Global Marathon Runner in her 70s with Mary Newell

Mary Newell is a 74 year old runner who started running at 55 and never stopped. She is a mostly retired clinical psychologist. Her two passions are running and travel. She combines them as much as possible. We were introduced to Mary by Wendy Battles, the host of the Reinvention Rebels podcast. Mary’s story is inspiring and we really wanted to talk with her on the Fit Strong Women Over 50 podcast. More info at our website: Becoming Elli

In episode 176, Chris and Jill speak with Laurie Lewis, an Intermittent Fasting and Wellness Coach.  With intermittent fasting as the foundation, Laurie teaches how to break free from the punishment-diet paradigm we live in. She shows how to tune into our body’s inner compass, have a daily eating window, and experience improvements in every aspect of our lives. Laurie has Health Coach Certification from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Her company is called Fast Forward Intermittent Fasting and she offers customized coaching services.  We discuss: Why dieting doesn't work What the health benefits of intermittent fasting are How many hours of fasting vs eating window to start and how to make changes Clean eating and how that is important Why flavored teas or flavored waters do not count toward fasting hours How to use intermittent fasting as a way to maintain a weight loss The importance of protein during peri and menopause Why strength training is important Links: Visit our website at Becoming Elli for more information and links.

In episode 175, Jill and Chris speak with Sally Duplantier, a gerontologist, health educator and researcher. She founded her current company, Zing, with a mission to help older adults live their best lives longer through better lifestyle choices and health equity. She is passionate about increasing Healthspan—the number of years we are free of chronic disease and disability. Sally returned to school in her 60s. She received an MS in gerontology from the University of Southern California and a graduate certificate in Qualitative Research from Indiana University. She was recently accepted into a doctoral program at the Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health.  Sally is a regular guest speaker for organizations like Stanford University and the American College of Lifestyle Medicine. Her research has been published in peer-reviewed journals such as Nutrients and The International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. We discussed:     For more information, visit our website: BecomingElli.com  

When we saw what Jill Johnson posted on social media at the beginning of this year, we knew we wanted to talk with her!  Three years ago, she was not walking -- fast forward to the end of 2024 when she was able to pull a sled with 4 plates  equaling 245 pounds for nearly 50 feet across the gym floor! The video she posted is inspirational too! She attributes her success to surrounding herself with the right people: a strongman competitor who saw her potential and a coach who knew how to unlock it. She obviously knows about overcoming challenges, getting strong and being motivated. For more information, visit our website at www.becomingelli.com

In episode #173, Jill and Chris talk with Kerstin Schulze, a powerhouse in both entertainment and wellness.  Originally from Germany, Kerstin’s journey began with a silver medal at the Junior Olympics in Berlin. From there, she pursued her love for performance with formal theater training and a business degree before making her way to Los Angeles. Kerstin’s acting career is extensive. She’s worked with many well-known actors and directors. Her IMDb page is impressive. She founded Party and Diet 24 years ago –  an innovative fitness company that specializes in providing tailored nutritional and exercise programs now designed specifically for individuals aged 40-75. For more information visit our website: BecomingElli.com

In episode #172 Jill and Chris explore quick go-to dinners that are easy to make and healthy for those nights that you are rushed and tempted to make less healthy choices. We feature go to dinners from: Amanda Nighbert - episode #96 Living Energized and  Nourished with Amanda Nighbert  Carol Simpson - episode #109 Rock Climbing and Yoga  Jone Carpenter - episode #104 Find Your Tribe  Joyce Guenther - episode #107 Bicycling all 50 States Katie Orlando - episode #114 Sharing Love of Tennis with Katie Orlando  Kristin Kirkpatrick - episode #82 Nutrition for Women over 50 with Kristin Kirkpatrick Lisa Bartlett - episode #86 Fit after Fifty Forever with Lisa Bartlett Pat Bissell - episode #168 Find Your Passion and Stay Healthy with Pat Bissell For links go to our website at www.BecomingElli.com

We met Karen when she joined our Becoming Elli private facebook group. She has such a compelling story, we asked her to be a guest on our podcast. Karen Clark-Snitchler is a Music Director and Conductor. She has an impressive list of plays and musicals that she has music directed. By day, Karen is a music teacher. She also started a “Girls on the Run” club at her elementary school. Karen has lost over 100 pounds and become an athlete. She runs and strength trains. In 2020, Karen’s husband died suddenly of a heart attack. Not wanting to make their two daughters orphans, she decided to make a lot of health changes. She started at 276 pounds and over a couple of years, lost 100 pounds on WW and also took up running. For more information and links, visit our website at https://becomingelli.com/losing-100-pounds-and-finding-health/

Suzanne Fowler is a regular listener to the Fit Strong Women Over 50 podcast and a member of the Becoming Elli Community. She watched her parents' health decline and decided to prepare for the aging process. Chris and Jill spoke with Suzanne about how she recently re-invented herself and now lives in an active and engaging environment.  In this episode we talk about getting started with strength training and progressing to the next level. For more information visit our website at BecomingElli.com  

In this episode, we talk together about the successes and challenges of 2024. We realize that everyone is on their own fitness and health journey. Not everything works for everyone, but by following the Becoming Elli community and listening to the Fit Strong Women Over 50 podcast, you'll come away inspired, motivated and having a good sense of what you want to do to stay fit and strong. Some of the highlights of 2024 included some interviews with interesting guests, learning about new techniques at Podcast Movement 2024 and trying new challenges like eating the rainbow. For more information visit our website: BecomingElli.com

Pat Bissell talks with Jill and Chris about how she found her passion and has consistently found ways to stay healthy and fit.  A long time friend of Chris's, Pat describes herself as a very active mature female. She has been active her whole life always enjoying sports, exercise classes and strength training for the past 25 years. For more info and links visit our website at BecomingElli.com