Posts Tagged ‘week’
“Its amazing how great work is when you have released a little bit of stress and played a little. You never see someone playing with a frown. It’s just not humanly possible.” -Reu Smith
The Athlete of the Week series was created to spotlight the amazing people around us who are not only moms, dads, workers and friends but they are superstar athletes as well. Being an athlete does not always mean that they are Olympic level in their sport. It doesn’t even mean that they compete, or that they would beat anyone else if they tried. It means that they have made a commitment to their health by staying active and changing their lifestyle to do so. They inspire me every day, and I hope they inspire you as well.
Every Friday, look for a new installment and a new athlete spotlight. If you’d like to be featured, just email me at curvyandfit@gmail.com!
This week’s Athlete of the Week is Reu Smith, a swim coach and marketing guru in Fort Collins. He inspires me not only because he gives me great swim workouts and pushes me to work harder in the pool, but because he pushes himself to be a better coach and athlete. He knows how it feels to be both teacher and student, so he coaches all types of athletes in the way that they want to be coached as an individual. He balances his work life and his home life and cares for both his health and his family’s health equally. Here’s Reu’s story:
Age (optional):
33, a young 33.
Personal Mantra (optional):
1. Push, push, push. You’ll never get anywhere unless you push yourself and your closest friends to achieve more, but don’t be an ass about it.
2. Play in everything you do. Even if it’s serious, seriously play.
What’s your absolute favorite activity/exercise?
I love to play, so anything playing related. I recently played tag in the park with a bunch of friends (25 – 60 years old) at a park. It was one of the best workouts and fun times I have had in a long time. Play is so important to stay young. Even as adults, by age not by mental capability, our tendency is to play. I believe a life long playing regime is key to a long healthy life and happy life. Its amazing how great work is when you have released a little bit of stress and played a little. You never see someone playing with a frown. It’s just not humanly possible.
What makes you committed to staying active?
I get fat, and fat is not so becoming of me. Actually when I exercise less I feel like a blob, I hate feeling this way so I generally try to have fun activities. I grew up where my mom would make a lot of the housework a game. I use to hate but secretly love these “games”. As an adult I do a lot of the same things mentally to really keep it interesting. Even if I am swimming I always imagine a ghost opponent in the lane next to me. I usually beat the ghost but sometimes I don’t, that is okay also. We all have our up and down days.
How do you work exercise into your busy life?
Owning a business, being on the board of a few NPO’s, and being the Head Masters Swim Team coach takes a lot of time for non-exercise activities. It seems I am always doing something or being somewhere. I firmly believe that you will make time for what you care about. I know a lot of things can be pushed off but coaching and Muay Thai recharge my batteries for all the other things I do. So it’s a necessity for me to take time in those activities to achieve the best in my work and community volunteering. Plus the mental recharge of letting someone else tell me what to do is nice also. I try to be the athlete that I would want to coach when I am at Muay Thai.
Who inspires you?
My family is a great inspiration to me, parents and girlfriend to be exact. I feel like making them proud inspires their lives. It’s a cyclical relationship. I find a lot comes from not one person’s achievements but from many people’s small achievements that help me become motivated for achievement. I love watching sports on television. I know the dedication and heart they have to have to compete, I love watching the competition of it all and the heart of the athlete to achieve their best, even if that is last place. I really want to see the best brought out in everyone. I love being part of the conduit for their achievement.
Do you have any words of advice for a new fitness enthusiast, regarding sports, exercise, and/or life?
I guess the one thing I didn’t cover above is that passion drives a human. I am a huge fan of Marcus Buckingham’s theology of ‘do what makes you happy’. That will keep you driving to achievement that is consistently attainable.
OK, a little more. Get a coach, be a mentor and surround yourself with people you want to become. You’re not the best at everything, [so] the things you want to become better at, get a coach to help you become the best that you can be. The things that you are great at, teach them to someone else. Legacy when you leave is the only thing that will continue to be passed. Money is great but is a consumable object. Education and experience live forever. I forget who said this but “you are the sum of the six closest people to you”. Be surrounded by people you would want to be around and like what they are doing. I have a lot of friends but my close ones know that they are in a select group that is cherished by me; it is almost more like they are family.
Favorite vegetable and why?
I grew up on a farm as a vegetarian, till I was 12. I pretty much like all veggies. I really like jicama. It’s crunchy and watery; pretty good. All veggies are pretty good overall. It’s a great snack that you don’t have to have ranch with it just to get your veggie intake in for the day. Its fantastic if you Julienne it over a salad.
Muchas Gracias, Reu!!
Stay tuned for next Friday’s spotlight on a new Athlete of the Week!
Read about the previous Friday Athlete of the Week, Lance Holter.
Subscribe to my website over on the sidebar (–>) to be e-mailed as soon as a blog post is published! This is a free service by the way. I know, its fancy.
Love to you!
Sara
“I want my kids to remember me as a Dad who was always actively involved in what they were doing. I want to show them that you can be an athlete at any age.”
The Athlete of the Week series was created to spotlight the amazing people around us who are not only moms, dads, workers and friends but they are superstar athletes as well. Being an athlete does not always mean that they are Olympic level in their sport. It doesn’t even mean that they compete, or that they would beat anyone else if they tried. It means that they have made a commitment to their health by staying active and changing their lifestyle to do so. They inspire me every day, and I hope they inspire you as well.
Every Friday, look for a new installment and a new athlete spotlight. If you’d like to be featured, just email me at curvyandfit@gmail.com!
This week’s Athlete of the Week is Lance Holter, a dad of two boys who lives in Fort Collins and swims on the master’s swim team. He inspires me by leading his lane at swim practice most every day. He swims with grace and humility, but he knows when to pull out all the stops and go for his goals. He makes others feel great, as he makes sure to say “Good job today!” to his lanemates at the end of practice. Here’s Lance’s story:
Age:
44
Mantra:
The simpler, the better.
What’s your absolute favorite activity/exercise
The activity that gives me the absolute most pleasure is “boarding.” In the winter, there is nothing I like more than bombing down a ski run covered with a foot of fresh powder. In the summer, I achieve that same feeling wakeboarding behind the boat. I’m not outstanding at either activity, but I absolutely love the freedom I feel when I’m doing them. As far as exercise, I swim to stay in good enough shape to do the other activities I enjoy. Sadly, I’m not a big fan of weight lifting, but when I’m in a lifting pattern, it seems to provide the most physical fitness benefits.
What Keeps Me Exercising?
My Dad and my kids keep me exercising, but for very different reasons. My Dad…and his Dad both have serious coronary artery issues. My Dad had quintuple bypass surgery when he was in his early 50’s. He’s never been overweight. He’s never smoked. My Dad’s Dad died of a heart attack at age 63. Knowing my family history, I bust my ass…to keep the blood pumping through my arteries. The other reason I try to stay fit is because I don’t want to miss out on interacting with my kids. I can’t swim as fast as they do, but I swim enough to converse with them on the topic. I don’t ski as fast as my kids, but I can make it through the day with them. I want my kids to remember me as a Dad who was always actively involved in what they were doing. I want to show them that you can be an athlete at any age.
How do you work exercise into your busy life?
I fit exercise into my “busy” life by always doing it first thing in the morning. I’ve been a morning person my entire life, so swimming is a good fit for me. Exercising first thing in the morning is my coffee!
Who inspires you?
Is it cheesy to cite a television show as inspirational? Our entire family watches The Biggest Loser. Each season, I’m totally amazed at the effects intense exercise and controlled diet has on the contestants. Watching them inspires me to continue exercising and to try and eat better. The joy the people experience through their weight loss journey inspires me to stay healthy.
Do you have any words of advice for new fitness enthusiast, regarding sports, exercise, and/or life?
1) Find an exercise partner or a group exercise class. I’m fortunate to have swimming lane mates at the pool. At home, my wife and I exercise together. At one point in my life, I did a lot of running. I always ran alone, and over time, I got really bored with it and stopped.
2) Ease into new activities. I’m seen way too many people start a new exercise routine, go great guns for about a month, and then quit all together.
3) Mix it up. I swim, snowboard, wakeboard, golf, hike, and travel.
4) Routine and discipline. Swimming works for me because it is scheduled. The advice I give my boys is, “Don’t think of swim practice as optional. Don’t let yourself make a decision about whether or not to go.” Too many times, if we give ourselves a decision about whether or not to exercise….we make the wrong choice.
5) Record your exercise. It’s a good way to see that you’re making progress.
6) Schedule some days of “intense” exercise. Do intervals with short rests. Occasionally, some of the exercise you do needs to make your heart race and get you breathing hard.
7) You have to match healthy eating with exercise. Unfortunately, I’m horrible at this. I’m very disciplined with my exercise. I’m the opposite with my eating. Often, it’s not so much what I’m eating, but how much of it I’m eating.
Favorite vegetable and why?
Do potato chips count? I’m going to have to say carrots….but I also like asparagus. I won’t touch cauliflower.
Thank you, Lance!
Stay tuned for next Friday’s spotlight on a new Athlete of the Week!
Subscribe to my website over on the sidebar (–>) to be e-mailed as soon as a blog post is published! This is a free service by the way. I know, its fancy.
Love to you!
Sara
