On Sunday, April 15, thousands of motivated women pounded the pavement in Central Park at the ninth annual More/Fitness Magazine
Women’s Half Marathon. Amongst the loping ladies was comedic actress, mom and Jenny Craig ambassador Nicole Sullivan. —
Sullivan, perhaps best known for her hilarious roles
on MadTV and The King of Queens, is a busy working mom of two boys. But while the funny mama has never been short on laughs, she had been looking to make some lifestyle changes and lost 35 pounds on Jenny Crag nearly two years ago. (Go Nicole!)
Now, the NYC native is setting a healthy example for her kids by eating right and running a cool 13.1 miles around Manhattan’s biggest, most beautiful park.
Congrats on your
run! How was the half marathon?
It was amazing! It
was all women. And I couldn’t believe the energy and support along the route. At one point I saw two kids holding signs along the road that said “Happy
70th birthday Grandma!” I just started crying. To know that a 70-year-old woman was running to keep herself alive and healthy for them. I also
hoped she wouldn’t pass me. Ha! But I ran my hardest proudly wearing my Jenny
shirt!
What inspired your
weight loss and how are you keeping in shape?
My weight loss was
“inspired” my pure desperation and depression. I wish I could say that I was
happy with my body whatever weight it was–but I wasn’t. I didn’t feel like
myself at 35 pounds heavier. I felt lost and out of control. When I can run and
chase my kids at the park, I feel like a winner. When I can run a half
marathon, I feel like a winner. When I have my blood pressure taken and it’s a
great number, I feel like a winner. Jenny Craig made that ALL possible. Without Jenny, I didn’t know how to handle my yo-yo weight issues. It’s been
two years since I lost 35 pounds. For me, that’s a miracle!
What are your boys
like? What are the joys and challenges of raising them right
now?
My boys are LOUD! They shout everything (but my husband always teases me that I don’t exactly have
an “inside” voice either). They love reading books, playing video games and
listening to inappropriate pop music. Ha! Of course some days are more trying
than others, and I have to remember to have patience when they are not exactly
listening to me. But now that they’re 2 and a half and (almost) 5… so many days are a
friggin’ joy! I have to say, they make me laugh pretty hard.
What are some of
your parenting philosophies?
Don’t run to them
every time they fall down. Put Parmesan cheese on their broccoli so they’ll eat
it. And remember to praise them more often than you correct them.
What are some of
your favorite things to do in NYC?
EAT! My favorite
food is pizza, so NYC is like heaven for me. Pizza all around. Thank goodness
for my Jenny Craig consultant. Becky always reminds me to get the delish pizza,
and to not get more than one slice. It’s all about portion control. I also love
going to the Natural History Museum. It was my favorite place to go growing up,
and I still think it’s the most awesome museum.
