Posted on: Monday, May 16, 2005
FITNESS PROFILE
Full life, healthy diet ensures fitness
By Paula Rath
Advertiser Staff Writer
Brad Baliad is the kind of guy you love to hate — he has trouble keeping weight on. "I've never been a big rice or pasta person," he said. Dining is just not that important to him.
Photo courtesy of Brad Baliad In addition to eating right and working out every day, Baliad likes to exercise his mind after a physical workout. He reads voraciously for pleasure as well as to keep up with the latest developments in his profession as a nurse anesthetist.
The stress of his career makes vacation critically important to Baliad's well-being.
His vacation of choice? Snowboarding.
Name: Brad Baliad. Age: 41. Profession: Nurse anesthetist, The Queen's Medical Center. Height: 5-feet-8. Weight: 150. Workout habits: Goes to the gym five times a week for weight training, rotating muscle groups over a four-day cycle. He changes his weight routine often because, he said, "You have to keep it new or your body will adapt, and you won't make the kind of gains you would like." For cardio he walks on a treadmill. He kite-surfs every day that wind and his work schedule allow and travels to the Mainland for snowboarding three to four times a year.
When and why I started working out: Baliad was a high school athlete growing up in Michigan, playing basketball, baseball and football. Since becoming an adult, he said, "I always look for something I find exciting and can develop a passion for. The better you get (at a sport), the more fun you have doing it."
Photo courtesy of Brad Baliad My biggest motivator: "There's a lot of payoff. Everybody wants to look good and feel good. You release endorphins and it feels great. It boosts self-esteem." My biggest roadblock to fitness: "Sometimes I just don't feel too terrific, but I go to the gym anyway, and I feel great afterwards. If I don't work out I feel terrible. It's a way of life for me." What saves my sanity: "When I was in anesthesia school, I thought I was too busy to work out. For two months I didn't do anything, and I felt really terrible. I bought a Soloplex and did just half an hour a day. That 30 minutes a day was enough to get me through." My challenge: "My challenge is when I pick up a new sport, I'll work on things to get better and better. I always have a goal in mind. It's important to set a different standard and push yourself." Advice for those in the same boat: "Change your lifestyle. Going on a diet doesn't work for most people. They just go back to their old habits and wonder why they gained the weight again. Consistency is key. You may not always feel like going to the gym, but you have to make it a habit if you want to gain long-lasting benefits."
"Feed the machine" is his approach to eating. It's all about proper nutrition and the nutrients that will keep him healthy and fit, and enable him to achieve all that he wants to achieve.
Brad Baliad at Big Sky in Montana in 2002. Baliad, 41, combines daily exercise with active vacations to keep fitness a priority in his busy life.
My good foods/bad foods: "Nutrition is huge," Baliad said with emphasis. He never eats junk food, opting to eat five small meals a day: "Timing is important in regard to how you eat. If it's been three hours, I know it's time to eat," he explained. He eats lean red meats only occasionally, preferring fish and chicken. He takes protein supplements daily, and also favors oatmeal, green tea, salads, fruit and cottage cheese.
Brad Baliad at Jackson Hole, Wyoming. In daily workouts, Baliad believes in setting goals as a way to improve performance.
