The Power of Perseverance

Client Spotlight: Arlise Jones

I woke up this morning in a bit of a funk. It happens. Starting my day and seeing my HPBC-ers definitely helped, but there was still a little gray cloud hanging over me. Later in the morning, a ray of sunshine appeared. A former client, Arlise, was hoping to meet up while she was in town for the day. We decided to get together for coffee. 

On the drive over, I thought back to our first meeting.

Through eating clean(er) and being mindful of portion size, Arlise had lost about forty pounds on her own by the time we met in 2011. A thorough consultation and chat about her medical history showed that she had been plagued by several physical ailments as well as some undiagnosed problems that were being investigated.

I remember our first workout well. In early 2011, Arlise was extremely deconditioned. Her strength and flexibility were both poor, but her lack of balance was by far the worst that I had witnessed amongst my non-elderly clients (of course, I kept this to myself at the time). Even while placing one hand on the wall for support, she could not lift one foot without stumbling. It was clear that her job, which kept her seated for 6-10h a day, was not helping!

We started slow, and with the basics. If she needed to take a breather, no big deal. Her history as an athlete in years' past shined through...she always wanted to push a little harder and was constantly testing her limits. Pulling out old workouts and test sets demonstrated just how far she had come, and fired her up to keep on keepin' on.

Brian, we want portrait, not landscape.

Arlise's excitement for exercise and commitment to a healthier eating regimen was infectious. At different points in her training, some of her co-workers even joined her at the gym. But like any normal human being, Arlise encountered a few speed bumps along her journey. A surgery here, a surgery there to fix chronic health problems set her strength back and put weight loss on hold...but after each operation, she was anxious to get moving again. Even a hernia repair (that had gone undiagnosed for a year and a half), didn't stop the A-train! Woo-woo!

I wasn't quite sure what to expect when we met this afternoon, but I can safely say, I was blown away! As a friend had commented, "Where's the other half of you?" After the initial shock of my former client's extreme change, we caught up on each other's lives. If a little gray cloud was hanging over me this morning, it sounded like a storm cell had been dumping on her for months! Stressors from health, family, accidents, natural disaster, and the scum of humanity were waiting for her at every intersection. But she didn't stray from her good habits. Finding time to exercise three times a week has been a great stress relief.

Almost 100# down!

We reflected back on how far she had come....a size 18 when we started in 2011, and now a 6/8. "It's too bad we don't have my measurements from back then." Ummm, who carries a measuring tape around in her purse? This girl. 

I took Arlise's measurements in the ladies' room of the coffee shop, and promised that I would compare her numbers to her file when I got home. A friend photographed our reunion and I told her I would look for an old photo that I took during a workout "way back when". We said our good byes and promised to keep in touch. 

Maybe it was the caffeine buzz, but I think it was knowing that Arlise has experienced such success that lifted my cloud. Most of her success stemmed from the actions and habits she kept after our time together. Sure, there were a few problems that crept up along the way; some might consider them to be total roadblocks. But to her, they were just speed bumps in reaching her goal.

Congratulations, Arlise!

I was unable to find the "before" pictures... :(

Since signing on with Elevated Fitness

Weight Loss: 44.8 lbs

Inches Lost: 41.5''

Not sure where she is now, but wanted to show a few baseline notes:

Day ONE : Total fatigue with 7 kneeling pushups 

Day ONE: Total fatigue with 4 full sit-ups

Day ONE: Inability to perform body weight squat / chair sit & stand

Day ONE: Unable to lift one foot and maintain balance with assistance

It's a New Year - don't stress out!

After a fantastic extended vacation, I'm back to the daily grind: training all of YOU!

While I was away, soaking up family, friends, and sleeping in past 6am, I had the opportunity to re-examine my daily stressors. Living stress-free over the vacation was an eye-opener. I was sleeping more soundly, laughing more...it was awesome! Now, I'm not one for resolutions. In my experience people that make resolutions typically don't stick with them. I feel that if you need to make a change in your life, the calendar shouldn't have a say in it. BUT, I had some time on my hands.

So, I evaluated the sources of stress in my life that I have control over.

This is what I came up with:

Schedule - Luckily for me, I make my own schedule. Unfortunately, this leads to number 2...
Saying Yes - I understand that a lot of people have this problem, especially moms! Saying yes
               has led me to currently hold about 5 different jobs at 3 different locations.
Family - This presents it's own set of stressors for each individual. Maybe finances, relationship
           woes, or screaming babies.
Chores - All of our daily responsibilities add up. Folding laundry, putting away the dishes,
            walking the dog...little things seem to pile up quickly. Are you the only one performing
            these duties?
My Brain - It sounds silly, but sometimes I let my mind get the best of me, especially before
           bed. I have a habit of replaying scenarios that went wrong or dwelling on the negative.

Do any of these sound familiar? What are your stressors?

Now that I identified a few of these problems, I am going to get to work on re-organizing and prioritizing. Uh-oh, adding tasks to my list of things to do ultimately adds stress...I can't win!

I encourage you to list your stressors and rank them. Who knows, you might even identify a source that you can do something about! The next blog posting will show you how to deal with them all.