The happy couple have been working out three times a week with fitness trainer Corey Belin, of Belin Sports & Fitness, in Washington, DC, for a boot camp style exercise regime.  Mark and Trena have also teamed up with acclaimed Chef Kahlil Wyche, owner of Catering to Your Whims, as part of the program to maintain a healthier diet.  As the couple travels down the road to a healthy lifestyle, the show will feature them exercising, preparing healthy meals and weighing-in. 

Recently MCCN’s healthy living editor Fatima Fofana interviewed Mark and Trena. Here’s what they had to say:

MCCN(Fatima Fofana):  Now that both of you are about to be married, how does a healthy lifestyle fit into the marriage?

Mark:  It’s important as a couple to set an example for ourselves and for our future children.  I want to be a father that cooks healthy meals for his kids, and can maintain an active lifestyle with my kids.

Trena:  We are overbooked right now with wedding plans, work and this healthy lifestyle program, but we are learning to prioritize and cut down on other activities. As a couple maintaining an active healthy lifestyle,  it is an important part of having a happy marriage.

MCCN:  By participating in this lifestyle challenge, what advice would you give other couples contemplating making a healthy lifestyle change?

Mark:  This started out as my own personal challenge, but now with both of us on the program together, we have no excuses.  I would advise other couples that having your partner participating in a weight loss program together makes all the difference.  We are there to support each other and we share a common vision for a healthier lifestyle.

Trena:  Having a workout partner is important in keeping each other motivated.  It’s better to have someone there who is going to keep encouraging you every step of the way, especially when things get tough.

MCCN:  What is the most challenging aspect of a healthy lifestyle program?

Mark:  The detox days are the hardest part of the program.  I’ve struggled with my weight since childhood and have never really limited my food intake to only vegetables.  I don’t think I’ve ever gone a day without eating meat, so going meatless is a huge challenge for me.

Trena:  The most challenging part of the program is being able to balance everything.  I am planning a  wedding, I work full time, and attend classes for my doctorate degree.  It’s hard balancing everything, but I know it will pay off very soon.

 Mark and Trena plan to marry in Jamaica on May 15^th.

Click to see video on Belin Sports & Fitness:

See Video of Mark "DJ Scientific" and Trena