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CoSIDA Goodwill & Wellness Committee
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Communicators Outside the Lines Feature Series
This is the next profile in a series entitled
Communicators Outside the Lines: Better Yourself, Better Your Community produced by the CoSIDA Goodwill & Wellness Committee. Read past profiles at
CoSIDA.com/CommunicatorsOTL.
WE NEED YOUR IDEAS!
If you have any ideas for this series, which will revolve around CoSIDA member volunteerism and health and wellness, please contact Goodwill and Wellness Committee chair
Chris Mitchell, Washington University in St. Louis Assistant AD for Communications, at (618) 560-9280 or
mitchell@wustl.edu.
Q&A with Steve Flegel
Whitworth University, Assistant Director of Athletics for Sports Information
by Chris Mitchell – Washington University in St. Louis, Assistant AD for Communications
CoSIDA Goodwill and Wellness Committee Chair
Plain and simple,
Steve Flegel wanted to be a better role model.
Flegel was demonstrating bad eating habits and snacking way too often while living this crazy lifestyle as the Assistant Director of Athletics for Sports Information at Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington.
He put on weight pretty quickly after college, and never reestablished a routine to let his body burn what he put in. And he ate fast food for lunch every day.
70 pounds later — Flegel feels better than he has in 30+ years.
“I did it to become a better role model for my son,” Flegel said while walking in between sessions at #CoSIDA19 in Orlando. “If I can do this, then I think anyone can.”
He is intentional about going home for lunch, or making something to bring with him and eat at his desk. He has also tried to cut out snacks.
Flegel now makes it a priority to work out every morning for 45-60 minutes.
“We know what we are supposed to do, it’s just a desire to do it. I now make it a priority,”
Flegel’s weight loss has opened the door for some conversation with his son, Caleb, who is a high school senior and has also battled weight issues.
Steve Flegel with son Caleb.
Q: When and why did you decide to focus on fitness and healthy eating?
Flegel: It was in the fall of 2015 and my son was in junior high school. It became clear he had a weight issue, much like I did. I had always wanted to get my weight under control, but deciding to be a better role model for my son was finally the purpose I needed to go through with it.
Q: What has been the most challenging part for you?
Flegel: Once I got started, it has been easier than I ever expected it to be. I have established a workout routine that works for me, and the primary changes I made in eating habits (cutting out fast food and snacking between meals) have stuck. But I am still a sucker for sweets. I cannot have them in the house, otherwise I will eat them all in one sitting. I have no true willpower when it comes to sweet stuff.
Q: What changes have you noticed since you focused on fitness and diet?
Flegel: I feel healthier and better than I have in 30 years. My work stamina is better (which is not always necessarily a good thing) and I enjoy life more. But most importantly to me, my weight loss has opened up avenues of conversation with my son.
Q: Has working out become a part of your daily routine?
Flegel: It has. I am able to work out in the morning at the Whitworth URec (University Rec Center) before I start my day. I have a regular weekly routine that I’ve worked up to. Monday, Wednesday and Friday are a 35-minute run workout on the indoor track. Tuesday and Thursday involve weights and cardio (elliptical or treadmill).
Q: What is your recommendation for someone struggling with weight gain?
Flegel: Start with what you are comfortable with. My changes were gradual. I began with walking at the local mall three days a week. It eventually increased to five days. And the distances and paces soon increased. By nine months in I had discovered the URec and what was available on campus and it went from there. The changes in eating habits were also pretty basic. I cut out fast food, sugared sodas and snacking between meals. I started drinking more water and took a different mind-set toward hunger pains. The water helped a little with those, but I also realized that the hunger pains represented my body using calories and burning weight.
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