Today I'd like to introduce a good friend and fellow soccer player, Kelley Watson. She's also an Assistant Coach, Sprints and Hurdles for the San Jose State Track Team. Kelley and I recently played soccer after about a year of not having played together and she shocked me with her speed. She's always been fast, but this game, she looked a different person.

I asked her to share some details about recent changes in her lifestyle that lead to this tremendous improvement in speed. Here's what she had to say.

FV: What brought about this change?

KW: As a coach I ask for the best from my athletes. That means training for 20+ hours per week and maintaining good nutritional habits. My "ah-ha" moment came after a team meeting when for lunch I ordered a less than healthy option. This was just after coaching my athletes on making healthy food choices. This made me reconsider how I was managing my own eating habits and I realized that something needed to change.

FV: You've always been fast but what changed in the last 6 months?

KW: I lost about 40 lbs. I haven't significantly increased my training volume, instead I joined my mom and sister who decided to enroll in Weight Watchers. Small changes in my food choices enabled me to lose about a pound per week.

FV: What was your main goal?

KW: I tore my meniscus in February of 2016 and ever since I've been more tentative about playing soccer. I wanted to alleviate as much pressure as possible on my knees, so I figured losing some weight would help. But my main goal is really to feel good and be able to play soccer til I'm 50 years old.

FV: Did you have any surprises along the way?

KW: The beauty of Weight Watchers is that you get to make your own food choices. You can have cake at a birthday party, or eat at a restaurant. The toughest part about managing your food choices is when you want to celebrate. Sometimes it's tough to know when the celebration ends. One question I ask myself when I'm thinking about food is, "Am I hungry enough to eat an apple?" Usually, if the answer is "no," I'm looking to satisfy some craving. If the answer is "yes," then most likely I'm actually hungry.

FV: Before we go, are there any exercises that you included to help with your knees?

KW: I learned that my quad strength would help keep my joints stable and aid in the maintenance of my healed meniscus. So I am consistently doing squats (maximum four sets of four, twice per week). I am also doing accelerations. I started 6 times by 30 meters and worked up to 10 times by 100 meters (once per week).

FV: Thanks for your time Kelley.

I hope you enjoyed hearing from Kelley. Here are some of my favorite tips she's shared:

• Asking, "Am I hungry enough for an apple." I think this is a great litmus test. If you're really hungry, you will be happy to eat something healthy. You can still enjoy ice cream once in a while, just learn to listen to your body.
• Performing accelerations is a great way to increase speed, strengthen major muscles, and get a cardiovascular workout. Also note that she worked her way up from fewer and shorter runs to increased number and distance runs. This is an important practice when changing your exercise routine. Give your body a chance to adapt.

If you've recently had a meniscus tear or other injury make sure you check with a doctor before starting any exercise.

In good health,

Francesco