Meet our Step Challenge Spokesperson: Emily Fava

Hi everyone!  My name is Emily and I am a spokesperson for the SparkPittsburgh Step Challenge.  When I’m not working hard at WTAE-TV, I spend my time enjoying the outdoors with my friends and family, in Pilates class, and trying out new recipes.

 

I have always been very active, but my activity level has gone down since I made the transition from a student to a full-time employee.  I am indoors for a majority of the day every day and most of my energy goes into my computer screen, not the weight machine. I find myself tired, hungry, and unmotivated at the end of each day.  This is a big change to the way that I used to be.

 

Growing up I played volleyball and swam for my high school swim team.  In the summer months I worked as a lifeguard for CitiParks and taught group lessons to children.  During college I spent hours at the gym every day.  I went to Pilates classes three times a week and taught swimming lessons at my local YMCA.  I was in great shape but analyzed every aspect of my life in relation to my body.  If I ate something with white flour I would count it against myself and this may not have been the best way to manage my weight.

 

Now that I am working full-time, I am finding it harder and harder to take care of myself physically. I no longer live two blocks from my favorite workout spot, wake up far too early to make it to the gym, and sit for most of the day.  My eating habits have always been healthy but without the extra push that high intensity workouts give you, my ideal activity level will never be met.   My early morning high-cardio workouts have now been replaced with low energy evening workouts and I would like to make a change.  With little time for myself each day, I have put on a few pounds and would like to shed them.  That is why I am participating in this challenge.  I live in a bustling, walkable community.  I think that this challenge will give me the extra push to walk to my favorite social spots and run to my new gym!

 

Through this challenge I hope to spend more time outdoors (especially before it gets cold outside), more time planning my meals, and less time in my comfortable work chair.

 

Good luck everyone and may the BEST stepper win!