Over the years I have had the privilege of working with many different people with many different goals.  Some people want to lose a few pounds, some want to feel more flexible and then there are those who truly want to change their lives.  For every excuse that can be made about not exercising I have a client who can prove it wrong.  From the CEOs of large corporations to the busy mums who make time in their schedules to take care of themselves, prove you can always make time.  To my clients who started exercising for the first time in their 70s and to the ones in their teens, proving it is never too late or too soon to start a fitness program.  To my client in a wheelchair and to the clients who continue to train with various limbs in casts, proving that exercise is good for the soul as well as the body.  To my clients who have suffered through chemotherapy, radiation or surgery who can make it to the gym because it makes them feel better than just sitting at home. 

Every time you think of a reason why you can’t exercise, let me introduce you to someone who will tell you why you can.

A Work In Progress

(Featured in Sierra Madre, Arcadia and Monrovia Weekly and Pasadena Independent Newspapers, 2003)

My clients often ask me: “Will this ever get easier?” and I always answer ruefully, “Only if you want it to stop working”.  This is true, in part, as when you do achieve your fitness goals, it is human nature to have some more goals waiting in the sidelines.  Also, exercise and fitness should be considered a change in lifestyle, one you want to continue for the rest of your life.  As the baby-boomer population grows, so does the fitness industry because we know if we exercise it improves and lengthens our lives.  This was apparent to me back in 1996 when I was topping the scales at around 160 lbs.  I am 5ft 4ins with a small frame and a large appetite.  I was not exercising and I was making horrible food choices.  As illustrated in my biography, taking control of my weight and my diet was a direct link to taking control of my life.  It led to moving to a different country, starting my own business and leading a life far happier than I had dreamed.  This is why I include my story in this section because your body and your fitness should not be something you look after once in a while or when you feel over-weight, YOU should always be a work in progress.

Me

When I was finding it difficult to do up my “fat jeans” I knew that I had been avoiding the fact that I was overweight and unhealthy.  After two years of trial and error, I managed to lose 50 lbs, get my eating under control and have a consistent exercise regime.  Here are a few techniques that I have learned that I pass onto my clients:

Always have a goal:  however small, achieving goals is a great feeling.

Listen to positive reinforcement:  weed out negative feed back from friends and family about your new fitness regime.  People often have ulterior motives when it comes to giving advice to someone they know is making a change in their lives.

Have a battle-plan:  having a personal trainer or a work-out buddy will really help you keep on track.  Knowledge is power, so brainstorming with someone you can also work out with, can really help.

Jump back on the wagon:  if you have an off week and cannot exercise, or if you eat something that you should not, don’t quit.  The great thing about the wagon, is that it keeps on rolling.

Apply these simple techniques to your next work out and see how it helps you stay focused on your way to a better lifestyle.

Donna

A vivacious baby-boomer, Donna came to me in shortly after joining the gym in August 2001.  Her goals were to get fit, feel toned and strong and continue her quest for good health.   Donna had already lost 50 lbs by herself and was looking to continue her progress.  “I had come so far and I felt like I needed some motivation and the expertise of a personal trainer to keep on going.”

We started out with an age appropriate exercise program, and Donna's fitness level improved rapidly.  We meet twice a week and do a combination of strength training, flexibility techniques, balance and stability drills and aerobic intensive sequences.  Donna is a strong and determined woman.  Not only do we meet at 6am to train, she comes to the gym at least four other times a week to do her cardiovascular training. 

Donna has lost a total of 63lbs and 12 ¼ inches.  She has improved her flexibility by 6 ½ inches and her dress sizes have gone from 18 to 8/10.  One of her greatest achievements is her pushups.  Donna can do a total of 25 military style pushups without stopping!   “I have so much energy and I definitely look and feel better since I have been training with Lynda.  I have more confidence in myself and I have more knowledge about how my body works.  Lynda really helped me focus on my life and health after the loss of my son, Sam.  I was finally able to break out of the shell that I had built around myself.  Exercising helped me to cope with feelings that sometimes overwhelmed me.  Exercising forced me to break down grief barriers and that had been restricting me”.