Today on Fit Mama Friday, meet Canadian fit mama Sue Clark, a fellow runner I came to know online when she stumbled across my blog after we both ran the 2013 NYC Marathon (and Sue qualified for Boston!). While Sue had an unhealthy lifestyle pre-motherhood, she now works in the fitness industry (she’s recently opened her own gym!) and sets a great example for her self-described modern family – step daughter Sheridan, 13 years old, daughter Soleil, 11 years old (Sue and her ex-husband adopted Soleil from China when she was just 11 months old), and son Lucas, 5 years old.

 

Meet Sue.

You’re a runner and a fitness professional now, but I understand you weren’t always a fit and active person. What was your lifestyle like before and what motivated you to change?

Yes, I was an unhealthy person up to my twenties.  I ate chips, chocolate, smoked and was purposefully inactive except for horseback riding which was my only activity – teaching riding was my job throughout university.  My parents were very active; my dad is an experienced marathoner and my mum is always moving and a competitive tennis player.  I just rebelled and did nothing.  That is until I moved out on my own and started working at an occupational health clinic…and that is when I started to change. My best friend there was a kinesiologist, she was very fit and I thought, could I do this too?

So that was your motivation – and what did you to to start changing your lifestyle?

I knew what I was eating and doing to my body was bad. I also knew that any change would be an improvement from my bad habits as I had so many (smoking, binge eating, etc). So I started changing my diet slowly, writing in a food journal and started running and walking late at night on my own. I kept those journals for YEARS… worried that I would gain the weight back.  I was 165 lbs at my heaviest.

I didn’t really exclude foods except full fat cheeses and sour cream (I was a big fan of sour cream chip dip and ruffles for dinner at the time). I made my own meals and kept track of everything I ate and wrote how I felt in my journal. I did it so long that now I still plan my meals and can tell you exactly what I ate at the end of the day.  It made me very conscious of what I was eating.  It still took a long time to make small changes but over time the weight started to come off.

I married in 2008 to someone that didn’t treat me well. I was already eating healthier and running marathons when we married but was still eating too much of all the right foods. Since I was a marathon runner I figured I could eat big portions.  I had a strong body but it didn’t look it as I was eating all the right foods, just way too much. I know now I was lying to myself that I was active so I could eat more. I probably was trying to fill the void of that relationship as well.

You were already a mama at this point, having adopted your daughter with your ex-husband. Given that you made such progress towards getting fit and active after that, how did pregnancy impact you? Were you still running and eating healthy?

Well, I’ve been married to my husband Dan Noonan for five years now. When I met Dan and got pregnant with Lucas, I was terrified that I would become that heavy person again.  No matter what, I didn’t want to hit 165 lbs again.  So I cut back on my portions and ate more vegetables and kept active.  I had a high risk pregnancy so I couldn’t run, but I walked, did prenatal yoga and light weights to keep my exercise levels up. We got married after Lucas was born, so I got back to running as soon as the doctor cleared me at six weeks postpartum and I kept those sensible portions and managed to drop the pregnancy weight quickly.  It was a good thing as we got married when he was only 10 weeks old, on a dock in South Carolina with our best friends and our “modern” family.

You’re a personal trainer and you’ve recently opened your own gym – tell me what scheduling your workout time is like now.

I opened my own gym, FIT by funfitnessfast in April 2014. Prior to that I was working as part time trainer and a part time SAHM since having Lucas. Before my son was born, I was a full time group insurance sales rep – I decided to stay home after having Lucas to pursue my passion of fitness, as well as balance family and work life.

My workout schedule these days is a bit different after opening my own gym.  Teaching three to four classes some days and training private clients was a bit draining at first, but I have figured out how to pace myself. I am so lucky that my husband supports my crazy new venture as it is not an easy business to start.  I love to motivate others and try to make my classes different every time so no-one ever gets bored.

I try to do two to three strength workouts a week (while teaching) and do a short speed run once a week, a longer hill run once a week and a long run on the weekends, hopefully with my running partners. I qualified for Boston at the New York marathon last year so will have to figure out how to get those long runs in somehow over the winter!

What do you love most about being such a fit mama?

I love that I am strong, and still enjoy the fun things; wine, chocolate cake, everything in moderation.  I am not afraid of food anymore.  I am trying desperately to instill in my kids that we need to live balanced lives and have fun.

I love to run, it gives me such joy and I am lucky that I live in a neighbourhood of a great group of runners.  We push and motivate each other to go faster/longer and share all our stories on our long runs. My main fitness passion is running, nothing equals that endorphin high or the satisfaction of going out for a run in any weather and pushing yourself.  I also do my best thinking on  my runs.

Having had Lucas when I was older (I was 40 when he was born), I appreciate how exercise gives me more energy to deal with raising little ones.  My daughter loves to run with our dog so I hope this summer to train and run our first 5K race together.

How has your attitude towards health and fitness impacted your family?

My family understands that exercise is part of our lifestyle and it keeps everyone healthy and happy.  “Fat” is a bad word in our house and no one is allowed to say it.  We talk about helping people get more energy, or get moving, or to eat more healthy foods but we try to model that they can also have their treats and fun too.

I hope when the girls hit the teenage years that they keep this in mind and know that no one needs to ever be on a “diet” if they are sensible and active.

Why do you think mamas find it so hard to make time for themselves to exercise?

I think moms put themselves last so that if anything pops up in their kids calendars they give up on their workout in order to help someone else.

Okay, a hard-hitting question to finish up: If you had one way to workout on a desert island, what would it be? 😉

On a deserted island? hmmmm…. definitely walking lunges on the beach, building a shelter and hauling logs. 🙂

I love it! That would definitely be a workout! Thank you so much for being part of Fit Mama Friday today, Sue. I love hearing about awesome women who have changed their lives by taking control of their health and fitness. You rock, mama!

Fit Mama Friday – Fit Dad Friday

Every Friday on Fine Fit Day I feature a Fit Mama or a Fit Dad story of how and why a fit and healthy mama or dad ensures fitness is a priority in her or his life. You’ll read about all kinds of parents and their fitness stories. Some are stay-at-home parents, some are single parents, some juggle more than one job on top of parenthood, but they are all committed to a fit and healthy lifestyle. As you’re getting ready for your weekend, I hope you’re inspired to be active after reading about these kick-ass mamas and dads on Fit Mama Friday – Fit Dad Friday!

 

Do you want to be featured on Fit Mama Friday? Or do you know someone you’d like to see featured? Please contact me for details!