Today’s transformation is a very special one for me.  For many of you living in WI, you know Sarah Carlson as the news anchor for CBS.  I have been fortunate enough to know her also as a good friend.  Sarah is responsible for hundreds if not thousands of you reading this blog, and taking my classes.  Sarah was the first person to give me a chance on TV, and I am so grateful for that.  Sarah has gone through hell the past couple years, but has overcome and endured.  Not only has she lost close to 25 lbs, she has lost about 6 inches off her waist!  She came to me about 3 years ago frustrated that after 9 months post partum, the weight and the belly fat was just not going anywhere.  I started training her and we focused more attention on the weight training and less on the cardio.  I will admit though, Sarah still loves to run 5-10 miles 3-4 times per week, but she has been extremely consistent with her weight training, and at 113 lbs is one of my stronger clients.  She also has a pretty impressive stomach, especially from what is was like just a couple years ago.

Here is her story in her words:

 

I could bore people to death explaining the list of “things to do” on my desk at home today. Short term disability, health insurance, doctor’s appointments, school registration… it never ends! One thing I refuse to take off my list, though, is exercise. It’s true I would get more done if I didn’t take an hour or so out of every day to work out. But it’s one of the reasons I’m surviving the stress of a soap opera life and health problems.

I was always a runner, assuming some kind of cardio would keep me fit. And it did, until kids. After my daughter was born (now 5) I lost most of my pregnancy weight. But I got pregnant with my son (now 3), unplanned, when she was only 12 months old. After he was born in June of 2007, I was looking at about 20 pounds of extra weight. The scale read 138 and I’m 5 foot 3. I was also terribly overwhelmed by two kids under two years old, a demanding career and shift, and other personal problems.

I started Mamatone in January of 2008, when my son was 6 months old, and I haven’t stopped since. The weight came off quickly when I started going twice a week. By January of 2009 I was down to 120 and a few months later 115. This was also around the time I started dealing with a very traumatic separation and divorce. Continuing at Mamatone was and is a huge part of my survival.

I am 113 pounds today and I go to Mamatone religiously, plus I still run (stress relief!) 3-4 times a week. I eat healthy but I also eat what I want a lot because I work out so much. I’ve learned it’s about how much a person consumes as much as it is what they consume. So I join my kids for their daily treat but I’m careful.

Dustin’s classes are perfect because they’re different every week and a lot of fun! It’s great to be in a room full of women with the same goal. The fitness level varies widely but he can still make the class easy enough for a new face, but tough enough for someone like me who’s been coming for years.

I have a very public job, as a tv news anchor, which comes with a lot of sincere, caring inquiries about where I’ve been the past few months. I’m on medical leave from work because I have epilepsy. The seizures were worsening, we didn’t know why, and medication didn’t stop them. I am now scheduled for surgery toward the end of September. The recovery period of anywhere from 6 to 12 weeks. My health is my biggest concern of course. Of course I hate the thought of missing out on my kid’s lives and not being able to reciprocate the love and commitment from my boyfriend, parents, other family and friends. I must admit, though, I think a lot about how much I’ll miss Mamatone during the weeks I have to stay home. The exercise, the friends, and knowing that I can do more push ups and pull ups than most guys out there!

-Sarah Carlson

Here is a sample eating plan.  Sarah is vegetarian.  There are definitely many things in here I would change, but it is working for Sarah, and it is good to see eating plans that aren’t perfect.

Monday:

7am: Cheerios & coffee

8am: Yogurt (Yoplait “regular” not “light” because aspartame bad for my health problems) & water

*run 9am

11:30am: Tomato & mozarrella salad (basil, olive oil, balsamic vinegar)

2:30pm: Goldfish crackers, grapes, small handful of M&M’s (snack with toddlers:)

5:30pm: spaghetti (whole wheat) with red sauce, VEGETARIAN Italian sausage mixed in, side of brocolli with olive oil and fresh parm cheese

8:30pm: popcorn

 

Tuesday:

7am: 1 piece cinnamon toast (the real deal, including butter) & coffee

8am: Yogurt & water (same as above)

*mamatone 8:30am

11:30: hummus & tomato sandwich, baked Lays, blueberries

2:30pm: string cheese, plumb

5:30pm: frozen peas, salad with balsamic vinegar dressing, frozen vegetarian chicken with ketchup

Wednesday:

7am: Cheerios & coffee

8am: yogurt & water

*run 9am

11:30: mac & cheese, salad with lowfat dressing

2:30pm: plumb, grapes, 3 crackers

5:30pm: Amy’s spinach organic frozen pizza (kids love!) & frozen corn

8:30pm: 1 more piece pizza 🙂

Thursday:

7am: 1 Eggo blueberry waffle w/ syrup & coffee

8am: yogurt & water

*mamatone 8:30am

11:30am: Noodles & Company small bowl of Japanese Pan Noodles with tofu and extra brocolli

2:30pm: apple slices with peanut butter

5:30pm: Vegetable stir fry with brown rice and lowfat sauce, frozen vegetarian chicken added

8:30pm: popcorn

Friday:

7am: Cheerios & coffee

8am: yogurt & water

*no exercise day

11:30am: peanut butter & jelly sandwich, apple slices

3pm: McDonald’s cheeseburger NO MEAT plus side salad (on way out of town)

6pm: baked potato with cottage cheese, brocolli, chocolate ice cream 🙂

Saturday:

7am: coffee

8:30am: scrambled eggs with green peppers, toast with butter, orange juice

*10am run

12:30: grilled cheese sandwich

3pm: grapes & chips

7pm: pasta dish with lots of veggies, brocolli soup,glass of wine

Sunday:

7am: coffee

8:30am: cinammon toast (my 3-year-old’s new obsession)

*no exercise day

noon: tomato & mozzarella salad with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and basil

5pm: 2 pieces veggie pizza

Do you have questions for Sarah?  She would love to answer them.  Also if you have any well wishes to send her way as she goes in for brain surgery next week please post in the comment box below.