Rudy's Comments: I've know Darlene for a few years now. She has worked out consistently since I've known her. I did this interview with her at her home gym which is larger than some studio gyms I've been in. I like to think that I've been instrumental in helping her decide to become a fitness trainer herself.
Darlene Kazarian
Rudy: Have you always worked out? Did you need to?
Darlene: (Laughing) I was always pretty thin, but had some body fat. You know, I was what they call thin fat, or cardio fat. I wasn’t really fat, but I just looked kind of pudgy, and I didn’t have any muscle tone at all. I started working out when I started having children.
Rudy: I guess that’s enough to make anyone work out. How old were you?
Darlene: I guess I was about 28 years old. Back then I did mostly cardio, aerobic, jazzercise, remember jazzercise, I guess that dates me (laughing). After awhile, since I was in a gym, I decided to try some light weights.
Rudy: You worked out in a big gym like 24 Hour Fitness?
Darlene: No, it was a small gym, not like a studio, but not as big as one of the new gyms. It was a small gym in Irvine (California). I really didn’t know what to do. People would kind of show me, and I’d watch people. I really didn’t know what I was doing.
Rudy: Is that what made you decide to try a trainer?
Darlene: I wanted to hire a trainer right away, but I really couldn’t afford it. I kind of worked out off and on for a lot of years before I really got serious.
Rudy: When would you say you “really got serious?”
Darlene: My boys were older. I had more time, and I could afford to have a trainer. I was about 46 years old.
Rudy: You felt a personal trainer was critical?
Darlene: I guess it’s not critical for everyone, but I wanted to get better results. I knew I wanted more definition, and I knew I wasn’t doing things right.
Rudy: And did you get results right away?
Darlene: Yeah, I got some results right away, but after awhile I learned there’s a lot of difference between one trainer and another. At first I didn’t know what to look for, but over time I seemed to get better and better trainers. One thing that really helped was when I finally got a trainer who started to talk about diet. That was just a few years ago. . I used to think that if you just worked out, that was enough. But then, the trainers started to tell me I’d have to do diet too.
Rudy: Really, some trainers never mentioned diet?
Darlene: Yeah, hard to believe, but true. I now realize that diet’s a big part of things.
Rudy: Can you give a brief description of what they told you?
Darlene: Well, looking back on it, I probably would have been better off to get a diet consultation. But when trainers would offer it, I just thought they were trying to charge for something I didn’t really need. Basically, the thing I remember being told is to stay away from anything white.
Rudy: I’m kind of offended by that.
Darlene: (Laughing) It’s funny, but that little idea made a big difference for me. I cut out white bread, sugar, flour, rice, and potatoes. I started eating more vegetables, fish, chicken, and low calorie oil on my salads.
Rudy: Do you feel you have to do more, be stricter with things, cardio, strength, diet, as time goes by. How can I say this gently, as you get older?
Darlene: Oh yeah, you have to do more, but it’s not really that hard. You can keep the time about the same, but just use more intensity. Besides, over time you have the energy to do more.
Rudy: I understand you are now working to be a fitness trainer yourself.
Darlene: Yeah, I guess I’m in pretty good shape. People often ask me what I do to keep this way. When I tell them, they always ask questions. Lately I’ve begun to think, “I know a lot about this. I could help other people, so I ought to try it.”
Rudy: So, to finish up, could you give me what you do for strength training, cardiovascular training, and your diet/food for an average week?
Darlene: Ok, well for cardio I use the treadmill, then elliptical, back and forth for about 10 to 15 minutes each time for a total of 45 minutes. I use medium intensity. I do that about two days a week after I do my strength training. One day a week I go to an hour spinning class. I usually walk my dog for about two miles two days a week.
Rudy: For strength training?
Darlene: Right now, because I’m recovering from elective surgery, I work out two or three times a week, full body workout. You should know that. I’m training with you.
Rudy: (Laughing) Yeah, but I want everyone else to know it. And what about your diet/food?
Darlene: Well, probably one of the best tricks I’ve learned about that lately is to eat 5 small meals a day, keeping my calorie count right. For example, I count a protein bar or shake as a meal. I usually have one of those once a day.
Rudy: So as a final overall comment, what would you say about working out?
Darlene: Well, as you know I had surgery, and I couldn’t work out for over two months. What a difference it made in my life! I just felt much slower. Just, kind of, felt bad all over. Working out puts me in a better mood, makes me feel happier. Just makes me feel better all over. I’ve been working out for long enough now, that I just really missed it. When I couldn’t do it, I realized how important it was to me.
Rudy: There’s one other thing I want to talk to you about, and that’s putting your age in this interview and on the web page. How do you feel about that?
Darlene: Well, that shouldn’t be any problem since I’m 25 (laughter).
Rudy: No, really, it’s one thing to be in shape at 25, although I see a lot of out of shape 25 year olds, but to be in shape at, what, 52. . . ?
Darlene: 53, I’ll have you know.
Rudy: 53, being in shape at 53 is not just great, it’s inspirational!
Darlene: OK, you sold me. You can write that I’m 53 years old anywhere you want.