Tag Archives: tough mudder

Alan Ali lost 140 Pounds, “My Weight Doesn’t Define Me or My Abilities”

At Diets In Review we meet some truly inspirational people, Alan Ali is one of them. His brave admission about his struggle with binge eating, and his encouraging attitude make him one of our favorites. We even named him best “selfie of the year.” Though he’s already lost an astonishing 140 pounds, he’s determined to lose more. Along the way, he’s also learning that his weight doesn’t define him, or his abilities.

Alan Ali Collage 1 crop

At 480 pounds, Alan was miserable. In 2024, he knew he’d hit rock bottom. “I found myself recently laid off from a job that I loved, I had just been diagnosed with sleep apnea, I was borderline diabetic, and my feet and legs always felt numb,” he said.

“I hated my life and I decided I wanted better for myself, I deserved better.” Overweight most of his life, Alan knew he needed to get help, not only with losing weight, but also fighting the demon that would be his biggest challenge, binge eating.

Food was my solution to all my problems and stressors in life.

Alan knew he needed a guide so he met with a registered dietitian. “I was lucky to find one that I really connected with,” he explained. “I ended up working with her for about a year. She taught me a lot about food and how to eat with balance in my life.”

When Alan admitted to himself that he suffered from a binge eating disorder, it was time to admit it to someone else. “I remember the first time I told my Mama about my binge eating, it was one of the best things I ever did,” Alan admitted. “It felt great to just get it off my chest and tell someone. I just needed to say it out loud; I needed to hear myself say it.”

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Posted on May 31, 2023 by Dani Stone

EXCLUSIVE: Training Plan for Obstacle Races like the Warrior Dash

mud run

A client came to me not long ago and said she was planning to do a Warrior Dash event with her daughter. She wanted to know if I thought she could do it. Would she be able to participate with knees that didn’t let her run very fast or very long?

My response was the running was the least of her concerns when it came to an obstacle course type of race. I told her I wasn’t worried about her at all because I knew she was strong, fit and capable. I knew months of functional fitness training (plus clean eating!) would get her through the race just fine.

Her concern was indicative of the mistake most people make when they sign for a Warrior Dash or a Tough Mudder. They focus on covering the distance and not the obstacles that will be in their path. Working on leg endurance should be part of your training program, but it’s important to balance it with body weight training. If you are training for your first Warrior Dash, here’s a five-exercise workout I recommend to help you prepare for the challenges you’ll face:

  1. Mountain Climbers: You many not be climbing an actual mountain but you will be climbing. Using your hip flexors and core will be key in tackling walls and crawling challenges like Road Rage.
  2. TRX Row: I love using suspension trainers to practice pulling a client’s own body weight. The exercise can be made more challenging by taking your body lower and more parallel to the ground. (more…)
Posted on April 24, 2023 by Pamela

How Fitbloggin’ Founder Roni Noone Lost 70 Pounds and Became a Tough Mudder Addict

Roni Noone is one of our favorite healthy bloggers and for good reason. More than eight years ago she lost 70 pounds and still boasts a lean, strong body today despite two kids, plenty of diet blunders and a hectic schedule. The best part about it? She’s just an everyday mom being real, trying to stay healthy and inspiring others to do the same. If you’ve never met Roni, prepare to be inspired.

Roni’s weight struggles began around age 12 when she saw a photograph of herself and didn’t like what she saw. “That’s when I started obsessing over becoming thinner – skipping lunch and trying not to eat much at home,” she said. “I starting the yo-yo cycle of deprivation and binging, and I did that throughout high school.”Roni-Noone-Before-and-After

Though it helped her maintain a “healthy weight” through her teens, the cycle of binging and starving did her more harm later on in college. By the time she graduated she weighed 210 pounds, and the struggle didn’t stop there.

After college when the low carb craze was all the rage, Roni hopped on the band wagon and cut out nearly all carbs from her diet. Though it helped her lose weight initially, she inevitably gained it all back. To make matters worse, she and her husband were hoping to start a family soon, so reaching a healthy weight became critical. (more…)

Posted on April 17, 2024 by Dana

Tough Mudder Challengers Put Endurance Races to the Test

So, you think running is a little boring and you need some flair to spice it up? The incredibly popular Tough Mudder events do more than spice up running, they are definitively hardcore. You’ll see one of these increasingly popular endurance races on tonight’s Biggest Loser. The three remaining contestants for season 13 are joined by the winners from seasons 10, 11, and 12, Patrick, Olivia, and John.

All Tough Mudder events, billed as “the toughest event on the planet,” are 10-12 mile obstacle courses designed by British Special Forces. The organization states that the courses are designed to test one’s “all around strength, stamina, mental grit, and camaraderie.” These events are a far cry from road racing, or even trail racing. Tough Mudder has three pillars that it stands upon:

1. Because running is boring.
2. Mudders (participants) do not take themselves too seriously.
3. You cannot complete a Tough Mudder course alone.

All participants have to agree to the Tough Mudder Pledge before entering the event.

As a Tough Mudder I Pledge That…

  • I understand that Tough Mudder is not a race but a challenge.
  • I put teamwork and camaraderie before my course time.
  • I do not whine- Kids whine.
  • I help my fellow Mudders complete the course.
  • I overcome all fears. (more…)
Posted on April 24, 2023 by Lacy