Since Marc Katz, founder and owner of Katz’s Deli and Bar at 618 W.
Marc was encouraged to join the fitness program, created by RunTex CEO Paul Carozza and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Texas Executive Director Kenny Taylor, by Danny Baker, general manager KTBC Fox7 Austin. One Ton o’ Fun is made up of ten teams whose members will lose a total of a ton of weight by the ThunderCloud Subs Annual Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving by adopting a healthy, active lifestyle. Marc now captains his team, made up of 10 of his friends, including his wife, S’Kati. S’Kati runs five miles each morning and takes boxing classes several times each week.
S’Kati explained that she previously encouraged Marc to exercise, and that he has tried using treadmills at the gym, but grew bored and gave up. The support of his One Ton o’ Fun team, as well as the variety of workouts taught by Ron Perry, the team’s coach, has helped Marc to avoid becoming bored with the fitness program.
Although Perry is a triathlete, Marc said he does not feel pressured to compete with anyone. When the program started, Perry began teaching the team the basics about how to approach fitness. The team was fitted for shoes at RunTex and the coach explained that they should walk at a pace at which they can talk, and not go too fast or too far. Perry stressed the importance of taking it slow and being consistent, especially when first starting out. The team’s nutritionist told the team to eat better food more often, and to eat smaller portions less often of unhealthy food, rather than cutting things they like out completely.
“Moderation is the key word,” S’Kati said.
Perry also told the group that sitting on an exercise ball instead of a chair would help to improve their posture. Marc had long suffered back pain due to a problem with his sciatic nerve, and had previously been advised that in order to alleviate the pain he had to lose weight. However, sitting on the exercise ball fixed his problem, and he no longer experiences that pain.
In addition to working out with his team a few times a week, Marc walks with his two dogs, Bailey Girl and Bailey Boy, near his downtown home. While he does not set a time or distance for his walks, his goal is to make it a consistent part of his schedule.
“When I first started, I realized that wherever I go, I have to come back,” Marc said.
Doing water aerobics with his team has also broadened Marc’s fitness horizon. He explained that before he joined One Ton o’ Fun, he did not realize he could be in a swimming pool without a cigar in his mouth.
Approaching a healthy, active lifestyle that is realistic is important to Marc, especially since he is around food all day, as the owner of a restaurant. He said he now only eats when sitting down instead of grazing throughout the day. He substitutes healthy food, such as seafood, lean meat and vegetables, for most of his meals, and has cut down on carbohydrates and simple sugars.
“Nothing is terrible in moderation. No one said not to have a steak or a Reuben,” he said. Marc explained that he has really cut down on margaritas since the program began.
S’Kati, who was raised by a “father who was a health nut,” explained that working in a restaurant makes sticking to a healthy diet easier than having to eat at a desk or in a car, like many people must do. Working in the restaurant, Marc has access to a variety of healthy things like whole wheat toast and poached eggs for breakfast, she said.
Marc said S’Kati’s encouragement and support have helped him stick to the new healthy lifestyle he has picked up from One Ton o’ Fun. He said she keeps track of what he eats by monitoring security cameras at the restaurant, and she limits the amount of unhealthy food he eats at home.
“I don’t know why they put lids on ice cream,” he said, explaining why S’Kati keeps only healthy food in their house. He said the awareness he has gained through One Ton o’ Fun has made him understand how healthy his restaurant’s menu actually is. One section of the menu, called “S’Kati’s Market District Vegetarian Specialties,” includes a vegetable omelet, a potato and kasha knish and beet borscht.
S’Kati said that while having the support of his team is keeping Marc going during One Ton o’ Fun, she thinks he will stick with this lifestyle after the program is over.
“He won’t have the group, but he still has me. He’s not getting out of it,” she said.
Marc said he feels much better and more energetic since joining the program.
“I don’t think I could go without it now,” Marc said.
One Ton o' Fun is sponsored by the RunTex Foundation, KTBC Fox7 Austin, Austin Fit Magazine, FitCity, the Livestrong Challenge, Ironsmith, O2 Austin, New Balance and Tonyia Cone Communications. For more information on the program, which benefits Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Texas and the Neighborhood Longhorns Program, visit www.onetonofun.com.
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