiple sclerosis.

She decided to take control of every aspect of her health that she could, one day at a time - and the Little Kick in the Butt books were born. The first two: 30 Days to Better Health and 30 Days to Get Back in Shape, handy little guides to help make better choices easier to make. Coming up: 30 Days to Lower Stress and 30 Days to Eating Right.

"We all know what we need to do, but being motivated to do it and being mindful and breaking it into increments to reach that goal without being overwhelmed can be difficult to do," Theall says. "So I made it into one challenge for each day, kind of leading to an overall goal."

The books are practically pocket-size, about 70 pages. That alone sets them apart.

"Most of the fitness and health books out there are 300 pages long," Theall says. "We're supposed to be doing it - not reading about it."

But despite their diminutive size, they pack a punch. Each entry starts with a short essay - motivational, inspirational and, sometimes, very personal. In one, Theall talks about running every day past a pickup truck, which reminds her of the one she was abused in at the age of 10.

"I can smell the interior of the truck a block away. See the dash. Feel the seat. It's that clear to me, and my heart races as fast as my feet as I go by," she writes. "So why do I run by the Ford? Each step reminds me that I am stronger than the past behind me."

She recalls that on day 10 of 30 days to better health. Your challenge is to think about the biggest reason you have been unable or unwilling to embrace a healthy you. Is it fear of failure? Low self-esteem from verbal abuse or neglect?

"The personal approach works very well in terms of motivating people," Theall says. "I'm not a pro athlete. I'm somebody in the trenches fighting for my health every day. I don't have a personal chef or a personal trainer. I'm someone who really had to drag myself out of bed to go on a run this morning. If you don't get out there, you don't even know what you're missing."

A native Texan, Theall grew up a guitarist/songwriter and an athlete. She moved to Colorado 12 years ago and now publishes Women's Adventure magazine, which she believes is the only woman-specific outdoor sports and travel magazine in existence.

One of her own adventures: She decided to play team basketball, all 5-foot-3 of her.

"I'm awful at it," she says. "That was really to start sending different types of signals to my body - stop, start, quick eye and hand movements. As we age, we stop doing those kinds of things. But ball sports have the value of helping the brain stay agile. And the body can't do what it's not asked to do."

When she was diagnosed with MS, Theall decided to reclaim her inner and outer athlete by training for a marathon.

"I walked until I could run again. Lifted weights to gain back the strength I'd lost. And lost the extra 20 pounds I'd carried since college. My recovery didn't begin with my arms or legs. It began with my brain," she says on day 4 of 30 days to get back in shape.

"While we don't all have the same amount of money or talent or good looks, we all have an equal amount of time in a day and decisions to make about how we spend it," Theall says. "Twenty-four hours to run full speed at life or to graze like a lazy gazelle about to become an appetizer."

That day's challenge: Whether you run, walk, play tennis or swim, you'll be working out for 20 minutes without stopping for a full rest. It works, Theall says, because "you can do anything you put your mind to, and that includes becoming a fit and sexy beast. Even if you abhor sweating, you might enjoy spending time with your dog on a walk that makes him smile or joining your best friend for a spinning class. Find some reason to get out and get going, even when it's hard. Know that it will get easier."

Theall took her own advice last week, pushing a jogging stroller for the first time ever with the 14-month-old boy she and her partner are adopting.

"The things I'm doing work for everyone. I just happened to get a wake-up call because I have MS," she says. "But hopefully, not everyone waits for a wake-up call."

At least two people haven't. On her publisher's Web site, two bloggers write about following Theall's 30-day plan.

"It's amazing how 30 days goes by so quickly," Jessica writes. "I feel way more in control. As of today, I've actually lost 7 pounds. But more importantly, I feel better. I have way fewer sinus headaches, way less stomach discomfort, and I'm controlling my stress better.

"Now on to 30 Days to Get Back in Shape . . . !"

Here is one week's worth of challenges from Michelle Theall's 30 Days to Get Back in Shape.

Day 15 - Find the Athlete Inside of You

Challenge: Go online to www.active.com or to www.komen.org. Pick an event at least two weeks away and sign up today. Make a goal for that event. Perhaps it's just to finish or to complete the event within a specific time limit. Write down your goal in your fitness journal. Then take a full hour today to participate in that activity.

Why it works: Scaring yourself a little with a commitment to participate in an athletic event for which you are currently unprepared is terrific motivation. Each day you work out, remind yourself that you've got a race coming up in XX weeks. You'll unleash the athlete inside of you.

Day 16 - Stepping It Up

Challenge: Hit the weight room today. Use appropriate weight amounts based on your current level.

Why it works: Yesterday you signed up for an event. Stepping up your workout shows your determination to reach that goal. Getting serious will also build your self-esteem.

Day 17 - Interval Work

Challenge: Hit the track, road or pool today for some interval training. You'll be running, cycling or swimming for approximately one hour. However, you'll break up the hour with intervals of one minute of sprinting followed by five minutes of slow recovery. The idea is not to come to a complete stop after you've done your one-minute sprint. Keep repeating until the hour is up.

Why it works: Variety is the spice of life. You need agility and endurance to age gracefully. This workout gives you both.

Day 18 - Fill 'Er Up

Challenge: In 2003, I decided to lose 20 pounds. I'd been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and I didn't want my tired body to carry any extra weight. I gave up chocolate and alcoholic beverages, allowing myself to indulge only twice per week. It worked like a charm. Identify your top two food vices. These should be items you consume every day that are not good for you. They can be high in calories, fried, sugar-filled or just too tempting to put down once you get started. Starting now, you will abstain from these items until Day 21.

Why it works: You'll be surprised at just how many calories come from your top two food vices. The results of swearing off these items for all but two days each week will dramatically drop off pounds.

Day 19 - Convenience and Ease

Challenge: You're still on sabbatical from your two food vices, and today's an aerobic workout day. Spend an hour on your cardiovascular activity of choice. But beyond the standard workout, concentrate on avoiding physical shortcuts in the rest of your day. In other words, walk or bike your easy errands. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Cook instead of eating out. Play a game of Twister with your kids instead of a video game. Walk the dog instead of just letting him out into the backyard. Actively pursue life.

Why it works: Beyond your ordinary workout, you'll burn an extra 500 calories just by alleviating the convenient shortcuts afforded us by technology and the American economy. Just because we can take the easy way out doesn't mean it's good for us.

Day 20 - Moving Mountains

Challenge: Hit the weight room today . . . you'll be working at half-full motion. That means you'll be isolating muscle groups even further by holding a lift at the halfway point.

Why it works: You'll definitely feel the burn with this new twist in your workout routine. But you are the Little Engine That Could. Isolating muscle groups even further will pay off in toned, fit, sleek muscles.

Day 21 - Without Even Trying

Challenge: Go out dancing tonight (and enjoy one of the food vices you gave up on Day 18). Spend a solid hour on the dance floor - two if you're having a blast. If you're hesitant, try not to worry what anyone will think and choose the type of dance that makes you feel most comfortable. There's belly-dancing, tango, ballroom, salsa, disco, hip-hop and two-step. Call up your friends. Take your husband or significant other. This workout is out on the town.

Why it works: Most adults have a tough time remembering the last time they went out dancing. Dancing connects us with others, which increases endorphins and our feelings of well-being. It also burns more than 400 calories per hour and gives you a total-body workout.

Extra kick

• For more information about Michelle Theall's Little Kick in the Butt books, go to www.fulcrumbooks.com. For more info about Women's Adventure magazine, go to www.womensadventuremagazine.com.

Ryckmanl@RockyMountainNews.com