You At Your Best

SATURdAY, JUnE 29, 2019 | JUlY - ExERciSE & FiTnESS nwAdg.cOm/YOUATYOURBEST | YOU AT YOUR BEST | 9 By KAREn RiCE nWA DEMoCRAT-GAzETTE "We're gonna have the best looking butts in Bella Vista!" That's Lucy Quarti, inspiring her Saturday morning "Total Body Workout" class at the Metfield fitness facility in Bella Vista. Her comment is met with smiles and laughter. Lucy teaches nine exercise classes a week in Bella Vista. Her classes combine many disciplines: cardio, pilates, yoga, balance and strength training. But they all have one thing in common: Lucy's unbridled enthusiasm. At just around 5 feet tall, she's a diminutive force to be reckoned with. Energetic, smiling, laughing and whooping—she knows how to get her crowd going. Lucy says she's "always been like this" and admits she was a cheerleader in high school, "no joke." And she thinks that being an exercise instructor just may be her calling. "This is who I am. It's not an act," she laughs. "Luckily, I can channel it all for my teaching. I think that's the reason I'm here." The average age in her classes, Lucy estimates, is about 60. There are younger people, but also a fair number of octogenarians. Lucy herself is 61. So she understands the challenges of exercising at 60, as opposed to at 30 years old. And the importance of it. "We're all living longer and with better medical care. Oh, they'll keep you going," she laughs. "But it's up to you to stay strong. Because if you take a tumble, you want to be able to get back up. To have the core strength to do it. That's what I want for people." Lucy herself has rheumatoid arthritis and had back-to-back hip replacements last fall. Two weeks after each surgery she was teaching classes again. She credits her recovery to her exercise practice, and says her doctors and nurses told her 'we wanna be you.' Exercise has always been a part of Lucy's life, from the time she was a young girl playing tennis with her dad. But she understands that for many people, work and family commitments get in the way of an exercise practice. And she understands the intimidation factor for someone who may not have stepped foot in a gym in years—or possibly, ever. "It can be very intimidating to go into a class where you don't know anyone, and maybe you don't think you're in the best shape. I myself would be intimidated going into a big gym," she admits. "That's why I try to be very welcoming. We all learn each other's names. I tell people 'if you walk through that door into my classroom, you're my hero.'" Lucy does have one class rule: no diet talk. She says her mother used to say 'never bring a diet in public,' and she stays true to that maxim. "We don't talk about food or weight or diets in class," Lucy firmly states. "I tell people to throw their scales away cause that's just a number. You know if you're gaining or losing weight. Pay attention to how you feel." Her advice to someone who wants to start exercising again, or for the first time? "Begin. Begin where you are with what you have. So what if the person next to you can walk twice as fast and lift twice as much? Even the slightest step forward is a great step." Above all, Lucy wants participants in her class to find the joy in exercise. "Age is not a factor. We're all young on the inside," Lucy stresses. "And that's what I bring out. They get silly. They start dancing. I love it. " "I say be the best version of yourself at the age you are, everyday," she says. "this is not a quick fix. We all face challenges. It is how you react to those challenges that makes or breaks you daily." Lucy believes daily exercise is one of those things that can 'make you,' no matter your age, weight or fitness level. "I don't care where you are. You can get there, everyone can," she enthuses. And, a good-looking butt is just a bonus. "We're all young on the inside" lucy, Quarti (front row, right) and class participants "Go to a beginning class," she suggests. "Your brain has to be like 'we like this,' when you're walking out. Otherwise you won't come back." Also, Melissa says your workout should be convenient. And no longer than an hour. "If you're in the gym for 2 hours, not only are you not doing it correctly, but your brain is making that mental note that you have to have at least 3 hours a day to work out," she points out. And, "Everything about it has to be convenient. Like the time of day— convenient. The location—convenient. If you're like 'it's 20 minutes away'…nope, that's not the gym for you. Go somewhere closer." Strength training for results "Cardio is good for the lungs and heart. It's going to make you a smaller version of yourself," Melissa maintains, but "Strength training will help distribute the weight. It will resculpt your body." Melissa also notes that the older we get, the more we need strength training to keep our metabolism high and our bones strong. If we don't build up our quadriceps (the muscles on the top of our thighs), for instance, our knees will get weak. Learning about the body machine Most gyms offer a free first personal training session, and Melissa thinks that's a great way to get started, especially if you're older or have never worked out. "My kid has a softball trainer for pitching. If I didn't know how to use my computer, I'd go find someone to help me use it," she points out. "The body is a beautiful and complex machine. And there's a lot to learn." "At the Jones Center, we do a 30 minute session for free," she says. "You can even pay for a couple more sessions—that only costs $40—and I can give you some workouts. I'll pick out classes I think you should start with, depending on your age and body type, and where you're at in your fitness." Active lifestyles and good habits Melissa also encourages her clients to develop a habit of active living. "Walking the dog for an hour should be a staple," she says. "After a big dinner, you should feel like: let's take a walk, or let's ride bikes. Garden. Park far away at the grocery store. Get out with your kids and play." The way Melissa sees it, physical fitness just makes the world a better place. "We wouldn't have war if people would work out, eat right and love each other," she laughs. "Go work out—you'll be too tired to be angry. And it's the best cure for depression." Plus, she firmly believes an exercise habit has a trickle-down effect. "It's proven that if you can pick up one good habit then it will spark other good habits," she notes. "First, it's 'I'm gonna work out.' Then, 'I need to starting eating right. I need to drink more water. I need to go to bed on time.' You can see all the other good things that would come from that if you can just get that one thing down."

• Cover