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 Adrienne LaGier and her husband, Chris, after their wedding -- two weeks before the Malibu triathlon.
September 12th, 2012
07:10 AM ET
Bride's vows: 'In fitness and in health'Editor's note: Adrienne LaGier is one of seven CNN viewers training for the Nautica Malibu Triathlon with CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta. In the week leading up to the triathlon, each of the "Lucky 7" is sharing his or her thoughts on the journey. In my application video, I told CNN that the biggest gift I could give to my husband Chris was to start our married life off in “fitness and in health." My teammate, Nancy, so kindly captured those words in a handcrafted wedding gift to us that will forever serve as a symbol of this promise. This journey has definitely given us that gift. We danced to every song the night of our wedding without leaving the dance floor once. We thank CNN for making that a reality -– along with making my teammate Glenn’s journey to be the officiant at our wedding possible after he got stranded due to Hurricane Isaac. Never in a million years did I think I would spend my honeymoon competing in a triathlon. My advice to others about to start their triathlon journey: 1. Diet is everything. Food is fuel. Losing weight is 75% tied to what we eat, 25% to exercise. When I first got the call that I was chosen, I was anxious to meet my coach and thought I couldn’t get started until he set out the plan for me. What I didn’t realize was I had the ability and tools within my reach to start losing weight simply by controlling what I ate. I still see so many people close to me making excuses that they can’t get fit because they can’t exercise (because they are suffering from various ailments, injuries, etc). What I want them to know is that fruits and veggies are the solution. Over-exaggerate them in your diet, eliminate processed foods, cut portion sizes and the weight will begin to fall off. 2. Realistically assess your weaknesses. I remember our first CNN swim workout back in February during kick-off weekend when I struggled to make it across the pool doing a front crawl. I thought it was just from a lack of fitness and didn’t realize something as simple as learning how to blow bubbles from your nose changes everything. I broke down in tears and asked our coach, April, if it was against the rules to swim breaststroke the entire way. I trained from January to the end of May holding my breath completely underwater, wondering why the heck I was so winded after my workouts. It wasn’t until AFTER I returned from Kona that I finally learned how to swim the front crawl effortlessly. Maybe if I were less concerned about completing 64 lengths every time I went to the pool and more concerned with my form, I would have figured it out a lot sooner. 3. Track your progress. Take a "before" picture in a bathing suit, no matter how painful that may be. Take measurements. Keep track of your 5K times and regularly perform time trials in swimming and running to measure your progress. Write down what you eat every day. Seeing progress helps keep motivation levels high. Here are my post-CNN Fit Nation Goals – a.k.a my Keauhou (Hawaiian word for new beginnings) : 1. Continue weight loss. When I started my CNN Fit Nation journey, losing 40 pounds seemed like a long shot goal. Now that I’ve reached it, I realize to be healthy for my height I need to lose another 25 to 30 pounds. I’d like to achieve this in the next six months. I plan on keeping with my plant-powered, non-dairy, non-meat lifestyle and my current training schedule. 2. Complete three to four triathlons a year along with as many 5Ks as possible. Chris and I plan on returning each year to compete in the CNN Fit Nation triathlons. We will sign up for the Annapolis Tri Club, Kayak-Bike-Run this April (thank you to my coach and ultra man Ron Bowman for introducing me to the local triathlon scene). And, I’d like to break 30 minutes in my 5K time within the next six months as well. Thank you, Ken Burkey, Ron Bowman, Laura Cozik, April Gellaty, Dr. Sanjay Gupta and Roni Selig for letting this teacher be your student. Training for a triathlon has restored balance in my life. You can follow CNN Fit Nation on Facebook and Twitter. For more from Adrienne, click here.
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  About this blog
Get a behind-the-scenes look at the latest stories from CNN Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen and the CNN Medical Unit producers. They'll share news and views on health and medical trends - info that will help you take better care of yourself and the people you love. Recent Comments
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cool story. good luck, Adrienne
Totally agree it is 75% what we eat, 25% exercise. I can work out a ton but if I'm porking out or even unhealthy I can't lose a pound. Good for the author!
Next time they cover a story this amazing they should include the before and after shots! I love success stories! I'm cutting out sugar, processed foods and white carbs (for health reasons, I'm hoping not to actually lose more than five pounds) and it's harder than I thought! There is sugar in everything! When someone accomplishes something like this it's so exciting!
That's a rather weird pose to row a boat.
Yes, it's quite inefficient.
I always tell people it's 90% diet 10% exercise for weight loss if you're doing it right, but I appreciate seeing the sentiment here. This is a very reasonable article that a lot of people could benefit from. Tracking your progress is also important. Get on the scale every day, plan your workouts, and keep your logs. I'm in the reverse situaion of most people that I talk to in that I'm trying to maintain 25-30lbs of muscle above my normal weight, but the rules are the same if you want to do that and stay very lean. No cardio and a lower carb diet are a big part of the plan, but I still rock and roll on a mikshake or cookies every night.
posing naked in front of a mirror worked great for me. of course....Olive Garden wasn't too happy with me
I went to a trainer and said "make me lean"....he cut a half inch off my leg....now i lean....brilliant
No offense, but I don't consider myself the type of person that would alter my diet to include zero meat and zero dairy just to lose a couple pounds. I'm from Texas, and down here, we eat steak and eggs, play football, and go hunting. For the southern interested in getting into better shape, try a tree stand vs a box. Walk from your camp site out to your stand vs take the 4-wheeler and get a George Foreman grill for cooking items such as chicken (steaks still go on the open flame grill as usual).
There's no reason to cut out meat and dairy unless you choose to be vegan. Simply eat in moderation, including many fruits, veggies, and a few whole grains to round it out. Choose lean cuts and low fat/fat free dairy. And honestly, I don't see why you'd put chicken on a George Foreman when you could put it on the open flame.
You don't have to cut out meat and dairy altogether, just eat in moderation. Stuff like fish and lean chicken is good for you. Stuff like steaks and burgers can still be part of your diet, just as an occasional splurge or treat rather then a daily thing. Try to get enough veggies in to round it out.
Trying to deny yourself something entirely is usually how people fail when they're dieting. Small changes and moderation are the key.
Everything she says is spot on. Good luck, Adrienne.
Not that I disagree with the principle of this story...but, did anyone else gag a bit when they read this story? "I told CNN that the biggest gift I could give to my husband Chris was to start our married life off in “fitness and in health." Made me want to throw up.
Why gag? "In fitness and in health" as opposed to "in sickness and in health" simply implies that she is not planning on getting sick and being a burden to her hubby, and that she'll do everything in her control (i.e, be fit) to avoid that. Obviously, one has less control over sickness due to accidents. I think it's proactive and positive.
Yes. I gagged quite a few times.
@Vic..."being a burden to her hubby"? Not sure I like your concept of marriage if getting sick means that you are a burden to your spouse. My dad was sick for many years and I would never once consider him being a burden and I know my mom wouldn't think so either. Was the situation ideal? No. But it was an honor to provide love, care and comfort to him...just as he had done for me all my life.
Amen. She seemed trite and very self righteous. Of course eating less and excersize will make you slimmer, DUH! My concern is her choice for a vow.....in sickness and health changed out for in fitness and health??? So much for the hubby if he gets cancer or blows up from steroids with asthma. Very shallow sounding indeed. Yes we all need to get in better shape, but acting like your the cat's meow because of it is just bragging. My mom ate right, was thin her whole life, ate tons of veggies, never smoked, drank and she still died at 38 of bone cancer...
So, if he gets sick, she's gonna leave him? Not much holding them together except a triathlon. Maybe they will stay married after the triathlon, or maybe it will be one of those Kardashian marriages.
You missed the point.
Please report back in six months the update and status.
Heaven help him if he is stricken with MS or some other illness that is debilitating. Sounds like she could still use a little more balance in her perspective of marriage. Being fit is great but even the most fit can find their health compromised in a moment due to illness or accident.
I think this was a wonderful idea, who would have thought, "in fitness and in health" love it, good luck in the triathlon, please keep us posted on the weight loss!!!
.....and then she had kids.
I get the cutsie factor here .... but if their vows said "in fitness and in health" does that mean if, g-d forbid, one of them actually DOES develop and illness that they are no longer obligated to that person. After all – they didn't vow to hang around in sickness .... only in health???
I have a friend that swears if her husband gets cancer or debilitated she is leaving him in a heartbeat. The questions of this author staying with her hubby if fitness isn't kept is a valid one.
Pretty please, go f*** yourself.
Great blog, Adrienne. So happy for you, your new husband, your children, and your students. See you in Malibu!
Competing for 3 or 4 triathlons a year and 5k means you are constantly training for something. It's an awful way to live, I know people who do this with marathons. You mind as well become a hamster on a wheel. If you are in the Malibu area, there are tons of fun hiking trails that is a great hobby for you and the new hubby. Hiking is a great way to connect with each other and you will get in shape(nice firm behind). Then there's all the water activities. Training for things will get boring, being active and trying new things should be a way of life. It's good for your soul, marriage and waistline.
Some people are just goal oriented. I know I am...which is why I am always training for races. It also helps me with my main goal, which is to live a healthy life after spending so many years living as a fat slob.
91 pounds gone and counting!
Perhaps you see it as a awrful way to live because you don't do it
Struggling all my life with weight, I understand where she is coming from. I know that she's trying to remind herself of her goals by saying "fitness" and having it infront of her always as a lifestyle change. I don't think that is what marriage should be based on though. What if one of them gets fat? What if one of them have injuries in the future and are not as fit? Would that be a reason and cause for divorce? I don't know, but there is a reason for the way the vows are now.
It is a blessing just knowing you.
I've managed to keep meat in my diet just fine. I just cut the portion sizes. I'm up to 138 lbs lost so far and hope to lose another 7 at least, 17 if I can keep up this pace. It's getting tiring to exercise as much as I do(I exercise more before I am a stay at home mom, I don't work on my feet all day so I don't burn as many calories as someone who is employed). Not that I'll stop altogether once I do reach my goal. I just won't have to keep exercising as much to lose weight and can get by with 30 minutes a day to maintain. With that I am on my way out the door to the gym! Walking there, doing the elliptical and some weight lifting, then walking back!
Your story was just the kind I was thinking of when I started "Brides Run", a series of 5K events for brides to be and their entire wedding parties. Good Luck and keep up the great work!
Awesome Story, Adrienne !! So proud of you, and the other lucky 7 – go and get it y'all !! I am also so pleased to have met you at CNN one fine day
This is a beautiful story and let me just say it is totally unnessesary for any of these people to be taking the time out of their day to write hateful comments. If you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say it at all. Congratulations and keep up the fabulous work!
I think this is such an inspiring story! I hope that this couple is able to continue this commitment they made to each other, both the marriage and the lifestyle changes. In today's society both commitments are nearly impossible feats to keep! Congratulations on your marriage and lifestyle choices!
This is such a romantic love story. What is more important is that fact that both people share the same passion!
http://essential-first.com/fruits/the-5-must-eat-fruits-280/