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| Client Profile: Lynn Lacentra |
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"I'm strong, I am woman, and I've been weight training."
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| Years of not taking care of myself was taking its toll. I was feeling sluggish, overweight and totally out of shape. Another summer was fast approaching and I had a reunion to attend. I was not looking forward to it in the shape that I was in. Two years previously I had joined a local exercise club, but rarely used the facilities. The thought of entering a large impersonal environment with limited knowledge of the best training for me was daunting. |
| Visiting my doctor for my yearly checkup I got a clean bill of health, but again she asked me about my exercise program. I sheepishly told her I had none. She encouraged me to "just get started" listing all the health benefits. |
| That same day when I picked up the mail there was a One-On-One Personal Fitness newsletter. Reading the fitness profile I thought, "This could work for me". I called and spoke to Sandra and we set a time to meet. |
| Walking through the doors of One-On-One I immediately felt reassured. I was greeted warmly and Sandra listened to my fears and past experiences. I remember jokingly telling her that I had a reunion coming and that she had 10 weeks to get me in shape. (I wasn't joking!) |
| I don't think that either of us would have predicted the change in my attitude, my shape and size in the three months that followed. |
| I signed up for three months and made an appointment for my fitness assessment and was on my way with "homework�". Sandra asked me to keep a food journal until the next visit. |
| When I arrived home, there was an e-mail awaiting me from my personal trainer, Aletha welcoming me to One-On-One. We began working together on May 9th, 2005. My goals were to tone, gain strength and stamina and to reach a goal weight of 130 lbs. |
| Our first session began with 15 minutes of biking. I was surprised that cardio would be part of the workout as I thought my sessions would be about weight training only. Boy was I in for a surprise. |
| After our session, Aletha suggested that for maximum benefit I come in 20 minutes early and ride the bike before each weight training session. When I told her I had an elliptical trainer at home (currently gathering dust) she encouraged me to ride it for 20 minutes each day that I didn't come in to weight train. My initial reaction was that I'd never be able to do 20 minutes, because up to that time the longest I'd been able to maintain was 7 minutes. I voiced my concern to Aletha and she said "Do as much as you can. Take a short break and continue in that way, until you reach 20 minutes." |
| One week after my initial visit it was time for the weekly weigh-in. (Being a confirmed "scale junkie" weighing myself every day, sometimes twice a day I had agreed to relinquish my scale to Sandra.) Imagine my horror to see that I had gained 1 and � lbs. I was encouraged to continue keeping a food journal and Sandra and Aletha and I would sit down together to analyze my choices. Having been on many diets I thought I was quite knowledgeable about correct food choices. My latest diet was the low carb craze. Sandra and Aletha explained the benefit of adding complex carbs to my diet and reducing the amount of fat I consumed. |
| As I had been successful (much to my surprise) with my daily 20 min sessions on my elliptical trainer Aletha suggested I increase my cardio to 25 minutes daily and continue to maintain a food journal. |
| The weeks passed quickly and I looked forward to my three weekly training sessions. By the beginning of the second month I had doubled my cardio time on my elliptical trainer. I was feeling stronger each day, and my attitude was lighter. However, I had only lost three pounds. I felt I was eating all the food groups but the weight stubbornly was not coming off. |
| Aletha and I looked again at my food journal. I was making healthy choices, however, I was eating portions fit for a king, a large king. Eating smaller portions was key. I began weighing and measuring my portion sizes, eating three smaller meals per day. Snacks between meals or when I got "the munchies" were fresh fruits or raw vegetable. I did not deprive myself of something if I felt like it. I just had a small portion. I also continued to keep a food journal. The journal helped me to maintain a balanced diet daily and weekly. |
| Each day before we began our session Aletha would ask me what I had done for cardio the day before. Knowing that she would be recording my efforts really helped to keep me going. I also began to keep a record of my cardio sessions. I was amazed when I look back that by the end of the second month I was up to 60 minutes and by the end of the third month I am up to 80 minutes on my elliptical trainer. |
| As I increased my cardio sessions and began eating smaller portions my weight slowly began to drop. I could notice a big difference in my clothing even if the scale didn't register the significant weight loss I expected. |
| Aletha continued to be very encouraging. Our weight training sessions were enjoyable, but of course, hard work. Just when I thought things were getting a little easier "up" would go the weights, or she would add a new twist to an exercise to make it more challenging. |
| Well, the time came for the reunion combined with a holiday and I was ready. I hadn't reached my goal weight, but I was feeling like a million dollars. My body was responding to the weight training. I was looking and feeling more toned, and my strength and stamina were increasing daily. I felt strong! |
| I was worried about being away from the club for three weeks, but Aletha developed a program of exercises for me to do with the stretch bands and encouraged me to walk daily. |
| Walk each day I did! I enjoyed the reunion and when people commented on how healthy and strong I looked (big smile) I bent their ears about the benefits of working with a personal trainer. |
| I was anxious to return to the weight training, but knew I'd need to step on the scale. I didn't think I had gained any weight but on a holiday it is not always easy to maintain that self control. When Aletha said, "You are below your goal weight" I was shocked. It was the first time I'd ever been on a holiday and lost weight---three and one half pounds to be exact. There is just no substitute for the cardio. |
| So having reached my goals will I stop? No way!, I'm hooked. I've set new goals, but most of all I love the new sense of power and control I have over my health. |
| I love going to One On One. When I think back to what I said to Sandra, "That she had 10 weeks to get me in shape", no wonder she just smiled her beautiful smile at me. She knew it was me who had to do the work, me who had made the commitment to myself- whatever the initial reason-and me who had to make the daily effort to see the results. Aletha kept me going, her words of encouragement, her knowledgeable tips about healthy eating and her persistent (I needed it) record keeping were the motivation I needed. |
| One On One has made a big difference to how I feel about me. Many thanks to Aletha and Sandra for helping me take charge. There is no stopping me now. |
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