My Goal

I didn’t meet my weight loss goal for April but I’m not giving up. I have changed my exercise program and it is helping. Sometimes you have to mix things up a little.

I have met one of my very important goals since I started this blog. I agreed to do the blog mostly to help other people that are in the same shape that I was. I have talked to a lot of people that either had problems losing weight or knew someone that did. They wanted to know how I lost the weight and I told them by eating healthy and exercise and I referred them to the blog. The blog tells my story and lets them know that I have been thru a lot. It also lets them know why I decided to lose the weight in the first place. I am very happy to report that several of the people that I talked to have started eating healthy, exercising and losing weight. I was able to inspire them and as I said that is my goal.

My Goal for April

My goal for April was to get down below 210 lbs. So far that hasn’t happened. I have been bouncing from 215 to 218. I had minor surgery on March 13th and I wasn’t allowed to do any strenuous exercise for a couple of weeks. I wasn’t allowed in the pool at all. I’m getting to a point where the weight doesn’t come off as easily. I’m telling you this to let you know that it isn’t easy for me either. Don’t get discouraged. I have changed my exercise routine (Thanks to the personal trainer) and I’m sure that it will make a difference.

Clarence and I tried Personal Training!

Clarence & I thought it would be a good idea to have the personal trainer give a report on us instead of us reporting on her. We want to thank Cindy for agreeing to do it.

Cindy Becker, Mercy HealthPlex Personal Trainer:

March 9, 2009 I performed a movement screen on Clarence & Joan to evaluate any musculoskeletal imbalances in order to add corrective exercises to their workout program. I asked them for their fitness goals. Goals should be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

Clarence's goals are: increasing flexibility, strength, & core strength Joan's are: improve balance, improve cardiovascular endurance and lose weight. (safe weight loss is 1-2 lbs/week)

With this information, plus medical history & eating habits, a trainer can design an exercise program that best meets one's needs safely and effectively.

I changed Clarence's current exercise program to include at least 50% of standing cable exercises which focus on core training and gave him specific stretches. He has progressed quickly in the past 4 weeks.

(April 7, 2009) His percent body fat has decreased by 2%, compared to the initial reading 4 weeks ago.

Joan's program includes more single leg exercises for balance and standing exercises for core strength. Resistance training done in a circuit fashion (10-12 exercises done in sequence with little rest in between) helps to increase endurance and promotes weight loss. Joan is working toward circuit training taking only rests as needed. I also recommended that she add a 4th cardiovascular workout, either hydrorider, nu-step or recumbent bike.

(April 7, 2009) Joan's weight has decreased by 3 pounds and her body fat by 1.5% compared to the initial readings 4 weeks ago.

Joan & Clarence will be re-assessed after 3 months.

It was great fun working with Joan and Clarence because they were enthusiastic and willing to try new exercises. They are very open to change and this is usually what is needed when you plateau and no longer see results with your exercise routine.

I Love the Water!

I didn’t always love the water. I was afraid of the water for a long time because I didn’t know how to swim. I started taking swimming lessons when I was in my thirties. I not only learned to swim but I went on to become a swimming instructor. I taught swimming for the red cross at Stone Lick Lake, A.J. Jolly, and East Fork Lake. My specialty was toddlers and small children. I kept up on all of the cartoons and kids games and was able to relate to them. I also liked to teach adults. I could relate to them and all of their fears because I had the same fears.

I started in the therapy pool six years ago because the doctor told me I needed to get my leg muscles in shape before I had my knee replaced.

I got back into the water as soon as I could after the knee replacement. The water exercises helped to strengthen my legs and bend my knees. At that time we had Doloris Murdock teaching the class and she was an inspiration to everyone.

At the present time we come three days a week and do two water classes. The aqua power class in the lap pool and the fit class in the therapy pool. I'm not able to do all of the running and jumping on dry land that I can do in the water. I do my cardio workout in the water. On the third Wednesday of the month the fit class goes to lunch together after class. We do a lot of socializing and we know everyone. We have a lot of fun and it keeps us coming back.

Deloris Claudia Murdock

I just had to write about Deloris. She taught the arthritis class when I first started at the HealthPlex. I was in really bad shape at that time. It was before I had my knees replaced. She took me under her wing or so I thought at the time, but I found out that she took everyone under her wing. She treated everyone like they was one of her children. She had nine wonderful children of her own. She loved it when she got hugs from everyone. Deloris's husband Bob would wheel her into the pool area in a wheel chair and she would get up and walk down the ramp into the pool holding on to the handrail. She couldn't walk on dry land but in the pool she could really move. She had a lot of songs that she would sing with the exercises and had the class sing with her.

When I had my first knee replacement Deloris was not able to come and see me in the hospital so she sent one of her daughters to check on me and report back to her. Her daughter was a nurse at the hospital at the time. Deloris was probably worse off healthwise than anyone in the class but you would never know it. She never complained. She always had a big smile and I think she was where she wanted to be.

Deloris passed away on January 25th 2009 at the age of 75. She was an inspiration to everyone. We all loved her.

"On Target Living"

If it wasn’t for Chris Johnson's "On Target Living" I would probably still weigh 350 lbs or more. I’m not being paid to promote Chris Johnson’s book and I wasn’t ask to do so. I am being paid with all of the health benefits that I gained by losing the weight. The only reason that I suggest reading the book is because it helped me so much and hopefully it will help you.

I bought several other diet books before I got the "On Target Living" book and they were diet books. Diets don’t work. After reading "On Target Living," I’m not on a diet.  I have made a lifestyle change. I eat healthy, watch my portion size and exercise.

The book suggests giving up one thing at a time. Baby steps. If you give up all of the foods at once you will be craving them and it won’t work. I found that since I’m eating healthy I don’t want to go back to the way that I was eating. I just think about how it would look on my hips. The book also tells you to treat yourself every once in a while but don’t go overboard. There are a lot of good recipes in it and a lot of exercises that you can do on your own. I could go on and on about it, but the best thing to do is read it. It might sound a little grim but it was a life saver for me - I was on my way to the grave.

Keeping on Track

Last week we took a trip up to the Fairfield HealthPlex and did an Aqua Combo Plus class with Darlene.  She really worked us out!  It was a great class!

On Friday, I had to go in for an outpatient procedure.  About four years ago I had a hernia operation.  Because I have lost so much weight, I have had an issue with the permanant stitches.  So they went in and had to remove four of the stitches.  I have been a little weak all weekend and still today.  But I came into the HealthPlex to do my workout.  I did a modified version of my weight routine and I think that’s about all I can handle today.  I can’t go into the pool for at least 10 days, until I see my doctor again.  But I will still be at the HealthPlex doing what I can.

On the up side, I have lost another four pounds.  I’m well on my way to meeting my next 10 pound goal.  I am also close to losing another size in pants!  Down from a size 30 to almost a 14!