Page 7 - HFA Dateline 2017 Q1 Spring

YOGURT PARFAIT
“My go-to snack is super-easy 1 cup of non-fat Greek yogurt

and delicious. With some little 1 cup of fiber and protein-rich cereal

tweaks, I’ve been eating this Honey to taste drizzled over

meal for a few years now.” Different fresh fruits to dress on top. (Raspberries are
particularly delicious.)

the community still push back against heavy weightlifting, but Q Do you feel that a healthy diet helps with your
I’ve found nothing but positive benefits. Still, I know I’m a real- hemophilia? If so, how?
ly lucky severe hemophiliac not to experience many bleeds. A Eric: Keeping my weight in check has been absolutely
lot of people outside the community assume that heavy lifting essential in keeping my joints feeling good. The better my diet
would be unhealthy for me but I respond that there’s nothing is, the better I feel, and the better I feel, the more active and
that I do that others can’t. better my workouts are. It’s a positive loop, lots of synergy.
Q Many people often lose interest in working out after Q Many people struggle to find the time to exercise
a while. What would you suggest we do to keep and cook healthy meals. How do you balance a busy
boredom from sneaking up on us? schedule with a healthy lifestyle?
Eric: There are many resources out in the world to keep Eric: Like so many people, when I’m feeling a little
you engaged, like Reddit and on-line bodybuilding forums. overwhelmed, the simple answer is, sadly, takeout. But when
Speaking as a weightlifter, all it takes for me to remain engaged I’m on top of things, I like to do weekly meal preps. This is
is to find different programs for weightlifting. Going from lift- something a lot of people in the fitness community have been
ing heavy weights for just a couple reps for a few months is focusing on lately. It’s not terribly creative or fun, but it keeps
exhausting. Switching up to five-pound weights and throwing your nutrition predictable. Cooking a week’s worth of break-
them around for a couple billion reps is a lot of fun. It also gets fasts and lunches on a Sunday is a time-effective strategy of
results. It’s the results that keep me coming back for more. eating well.

Q Of course, in order to lead a healthy life, one must When it comes to committing to weightlifting for an hour, 5-6
eat right in addition to exercising. Tell us a little days a week, it just comes part of your mindset. I adjust my
about your diet. workout times to fit my schedule. If I have a dinner planned,
I’ll try to get up early and work out before work. Sometimes
Eric: Ha! The people in my office are already laugh-
ing reading this question. I value consistency and nutrition I fail, but more often, I get it done. Honestly, at the end of the
day, it comes down to making a sacrifice and being okay with
over everything (yes, even taste). My breakfasts include egg that. I’d rather be healthy and happy than have a really active
whites and bagels usually: a little mix of carbs and protein. after-hours social life, for example. I understand that’s not for
I drink black coffee exclusively: almost no calories! Lunch is everyone, but it works for me.
usually a bowl of rice and beans loaded up with a lean meat,
such as chicken or beef, and a bunch of veggies. I’ll usually Q Lastly, what advice would you have to someone who
have a snack, like yogurt and granola, before going to the gym. is trying to eat right and get in shape?
Dinner is the one meal I’ll generally free-wheel on, but it’s Eric: Every step towards fitness is a positive step. I
usually a salad or sushi. Gotta get that protein in! wouldn’t say that I’m a paragon of fitness, but I’ve been consis-
tent. I view my fitness not as a short-term solution, but a life-
long choice to be healthy and happy, and I always know that
“ Every step towards fitness any setbacks I suffer are just temporary. It’s easy to let a bad
day (or week or month) of reckless eating get you down, but
is a positive step.” I always know in the back of my mind that I can just get back

into my familiar routine. n n

Spring 2017 | Dateline Federation 7