I have never seen anyone look forward to getting weighed the way Briana does. On "weigh day" as we now call it, she is always in good spirits. It's like she knows she will be getting good news and can't wait to hear how good it really it is. Weigh in after weigh in, she is never disappointed. This week was no exception. After two weeks, Briana lost another four pounds! This brings her total weight loss to 26 pounds! Her starting weight was 227 pounds and her current weight is 201 pounds. At this rate, she is more than half way to our initial goal of a 50 pound weight loss.
Aside from successful weigh ins, Briana is doing great things in her workouts. She is now comfortable on the reformer and we are slowly adding in new exercises. I do my best to keep most of the exercises familiar so that she doesn't feel overwhelmed as I continue to challenge her and push her past her comfort zone. She is doing her strength work at home twice a day on the days I don't get to work with her. She even does them in the morning before she goes to her program on some weekdays. She seems to be dedicated and is always happy to tell me what she has done at home.
Briana is also making good food choices. She doesn't ask my permission for cake or treats anymore. Instead, she tells me "I'm not going to eat it anymore. I'm not."
Briana and I began this weight loss adventure with nothing more than will and desire. Neither of us knew how it would turn out. To be perfectly honest, I was more worried than confident when we had our first session. I believe she was, too. I had to work hard to gain her trust, to bring up her confidence and build her endurance. Now that she trusts me and has more strength, I believe there is nothing she can't do. In fact, I believe that by the end of the year, Briana will have surpassed her goal of 50 pounds. I believe she can get her weight down to 150 pounds, which is truly a healthy weight for her height. Call me crazy, but I have faith!
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Week 16
Briana learned a new exercise this week!
I have been waiting for the right time to introduce the Pilates reformer to Briana. Unlike the tower, which is stable, the reformer is unstable. On the reformer, there is a small mat (a bit less than three feet in length) that is connected to springs and glides back and forth. I knew that the movement of the mat would be challenging because Briana would need strength to be able to shift her weight and move into position correctly. The small surface means that coordination and control are necessary to simply get on the mat before starting any of the exercises. If Briana got scared or frustrated and lost control, she would be at risk of falling off the side of the mat and injuring herself and me.
Getting off the reformer is even more challenging. To get up, Briana needs abdominal strength and the ability to sit up without assistance. As the she sits up, she must have the strength to pull her body weight onto the mat or she will fall into the springs. Although I am there to assist her, she needs to be able to support the majority of her body weight in order to be successful and prevent injury. From start to finish, Briana would need to have concentration, control, will, and desire in order to succeed and keep us both safe.
After observing the amazing progress Briana has had during our first three months of training, I knew she was ready for the challenge. She has demonstrated that she can support her body weight and she has more strength and control than she did when I first started working with her. She is able to sit herself up without my help now and she is focused. When she understands what is coming, she is committed to success. Knowing this, the first thing I wanted to do was get Briana excited about learning the new exercise. I showed her the exercise in January and told her I was excited to teach it to her in February. Each time I saw her, we talked about the new exercise. By the end of January, she was looking forward to it. She even reminded me the week before that she would be learning the new exercise the next week. By the time the day came to learn the exercise, Briana was excited and eager.
We talked about the exercise while she did her warm up on the treadmill. I told her that I would teach her the new exercise first before we did the rest of our workout. I wanted to make sure that her attention was fresh and that her body was not fatigued when she learned it. When she finished her warm up, I demonstrated the exercise once more and told her everything I was doing as I did it. I showed her how the mat moves and told her not to worry if it moved when she sat down. I showed her how she would need to sit up carefully when she was finished and to make sure she stayed on the mat.
"So that's it?" she asked.
"Yes, that's it, Briana," I replied. "I am here to help you. I know you can do this."
There was some trial error helping Briana onto the reformer. It took time for her to feel secure in laying down and placing her body just right on the mat. The third attempt was a success and there was only one moment of frustration. Once she was in position, I gave her time to recover and feel comfortable. She then placed her feet on the foot bar and pushed the mat out with her legs.
"Look! I'm doing it!" she exclaimed.
"You are doing it! What do you think?" I asked.
"I love it! Oh, this is nice! My mom is going to be so proud!"
She completed ten repetitions. I gave her time to recover once more, then I reminded her how she needed to be careful getting up. Again, it took us a few tries, but in the end she was successful! She used her strength. She stayed focused and in control, and when she got frustrated she didn't give up.
So this week's accomplishment marks the beginning of a new chapter for Briana. As her strength and focus continue to increase, I will continue to introduce new and more challenging exercises. I am confident that will she achieve her weightloss goal of 50 pounds. Even more than that, I know that she will be stronger, more agile and coordinated when the year ends.
I have been waiting for the right time to introduce the Pilates reformer to Briana. Unlike the tower, which is stable, the reformer is unstable. On the reformer, there is a small mat (a bit less than three feet in length) that is connected to springs and glides back and forth. I knew that the movement of the mat would be challenging because Briana would need strength to be able to shift her weight and move into position correctly. The small surface means that coordination and control are necessary to simply get on the mat before starting any of the exercises. If Briana got scared or frustrated and lost control, she would be at risk of falling off the side of the mat and injuring herself and me.
Getting off the reformer is even more challenging. To get up, Briana needs abdominal strength and the ability to sit up without assistance. As the she sits up, she must have the strength to pull her body weight onto the mat or she will fall into the springs. Although I am there to assist her, she needs to be able to support the majority of her body weight in order to be successful and prevent injury. From start to finish, Briana would need to have concentration, control, will, and desire in order to succeed and keep us both safe.
After observing the amazing progress Briana has had during our first three months of training, I knew she was ready for the challenge. She has demonstrated that she can support her body weight and she has more strength and control than she did when I first started working with her. She is able to sit herself up without my help now and she is focused. When she understands what is coming, she is committed to success. Knowing this, the first thing I wanted to do was get Briana excited about learning the new exercise. I showed her the exercise in January and told her I was excited to teach it to her in February. Each time I saw her, we talked about the new exercise. By the end of January, she was looking forward to it. She even reminded me the week before that she would be learning the new exercise the next week. By the time the day came to learn the exercise, Briana was excited and eager.
We talked about the exercise while she did her warm up on the treadmill. I told her that I would teach her the new exercise first before we did the rest of our workout. I wanted to make sure that her attention was fresh and that her body was not fatigued when she learned it. When she finished her warm up, I demonstrated the exercise once more and told her everything I was doing as I did it. I showed her how the mat moves and told her not to worry if it moved when she sat down. I showed her how she would need to sit up carefully when she was finished and to make sure she stayed on the mat.
"So that's it?" she asked.
"Yes, that's it, Briana," I replied. "I am here to help you. I know you can do this."
There was some trial error helping Briana onto the reformer. It took time for her to feel secure in laying down and placing her body just right on the mat. The third attempt was a success and there was only one moment of frustration. Once she was in position, I gave her time to recover and feel comfortable. She then placed her feet on the foot bar and pushed the mat out with her legs.
"Look! I'm doing it!" she exclaimed.
"You are doing it! What do you think?" I asked.
"I love it! Oh, this is nice! My mom is going to be so proud!"
She completed ten repetitions. I gave her time to recover once more, then I reminded her how she needed to be careful getting up. Again, it took us a few tries, but in the end she was successful! She used her strength. She stayed focused and in control, and when she got frustrated she didn't give up.
So this week's accomplishment marks the beginning of a new chapter for Briana. As her strength and focus continue to increase, I will continue to introduce new and more challenging exercises. I am confident that will she achieve her weightloss goal of 50 pounds. Even more than that, I know that she will be stronger, more agile and coordinated when the year ends.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Week 15
If I were to pick one word for Briana this week, it would be "consistent." She continues to ahcieve steady weightloss, losing an average of one and a half pounds each week. When she weighed in on Tuesday, she was down another three pounds. Briana's current weight is 204 pounds, a total weightloss of 23 pounds! If she continues at this pace, she will be half way to her weightloss goal of 50 pounds in just three more weeks!
After this week's weigh-in, Briana began her warm up on the treadmill. Now that I don't have to stand by her side and hold her back and cheer her on to keep her going, I am able to sit where she can see me and have conversations with her. Rather than leading the conversations, I like to wait and see what is on Briana's mind. This week, she was very interested in talking about food choices.
"We are having a potluck at my program tomorrow," she started.
"A potluck?" I asked.
"Yes, and I was wondering if I could take some applesauce as my snack."
"Well, what kinds of foods are other people bringing?" I asked.
"Oh, I don't know. Probably treats and cookies and stuff like that. I won't eat it. I promise. Can I just take applesauce for myself?"
"So you're asking if you can pack applesauce in your lunch box and eat that at the potluck instead of eating unhealthy foods?" I confirmed.
"Yes. Would that be alright with you? I just wanted to ask," she said.
"Briana, I think that is a fabulous idea! You can definitely have applesauce as a snack at the potluck. Thank you for checking," I replied.
Smiling, Briana said "Yep! Now I'm done. Come press stop."
And she was done. She had reached ten minutes and 12 seconds on the treadmill. I pushed stop, helped her off the treadmill, gave her some water and let her recover before we started the next segment of exercises.
As we began her Pilates exercises, I let Briana know how proud I was of her for thinking ahead. Making healthy food choices is not always easy. I have come to realize that it is especially difficult for Briana. It seems that she is always celebrating something at her program. They have parties quite often and have treats even more often. When she refuses, they still serve her. She eats what she is given then feels guilty and tells me about it when I see her. I feel proud that she is already thinking ahead and making a plan for the potluck. Many people could benefit from following her example. I tell her throughout the workout that I am so impressed and so proud of her.
In addition to taking a major leap forward with food choices, Briana also had a big achievement in her Pilates work this week. She has been working on an exercise called arm circles. In this exercise, Briana lies on her back and puts her hands in two seperate straps. The straps are attached to springs. When she pushes the straps down toward her hips, the springs add resistance and make the movement more challenging. Being able to push into the springs requires strength and concentration.
In arm circles, the goal is to circle the arms through the air, push into the springs toward the hips, then return to the starting position with control. Briana has successfully made the circling motion using her hands rather than her arms. This week, for the first time, she was able to make the circle with her arms and actually push into the springs! Needless to say, when I called attention to her achievement, she just beamed. She repeated the movement over and over again, delighting in her newly discovered ability and proving that consistency really does pay off.
After this week's weigh-in, Briana began her warm up on the treadmill. Now that I don't have to stand by her side and hold her back and cheer her on to keep her going, I am able to sit where she can see me and have conversations with her. Rather than leading the conversations, I like to wait and see what is on Briana's mind. This week, she was very interested in talking about food choices.
"We are having a potluck at my program tomorrow," she started.
"A potluck?" I asked.
"Yes, and I was wondering if I could take some applesauce as my snack."
"Well, what kinds of foods are other people bringing?" I asked.
"Oh, I don't know. Probably treats and cookies and stuff like that. I won't eat it. I promise. Can I just take applesauce for myself?"
"So you're asking if you can pack applesauce in your lunch box and eat that at the potluck instead of eating unhealthy foods?" I confirmed.
"Yes. Would that be alright with you? I just wanted to ask," she said.
"Briana, I think that is a fabulous idea! You can definitely have applesauce as a snack at the potluck. Thank you for checking," I replied.
Smiling, Briana said "Yep! Now I'm done. Come press stop."
And she was done. She had reached ten minutes and 12 seconds on the treadmill. I pushed stop, helped her off the treadmill, gave her some water and let her recover before we started the next segment of exercises.
As we began her Pilates exercises, I let Briana know how proud I was of her for thinking ahead. Making healthy food choices is not always easy. I have come to realize that it is especially difficult for Briana. It seems that she is always celebrating something at her program. They have parties quite often and have treats even more often. When she refuses, they still serve her. She eats what she is given then feels guilty and tells me about it when I see her. I feel proud that she is already thinking ahead and making a plan for the potluck. Many people could benefit from following her example. I tell her throughout the workout that I am so impressed and so proud of her.
In addition to taking a major leap forward with food choices, Briana also had a big achievement in her Pilates work this week. She has been working on an exercise called arm circles. In this exercise, Briana lies on her back and puts her hands in two seperate straps. The straps are attached to springs. When she pushes the straps down toward her hips, the springs add resistance and make the movement more challenging. Being able to push into the springs requires strength and concentration.
In arm circles, the goal is to circle the arms through the air, push into the springs toward the hips, then return to the starting position with control. Briana has successfully made the circling motion using her hands rather than her arms. This week, for the first time, she was able to make the circle with her arms and actually push into the springs! Needless to say, when I called attention to her achievement, she just beamed. She repeated the movement over and over again, delighting in her newly discovered ability and proving that consistency really does pay off.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Week 14
As usual, Briana arrives in a great mood. She is happy to see me and gives me a hug. As we head downstairs, I comment on how she is practically taking the stairs all by herself now. I ask her if she remembers how much I used to help her on the stairs and she says, "Yep!"
Once we get downstairs, she knows exactly what to do. Today she says, "I'm going to do the treadmill all by myself."
"Okay, Briana, do you want me to help you get started?"
"Nope. I'm going to do it all by myself. You go do something, and I will surprise you."
I couldn't help but feel apprehensive and excited at the same time. This would be a huge accomplishment for Briana. She always gets a little upset when the treadmill first starts up because it goes a bit fast then slows down. She always wants to make sure that I'm there to hold her back, and she always tells me how much she hates it when it goes fast. Once it steadies out, she is fine and is able to continue on her own. So for her to press start and get going completely on her own, she would be addressing a fear. I want this for her, but I also want to make sure she stays safe. What if she falls? What if she gets hurt? This would set us back and create more fear for her.
I realize that I am worried for no good reason. Briana has never showed signs of falling off the treadmill. She has never come anywhere close to stumbling. Today, coming down the stairs, she showed how much her balance has improved. She is moving around easily and independently. So, I decide to have faith. I trust that she will be okay.
I walk to the other side of the room and pretend to do some computer work. She gets onto the treadmill easily. She holds onto the rails. Aloud, she gives herself some encouragement "You can do this." She takes one hand off the rail, presses 1 then start. (She has watched me do this dozens of times, so I knew she would know how to start it). She holds on tight and she is fine, perfectly fine! I breathe a sigh of relief, wait about two minutes, then go over to talk to her. She is happy and chatty during her ten minute warm up, so I assume the rest of the workout can only go uphill.
At the fifteen minute mark, Briana's attitude takes a u-turn. She becomes more than agitated. She seems angry. She snaps at me. She tells me to leave her alone. She says she wants to go home. She stops and says I can't make her do anything. I say, "Briana, you are right. I can't make you do anything you don't want to do. But I know you want to do this, so I will just sit here and wait until you are ready."
"No. Don't do that. Take me home this minute." And she sits down on the mat, crosses her arms firmly and looks the other way. I sit near her and stare at the floor. I realize that we are now in a stand-off. Luckily, God has blessed me with tremendous patience. So, I sit and wait while Briana talks aloud "I'm not doing it. Yes, you are. No, I'm not." She has this conversation several times with herself.
When I least expect it, she jumps up and picks up where she left off. When she completes the set, I compliment her. "Just leave me alone," she says and plops herself down on the bench again.
"Okay," I say. "You know what comes next. You can get started when you're ready."
"Just leave me alone. Just take me home this minute," she argues.
"Briana, your mom will be here at the end of your workout. I am not taking you home. You are here to work. Why are you so upset all of the sudden?"
"I don't know. I just want to go home."
Well, she didn't go home, and she did get up and finish her workout. By the time she reached the final exercise, her mood was great again. By the time she was on the treadmill for her ten minute ending, she was chatty again. I am still unsure what set her off. I wonder if possibly the huge accomplishment she had at the beginning of her workout (getting started on the treadmill all by herself) zapped her energy? I will watch to see if this is a pattern.
Perhaps on days when Briana achieves a milestone or makes big progress, I need to tone everything else down. I will certainly be as sensitive as I can to make sure she continues to succeed. For now, I'm simply grateful that we have made it through this day. She tells me to wait while she goes upstairs. By the time I go up, she is out the door and halfway to the car. I wave at her mom and say "Goodbye, Briana. You did great today. I will see you tomorrow."
Once we get downstairs, she knows exactly what to do. Today she says, "I'm going to do the treadmill all by myself."
"Okay, Briana, do you want me to help you get started?"
"Nope. I'm going to do it all by myself. You go do something, and I will surprise you."
I couldn't help but feel apprehensive and excited at the same time. This would be a huge accomplishment for Briana. She always gets a little upset when the treadmill first starts up because it goes a bit fast then slows down. She always wants to make sure that I'm there to hold her back, and she always tells me how much she hates it when it goes fast. Once it steadies out, she is fine and is able to continue on her own. So for her to press start and get going completely on her own, she would be addressing a fear. I want this for her, but I also want to make sure she stays safe. What if she falls? What if she gets hurt? This would set us back and create more fear for her.
I realize that I am worried for no good reason. Briana has never showed signs of falling off the treadmill. She has never come anywhere close to stumbling. Today, coming down the stairs, she showed how much her balance has improved. She is moving around easily and independently. So, I decide to have faith. I trust that she will be okay.
I walk to the other side of the room and pretend to do some computer work. She gets onto the treadmill easily. She holds onto the rails. Aloud, she gives herself some encouragement "You can do this." She takes one hand off the rail, presses 1 then start. (She has watched me do this dozens of times, so I knew she would know how to start it). She holds on tight and she is fine, perfectly fine! I breathe a sigh of relief, wait about two minutes, then go over to talk to her. She is happy and chatty during her ten minute warm up, so I assume the rest of the workout can only go uphill.
At the fifteen minute mark, Briana's attitude takes a u-turn. She becomes more than agitated. She seems angry. She snaps at me. She tells me to leave her alone. She says she wants to go home. She stops and says I can't make her do anything. I say, "Briana, you are right. I can't make you do anything you don't want to do. But I know you want to do this, so I will just sit here and wait until you are ready."
"No. Don't do that. Take me home this minute." And she sits down on the mat, crosses her arms firmly and looks the other way. I sit near her and stare at the floor. I realize that we are now in a stand-off. Luckily, God has blessed me with tremendous patience. So, I sit and wait while Briana talks aloud "I'm not doing it. Yes, you are. No, I'm not." She has this conversation several times with herself.
When I least expect it, she jumps up and picks up where she left off. When she completes the set, I compliment her. "Just leave me alone," she says and plops herself down on the bench again.
"Okay," I say. "You know what comes next. You can get started when you're ready."
"Just leave me alone. Just take me home this minute," she argues.
"Briana, your mom will be here at the end of your workout. I am not taking you home. You are here to work. Why are you so upset all of the sudden?"
"I don't know. I just want to go home."
Well, she didn't go home, and she did get up and finish her workout. By the time she reached the final exercise, her mood was great again. By the time she was on the treadmill for her ten minute ending, she was chatty again. I am still unsure what set her off. I wonder if possibly the huge accomplishment she had at the beginning of her workout (getting started on the treadmill all by herself) zapped her energy? I will watch to see if this is a pattern.
Perhaps on days when Briana achieves a milestone or makes big progress, I need to tone everything else down. I will certainly be as sensitive as I can to make sure she continues to succeed. For now, I'm simply grateful that we have made it through this day. She tells me to wait while she goes upstairs. By the time I go up, she is out the door and halfway to the car. I wave at her mom and say "Goodbye, Briana. You did great today. I will see you tomorrow."
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Week 13
Tuesday was Weigh Day. Since we had passed our three month mark, I also wanted to take new measurements. Briana was nervous and excited. She wanted to get on the scale all by herself, so I stood back and gave her some space. There isn't much for me to say here. The results speak for themselves:
Weight
Week 1= 227 lbs
Week 2= 207 lbs
Total loss= 20 lbs
Waist
Week 1= 48.25"
Week 2= 45"
Total loss= 3.25"
Left Arm
Week 1= 12.25"
Week 2= 13"
Total gain= .75"
Right Arm
Week 1= 12.75"
Week 2= 14"
Total gain= 1.25"
Left thigh
Week 1= 26"
Week 2= 24.75"
Total loss= 1.25"
Right thigh
Week 1= 26.75"
Week 2= 25.5"
Total loss= 1.25"
Neck
Week 1= 20"
Week 2= 18.5"
Total loss= 1.5"
I was stunned and amazed with her results. Briana was beside herself with excitement. She called her day program and her mom immediately to share the news then said, "okay, let's do it!"
We got to work. We worked hard. Her enthusiasm came and went. She got frustrated when I pushed her. She told me to leave her alone. She quit then started up again as soon as her discomfort passed. She gave me high fives then refused when she was unhappy. She broke a sweat and cheered herself on. She asked how she was doing, and was happy with my approval.
This is now our pattern. This is now our rhythm. And I love it.
Weight
Week 1= 227 lbs
Week 2= 207 lbs
Total loss= 20 lbs
Waist
Week 1= 48.25"
Week 2= 45"
Total loss= 3.25"
Left Arm
Week 1= 12.25"
Week 2= 13"
Total gain= .75"
Right Arm
Week 1= 12.75"
Week 2= 14"
Total gain= 1.25"
Left thigh
Week 1= 26"
Week 2= 24.75"
Total loss= 1.25"
Right thigh
Week 1= 26.75"
Week 2= 25.5"
Total loss= 1.25"
Neck
Week 1= 20"
Week 2= 18.5"
Total loss= 1.5"
I was stunned and amazed with her results. Briana was beside herself with excitement. She called her day program and her mom immediately to share the news then said, "okay, let's do it!"
We got to work. We worked hard. Her enthusiasm came and went. She got frustrated when I pushed her. She told me to leave her alone. She quit then started up again as soon as her discomfort passed. She gave me high fives then refused when she was unhappy. She broke a sweat and cheered herself on. She asked how she was doing, and was happy with my approval.
This is now our pattern. This is now our rhythm. And I love it.
Monday, January 9, 2012
Week 12
On the days she sees me, Briana attends a day program for adults with special needs. They teach her life skills and job skills so that she can have a functioning role in society. They also plan outings and activities to expose her to things she may not get to do otherwise. Briana has told me about trips to the museum, the capitol building, and the planetarium. She has also told me about trips to the mall, jobs she gets to do like answering the phone and vacuuming, and parties they have had. Briana loves her day program, and I am grateful to them for being able to drop her off three times a week for her session. If it weren't for this service, I'm not sure that she would be able to come as often.
Normally, Briana arrives at least ten minutes before her session. I sit near the window so I can see her coming. I like to walk out to greet her and thank her driver for bringing her. So on Wednesday, when the clock reads 2:30 and there is still no sign of Briana, I begin to worry. After calling her mom to let her know that Briana has not been dropped off, she assures me that they are on their way. As it turns out, they had car trouble and had to switch to another vehicle. So, Briana arrives 15 minutes late and we have less than 45 minutes to workout by the time we get downstairs.
The good news is that Briana is eager to get to work. She remembers that we are starting with a ten minute warm up on the treadmill. She also remembers that we are supposed to end with another ten minutes on the treadmill for a total of twenty minutes. I tell her that she is right, but I remind her that we are short on time and will probably have to skip the second ten minutes. Although she seems disappointed, she understands. When I tell her that we will definitely do it on Friday, her spirits lift and she is ready to work.
Even though it is short, Brana has an amazing workout. She takes little rest and does everything I ask of her. She has a few moments of agitation. I now take this as a sign that she is working hard and feeling uncomfortable, just like any other person going through a challenging workout. I know I can still push her a bit even when she is agitated. I just can't push too hard or she will refuse to listen to me. As in all things there is a delicate balance, and we have definitely found our groove.
On Friday, Briana arrives 15 minutes early. I take advantage of the extra time and get her started right away. She gets on the treadmill, sets her speed, presses start, and gets going ALL BY HERSELF! This is a tremendous accomplishment for her. I think back to her first day on the treadmill when she was so scared and could barely get through one minute with me standing by her side, holding her back tightly and letting her know that she would be okay. I feel so proud of her confidence and independence and I tell her so.
Briana proceeds to do her ten minute warm up without my assistance. When she finishes, I press "stop" and give her water. "Wow!" she says. "How did I do?"
"You did great! I am so proud of you! How do you feel?"
"Good." she says with a satisfied smile on her face.
That smile comes and goes through the rest of the workout. She smiles less when she gets tired or when her muscles are sore. She smiles more when it is time to move on to something new. And she especially smiles when it is finally time to do her second ten minutes on the treadmill. This is a first for her and her longest time on the treadmill yet. She wants to do it all by herself and "surprise" me. I agree reluctantly. I want to honor her independence, but I'm not sure how her stamina will hold up after the strenuous workout we have done. I sit on the couch and pretend to busy myself with a notepad and pen. I keep a close eye on her from the corner of my eye. I smile as she coaches herself: "You got this. Come on. You can do it," she says aloud. And she does.
She calls to me when the time hits twenty minutes. By the time I get to her side and press stop, she has done a total of 20 minutes and 14 seconds. Her face is pink, and she is sweaty, and she is so happy with herself! "I've never done this before! My mom is going to be so proud".
I know she is right. Her mom will be proud, but having seen it with my own eyes, no one can be prouder than me.
Normally, Briana arrives at least ten minutes before her session. I sit near the window so I can see her coming. I like to walk out to greet her and thank her driver for bringing her. So on Wednesday, when the clock reads 2:30 and there is still no sign of Briana, I begin to worry. After calling her mom to let her know that Briana has not been dropped off, she assures me that they are on their way. As it turns out, they had car trouble and had to switch to another vehicle. So, Briana arrives 15 minutes late and we have less than 45 minutes to workout by the time we get downstairs.
The good news is that Briana is eager to get to work. She remembers that we are starting with a ten minute warm up on the treadmill. She also remembers that we are supposed to end with another ten minutes on the treadmill for a total of twenty minutes. I tell her that she is right, but I remind her that we are short on time and will probably have to skip the second ten minutes. Although she seems disappointed, she understands. When I tell her that we will definitely do it on Friday, her spirits lift and she is ready to work.
Even though it is short, Brana has an amazing workout. She takes little rest and does everything I ask of her. She has a few moments of agitation. I now take this as a sign that she is working hard and feeling uncomfortable, just like any other person going through a challenging workout. I know I can still push her a bit even when she is agitated. I just can't push too hard or she will refuse to listen to me. As in all things there is a delicate balance, and we have definitely found our groove.
On Friday, Briana arrives 15 minutes early. I take advantage of the extra time and get her started right away. She gets on the treadmill, sets her speed, presses start, and gets going ALL BY HERSELF! This is a tremendous accomplishment for her. I think back to her first day on the treadmill when she was so scared and could barely get through one minute with me standing by her side, holding her back tightly and letting her know that she would be okay. I feel so proud of her confidence and independence and I tell her so.
Briana proceeds to do her ten minute warm up without my assistance. When she finishes, I press "stop" and give her water. "Wow!" she says. "How did I do?"
"You did great! I am so proud of you! How do you feel?"
"Good." she says with a satisfied smile on her face.
That smile comes and goes through the rest of the workout. She smiles less when she gets tired or when her muscles are sore. She smiles more when it is time to move on to something new. And she especially smiles when it is finally time to do her second ten minutes on the treadmill. This is a first for her and her longest time on the treadmill yet. She wants to do it all by herself and "surprise" me. I agree reluctantly. I want to honor her independence, but I'm not sure how her stamina will hold up after the strenuous workout we have done. I sit on the couch and pretend to busy myself with a notepad and pen. I keep a close eye on her from the corner of my eye. I smile as she coaches herself: "You got this. Come on. You can do it," she says aloud. And she does.
She calls to me when the time hits twenty minutes. By the time I get to her side and press stop, she has done a total of 20 minutes and 14 seconds. Her face is pink, and she is sweaty, and she is so happy with herself! "I've never done this before! My mom is going to be so proud".
I know she is right. Her mom will be proud, but having seen it with my own eyes, no one can be prouder than me.
Monday, January 2, 2012
Weeks 8-11
It has been three weeks since my last post. Briana and I are coming up on our 12th week of work together. So much has happened over the past few weeks: Briana has had two weigh-ins, increased her distance on the treadmill, and gotten much stronger.
I weighed Briana in week eight and again in week ten. She lost three pounds in week eight and another two pounds in week ten. As of this posting, Briana weighs 210 pounds. She has lost a total of 17 pounds in 10 weeks! As many of you can imagine, Briana was thrilled with her progress at both weigh-ins. She immediately made a phone call to share the news with the people from her day program. The positive news gave her inspiration to work even harder and she seemed less grouchy when I pushed her.
The last time I updated Briana's progress on the treadmill, she was up to nine minutes. As of week ten, Briana had increased her time to 19 minutes! She has built a lot of stamina here. Although most days she goes through moments of agitation, she has become her best cheerleader. At this point, she likes me to stay next to her for half the time then finish the second half on her own. I stay close by to make sure she is okay, but I am trying to honor her independence and give her space to feel successful. I am so proud of her progress and her determination. When I see her this week, she will finally meet her goal of twenty minutes on the treadmill!
Briana's strength has increased exponentially in the last few weeks. I am amazed at how much she can do before she gets tired and needs to rest. We are working in true intervals - bringing her heart rate up with strength and cardio, then allowing a brief recovery before starting another set. She is finally getting hot and sweaty during her workout and does not seem to be bothered too much by it!
Now that we are concluding our first three months of training, I am looking forward to our next phase together. My plan is to break up the twenty minutes on the treadmill into two ten minute segments. She will begin her workout with a ten minute warm up on the treadmill. From there, she will do her Pilates exercises on the tower, followed by the intervals of cardio and strength training. She will end with a few more Pilates exercises on the tower followed by another ten minutes on the treadmill and stretching. I will increase the number of sets of each strength exercise to two sets and then increase the weights from five pounds to eight.
With the holidays behind me and things back to "normal," I look forward to posting weekly updates. I hope you will all continue to follow and share the blog with friends and family! I can't wait to see what the future holds for Briana!
I weighed Briana in week eight and again in week ten. She lost three pounds in week eight and another two pounds in week ten. As of this posting, Briana weighs 210 pounds. She has lost a total of 17 pounds in 10 weeks! As many of you can imagine, Briana was thrilled with her progress at both weigh-ins. She immediately made a phone call to share the news with the people from her day program. The positive news gave her inspiration to work even harder and she seemed less grouchy when I pushed her.
The last time I updated Briana's progress on the treadmill, she was up to nine minutes. As of week ten, Briana had increased her time to 19 minutes! She has built a lot of stamina here. Although most days she goes through moments of agitation, she has become her best cheerleader. At this point, she likes me to stay next to her for half the time then finish the second half on her own. I stay close by to make sure she is okay, but I am trying to honor her independence and give her space to feel successful. I am so proud of her progress and her determination. When I see her this week, she will finally meet her goal of twenty minutes on the treadmill!
Briana's strength has increased exponentially in the last few weeks. I am amazed at how much she can do before she gets tired and needs to rest. We are working in true intervals - bringing her heart rate up with strength and cardio, then allowing a brief recovery before starting another set. She is finally getting hot and sweaty during her workout and does not seem to be bothered too much by it!
Now that we are concluding our first three months of training, I am looking forward to our next phase together. My plan is to break up the twenty minutes on the treadmill into two ten minute segments. She will begin her workout with a ten minute warm up on the treadmill. From there, she will do her Pilates exercises on the tower, followed by the intervals of cardio and strength training. She will end with a few more Pilates exercises on the tower followed by another ten minutes on the treadmill and stretching. I will increase the number of sets of each strength exercise to two sets and then increase the weights from five pounds to eight.
With the holidays behind me and things back to "normal," I look forward to posting weekly updates. I hope you will all continue to follow and share the blog with friends and family! I can't wait to see what the future holds for Briana!
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