John M. Bottorff, D.C., C.C.S.T., is a 1981 graduate of Palmer College of Chiropractic and a second generation chiropractor. He is certified in Chiropractic Spinal Trauma. He is a triathlete and an avid cyclist, runner and swimmer. He can be contacted at Bottorff Advanced Chiropractic at 362-8833 or online at www.Cvillepainrelief.com.
Slow and steady wins the race could be the mantra for this week’s Health Hero. However, when she gets wound up hide the caffeine because the energy is coming.
For Brenda Tarter, director of senior programming for the Crawfordsville Park and Recreation Department, fitness has been more of an evolution than a crash course.
In or around 2012, an “urge” lead Brenda on her fitness adventure.
“There wasn’t any epiphany,” she said. “I was a mom who lived for her kids and I was facing an empty nest.”
Initially she used her mom’s beach comber bike and rode it regularly.
“I went everywhere in alleys and down side streets,” she reminisced. “I would see yard decorations and get ideas for projects at my house.”
She found the rides to be peaceful and as opposed to walking, the scenery changes faster.
She also discovered nutritional flaws that were sabotaging her fitness. For example, she realized the sweetness in the Diet Coke she drank first thing in the morning for caffeine was triggering a craving for cheap carbs and unwanted weight. Tasting something sweet even if it’s “calorie free” sets up the body to use or store energy. Stored energy is fat and that is something Brenda wanted to change.
“Now I eat one piece of toast and drink coffee in the morning,” she said.
Park and Rec Director Fawn Johnson was always trying to talk Brenda into taking a hot yoga class led by Erica Minnette.
“Her classes were brutal,” Brenda said while describing Erica to be a person of unlimited energy. “I didn’t like it but I liked what it did for me.”
Another of Brenda’s mantras slips out in conversation: You never regret working out, but you regret it if you miss it.
In 2014 when the health clinic shared by the city, county and school corporation, called the Wellness For Life, was doing a “Biggest Loser” challenge. Brenda jumped in and downloaded and app called “My Fitness Pal” that allowed her to log all her exercise and everything she ate. The Biggest Loser group could then network with all those competing and check up on each other. She is huge on the advantage of accountability in her endeavors. Her first 5k was the ever-popular Thanksgiving Day Pie Run on the local trail. She completed it in 45 minutes. This was followed up with the Colts 5k which she did in 36 minutes, then the Bop to the Top. Pretty aggressive for someone getting started but it follows her philosophy that you don’t know what you’re capable of if you don’t try.
One habit Brenda decided to drop was Friday night cocktails with the gang.
“The alcohol had lots of sugar in it and I didn’t feel like doing much on Saturday so I sat around and ate,” she bemoaned.
She remembered a quote that went, “Change can be liberating if you fall into it and paralyzing if you don’t.”
Last fall Brenda left the mayor’s office where she had spent 13 years as the administrative assistant and became the director of senior programming at the Park and Rec and is tasked with growing the project. She is working to identify the different needs of the senior community and is trying to enhance the quality of life. Brenda is open to suggestions. Her telephone number is 765-364-5175.
Brenda wants readers to know that very small steps can lead to slow but significant change. She confirms, “If a donut-loving-beer-drinking-pizza-eater can do it, anyone can!”
See you on the run!
