Friday, January 28, 2011

Pam, Success, and Priorities

Hi everyone, this is Andrew Duffy, personal trainer.

I met with Pam yesterday at the BODYwork SF studio, and we had another great, productive session that shed some light on a few road bumps.

Coming in to the session, she had been able to perform the exercises less often than we had discussed. But, to her credit, she some great questions about the exercises that make up her home routine.  Although I gave her just six exercises, they are complex, and each exercise has several elements.  After a half-hour of sweat and elevated heart rate, Pam felt more comfortable with the exercises.

Here's one of the tough ones that Pam is performing at home:


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This is a GREAT exercise, working major muscles in the legs, arms, core and shoulders.  The lateral/side lunge recruits muscles that are often overlooked in most exercises, and the balance component at the peak of the exercise challenges her stability as well.  Finally, notice how she's working out bare-foot: this allows for her feet to bend and stretch and for her foot muscles to do some work while the rest of her body works hard.

This is an intermediate level exercise that requires good proprioception, balance, and foundational strength.  It is also a testament to Pam's continuing devotion to yoga.

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After reviewing the exercises, we sat down and discussed my concern of her time management.  We had talked about her performing the exercises on a regular basis, and I know she cares.  I know that her health is a priority for her.  But devoting time to improving it is a little difficult for her.  For a woman as level-headed as she is, I had to ask her about it, and what she told me was very helpful.   

Pam, like Eva and Marilyn, is so used to dedicating time, love, and resources to her children and her life obstacles that focusing on developing herself in any aspect is hard for her to do. 

So, Pam and I worked together on listing her priorities and setting up a plan for taking care of each priority.  For me and for my successful clients, this is the single most important element for successfully improving health, especially through diet and fitness.  As Pam learned, scheduling time for each component of a priorty (a "to-do list") is a great way to make sure that she effectively uses her time to accomplish what she needs to in every aspect of her life.  And that includes taking time for herself.

She's a full-time mother of four who is going through a divorce among many other things, and she has to find a job.  Staying healthy is hard, but it's doable and it's important for her well-being and happiness.  She knows that, and she's determined.  Pam's got spunk!

The prognosis for Pam remains very positive, and I am confident that our discussion about priority and planning helps her with more than just fitness.

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