Hi !
My name is Sabine Spies. I am a middle aged woman and I am living in a small town in the south of Germany at the foot of the Swabian Hills. From my balcony I have a very nice view to two of the three “Kaiserberge”. So every day I am reminded to its historical occurrences. We don`t know but perhaps Kaiser Friedrich Barbarossa set foot on the beautiful island of Gozo. As I set foot on Gozo in September 2007 for the first time with a friend who is the manager of a cottage – agency I “fell in love” with the island out off a sudden: Spectacular views from the cliffs, Cliff-windows, for Gozo typical flat hills, the sound of the rolling waves on the cliffs, the twittering of migrating birds, the warm colour of the ochre stones, the nice and friendly people and the gozitan tongue left a deep impression in me.
Ideas and plans for wellness – journeys on Gozo and other landscapes in Italy couldn`t be realized as I wished. So in June 2008 I had enough time to visit Gozo again. At the travel-agency of Anja Jokisch I booked b+b in Xlendi. Anja offered me walks with John Michael Mizzi. I was interested in these walks because I wanted to visit Gozo with some members of my two nordic-walking-clubs. Already the first time when I met John, I told him that I am a dietician who loves her profession. I qualification in 1989 at the dieticians school in Ulm. From 1991 to 1999 I even taught at this school. In 2001 I made the education and training for Diabetic Assistants. I told him that I am supporting a self help group of diabetics in the district of Göppingen. John asked me if I have to have a special education and qualification to guide such a nordic – walking – club. I explained him that all those guides need a special education. In the workshops the participants are showed and taught how to teach somebody nordic walking. I am having great joy in teaching the special way of this type of walking. And it is a perfect addition to my profession; just in weight loss - and diabetic workshops it is very important to show the patients how to do sports although they have a handicap.
As I walked a 7km long circuit in 2002 with my walking groups in Stuttgart and as we came with the last runners of the half marathon through the marathon-gate into the stadium and as the spectators made a “La Ola Wave” to motivate us to walk the last 200m as fast as we can, there I decided: The next time you will finish the half marathon – an so it happened.
In the following years was exciting for me to finish the half marathon with the “La Ola Wave” and then the idea “Marathon” came into my head. And I thought: Is it possible for you to run after an half marathon 21.1 km again ? As I read the enthusiastically a review of the Rom-Marathon in a runner`s magazine, my answer was : “Yes, I can.” The whole will be a sightseeing tour through Rome. My aim was: to finish. And I finished in 5:53 h. The last 4-5 km were terrible hard. But the “track marshals” shouted “ Bravo “ Sforza “ 1 km and you are in heaven !” Of course I was mentaly prepared for the last part. And with every step I wanted to stop I imagined how it would be to finish at the colosseum. It is a very beautifull, nearly an exalted feeling. And since this moment I know that I can reach nearly everything in my life because of this mental strength.
John Michael Mizzi listened to me carefully and he said as a joke: My dear Sabine, you and your funny stories ! Why don`t you…. And then his ideas for projects in teamwork with me “bubbled” out. He was sure that this project will be successful.
We spoke about our ideas again as I visited Gozo again in October 2008. At this time I finished my distance learning. A made my examination for a cosmetician. ( www.flpg.de )
After my great marathon-experience in Rome I also took my examination for exercise instructor of seniors. This was the logic consequence that the more than 75% of the participants of my walking-groups are 50 plus. During 2 years I took part in workshops and seminars to the theme: to feel well and to relax while you are making sports. And as I felt that because of my stressy job and personal problems my “batteries” became empty as I tried to practice these tips that I learnt at the seminars. At the same time the wish grew in me to teach these interested people. But the time was not ripe for it.
In April 2009 just 3 weeks before I wanted to travel to Gozo again, John told me that his blood pressure is too high. He asked me for “help”. I developed for him an individual plan with vegetable, fruits, lots of dietary fibre, fish and less salt. In terms of exercise he was already on the right track because of his walks. As I came 3 weeks later to Gozo he had lost 4 kg and during the 10 days I stayed in Gozo he lost another 1kg and now in between 12 weeks he had lost 12kg due to the strict diet I prescribed for him and his rigorous exercise. Now is blood pressure is almost back to normal.
During my visit we spoke again about our ideas and plans. As I came back home I thought about it and I refined everything a little bit. And now the time was ripe for it.
This time it was the right moment to design a program, that considers aspects of eating and drinking, exercise and lifequality.
The special weight loss program of Sabine Spies and John Michael Mizzi will start in October 2009.