Anonymous 3

My latest success story is one of my favorites.  I have worked with this client off and on for about 7 years now.  In that time, I have seen her weight fluctuate down in the good times, and back up in the not so good.  We had diligently tried everything from every angle.  Although it would be easy to say that we could have both continued to try different tactics, it was clear that any progress we made would end up a short term success due to many factors, not the least being a lifestyle that includes a hectic work schedule and a long commute to further complicate things.
Therefore, in early summer of 2008, she decided to undergo gastric bypass surgery after discussing all of her earlier attempts with several doctors.  Gastric Bypass Surgery involves reducing your stomach size and connecting it to the intestine, a large part of which is bypassed, limiting the calories you can absorb. Gastric bypass helps in long term behavior modification by reducing tolerance for foods with high sugar and fat.  It is important to note that while bypass surgery can go a long way to aiding in the success of weight loss, it is not a magic pill; plenty of work must still be done, and plenty of bypass recipients fail in even coming close to their goals.
Less than a year later, she has hit a milestone that I had always secretly hoped she could achieve, but we never achieved.  She is officially under 200 pounds!  This represents more than 90 pounds lost in well under a year.  Not only is this accomplishment extraordinary, she is still losing weight!  Beyond that, and what I am most proud of, is her newfound enjoyment in trying new athletic endeavors.  Whether it is kickboxing, 1-1 boot camp workouts, rollerblading, or increased circuit training sessions, she has been open to any and all new forms of exercise!  She has always been very diligent about her form and progress during strength training, and this has not stopped.  And though she mentioned to me that she tries to give it everything she has now for every workout, this has been evident in the 7 years I have known her.  She simply has more energy now to get more out of this effort!  One of the most effective ways to get a little more out of each day has made a big difference; her use of a pedometer.  This has nearly doubled her day to day activity.
Some of the lifestyle changes she has made in the last year are ones that anyone can learn from.  She has learned to be disciplined in her diet, sticking to limited fats, whole grains, the right amount of protein, and avoiding refined sugars.  Additionally, she sticks to 6 small, controlled meals per day, rather than eating when she can find the time.  To help maintain this, she makes sure that she drinks at least 64 ounces of fluids every day as well.  Despite all of the added exercise and the new focus on her diet, she has re-committed herself to a little bit of relaxation every day.  To do this, she has become diligent in her planning, putting herself and her lifestyle first, rather than wherever it could fit in.  This means making food plans, making exercise commitments such as group exercise, and sticking to them rather than giving up on them whenever life got too hectic.
Probably the most important quality that she has learned is perseverance.  This perseverance allows her to work towards her goals more faithfully, to keep trying new things until she finds what works, and to more consistently put herself first!  This is a great quality for anyone to learn, and one that my client should be especially proud of!  So, congratulations!  And keep up the good work, the progress, and most importantly, the new outlook on your life!

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• Tip of the Month

  June 2010

  Abdominal Workouts: Frequency, Intensity, and Duration

  Over the past 15 years, there has been countless advice on how to “properly” train your abdominals, or core.  There isn’t a fitness magazine out there that doesn’t publish a different abdominal workout each and every issue.  Opinions and research may change over time, but there are a few things you should look at before you alter your workout with each Fitness Magazine you read!
  First of all, it is important to know what your overall fitness and health goal is before designing a strength program for any body part, especially the mid-section.  For overall fitness, it is smartest to treat your abdominal muscles as you would any other muscle group.  The tried and true guidelines for most exercise programs is to work specific muscles to fatigue within a 30-60 second set time limit (intensity and duration,) while giving the worked muscle group at least 24-48 hours of rest (frequency) before working it again.  The amount of sets you do in a given workout (frequency again) can vary from as little as 4 sets to up to 12 for the average workout.  The science behind these theories is sound.  While exercising, pushing your body significantly past the 60 second mark without fatigue generally incorporates aerobic energy, thereby not stressing the muscles most efficiently.  And rest is necessary so that your body can properly rebuild the muscle fibers that you have broken down.  Additionally, you want to be at 100% energy levels for your next workout!

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• Recipe of the Month

  June 2010

  Ham and Cheese Breakfast Casserole

  This healthy update of a traditionally rich ham-and-cheese breakfast strata is made lighter primarily by losing a few egg yolks and using nonfat milk. Gruyère cheese has a delicious, nutty aroma and flavor, which means that with the relatively small amount in this recipe you still get a big impact. To finish the makeover use nutritious, fiber-rich, whole-grain bread instead of white. The results: plenty of flavor, half the calories and one-third the fat of the original.

  4 large eggs
  4 large egg whites
  1 cup nonfat milk
  2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
  1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  5 cups chopped spinach, wilted (see Tip)
  4 cups whole-grain bread, crusts removed if desired, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 1/2 pound, 4-6 slices)
  1 cup diced ham steak, (5 ounces)
  1/2 cup chopped jarred roasted red peppers
  3/4 cup shredded Gruyère, or Swiss cheese
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