In the back of his mind, Allen Canterbury was aware that his weight had spiraled out of control. But it wasn’t until a statement on his medical chart caught his eye and inspired him to do something about it. The physician had described him as a morbidly obese male, recalls Canterbury. “I knew how I was feeling; I looked in the mirror. But seeing those words really motivated me.”
So in June of 2001 Canterbury decided it was time to increase his activity level. He started slowly, sticking to his Taylor Boulevard neighborhood and walking for 30 minutes a day. After a few weeks, he added 15 minutes of running to his routine, then 30 minutes. By December of 2001 Canterbury, now 58, was calling himself a runner.
Though he had tried various diets over the years, Canterbury had achieved no continued success. He began reading fitness journals to gain a better understanding of health and fitness issues. Sedentary for most of his life, he described his altered attitude as “finally getting the desire to do something.”
In addition to exercising, Canterbury also made some major nutritional changes. He eliminated red meat from his diet and drastically reduced the amount of fried foods he consumed.
A significant discovery he made through his research is that it takes 20 minutes for the brain to receive signals from the stomach. “It’s like on Thanksgiving, when halfway through the meal you suddenly feel really bad.” When he realized he could be full long before he stopped eating, Canterbury began paying close attention to the rate at which he consumed his meals.
He further restricted his calorie consumption by changing his snacking habits. An avid viewer of television’s “West Wing” and “NYPD Blue,” he would often “get hungry and grab potato chips or cookies.” Now he reaches for fruit or a big glass of water instead, making certain he drinks at least 64 ounces a day.
By August 2002, Canterbury had lost one hundred pounds and achieved his goal weight of 185 pounds. He’s confident and devoted to keeping it off. “I’ve made a lifestyle change,” he says. And besides, he loves to run.
RUNNING TOWARDS FITNESS
Though the retail schedule of his job at Dillard’s department store sometimes throws him off, Canterbury prefers to run in the morning. His favorite spot is “the back side of Iroquois Park just at daylight. You can hear the woodpeckers; even see a deer every now and then. It’s so neat to find that kind of quiet in the middle of the city.”
His interest in competitive running began in late 2001, when he was just a beginner. Canterbury noticed an informative article in Kentuckiana HealthFitness Magazine about the Triple Crown of Running – the 10K, 10-Mile and miniMarathon, which have become popular precursory events to the Kentucky Derby. When he discussed his desire to participate in the 10K, a coworker said, “Why do just one? Why not do all of them?” So Canterbury put his mind to it and gradually increased the time and length of his training to over four miles a day. By his second miniMarathon, he ran the whole way.
His advice for anyone who wishes to lose weight and improve health is to make permanent alterations. “Just put your mind to it – if I can do it, you can.” A tactic Canterbury finds extremely helpful is to keep pictures of his former self at hand. “I used to have one on the bulletin board at work. I’d look at it and think, never again!”
Canterbury cites support as another key element to his success. Wife Marilyn and close personal friends “made a lot of encouraging comments.” He describes the Louisville running community as great and very welcoming. He credits George and Jean Edwards as being his inspiration. “They are active in the peace community and are just marvelous people,” he said. “They mean a lot to my spiritual life.”
The benefits Canterbury has reaped from his new love of activity include a much higher energy level and better interpersonal relationships. A member of the Fellowship Reconciliation, he now participates wholeheartedly in their marches for peace. “Before, I couldn’t do the mile or two-mile walks without getting worn out. It would absolutely kill me. But now I run from one /files/storyimages/of the group to the other and help with traffic.”
On a recent vacation Canterbury returned to the rural community where he used to perform pastoral work. “I knocked on the doors of a few old friends,” he recalls, smiling with delight. “Two of them refused to let me in. They didn’t recognize me. They said, ‘What happened to all of you?’”
He recounts a consult with his doctor about some possible arthritic symptoms. The doctor told him that he didn’t really need to run. “Well,” Canterbury replied with conviction, “that’s a matter of opinion.”
Sara Crutchfield is a freelance writer for Kentuckiana HealthFitness Magazine. Sara has a B.A. in English from the University of Louisville.
